The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 10

Ning Fu’s statement eased Emperor Jingwen’s expression significantly. “Then it’s quite a coincidence that you ran into me today.”

Ning Fu carefully considered the matter. Simply being willing to compete with the princess wasn’t enough. She knew she couldn’t beat a Northern Qi princess raised on horseback. She had to ensure that if she lost, Emperor Jingwen wouldn’t punish her. With this thought, she looked at Ning Yu.

Ning Yu understood her unspoken cue. He stepped forward and knelt before Emperor Jingwen to ask for leniency. “Your Majesty, my sister has only been seriously learning archery for a little over ten days, and she was seriously ill in bed recently. I am concerned for her safety.”

Ning Fu felt a bit embarrassed. In reality, as a person who had lived two lives, she had been seriously learning archery for more than just a dozen days. But at this moment, she needed Ning Yu to say these words. If she lost, it could be blamed on her short practice time and weak body, not on the inadequacy of the noble ladies of the Duke’s estate or the Great Yan Dynasty. This would make her defeat excusable and prevent it from being a disgrace to Great Yan.

Ning Fu then looked at Emperor Jingwen and said, “Maternal Uncle, I have always admired women who are skilled in riding and archery. This is a rare opportunity. I will be sure to be careful during the competition with the princess.”

The impatience in Emperor Jingwen’s heart gradually melted away, and a genuine amiability appeared on his face. “You, girl, are truly a newborn calf who isn’t afraid of the tiger. Very well, since it is a rare opportunity, you should take this chance to learn from the princess.”

Ning Fu felt relieved. By using the word “learn,” Emperor Jingwen was acknowledging that she was not as good as the princess, which meant he didn’t care about the outcome.

Ning Yu was about to speak again, but Emperor Jingwen waved his hand. “I promise you, your sister will not be harmed in the slightest. Zong Sanlang, the fourth Miss is also from your school. You will be responsible for her safety.”

“This subject obeys your command,” Zong Si said, rising and cupping his hands.

Seeing this, Ning Yu said nothing more and returned to his original position.

Ning Fu turned to the Northern Qi princess and said, “The princess’s riding and archery skills are exquisite and well-known in Great Yan. My skills are far inferior to yours, but I hope you will not mind competing with me.”

Her tone was filled with admiration. Although Ning Fu’s desire to compete with the princess wasn’t entirely sincere, her admiration for her was more real than true gold, so her words did not sound fake.

The Northern Qi princess had initially wanted to humble the proud noble ladies of Great Yan. But Ning Fu’s sincere praise pleased her. She laughed heartily and said, “Everyone starts from not knowing to knowing. When I was a child, my brother used to laugh at my poor riding skills. Don’t worry, I am not so rude.”

The riding and archery competitions were separate. The archery competition was first.

The princess’s bow was about half her height, with Northern Qi royal totems inlaid on both sides. It was heavy and powerful, typically used by men. It wasn’t easy for a woman to master such a bow. Ning Fu’s bow was much smaller and more delicate, with a fine texture and clear grain. It was inlaid with dark green jade on the back, and anyone who knew about bows could tell it was a good one.

The Sixth Prince, Meng Ze, said with a half-smile, “What a waste of a good thing.”

In the Sixth Prince’s eyes, a delicate and beautiful woman like Ning Fu couldn’t possibly be good at archery. For such a fine bow to be in the hands of a noble lady who couldn’t ride or shoot, wasn’t that a waste?

The drums rumbled, and the competition began.

The princess’s expression was calm. She held the bow in her left hand, pulled the string with her right, and released an arrow with firm resolve. The arrow landed squarely in the bronze cup. The force was so great that the cup shook violently. Everyone couldn’t help but applaud. “Well done!” the accompanying Northern Qi envoy exclaimed proudly.

Ning Fu secretly marveled. Most men couldn’t reach this level. She knew she was bound to lose today, but she knew her own skill and wouldn’t lose too badly. After all, she was a student taught by Zong Si himself, and with a master of his caliber, his student couldn’t be that bad.

Ning Fu was not as strong as the Northern Qi princess, but her technique and accuracy were excellent. Although her first arrow didn’t enter the cup, it grazed the rim, just missing it. She knew her own limitations, but to others, this was unexpected. And although her accuracy was a little less, her archery had a high level of artistry.

Emperor Jingwen couldn’t help but praise her, laughing. “It seems I underestimated this girl from the Duke’s estate. To have this skill after only ten days is a sign of great talent.”

