Tuoba Wu sat alone on the ground, watching Bai Feng’s departing figure as she burst into tears. Near the fallen wooden box, a blood-stained horse bell with strands of horse hair lay on the ground, a horrifying sight. The bell was made of pure gold with the character “Moon Crescent” secretly engraved on it. She had personally chosen this bell more than ten years ago when Moon Crescent was just a foal. Moon Crescent had worn it all these years and had never lost it.
She hadn’t found Moon Crescent, but Yan Chi had sent her the bell from Moon Crescent’s neck! She knew that her Moon Crescent was dead! Because she had harmed Qin Wan, Yan Chi had killed her Moon Crescent! This was his warning, his revenge—
Tuoba Wu’s heart was filled with grief and anger, while a chill crept through her. Thinking of the two servant girls taken away by Tuoba Hong, she collapsed helplessly on the ground. Had she done wrong? Was she responsible for Moon Crescent’s death? Had she implicated the two servants?!
The spring night was heavy with cold. Tuoba Wu stared blankly at the pitch-black sky as the coldness crept up from her feet and into her heart like a snake! She had always been accustomed to being willful and proud. In the past, if Yan Chi had done something like this, she would have thrown a tantrum out of anger. But now, without Tuoba Hong’s protection, her status as a Northern Wei Princess was worthless. Moreover, Tuoba Hong was utterly disappointed in her, and even he stood on Great Zhou’s side.
The more Tuoba Wu thought about it, the more miserable and heartbroken she felt. She couldn’t help but burst into loud sobs. The patrolling guards nearby heard the commotion and walked over. Seeing Tuoba Wu crying disgracefully on the ground, they felt awkward. However, news of how the Northern Wei Princess had nearly caused the death of Great Zhou’s Little Medical Fairy had already spread privately, and they understood Empress Dowager’s and Emperor’s attitudes, so they ignored her.
Tuoba Wu had never felt such despair and desolation before. She lay alone on the ground until her limbs went numb. When she had cried herself tired, a stubborn grief welled up in her heart! She suddenly stood up, stumbling slightly from her numb legs. After steadying herself, she bent down to pick up the bell from the ground, then walked toward the Empress Dowager’s main tent.
Guards stood outside the Empress Dowager’s main tent, and they exchanged glances when they saw Tuoba Wu approaching. News of Qin Wan’s injury had spread. Though they weren’t particularly close to this Ninth Young Lady known as the Little Medical Fairy, they had observed her accompanying the Empress Dowager for many days. Despite the Empress Dowager’s favor, her gentle nature and lack of arrogance had left a good impression on these guards. Additionally, she had been treating Empress Dowager’s illness and had been wronged by the Northern Wei people, so naturally, these guards sided with Qin Wan.
Seeing Tuoba Wu reach the tent, the guards exchanged glances and didn’t intend to announce her. The Empress Dowager had already retired, and unless it was a matter of life and death, they dared not disturb her carelessly.
Tuoba Wu stood frozen at the tent entrance for a moment, her body completely cold, before suddenly kneeling. The floor in front of the main tent was made of wooden boards covered with a luxurious carpet. Though kneeling wasn’t uncomfortable for Tuoba Wu, the spring night’s cold was severe. There were still two or three hours until dawn, and by the time she knelt until daybreak, her legs would be useless for several days. But what else could she do? Moon Crescent was gone, and she couldn’t harm the other two!
The guards watched Tuoba Wu in surprise, seeing her look of utter despair. They hesitated, but finally, one guard lifted the outer curtain and quietly reported inside. The Empress Dowager had retired, but Lady Chen was still awake. The guard went in and out quickly, said something in a low voice, and then the guards stood straight as if nothing had happened.
Tuoba Wu witnessed this scene and understood. She couldn’t muster any more anger and just knelt there like a soulless doll.
When the Empress Dowager awoke at dawn, she found Qin Wan already up. Qin Wan and Lady Chen were both waiting for her to wake up. When she opened her eyes, they quickly approached. “Empress Dowager, the Northern Wei Princess came to kneel in front of the main tent during the third watch last night.”
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow at this, and Qin Wan continued, “She’s still kneeling now.”
