Seducing the Heart - Chapter 31

In the hunting grounds of the Royal Enclosure, a row of guards stood in formation, waiting in solemn battle array.

Over the past few days, the court officials and ministers had been spinning like tops. This was not only because of their heavy administrative duties but also to prepare for the formal opening of the royal hunting grounds.

The timing of Yun Jin accompanying Qin Zhanluo back to her home country to visit relatives was quite fortuitous, as it coincided exactly with Northern Chu’s annual royal hunt.

When Qin Zhanluo was younger, she had accompanied Qin Yuxiao on several of these hunting trips. However, back then, a massive procession of guards always followed her, protecting her so thoroughly that she was practically encased in safety. Furthermore, to curry favor with the little princess, some would proactively claim credit by hunting prey for her, holding a small rabbit by its ears and asking if she wanted it.

In such circumstances, Qin Zhanluo did not even need to draw her bow. Finding it utterly dull, she eventually stopped participating altogether.

Upon her return this time, Qin Yuxiao insisted that she and Yun Jin experience the newly renovated hunting grounds. Reflecting on how many years it had been since she last stepped into the enclosure, Qin Zhanluo did not refuse.

As a long time had passed, the hunting grounds were indeed no longer as she remembered them, just as Qin Yuxiao had described. Qin Zhanluo rode leisurely on her horse, taking in the surrounding scenery. Towering trees stood lush and green. The depths of the forest were intricate and complex, where one might get lost if they were not careful. While there was risk, it naturally added a level of excitement, which was the true purpose of holding a royal hunt.

Feeling satisfied, Qin Yuxiao turned his head to look at Qin Zhanluo, who was riding beside him. “Zhaoning, look at these newly arranged hunting grounds. What do you think?”

Qin Zhanluo nodded slightly. Becoming uncharacteristically playful, she teased, “I remember when I used to participate in hunts with Imperial Father, you would always leave me at the camp, fearing you could not look after me if we encountered prey. Even if you occasionally allowed me to go nearby to hunt some harmless small animals, you would send over a dozen people to follow me.”

Her deepest memory was of a time she took advantage of the guards’ inattention to secretly carry her bow and hunt a small wild boar. After some effort, she caught one, but the moment she turned around, she discovered several figures behind her who had not had time to hide. She thought she had gained a rare moment of freedom, only to find she was still being shadowed.

Recalling this, Qin Zhanluo felt a sense of helplessness. She asked in a flat tone, “By now, Imperial Father surely does not intend to keep sending so many people to follow me so closely, does he?”

Qin Yuxiao straightened his expression, naturally remembering his somewhat excessive protection from years ago. “There will not be as many as before, but I must leave two behind to help you carry your prey.”

The interior of the hunting grounds was not entirely safe. Falling behind or being alone carried a certain degree of danger. Qin Yuxiao was naturally unwilling to let his only daughter endure such risks. If something happened, not only would his heart ache terribly, but the Empress would surely cause a massive scene with him.

Qin Zhanluo simply arched an eyebrow and did not push further.

“When the hunt begins later, remember to prioritize safety. Do not let your Mother worry,” Qin Yuxiao reminded her, echoing Li Fuluan’s instructions before they set out.

“Rest assured, Imperial Father.” Qin Zhanluo looked back once, then turned her head forward again. “With the Consort here, I will be fine.”

Hearing this, Qin Yuxiao remained noncommittal. Compared to Qin Zhanluo, he was actually more worried about that Prince Consort who looked so frail a gust of wind might blow him over. He wondered who would end up taking care of whom.

Realizing further thought was useless, Qin Yuxiao tightened his grip on the reins and took the lead, charging out with the retinue. “My dear ministers, whoever brings back the most prey and wins the top prize today shall be rewarded by me!”

On the other side, Qin Zhanluo rode side-by-side with Yun Jin, accompanied by several guards.

Although Yun Jin rarely traveled due to her weak constitution, she had participated in a few royal hunts back in Yundu and was therefore no stranger to the activity. She could even be described as quite adept. Qin Zhanluo had not known if Yun Jin was proficient in riding and archery, but after seeing her calmly hit a target, she had her answer.

However, by mutual silent agreement, neither of them intended to compete for the top spot. They only drew their bows when they saw prey they liked. Most of the time, they chatted, riding and stopping to admire the scenery along the way.

Over the course of the journey, Yun Jin had hunted a fair amount of prey. While they stopped to wait for a subordinate to retrieve another kill, they encountered the party of Yang Efeng and Zhou Zhongguang coming from the opposite direction.

Zhou Zhongguang looked coldly at Yun Jin’s frame, which seemed incredibly frail compared to the men in his camp, and felt disdain in his heart. He thought, “She looks like a mere decorative pillow. This prey must have been hunted by her attendants on her behalf.”

