How could this be happening!

There—there, Han Ziqing’s two hands finally clamped tight and secure onto the saddle!

The jaw she had clenched so hard suddenly loosened, and in the same instant she summoned a fierce surge of strength—her arms went rigid, straightening from their gripping posture, pressing down onto the saddle, and her whole body was hauled upward at once!

She had actually pulled herself up, suspended above the horse’s back!

If the galloping blood-sweating horse was a ball of raging fire, then she was the phoenix reborn from its flames—she had pulled herself up!

Amid the Tenth Prince’s cries of astonishment, the crowd watched in open-mouthed disbelief, unable to believe that even in such a state, Han Ziqing still possessed such arm strength, hauling her whole body up in one unbroken motion!

Yingzi watched with his heart in his throat—this woman had needed only this one chance!

All her effort and persistence just now, even letting her leg be dragged along the ground at a full gallop—all of it had been for this: to get both hands securely onto the saddle!

At that very moment, in Jun Beiyue’s eyes, cold as thousand-year ice, a flicker of relief finally surfaced. Everything had unfolded almost exactly as he’d judged it would—except that someone had acted before he did.

“My lord, look, the princess consort’s leg!” Yingzi cried out. Even as Ziqing braced herself on the saddle with both hands, her leg that hadn’t been dragging slowly began shifting to the other side of the horse.

Once that leg cleared the horse’s back, she’d be able to sit astride it again!

For a moment, the crowd held its breath, eyes fixed unblinking, terrified of missing this most breathtaking moment!

Only Jun Beiyue’s lips curved faintly with a look of admiration, and at some point a silver needle had appeared, twirling idly in his hand.

Off to the side, Chu Tiange narrowed his eyes at him, unable to hide the malice in his gaze.

None of the onlookers had any idea of the hidden currents surging beneath the surface—they were all shouting excitedly for Ziqing, waiting eagerly for the moment of her triumph!

Ziqing stared at her own leg, a wild, reckless smile curving her pale lips—she could do this. Even if another dart came now, nothing could stop her, unless one struck her heart directly!

But at that very moment, another dart shot from Chu Tiange’s hand!

Yet, to his shock, it was intercepted again—he spun around sharply to look behind him, and the one who had blocked it was not Jun Beiyue!

At the same instant, Ziqing’s right leg finally cleared the horse’s back and settled back onto the saddle!

“Ah—she’s up! Hahaha!”

“Magnificent, wonderful!”

“Splendid, the Prince Yao’s consort is formidable! Long live the princess consort, ten thousand years!”

…

At once, cries of astonishment and jubilation rang out on all sides; even Emperor Tianhui laughed uproariously, beside himself with delight.

But amid the praise and exclamations, the Tenth Prince suddenly cried out in suspicion, “Wait—why is she stopping?”

The moment he said it, the crowd fell silent at once, only now realizing the problem.

That was right—how was Han Ziqing supposed to stop, at such a full gallop? There was no possible way she could shoot precisely enough to extinguish the incense flame!

She had left Chu Feiyan far behind, but if she didn’t slow down, she still couldn’t win. Though there were still two li left, a blood-sweating horse couldn’t sustain a full gallop for much longer.

No reins, no bridle, nothing at all—what was she going to do?

To everyone’s astonishment, Ziqing suddenly leaned forward and wrapped both arms around the blood-sweating horse’s neck—the movement instantly drew a chorus of alarmed gasps!

This woman’s horsemanship was excellent—surely she knew that a horse freed of its reins was extremely easy to provoke. She should count herself lucky the blood-sweating horse hadn’t already thrown her off; having finally managed to sit steady, why would she go and wrap her arms around its neck? And the motion of that embrace looked far too much like reins being looped on—of course the blood-sweating horse would be enraged!

And yet!

Nothing happened at all. The blood-sweating horse simply kept charging ahead, focused entirely on the run, and Ziqing, growing bolder still, leaned in slightly, just as she had before, pressing her small face against the side of the horse’s own.

But this blood-sweating horse was no longer the docile, easily-restrained horse it had once been!

Madness! Madness!

She had absolutely lost her mind!

Everyone’s hearts hung suspended in midair for her—everyone except Jun Beiyue, the curve of whose lips grew wider and wider. Just as Ziqing pressed her face down against the horse, he suddenly cracked his whip—and the instant it fell, the silver needle hidden in his hand shot out, flying straight toward Chu Feiyan, who was chasing along behind them!

His stillness didn’t mean he would remain still forever—compared to intercepting, he much preferred to strike.

The needle’s ferocious force was something the slow-to-react Chu Tiange had no way at all to block—it buried itself instantly into the belly of Chu Feiyan’s horse!

Almost in the same instant, Jun Beiyue’s horse surged forward, Chu Feiyan’s horse’s hooves screeched to a halt, and Han Ziqing’s speed gradually eased!

“Ah—!”

Chu Feiyan’s scream, nearly piercing enough to split the heavens, rang out at once. What happens when a galloping horse comes to a sudden dead stop?

Chu Feiyan’s whole body pitched forward and was violently thrown—terrified, she clutched desperately at the reins and ended up dangling in front of the horse’s head, and then the panicked white steed reared its front hooves violently into the air!

“Ah—!”

This scream truly could have split the heavens. Chu Feiyan was flung hard back onto the horse’s back, her spine slamming brutally into the saddle, and then she slid down onto its haunches before tumbling sideways off, her whole body left dangling from the horse’s side!

She was so terrified her lovely face had drained of color, her mind gone completely blank—clinging so tightly to the reins she didn’t even think to let go!

The panicked white steed’s hooves soon came down again, its long whinnies unceasing, dragging her along at a full gallop!

“Ah—help! Help me, Tiange, save me! Ah—waaah…”

Chu Feiyan wailed on and on, her screams echoing back and forth with the steed’s cries. If there was one thing about her that could be said to outdo Ziqing, it was probably this—at this very moment, she was the single most spectacular sight in the entire hunting grounds!

Everyone’s attention had, just as she wished, turned entirely onto her!

Ziqing’s face was still gently pressed against the blood-sweating horse, one hand lightly stroking the fur on its head, using exactly the same soothing manner as before her stunt—and it truly worked, gradually calming the blood-sweating horse, gradually easing its pace!

“Good horse, I knew you’d understand. There, there…”

Ziqing gently patted its head, boldly relaxing her hold with both hands. Even though there wasn’t a single spot on her body that didn’t ache, in this moment she sat up straight, head held high, chest out.

At last, she retrieved the bow and arrow from her back, drawing the bow full as the moon, and at the very same moment, the screaming drew closer—Chu Feiyan, still tangled with her horse, galloped past her at full speed, surging ahead of her.

Ziqing glanced over, her eyes narrowing at once, and took aim ahead!

From whatever angle one looked at it, Ziqing’s stance in this moment was unmistakably aimed straight at Chu Feiyan—one arrow, and with her skill of hitting a target from a hundred paces, death would come in an instant.

Only now did the crowd come back to their senses, hurrying after Jun Beiyue in alarm. Even knowing Ziqing wouldn’t actually do it, the killing intent radiating from her whole body in this moment still sent chills through everyone present.

Chu Tiange, watching Chu Feiyan’s life hang by a thread, furrowed his brow tightly—if he stepped in to save her now, the nature of the situation would change entirely; it would be as good as admitting defeat outright.

He could only wait—wait for Ziqing to loose that sharp arrow.

Who could have known—at that very moment, Ziqing slowly lowered her bow, turned her head to look at him instead, and said, “Prince Xiang, why don’t you just… admit defeat.”