In an instant, she fell!

In the midst of the gallop, Han Ziqing’s head plunged down first!

“Ah—!”

Screams erupted all at once—how terrifying it was, that kind of friction between a body and the ground at full gallop!

And it was her head, no less.

“Ah—I can’t watch! It’s too horrible!”

“She’s going to die! She’s definitely going to die!”

“The Princess Imperial has this won!”

…

Every woman among the onlookers, without exception, covered her eyes—including Consort Yi and Ouyang Jingqin, who both despised Ziqing to the bone. No one dared imagine what it would feel like to be trampled beneath galloping hooves.

And yet, after a long moment, there was still no sound of impact from the crowd around them.

What was happening?

Wasn’t it over yet?

Only then did the women timidly open their eyes—and saw, to their astonishment, that the blood-sweating horse was still running, and that Han Ziqing had one hand locked in a death grip on the saddle, her body twisted sideways against the horse’s belly, her entire right leg nearly scraping the ground as the horse dragged her along at a full gallop!

At such tremendous speed, they couldn’t clearly see what state her leg was in, but they could clearly see that her trouser leg, which should have been pristine white, was already stained the color of blood!

So it had really come to this!

How horrifying to behold!

Didn’t it hurt her? Wasn’t she afraid? How was she still holding on?

She had only one hand left clinging desperately to the saddle—her last lifeline—but how long could the strength of a single hand possibly last?

And yet, somehow… somehow she was still fighting. Her other hand was still straining with everything she had, reaching again and again for the saddle.

Didn’t her leg hurt? Wasn’t she afraid? Did she have any strength left at all?

They couldn’t make out the expression on her face—all they could see was her slight figure from behind, so stubborn, so unyielding in her refusal to give up!

Struggling with everything she had, inch by inch drawing closer!

Closer!

Her fingers were almost brushing the saddle!

Everyone’s heart clenched for her; everyone couldn’t help but want to cheer her on, to shout for her!

“Han Ziqing, quick, just a little more, hold on, keep trying, just a little more and you’ll reach it!”

Only that one cold-hearted man remained expressionless from beginning to end. The risks of this contest were something she should have weighed for herself.

He had given her a chance to yield. He had even spoken plainly enough about it, and still she had chosen to hold firm to the bitter end—so she would have to be capable enough to answer for her own stubbornness, capable enough to prove that her choice had been the right one.

The exception he had granted—there was only one.

Ziqing clenched her teeth. In this moment, her pale little face showed no pain, no fear, only a grave, solemn intensity that was almost frightening.

No one knew just how much pain she was in. Still less did anyone know what was going through her mind.

With the strength of one hand, she dragged her body upward, inch by inch. She let out a muffled grunt of pain, and at last, with one final surge of effort, her right hand finally touched the saddle—though only the very tips of her fingers managed to catch hold!

But still, she had touched it—and that was a chance!

“Yes!”

“She’s got it, wonderful, wonderful!”

“Hold on just a little longer, don’t let go!”

Among the crowd, everyone breathed a sigh of relief on her behalf, shouting encouragement one after another. And it was exactly at that moment that a throwing dart slid soundlessly from Chu Tiange’s sleeve into his hand.

Watching Han Ziqing struggle so desperately for her life was already breathtaking enough—but to him, it still wasn’t enough.

His hawk-sharp eyes fixed on Ziqing’s hand gripping the saddle, his gaze tracking her movement, and the corner of his wicked mouth curled upward. Without warning, another dart flew out!

“Hah!”

Ziqing couldn’t hold back a muffled cry of pain as the skin on the back of her hand split open at once, agony like flesh being carved away.

That despicable man—another underhanded strike!

Wanting her to let go, wanting her to fall from the horse—absolutely not going to happen. Han Ziqing would rather die than let go; if she was going to die, she would die climbing back onto that horse!

Letting the blood stream unchecked down her arm, Ziqing gritted her teeth, and rather than loosening her grip, she summoned even more force, and her other hand finally clamped tightly onto the saddle as well!

