Leading the group was Jin Wang, dressed in flowing blue robes, his features as refined as jade.
Walking alongside him was Xian Wang, poised like a pine tree swaying in the wind, embodying the demeanor of a gentleman.
Behind them followed Qi Wang and Kang Wang—one as elegant as orchids and graceful as jade, his smile as warm and inviting as moonlight; the other moving with the brilliance of a jade mountain, radiating an awe-inspiring glow.
Trailing the princes were the young masters of the capital’s noble families, each with their own charm, radiating brilliance and vitality.
At the very back of the group, Duan Mingxi caught sight of Duan Wang, Xiao Muchen, who seemed out of place among the others. Always taciturn and reserved, his demeanor was strict and meticulous, a stark contrast to the sociable and versatile ways of the other Wangyes.
The young ladies had gathered together, many with faces flushed and eyes bright with excitement.
When the group approached, they paid their respects. “Greetings to the Wangyes.”
Jin Wang, the eldest prince among them, stepped forward and ordered them to rise. Laughing heartily, he remarked, “Why is there such a large gathering today?”
Liu Yan immediately stepped forward, his voice loud and jovial. “Wangye, Miss He suggested we compete to see who can hunt the most game. You can’t go easy on her just because she’s your wife’s younger sister!”
Everyone burst into laughter.
He Wanyi stepped forward, pointing at Liu Yan. “Stop stirring up trouble! It was you who provoked me first. How could I back down?”
The young ladies echoed her sentiments, their voices adding to the lively atmosphere.
Among the Wangyes, some were unmarried, and others still had open positions for concubines. The intentions of those present were clear, though left unspoken.
In her past life, Duan Mingxi hadn’t participated in the polo competition and wasn’t sure if this specific event had taken place. However, Liu Yan’s serious injury was a confirmed fact.
This time, having been inadvertently drawn into the affair, she could only play it by ear.
As the atmosphere reached a peak, Jin Wang declared loudly, “Since that’s the case, it’s getting late—let’s set off!”
Everyone responded in agreement and began heading to the stables.
Chu Qingying quickly approached Duan Mingxi and her sisters. “There are horses in the stables over there. Pick one for yourselves. Would you like me to come with you?”
Hearing someone call for Chu Qingying in the distance, Duan Mingxi replied, “No need. We’ll manage on our own. You go ahead and attend to your matters.”
Chu Qingying nodded quickly. “If anything comes up, just come find me.” With that, she hurried off.
Once Chu Qingying had left, Qiao Renshu and An Qiuzhuo came over. Seeing the three sisters, they said, “Let’s go pick our horses quickly. With so many people here, if we’re too late, the best ones will be gone.”
The hunting ground had a dedicated stable of horses for the young masters and ladies, while the Wangyes rode their personal steeds.
The guards from various families followed behind, but Duan Mingxi’s group was slower due to their numbers. By the time they arrived, most of the good horses were already chosen.
Qiao Renshu and An Qiuzhuo couldn’t do much about it; their status wasn’t high enough to compete for better horses.
Duan Mingxi, uninterested in hunting, casually chose a mottled horse. Duan Rong, feeling nervous and inexperienced in horseback riding, quickly waved her hand, indicating that she would wait outside for everyone.
Duan Min hesitated and glanced at Duan Mingxi, who immediately understood her thoughts and smiled. “Since I have a wager with someone, I’ll have to trouble you, Min Meimei, to stay and look after Rong Meimei.”
Knowing that something might go wrong today, Duan Mingxi preferred for Duan Min and Duan Rong to avoid getting involved. It was better to have them stay behind.
However, Duan Rong quickly shook her head. “I’ll be fine on my own. Min Jiejie, you should go with her.”
Duan Min, unable to agree, apologized to Duan Mingxi and asked Qiao Renshu and An Qiuzhuo to help look after her.
The two readily agreed, and after ensuring that Duan Min and Duan Rong were settled, the three women mounted their horses and entered the forest.
Ahead, a lively crowd surged forward, while Duan Mingxi’s group fell behind, their presence comparatively quiet.
