One Hundred Ways to Have a "BE" (Bad Ending) with the Protagonist Gong [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 6

Qin Guan and Yao Jingqiu were deep in conversation, and by the time they came back to their senses, the time for the luncheon was almost upon them.

He thought it was a bad sign, so he made up an excuse to slip away and drifted back to the Shengde Palace. Unexpectedly, the main hall, which had been bustling just moments before, was now completely empty.

Four young attendants walked into the hall, heads lowered, passing right through his body one by one as they prepared to clear the cups and plates.

That group of people must have left not long ago.

Qin Guan turned and flew to the highest old ginkgo tree at the entrance of the Shengde Palace main hall. Sure enough, he saw a dense crowd standing in the arrow pavilion not far away.

In the row of people standing at the very front, he spotted Xue Xuening at a glance, standing straight like a pine, his dark hair contrasting with his red lips, smiling as he faced the wind. It was not that his eyes were sharp; it was simply that Xue Xuening’s appearance was so outstanding that even standing there without a word, he was strikingly eye-catching.

Xiao Ziyi also shed his usual arrogance and stood to the side, his hands folded as he respectfully surrounded two young men dressed in gold-threaded embroidered robes at the center.

One of them was only twenty-something, with striking, intense features and a tall stature. His outer robe was embroidered with vivid sea peonies, and his waist belt was adorned with golden South Sea pearls the size of thumbs. His entire being possessed an unconstrained and effortless ease.

Rumors in the capital had it that Noble Consort Xiao was fond of peonies and possessed exceptional skill in floral arts; the Emperor had even opened a garden specifically for her, named “Zhong Fang Wei” (The Only One Among All Fragrant Flowers).

Since this person was so ostentatious, he must be the Noble Consort’s only son, Prince Heng.

The other was slightly older, about thirty-five or thirty-six, with a square face, medium build, and a gentle, restrained temperament.

At first glance, his attire did not seem eye-catching, but upon closer inspection, the hem of his robe was woven with fine gold thread in a “Sun and Moon Shining on Heaven” pattern using bright yellow silk clearly, his status was even more exalted.

This person must be the Crown Prince.

“Whoosh—”

“Thwack!”

Prince Heng, young and vigorous, pulled the bow to its full draw. The arrow shot out, pinning itself directly onto the target.

It hit the bullseye perfectly, and those around him clapped and cheered incessantly.

Prince Heng could not hide the pride on his face. He handed the bow to the Crown Prince with what appeared to be respect: “Second Brother, please.”

The Crown Prince had never been skilled in martial arts, and his equestrian and archery skills were barely passing. Being put on the spot by Prince Heng in front of everyone, he remained unhurried. Instead, he looked at Xue Xuening, who stood silently to the side.

“I have heard that the Third Young Master of the Xue family has always possessed outstanding literary talent. I have already had the pleasure of witnessing that earlier; I wonder how your equestrian and archery skills compare?”

This was forcing someone to step forward, though it was unclear why he had singled out Xue Xuening.

Qin Guan, standing nearby, couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

If his memory served him correctly, Xue Xuening had not touched a bow and arrow since he fell off a horse during a winter hunt at the age of twelve. He had aggravated his cold-related illness and nearly lost half his life as a result. He wondered what the Crown Prince was plotting.

Xiao Ziyi and Xue Xuening had always been on good terms, so he naturally helped to smooth things over: “Crown Prince, Xuening’s old ailment has not yet healed; I fear it would be inconvenient.”

Yang Shubo also echoed: “Indeed, why not let me do it instead?”

The Crown Prince merely smiled, his expression wide and gentle: “Brother Xiao, you are worrying too much; it is only a ritualistic archery. Besides, Shubo is accomplished in both civil and martial arts, and has many opportunities to stand out. Should we not give others a chance to perform?”

Even Xiao Ziyi, the young prince who was usually held in the palm of everyone’s hand, saw his smile stiffen at those words. He lowered his eyes and replied, “Yes.”

Xue Xuening calmly took the bow and arrow from the palace attendant: “The Crown Prince’s words are absolute. My archery is unrefined, and I fear I shall only embarrass myself.”

The Crown Prince patted his shoulder affectionately: “It matters not. Today’s Summer Banquet is not for winning or losing, but for amusement. Just do your best.”

Prince Heng added coldly from the side: “It is just a pity I cannot see Second Brother’s archery; I will not be able to learn from it.”

The Crown Prince smiled: “Everyone, be serious. The Third Young Master of the Xue family is about to draw his bow.”

