Murong Yi and Tan Dunzhi entered the forest. Tie Ci ahead had already gone far.

Tan Dunzhi felt quite dejected. After searching the forest for a while without finding any prey dropped by the Crown Princess, he became even more dispirited.

Murong Yi maintained his nonchalant appearance, casually galloping forward. Suddenly looking up, he drew his bow from behind while in motion, nocked an arrow, and shot. The arrow flew like streaming light with a whoosh, and something in the distance fell to the ground with a thud.

Tan Dunzhi exclaimed joyfully, “Hit!” and rushed over to collect it.

Simultaneously, cheers arose from the forest across the way as a large group rushed over. The leader cracked his whip and snatched the deer from Tan Dunzhi’s hands, saying, “Who’s this? Stealing our prey?”

Tan Dunzhi quickly withdrew his hands, pointing to the arrow in the deer’s eye. “We shot the deer in a vital spot…”

The richly dressed young man said arrogantly, “Just because you say so doesn’t make it yours! Call to it and see if it answers!”

Tan Dunzhi angrily said, “How can you be so unreasonable!”

The group of young men burst into mocking laughter. One said, “Reasonable? You country bumpkin, talking reason with us?”

“What country bumpkin? I’m a provincial graduate…”

“Oh, a provincial graduate!” The richly dressed youth turned to a young man beside him. “Brother Li, that new guest scholar at your house—wasn’t he a provincial graduate?”

“Hardly,” the youth surnamed Li said languidly. “He passed the metropolitan examinations. Made some minor mistake and didn’t become an official. What’s a provincial graduate anyway?”

Tan Dunzhi’s pale face turned red, then blue.

“You dare insult the Crown Princess’s cousin…”

“Oh, the Crown Princess’s cousin—our apologies.” The richly dressed youth gave an exaggerated bow with mock deference. His whip coiled around the deer. “Let’s go.”

Tan Dunzhi found their attitude detestable and wanted to block them and curse, but seeing the whip, he stood frozen in place.

Suddenly a figure swept past him.

Then with a smack, the richly dressed youth fell to the ground, the deer dropped too, and the deer’s rump perfectly plugged his mouth.

The other youths were shocked and furious. Relying on their numbers, they cursed about who dared be so arrogant and rushed forward together.

Murong Yi moved like threading flowers—after several exchanges and a series of smacks, a pile lay on the ground. He stepped on the richly dressed youth’s face, cleaning both sides of his boots before smiling cheerfully, “Hey, still stealing or not?”

The richly dressed youth propped himself up halfway and angrily demanded, “What thing are you? How dare you ambush us! State your name!”

The youth surnamed Li nearby, covering his face, said, “Don’t tell me you’re also some Crown Princess’s cousin or something? Don’t you lot ruin the Crown Princess’s reputation!”

Murong Yi smiled and said, “What are you saying? I’m the Crown Princess’s hus—”

Before he finished, a rider approached—white clothes, white horse, a jade brush-pen at the waist drawing a pure white arc in the sunlight.

“—her servant!” Murong Yi grandly corrected himself.

When Tie Ci arrived, she heard exactly this sentence and wondered when he’d become so modest.

The youths groaning on the ground perked up seeing the Crown Princess arrive, ready to complain, thinking the Crown Princess was always fair and wouldn’t show favoritism even to her beloved attendants.

But before they could speak, Murong Yi was already saying, “Your Highness! They beat me! And stole my deer!”

The youths: “…”

Wait, how can you have the nerve to say you were beaten while looking at us all bruised and battered?

The young masters looked hopefully at Tie Ci—this was so obvious, surely she could see the villain complaining first? She’d certainly enforce justice impartially and severely punish that little scoundrel, right?

The just, benevolent, wise, selfless Crown Princess Her Highness glanced at the scene, nodded, and said amiably, “Gentlemen, please value harmony. Do not fight or compete, lest I not know whether to inform your elders, making things difficult for everyone.”

She glanced at Murong Yi, who smiled at her knowingly.

Tie Ci turned her horse and left.

The young masters fell into confusion.

What did Her Highness say?

Weren’t we the ones beaten?

Weren’t we the ones bullied?

Why did the Crown Princess act like she didn’t see anything and threaten us to accept it ourselves, or she’d tell our parents?

Crown Princess, where is your heart?

Did it go off to Yongping?

…

Due to this beating with no recourse, the young masters reached consensus—there was a tremendously strong bastard in this forest, and the Crown Princess was biased.

Therefore they decided to change from individual hunting to small group cooperative hunting.

To avoid being isolated and taken advantage of.

As for rankings, they’d originally followed their family bosses’ advice to be casual about it, but now their competitive spirit was aroused—they wanted to impress the biased Crown Princess.

The imperial hunting ground covered ten thousand acres with three mountain peaks, thousands of acres of dense forest, and training grounds. The main peak, Yinshui Mountain, had the most game and most complex terrain. Everyone wanted both cooperation and good rankings, so competition was fierce beneath the surface.

Simultaneously, everyone agreed to corner as much game as possible, leaving that pretty bastard with nothing.