As daylight was just breaking, the Empress Dowager slowly sat up upon hearing this.
“Is it just Tuoba Wu kneeling alone? Tuoba Hong hasn’t come?”
Lady Chen nodded, “Yes, only the Princess is kneeling outside, no one else.”
The Empress Dowager smiled, “Good, no hurry. Tuoba Hong should be here soon.”
She took Qin Wan’s hand, “We’ll wait patiently, no need to rush at all.”
Qin Wan understood the Empress Dowager’s meaning and didn’t hurry either.
Meanwhile, Tuoba Hong had slept poorly all night, but with today’s great hunt, he had to maintain his energy. When he opened his eyes, daylight was already visible outside. Tuoba Hong called out, and a guard immediately entered.
“Crown Prince, the Princess has been kneeling in front of the Empress Dowager’s main tent.”
Tuoba Hong’s expression changed upon hearing this, immediately becoming alert. “She’s kneeling?”
“Yes, she went to kneel not long after last night.”
Tuoba Hong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his sister’s temperament, and if she hadn’t knelt, he truly couldn’t think of any other way to make her obey. In that case, he might have had to deal with those two servant girls.
Tuoba Hong took a deep breath, immediately changed his clothes, and went to the Empress Dowager’s main tent. In the morning light, he indeed saw Tuoba Wu kneeling solemnly in front of the Empress Dowager’s tent. He sighed and walked over with a serious expression.
After kneeling all night, Tuoba Wu was now in a daze. Though her body remained straight, her face was completely devoid of spirit, her eyes bloodshot and lifeless. When footsteps approached, she showed no awareness, just kept her gaze lowered to the patterns on the carpet. Only when a shadow fell over her did her eyes move slightly.
Seeing Tuoba Wu in such a state, Tuoba Hong felt very pained. However, if this incident could teach Tuoba Wu a lesson, then it would be for the best. After watching Tuoba Wu for a while, Tuoba Hong walked to the tent entrance and called out loudly, “Tuoba Hong requests an audience with the Empress Dowager.”
Behind Tuoba Hong were several guards carrying gift boxes. After his announcement, Lady Chen came out after a moment, “Crown Prince, the Empress Dowager has just risen. Please enter—”
Tuoba Hong entered cautiously. Inside the main tent, Qin Wan sat beside the Empress Dowager, talking with her. Seeing Tuoba Hong enter, the Empress Dowager pulled Qin Wan to sit beside her.
Tuoba Hong immediately noticed the bandage on Qin Wan’s hand and bowed, saying, “Greetings to the Empress Dowager. Tuoba Hong has brought my younger sister to apologize to the Empress Dowager and Ninth Young Lady.”
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly, “How does the Crown Prince intend to apologize?”
Tuoba Hong quickly replied, “My sister is kneeling outside. Whatever punishment is deemed appropriate, we await the Empress Dowager’s decision!”
The Empress Dowager gave a cold laugh. Now that Tuoba Wu was already kneeling, what more punishment could she give? The Empress Dowager examined Tuoba Hong for a moment, “Those are the Crown Prince’s words, but does the Princess understand her mistake?”
Tuoba Hong hurriedly said, “Very well, I will bring my sister in to personally apologize to Ninth Young Lady.”
He turned and commanded, “Bring the Princess in.”
The guards outside acknowledged the order and were about to help Tuoba Wu up, but as soon as they touched her, she closed her eyes and collapsed. The guard shouted in alarm, and Tuoba Hong immediately rushed out.
As soon as he exited the tent, he saw Tuoba Wu lying on the ground, her face deathly pale and eyes tightly closed, having lost consciousness. Tuoba Hong’s heart jumped in anxiety, and he quickly went forward to lift Tuoba Wu, calling her name twice, but she had no awareness at all.
Qin Wan supported the Empress Dowager as they walked out. Seeing Tuoba Wu in such a state from kneeling, some of their anger dissipated. Tuoba Hong said, “Empress Dowager, my sister is truly repentant. She has knelt for an entire night seeking forgiveness from the Empress Dowager and Ninth Young Lady. This incident nearly caused a great disaster. Empress Dowager, Ninth Young Lady—”
The Empress Dowager snorted, “Fine since nothing serious happened to the ninth child, I’ll let it go. But if there’s a next time, Crown Prince, don’t think that just kneeling will suffice. Take the Princess back, I’ll summon the Imperial Physician for you.”
