After autumn arrived, Xia Xiuyan finally returned to the academy to attend classes again.

When he entered, a large group of people inside were gathered together, making a noisy commotion. As soon as he walked in, he heard Li Hanyi shouting loudly: “Just say whether you’ll bet or not!” To be honest, Xia Xiuyan wasn’t at all surprised to hear this voice. Li Hanyi was always like this—every time you entered the academy, if you heard someone shouting loudly, eight or nine times out of ten it was him.

However, the voice that followed was somewhat surprising. Surrounded by layer upon layer of people, a weak female voice struggled to argue: “But this competition isn’t fair…” Then it was immediately drowned out by other surrounding discussion.

Li Hanfeng was the first person to notice Xia Xiuyan had returned. He turned to look at him and greeted: “Is the injury on your leg completely healed?”

Xia Xiuyan nodded. He didn’t walk over to join that commotion, but instead sat down leaning against his desk before asking casually: “What’s going on now?”

“The autumn hunt is approaching, and Second Brother is pulling Divination Official Qiu to compete with her.” As Li Hanfeng spoke, he laughed again. “A couple days ago, Father Emperor scolded Second Brother, saying he only knows how to play around and doesn’t put his mind to studying. Somehow Divination Official Qiu came up, and he said Second Brother can’t succeed at literature or martial arts—that even a woman is better than him. Second Brother naturally refused to accept this and came back determined to compete with her.”

This matter was indeed somewhat amusing. Life in the academy was monotonous, and everyone wished they could find some entertainment, so much so that each person watched the excitement with high spirits. Li Hanxing fanned the flames from the side: “Second Brother, I advise you to just forget it—otherwise, if you win, everyone will say your victory was dishonorable, and if you lose, they’ll say your skills are inferior.”

Li Hanyuan also frowned with her small face in displeasure: “Exactly! Second Brother is so much older than Xinran. Besides, you’re male and Xinran is female—your strength is also greater than hers!”

Someone nearby jeered: “The Second Prince just needs to win—who cares about bullying someone smaller!”

Li Hanyi’s brows were tightly furrowed as he said irritably: “No, I must compete with her, otherwise I’ll never be able to hold my head up in front of Father Emperor again!” As he spoke, he looked viciously at Qiu Xinran: “You tell me—how do you think we should compete to make it fair? How about I let you have a few arrows?”

Qiu Xinran’s head was splitting: “There’s no need to compete—I volunteer to admit defeat.”

“That won’t do! If this reaches Father Emperor’s ears, won’t it really become me bullying you!”

Qiu Xinran suddenly caught sight of Xia Xiuyan sitting in his seat and was slightly startled, thinking: When did he come back? Just then, Xia Xiuyan also lifted his eyes to look over, and their gazes collided squarely.

After waking up that day, Qiu Xinran had also thought for a long time about whether Xia Xiuyan saying on the mountain that he would kill her to silence her but ultimately letting her go was just him joking with her, or a moment of soft-heartedness, or perhaps he wanted to keep her around to help him clean up the aftermath. But after that, Xia Xiuyan never appeared in the palace again. After thinking for a very long time without figuring it out, she simply stopped thinking about it. In any case, Shu’er had also returned safely afterward, and no one had come looking for her because of that night’s events. But this current trouble before her could be considered as brought upon her by taking the blame for Xia Xiuyan.

Qiu Xinran seemed to grasp at a lifeline, working hard to transmit a message for help through her gaze. After all, in a certain sense, in this matter the two of them could at least be considered people in the same boat. According to common reasoning, Xia Xiuyan shouldn’t stand by and watch her die—

Of course, this was just her reasoning according to common logic. The fact was that after Xia Xiuyan met her gaze, he rather coldly turned his head away…

In the crowd, Li Hanling suddenly spoke up: “In my view, why don’t you each find one more person and divide into two teams, one male and one female—wouldn’t that be fair?”