He had to admit that this person was indeed quite good in literary matters, even earning the favor of the extremely discerning Grand Secretary. He himself had not had many years of schooling and disliked pedantic things. Thinking about it, Yang Efeng was only slightly better than him, so naturally, they could not compete with the other in that regard.

However, looking at Yun Jin’s “unable to carry or lift” appearance, Zhou Zhongguang simply did not believe she could be capable in martial skills.

A brilliant idea struck him. After exchanging a few casual pleasantries, he found an excuse to state his purpose. “I wonder if the Consort is willing to compete with Young General Yang in archery?”

He did not know about other things, but his sworn brother’s skills in riding and archery were absolutely beyond reproach. Back when they were in the military camp, this lad had basically stolen the spotlight by being able to pierce a willow leaf from a hundred paces, leaving everyone incredibly envious. Even those rough soldiers thought it was dashing; surely the Princess would not be an exception?

Zhou Zhongguang felt his plan was foolproof, so he squinted his eyes slightly and crossed his arms, waiting for Yun Jin’s response.

Yun Jin raised an eyebrow and agreed with a faint smile.

Yang Efeng cast a cryptic glance toward Qin Zhanluo. Seeing that her calm expression remained unchanged, he, through some strange impulse, did not voice an objection.

They found a nearby temporary camp and ordered people to simply set up the grounds for the upcoming competition.

Looking at the target a hundred meters away, Qin Zhanluo spoke nonchalantly, “Since it is a competition, why not add a little wager?”

“How about betting the hairpins you are wearing? Whoever loses must take it off and hand it over to the other.”

It was just a hairpin, a worthless trifle, so Yang Efeng agreed readily.

When it was Yun Jin’s turn, Qin Zhanluo’s eyes held a hint of playfulness. “Consort, I wonder if you have any objections?”

Others might not understand the words, but Yun Jin knew the hidden meaning. The black jade hairpin she was currently wearing was the one Qin Zhanluo had personally bought and gifted to her. If she accidentally lost it as a wager, it would be difficult to explain.

Yun Jin merely smiled and agreed with an air of effortless grace. “None.”

The sudden streak of mischief in this person, secretly putting pressure on her in such an invisible way, was truly interesting.

The first to begin the competition was the Young General. Yang Efeng held his breath and focused. After locking onto the target, he released quickly. The arrow left the string and pierced the air with a sharp whistle. Yang Efeng was confident he had hit the bullseye. He had practiced stationary target archery thousands of times; there could be no mistake.

He turned his head toward Yun Jin, signaling it was her turn. “Consort, please.”

Qin Zhanluo walked to Yun Jin’s side and leaned in slightly. “Your Highness must be very careful. If that hairpin is handed to someone else, think about how you shall compensate me.”

Yun Jin chuckled at the words and cast a few glances toward the target. “Rest assured, Princess.”

Yun Jin’s skills in riding and archery were actually not weak. Her movement of bending the bow and nocking the arrow was seamless. After concentrating, she quickly fired several arrows in succession. When the recording official observed and submitted the results, every single one was a perfect score.

A draw.

Yun Jin’s eyes held admiration. “The General is divinely brave; this Prince was merely lucky.”

Yang Efeng’s expression was displeased, but he likewise offered his polite congratulations. He had practiced martial arts since childhood and had led troops on the battlefield. He believed his archery skills were perfected. Yet the other person, a sickly Prince, could still tie with him in the skill he excelled at most.

In this light, he had actually lost.

Setting aside Yun Jin’s literary and martial talents, the mere fact that Qin Zhanluo’s gaze had never left the other person from start to finish made Yang Efeng laugh self-mockingly in his heart. “I still have matters to attend to. I shall take my leave first.”

Such a result was also unexpected by Zhou Zhongguang. Knowing that Yang Efeng must be feeling defeated, he could only chase after him.

Riding on her horse, Yun Jin looked toward the direction Yang Efeng had left with a faint expression. At the very least, that hairpin was saved.

“Those few arrows Your Highness shot just now were truly not bad. Why do we not…” Qin Zhanluo turned to look at Yun Jin, her eyes brimming with interest, “compete to see who hunts more prey from now until we return to camp?”

Yun Jin had already observed that Qin Zhanluo’s riding and archery were also extraordinary. She felt similarly intrigued and thought about it with a smile. “Certainly. Then, has the Princess decided on what the wager should be?”

After a brief thought, Qin Zhanluo replied calmly, “We do not lack vulgar things like gold, silver, or jewels. How about the loser agrees to one non-excessive request from the winner?”

With eyes full of smiles, Yun Jin agreed directly. “Fine.”

“Then Your Highness had better pay attention. Jia!”

The two horses galloped out almost simultaneously, like arrows released from a bow.

Yun Jin intended to win, so she put more heart into searching for suitable prey.

“Prince Consort?” Zhou Zhongguang spurred his horse forward to meet her. “What a coincidence, we meet again.”