The Sixth Prince raised an eyebrow, showing a flicker of interest.

Zong Si was surprised, but he could tell at a glance that Ning Fu’s archery skills weren’t something that could be learned in just ten days. The person who taught her clearly put a lot of effort and patience into it, or the fourth Miss Ning would never have been able to use her strengths to this extent. As he watched her second arrow, he subconsciously frowned, and his expression turned cold.

The technique Ning Fu used to borrow strength was not from Master Guanyang. It was a skill Zong Si had developed himself. Besides him, no one else knew it. So where had she learned it from? Zong Si couldn’t help but rub his forehead.

The fourth Miss Ning couldn’t have placed a spy by his side, but her maternal grandmother, Princess Kanyang, might have. Princess Kanyang had always been at odds with the Prince Xuan’s estate. If this were true, the Princess Kanyang’s estate must be trying to get involved in the matter of the royal succession, and they would have to be watched.

The archery competition was ten arrows per person. The princess got six arrows into the cup. Ning Fu missed her first few arrows but then found her rhythm, getting two more in a row for a total of three. Although she lost to the princess, she lost with honor.

Emperor Jingwen was overjoyed, repeating “Well done!” three times.

“Miss Ning is truly a pleasant surprise,” the princess said with a smile. This competition was much more interesting than she had expected.

Ning Fu said admiringly, “The princess is the one who opened my eyes. You are even better than most men.” It was a true case of a heroine being no less than a hero.

“I’m starting to look forward to the riding competition later,” the princess said.

Being recognized by the princess was a great honor. Ning Fu was very happy, but when she saw Zong Si’s cold, scrutinizing look from a distance, she suddenly realized something, and her smile faded slightly. But then she remembered that Lu Xingzhi and he were both students of Master Guanyang. Even if Zong Si noticed something, she had Lu Xingzhi as a shield, so she didn’t take it to heart.

During the subsequent riding competition, Ning Fu performed well. When she was on her horse, her eyes were sharp, her movements decisive and free, yet still graceful. The Sixth Prince, Meng Ze, felt his blood rush. He had to drink a cup of cold tea to suppress his heat. He had been celibate for half a month during the autumn hunt, which made him so easily aroused.

With Zong Si watching over her, the entire competition went without a hitch. The two competed in horsemanship. Although Ning Fu still didn’t win against the princess, her performance was quite remarkable.

Emperor Jingwen laughed and said, “The princess truly lives up to her reputation, and Ah Fu also deserves praise. Both of you should be rewarded.”

A reward bestowed by the Emperor was a great honor. Ning Fu said joyfully, “Thank you, Maternal Uncle.”

The princess also said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Jingwen then said to Lu Xingzhi, “Xingzhi, your teaching has a certain skill to it. It seems that in the future, I will have to ask you to guide the princes and princesses in the palace.”

“Your Majesty is too kind,” Lu Xingzhi replied calmly.

Ning Fu glanced at him, not knowing when he had arrived. She thought that teaching the princes and princesses to ride and shoot was a good job. If he could be promoted to太子少師 (Crown Prince’s Junior Tutor) in the future, it would be a good official position—stable, not too busy, and well-respected.

Ning Fu looked for her brother and Wei Ziyi and felt relieved to see they both seemed to have relaxed. The competition with the princess had made Ning Fu stand out.

She used to be able to find peace in an inconspicuous corner, but now she was the center of attention and had to be more careful with her words and actions. And since the princess had specifically asked for her company, she no longer had the chance to meet with Lu Xingzhi. Otherwise, Ning Fu would have liked to hear how a man of so few words would praise her.

When accompanying the princess on outings, the princess would teach Ning Fu some riding techniques, from which Ning Fu benefited greatly. One day, when the two climbed to the mountaintop, the princess spread out a blanket she brought, laid out some pastries, and planned to rest.

“Are you engaged yet?” the princess asked her curiously.

Ning Fu shook her head. “Not yet.”

The princess became excited and leaned closer to her. “Is your beloved that Young Master Lu? From what I can see, he seems like someone who could make you happy. He looks quite indifferent, but he’s probably a beast in bed.”

The princess was bold and uninhibited. If Ning Fu hadn’t been a married woman in her previous life, she would have found it hard to handle. Ning Fu touched her nose. There was no way a young noble lady like her could respond to that.

“Do you know why I came to Great Yan to find a husband?” the princess asked again.

“Why?” Ning Fu was also a bit curious.

