As for Shen Cui, she didn’t even bother to question the source or reliability of Ji Cheng’s information. She simply widened her eyes and asked, “Is what you’re saying true?”
Once doubt takes root, all manner of suspicions floods the mind. Shen Cui believed her affair with Qi Zheng was a well-kept secret, hidden from the eyes of the world. So when she heard Ji Cheng’s words, it didn’t occur to her that they might have been intentionally spoken for her benefit.
“Oh my, I shouldn’t gossip behind people’s backs. I’m just repeating hearsay,” Ji Cheng said, feigning innocence.
But Shen Cui grabbed Ji Cheng’s hand and pressed on, “What do you think? You’ve always been close to Sister Qi Hua. Have you noticed if her elder brother has any feelings for Fourth Miss Wang?”
Ji Cheng replied, “Sister Qi Hua hasn’t mentioned anything. I’ve only met her elder brother twice, so I couldn’t discern anything. However, from Sister Qi Hua’s tone, it seems her family is determined to marry into a noble family. The Qi family has fallen on hard times, and their future depends on support from the bride’s family.” Ji Cheng was subtly warning Shen Cui that if Qi Zheng wanted to marry her, it might not be purely out of affection.
Shen Cui, currently lost in her sweet delusions, failed to grasp Ji Cheng’s underlying message. Instead, she felt smug. After all, wasn’t she a daughter of a noble family?
“But you know, Fourth Miss Wang is the type who wants all men to revolve around her. Haven’t you noticed how she always leads on those young noblemen in the capital?” Ji Cheng continued.
The more Shen Cui thought about it, the more convinced she became. In her eyes, Fourth Miss Wang suddenly transformed into a coquettish temptress. Shen Cui recalled how she often complained to Qi Zheng about Wang Yueniang, yet he never spoke ill of the Wang sisters. He always comforted her with tender affection, leaving her dizzy with love. At this thought, Shen Cui’s face alternated between flushing red and turning pale.
Ji Cheng knew it was time to add fuel to the fire. “Fourth Miss Wang is quite old now and still not engaged. Her family certainly can’t match up to our Shen family. I wonder which promising young gentleman she’ll set her sights on?”
Regardless of who it might be, it certainly wouldn’t be Qi Zheng. The Qi family’s status was far too low, so Ji Cheng didn’t mention family background and only focused on youth and promise.
In Shen Cui’s eyes, was there any young man in the entire capital more promising than her beloved Brother Qi Zheng?
When it came to Qi Zheng, Shen Cui used to be somewhat haughty, as the Shen family’s status far outshone the Qi family’s. But once a girl loses her reserve, she begins to worry whether the man will take responsibility.
Shen Cui was in this state now. Upon hearing Ji Cheng’s words and letting her imagination run wild, she immediately suspected that Fourth Miss Wang might have set her sights on Qi Zheng. After all, Qi Zheng was exceptionally handsome, a top student of Master Ziyu, skilled in both civil and military arts, and widely learned. Could there be a more perfect man in the world?
“Fourth Miss Wang is truly shameless. Having failed to win Second Brother’s affections, she immediately sets her sights elsewhere. Such a fickle woman, truly disgraceful,” Shen Cui cursed.
This accusation against Fourth Miss Wang was entirely unfounded. Even Ji Cheng was surprised at how quickly Shen Cui had concluded that Fourth Miss Wang was interested in Qi Zheng. Ji Cheng had expected to need more persuasion, but thanks to Shen Cui’s overactive imagination, she had saved a lot of effort.
Ji Cheng squeezed Shen Cui’s hand reassuringly, “Why are you so angry?”
Shen Cui blushed, remembering that no one knew about her relationship with Qi Zheng. Feeling somewhat guilty, she averted her eyes and said, “I just can’t stand her behavior, acting as if the whole world should revolve around her.”
Ji Cheng smiled faintly, “But each generation brings forth new talents, like waves of the Yangtze River where the rear waves push the front waves. Fourth Miss Wang’s performance at the mid-altar ceremony was years ago. This year, you’re the one presiding. In what way are you inferior to her? If you ask me, you should compete with her in front of everyone, to show that our Shen family’s Fifth Miss is no less talented than the Wang family’s Fourth Miss.”
Shen Cui has been particularly successful this year. Not only had she won the mid-altar ceremony, but she also had Qi Zheng’s undivided attention with just a raise of her eyebrow. It was difficult for her not to feel confident and proud. Hearing Ji Cheng’s words, Shen Cui offered a few token words of modesty, but in her heart, she silently agreed.
