In the long shelter at the hunting ground entrance, Lu Tong watched Qi Yutai in the cavalry procession, her expression turning cold.

Qi Yutai had come too.

He rode on a tall, handsome red horse, wearing a gold-embroidered precious blue riding outfit, appearing gentle and serene as he smiled and chatted with familiar young masters from other families, looking quite debonair.

Lu Tong sneered inwardly.

Qi Yutai risked epileptic seizures and should normally avoid overly stimulating activities. A place like the hunting grounds should be avoided at all costs, yet he had deliberately come.

He truly didn’t know life from death.

She gripped the strap of her medical kit tightly.

The mountain forests were thick with trees and rocks – accidents in such places were common. Before leaving, she had packed many poison vials in her medical kit. If she could kill him here…

Her thoughts stirred as her gaze fell ahead, but she couldn’t help frowning.

No good – there were too many people.

Several red-clad guards followed closely beside Qi Yutai, protecting him tightly. One might be manageable, but with so many people, it would be very difficult to draw them away.

She could only give up.

Lin Danqing beside her pursed her lips: “Why did they bring that mad dog again?”

Lu Tong: “Mad dog?”

“Look.” Lin Danqing nodded toward the front with her chin, “You’ll see.”

Lu Tong focused her gaze.

Behind Qi Yutai’s horse indeed followed a gray hunting dog. The hound was enormous, much larger than the household guard dogs usually seen on the streets, its coat well-maintained and glossy. Its eyes had a bloody tinge – if not for the golden collar around its neck, it would look exactly like a vicious hungry wolf, frightening just to behold.

“That’s Qi Yutai’s beloved dog,” Lin Danqing said. “Brought to assist in hunting.”

Lu Tong understood.

It was common for noble young masters to bring hunting hawks and hounds to assist at hunting grounds.

“Qi Yutai treasures that dog – I heard it eats fresh beef spine daily, a large basin of fresh cow’s milk, seasonal fruits, plus bird’s nest pastries. Even its sleeping kennel is supposedly inlaid with gems, with dedicated servants…”

Lin Danqing’s tone was indignant: “Look at that golden collar around its neck – I’ve never worn gold of such purity. This world really treats people worse than dogs.”

Lu Tong asked: “Why call it a mad dog?”

“That dog bites people everywhere – what else would you call it but mad?”

Lin Danqing snorted: “The Qi family sometimes takes the dog out. The mad dog is too strong, and sometimes servants can’t hold it, inevitably injuring people. Previously a little girl had half her face eaten by this dog. Her mother cried for justice with nowhere to turn, wrote a grievance complaint, sewed it to her back, and carried the child to their door to weep—”

Lu Tong was stunned: “What happened in the end?”

“In the end?” Lin Danqing smiled mockingly: “She only cried for one day before stopping. They said Grand Tutor Manor compensated the little girl with a large sum of silver, covering her expenses until marriage. Outsiders even praised Grand Tutor Manor’s generosity, and that family was grateful beyond words – not knowing that with such injuries, how could she possibly live to marriage age?”

After these words, both fell silent.

After a while, Lin Danqing spoke again, her tone gentler: “Don’t worry. That dog has handlers, and this is a hunting ground – there’s no need to fear it biting people. Young Master Qi probably just fears returning from the hunt empty-handed and brought a dog to save face.”

Lu Tong looked up as the gray dog followed Qi Yutai’s horse forward, gradually disappearing behind the Dragon Guards.

She withdrew her gaze and softly hummed agreement.

With the Dragon Guards and hunting princes and nobles now in position, the hunt would soon begin.

Lu Tong stood in the Imperial Physician Academy’s camp tent, watching ceremonial officials stand on the hunting ground platform and blow their horns.

The mountains were vast and empty, the horn’s long sound echoing forth, startling countless birds into flight.

Crown Prince Yuan Zhen spurred his horse to the very front of the hunting ground. A personal attendant presented a gold-inlaid bow and arrows. Yuan Zhen nocked an arrow, drew the bow, and aimed at red silk ahead in the hunting ground, releasing with a sharp shot—

The hunt began!

The Crown Prince led, followed by various guard escorts charging toward the mountain forest. Next came the Second Prince, Third Prince, and Fourth Prince, then Prince Ning, various nobles, and officials of third rank and above…

The initial path into the forest wasn’t wide, with groups proceeding in order. However, two groups ahead seemed to collide, neither yielding, creating quite a standoff.