Although Qin Guan thought the Crown Prince was a smiling tiger, he had no intention of helping Xue Xuening. Instead, he stood in front of Xue Xuening, waiting for him to draw his bow, curiously counting the tiny sweat hairs on the tip of his nose.

The attendant signaled with his hand, and the sound of drums began to rise in the distance, thump-thump-thump, intense as a battlefield.

Xue Xuening hooked the arrow with his left hand and pulled the string with three fingers of his right, leaning forward slightly. Whoosh, the arrow flew out and hit Qin Guan right in the center of his forehead.

Qin Guan only felt a rush of wind hitting his face, as if the hair at his temples were blown upward, only to pass right through his head with a whoosh.

The aim was decent, but the force was slightly lacking.

The arrow dropped just a few centimeters before reaching the target, thudding onto the ground.

“…”

The crowd wanted to laugh but dared not be reckless. Their eyes were filled with mockery; everyone knew the Third Young Master of the Xue family was brilliant in literature, but it seemed his archery was lackluster.

However, the Crown Prince clapped his hands and smiled, patting Xue Xuening on the shoulder: “Very well, Third Young Master, let us stop here for today. If you are free after the banquet, you may come to the Eastern Palace. I have recently acquired a painting, Kuang Lu Tu, and have been fretting over not having anyone to appreciate it with. Since I have a ‘Bo Ya’ (a legendary music lover) here today, it shall not be wasted.”

The Crown Prince had merely used Xue Xuening to divert everyone’s attention. Now that his goal was achieved, he was generous enough to reward him with a famous painting. Such a combination of grace and power left no room for anyone to find fault.

Xue Xuening first expressed his gratitude, then said: “Archery rituals are traditionally performed in three rounds. I have only performed one. Although my skills are unrefined, I dare not neglect the etiquette. I implore your Highness to permit me to complete the remaining two rounds.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd fell into a deathly silence.

No one expected Xue Xuening to be such a tough bone, refusing to take the easy way out. The Crown Prince’s gaze also grew somewhat cold.

Prince Heng laughed suddenly: “A fine Third Young Master of the Xue family. I knew you valued etiquette, but seeing it today confirms it. Since you wish to finish the three rounds, why would the Crown Prince not permit it?”

The Crown Prince said: “Naturally.”

Qin Guan also found it very interesting.

Just moments ago, the Crown Prince had been quite smug, but after Xue Xuening’s words, it was Prince Heng, who had been cold-faced all along, who now looked pleased.

The attendant signaled, and the drums sounded again.

Xue Xuening, his expression unchanged, nocked an arrow and drew his bow.

Alas, the second arrow also missed; it struck the edge of the target and fell to the ground.

By the third arrow, he remained silent. His fingers were pulled white by the bowstring. This arrow looked far more powerful than the previous two, but unexpectedly, it made a sharp turn mid-air and drifted off heaven knows where it was blown by the wind.

He had missed all three arrows.

The Crown Prince smiled and comforted him: “Third Young Master, in archery rituals, it is the etiquette that matters, not the archery itself. Do not take the result to heart.”

Prince Heng’s faces suddenly turned cold, and he said to an attendant nearby: “Go and collect all the arrows. Has the palace banquet begun?”

“Replying to your Highness, it has already begun.”

“Good. Tell the Emperor that the Crown Prince and I shall arrive immediately.”

Unexpectedly, a shrill, piercing roar erupted from the horse stables in the distance.

A snow-white steed charged out from the fence in full view of everyone, its four hooves running with fierce, frantic energy, stirring up a wind a truly beautiful sight.

However, after running only a few steps, blood soaked its white fur. The horse’s front legs buckled, and it collapsed onto the ground, twitching incessantly until it lay motionless.

Someone with sharp eyes immediately shouted:

“Good heavens, it looks like the Crown Prince’s beloved horse!”

Someone else said: “Look quickly, there is an arrow stuck in the horse’s neck!”

The crowd buzzed with discussion, and the Crown Prince’s expression grew increasingly ugly.

The palace servant who went to investigate hurried back to report: “Your… Your Highness… ‘Zhaoxue’ has ceased breathing.”

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

“This horse is from the Western Regions; it is pure white as snow and can travel a thousand miles a day. It is known as the ‘Zhaoxue Lion.’ In decades, the thirty-six small countries of the Western Regions have only presented one such horse it is truly unique in the world. To think it was shot dead by this Third Young Master of the Xue family in a single arrow it is truly a waste of a precious thing.”

