A Stolen Romance - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Dispute

Shi Yuning came to, feeling as though the distant mountains and low-hanging clouds had instantly lost their color. On the vast, empty prairie, all that remained was a single splash of brilliant red, so vivid it was blinding.

The wind blew, and the hunting banners fluttered. Xie Zhaoran’s hair swayed freely in the breeze; her whole person was as dynamic as the wind, and her gaze, which could pierce clouds and shatter stone, struck Shi Yuning’s eyes, making them tremble.

It made people hold their breath, their hearts shaken.

Someone, in the utter silence, yelled “Bravo!”

Only then did the crowd seem to regain their senses, and a wave of sincere admiration and cheers erupted, one louder than the next.

Shi Yuning was among them, her cherry lips slightly parted, her phoenix-like eyes wide with disbelief. She looked back at the overwhelmingly powerful red-fletched arrow.

Its tail slowly slowed its vibration, and it was a while before the fierce, lingering power of the shot finally subsided.

That accuracy, that power, that distance!

Shi Yuning dared to say that no one present, man or woman, could achieve even half of that skill!

Admiringly, she looked up at the gallant red figure on the high platform, her eyes full of envy. Just as she was about to raise her hands to applaud, a flash of purple caught her eye.

Prince Yu, in a menacing manner, led his men and strode toward the high platform.

Shi Yuning’s heart sank, and she hurried to follow. Behind her, the noble youths, eager for a spectacle, also quickened their pace.

Prince Yu, with a thunderous presence, stormed right to the base of the platform. He craned his neck, glaring up at the woman.

“Imperial Sister-in-Law, what is the meaning of this? Why did you have to ruin my chance?!”

Prince Yu was furious. His previous failed attempts had already built up a great deal of anger, and now, when he’d finally had some hope of winning Shi Yuning’s sachet, he was thwarted.

He had been wondering which dog-headed fool would dare to challenge him for a woman.

He never expected it to be Xie Zhaoran!

This woman had always been at odds with him, but after she married into the Eastern Palace, it seemed she had lost her former edge. When they saw each other in the palace, they would simply ignore one another.

He never imagined that today, in front of such a crowd, this detestable woman would dare to make him look like a fool.

Furious, Prince Yu flung the bow he was still holding at Xie Zhaoran on the platform!

Shi Yuning, who had just rushed over, felt her heart leap into her throat and urgently called out, “Be careful!”

The woman on the platform seemed completely unfazed. Her gaze moved leisurely from Shi Yuning before looking down at Prince Yu below, and at the bow that had just clattered to a stop by her feet.

Xie Zhaoran’s expression was calm, neither pleased nor angry. She half-lowered her eyes and spoke slowly.

“Second Brother, you’ve occupied the field for a long time without success. It wouldn’t do to delay the proceedings any longer.”

The words were blunt, and Prince Yu could hear the mockery in them. His face turned a shade darker than his purple robes.

His neck muscles strained with prominent veins as he barked, “Xie Zhaoran, you’ve only been married into the Eastern Palace for a short time, and you already think you can be so presumptuous and disregard the rules! Fine, fine!”

The personal attendant beside Prince Yu, seeing his master’s face, immediately shouted, “Exactly! In this archery competition, the prize is offered by a woman, and the competition is for men! There is no rule for a woman to participate in the competition!”

Hearing this, Prince Yu gave his attendant an approving look, feeling his anger subside slightly. He then turned to the crowd of onlookers, as if he were laughing at Xie Zhaoran. “It doesn’t count!” he yelled.

He then turned back to the crowd behind him and shouted, “That was Xie Zhaoran being disrespectful of the rules. It doesn’t count! Someone, go re-hang Shi Yuning’s sachet for this Prince!”

Shi Yuning’s eyebrows furrowed. This Prince Yu was so arrogant now that he dared to openly call the Crown Princess by her given name.

She recalled her grandfather’s advice before the spring hunt: avoid conflict with Prince Yu, because a confrontation would make it difficult to push back against a possible marriage.

Over there, after giving his orders, Prince Yu began to make even more offensive remarks to Xie Zhaoran on the platform.

