As they were talking, they heard the long voice of a eunuch announcing that the Emperor had arrived. They turned their heads and saw the Emperor and a few well-dressed women arriving late in the imperial carriage. When they took a closer look, they saw that the women were the three favoured concubines in the palace: Wang Lian'er, Mu Xirou, and Jiang Dan.
Zhao Jin forgot about Jiang Xin Zhi's awkwardness and said to Jiang Ruan, "Ruan meimei, your Fourth Younger Sister seems to be very favoured."
Jiang Ruan smiled but did not say anything. Jiang Dan had always disregarded everything and grabbed at everything in order to climb up. After expending so much effort, she naturally wanted to be favoured. Her gaze fell on the small figure beside the Emperor and she could not help but smile. Xuan Pei had also arrived.
After the Emperor arrived, the surroundings quieted down. Today, the people who came were the young sons of officials and their womenfolk. Hunting was originally a matter for young people, and it was also to look for good luck. Every year, the person who hunted the most would win, and the Emperor would grant him a wish. In previous years, it was always Guan Liang Han and Xuan Li who fought over the matter of hunting. Xiao Shao had never cared about this kind of thing. Guan Liang Han was a military general with outstanding archery, and Xuan Li was not to be outdone. Both of them had grown up on Jia Nan Mountain, and from a young age, they were very good at riding and shooting, so hunting was a walk in the park. But with the addition of Jiang Xin Zhi this year, the final outcome had become even more difficult to predict.
Everyone was very interested in Jiang Xin Zhi, the new god of war, the young general. They all wanted to see his fruitful appearance, and among them, the womenfolk would win. Guan Liang Han was too boorish, and although Xuan Li was gentle, his status was unattainable. Only Jiang Xin Zhi, who was a noble of the imperial court, was not to the extent of not daring to think about it. Moreover, he was elegant and handsome, without the boorishness of a military general, but with a bit of unswerving determination that only those who had been on the battlefield had.
The Emperor also saw that everyone was being reserved, so he smiled and said a few words. Most likely, he was saying that there was no need to rigidly adhere to the situation. Today, regardless of whether it was a man or a woman, as long as they entered the hunting grounds, there was no distinction between nobility or lowliness. Everyone was a friend. Tomorrow afternoon, they would gather here, and whoever had the most prey would be the winner.
Although this was the truth, what the Emperor said was not entirely true. The men were naturally fighting for their pride, while the women were only thinking of the hunters. Furthermore, there was no way to say that everyone was friends. Every time there was an open and veiled struggle in the hunting field, many bloodless battles started because of this.
Zhao Jin said, "Why don't we team up and go hunting together? What do you think?"
Lin Zi Xiang waved her hand, "Forget it, I don't know how to hunt. You're from a military family, but I'm not. I heard that idiot Xia Qing say that it's easy to run into a bear in the snow. I don't know any martial arts, so I'm afraid I'll be eaten. I'll stay with the other pretty girls in the camp. You go. "She had never been willing to pretend. Zhao Jin knew that she couldn't do anything to her, so she turned to Wen Fei Fei. Wen Fei Fei hurriedly shook her head: "I can't, my husband doesn't allow me to do this kind of strenuous activity. Furthermore, I've just had a baby. It's really inconvenient. "
"Sister Ruan, you can always come with me, right?" Zhao Jin looked at her anxiously. The annual hunt was extremely rare, and Zhao Jin cherished this opportunity very much. Originally, she still had Wen Fei Fei to accompany her. However, ever since Wen Fei Fei got married and became pregnant, she could no longer accompany her. Now, she could not possibly go alone. Moreover, she would not be able to play with those delicate young ladies who did not share the same views as her. Thus, Zhao Jin was unwilling to obediently stay in the campsite. Thus, she placed all her hopes on Jiang Ruan.
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "I'm sorry, Sister Zhao. I've made an agreement with Xiao Shao that I will accompany him today."
Zhao Jin frowned. They were a young couple, so how could she say that they were going together? She couldn't be so blind as to not know what to do. But today, her two brothers hadn't come along, and as a woman, it wasn't good for her to enter the forest alone. It was really too dangerous. Seeing her like this, Jiang Xin Zhi's face couldn't help but darken.
"Although I can't, my eldest brother can." Jiang Ruan smiled. "He's a man, so he can protect you somewhat. Sister Zhao, why don't you go with my eldest brother? We can look after each other on the road, and maybe we can even help each other hunt together. "
Zhao Jin, who was frowning, couldn't help but jump in fright when she heard these words. She hurriedly waved her hands and said, "No, no … thank you, Sister Ruan, for your kindness. I suddenly don't want to go. It's not bad to stay in the camp and chat with Zi Xiang."