“Xue Shao!”

Being addressed so formally by his full name, the Crown Prince was clearly enraged.

Xue Xuening knelt down without a word: “I ask your Highness to punish me.”

Prince Heng tried to mediate: “Crown Prince, do not lose your temper. Third Young Master Xue has a weak constitution; performing three rounds of archery was already a strain. Why be overly harsh? It is merely a beast. If Second Brother truly feels distressed, I have many fine horses in my manor; I am willing to send them all to the Eastern Palace for Second Brother to choose from.”

The crowd looked at one another, holding their breath, not daring to speak.

One was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace; the other was the son of the Grand Tutor.

The status of the former went without saying.

The latter’s father, Grand Tutor Xue, was a pillar of three dynasties and the Emperor’s teacher; the manor was filled with countless disciples and was always highly respected. Even if Xue Shao had truly made a mistake today, as long as the Emperor did not nod, no one would dare to punish him without authorization.

The Crown Prince remained silent, his face stern, staring at Prince Heng for a long moment.

Suddenly, he smiled: “Whatever do you mean? Fourth Brother is right; it is only a beast. Since the palace banquet has begun, let us go quickly. How can an elder brother take his younger brother’s things for nothing? I have many fine steeds in my palace; if Fourth Brother likes any, feel free to choose.”

The two walked away, trading words, and the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere seemed to have eased significantly.

Smiles gradually appeared on the faces of others as they followed behind.

Seeing that everyone had moved away, Xiao Ziyi helped Xue Xuening up from behind and whispered: “Xuening, you nearly scared me to death today. How could you dare shoot Zhaoxue? Do you know this was a gift from the Emperor to the Crown Prince for the hunt last year? His Highness has always cherished it like a treasure.”

Xue Xuening’s expression was unreadable, but his voice was slightly relaxed: “If I hadn’t done this, and had truly accepted a reward in the Eastern Palace today, would the Emperor have tolerated me? Would Prince Heng have tolerated me? How would you have treated me in the future?”

Xiao Ziyi pursed his lips and did not answer. Noble Consort Xiao was his paternal aunt, so his allegiance was naturally beyond question.

But… Xue Xuening was right.

The Emperor’s heart is difficult to fathom. As a neutral party, the Xue family had no ties with either Highness. If Xue Xuening had grown close to the Crown Prince today, it would inevitably have led to suspicions about his intentions.

Xiao Ziyi whispered: “Xuening, you and I grew up together; our bond naturally exceeds that of others. Today, I might as well speak from the heart. The Emperor’s health has been failing for a long time, and the court has long been divided into two factions. Grand Tutor Xue has many disciples, and you, too, are growing in influence as you embark on your official career. They say that a single thread cannot make a line, and a single tree cannot make a forest. You… what are you really thinking?”

Xue Xuening said: “The state flourishes with the help of its ministers, and the state declines with their loss. The official career is nothing more than the two words, ‘loyalty to the monarch.’ Since you are my classmate, how could you not understand my aspirations?”

This had made his stance clear: whether it was the Crown Prince or Prince Heng, as long as the throne did not change hands, he, Xue Xuening, was loyal only to the current Sage.

Xiao Ziyi looked at his expression earnestly and couldn’t help but smile: “The words ‘loyal minister’ are so difficult to achieve. I would certainly not believe it from anyone else, thinking it mere prevarication. But coming from you, I only feel it is the truth. I know your book, Su Shu, which made you famous in the capital, by heart.”

Xue Xuening smiled too: “Truly? A clumsy work from my childhood I am touched that you still remember it.”

Although they were close friends, their thoughts had drifted apart as they grew older. A conversation as heart-to-heart as this one hadn’t happened for a long time, and the two couldn’t help but look at each other and smile.

Qin Guan followed silently behind Xue Xuening, thinking to himself that since Xue Xuening valued his official career so highly, love and romance didn’t seem to be his priority. Should he wait until he had achieved success and fame to act, or destroy his hopes for his career now?

He watched Xue Xuening’s refined and handsome profile quietly, turning several thoughts over in his mind, only to discard them in the end.

Forget it, there is no need to rush. If the situation changes, it won’t be too late to act.

Still, I never expected Xue Xuening’s third arrow to reach the horse stable ten meters beyond the target. How could such a delicate-looking noble young master shoot the Zhaoxue dead with a single arrow?

Qin Guan couldn’t help but narrow his eyes. It seemed Xue Xuening was far more interesting than he had imagined.