The princess said meaningfully, “In our Northern Qi, your Great Yan men have a better reputation when it comes to bedroom matters. Our Northern Qi men are more robust, but they are all show. It’s the men with strong and straight waists, like the Crown Prince, who are truly impressive.”

Although Ning Fu knew the princess was just joking, the memory of her time in bed with Zong Si in her previous life still made her blush.

“I brought something good for you to drink,” the princess said, lifting the jar of wine she brought. “This is Jade Nectar that the Northern Qi royal family drinks. It’s made with May’s ‘Concubine’s Smile’ as the base and July’s ‘Immortal Tribute’ for flavor. The fragrance of the fruit and the wine are perfectly preserved. Besides what was offered to His Majesty, this is all that’s left.”

Ning Fu didn’t love to drink, and noble ladies in Great Yan rarely touched alcohol. But after being reborn, her mindset was different. What harm was there in trying it? So, Ning Fu gladly accepted. “Thank you, Princess.”

The wine was good. The first taste was of fresh lychee, as sweet as a spring. As it went down her throat, it released a faint hint of alcohol, stimulating her taste buds and making her feel alive. She had never experienced such a taste and drank three cups in a row.

Ning Fu was greedy and inexperienced, so she didn’t even realize she was drunk. The princess, being unrestrained by nature, was even more out of control and passed out.

The two were enjoying themselves on the mountain, but the people below were in a panic.

It wasn’t until evening that the attendants discovered the princess and Ning Fu were missing. They turned pale with fright and rushed to report it. With the princess missing, they couldn’t make a big fuss. Emperor Jingwen secretly ordered a few young masters to search for them.

When Ning Yu learned that Ning Fu was gone, he was worried sick. The Sixth Prince tried to comfort Ning Yu. “The fourth Miss doesn’t seem like someone who acts without caution. The princess also knows some martial arts, so they can protect themselves. They might just be lost.”

Ning Yu thanked him but was still uneasy. After a discussion, the men split up to search.

Zong Si and Lu Xingzhi went up the mountain. Lu Xingzhi’s worry was no less than Ning Yu’s. Soon, they came to a fork in the road. Zong Si was about to go right when he heard Lu Xingzhi say, “If they are in danger, please, Crown Prince, save the fourth Miss Ning first.”

This was an act of great disrespect. Zong Si lifted an eyebrow but didn’t respond.

“If you promise me, I am willing to become your strategist or do your bidding,” Lu Xingzhi said after a moment of silence, adding, “I’m saying this for your own good. If you listen to me, you won’t regret it later.”

Trading his future for a woman was clearly not a rational move. When Lu Xingzhi was with Ning Fu, he seemed different, as if he had known her for a very long time. Zong Si glanced at him. For him, this was a good deal, so there was no reason to refuse.

A few hundred steps ahead, the trees at the top of the mountain were denser from the abundant sunlight, making it harder to find the way. The sounds of their steps startled the birds and beasts. The mountain birds chirped constantly in the forest, and the princess’s horse began to neigh restlessly.

Zong Si paused to listen, then walked in the direction of the horse’s cry. When he found Ning Fu and the princess, they were sleeping curled up on a blanket, huddled together for warmth. The wine jars and snacks were scattered around. They were not in any real danger.

Zong Si, alone, couldn’t carry two drunk women back. He was about to leave to find help when he heard a soft, hazy voice say, “Husband.”

He turned and saw Ning Fu sit up. Her hair ornaments were a mess, but it didn’t detract from the fourth Miss Ning’s beauty.

Zong Si thought for a moment, then walked toward her, holding a lighter. The alcohol hadn’t worn off. Her eyes were unclear, and tears glistened in them. For such a young girl, she seemed to have countless sorrows.

“Who taught you archery?” Zong Si asked, staring at her. This was a good opportunity to ask about this matter. Of course, if not for this, he wouldn’t have gone to her.

“You taught me,” Ning Fu said softly after a moment.

“Why would I teach you?” he asked patiently, guiding her to continue.

Ning Fu bit her lip and said, “Because you couldn’t resist temptation and wanted to go to bed with me.”

Zong Si: “…”

“I didn’t actually want to learn archery. I just wanted to find an excuse to spend more time with you,” Ning Fu said, gently tugging at his sleeve, her grievances pouring out. “Every time you sleep with me, you ignore me afterward.”

Zong Si rubbed his forehead and pulled his sleeve out of her grasp. This unfeeling action brought a sliver of clarity back to Ning Fu’s mind. Her voice was like smoke, scattered by the wind and almost inaudible. “When I’m dead, I’m sure you’ll be happy.”