Chapter 66

In the side hall.

Facing the gazes of Jiang Yuan and the other princesses and ladies, Nianxi smiled softly. “My skills are not refined, so I’ll merely set the stage and make a humble attempt.”

The palace attendants quickly set up an arrow pot in the center of the space. Nianxi stood up and walked toward the middle of the hall.

Xiao Nanxi tugged at the hem of her garment and encouraged her, “Aim for all ten shots to hit the mark.”

Nianxi chuckled lightly. She wasn’t particularly good at pitch-pot. In her previous lonely life, she had played it occasionally as a pastime and could manage to hit up to eight arrows. But now, her skills were rusty, and she expected to hit even fewer. However, no matter the outcome, she wouldn’t lose her composure. Jiang Yuan intended to embarrass her, but Nianxi wouldn’t let her succeed.

Seven out of ten arrows hit the mark. One arrow could have been her eighth hit, but it bounced back out after landing in the pot.

Seven hits wasn’t excellent, but it wasn’t bad either. Princess Deqing led the applause and cheers for her. Smiling, Nianxi remarked, “I haven’t played in a long time. I’m a bit out of practice.”

She proposed to penalize herself with three cups of wine.

Princess Deqing immediately spoke up to stop her, saying, “It’s just a game. One cup to fit the occasion is enough. There’s no need to take it seriously.”

However, Jiang Yuan wouldn’t relent and immediately made a sarcastic remark. Smiling, Nianxi ordered someone to pour the wine, and she confidently drank three full cups, her expression unchanging as she calmly took her seat again. As a woman, she had always looked down upon the act of making things difficult for another woman over a man. Yet, she was not the type to cower from challenges. If Jiang Yuan wanted to stir up trouble, Nianxi would certainly accompany her to the end.

After Nianxi’s, the others took turns according to their seating arrangements. Among the ladies present, not everyone excelled at this game. Some missed nine out of ten throws and were only modestly penalized with a single cup of wine. Jiang Yuan, however, didn’t seem to care as much about rules or order anymore.

After a few rounds, even Xiao Nanxi couldn’t help but notice and asked, “Is she targeting you?”

Nianxi smiled faintly and acknowledged it. Most people present likely could see it as well.

Xiao Nanxi, ever loyal and bold, declared with great enthusiasm, “I’ll help you vent your frustrations!”

Nianxi shook her head. “No need to rush.”

Not to mention that if the princess stood up for her, causing a scene would only lower their standing. They still had many days to spend at the palace—the future was long.

Before dawn the next day, the observing officials led soldiers to set up a massive enclosure spanning dozens of miles. The wildlife within was stirred into chaos, running in all directions, as the emperor, accompanied by the princes, ministers, and attendants, entered the enclosure to hunt. While the men galloped through the hunt, the noblewomen also enjoyed themselves.

This dynasty, having been established through military might, considered it normal for noblewomen to ride and hunt. The soldiers created a smaller hunting circle for the women, containing only small animals, such as rabbits and badgers, for them to hunt for fun.

Nianxi’s riding skills, personally taught by Gu Ci, had become quite proficient, but she was not skilled in hunting. On the other hand, Xiao Nanxi excelled in both riding and archery. The two worked in perfect harmony—Nianxi flushed out the animals while Xiao Nanxi shot them with precision. Their teamwork was unexpectedly seamless, with flying arrows and laughter ringing continuously.

The cooperation between Princess Deqing and Jiang Yuan was not nearly as smooth. From the moment the hunting ground was enclosed, people naturally split into different groups. For instance, Princess Deqing and her group merely chased small animals for amusement, passing the time.

However, there was a subtle sense of competition between Princess Deqing and Princess Wen Shu—especially Jiang Yuan, who desperately wanted to outshine Nianxi.

Seeing that on Nianxi’s side, Xiao Nanxi’s arrows never missed, and they repeatedly made successful captures, Jiang Yuan grew increasingly anxious. She loudly commanded the guards to herd rabbits and small foxes toward her, yet she missed repeatedly.

Xiao Nanxi, being straightforward and unfiltered, mocked her without restraint.

Jiang Yuan, prideful as she was, refused to admit defeat. She swung her whip and directed the guards, making her appear more frantic and disorganized.

Then, it happened in an instant.

A small fox dashed past Jiang Yuan. Determined to hit it, she readied her bow and arrow, but somehow, her horse was suddenly startled. Rearing up on its hind legs, the horse threw Jiang Yuan off as she failed to hold onto the reins.

The ground was covered with grass, so Jiang Yuan didn’t fall too hard. She quickly got up and refused any assistance. However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, her dignity was utterly lost.

As luck would have it, Nianxi was not far from where Jiang Yuan fell. She witnessed the entire scene and even locked eyes with Jiang Yuan, whose gaze was filled with humiliation and anger. Their eyes met.

Nianxi: …

Great, this grudge has now escalated significantly.

…

Pei Jian calculated the days—it had been five or six days since the imperial entourage left the capital. Earlier, he had reported to his superior about the Liu Shao case in Lan County and mentioned that there were still matters that needed to be personally presented to the Crown Prince. With permission granted, he immediately set off for Qu Zuo to meet the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince, Xiao Heng, was in charge of all matters related to the Imperial Censorate.

The injuries on Pei Jian’s face had mostly healed over the past two days. He sent his attendant to buy some of Nianxi’s favorite candied fruits and snacks, intending to give them to her personally upon reaching Qu Zuo.

He had always been a tenacious man.

Now, Pei Jian no longer expects Nianxi to show him kindness. The obsession had blinded him, but now he wanted to change.

After falling ill, Pei Jian suddenly came to his senses. Who she liked, who she wanted to marry—he would respect her decisions. As for whether he would interfere or if he could even succeed, it would depend on his abilities.

Take this autumn hunt as an example.

First, he needed to separate those two.

With Nianxi, he had made a foolish mistake—being too self-assured. He had forgotten that Nianxi was actually a very determined person.

He shouldn’t have been so hasty. Winning her heart required a gradual, methodical approach. After his attendant packed his belongings, Pei Jian spurred his horse into a gallop, heading straight toward Qu Zuo.