Therefore in the subsequent hunt, those who’d been humiliated—Marquis Duanyang’s heir, Academician Li’s son, and others—specifically sent people to secretly watch Murong Yi. Wherever he hunted, they followed from afar. When game appeared, they struck first. If he got there first, they created diversions to distract and steal his prey, grabbing and running without lingering. After all, they couldn’t beat him, and the Crown Princess was biased.

So Tan Dunzhi discovered that though Murong Yi’s archery was clearly excellent, he could never hit prey. Even when he did, by the time they rushed over to collect it, the game was always gone.

Even he noticed this strange situation, sensing movement all around. But when he mentioned it to Murong Yi, Murong Yi just smiled and waved his bow carelessly, saying, “Where? We’re just having bad luck temporarily. Let’s try another path.”

Looking back at the mountain path they’d traveled, Tan Dunzhi saw some scattered bloodstains in the green grass turned by hooves, with flattened grass beside the blood. If he remembered correctly, those should be traces from a shot pheasant and rabbit.

Was this person’s brain damaged? Couldn’t he remember his own arrows?

Tan Dunzhi followed with puzzlement, watching as more and more game appeared and the thieves grew bolder, while Murong Yi acted like a dementia patient—just shooting without collecting.

Murong Yi continued racing through the mountains, specifically choosing places with human traces. He’d arrive, shoot wildly, then run off, his movements increasingly crisp and efficient. The people stealing his game grew bolder too, almost following directly behind his horse to collect. Tan Dunzhi even heard two people snickering behind them, saying he must be an idiot.

Tan Dunzhi had originally wanted to follow for some benefit but grew increasingly disappointed. He reined in his horse, not wanting to follow this fool anymore.

But though this person seemed deaf and mute about hitting prey, he was now excessively sharp-eared and eagle-eyed. As soon as Tan Dunzhi’s horse slowed, Murong Yi turned back, saying warmly, “Brother Tan, why aren’t you moving? Hurry, hurry—maybe we’ll catch up to the Crown Princess ahead.”

Tan Dunzhi found his tone warm but his eyes coldly gleaming in the deep forest shadows like a smiling death god wanting to trick people into becoming meat buns.

Tan Dunzhi wanted to run even more.

But he couldn’t escape. Murong Yi grabbed his reins with one hand and forcibly dragged the terrified graduate gentleman along.

In the dense forest with towering trees, brushwood reached waist-high, giant branches crisscrossed, fragmenting the bright sunlight.

Behind the brush, someone watched Tan Dunzhi’s galloping figure with regret, grinding their teeth and pressing down. The cold gleam being drawn from their waist sheathed back.

…

Tan Dunzhi followed Murong Yi around all day. Eventually, he grew numb.

He felt this person seemed to be going in circles—circles with increasing numbers of young masters. Using his peerless archery, endless game, and dementia-like memory, he attracted those young masters to stop hunting themselves and just follow him collecting prey. All day long, working themselves to death feeding all the capital’s young men while his own horse carried nothing.

Those brazen parasites rushed from all directions, following Murong Yi around Duanshui Mountain, cheerfully dividing his game while openly discussing these two idiots.

Tan Dunzhi tried several times to leave this bizarre atmosphere—better to return to camp alone and be mocked—but was firmly tethered behind the “enthusiastic” Murong Yi, forced to become half of a pair of fools.

He barely endured until sunset, returning empty-handed with Murong Yi. Before they even left the forest, they heard cheers and counting ahead—that scavenging army had returned victorious with full loads to claim the prey.

On the field, the Emperor and ministers had been waiting, passing time discussing politics. The Emperor mentioned the Crown Princess’s upcoming southern tour to Yannan and matters of guard numbers and selection. Everyone expressed that accompanying the Crown Princess south was a glorious ancestral honor bearing important responsibility for protecting the heir apparent. Only loyal, reliable, talented individuals should be selected. Speaking earnestly, the old fox Grand Academician Chang even declared that if not for his advanced age that might burden the Crown Princess, he would certainly volunteer to see southern scenery while advising the Crown Princess.

Everyone nodded frequently while inwardly despising him—old fox, you’re only saying this because you know you’d never be chosen anyway!

Seeing the Emperor’s mysterious delight, they all expressed similar sentiments. After all, verbal favors cost nothing.

Finally they agreed the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards would naturally select elites, while for others, everyone enthusiastically recommended people they disliked.

Just then, the hunters returned. Laughter and chatter carried from far away. Everyone perked up, saying this looked like a full harvest.

Several big shots smiled without speaking, thinking they wouldn’t join such excitement.

The Emperor, seeing everyone returned safely, relaxed, thinking he’d been worried about incidents but was overthinking.

He saw Tie Ci gallop out last, spiritedly giving him a reassuring gesture—clearly Tie Ci had also relaxed.

Game piled mountain-high on the field, with Xia Houchun and the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards counting.

“Li Yuncheng, nineteen head. One wild boar, two deer, various rabbits and pheasants!”

“Feng Huan, seventeen head. One deer, three roe deer, seven muntjacs, various rabbits and pheasants!”