Tuoba Hong quickly expressed his gratitude and then carried Tuoba Wu away hurriedly. Seeing how genuinely worried Tuoba Hong was about Tuoba Wu, the Empress Dowager sighed, “Such a troublesome sister makes things difficult for this Crown Prince.” Then looking at Qin Wan, she asked, “Do you still feel wronged?”
Qin Wan shook her head and smiled, “Since yesterday, when I saw how angry the Empress Dowager was about this matter, I stopped feeling wronged.”
The Empress Dowager laughed, “Silly child—”
Seeing it was getting chilly outside, Qin Wan helped the Empress Dowager inside while smiling, “When I was young and my parents were still alive if I suffered any grievance, I would get over it very slowly if my parents ignored me. But if my parents firmly stood by my side, making me feel supported and vindicated, I would recover very quickly.”
This was indeed a child’s way of thinking. The Empress Dowager listened with increasingly loving eyes, but said, “That’s the thinking of a sensible child. Do you know that for some children, the more their parents love and cherish them, the more they act out? You see, you were a good child from the start, which is why you later developed a kind heart and learned medicine.”
Qin Wan and the Empress Dowager continued their gentle conversation, and so this matter was temporarily settled.
Meanwhile, Tuoba Hong carried Tuoba Wu back to the main tent and ordered the release of the two servant girls. Not long after, the traveling Imperial Physician arrived. After examining her by looking, listening, questioning, and taking her pulse, the physician frowned deeply and said, “The Princess is suffering from physical exhaustion and has caught a cold. I will first use acupuncture to wake the Princess, then prescribe medicine for her.”
Tuoba Hong immediately agreed. The physician performed the acupuncture, and after about half an hour, Tuoba Wu finally regained consciousness.
Though Tuoba Wu had awakened, her eyes remained lifeless. The two servant girls first fed her warm porridge, then medicine soup. After quite a while, Tuoba Wu still seemed dazed. Tuoba Hong watched from the side and sighed, “Wu’er, are you blaming me?”
Only then did a flicker of emotion appear in Tuoba Wu’s eyes.
Tuoba Hong moved closer to her bed and sighed, “Do you still think I’m forcing you? But have you considered how extremely willful you were yesterday? You’re a Princess of Northern Wei, yet you show no awareness of what being a princess means. At home, you could act however you wanted, but now that you’re in Great Zhou, you need to think about what you can do for Northern Wei!”
Tuoba Wu’s eyes reddened slightly. It wasn’t that she had truly lost her spirit—she had already knelt, so why wouldn’t Tuoba Hong let her be?
Seeing her eyes redden while remaining silent, Tuoba Hong felt helpless. “Wu’er, when you’re feeling better, we’ll personally visit the Empress Dowager, and you’ll apologize to Ninth Young Lady yourself.”
Tuoba Wu clenched her fist! She had already knelt for an entire night! Wasn’t that enough?!
Did they need to trample her into the mud before they would be satisfied?!
Tuoba Wu turned her gaze, her eyes fixed intently on Tuoba Hong.
Seeing Tuoba Wu’s stubborn look, Tuoba Hong realized she hadn’t truly acknowledged her mistake—she had only knelt because he had forced her. Tuoba Hong’s brow furrowed; Tuoba Wu had truly been spoiled too much in Northern Wei!
He had intended to scold her more, but seeing Tuoba Wu’s state, Tuoba Hong couldn’t bring himself to do it. He sighed, “The great hunt is about to begin. I’ll be out all day today and won’t return until evening. Just rest well here, and we’ll discuss other matters when I return tonight.”
Looking at Tuoba Hong’s face, Tuoba Wu felt as if this elder brother had become a stranger. Seeing Tuoba Hong waiting for her response, Tuoba Wu gave a cold laugh and rasped out a single word: “Leave.”