As fate would have it, the heavens seemed to be helping Ji Cheng that day. As Ji Cheng and Shen Cui were watering their horses and eating dried rations by the river, they saw a figure in flame-red clothing approaching rapidly from afar. As the rider drew near, who else could it be but Fourth Miss Wang?
Ji Cheng’s first glance was at Fourth Miss Wang, while Shen Cui’s eyes immediately fixed on Qi Zheng among the group of men behind her.
Shen Cui felt as if a fire was burning painfully in her chest. She had wanted to argue with Ji Cheng earlier about how sincere Qi Zheng was towards her, but their relationship wasn’t something she could openly discuss. Now, seeing Qi Zheng following behind Fourth Miss Wang felt like a resounding slap to her face.
Shen Cui glanced at Ji Cheng, who happened to be giving her a surprised look. The fire in Shen Cui’s heart threatened to consume everything. She felt utterly humiliated in front of Ji Cheng. She had previously looked down on Ji Cheng for being so eager to marry, but now it seemed the tables had turned, and Ji Cheng was the one who could mock her for not being able to keep her man.
Even though Ji Cheng was currently unaware of her relationship with Qi Zheng, what about in the future when she and Qi Zheng were married? If Ji Cheng were to recall today’s events, wouldn’t it be a slap in the face for Shen Cui?
As Shen Cui was seething with anger, Fourth Miss Wang rode up on her horse. She sat high on her mount, not bothering to dismount when she saw Shen Cui and Ji Cheng. Instead, she leaned down to pat her horse’s neck, seemingly soothing her beloved steed. “What a coincidence to meet Cui and Miss Ji here,” she said.
Fourth Miss Wang glanced at the bows and quivers on Ji Cheng and Shen Cui’s horses. “Have you been hunting too? Any luck?”
Shen Cui’s eyelashes fluttered as she glanced at Nan Gui, and then looked at Ji Cheng. How could Ji Cheng not understand Shen Cui’s meaning? She just smiled slightly at Shen Cui, signaling her agreement.
Sure enough, Shen Cui spoke haughtily from the side, “Nothing much, just a snow fox that’s quite rare. I hunted it to make a scarf for Sister Yuan. She’s getting married next year, and I didn’t have a good gift for her yet. This one I caught today is pure white, without a single blemish. It should suffice as a token of my affection.”
“A snow fox?” Fourth Miss Wang’s interest was piqued. She dismounted swiftly. “May I have a look?”
Nan Gui led the horse over and retrieved the snow fox from the saddlebag. Fourth Miss Wang let out a soft exclamation, then covered her mouth, seemingly unable to bear the sight. “Oh my, it’s beautiful. Only you could be so heartless, Cui. If it were me, I couldn’t bring myself to shoot such an adorable little creature.”
Shen Cui’s face darkened, wanting to lash out but finding no reason to do so. Finally, she pursed her lips and said, “If Elder Sister is so tender-hearted, why come to the Southern Garden to hunt at all?”
Fourth Miss Wang coyly adjusted a lock of hair that the river breeze had disheveled. “While I can’t bear to hunt rabbits, foxes, and other poor, cute little creatures, I’m not afraid of wolves, tigers, and leopards.”
“That’s right. Cui, you’re so proud of hunting a mere snow fox, but Elder Sister Fourth Miss caught a white-browed tiger today. It was this big!” Liu He spread her hands wide to indicate the size. Her father held the position of Vice Minister of Works, and one of her aunts was a consort of Emperor Jianping, though she had long since lost her favor due to age. After Wang Yueniang entered the palace, Miss Liu became Fourth Miss Wang’s closest companion, and “fawning sycophant” was perhaps the most apt description of her attitude towards Fourth Miss Wang.
Hunting a tiger was no easy feat even for skilled adult men, let alone a delicate woman. To think that Fourth Miss Wang had accomplished this! Even Ji Cheng’s gaze towards Fourth Miss Wang now held a hint of admiration.
Shen Cui’s eyes darted towards Qi Zheng again, only to find her beloved staring unblinkingly at Fourth Miss Wang.
Greatly displeased, Shen Cui sneered, “Hm, was it truly Elder Sister Fourth Miss’s solo effort that brought down that great tiger?” Shen Cui’s doubt was reasonable, given Fourth Miss Wang’s pristine appearance, which showed no signs of a fierce battle. Could the king of the forest have had no strength left even for a final counterattack before its demise?