As the horses passed, they kicked up clouds of dust, leaving Duan Mingxi and her companions enveloped. To avoid choking on the dust, they urged their horses to speed up.
Once inside the forest, the dust settled. The three exchanged glances and broke into smiles.
“We haven’t caught any game yet, but we’ve already eaten a mouthful of dust. If anyone finds out, they’ll laugh themselves silly,” An Qiuzhuo said with a laugh.
Wiping her face with a handkerchief, Qiao Renshu added, “So what? Everyone here has eaten dust at some point, right?”
Except for the Wangyes leading the way, who else would say they have never eaten dust?
The three laughed as they made their way deeper into the forest. The guards trailed behind, but He Wanyi and the others were nowhere to be seen, far ahead chasing after the Wangyes.
Duan Mingxi surveyed her surroundings leisurely, slowing her horse’s pace until it seemed they were on a leisurely ride rather than a hunting trip.
Qiao Renshu gave her a puzzled look. “Aren’t you in a competition? How can you be so slow? Everyone else will have snatched the game by the time you get there.”
Duan Mingxi replied nonchalantly, “With the Wangyes here, I doubt anyone’s focus is really on competing with me. Besides, what does it matter if I win or lose? It’s not like it’s an imperial exam where rankings determine one’s future. At worst, I’ll admit defeat.”
An Qiuzhuo cheered. “Exactly! Why should we compete just because they want to? We don’t have to play along.”
Just then, a rustling sound came from the underbrush ahead. A rabbit dashed out and, upon seeing people, swiftly changed direction, leaping over a thicket and disappearing from sight.
The three women looked at each other.
Qiao Renshu laughed. “Isn’t that a classic case of the rabbit slipping through your fingers?”
“Should we chase after it?” An Qiuzhuo suggested.
“Why not?” Duan Mingxi agreed. “It’s better than getting involved with that crowd.”
The three followed the rabbit’s trail, chatting along the way. An Qiuzhuo and Qiao Renshu were curious about Jiangcheng, so Duan Mingxi described it in detail.
When they heard that Jiangcheng was by the sea, with vast, endless waters, both expressed a strong desire to visit.
Duan Mingxi felt a pang of nostalgia, unsure when she would have the chance to return to Jiangcheng.
She calculated the days and realized her parents should be arriving soon, which lifted her spirits.
After a while, the three found themselves in a dense forest. The path became narrow and steep, unsuitable for riding.
They dismounted, tied their horses to a tree, left a guard to watch over them, and continued on foot.
After walking for an indeterminate amount of time, they began to lose their sense of direction. Suddenly, they heard someone shouting ahead.
“Don’t let it get away! Stop it! Stop it!”
Startled, the three stopped in their tracks. In that moment, an arrow came whistling through the air, aimed straight at Qiao Renshu’s face.
Frozen in terror, Qiao Renshu stood rooted to the spot, unable to move.
Duan Mingxi acted swiftly, pulling Qiao Renshu to her side while raising her bow to deflect the stray arrow.
“Renshu, are you okay?” An Qiuzhu anxiously grabbed Qiao Renshu, checking her up and down, her face pale with fright.
At this moment, the guards gathered around, shielding the group.
Duan Mingxi furrowed her brow slightly and said to the two, “There’s a stray arrow—something might have happened up ahead.”
“What should we do?”
Perhaps because Duan Mingxi’s decisive action in saving Qiao Renshu had impressed her, An Qiuzhu instinctively sought her opinion.
Hunting was supposed to be a leisurely affair—why was it turning so dangerous?
She had gone hunting before but had never encountered such a situation.
A guard stepped forward, holding a broken arrow. “Miss, this arrow seems strange. Its design doesn’t match those used in the hunting grounds.”
Duan Mingxi took the arrow, feeling its weight in her hand. Her gaze sharpened.
This was not one of the harmless practice arrows meant for young nobles to use. It was a heavy, lethal arrow designed to kill.
Sure enough, something was amiss.