Li Hanyi’s eyes lit up: “Good idea!” He immediately looked at Qiu Xinran, saying condescendingly: “From everyone in this room, I’ll let you pick first. How about it?” He had completely taken for granted that everyone in the room was included.

Li Hanxing, having just enjoyed fanning the flames, was now the first to object: “That won’t do! Who wants to get involved in your affairs? If we lose, would we have to be punished together?”

Li Hanfeng also asked with a smile: “Right! Second Brother still hasn’t said what happens if you lose the competition? And what if you win?”

“If I lose, I’ll submit to your disposal. If I win…” Li Hanyi stroked his chin thoughtfully. “If I win, you’ll read my fortune for me.”

Qiu Xinran asked suspiciously: “Doesn’t the Second Prince always disbelieve in this?”

Li Hanyi’s face turned somewhat suspiciously red as he said roughly: “Well, what does a small Divination Official like you have that you could lose to me? Am I not thinking of you by designing such a stake?”

He spoke far too righteously. Hearing this, Qiu Xinran felt this bet seemed unavoidable, so she could only sigh inwardly: “However, let’s make it clear first—this wager only concerns you and me, not others. Even if we need to find people to form teams, it has nothing to do with them.”

“Fine, fine, fine—you’re so long-winded!” Li Hanyi said disdainfully. He turned to look at the roomful of people watching the show. “What do you all say?”

The young men had the temperament of children—most were eager to try. Though some showed hesitation in their expressions, since no one objected for the moment, they could only bury their unwillingness in their bellies.

Seeing no one objected, Li Hanyi turned back with renewed enthusiasm to urge: “Good! Who do you choose?”

Xia Xiuyan lowered his head to look at the book in his hands, as if he didn’t care at all about what was happening in the room, but the book in his hands hadn’t turned a page for quite a while. For a moment he also couldn’t quite figure out his own thoughts. By reason, this matter was truly very boring, and he didn’t want to get involved at all. Moreover, it involved a competition—he had always been cautious and low-key in the capital. This matter was too risky; only a fool would get himself mixed up in it… But if truly no one went along with her, what did she plan to do? Whether or not she could actually do mounted archery, others weren’t clear, but he knew better than anyone. When the time came and she couldn’t back up the lies told on the mountain, she might even implicate him.

Tsk, in the end it was still her own stupidity. Li Hanyi was an idiot, and she could follow along and take the bait—truly stupid together!

Xia Xiuyan felt an inexplicable restless agitation. Just as he was silently irritated, he suddenly heard her clear her throat: “Then I choose—”

Qiu Xinran turned to look around the room. A few who didn’t want to cause trouble stiffly turned their heads away when their gazes met hers. A few with straightforward temperaments couldn’t wait to immediately stand up and volunteer themselves. For a moment, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“I choose Young Master Zheng!” The little Daoist finally looked with smiling eyes at the tall young man at the last table, saying in a light tone: “I wonder if the young master would be willing?”

In an instant, everyone looked toward Zheng Yuanwu. The young man sat in his chair, somewhat surprised: “Divination Official Qiu is asking me?” Qiu Xinran smiled at him and said sincerely: “Exactly! I’ve long heard that Young Master Zheng’s mounted archery skills are superb. I wonder if the young master would be willing to participate in my wager with the Second Prince?”

Hearing this praise, Zheng Yuanwu felt somewhat embarrassed and rubbed his head: “If Divination Official Qiu doesn’t mind, I’m naturally willing.”

Whether in mounted archery or martial arts, Zheng Yuanwu was the most outstanding one in the academy. That Qiu Xinran ultimately chose him was also within expectations. The others didn’t know whether to feel relieved or slightly regretful, but in any case, thinking of the upcoming autumn hunt competition, their expressions all perked up again.

Seeing she had chosen Zheng Yuanwu, Li Hanyi snorted lightly: “You certainly know how to pick people.”

“Is the Second Prince having regrets?” Qiu Xinran asked with a smile.