Tuoba Hong was stunned, as were all the servants and guards in the room.
Tuoba Hong took a deep breath, deciding not to stay longer. As his gaze shifted, he noticed a small bell beside Tuoba Wu. Seeing the characters and blood on the bell, he was surprised, “Is this Moon Crescent’s bell?”
At these words, Tuoba Wu immediately clutched the bell tightly in her hand.
Tuoba Hong was very puzzled, “Didn’t you say you couldn’t find Moon Crescent?”
It would have been better not to mention Moon Crescent—as soon as it was brought up, anger welled up again in Tuoba Wu’s heart.
She pressed her lips together tightly, glaring at Tuoba Hong with hostile eyes.
Tuoba Hong’s mind was full of doubts, particularly about the clear bloodstains on the bell. “You only found Moon Crescent’s bell? With blood on it, something must have happened to Moon Crescent.”
Tuoba Wu suddenly closed her eyes. Tuoba Hong didn’t know that Yan Chi had sent this bell!
If she had found it herself, she might still have hope, but this was Yan Chi’s gift to her!
Her Moon Crescent had been killed by Yan Chi!
Seeing Tuoba Wu like this, Tuoba Hong shook his head, “When I return from today’s hunt, I’ll send people to search.”
By then it was getting late. Mindful of the great hunt, Tuoba Hong gave some instructions to the servants and left.
After Tuoba Hong departed, the servant girls finally recovered from their shock and rushed to Tuoba Wu’s bedside. They knew that a large part of why Tuoba Wu had knelt in apology yesterday was because of them.
“Princess, if you feel wronged, just cry it out.”
“Princess, please don’t blame the Crown Prince…”
“Princess, how did the bell get here? Princess, Moon Crescent must be fine…”
The servant girls tried to console her, but Tuoba Wu remained motionless and silent.
In the square before the main tent, military drums and horns sounded again. This was the third day of the hunt and the first great hunt. Starting today, the noble youth of the three countries would compete to see who could catch the most prey. Each day’s winner would receive generous rewards.
The sun had barely risen, yet the square was already filled with fluttering banners and crowds. Except for Yan Huai, all the royal clan members had changed into hunting attire and sat mounted at the front. Behind them were other noble youth and accompanying guards. Yan Huai didn’t need to go up the mountain today, and watching the vibrant young people below, he couldn’t help but reminisce with the Empress Dowager.
“When I stood down there back then, I was just like these children.”
The Empress Dowager smiled, “Indeed, I was as beautiful as the Empress then.”
Zhao Shuhua laughed upon hearing this, “Empress Dowager is still beautiful now—”
Feng Lingsu quickly added, “Yes, and Your Majesty is still in his prime!”
These flattering words brought smiles to both Yan Huai and the Empress Dowager. Below, bows and arrows were being distributed to everyone. To prevent equipment differences from affecting results, everyone uses different bows and arrows today. Each person could bring at most four guards, each with one bow and ten arrows, meaning each noble had only fifty arrows’ worth of chances. Even good archers would waste their shots without prey, while poor archers only had fifty chances even with prey before them.
Additionally, everyone could carry personal weapons, but how many birds or beasts could be hunted with swords during a hunt? Therefore, these fifty arrows were everyone’s most important opportunity.
Qin Wan accompanied the Empress Dowager, and looking up, she saw ladies and young misses standing on both sides of the auxiliary tents. Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang were among them. The men in the field were mostly young nobles, each radiating vigor, causing the noble ladies around to feel stirred. Qin Shuang pointed at the markings on the bows and arrows, asking, “Why is everyone’s arrow different?”
Madam Hu and Qin Chaoyu stood beside them. Hearing this, Madam Hu explained with a smile, “Because there will be competition for prey, to avoid confusion about who shot what, everyone’s arrows are different. For example, the Crown Prince’s arrows are marked with the character ‘Che,’ while Prince Cheng’s are marked with ‘Qi.'”
Qin Shuang showed understanding, “I see, that’s quite clever!”
As she spoke, she noticed Qin Chaoyu gazing intently at the field. Following her gaze, she saw Yan Che in his golden armor. Qin Shuang smiled—Qin Chaoyu was indeed the future Crown Princess!
