“Riding and archery combined?”

Emperor Tianhui asked, puzzled. “You mean moving the third contest to tonight? And postponing the incense-shooting to tomorrow night?”

“No, no, Your Majesty—what I mean is, tonight’s contest should still be the incense-shooting, but the archers should be required to shoot while riding at a gallop,” Consort Yi quickly explained.

Only then did Emperor Tianhui understand, stroking his chin thoughtfully without a word.

Seeing this, Consort Yi hurried to press her case further. “Your Majesty, shooting while galloping is far more spectacular than shooting from stationary ground. And more importantly, incense-shooting is Western Chu’s signature skill, renowned across the entire continent of Longyuan. If Da Zhou were to compete using their own specialty during our autumn hunt, wouldn’t it invite ridicule, as though our own archery skills have nothing to show for themselves? I believe that by using this contest as an opportunity to build upon Western Chu’s incense-shooting technique, adding a greater degree of difficulty, we would not only avoid any embarrassment, but if the Consort of Prince Yao wins again, it would deal a decisive blow to Western Chu’s arrogance. From then on, across all of Longyuan, whenever incense-shooting is mentioned, it would carry Da Zhou’s name, not Western Chu’s!”

Consort Yi argued her case eloquently, framing it entirely as being in the best interest of Da Zhou, both publicly and privately.

Emperor Tianhui nodded in agreement, though his brow soon furrowed thoughtfully. “Riding while shooting incense sticks… it’s a clever idea indeed. But if we combine riding and archery like this, what becomes of the third contest?”

“Your Majesty, if the Consort of Prince Yao wins this second round, there would be no need for a third round at all, would there? And even if she loses, there are plenty of other equestrian and archery skills that could be tested—we could gather suggestions from the ministers at that time, there’s no rush,” Consort Yi said urgently.

Emperor Tianhui pondered this, tapping his fingers against the table, still hesitant—though what occupied his thoughts wasn’t really Consort Yi’s proposal itself, but rather why his Fourth Son would deliberately create such difficulty for himself. Shooting incense sticks wasn’t something just anyone could manage!

Could it be that Han Ziqing had yet another surprise in store?

The thought alone piqued his curiosity, and he no longer hesitated, breaking into a broad smile. “Consort Yi, you truly think of everything. Go and summon everyone! This round will combine riding and archery!”

Consort Yi was overjoyed and hurried to take her leave, her exquisite makeup unable to fully conceal the malicious cunning in her expression. This time, she was eager to see just how much more glory Han Ziqing could possibly bring to Jun Beiyue!

Word spread quickly, and soon the open ground in front of the main camp was packed with people, buzzing with excited discussion!

Incense-shooting alone had already promised plenty of spectacle, but no one had expected the Emperor to add riding into the mix as well. This meant the contest would now essentially recreate the true equestrian archery skills intended for the third round.

In terms of riding, Han Ziqing had already bested Chu Feiyan—but in archery, the outcome remained entirely uncertain. Now, with riding and archery combined, this single contest had become the focal point of everyone’s attention, concentrating every bit of anticipation and excitement into one decisive round!

Before the contest had even begun, the crowd was already on edge over the two women, utterly unable to predict who would win and who would lose.

Once everything was ready, the moment Emperor Tianhui arrived, all the murmuring instantly fell silent. Everyone held their breath, waiting anxiously to watch, the air thick with tension.

Chu Feiyan stood with her bow slung across her back, personally holding her white horse’s reins, having waited for quite some time already. Yet as the appointed hour drew near, there was still no sign of Jun Beiyue or Ziqing.

After waiting a long while, Chu Feiyan snorted impatiently. “Emperor of Da Zhou, you changed the rules at the last minute—did you even inform Han Ziqing?”

If she had felt afraid before, she now brimmed with renewed confidence—her brother’s idea truly was brilliant!

Whether or not Han Ziqing’s legs were actually injured would soon become clear! And even if they weren’t, raising the difficulty this way would only work against Han Ziqing regardless!

“Of course,” Emperor Tianhui said coldly. Despite his wariness toward Western Chu, Chu Feiyan’s arrogant attitude still irritated him.

“In that case, has Han Ziqing been so frightened by the prospect of shooting incense sticks on horseback that she’s fled the contest?” Chu Feiyan laughed loudly.

But as her laughter continued, she gradually realized she was the only one laughing. At that moment, everyone else had turned their attention forward, where, not far off, atop the tall, magnificent Blood-Sweating Horse, Han Ziqing sat lazily nestled in Jun Beiyue’s embrace, approaching slowly…

A Note to Readers:

I really want to tell you all how much excitement is coming, but my time is limited today…