Lu Tong watched the person who had stopped simultaneously with Pei Yunying at the forest entrance and asked Lin Danqing: “Who is that person?”

Lin Danqing glanced over: “Privy Council Commander Yan Xu.”

Yan Xu?

Lu Tong’s heart stirred.

Wasn’t that Pei Yunying’s mortal enemy?

Under the forest shade, the young man reined in his horse, looking at the man blocking his path.

“Commander Yan,” he smiled, “the path is narrow – mind your footing.”

The man on horseback was about forty, wearing dark gray riding clothes with a lean build. His appearance was quite ordinary, only his eyes sharp and intelligent, staring at him with a gloomy expression.

This was Privy Council Commander Yan Xu.

Everyone in court knew the Privy Council and Palace Guard didn’t get along, and Yan Xu and Pei Yunying had years of old grudges, viewing each other as thorns in their sides. Whenever they appeared together, they always exchanged barbs.

Today was no exception.

Yan Xu glanced at him and spoke meaningfully: “Lord Pei follows Third Highness very closely – quite like that hunting dog from the Qi family.”

His accompanying Privy Council cavalry burst into laughter upon hearing this.

During mountain hunts, imperial guard units differed from those noble sons – they needed to escort various princes. He wasn’t following the Crown Prince, but the Third Prince.

While Yan Xu was now closely aligned with the Crown Prince.

Pei Yunying’s eyes held a smile, as if he hadn’t heard the sarcasm: “Before ascending the mountain, His Majesty specifically instructed me to ensure Third Highness’s safety, just as Commander Yan ensures the Crown Prince’s safety. The two are loving brothers – elder loving and friendly, younger respectful and obedient. You and I both serve to ease His Majesty’s concerns. If we speak of hunting assistance, Commander Yan is no less accomplished.”

He returned the courtesy without any politeness.

Yan Xu stared at him and sneered: “The Commander is young – I wonder if you’ve heard an old song.”

Pei Yunying looked at him indifferently.

The man lowered his voice: “One length of cloth can still be sewn; one bushel of grain can still be hulled. Two brothers cannot coexist.”

The young man’s eyes flickered slightly.

The next line of that song was: “How much more so with the vastness of the empire – they cannot coexist…”

Yan Xu caught his expression and smiled with satisfaction, spurring his horse and leading the Privy Council cavalry into the mountain forest.

Lu Tong watched the disturbance at the forest path. Though she didn’t know what happened, judging from the Palace Guards’ expressions, Yan Xu seemed to have said something that displeased Pei Yunying.

Only after Pei Yunying also led his cavalry into the mountain forest and could no longer be seen did Lu Tong withdraw her gaze.

She recalled that rumor.

Before entering the Academy, Miao Liangfang had told Lu Tong all the twisted political relationships in the capital’s officialdom, including Yan Xu.

This Privy Council Director controlled the Liang Dynasty’s military and state affairs and border defense policies, wielding immense power. However, the reason he became the center of everyone’s private gossip wasn’t his power or cold ruthlessness, but his past with the former Duchess of Zhaoning.

It was said that years ago, Yan Xu had sought to marry the former Duchess of Zhaoning when she was still unmarried, but was refused. At that time, Yan Xu hadn’t yet reached his current position. It was after the Duchess married that he rose steadily through the ranks. Some said Yan Xu did this out of spite, wanting to make the Duchess regret her choice.

Later, when the Duchess was captured by rebels, Pei Di chose to capture the rebels regardless of his wife’s life. The beauty perished, making it even more ironic. Whether the Duchess regretted her choice before dying was unknown, but it was clear that Yan Xu, now Privy Council Director, had harbored deep hatred for the Pei family ever since.

According to Lin Danqing, the Palace Guard and Privy Council already had poor relations and checked each other. After Pei Yunying joined the Palace Guard, conflicts intensified, with both sides often fighting tooth and nail in court.

She had originally thought this might contain elements of rumor, but seeing today’s events, it seemed not entirely fabricated. The discord between Pei Yunying and Yan Xu appeared quite serious – otherwise they wouldn’t have confronted each other so openly before so many people at the hunting ground.

Just as she was thinking, Chang Jin’s voice came from ahead, calling all physicians back to the medical camp to stand by.

The physicians all waited in the camp tents. If anyone was injured, they would either enter the forest for emergency treatment or wait in camp tents for bandaging. Generally, only critical situations required entering the forest – most of the time they waited in camp.

Lu Tong looked up, glancing once more toward the forest path.

Almost everyone participating in the hunt had entered the mountains, with only a few scattered guards following behind – no sign of Qi Yutai.