Yun Jin nodded slightly and replied in a low voice, “It is indeed a coincidence.” Her tone did not seem dismissive, but her heart was occupied with the bet.

Zhou Zhongguang pretended not to see that Yun Jin wanted to leave and shamelessly dragged her into small talk about archery techniques.

“Jia!” Someone came rushing toward them from a distance, lashing their whip.

“Young General! This is bad! Liu Zi was attacked by a fierce tiger!”

Finally, it was here.

The newcomer was named Wang Wu. He and the Liu Zi he mentioned were both personal guards under Zhou Zhongguang’s command. Several people had secretly set an ambush, just waiting for Yun Jin to walk into the trap.

Zhou Zhongguang felt a sigh of relief in his heart, but his face appropriately displayed an expression of anxiety. “What did you say?”

Knowing that these two might be acting, Yun Jin decided to give them an opportunity anyway, so as to make them give up. If she did not proactively break this trap, Zhou Zhongguang would continue to design schemes again and again, which would only annoy her further.

Thinking of this, Yun Jin took the initiative to ask, “Where is he?”

Seeing her take the bait, Wang Wu hurriedly led the way.

As Yun Jin had anticipated, after following for a few meters, Zhou Zhongguang quietly stopped in place and no longer moved forward.

“Are we almost there?” Yun Jin remained calm and composed, not exposing the ruse.

“Almost.”

“Help! Help! A tiger! I am going to die!”

Liu Zi clung tightly to a tree trunk, watching the fierce tiger pacing beneath the tree with intentions of climbing up. He could not help but tremble and break into a cold sweat. He was supposed to follow the Young General’s plan to set a trap here to make the Consort look like a fool and suffer a silent grievance. Who could have known a real tiger would actually appear from nowhere?

A look of surprise appeared in Yun Jin’s eyes. There really was a tiger attacking someone. Turning back to look at Wang Wu in front of her, she saw he was completely paralyzed with fear. This was likely unexpected for them as well.

“What are you still standing there for? Hurry and tell your General to send people to the rescue!”

Only then did Wang Wu snap out of it, and he galloped away.

The fierce tiger was still circling the trunk, jumping higher with each attempt. Its sharp claws almost reached the hem of Liu Zi’s clothing. Yun Jin drew her bow, felt for an arrow, and concentrated on the target.

The sound of piercing air rang out, hitting the tiger squarely in one of its eyes. A tiger’s roar immediately echoed through the forest. The beast instantly turned its direction and lunged toward Yun Jin.

The horse was already spooked, so Yun Jin let it go before the tiger could pounce. She took a breath, utilized her lightness skill, and landed steadily on the trunk of a nearby tree.

The only things Yun Jin had left as weapons were the few remaining arrows. Besides that, doctors were skilled with poisons. Xie Lianjing had also given her some poisonous items for emergencies. These things were her only reliance.

On the other side, Wang Wu arrived at the agreed-upon place with Zhou Zhongguang without stopping.

“Young General! A tiger! A tiger!”

“What tiger this or tiger that? What nonsense are you talking? Are you still addicted to acting with me?”

“No! General, a real tiger! Liu Zi really was attacked by a fierce tiger! He is in a tree right now!” Wang Wu said, out of breath. “The Consort told me to come back and report.”

“Darn it!” Zhou Zhongguang’s expression changed drastically. He shouted to the dozen or so people behind him, “Brothers, take your weapons and follow me!”

His original intention was merely to teach Yun Jin a lesson; he had never thought of driving someone to their death. If something truly happened to her, not only would the Emperor and the Princess not forgive him easily, but even his father would personally skin him alive. Moreover, Yun Jin was a direct Royal Prince of Yundu.

Zhou Zhongguang gathered the men and took the lead toward the direction where he had tricked Yun Jin into going. A sudden sense of dread welled up in his heart as he cursed under his breath, “Damn it!”

From a distance, it looked like a mass of something was lying on the ground. Its size did not seem small. Qin Zhanluo drew her bow and aimed, only to find the object suddenly crouched. It was actually a person.

She spurred her horse forward to him. Upon closer look, she recognized this person as Zhou Zhongguang’s subordinate, named Liu Zi.

“Why are you here? Where is Young General Zhou?”

“Princess.” Liu Zi looked at Qin Zhanluo, still shaken. The few words he squeezed out of his throat were halting and fragmented.

Qin Zhanluo was always steady. Standing before him, she did not rush him but waited patiently for him to completely calm his breathing.

“There is a tiger! The Consort, the Consort saved me. He should be fighting that vicious tiger right now!”

“What did you say?” Qin Zhanluo’s eyes changed instantly, losing her initial calmness in a flash. “Do you still know which way it is?”

Liu Zi raised his arm and pointed tremblingly in a direction.

Qin Zhanluo immediately galloped off, her eyes filled with nothing but coldness and anxiety.

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