The sky was gradually darkening, and torches blazed to life across the entire autumn hunt encampment, filling the air with lively bustle.

Yet within the envoy’s camp, all was pitch black—so dark one couldn’t see a hand in front of one’s face—with only a faint spark of light flickering high in the air.

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound cut through the silence, and in an instant, the spark of light in the air was extinguished!

A moment later, the lights blazed on, revealing a thin incense stick hanging upside down from a rafter on a thread so fine it was nearly invisible to the naked eye. The incense had already gone out, swaying gently now.

“Well, little brother, how was that?” Chu Feiyan lowered her bow, her usual arrogant pride nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by a look of genuine seriousness.

Chu Tiange, seated nearby, clapped his hands repeatedly. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, sister, your archery has really improved. If Father saw this, he’d be absolutely delighted!”

Yet Chu Feiyan said nothing at all, a flash of malice crossing her eyes. Without warning, she drew her bow again—not even bothering to look, let alone aim—and released the arrow. It shot past the thin incense stick with a sharp whistle, and instantly, the stick shattered into pieces and fell to the ground.

“Sister, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’re actually afraid of Han Ziqing?”

Chu Tiange laughed. If Jun Beiyue was the first man capable of subduing his sister, then Han Ziqing was without question the first woman to do so!

“If this woman is allowed to live, she’ll be a serious threat to Western Chu sooner or later!” Chu Feiyan said, her face darkening, drawing her bow again and firing off arrow after arrow in rapid succession.

“Sister, don’t you find Jun Beiyue’s proposal rather interesting?”

Chu Tiange stroked his chin, the corner of his mouth curving into a sinister, wild smile—unlike Chu Feiyan’s open arrogance, his wildness carried the unmistakable flavor of deep, calculated scheming.

“Interesting? What could possibly be interesting about it? Whatever woman Jun Beiyue wants naturally has to satisfy him. She can’t even shoot incense sticks—what right does she have to compete with this princess?”

“Foolish sister, do you really think Jun Beiyue is still in the middle of selecting a consort?” Chu Tiange snorted coldly.

“I don’t care whether he’s selecting a consort or not, and I don’t care what method you use—I absolutely must win the second round, or else if you lose our three border territories, it’ll all fall on my head!” Chu Feiyan said anxiously.

“I’m not even worried—why are you so anxious?” Chu Tiange said with a carefree, mocking smile.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Chu Feiyan finally sensed something was off.

“Han Ziqing’s legs are definitely injured. If she wins this round, she can avoid the third round’s equestrian contest entirely.”

He wasn’t blind or foolish—he could see things others couldn’t. Even though Han Ziqing had disguised it well, Jun Beiyue’s reactions had given her away.

“You mean…” Chu Feiyan was startled.

“Don’t worry. The second round definitely won’t just be archery,” Chu Tiange said, then burst into wild, arrogant laughter—everything was firmly within his control!

Chu Feiyan had always trusted her brother’s handling of matters. She didn’t press further, instead saying quietly, “Little brother, I’ll only say this once—even if Han Ziqing ends up crippled in all four limbs… I don’t want her leaving these hunting grounds alive!”

Chu Tiange raised an eyebrow. “My, are you really that afraid of her?”

“Yes!” Chu Feiyan admitted openly, then added sharply, “So this princess absolutely must see her dead, right here!”

Chu Tiange only smiled without answering, lifting a heavy iron arrow. “Sister, try this arrow—three times the usual weight.”

Night had fully fallen now, with both sides training intensely, while from Emperor Tianhui’s tent came the faint, drifting sound of a zither.

As one melody came to an end, the Tenth Prince rested his hand on the strings, looking up anxiously. “Father Emperor, how was it?”

“Marvelous! Simply marvelous!” Emperor Tianhui exclaimed with delight. The Tenth Prince was naturally simple-minded, hopeless at both scholarship and martial arts, so hearing him play such a graceful melody genuinely pleased him.

He turned to look at Xuanyuan Lige nearby, saying earnestly, “Young Master Xuanyuan, that my son has had the honor of your personal instruction is truly a blessing beyond measure. If Young Master Xuanyuan would be willing to remain in Da Zhou, I would build a grand music palace for you, gather the finest zithers from across the realm, and appoint you Music Official, overseeing all rites and music of Da Zhou!”

The Tenth Prince was overjoyed and was about to add his own persuasion when, at that moment, Consort Yi hurried in.

“Your Majesty, the contest is about to begin—look at the arrow I’ve found!” Consort Yi said, bowing politely to Xuanyuan Lige but not sparing the Tenth Prince so much as a glance—this simple-minded fellow held no competitive advantage against her own son Beichen, so why would she bother wasting any thought on him?

“Father Emperor, your son will take his leave now, so as not to remain here and offend certain people’s eyes!” The Tenth Prince’s emotions were written plainly across his face and voice as he took his leave and departed.

Emperor Tianhui, long accustomed to indulging him, didn’t press the matter further. “Young Master Xuanyuan, please do consider what we discussed earlier.”

“I will,” Xuanyuan Lige said with a nod, glancing briefly at the long arrow in Consort Yi’s hand before departing in silence.

The arrow Consort Yi held was precisely the type of heavy iron arrow the people of Western Chu customarily used for shooting incense sticks—three times heavier than an ordinary arrow. Even a skilled archer unfamiliar with such arrows would find their performance affected.

“You really managed to find one—let’s use this arrow, then!” Emperor Tianhui said, hefting it, genuinely impressed by its weight.

“The autumn hunt two years ago was originally supposed to include an incense-shooting contest, proposed by the Seventh Prince. Everything was prepared, but unfortunately Prince Yao couldn’t make it back in time, which spoiled Your Majesty’s mood, so it’s simply been set aside until now,” Consort Yi explained.

“Ha, now I remember. Never thought it would end up being used today, by the Consort of Prince Yao,” Emperor Tianhui said with a laugh. “Well, it’s about time. Someone, go summon—”

Just as Emperor Tianhui was about to give the order, Consort Yi hurriedly stopped him. “Your Majesty, wait a moment—I have a suggestion… I wonder if Your Majesty might be interested…”