Thinking this, Qin Shuang looked to her other side and saw Qin Xiang also gazing softly at someone in the field. Qin Shuang was slightly surprised, but before she could see who Qin Xiang was looking at, Qin Xiang suddenly lowered her eyes.
Qin Shuang looked suspiciously toward the square and saw several people looking in their direction.
Her eyes darted around, and she realized she was surrounded by nobly dressed young ladies. She smiled wryly, thinking this scene might rival the Upper Yuan Palace Banquet, except this time it was women looking at men.
Thinking this, Qin Shuang sighed again. These young nobles were indeed impressive, but not something she could dream of. Bored, her eyes wandered to the guards responsible for flags and drums. Among them, could Xue Qingshan be there? Looking around, she saw someone who resembled Xue Qingshan. She had stood too far that day to see clearly, so she whispered, “Look, is that Xue Qingshan holding the red ‘Yan’ flag in the northwest?”
Qin Xiang’s heart jumped, and she immediately looked in the direction Qin Shuang indicated.
Looking over, Qin Xiang’s heart trembled. Though she had also been far away that day, she had cared most about what Xue Qingshan looked like, so she had looked most carefully. Now, she recognized him at a glance.
Though his features weren’t clear from this distance, that sense of detachment, of being in the crowd yet apart from it, was distinct. Qin Xiang suddenly lowered her gaze—so Xue Qingshan was here!
“What’s wrong? Is that person Xue Qingshan or not?”
Qin Xiang shook her head, “I couldn’t see either—”
Qin Shuang was disappointed, “It’s been several days, and I can’t remember clearly anymore.”
Since Qin Xiang hadn’t given a definite answer, Qin Shuang turned toward Qin Wan’s direction and said softly, “Let’s go see Ninth Sister later. Yesterday’s incident was frightening; we should check on her.”
Qin Xiang glanced toward Qin Wan’s direction and hesitated, “But she’s with the Empress Dowager—is it appropriate for us to approach? Besides, Uncle returned yesterday saying the Empress Dowager would handle it, and this morning, hasn’t the matter been settled? That Northern Wei Princess even knelt for an entire night, which has avenged her.”
Qin Xiang felt somewhat agitated and even wanted to leave. Hearing this, Qin Shuang shook her head, disapproving, “But it’s still different. Yesterday we couldn’t help, so we didn’t want to cause trouble, but shouldn’t we check on her today? At least see how severe her injury is.”
Saying this, Qin Xiang glanced toward Qin Wan’s direction, “She’s standing fine, so she must be alright.”
Hearing this, Qin Shuang also felt like retreating, “Well… alright then, I’m a bit scared to approach the Empress Dowager…”
At this point, Qin Xiang had truly lost interest in watching the festivities and pulled Qin Shuang to return to their tent.
Qin Shuang hadn’t had enough of watching, but seeing Qin Xiang’s poor mood, she had no choice but to accompany her back to their tent.
Qin Wan watched from afar as Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang left halfway, not knowing what had happened, and made a mental note. Meanwhile, Yan Chi had received his bow and arrows. From a distance, Qin Wan saw how magnificent and handsome he looked against the wind. Her lips curved slightly as Yan Chi exchanged glances with her from afar.
Soon, everyone was ready. Yan Huai personally beat the drums for departure, and the large group magnificently left the main camp. Standing on the high platform, Yan Huai’s expression brightened, “I expect everyone will have great harvests today!”
In the main group, Tuoba Hong and Tuoba Li happened to be riding alongside Prince Liu Yun of Western Liang. While riding, Liu Yun smiled at Tuoba Hong, “Why don’t we see the Princess hunting today?”
Early this morning, news of Tuoba Wu kneeling before the Empress Dowager’s tent to apologize had already spread. Though it was an apology, it was truly shameful. Tuoba Hong knew Liu Yun’s ill intentions and coldly smiled, “No need for the Third Prince to concern himself with this matter.”