“If Imperial Sister-in-Law wants to play, you can just take off the sachet from your waist and hang it up as a prize.”

“Then we can see if there’s any man who wants to try their luck and win the chance to dine with you, Imperial Sister-in-Law.”

His words were frivolous and lewd, and Shi Yuning’s face instantly went dark.

Prince Yu, this shameless scoundrel, was the one who didn’t follow the rules, yet he had the audacity to call someone else out for it!

She ignored her grandfather’s warning and was about to retort when she heard a familiar, rich, and magnetic voice from the high platform. It was calm but carried the weight of a thousand pounds, reaching everyone’s ears.

“This Princess is participating on behalf of the Crown Prince, to share in the fun. Does Second Brother have an issue with the Crown Prince?”

Hearing Xie Zhaoran bring up the Crown Prince, Prince Yu stomped his foot in anger. “Imperial Sister-in-Law, has the wind muddled your wits? How can you participate on his behalf?!”

Xie Zhaoran handed the bow she was holding to a guard, smoothed the sleeve that had wrinkled while she was shooting, and then nonchalantly clasped her hands behind her back. She spoke with a light, airy tone.

“Why not?”

Shi Yuning’s tense nerves were suddenly eased by that simple phrase. Yes, why not? The only thing Prince Yu had to back up his bullying was his status as a prince, and the strong possibility of him becoming the next Crown Prince.

But as things stood now, the Crown Prince was still the Crown Prince, and Xie Zhaoran, as the Crown Princess, held the most esteemed position in the entire hunting grounds.

If anyone was going to bully someone with their status, it should be Xie Zhaoran over Prince Yu.

Shi Yuning felt a wave of relief, and her breathing became much easier.

Prince Yu was speechless. His slow-witted mind, faced with Xie Zhaoran’s equal use of status but one rank higher than his own, felt his arrogance immediately deflated.

The surroundings became quiet. Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound, because Prince Yu’s face was truly hideous. If they were to be singled out, they would surely suffer a lot.

Seeing the silence, Prince Yu’s black face scanned the area. He felt that he had lost face completely this time, and when he saw Xie Zhaoran’s haughty look from her position on the platform, what little reason he had was burned away like a dry leaf thrown into a fire.

“Imperial Sister-in-Law can, of course, participate in the archery on behalf of the Crown Prince. You can even attend feasts on his behalf. And if you so wish, you can even marry Shi Yuning as a concubine on his behalf. But there is one thing I must ask: Xie Zhaoran, can you replace the Crown Prince in the bridal chamber?!”

The area around the platform went completely silent, as if even the wind didn’t dare to blow. The rolling clouds in the sky seemed to lower, carrying an ominous, hostile feeling.

A dark cloud obscured the faint sunlight, casting a shadow over Xie Zhaoran’s face. The people below couldn’t see her expression, but they felt a tremor of unease.

Prince Yu’s words were too blatantly absurd!

Qiangdi, the maid standing nearby, saw Xie Zhaoran’s hands, which were clasped behind her back, clench tightly and then loosely unfurl. Qiangdi pursed her lips in astonishment.

As a maid who had been with Xie Zhaoran since childhood, she knew what that gesture meant, but she was bewildered.

What was Xie Zhaoran so excited about?

Prince Yu’s words were a jab at the Crown Prince. Everyone in the capital knew the Crown Prince was in poor health and lacked vigor, and had not yet consummated his marriage with the Crown Princess.

Though this was common knowledge, no one dared to speak of it. The Eastern Palace had a strict prohibition on its servants from discussing it, with a penalty of immediate death if caught.

Now, Prince Yu was brazenly bringing it out into the open to mock him. Shouldn’t her mistress be angry? Why did she seem to have a strange, almost bizarre excitement about it?

Prince Yu’s taunts made everyone in the field wish they could plug their ears or hide under a table, pretending they didn’t exist.

Shi Yuning never thought Prince Yu, this pig-headed, dog-tempered man, could be such an awful person. She could no longer bear it.

Shi Yuning took two steps forward, positioning herself in the gap between Prince Yu and the platform, glaring at him with a menacing look. He was basking in his supposed verbal victory.

