While blowing her nose, Ruyi deeply reflected on herself. Young gentlemen like Shen Qiyuan were already narrow-minded – why provoke him? It would be better to speak softly and still have a warm embrace to stay in.

Now it was good – she was sitting upstairs alone, sneezing continuously.

“This is, is this for me?” Fuman took out the high-quality leather waist belt from the box, her eyes brightening.

Ruyi nodded, her nasal voice heavy: “When going to hunting grounds, one should dress more lightly. Although we won’t be in the same area as those high officials and nobles, we shouldn’t lose face for Moon Gazing Pavilion either – the one beside it is for Yanning, take it to him later.”

Fuman nodded happily and went out with the items.

Seeing it was still early and Shen Qiyuan’s carriage hadn’t arrived yet, Ruyi leisurely took a hot bath, changed into a red fitted pleated skirt, prepared the hunting equipment, and then gracefully went downstairs.

Today, she had no ornaments in her hair, only two red agate drops hanging from her ears. Paired with the red dress, she looked very bright and charming.

Fuman looked at her with bright eyes: “Usually, usually those, those young ladies, no one can compare, can compare to your beauty.”

Ruyi raised an eyebrow: “Shouldn’t there be more young gentlemen at the hunting grounds?”

“That’s other people’s hunting grounds. At our Lord Shen’s hunting ground, the owner can see a hundred flowers competing in beauty.” Zhao Yanning passed by them, took the bow and arrows from Fuman’s hands, loaded them onto the carriage Shen Qiyuan had sent, then turned back with a smile. “You’ll gain some insight later.”

Ruyi became interested.

While young gentlemen were appetizing, wouldn’t beautiful young ladies be even more pleasing to the eye?

Zhou Tingchuan had also dressed up today. Seeing them, he smiled: “The Shen manor only sent out one carriage today. Many people are watching – get on quickly, or you’ll be surrounded.”

Surrounded? That was too exaggerated. In broad daylight, who would dare stop a carriage?

Ruyi was about to laugh when the carriage had barely traveled a few steps before it was stopped.

She curiously opened the car window and saw an ornate canopied carriage approaching from the opposite direction. The young lady inside also lifted her window curtain and glanced at her coldly.

The carriage continued forward. Ruyi belatedly realized: “Your Lord Shen is quite in demand.”

Mentioning this got Zhou Tingchuan excited. He slapped his thigh and said: “Miss, you don’t know – in the past, to catch a glimpse of our lord, those young ladies used every means possible. Some had chance encounters on palace roads, some went to the Imperial Clan Court to file complaints, and some even sent calling cards to the Shen manor.”

Ruyi twitched her lips: “I also sent a calling card.”

For a moment, both Zhao Yanning and Zhou Tingchuan looked over and asked in unison: “Did you get in?”

“I got in.”

And had a good meal too.

They exchanged meaningful glances, and Zhou Tingchuan suddenly sighed: “Now I understand – all the hardships in this world don’t come from nowhere. If I had known our lord had such intentions, how would I have dared to be presumptuous?”

Zhao Yanning sympathetically patted his shoulder: “You’re so stupid, those punishments were all deserved.”

“Brother Zhao, is this comfort?”

“No, it’s mockery.”

“…”

While they chatted lively, Fuman looked at Ruyi with some worry.

“What’s wrong?” Ruyi pulled her close and gently patted her back.

Fuman hesitated: “Unequal, unequal match.”

Shen Qiyuan had an illustrious family background, thick imperial favor, needless to say handsome appearance, and first-class abilities. How could such a man marry a marketplace shopkeeper as his legitimate wife?

Ruyi laughed upon hearing this and intimately pinched her chin: “Why think so much about it?”

It was just for fun – why must it lead to marriage?

Zhao Yanning, listening, couldn’t help being curious: “What kind of man would the owner consider worth thinking about?”

“No kind of man is worth it.” Ruyi smiled wickedly.

Zhao Yanning nodded in understanding.

This way, Lord Shen only lost to her, not to someone else – that was more acceptable.

But it was also quite pitiful – how did he fall for such a master?

To celebrate Shen Qiyuan’s birthday, Huiming Mountain had colorful flags and flower banners erected from the foot of the mountain, extending to the hunting ground halfway up the mountain. From afar, it looked magnificent and festive. On the smooth roads, various styles of luxurious carriages proceeded one after another, and when the wind blew, it carried the scent of rouge.

Ruyi clicked her tongue: “With such scenes every year, your lord still hasn’t married?”

Zhou Tingchuan was also puzzled: “Yes, the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Palace have arranged many matches, but our lord just doesn’t fancy anyone. We privately opened bets on whether our lord has some psychological barrier he can’t overcome, or…”

He didn’t dare finish the latter half of the sentence, but Ruyi understood.

That person had no barriers in body or mind. Perhaps he just couldn’t get entangled in mortal marriage. Thinking this way, she was indeed his best choice.

She hummed with laughter, her expression soft.

The carriage had barely climbed the mountain two steps when it was stopped again.

Ruyi poked her head out and saw a young lady in a green fitted long dress holding a bow as she got out of her carriage, asking arrogantly: “Why are there women in Brother Qiyuan’s carriage?”

At her words, four or five surrounding carriages stopped to watch.

Zhou Tingchuan quickly got down and bowed: “Those in the carriage are all our lord’s friends. Please show some convenience, Princess Jinghong.”

“Little Lord Tingchuan came too?” Li Zhaoying shouldered her bow and snorted with laughter. “I grew up with Brother Qiyuan since childhood – how would I not know he has female friends? And brought them to the hunting ground – I suppose they can’t even hold a bow properly.”

Though she spoke to Zhou Tingchuan, her eyes stared only at Ruyi.

Ruyi propped herself up to look outside, lips curved in a smile, not dodging at all: “I indeed can’t hold a bow.”

Her straightforward admission stunned Li Zhaoying for a moment before she said irritably: “If you can’t hold a bow, what are you doing at the hunting ground?”

“Naturally, to see Lord Shen.” Ruyi curved her lips. “With him there, who would concentrate on hunting? Isn’t he more interesting than those forest tigers and leopards?”

This was the truth, but it made all the surrounding young ladies feel guilty.

Li Zhaoying was angered into laughter: “How can there be such a shameless woman like you?”

“What’s shameless about revealing one’s heart? It’s better than liking someone but hiding it in your heart, hesitating and not daring to approach.”

“Who are you talking about?” Li Zhaoying became agitated, drawing her bow and aiming an arrow at her. “I am a dignified princess – how dare you offend me!”

Fuman nervously gripped her hand, but Ruyi showed no reaction, only asking in puzzlement: “Did I mention her? Why is she so agitated?”

Zhao Yanning said gloatingly: “When you throw a stone and hit someone, how can they not cry out? Miss Liu, take care – this one is a favorite before Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. Even if she shoots you dead right now, she won’t be held accountable, at most scolded.”

How enviable – unlike her, who would still be punished by heavenly thunder for killing people.

Ruyi looked back at Li Zhaoying’s face with starry eyes. Before she could say anything, a figure suddenly swept up from behind, turned his wrist, and confiscated her bow and arrows.