Liu Yun smiled, “Speaking of which, the Princess was truly too spoiled, but the Crown Prince had his ways, making her kneel after all.” Liu Yun grew increasingly pleased as he spoke, then glanced at Tuoba Hong’s quiver, “I heard the Crown Prince in Northern Wei excels in civil administration but not martial arts. Perhaps fifty arrows are too many for you? Why not share some with me? If I hit anything, it can count toward Northern Wei’s score. Otherwise, Northern Wei might end up last in today’s great hunt…”
Tuoba Li’s brow furrowed, “Where does the Third Prince get such confidence to speak this way?! My brother is the Crown Prince of Northern Wei, unlike some who can only exercise their tongue. Ah, now I understand—some are merely princes born to mothers of low status.”
At these words, Liu Yun’s eyes widened. His mother’s status was indeed not high, having gained favor only for her beauty. Though she now held the position of Noble Consort, her humble origins remained like an indelible mark that others criticized!
Liu Yun glared fiercely at Tuoba Li and Tuoba Hong, sneering, “The Crown Prince and Fifth Prince should be careful during today’s hunt. The forest is dense—it would be embarrassing if you were accidentally injured by prey or hit by a stray arrow.”
With that, he raised his whip and rode away—
During mountain hunts, stray arrows were indeed a danger, which was why each person’s guards carried high banners with their master’s title, making their location visible from afar.
Liu Yun’s words were a curse. Tuoba Li shook his fist in the air, “He’s the one who should die!”
Tuoba Hong shook his head, “Don’t waste words on him. We’ll take the western route up the mountain.”
Seeing Liu Yun heading downstream to the east, Tuoba Hong wanted to go upstream to the west. This way, they could avoid confrontation with Liu Yun. The incident with Tuoba Wu had already caused enough trouble; today, he just wanted to focus on the hunt.
Tuoba Li gave a light snort and followed behind Tuoba Hong.
After the main group departed, the Empress Dowager and Emperor dispersed. Qin Wan, uncertain about what had happened earlier with Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang and knowing that the Marquis household must be aware of her incident with Tuoba Wu, took leave of the Empress Dowager and headed for the Marquis household’s tent.
At the Marquis’s tent, everyone was indeed still concerned.
Madam Hu took Qin Wan’s hand, saying with lingering fear, “Thankfully the Empress Dowager supported you, otherwise we wouldn’t know how to seek justice for you. Is your hand badly injured?”
Qin Wan shook her head, “It’s not serious. With bandages, it will heal in half a month.”
Madam Hu immediately cautioned, “Good, but remember, absolutely don’t let it get wet.”
Qin Wan smiled and agreed. Qin Shu, who had rushed back from the armory upon hearing of Qin Wan’s arrival, hurriedly asked, “How did the Northern Wei Princess treat you so badly out of nowhere? Didn’t she know the Empress Dowager values you?”
Qin Chaoyu also looked at Qin Wan, “Yes, she’s a Northern Wei Princess after all—she wouldn’t act so unreasonably. Did you offend her somehow?”
Qin Wan’s smile faded, and her lips pressed together. Because of their status difference, even in such a simple matter of right and wrong, she, the victim, would be suspected. While Tuoba Wu did have her reasons this time, what did that matter? Wrong was wrong. Qin Wan shook her head, “I don’t know, perhaps she went mad.”
Qin Wan’s response wasn’t polite. Qin Chaoyu raised her eyebrows, while Qin Shu paused briefly before smiling, “Well, it’s over now, and you’re fine—that’s what matters. Judging by the Northern Wei Crown Prince’s attitude, he seems reasonable.”
Qin Shu wasn’t young anymore. His generation stayed in camp rather than joining the hunt, either discussing state affairs with the Emperor or helping coordinate camp matters.
After Qin Shu returned specifically to inquire about the Empress Dowager’s health, Qin Wan left the main tent with Qin Shuang and Qin Xiang. Seeing the three leave together, Qin Chaoyu snorted lightly.
Though she disdained close relations with Qin Wan and the others, seeing the three sisters coming and going together still irritated her. She turned to Qin Shu, “Father, is this matter truly of no concern? They are the Northern Wei Crown Prince and Princess after all. That Princess is wild and unrestrained—what if she develops a hatred for Qin Wan and extends it to us?”