Fourth Miss Wang didn’t directly answer Shen Cui’s question. She merely gave Shen Cui a cursory glance, full of the meaning that “a summer insect cannot discuss ice.”
Liu He smirked, “Oh my, Fourth Miss, it seems Cui doesn’t believe you. So many people witnessed you hunting the tiger. How could we possibly deceive her? It’s just sour grapes – she can’t do it herself, so she doubts others can do it too.”
Shen Cui was already fuming from Fourth Miss Wang’s disdainful look, and now her petty thoughts were laid bare by Liu He in front of everyone. How could she not be furious and embarrassed?
“Bootlicker!” Shen Cui glared at Liu He.
Liu He’s face instantly turned cold, but she didn’t immediately fire back. Instead, she glanced at Fourth Miss Wang’s expression. Fourth Miss Wang’s eyes seemed to casually sweep over Qi Zheng.
Ji Cheng had been observing her and Qi Zheng all along and naturally caught Fourth Miss Wang’s momentary glance. With just a few exchanged looks, Ji Cheng had already discerned Fourth Miss Wang’s nature – she was truly someone who couldn’t bear to be ignored. Could it be that Fourth Miss Wang had also noticed something unusual between Shen Cui and Qi Zheng?
Ji Cheng thought to herself, “That fool Shen Cui, she’s been so careless. Even Fourth Miss Wang has noticed her dalliance with Qi Zheng.”
Ji Cheng couldn’t help but glance at Qi Zheng again. Shen Cui was young and prone to oversight, but what about Qi Zheng? If he too was careless, then the Qi family truly had no hope of rising again. But what if he was doing this deliberately? To provoke Fourth Miss Wang’s competitive spirit, using Shen Cui as a stepping stone?
The more Ji Cheng thought about it, the more alarmed she became. She hoped she wasn’t overthinking this.
Ji Cheng was lost in thought for a moment. When she came back to her senses, she heard Fourth Miss Wang say, “The weather is lovely today. It’s been a while since we’ve had a horse race. Cui, are you interested in racing against me?”
Shen Cui looked at Fourth Miss Wang, knowing this was in response to her earlier skepticism. Shen Cui’s riding skills were not bad, and Qi Zheng had even given her some pointers during their leisure time these past few days. She was eager to race against Fourth Miss Wang, and she could only win, not lose.
“Why not?” Shen Cui replied haughtily.
Although Ji Cheng had never witnessed Fourth Miss Wang’s horsemanship, she had heard that during the event at Le You Plain, Fourth Miss Wang had raced against the Shen family’s daughters and won, indicating her riding skills were quite remarkable.
Ji Cheng gently tugged on Shen Cui’s sleeve, advising, “Fifth Sister, we’re all good friends who usually play together. Why insist on competing over a moment’s quarrel?”
Shen Cui yanked her sleeve from Ji Cheng’s grasp. “We Shen family ladies may lose, but we will never concede defeat without a fight.”
Shen Cui’s words sounded beautiful, making Ji Cheng appear weak in comparison. Ji Cheng thought to herself that this girl Shen Cui truly had a good heart, not hesitating to give her family member a resounding slap to highlight her superiority.
But Ji Cheng herself harbored hidden calculations, so neither she nor Shen Cui could claim the moral high ground.
As Shen Cui and Fourth Miss Wang mounted their horses using the mounting blocks brought by their maids, Ji Cheng remained still. But then she heard Shen Cui say, “Sister Cheng, aren’t you joining? Our family members can’t admit defeat without a fight.”
Ji Cheng wordlessly mounted her horse. Being taller than most women and quite agile, she didn’t need a mounting block. With a light spring of her legs, she gracefully mounted her horse like a swallow skimming water.
“Last time at Le You Plain, I missed the chance to race with Miss Ji. This time we can make up for that regret. How wonderful,” Fourth Miss Wang said with a smile. They all recalled the polo incident when Fourth Miss Wang had lost, and then been mocked by Wang Yueniang in front of the noble ladies of the capital. How could Fourth Miss Wang not be angry? She had never suffered such great humiliation in her life, losing to a merchant’s daughter.
Ji Cheng smiled faintly, “I’m honored that Fourth Miss Wang thinks so highly of me.”
