Against everyone's advice, Fu Yi Xiao arrived at the competition arena. She moved with quiet determination, adjusting her attire as she prepared to enter the field. Watching her composed, methodical preparation, Feng Suige felt an unexpected warmth bloom in his chest. No wonder Xia Jingshi would risk everything for this woman. She was worth it.
Though Xia Jingshi's letter bore an unbroken wax seal, doubt gnawed at Feng Suige's mind. Yesterday, Steward Huang had returned to Su Sha from Jin Xiu, but according to intelligence reports, palace guards had intercepted him the moment he passed through the city gates. It required little imagination to deduce that King Feng Qishan had summoned him. Given Xia Jingshi's legendary caution, would he truly commit such a careless act as sending a letter through conventional channels?
For today's archery competition, Feng Qishan had devised an unexpectedly elaborate challenge. He'd ordered a hundred water deer released into an enclosed forest, allowing Fu Yi Xiao and Ye Duanfang to enter simultaneously. After one hour, victory would be determined by the number of deer ears collected.
Feng Suige stepped forward to tighten Yi Xiao's wrist guard, forcing a lightness into his voice. "You're not planning to trade me away to someone else, are you?"
Yi Xiao kept her head down, adjusting her clothing without response.
Feng Suige sighed dramatically, covering his face with exaggerated concern. "People always say beautiful women meet tragic ends. How much worse for a flawless man like myself? I can only curse the heavens for making me so extraordinary, blessed with every virtue others lack..."
"Feng Suige!" Yi Xiao finally snapped. "Aren't you afraid lightning will strike you down?"
"Not in the slightest," Feng Suige replied with a grin. "You're nervous, aren't you? That's why you're so quiet."
"No," Yi Xiao said flatly. "I've never been talkative."
"Ah," Feng Suige murmured, his eyes burning with intensity as he studied her face. "Watching you fight so hard on my behalf—even if you lose, I won't hold it against you. Actually, why don't I compete in your place? Consider it a service for hire."
Yi Xiao shot him a withering look. "I have no money to pay you."
Feng Suige's expression turned unexpectedly serious. "Let me love you for a lifetime. That would be payment enough..."
Before he could finish, Yi Xiao tightened the strap securing her quiver across her chest and strode out of the shade tent.
As she entered the field, Feng Suige suddenly addressed his father. "Your Majesty, Yi Xiao's wrist remains badly swollen. Perhaps we could—"
An elderly minister interrupted with a patronizing chuckle. "Young love is sweet indeed, but if the Prince shows favoritism to the Junior Consort at such a public occasion, silencing the inevitable gossip will prove difficult."
Feng Suige responded with easy confidence. "Your Excellency worries unnecessarily. I merely wish to assign someone to follow Yi Xiao and assist with collecting deer ears—not to compete in her stead."
Feng Qishan considered this briefly before nodding. "Very well. Who did you have in mind?"
"Gu Yu," Feng Suige said deliberately.
Carrying a cloth sack, Gu Yu jogged happily behind Yi Xiao's horse. Yesterday, when Fu Yi Xiao had been punished for saving him, guilt had kept him awake all night. This morning, when Feng Suige found him and explained he needed help collecting game during the archery competition, Gu Yu had practically danced with joy. Beyond shouting excited but incoherent sounds, he couldn't find words to express his happiness. The Prince didn't blame him for yesterday's incident—he even trusted him with the Junior Consort's safety.
The pair moved swiftly through the dense forest. Soon, deer blood stained Gu Yu's clothes. Gradually, however, Fu Yi Xiao began frowning after each quick shot, her accuracy declining. Several arrows nearly missed their marks entirely.
Gu Yu noticed the change. He pointed at Lang Xing and made urgent gestures, grunting, "Junior Consort rest. Gu Yu hunt."
Yi Xiao tilted her head, wiping sweat from her cheek onto her right shoulder. "We only have one hour. While we rest, Marquis Cheng Xin won't be resting. If you're not tired, shall we continue?"
Gu Yu puffed out his chest and nodded vigorously. "Not tired. Not tired at all."
Yi Xiao gave a slight nod and spurred her horse forward.
If Feng Suige had but one remaining trustworthy subordinate, it would undoubtedly be Gu Yu. His intelligence might be limited, but his loyalty was absolute. When Feng Suige instructed him to protect Fu Yi Xiao, he would do so without question. Which is why, even as he tumbled into the hidden trap, his first instinct was to shout a warning: "Be careful!"
Yi Xiao felt a sudden void appear before her eyes. Gu Yu, who'd been running ahead to harvest deer ears, vanished from the ground. His garbled warning and the sickening thud of impact were followed by a cloud of dust rising from the earth.
Instinctively, Yi Xiao yanked the reins. Looking closer, cold sweat broke across her skin. Where flat yellow earth had been moments before, an enormous pit now gaped open—an expertly concealed trap.
"Gu Yu!" Yi Xiao leaped from her horse and rushed to the pit's edge, peering down. "Gu Yu, are you hurt?"
At the bottom, Gu Yu's large frame lay twisted and dazed. Hearing her voice, he seemed to regain partial awareness. He struggled to move, mumbling again, "Be careful..."
No time to wonder how such a massive trap came to be in this clearing. Yi Xiao turned to untie her horse's reins. "Check if you're injured. I'll find a way to pull you up."
Gu Yu shifted at the pit's bottom, dislodging soil from the walls in dry cascades. Yi Xiao returned to the edge with the reins, tying one end around her waist and tossing the other down. "See if this will work to pull you up."
Half-leaning against the earthen wall, Gu Yu fumbled for something on the ground, mumbling, "Wait... ears..."
Only then did Yi Xiao notice the sack he'd been carrying had fallen open, deer ears scattered across the pit floor, bloodied and mud-caked.
"Come up first," Yi Xiao urged.
But Gu Yu stubbornly gathered every ear back into the bag, tied it carefully, and secured it to his waist. Only then did he reach up with both massive hands to grab the reins.
Yi Xiao lacked the strength, and Gu Yu possessed too much bulk. After several failed attempts that nearly sent Yi Xiao tumbling into the pit herself, they abandoned the effort.
After catching her breath, Yi Xiao stood with new resolve. "Wait here, Gu Yu. I'll return to find the Prince and bring help."
At the word "Prince," Gu Yu's eyes lit with understanding. He began patting his body frantically. Soon he held up two fire arrows, grinning foolishly. "Prince said... shoot up... help comes..."
On the competition field, a weapons exhibition was underway. Feng Suige watched with distracted eyes, his thoughts miles away in the forest.
How many deer ears had she collected by now? Gu Yu should prove a capable, focused assistant... Lost in thought, he heard someone nearby exclaim, "Look! Where did those fire arrows come from?"
Feng Suige's gaze snapped toward the distant forest, his heart plummeting. Against the clear, cloudless sky, two distinct trails of white smoke arced upward, pointing straight to heaven.
Others in the surrounding tents began noticing as well. The crowd that had been cheering the fighters below buzzed with sudden excitement. "Fire arrows... where are they coming from?"
Those were the arrows he'd given Gu Yu with strict instructions to use only in emergencies. And both had been fired at once.
Protocol be damned. Ignoring Feng Qishan's sharp reprimands, Feng Suige sprinted toward the horse tethering area behind the field. He grabbed the first available mount and galloped madly toward the forest.
Danger. Danger, danger. Yi Xiao was in danger.
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