Qin Shu pondered for a moment, then shook his head, “It shouldn’t come to that. They’ll return to Northern Wei in a month at most. Once they leave, everyone will forget this incident. Besides, with the Empress Dowager in charge, this matter doesn’t involve the Marquis household.”
Qin Chaoyu nodded and fell silent. Madam Hu then said, “Is this great hunt crucial? I noticed earlier that both the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng had top fighters with them.”
Qin Shu nodded, “Naturally it’s crucial. With Northern Wei and Western Liang present, whoever takes first place is very important. If someone can surpass Northern Wei and Western Liang, bringing glory to Great Zhou, both the Emperor and officials will greatly praise them.”
Hearing this, Qin Chaoyu grew anxious, “Then Father, can you help the Crown Prince?”
Qin Shu smiled wryly, “I can only ensure the Crown Prince’s arrows won’t have any problems. For everything else, I’m sure the Empress has arrangements—”
Hearing this, Qin Chaoyu finally relaxed.
Meanwhile, the three sisters entered a small tent. Upon hearing Qin Wan explain what had happened, Qin Shuang hurriedly lifted Qin Wan’s skirt and pulled up her undergarments, revealing large bruises on her leg. Qin Wan’s skin was naturally delicate and fair, making the purple bruises even more striking. Qin Shuang said angrily, “This Northern Wei Princess has gone mad! You were only trying to help her, yet she repaid kindness with enmity. How can such a person be a princess!”
Qin Xiang also sighed, “We thought it was just a minor hand injury, but look at these bruises on your body!”
Qin Wan pulled Qin Shuang up and adjusted her skirts, smiling, “It’s fine. What do I do for a living? No injury is beyond my ability to heal. I applied medicine last night, and it’s almost better now.”
Then she asked, “Why did you leave so early earlier?”
Hearing this, Qin Shuang gave Qin Xiang an exasperated look, “It was her—she suddenly wanted to leave for no reason. I told you, I think I saw Xue Qingshan this afternoon, but when I told her, she said she couldn’t see clearly.”
Qin Shuang smiled mischievously, “Perhaps she was afraid Xue Qingshan was there and that’s why she left so hurriedly.”
Qin Wan smiled deeply, “Actually, I asked about it—”
Indeed, Qin Wan had asked about it, but she had asked Yan Chi. Yan Chi had Bai Feng investigate, confirming that Xue Qingshan was not only in the main camp but was responsible for guarding the square, making him the most likely to encounter.
“They came from the patrol camp and are responsible for guarding and patrolling the square. If you want to see him, you just need to walk around the square area more often—”
Qin Shuang exclaimed, “Ah, then what I saw must have been him! I thought he looked familiar, but it was too far to see clearly. He was carrying a flag but didn’t leave with the main group—it must have been him.”
Qin Shuang and Qin Wan exchanged glances, and Qin Shuang said excitedly, “Why don’t we go out and look again? He might still be there!”
But Qin Xiang suddenly stepped back, “I won’t go, and neither should you!”
Her tone was decisive. Qin Shuang and Qin Wan were startled. They saw Qin Xiang’s face redden, her eyes showing traces of annoyance, her arms tightly crossed over her chest, wanting to say something but unable to speak.
Qin Wan quickly pulled Qin Shuang, “What are you looking at? If Young Master Xue found out, he’d think we’re being improper.”
Qin Shuang snorted lightly, not understanding Qin Xiang at all. If it were her, she would want to see what her future husband looked like. But Qin Xiang was always too reserved and proper. “Fine, fine, we won’t look. You know, seeing him in advance would give you some preparation, knowing what kind of person he is, so you’d be more at ease when you marry him. Better than being nervous and flustered on your wedding night…”
Qin Xiang’s face reddened as she exclaimed, “What nonsense—”
She wasn’t married yet, how could they talk about wedding nights?
Besides… besides having such a night with someone like that!
Qin Xiang thought of those people riding on horseback, then of the person sweating profusely while carrying a flag in the corner, and felt her hair stand on end. She clenched her fists tightly, two voices battling in her mind.