She withdrew her gaze and walked toward the camp tent.

…

The mountain forest paths were treacherous and steep.

Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, keeping the scorching sunlight tightly outside the branches. Waterfalls flowed past the streamside with gurgling sounds – Huangmao Ridge’s summer was quiet and cool.

Qi Yutai rode on horseback with Qi family guards following closely behind.

He hadn’t taken the most popular forest path, instead choosing a direction with fewer people. Not for any other reason, but because he feared others seeing his clumsy riding and archery skills.

The Qi family had only one son, and he wasn’t like that consumptive from the Grand Minister of Imperial Ceremonies’ household. The Summer Hunt required participation from all sons of nobles and high officials – if he alone didn’t come, it would inevitably provoke gossip.

However, his father had disliked him engaging in overly strenuous activities since childhood. His horsemanship and archery were only hastily learned, not mastered. Every year during hunts, those young masters all hoped for opportunities to display their prowess and compete over prey. He couldn’t let others see his prey was captured by guards and hunting dogs, so he could only avoid people.

Fortunately, Huangmao Ridge was vast – avoiding people was effortless with intention.

Qinhu crouched low, carefully sniffing the forest floor. A guard beside him whispered: “Young master, that female physician is currently in the camp below. Should we lure her here now?”

Qi Yutai’s eyes flickered.

“No.”

He stared at the gray dog: “It’s still early. Let Qinhu sharpen its teeth first.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the hunting dog suddenly bolted out, diving headfirst into nearby bushes. In a flash, it caught a rabbit in its mouth.

“Excellent!” Qi Yutai was immediately delighted.

The hunting dog barked wildly, throwing the white rabbit it held before Qi Yutai’s horse. The rabbit’s neck had been bitten through by the dog’s sharp teeth, blood staining its fur. Its legs kicked weakly a few times before its chest gradually stilled.

Qi Yutai pulled out a piece of fresh jerky from his pouch and threw it to the hunting dog, which swallowed it in one gulp before darting into the forest ahead.

Qi Yutai felt exhilarated.

Strangely, whenever he watched Qinhu hunt and kill birds and beasts, he felt immense satisfaction, as if it wasn’t the hunting dog but himself biting through the rabbit’s neck.

He greatly enjoyed seeing such weak prey struggle helplessly before stronger predators. The thrill of the kill excited him – different from the excitement of taking hanshi san, but equally pleasurable.

Heartfelt pleasure.

Unfortunately, his father’s strict discipline meant he always had to consider the Qi family’s reputation when acting outside. At home… he had to follow his father’s established rules. Only here, in these mountain forests, could he taste the joy of bloodthirsty violence through Qinhu’s fangs.

Qinhu was alert, ears perking up as if discovering something else. It suddenly darted into the woods. Soon, sounds of struggling wild beasts came, like death throes.

Qi Yutai’s satisfaction grew, shouting: “Good, good!”

The more prey killed, the more vicious the hunting dog became. After Qinhu tore apart a few more rounds and its bloodlust was fully aroused, then luring Lu Tong here…

That delicate body would be torn to shreds in moments.

That would be the most wonderful prey.

Thinking this, Qi Yutai’s eyes reddened with excitement. He felt his blood surging throughout his body and actually shivered with anticipation!

“Let’s go!”

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

…

“Whoosh—”

An arrow shot from the forest, fiercely penetrating the leaping body. With a “thud,” a wild deer fell with the sound, blood spattering everywhere.

“Wow—” the youth cried out with delight, dismounting to drag the deer over, tie it up, and secure it to his horse’s back. He patted the deer’s body and praised: “This deer is so plump!”

The wild deer was fat and sturdy, quite heavy. It could be made into deer meatballs, deer meat cubes, deer dumplings, deer meat rolls… also beneficial for qi, yang support, blood nourishment, and wind dispelling. The youth licked his lips.

On the black stallion, the young man sheathed his bow and arrows, glanced at him and asked: “Is that enough?”

“Enough, enough.”

Duan Xiaoyan smiled: “Neither too conspicuous nor too shabby – just right for earning moderate rewards without stealing the princes’ thunder. Two words to describe it – perfect.”

He acted like a straight man in a comedy duo. Pei Yunying glanced at him and spurred his horse forward.

When the hunt began, various family sons competed with bows and blades, calling eagles and shooting arrows, wishing they could pile their horses high with prey to claim top honors when rewards were distributed.

Yet Pei Yunying remained consistently listless.