Jiang Xin Zhi's face darkened even more, and he said stiffly, "The Royal Hunt is held once a year, and it's really not good to waste it. You and I will team up, and it's settled. I'll go get the horses." Finished speaking, he turned around and left. Zhao Jin was stunned, and she hurriedly followed, "That … I'm not going …. Ai, General Jiang, I already said that I don't want to go …. Jiang Xin Zhi, wait …. "
"Zhao Jin, this fool." Lin Zi Xiang commented, "Sure enough, her limbs are well-developed."
….
The hunt officially began. All the people and horses could probably form their own groups, and of course, they could also act alone. Although it was called a hunt, it was probably just a way for the children of the nobility to find fun. Jiang Ruan walked over and stood together with Xiao Shao. She and Xiao Shao picked a maroon pony, and he picked a pure black steed. The two horses stood side by side, and coincidentally, Yao Niannian passed by them with a maidservant.
They probably did not intend to enter the forest to hunt, so they did not choose any horses, and only carried a zither as they passed by. When they passed by Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan, Yao Niannian stopped and smiled slightly at the two of them, which could be considered as a greeting.
Jiang Ruan naturally returned a smile, but Xiao Shao was expressionless. After Yao Niannian passed by, Jiang Ruan looked at Xiao Shao with a slanted gaze, "Little Bai Cai, someone wants to push you again."
Xiao Shao was slightly startled, and seemed to understand what Jiang Ruan meant. He looked at her helplessly, and did not speak. When Jiang Ruan saw that he did not speak, she rolled her eyes at him, and turned around to mount the horse. Her movements were very nimble, and even somewhat dazzling. For example, Young Master Gu Yi, who was in the distance, looked straight at her. Jiang Ruan did not notice his gaze, and only tightened the reins. However, Xiao Shao followed closely behind and mounted the horse. Immediately, he came abreast, and his voice faintly passed to Jiang Ruan's ear, "Only for you."
Jiang Ruan, "…. Who wants to push you? "
Xiao Shao could not help but laugh, and put on a nimble posture, "You."
Once this person became shameless, it was really hard to resist. Jiang Ruan was speechless, and tightened the reins, and the horse galloped towards the forest.
….
Every year at this time, everyone would fight openly and covertly, just to win a prize. Rather than saying it was a prize, it would be better to say that it was a way for the princes to show their ability. Xuan Hua and Xuan Li had been fighting for many years, but now, the situation in the court was changing rapidly, and no one knew when Xuan Pei had appeared. Although Xuan Pei was young, it was probably for fun. He brought a group of imperial bodyguards with bows and arrows, and entered the depths of the forest.
Jiang Ruan was somewhat worried. There were many ferocious beasts in the forest, and Xiao Shao only thought that he had arranged for people and horses to follow him closely, so nothing would happen. Time passed very quickly, and Xiao Shao seemed to have really only come to hunt. His aim was very good, and he did not blindly pursue quantity. Instead, he specially hunted some rare and rare beasts, and in the end, he actually hunted a blue-eyed fox wolf cub for Jiang Ruan. Because he had personally caught it, the fox wolf cub was still relatively strong, and when Jiang Ruan carried it into her arms, it even bit her. Xiao Shao, who was very vengeful, grabbed the fur from the back of its neck and threw it into the bag.
Unknowingly, the sky was already gradually turning dark, and they could also set up camp in the forest. Jiang Ruan was just about to suggest finding a place to set up the tent when she heard a cry of alarm coming from the dense forest in front of them.
Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao glanced at each other, and Xiao Shao whipped his horse and galloped in that direction. Jiang Ruan also felt that something was wrong. When she walked over, she saw that in the depths of the forest, there was a huge hanging eyes white tiger. It was aggressively sharpening its claws as it looked at them and growled in a low voice. In front of the white tiger was a group of people, and among them were Xuan Pei and the imperial bodyguards.
Although so many people were highly skilled in martial arts, they might not be able to do anything to this hanging eyes white tiger. Because they were deep in the mountains, and it just so happened that the snow was deep at the end of the year, such a ferocious beast would become very ferocious when its stomach rumbled with hunger. However, this hunting ground should have been cleaned up, so such a ferocious beast should not have appeared. How could it have appeared? It was really thought-provoking.
