“Hey! Did a rabbit just pass this way? Did you see it?”
The person who spoke was rude, and An Qiuzhu’s expression darkened. Qiao Renshu, still shaken, leaned on her for support, her legs weak, and her heart racing.
Duan Mingxi kept a calm face and pointed with her horse whip. “Yes, it went that way.”
Without even a word of thanks, the person rushed off in the direction she had indicated.
An Qiuzhu stifled a laugh. The direction Duan Mingxi had pointed was entirely wrong.
“That was Fu Hongxiao from Marquis Deqing’s household,” An Qiuzhu explained. “She’s a concubine’s daughter but was raised by the Marquis Madam. She’s known for bullying the weak and fawning over the powerful—completely petty. Just ignore her airs.”
Duan Mingxi knew Fu Hongxiao well. In her past life, Fu Hongxiao had taken every opportunity to mock her over Gao Zhan’s rumored affections for someone else.
So, Duan Mingxi had deliberately pointed her the wrong way.
Seeing Fu Hongxiao triggered a thought in Duan Mingxi’s mind.
Turning to An Qiuzhu and Qiao Renshu, she said, “Renshu is still shaken. I think it’s best for her to head back and rest.”
Qiao Renshu, her legs still trembling, had already been considering retreating but was too embarrassed to voice it.
An Qiuzhu agreed. “Mingxi is right. In your condition, you can’t continue hunting. Let’s go back.”
She hesitated, though—it was clear that Qiao Renshu couldn’t make it back on her own, but it wasn’t appropriate for a guard to carry her.
Duan Mingxi intervened decisively. “Qiuzhu, I’ll have to trouble you to escort her back. I still have a wager with He Wanyi. While I don’t care much about it, it wouldn’t look right for me to withdraw early. I’ll rely on you to see her to safety.”
An Qiuzhu looked concerned. “Will you be alright on your own?”
“The way I deflected that arrow just now wasn’t a fluke—I’ll be fine.”
An Qiuzhu laughed. “Alright then, I’ll take Renshu back down. If anything feels off, you should leave too. The bet doesn’t matter. I’ll leave some guards with you for safety.”
“No need. I won’t feel at ease if you’re unguarded on your way down. Besides, I can move quickly and catch up with the others easily. The real danger would be if you encountered a wild beast while descending—better to prioritize safety.”
Before they could argue, Duan Mingxi cupped her hands in farewell and darted off.
“Wait…” An Qiuzhu hurriedly instructed a guard to follow her. She then turned to Qiao Renshu, saying, “I misjudged Duan Mingxi before. She’s so kindhearted—I feel ashamed of myself.”
“I feel the same,” Qiao Renshu said. They had both been misled by rumors before meeting Duan Mingxi. Now, seeing her character, they felt a twinge of guilt.
“It’s alright. We’ll make it up to her later by getting closer to her. And we must report today’s events to our elders and formally visit her to express our gratitude.”
With that, they began their descent with the guards, though their thoughts remained on Duan Mingxi, hoping for her safe return.
Duan Mingxi ventured deeper into the forest, moving swiftly. Sensing someone following her, she darted into a thorny thicket and watched as a family guard passed by, heading in another direction. She remained hidden, letting him go.
Once the forest was quiet again, she gripped her longbow, checked her quiver, and scanned her surroundings for direction. Then, she resumed her journey, running quickly through the dense woods.
Merchants traveling for business feared nothing more than bandits. While hiring guards was common, it was always better to possess some skills of one’s own.
In her past life, her father had insisted she learn martial arts, and for years she trained diligently without slacking. However, after returning to the Marquis Manor, the so-called rules of the household prevented her from showing her martial skills in front of others.
Later, after marrying, the matter was even less worth mentioning. But now, having only recently rejoined the Marquis Manor, her martial arts skills had not yet faded. While she wouldn’t call herself light as a swallow, her steps were swift and sure.
Before long, she caught up with the main group. Through the layers of trees, she could see the crowd enthusiastically pursuing their prey. Arrows flew, and the grass and foliage were in disarray.
As expected, there was no sign of Liu Yan.
She only knew that in her past life, Liu Yan had met with misfortune on this mountain. She didn’t know who had harmed him or how it had been done.
All she knew was that today’s hunt was merely a game for the Wangyes to test one another. Everyone present—noble sons and daughters alike—were pawns in their larger schemes, distractions to obscure the real moves.
That day, Liu Yan had done her a favor. If she managed to find him today, she wouldn’t hesitate to repay the debt.
But if she couldn’t find him, then perhaps it was simply his fate to face this calamity.
Duan Mingxi’s eyes scanned the crowd. She noticed He Wanyi walking behind Jin Wang, saying something that made him burst into laughter.
On the other side, Chu Qingying was with Xian Wang and others. Holding a wild pheasant in her hand, she waved it in He Wanyi’s direction before casually tossing it to a guard to carry.
The sparks between the two women were almost visible.
Duan Mingxi averted her gaze and turned in another direction to leave.
After walking for some time without finding Liu Yan, she resigned herself to the possibility that it wasn’t meant to be today. She silently wished him luck—his misfortune wasn’t for her lack of trying but simply bad luck.
Deciding to return, she walked a distance before suddenly glancing up at the sky. Looking around, she realized she might have taken the wrong path.
Deep in the forest, the trails looked almost identical. Crouching down, she quietly listened to the sounds around her before looking up toward the northwest. She lifted her foot and began walking in that direction.
After less than a quarter-hour, she suddenly heard cries of alarm ahead. Her expression tensed as she grabbed her bow and quickly followed the sound.
Pushing through layers of dense forest, a faint scent of blood hit her nose. She immediately climbed up a tree, scanning the surroundings from the heights. Her gaze quickly sharpened.
In the distance, Liu Yan was holding his right arm limp, blood dripping from his hand. His entire body was taut as he stared intensely at the opposite side—a wolf was eyeing him menacingly.
Without a sound, Duan Mingxi took out an arrow, nocked it to her bow, and aimed at the wolf. The wolf crouched slightly, its eyes fierce, readying to strike, a guttural growl coming from its mouth.
At that moment, Liu Yan’s body felt weak. His right arm was injured, and his left hand held a blade aimed at the wolf, but it was a feeble display. He was all bluster and no substance—his sporadic martial practice had left him unprepared.
Now, injured as he was, death seemed certain.
His back tensed, his eyes fixed on the wolf. He couldn’t show weakness, or the wolf would immediately pounce and tear out his throat.
He wanted to live—not die.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, stinging as it fell into his eyes. Instinctively, he blinked, inwardly cursing.
As expected, the wolf seized the moment and lunged. Liu Yan raised his blade—he couldn’t die, not here.
He still had to find the b*stard who betrayed him and make them pay.
But he was no match for the wolf’s speed. In that split second, his vision was filled with the image of the wolf pouncing at him.
A loud “whoosh” sounded.
Just as he braced for his neck to be bitten, the wolf suddenly vanished from view. A heavy thud followed moments later.
Stiffly, Liu Yan turned his head.
The wolf had been shot clean through the throat, the arrow pinning its body forcefully into the ground.