Firstly, as Palace Guard Commander, he couldn’t steal the princes’ thunder – that was the rule. Secondly, he had no interest in such competitions and preferred going through the motions.

Even with his riding and shooting skills, claiming first place would be effortless.

Along the way, it was only Duan Xiaoyan spotting foxes or rabbits to hunt for him, with the black dog Zhizi following behind – rare to have official leave, why not take advantage?

Third Prince Yuan Yao had gone ahead. He disliked Pei Yunying following closely and had signaled upon reaching the mountain that Pei Yunying needn’t stay too close.

Duan Xiaoyan wore an “I understand again” expression: “Think about it – with your handsome bearing and excellent archery skills, who wouldn’t feel ashamed walking ahead of you? If I were Third Highness, I wouldn’t want you beside me either. You’d steal all the glory – truly annoying.”

“Oh?” Pei Yunying raised an eyebrow: “So what’s the purpose of that one following alongside?”

“Obviously for contrast!”

Both looked toward the person busily attending to the Third Prince, falling silent simultaneously.

Following beside Yuan Yao was the youngest son from the Imperial Secretary’s household.

This young secretary was delicate and charming, exactly like his father. It was heard that his father had started as a mere sixth-rank official with mediocre abilities. When his supervisor’s mother accidentally fell and broke her leg, he rose before dawn daily to tend her, personally handling her waste for an entire year, more devoted than her own son. Later…

Later, he rose steadily to become the current Imperial Secretary.

The secretary’s son had inherited not only his father’s appearance but seemingly his talent for good relations in officialdom. In just half a day, he had already made the Third Prince quite happy. Indeed, his short, delicate frame beside the Third Prince made Yuan Yao appear even more handsome and tall.

Of course, the Third Prince was imperial nobility and shouldn’t care about such details, much less deliberately use him for contrast.

Ahead, a spring cascaded down the cliff wall. The secretary’s son pointed to the lush pine forest near the waterfall: “Here! Last summer’s hunt, Commander Wang from the Military Commission saw a white wolf here but missed his shot and it escaped. I remember clearly – it was this pine forest!”

White wolves were rarely seen. Yuan Yao’s eyes lit up and he prepared to lead people inside.

Pei Yunying rode to Yuan Yao’s side and spoke to stop him: “The pine forest is dense with steep cliffs. Perhaps Your Highness would allow this subordinate to search the forest first…”

“Commander Pei,” Yuan Yao impatiently interrupted, “By the time you circle through first, the wolf king will be scared away. What would be left to hunt?”

Pei Yunying paused.

The secretary’s son also laughed: “Exactly, exactly. Hunting is about flexibility and spontaneity. The Commander’s approach would be quite spoiling. No need to be so tense.”

Before Pei Yunying could respond, Yuan Yao cracked his whip and charged first into the pine forest.

Pei Yunying frowned. Xiao Zhufeng, who had caught up, shook his head helplessly. Neither said more as they led their guards closely into the pine forest.

Huangmao Ridge’s pine woods were dense, layer upon layer covering the mountainside like thick green clouds overhead. Horse hooves trampling the grass startled insects and beasts.

After running half a circuit, no white wolf appeared, but they discovered a young wild boar.

The half-grown boar ran fast. Yuan Yao excitedly nocked an arrow and pursued it, releasing an arrow like lightning that struck the boar’s rear. The beast squealed and ran faster. Yuan Yao laughed loudly, drew another long arrow to his bow, released it, and the arrow shot straight toward the wild boar!

The secretary’s son behind couldn’t help praising: “Excellent! Your Highness has superb archery!”

Pei Yunying smiled and rode forward to catch up, intending to offer some flattering praise, when he suddenly sensed something wrong.

The sharp sound of arrows cutting through air continued, but not only from Yuan Yao’s hands.

Pei Yunying’s whole body tensed. Disregarding his mount, he drew his blade and lunged forward: “Your Highness, be careful!”

“There’s an ambush in the forest—”

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh—”

From deep in the pine forest, dozens of arrows shot forth like sudden rain. Yuan Yao was pursuing the fleeing boar when this sudden change occurred. In his panic, he forgot to dodge as the arrow rain was about to engulf him—

At the critical moment, someone suddenly pulled him aside. Silver blade light flashed brilliantly, striking the arrow rain with a clang and cutting the flying arrows in half!

Yuan Yao sighed in relief, then looked up and stared in terror.

The young man protected him at his side. Behind him, a silver arrow flew through the air, aimed at his back!