With Jiang Shiran’s powerful background and eccentric, difficult nature, quite a few new society members had been brought to tears by her in the past.

The five-colored lot tube she had prepared was originally meant for making drinking games more troublesome, but unexpectedly it was being used on Li Zhao, this new society member. It seemed even Heaven couldn’t stand Li Zhao’s arrogance, giving her the chance to put Li Zhao in her place.

She just wondered what topic Miss Jiang would come up with.

Du Feixue looked forward to it immensely.

“Miss Du, your residence has a martial arts training ground, doesn’t it?” Jiang Shiran asked.

Du Feixue was startled, then nodded: “Yes, it does.”

The Earl Guchang’s residence had risen through military merit. Though by now no descendants still went to battle, the training ground had always been maintained. Her excellent horsemanship owed much to her family’s training ground.

“Good.” Jiang Shiran’s gaze fell on Qiao Zhao, smiling as she said, “Just now, I witnessed Third Miss Li’s quick wit, and I’ve also heard that Third Miss Li’s calligraphy is excellent. These things I don’t understand, so naturally I can’t test Third Miss Li on them. Therefore, the topic I want to test Third Miss Li on today is—”

She paused, slowly uttering two words: “Courage.”

Courage?

What a fresh topic. How would Miss Jiang test Third Miss Li’s courage?

The ladies looked at each other in bewilderment, their curiosity greatly aroused.

“Miss Du, please lead the way. We’ll discuss it further once we reach the training ground.”

Du Feixue hesitated.

This garden had been cleared early to entertain the young ladies, with only a few maids left to serve tea and water. Today, forget about random people—even the gardening women weren’t allowed in to disturb the ladies’ gathering. Her brother and the others, knowing this was a Fushan Society activity, would naturally avoid any impropriety. But she hadn’t made arrangements for the training ground area.

“What’s wrong, Miss Du?” Seeing Du Feixue standing motionless, Jiang Shiran frowned in displeasure.

“Oh, please follow me, sisters.” Du Feixue steeled herself and led the ladies toward the training ground.

At this time, logically speaking, her eldest brother and the others wouldn’t go to the training ground.

Even if they did encounter them, it wouldn’t matter. Nowadays, it wasn’t as strict toward women as in the past—if they accidentally met strange men, they could just avoid them afterward. She just didn’t want so many people to see Cousin Zhu…

But she had already lost face just now. If she refused again at this moment, it would be awkward among these people in the future.

The training ground wasn’t too far from the garden. As Du Feixue turned these thoughts over in her mind, she looked into the distance and saw the training ground was empty, letting out a sigh of relief.

Good, she had said there was no way her eldest brother and the others would come here at this time.

Beside the training ground was a row of weapon racks holding various weapons.

Jiang Shiran walked around to look, then stood in the center of the field, smiling broadly: “I can’t learn those refined literary approaches. If I want to test courage, it has to be for real.”

After speaking, she looked at Qiao Zhao: “Third Miss Li, do you dare?”

Qiao Zhao’s expression remained unchanged: “I’m willing to hear the details.”

“Third Miss Li is indeed straightforward!” Jiang Shiran reached out to take a bow from the weapon rack, tested drawing it a few times, then raised her hand: “Third Miss Li, would you dare to place peaches on your head and shoulders and let me test my aim?”

As soon as these words were spoken, all the ladies immediately gasped, with some who couldn’t contain themselves crying out in alarm.

Jiang Shiran’s eyes shifted as she smiled: “Don’t worry, we can use blunt-headed arrows.”

The ladies listened with racing hearts and trembling courage.

Blunt-headed arrows wouldn’t work either! Flying at such speed, if it hit someone’s eyes—

Thinking this way, all the ladies felt their scalps tingle, with the timid ones breaking out in cold sweat.

“Third Miss Li, do you dare to try?” Jiang Shiran asked with a smile, looking completely certain that Qiao Zhao would back down.

Facing the difficulties from Lan Xinong, granddaughter of Chief Minister Lanshan, Qiao Zhao had remained unperturbed throughout. But at this moment, her expression changed.

Was she timid? Not really.

If Jiang Shiran had chosen any other activity, it wouldn’t have made her hesitate or retreat. But being a target was different.

That pain of an arrow through the heart—who else in this world had experienced it and lived to tell the tale?

In her previous life, she wasn’t skilled at horsemanship, her martial arts weren’t accomplished, but archery was the one thing she could do well. Yet since her rebirth, whenever she saw bows and arrows, she instinctively felt cold all over and didn’t want to get close to them at all.

Qiao Zhao looked at the smiling girl and sighed softly.

This Miss Jiang had truly hit upon her weakness unintentionally!

However—

Qiao Zhao’s eyes shifted as she glanced at Kou Zimo.

She had said before that if there was no opportunity, she would create one to meet her brother through Kou Zimo. So what better opportunity could there be than this?

Jiang Shiran had given her an enormous challenge, but at the same time, given her the best opportunity. Compared to seeing her brother, nothing else mattered, including her fear of death.

“If Third Miss Li doesn’t dare to try, that’s fine too. After all, no one has ever passed the topics I’ve set before, and they can still be members of the Fushan Society.”

Several ladies present who had unluckily drawn the lot with “Jiang” written on it quietly changed expression, and having experienced it themselves, they looked at Qiao Zhao with a sense of shared suffering.

“It’s acceptable,” Qiao Zhao said calmly.

The ladies never expected Qiao Zhao would dare to agree, and quite a few cried out in surprise.

“Little Sister Li Zhao, the vice president, sets topics to test new members just to add some fun to the gathering. It’s not mandatory—if you’re unwilling, you don’t need to force yourself!” Su Luoyi stepped forward to take Qiao Zhao’s arm, saying in a serious voice.

“That’s right.” Zhu Yán also stepped forward.

Seeing the two vice presidents speak up, quite a few people voiced their agreement.

Lan Xinong curved her lips slightly, thinking privately: A single couplet game, and this Third Miss Li successfully broke into the circle. What excellent timing indeed.

Xu Jinghong maintained an expressionless face throughout, watching with growing puzzlement. Looking at Third Miss Li’s previous behavior, she didn’t seem like someone who would show off. What was the point of her doing this? Or was she just not daring to offend Jiang Shiran?

“Third Sister, you shouldn’t be stubborn. If something happens to you, how could I explain to Mother and the others?” Li Jiǎo, who had been invisible for a long time, spoke up.

“Elder Sister needn’t worry. I trust Miss Jiang’s archery skills.” After Qiao Zhao finished speaking, she thanked everyone for their concern, walked to the center of the field, and stood firm, saying indifferently: “Miss Jiang, if you’re ready, you may begin.”

“Miss Du, do you have blunt-headed arrows?” Jiang Shiran asked.

“Yes.” Du Feixue suppressed her inner excitement and brought out blunt-headed arrows for Jiang Shiran, then had someone bring peaches to place before Qiao Zhao.

Qiao Zhao reached out to take the fresh peaches, placing one on her head and one on each shoulder, then heard Jiang Shiran ask: “Third Miss Li, are you ready?”

“Ready.” Qiao Zhao took a deep breath, her body tense, though her face showed no emotion.

She watched as Jiang Shiran drew the bow and aimed at her.

In that instant, Qiao Zhao seemed to be standing once again on that cold city wall, becoming fish on a chopping block for others to slaughter.

It turned out there was a kind of fear that was beyond one’s control.