Qin Shuang realized she had said too much and laughed it off, changing the subject to ask about Qin Wan’s time in the Empress Dowager’s tent. Then she mentioned the Loyal Duke’s household, “You don’t know, but that Miss Feng passes by our area every day, all dressed up. The day before yesterday it was the Consort’s rabbit fur, yesterday it was sable… It upset Eighth Sister…”
Since Qin Wan didn’t stay in the women’s tent, she didn’t know about the conflicts between Feng Chenbi and Qin Chaoyu. The two chatted for a while, with Qin Xiang occasionally joining in. When it got late, Qin Wan returned to the Empress Dowager’s side.
Hunting always carried some danger, and the Empress Dowager was worried, “Yan Li’s martial arts training was always just for show since childhood, and he went today too. I hope nothing goes wrong.”
Lady Chen consoled her, “It will be fine, Your Grace. Prince Chi is there.”
At this, the Empress Dowager smiled and turned to Qin Wan, “Guess who will catch the most prey today?”
Caught off guard by the question, Qin Wan felt nervous. After thinking, she said, “The Crown Prince will catch the most?”
The Empress Dowager laughed at this, “This is a hunt! Though the Crown Prince’s martial arts are decent, he hasn’t had time to practice. But Yan Chi has been stationed in the northwest—people say he kills enemies by cutting melons. Wouldn’t he catch more than the Crown Prince?”
Qin Wan thought about it and nodded in agreement, “The Empress Dowager makes a good point.”
The Empress Dowager smiled, “Then shall we make a bet?”
Qin Wan naturally went along with the Empress Dowager, “Of course, how would you like to bet?”
The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then said, “Let’s bet on whether the Crown Prince or Prince Cheng will catch more prey, how about that?”
They had been talking about Yan Chi earlier, but now the bet was between Prince Cheng and the Crown Prince. Qin Wan and the Empress Dowager exchanged glances, and both the elder and younger woman smiled. Qin Wan nodded, “Alright, you choose first.”
The Empress Dowager considered, “I won’t take advantage of you. I’ll choose the less likely option—Prince Cheng.”
Today’s great hunt wasn’t as simple as it appeared on the surface. Someone would compete for first place, and that person naturally wouldn’t be Yan Chi. Therefore, even though Yan Chi was theoretically the most capable, the Empress Dowager excluded him. In comparison, as the Crown Prince was the heir apparent, he should be the popular choice—others would either not dare to surpass him or be unable to, so his probability was higher.
Qin Wan smiled, “Very well, then I’ll bet on the Crown Prince! But what shall we wager?”
The Empress Dowager scanned the room and pointed, “How about wagering that deerskin the Emperor had sent over yesterday?”
On the first day of the small hunt, Yan Huai caught a deer, and later the deerskin was sent to the Empress Dowager. Using this as a wager was most appropriate. Qin Wan thought for a moment, “The Empress Dowager lacks nothing, so how about I wager a brand new medicine pouch? One that will keep the Empress Dowager’s ears clear and eyes bright!”
The elder and younger women happily settled on their bet. Lady Chen watched them with constant smiles. Because of the bet, both eagerly awaited the main group’s return to camp. Yan Sui, watching from the side, also found it amusing and waited expectantly. Today’s great hunt had a deadline of the exact hour of Xu (7-9 PM). Late returns wouldn’t count. From You hour (5-7 PM), people began returning to camp successively. Yan Chi, as expected, was somewhere in the middle, while the Crown Prince and Prince Cheng returned right at the edge of Xu hour!
Yan Huai led the high-ranking imperial consorts to the main seats on the high platform, while the Empress Dowager brought Qin Wan to the outer room. The Imperial Guards were counting each person’s prey one by one. Because there were many people, the counting continued until nightfall. As everyone waited with excitement, suddenly, several fast horses charged in through the camp entrance, riding straight to the front lines!
Everyone who had returned to camp had already dismounted and lined up. These horses came fast and urgent, showing great discourtesy. Yan Huai frowned, then heard the riders shouting. He ordered Yuan Qing to investigate. Soon, Yuan Qing returned with an anxious expression.
“Your Majesty, the Northern Wei Crown Prince has disappeared!”