At such tremendous speed and such a distance, the onlookers could only see her movements—they couldn’t see the wounds on her hand!

At once, another round of cheers rose up!

What a remarkable woman—it really would be a pity to kill her. Chu Tiange found, to his own surprise, that he felt a flicker of reluctance. And yet the dart he twirled in his hand showed not the slightest trace of mercy.

Another dart flew out, sharp and merciless, and once more the skin split open!

If one dart didn’t bring her down, he could throw ten. If ten darts didn’t bring her down, he could throw a hundred. Even if he had to strike her hands to ruin, there was no way he would ever let her win.

The Three Realms Grounds was his departure point for the campaign against Eastern Qin—the very place where he would offer sacrifice to his banner before marching out!

If this woman had the audacity to speak such big words, then she ought to have the ability to bear the consequences.

After the second dart, seeing that Ziqing still refused to let go and was even foolishly trying to climb back onto the horse, Chu Tiange’s darts did not stop. One after another, silent and merciless, they flew toward Ziqing—and not a single one missed its mark!

At Jun Beiyue’s side, his shadow guard Yingzi had appeared at some point, and now urged him anxiously in a low, hurried voice, “My lord, that’s the fifth dart. Are you really going to let the princess consort be tormented like this?”

“My lord, the princess consort won’t be able to hold on. No one could hold on under this!”

…

From the moment the first rein snapped, he and his lord had both sensed Chu Tiange’s hidden weapons. And yet his lord had simply looked on as though he saw nothing, letting the princess consort be struck down again and again by stealth.

If this went on, forget about losing the contest—the princess consort’s very life would not be safe!

Even as he spoke, it was already the seventh strike!

“My lord, the seventh one!” Yingzi cried out in alarm—and at that very moment, a wave of gasps swept through the crowd around them!

Han Ziqing had actually let go! Her left hand, which had been gripping so hard, suddenly released, and the body she had struggled so hard to pull upward plunged down again by more than half, her leg once more dragging along the ground!

How could this be happening?

Had she run out of strength?

“Fourth Sister-in-law!” the Tenth Prince cried out in shock, and without further thought spurred his horse forward to save her!

“Stop him!” Consort Yi snapped coldly at once. “This is a contest, not a children’s game. If you disrupt its fairness, Tenth Prince, can you bear the consequences?”

“That’s a human life, don’t you understand that!” the Tenth Prince shouted furiously, turning to look at Jun Beiyue!

But this man simply stared at Ziqing as though watching prey, utterly unmoved.

“The eighth strike—aimed at her right hand!” Yingzi reported urgently again, his eyes never leaving Chu Tiange. If his lord hadn’t kept withholding any response for so long, he would have already moved to intervene himself!

When it came to dueling in hidden weapons, the Glass Pavilion would never lose!

Jun Beiyue said nothing, watching that stubborn figure in the distance still struggling, her battered hand still straining to climb back up.

“The ninth—still the right hand!” Yingzi reported urgently, and the instant the words left his mouth, he suddenly started in shock—he thought he had glimpsed something else fly out at the exact same moment as Chu Tiange’s dart!

No—could it be that Chu Tiange wasn’t the only one trying to strike down the princess consort in secret?

At that moment, Chu Tiange loosed his tenth dart, and only then did Yingzi see clearly—someone had intercepted Chu Tiange’s dart midway, their dart-throwing skill so silent and so exquisite that it hinted at a formidable mastery!

Without waiting for Yingzi to report it, Jun Beiyue immediately turned to look behind him, where he saw a great many people gathered—Emperor Tianhui’s men, Consort Yi’s men, and Xuanyuan Lige, who had come along with the Tenth Prince!

Who could it have been?

Just as Jun Beiyue’s gaze fell on Xuanyuan Lige, the Tenth Prince suddenly let out a sky-splitting cry of shock: “Fourth Sister-in-law!”