At the moment, however, there was no time to ponder. The imperial bodyguards protected Xuan Pei, wanting him to escape first, but the white tiger seemed to have locked onto Xuan Pei. It passed the bodyguards and pounced towards him. Although Xuan Pei had a bow and arrow, in the end, he did not have enough strength. The arrow he shot only grazed the white tiger's body before it fell to the ground.
Jiang Ruan did not have time to be anxious. Xiao Shao had already taken out an arrow from behind him. In one breath, he nocked the bow and shot the arrow. That white tiger just happened to pounce straight towards Xuan Pei. Xiao Shao's arrow whistled through the air, and with a 'shua' sound, it nailed itself into the white tiger's mouth. Blood immediately splattered out.
Xiao Shao's arrow had been forged using special craftsmanship, and each arrowhead was densely covered with small teeth, so it was much more powerful than an ordinary arrow. Xiao Shao's arrow directly overturned the white tiger and it fell to the ground. The imperial bodyguards stared blankly for a moment before they rushed forward and subdued the white tiger.
Only then did Xuan Pei turn his head. When he saw Jiang Ruan and the others, he greeted, "Xiao Wangye."
Jiang Ruan immediately dismounted. Ignoring the presence of the imperial bodyguards, she stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, is Thirteenth Prince injured?"
Xuan Pei shook his head, glanced at Xiao Shao, and the corners of his mouth curled up. "Today, I still have to thank Xiao Wangye for your help. Speaking of which, Xiao Wangye's archery skills are truly outstanding. This prince thinks that the prize of this hunt is none other than Xiao Wangye. Just like this white tiger, when we peel off the tiger's skin and give it to Xiao Wangye, it will most likely be very precious. "
Jiang Ruan was not in the mood to pay attention to this. She only frowned and asked, "How can there be tigers in the hunting grounds?"
"Not only tigers." Xuan Pei looked at Jiang Ruan with a smile that was not a smile. "There are also many wild wolves. Just now, I seemed to have heard some movement from up ahead, and there seemed to be wolf howls. This hunting ground is not very peaceful nowadays, and the rare birds and beasts inside are also an eye-opener. "
Just like that, a perfectly good hunting ground had suddenly turned into a slaughterhouse. Tonight, they had been lucky enough to meet Xuan Pei. In another place, as Xuan Pei had said, there were probably other such ferocious beasts attacking people. Some of the young masters who had come here had originally come to have some fun. If they had encountered a scene like the one just now, besides relying on the imperial bodyguards, there was no other way. Presumably, at this moment, every corner of the hunting ground was already splattered with blood.
What was the purpose of the person who had done all this to make things so chaotic? Jiang Ruan knew who that person was, but she now had a new understanding of why she was willing to spend so much money, and why her methods were so ruthless. In order to harm a certain person, she had directly sacrificed the lives of so many noble sons and daughters of the imperial court. Fortunately, Xuan Pei was fine. In the end, she was still somewhat worried and said, "Thirteenth Prince, there are many ferocious beasts in the depths of the forest. At this moment, it would be too late to return to the camp. Tonight, why don't Your Highness travel with us husband and wife, so that we can take care of each other."
Xuan Pei stared blankly and seemed to want to refuse, but after thinking about it, he smiled and said, "If that's the case, then it would be impolite for this prince to refuse."
Xiao Shao turned his head and instructed Jin Two, Three, and Four, who had followed him, "All of you, go ahead and take a look."
The few of them obeyed his orders and left. Only then did Xiao Shao turn his head and say, "First, find a place to set up camp, then follow me."
…
Just as everyone thought, at this moment, the hunting ground was in a state of chaos. Gu Yi was followed by a pack of wolves, and every single one of them was panicking with hunger, as if they had been held back for a few days and had been released from a trap. Their eyes were all glowing green. The alpha wolf at the front was huge and incomparably ferocious. The imperial bodyguards accompanying it had all been bitten in the neck. As he rode his horse, his heartbeat was very fast.
This was not the first time that Gu Yi had come to the hunting ground. As the son of the Zongbing Daren's fu, he had participated every year. He was also aware of what had happened in the hunting ground, but this was the first time that such ferocious beasts had appeared. He did not know what had gone wrong, but at this moment, he was the only one left. At this moment, Gu Yi had no other choice.