“Chang Qianmo, sixteen head. One wild boar, one deer, two roe deer, various rabbits and pheasants!”

“…”

Thunderous applause arose.

But Marquis Duanyang and Academicians Chang and Li’s faces changed slightly.

Hadn’t they agreed not to stand out?

How did they hunt so much?

They knew their own children—they couldn’t hunt this much themselves!

Marquis Duanyang was a military official related by marriage to the Rong family. Grand Academician Chang, famous for avoiding court conflicts, was a renowned fence-sitter. Academician Li was a loyal ally of the Xiao clan. These families had no intention of befriending the imperial family, nor could they. Whether Crown Princess’s prizes, imperial favor, or even the Crown Princess’s consorts—they wanted no part of it, specifically instructing their children not to stand out too much.

After all, getting too close made future actions difficult. If bound by the Crown Princess, should they accept or refuse?

They’d thought it was just an empty warning since their children couldn’t excel anyway.

Who knew they’d made the top three!

The three big shots watched with complex expressions as their children advanced with other high achievers to receive the Crown Princess’s praise and accept her “personally made” prizes. Li Shen suddenly said quietly, “How are all those ranking first entirely children of high ministers…”

Everyone looked—indeed they were.

There was another unspoken truth.

All were children of non-royalist officials.

Even the rankings seemed to echo their families’ relative power and position at court…

The big shots felt uneasy.

The Rong and Xiao families had said the Crown Princess was very cunning…

Then they heard the Emperor say, “Today’s ranking and prizes, observing our young men’s prowess is secondary. The key is selecting accompanying officials for the Crown Princess’s southern tour to Yannan.”

All ministers froze.

The previously triumphant young masters froze.

…What?

Not selecting consorts or testing ability?

Selecting people to accompany the southern tour?!

Everyone knew Yannan’s situation was complex with fierce succession struggles. As a major autonomous fief controlling armies, the Crown Princess’s party would easily be controlled whether traveling openly or in disguise. Following to Yannan, while the Crown Princess certainly had protection, these accompanying officials would mostly be cannon fodder?

The big shots thought further… the top scorers were all their non-royalist children!

The Crown Princess was being shameless, using their children as hostages, taking their sons along to keep the families behaving at court!

So calculating, so vicious!

Grand Academician Chang listened to the Emperor’s fulsome praise of his son—brave, martial, loyal, reliable, talented—exactly the words he’d used earlier for guards and officials about to accompany the Crown Princess.

So the topic hadn’t been raised randomly—they’d been waiting for this.

But having already spoken, even declaring willingness to accompany the tour himself, Chang couldn’t contradict himself now that his son’s turn came.

He could only bow with a dry laugh, accepting the praise and letting his bewildered son thank the throne.

Li Shen had no choice but to nod at his son.

The languid Li family young master sighed, muttering, “Father, I feel like your chosen faction is quite deadly.”

Li Shen’s expression was complex.

Marquis Duanyang stared agape before whirling to glare at his son.

Why did you have to excel, you little bastard!

Feng Huan felt wronged.

Who the hell wanted to excel!

Wasn’t it just that there was always prey to collect… wait, why was collecting prey so easy?

Feng Huan slowly turned, meeting the gazes of Li Yuncheng, Chang Qianmo, and others.

In that instant, they all understood.

No wonder there was conflict from the start to anger them.

No wonder he wouldn’t yield a single deer initially but let them collect prey afterward.

No wonder that guy acted blind while so much was stolen.

He’d deliberately given it to them.

Deliberately made them win.

Deliberately framed them, the bastard!

…

The ministers watched several big shots so easily roasted over the imperial fire, their feelings complex.

Both gloating and uneasy.

The imperial father and daughter—or rather the Crown Princess—played by no conventional rules!

Hidden moves, impossible to guard against.

What birthday hunt—they’d been waiting here all along.

Watching the families accept imperial decrees to become Crown Princess escorts, many awakened and began volunteering.

Regardless, before such imperial authority, declarations were necessary.

Grand Academician Chang looked at his son and sighed.

Perhaps it wasn’t bad—hadn’t he envied the Rong and Qi families’ sons working with the Crown Princess, sharing uncommon friendship with her? How could such friendship fall from heaven? Only through shared trials and weathering storms together.

At worst, returning with merit would fulfill his hopes for his son’s good prospects.

Chang decided to arrange secret protection for his son afterward.

The Emperor watched those old foxes’ defeated expressions with inner delight, quietly laughing to Tie Ci, “Well arranged.”

Tie Ci paused, then said, “I didn’t have time to arrange anything.”

Tie Yan asked in surprise, “You didn’t arrange it? Then who?”

“…Murong Yi,” Tie Ci said. “He took the initiative to conflict with these young men, provoking them to band together stealing his prey. He hunted all day just to give them game, forcibly pushing these originally low-key noble family sons into the top ranks.”

Tie Yan: “…”

After a moment he said, “Child, father has a question.”

“Please speak.”

“Such a mischievous fellow—other things aside, he must be quite entertaining to spend time with. So what was wrong with your brain initially that you wanted to break the engagement with him?”