Shen Cui gently squeezed her horse’s sides to move closer to Ji Cheng, whispering in her ear, “Sister Cheng, I don’t care what method you use, but you can’t let Fourth Miss Wang beat me.”
Looking at the self-righteous Shen Cui, Ji Cheng felt nauseated. Why should she help Shen Cui win, and with such an imperious attitude? But Ji Cheng also knew that Shen Cui’s foolishness was her blessing. Even if Shen Cui hadn’t asked, Ji Cheng would have helped her, because Ji Cheng couldn’t tolerate Fourth Miss Wang winning either. Sometimes, being foolish isn’t a problem as long as you’re born into the right family.
Ji Cheng had her plans. By provoking a confrontation between Shen Cui and Fourth Miss Wang, wasn’t she just creating an opportunity for herself? She just hadn’t expected the chance to come so quickly, before she was fully prepared, leaving her to improvise.
Ji Cheng leaned towards Shen Cui, “I’ll keep Fourth Miss Wang occupied. You just need to outrun Liu He. Remember to stay away from me and Fourth Miss Wang.”
Although Shen Cui didn’t understand what Ji Cheng intended to do, she nodded. It was strange; on the one hand, Shen Cui looked down on Ji Cheng, but on the other hand, she believed everything Ji Cheng said without doubt. For instance, when Ji Cheng said she could occupy Fourth Miss Wang, Shen Cui was certain she could do it.
With four beautiful young ladies about to race, the spectators were naturally excited.
Jia Liu pointed to the distant Lan Yue Mountain, saying, “The plum blossoms on Lan Yue Mountain have bloomed. How about whoever brings back a plum blossom branch first wins?”
“Excellent, how elegant. Racing horses to seek plum blossoms, how delightful,” Cheng Wu agreed.
Jia Liu and Cheng Wu were both sons of noble families, friends with Fourth Miss Wang’s brother. Although both were already married, they still liked to follow Fourth Miss Wang around. Everyone knew the situation but didn’t point it out.
As soon as the bamboo whistle sounded, Ji Cheng and the others shot off like arrows. Naturally, Fourth Miss Wang took the lead, with Ji Cheng closely pursuing her horse. Soon, Fourth Miss Wang’s lead of one horse length became half, then a quarter, until Ji Cheng caught up with her.
Ji Cheng was mischievous, riding right next to Fourth Miss Wang’s horse. As everyone knows, when horses gallop, they need open space. Fourth Miss Wang’s horse was steadily hemmed in by Ji Cheng, making it difficult to break into a full gallop. Sure enough, Shen Cui’s horse soon overtook them.
Fourth Miss Wang heard a delicate shout as Shen Cui, whip in hand, urged her horse two lengths ahead.
Fourth Miss Wang bit her lip and glared at Ji Cheng, shouting, “Is winning like this meaningful?”
Although Fourth Miss Wang’s voice was loud, with the thundering of hooves and the whistling wind, it sounded normal to Ji Cheng’s ears.
“Of course it is,” Ji Cheng replied with a sidelong smile.
Fourth Miss Wang understood everything now. She had already lost, as Ji Cheng was effortlessly controlling her horse while she couldn’t break free from Ji Cheng’s entanglement.
“You can help her now, but can you help her for a lifetime? Ji Cheng, what benefit is there in offending me?” With no one else around, Fourth Miss Wang dropped her pretenses.
Ji Cheng leaned towards Fourth Miss Wang, “Even if I hadn’t offended you, didn’t you encourage Consort Wang to do that to me back then?”
Fourth Miss Wang was shocked, never expecting Ji Cheng to say such a thing. At that moment, she had only one thought: it would be better if Ji Cheng were dead.
Since Fourth Miss Wang had such thoughts, and Ji Cheng was foolishly continuing to block her horse, Fourth Miss Wang’s frustration had built up to a mountain.
Ji Cheng continued to provoke her, “Doesn’t Fourth Miss Wang always boast of being the top noble lady in the capital? It seems your riding skills aren’t that great. Was that tiger you hunted already tampered with? Let me guess, was the tiger drugged, or was it already injured? Fourth Miss Wang, your reputation is nothing but a sham.”
How could Fourth Miss Wang tolerate such words? Her eyes darted around. Although Qi Zheng and the others had followed, they kept their distance to avoid interfering with the race. Shen Cui had already disappeared. They were now at a turning point that blocked everyone’s view. Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to strike?