“Who would have regrets! Just because you chose Zheng Yuanwu, do you think I’m afraid of you?”

…

The surroundings became noisy and chaotic again. Li Hanfeng, having observed today’s wager, still felt somewhat unsatisfied: “Since Divination Official Qiu found Zheng Yuanwu to help, her chances of winning aren’t small. Who do you think will win?” He turned his head to ask the person behind him.

Suddenly there was the rustling sound of book pages turning. The person behind him seemed to sneer and hum, spitting out two words: “Boring.”

Li Hanfeng was startled. Seeing him staring down at the book pages with a displeased expression and indifferent gaze, as if he truly looked down upon what had just happened, Li Hanfeng knew that Xia Xiuyan’s temperament was sometimes unpredictable, but he had figured out several aspects of his disposition. Seeing this, he revealed a helpless smile at the corner of his lips and turned his head back around.

On the west side of the palace was a training ground—the place where the Feathered Forest Army practiced every morning. Usually the academy’s martial arts and mounted archery classes were also held there. Any polo or football matches in the palace were also there—the grounds were spacious enough to run horses. There weren’t many places to have fun in the palace, so if they didn’t leave the palace, the group of princes and nobles liked to go there to pass the time.

That day, just after martial arts class ended, some who had business packed up their things and left, but more than half remained. Beside the training ground was a spacious viewing platform that could provide shade and had a good view. A group of people sat on the platform watching the excitement with great interest.

Li Hanfeng had someone bring up a pot of tea, casually passing it to the person beside him and asking curiously: “How is it you’re interested in staying today?” Xia Xiuyan usually left as soon as class ended, looking extremely unwilling to stay in the palace any longer. That he stayed with everyone today to watch the excitement was truly rare.

The person beside him said nothing, lowered his head to taste the tea, and instead asked: “How did the Second Prince persuade the Seventh Princess?”

“Hanru? She already likes these things anyway.” Li Hanfeng smiled.

Li Hanyi had ultimately pulled the Seventh Princess Li Hanru to accompany him. Li Hanru was his full-blooded younger sister—both were born to Noble Consort Chen, and she was fourteen this year. Originally, like the Ninth Princess, she had studied at the academy together with her brothers, but with her hairpin ceremony approaching next year, she had appeared less at the academy recently.

The siblings’ temperaments were very similar, and when together they often quarreled. Li Hanru, a princess raised in the palace, wasn’t outstanding at music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, but was skilled at polo and football. Even when facing ordinary young men, she wasn’t the least bit timid.

Suddenly there was a round of cheers from the surroundings. It turned out that while the two were talking, Li Hanru had ridden past on horseback. As she passed the target, she drew her bow and released three arrows in succession—each one hit the target, and one even struck the bullseye!

Seeing this, Li Hanyi also rode over joyfully to praise: “Mother Empress always complains that you’re no good at needlework. In my view, your hands just weren’t made for holding embroidery needles.”

After hearing his praise, Li Hanru’s face darkened by half. However, she knew her second brother’s nature well. She only pulled the reins to turn the horse’s head, snorted lightly through her nose, and showed some pride in her demeanor about her previous performance.

The horse beneath her snorted and circled in place. She turned her gaze to fall on a corner of the training ground on the other side. Over there, the little Daoist in a snow-blue robe was being helped onto a horse by the person beside her, using both hands and feet. Before she could sit steadily, the horse moved its hooves, instantly frightening her into bending down to hug the horse’s neck.

The young man who had helped her onto the horse looked both amused and exasperated, looking up as if to comfort her. After quite a while, she dubiously loosened her grip but couldn’t sit up straight no matter what, looking as if she was about to cry from fright.

Following her gaze, Li Hanyi had obviously also seen this scene and let out a scoffing laugh: “Looks like we’ve already won!” With a relaxed expression, he turned his horse’s head and galloped off toward the target range again, leaving behind the woman whose expression was unclear and dark. After a while, she also gritted her teeth and turned to follow.