However, at this moment, the alpha wolf behind him suddenly darted forward and bit the tail of the horse he was sitting on. The horse gave a blood-curdling screech, and its body immediately tilted to one side. Gu Yi fell to the ground. He rolled around in the snow, and his heart was greatly shocked. He only knew that today, he would certainly lose his life here. Who knew that in the next moment, he would suddenly feel that one of his hands was pulled by someone, and a voice with a hint of laughter could be heard by his ear, "Little brother, are you just going to admit defeat and send yourself to death like this?"
Gu Yi was startled, and saw that on the fine horse, a woman dressed in a tight outfit was smiling at him teasingly. Her outstretched hand was slender, but it seemed to contain boundless strength. The will to survive was indeed strong. Gu Yi did not have time to speak before he exerted strength in his hand and was smoothly pulled up onto the horse by that woman. At this moment, he could clearly see that the person in front of him was the woman he had met once during Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao's wedding. That woman felt his entire body turn cold, and she seemed to smile as she said, "Young Master Gu, don't be afraid, it's just a few feathered beasts." Just as she finished speaking, a few concealed weapons suddenly flew out from her sleeves. The speed of those weapons was too fast, and Gu Yi did not see them clearly. He only saw that the wolf suddenly howl miserably, and its relentless pursuit suddenly slowed down. It only rolled once in the snow, and then it no longer moved.
"What was that?" Gu Yi could not help but cry out in alarm. This woman was really too powerful. Just now, he had been chased by the pack of wolves until he had no way out, but this woman had dealt with the alpha wolf with a single move. It was really somewhat frightening. He was bewildered and uncertain in his heart. He had never heard of a noble woman with such amazing skills, and looking at her again, her courage was not bad.
His astonished expression was very obvious, and Jin San laughed, "Your posture just now was rather cute, especially when you fell from the horse, like a wooden club."
Gu Yi: "..."
…
In contrast to Gu Yi's leisurely and carefree attitude, Jiang Xin Zhi and Zhao Jin's current situation was much more thrilling. A black bear stood up high, its body tall and sturdy like a small mountain, and its wide open ugly mouth was dripping with saliva.
Zhao Jin could no longer care about distancing herself from Jiang Xin Zhi. In her anxiety, all her previous perseverance was gone, and she said, "Hey, what do we do now? This bear doesn't look easy to deal with, let's run first. "
"You won't be able to outrun it even if you run, unless you climb up a tree. The trees here are very thin, if you climb up, it will break the branches. When that happens, you will inevitably become its meal." Jiang Xin Zhi explained to Zhao Jin unhurriedly.
Hearing this, Zhao Jin was flustered, "Then what do we do? You don't have your bow and arrows, and I lost mine when we ran just now. The two of us don't have any weapons, are we just going to sit here and wait for death? Why don't I stay and you run first? You're a great general after all, you can't be eaten by a bear. "
Hearing this, Jiang Xin Zhi's gaze shifted, and he looked at her, saying, "I run first?"
"That's right, one person dying is better than two people dying. We still have two older brothers in our family, and if you die, Ruan meimei will be alone. You should go first. If I'm lucky, I can find someone to save me, and that will be my good fortune. "
Jiang Xin Zhi interrupted her, saying, "Ever since that night, you have deliberately avoided me and refused to see me. Don't you hate me very much? Why do you want to save me now?"
"I … I don't hate you." Zhao Jin was somewhat vexed. A few days ago, she had gotten drunk at night and sneaked out without telling her family, bumping into Jiang Xin Zhi outside the general's residence. When Jiang Xin Zhi pulled her, Zhao Jin didn't know why, but her head had heated up, and she had used her drunkenness to confess everything about her love for Jiang Xin Zhi. Later on, when she sobered up, she was naturally ashamed and embarrassed, and felt that she didn't have the face to see Jiang Xin Zhi again, so she went into hiding. Unexpectedly, on the hunting field today, Jiang Xin Zhi took the initiative to ask her to come with him. Now that she was in such a desperate situation, Zhao Jin really didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was this what Lin Zi Xiang meant when she said: Born with one mother, and die with one nest?
"With the black bear in front of us, it's better to think about what to do now." Zhao Jin averted her eyes. The black bear's enormous body made one's heart tremble. No matter how bold she was, she was still a girl, and she would still be somewhat afraid. Now, she was about to die to the black bear's jaws. Just thinking about it was terrifying.
The corners of Jiang Xin Zhi's mouth seemed to curve up. He looked at Zhao Jin and suddenly asked, "Zhao Jin, do you like me?"
Zhao Jin was caught off guard by his sudden question, and she subconsciously nodded her head, saying, "You're really long-winded. If I didn't like you, why would I die for you?"
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