Fourth Miss Wang gritted her teeth and viciously whipped her horse. The horse, in pain, rammed into Ji Cheng. Ji Cheng didn’t dodge. After three collisions, Ji Cheng finally lost her balance and fell from her horse, rolling rapidly down the sloping hillside.
Fourth Miss Wang watched Ji Cheng tumbling on the grass, her anger not yet fully vented. Suddenly, she heard the sound of approaching hooves. A figure in dark blue flew over Fourth Miss Wang’s head, heading straight for Ji Cheng. Immediately after, a dark green figure and a sapphire blue one also passed over Fourth Miss Wang’s head.
When Fourth Miss Wang regained her composure and looked, Chu Zhen had already ridden ahead of Ji Cheng. Ji Cheng, unfortunately, had hit her head on a tree trunk while falling and now lay motionless on the ground, her fate unknown.
The figures following Chu Zhen were Shen Yu, and who else but Shen Che?
Seeing Ji Cheng lying motionless on the ground, Chu Zhen, heart racing, was about to rush forward to embrace her, but Shen Che quickly stopped him, “Don’t move her! We don’t know where she’s injured.”
Hearing this, Chu Zhen immediately withdrew his outstretched hand. He had been overwhelmed with concern earlier, but now he came to his senses. For someone who has fallen from a horse, it’s most dangerous to move them without knowing the extent of their injuries. It’s possible that a person who was originally unharmed could be further injured or even lose their life if moved carelessly.
Shen Yu turned to instruct his attendant, “Go fetch an Imperial Physician, and bring a stretcher.”
Shen Che crouched down beside Ji Cheng. Chu Zhen suddenly remembered that Shen Che was Ji Cheng’s cousin, while he was an outsider. To avoid suspicion, he could only ask Shen Che, “How is she?”
Shen Che’s fingers checked for breath under Ji Cheng’s nose. “She’s still alive.”
Hearing this, Chu Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, then strode over to Fourth Miss Wang. “How vicious of you, Fourth Miss Wang!”
Fourth Miss Wang’s face had turned pale, unsure of how much Chu Zhen and the others had seen. But being the shrewd person she was, she quickly realized that this was all Ji Cheng’s deliberate plan. Ji Cheng must have noticed the movement in the forest on the hill and said those provocative things to her, timing her fall just as Shen Che and the others burst out of the forest.
In all her life, Fourth Miss Wang had only ever schemed against others. She never expected to be caught off guard by Ji Cheng today, leaving her seemingly unable to recover.
Fourth Miss Wang quickly regained her composure, frowning coldly, “Young Master Chu, mind your words! What exactly have I done to deserve such baseless accusations from you?”
Chu Zhen angrily retorted, “I saw you ramming into her with your horse!”
Fourth Miss Wang laughed coldly, “Hah, how absurd. Are you certain you saw me ramming into her, and not her ramming into me? This Miss Ji, to help her Fifth Sister win, kept following me, constantly ramming her horse into mine. Who knew her skills were inferior, and she fell off her horse? How did it become me ramming her in your words? What kind of person am I usually? And who is she to warrant me risking my reputation to ram her?”
Chu Zhen hesitated, probably considering the truth of Fourth Miss Wang’s words. Chu Zhen was honest, and in just a few sentences, he was tangled in Fourth Miss Wang’s web.
This was Fourth Miss Wang’s cleverness. At this moment, she presented herself as righteously indignant and inviolable, showing no signs of guilt. No one could believe she was the one who had struck the deadly blow. After all, a normal woman would have been frightened of paralysis by now, but she remained as pure and cold as a goddess.
Chu Zhen turned to look at Shen Che and Shen Yu, “Second Brother Shen, did you see clearly what happened just now?” Shen Che had burst out of the forest almost at the same time as Chu Zhen, which is why he asked Shen Che.
Shen Che, while draping his great cloak over Ji Cheng, replied, “The trees blocked my view earlier, so I couldn’t see clearly. However, Miss Wang isn’t that kind of person. You’re being too rash.”
Chu Zhen, who admired Shen Che for his polo skills, couldn’t say more after hearing this. The incident had happened too quickly, and now that he thought about it, he wasn’t sure either. He could only apologize to Fourth Miss Wang.
Only then did Fourth Miss Wang’s icy expression thaw. “Of course, I won’t blame the Young Master. You were just confused out of concern.”
Hearing this, Chu Zhen immediately furrowed his brow, his eyes flashing like lightning towards Fourth Miss Wang.
But Fourth Miss Wang had already turned her face away.