“Your Highness, mind your words! Slandering the Eastern Palace is a great crime!” Shi Yuning knew that in an argument, it was crucial to seize the moral high ground first.

To get herself and Xie Zhaoran out of this vortex of public opinion, she had to bring up the Crown Prince.

Prince Yu sneered, seemingly unafraid. “He’s my brother. What’s wrong with me showing some concern?”

He raised his voice on the last four words, proudly throwing Xie Zhaoran’s own words back at her.

Shi Yuning felt that Prince Yu had suddenly grown a tiny extra brain cell for being passive-aggressive, but alas, it was still a pig’s brain cell.

No, a pig might even be smarter than him.

“Your Highness is mistaken. The Crown Prince is first the heir to the nation, and only then is he your sibling. Slandering the Eastern Palace is a great crime, deemed as disloyalty. Slandering a sibling is a minor offense, but it is still deemed unfilial. Your Highness, you are now committing a great crime and a minor offense at the same time. You’ve brought trouble upon yourself.”

Prince Yu frowned with displeasure. “Shi Yuning, what do you mean by this? Are you truly thinking of becoming a concubine in the Eastern Palace?”

Shi Yuning tightly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She truly wanted to pry open this fool’s skull to see if it was filled with bean curd jelly or lung slices.

“Your Highness, watch your words! My Shi family has never had such an idea!” Shi Yuning lowered her voice, suppressing her anger as she reminded Prince Yu, “The Crown Princess is from the Xie family. Your Highness should remember that before you speak!”

Shi Yuning didn’t want to help this fool. However, she looked at the many people around her and worried that Prince Yu would continue to make absurd remarks, causing a scene and embarrassing everyone!

Upon hearing “the Shi family” and “the Xie family,” Prince Yu’s reason finally returned.

He looked at Shi Yuning with a complex expression. He had spent the last six months relentlessly pursuing her, and he had thought that she wasn’t interested in him. But now it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Shi Yuning was now trying to advise him. So that’s what it was. Prince Yu’s mind suddenly cleared, and all his anger vanished. He knew it—with his status, position, and handsome looks, how could any woman not fancy him?

“Fine, fine. I will not argue with you lot today.”

With that, Prince Yu gave his attendant a hard kick. “What are you looking at? Didn’t you see this Prince’s robes are dirty? Hurry and take me to change!”

The attendant was quick-witted and immediately went along. “Oh, my apologies, I was dazed. How did this large stain get on the clothes? Your Highness, please come with me to change.”

The farce came to a hurried end. Shi Yuning watched as Prince Yu and his entourage slowly walked away, and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

She turned to speak to Xie Zhaoran and explain a few things, but was astonished to find the platform empty.

Xie Zhaoran had left without a word.

Shi Yuning frowned slightly. She still had things to say, so why had she left?

She stood, dumbfounded, looking at the empty platform. The spirited red figure was gone, and only the hunting banners remained, fluttering loudly in the wind.

The sight left a feeling like gravel in her heart.

It was a while before Shi Yuning remembered what she had forgotten: she had forgotten to get her sachet back!

By the time Shi Yuning hurried to the railing, her grey sachet was nowhere to be found, and the red-fletched arrow that had impressed everyone had also disappeared.

Shi Yuning quickly found a palace attendant and asked what had happened. She was told that the Crown Princess had sent someone to retrieve it. Shi Yuning was stunned.

Why would Xie Zhaoran take her sachet?

No matter what, Shi Yuning had to get the sachet back. Her grandmother had made it for her by hand.

Shi Yuning jogged to the Crown Princess’s tent, out of breath, and asked for an audience.

The guards at the entrance seemed to have been given instructions. The moment Shi Yuning announced her name, two attendants on either side lifted the tent flap and invited her in.

Though she was confused, Shi Yuning still softened her footsteps for the sake of her sachet and entered the deep tent.

After rounding the twelve-panel screen painted with a picture of galloping horses, Shi Yuning saw a person lounging on a beautiful couch in the middle of the tent.

Xie Zhaoran’s slender, porcelain-white fingers were wrapped in thin red thread. The coarse grey sachet was loosely cupped in her palm, and she propped her hand up to her nose, her eyes closed, as if she were gently smelling it.

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