As Qin Yunuan hurried back to the tent, Qin Yuzhao happened to be up. Under Tong’s service, she was wearing the multilayer summer clothes awkwardly. It was hard being a lady. Even in the hottest summer, a shirt should be wrapped around the tube top.
Qin Yunuan wiped the thin sweat on her head, and right away, Maner handed her a veil with well water wisely for wiping her face.
“Yo,” Li Weijun, who was well-dressed, walked over from the screen and took a look at Qin Yuzhao. Her eyes widened obviously, but the tone was still disdainful, “Tailors make men. It turns out that Fourth Miss Qin is still somewhat beautiful.”
“Sister Li, if I were you, I would not speak. I would only lift the curtain and go out without saying anything. And then I would wait till Yuzhao appears in front of everyone and praise her for a few words. That would make you look generous, not envy and jealous like you are now.” Qin Yunuan was expressionless at first, then smiled softly, “Sister Li, don’t you know that the easier women get jealous, the easier they would age?”
“Ungrateful!” Li Weijun glared at Qin Yunuan fiercely, rushing out with four servant girls.
There was a big difference between lineal and non-lineal descents in this dynasty. Even when the Li Family was losing its power, with its status falling and discourse power losing constantly, Li Weijun still considered herself as Li Family’s legal daughter. It was usual for her, who has a higher social status, to scold Qin Yunuan.
But when Li Weijun took this anger outside….
“Huh. She is, after all, a daughter of a concubine and couldn’t get on the countertop. Listen to her tone just now,” Li Weijun strode forward, turning back occasionally to complain with the four servant girls behind her, “I’ll tell you. A concubine’s daughter would be bullied even when she gets married. She could only climb up, holding onto some other men’s thighs. Huh, shameless.”
Chunxiang was about to stop Li Weijun when she looked up and saw the Imperial Concubine Duan appearing in front of her eyes. She shut her mouth immediately. The other three servant girls also remained silent.
“Shameless?” A vicious look appeared on Imperial Concubine Duan’s always gentle and peaceful face for the first time. Although it was only a flash, it was enough to shock everyone present. Everyone in the palace knew that Imperial Concubine Duan was only the daughter of a concubine in the Duke Mansion. She was affectionate to her sister, the deceased Imperial Concubine Shu so that the emperor sent her into the palace after the concubine’s death and gave her a name. To be frank, she was the wet nurse for Sima Han as a baby. Imperial Concubine Duan was usually affable. Therefore, the eunuchs and servant girls never mentioned it.
But her family was like a thorn in her heart. It would never be pulled out, nor could it melt inside her.
Li Weijun was also shocked by the high-pitched tone of Imperial Concubine Duan. She stared blankly at Imperial Concubine Duan, who was only ten steps away from her. Li Weijun was choked with words, “I…I, just…” She was eager to explain, but couldn’t say a word.
Imperial Concubine Duan’s fingertips seemed to be trembling because her patience was running out, and the smile on her face became stiff and icy. “Didn’t you say all you wanted to say? What, do you have another high-sounding statement about the difference between family backgrounds?”
“I won’t dare to,” Li Weijun’s legs turned to jelly, and she almost knelt down, “I was mean-mouthed and said the wrong thing.”
The kneeling apology still couldn’t calm the waves inside Imperial Concubine Duan’s heart. The shame for her secrets, which had been accumulated for many years, was completely evoked by Li Weijun’s unintentional sentence. It seemed that she had been tolerant for too long, and now a declining aristocrat dared to crawl on her head.
“Since you have said the wrong thing, you should be punished.” Imperial Concubine Duan’s every word was heavy and powerful. The solemnity made Imperial Concubine Duan’s personal servants hold her breath. She had served Imperial Concubine Duan for more than ten years. It was her first time to see her master punish others.
“Slap her!” Imperial Concubine Duan ordered. After a while, a crisp slap sounded on the open ground.
Qin Yunuan happened to take Qin Yuzhao out of the tent. Seeing a circle of people surrounding something in the distance, Qin Yuzhao was very excited and clapped, “It’s so lively. Is it a campfire party? Is there anything to eat?”
“It’s not a campfire party,” Qin Yunuan only glanced, and a slight smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. “It’s Imperial Concubine Duan punishing Sister Li.”
Qin Yunuan could guess the result without going. Did Li Weijun really think that Imperial Concubine Duan passed by accident?
It was time to teach a lesson to this harsh and narrow, self-righteous heiress of Li Family. Because of the red and swollen face, Li Weijun hurriedly arrived when the archery competition started halfway. It was a pity that no matter how much rouge and powder were applied, it was difficult to hide the five obvious fingerprints on her face.
Fortunately, Li Weijun was born in a low profile, and her appearance was not the most outstanding. Therefore, no one noticed her.
“Good!” Emperor Zhaoxuan Sima Xiu called out his praises for several times today. Young people were playing better than normal. The cheers of hitting the targets were endless.
Prince Ray was on the court at the moment. He was in a short-sleeved suit and performed very stable today. Every arrow landed within the nine-point ring. Just now, he shot the second red target.
In the cheers and applause of everyone, Sima Ray smiled modestly and turned around. While his people were counting the score of his round, Sima Ray bent down and saluted to Sima Xiu and said, “Please do not laugh at my performance.” After that, he arched his hand towards Wanyan Su. The gesture was a courtesy and also a sign because the next one would be this guest from the faraway North Di.
“Very good! Ray performed very well today. Come and give him a reward!” It was easy to get praise from Sima Xiu, but his rewards were the real approval. When Eunuch You carried the incisive iron-cutting dagger to Sima Ray, even Imperial Concubine Yun stretched her neck. Sima Xiu used it when he was young, and this dagger saved his life when he was in danger. Now it was rewarded to Prince Ray.
Sima Ray and Empress Chen glanced at each other immediately. He didn’t refuse and just said a few words to thank the emperor.
Sima Ray suddenly stopped as he passed Leng Changxi, a hidden smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He nodded and said, “I look forward to the performance of General Leng.”
Leng Changxi was half a head higher than Sima Ray. At this moment, he kept his head high and didn’t even give a single look to Sima Ray. Leng Changxi’s tone was extremely cold when he replied, “Prince Ray, you love to watch the scene of bustle.” After just a glance, he said, “But I am afraid that you can’t see my scene of the bustle as fun anymore.”
Sima Ray didn’t say anything, just reached out and patted on Leng Changxi’s shoulder. People would view this as the mutual encouragement between a monarch and a minister. It seemed to be harmonious. But Qin Yunuan, who was sitting under the yellow pergola opposite, felt her heart tightened. She didn’t wish Sima Ray get too close to Leng Changxi. Although his ability exceeded Sima Ray more than enough, Sima Ray loved to use dirty tricks. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know. She didn’t want this 1 in 10,000 probability to happen.
“Third Miss, this is the iced Lily soup with pear Empress sent you.” Maner passed a cup with a lotus mouth from the tray of the little maid behind. The white porcelain was cool on the surface.
“There is something to eat!” Qin Yuzhao quickly took her share. She picked up the spoon and scooped it back and forth, sighing, “Wow, there are really many lilies. Sister Yunuan, Where is that silly big man you told me about? Why didn’t I see him?”
Sima Han was born so tall that he was almost the same size as Wanyan Su. Qin Yuzhao nicknamed him the “silly big man” in private.
“He’s coming soon,” Qin Yunuan comforted Qin Yuzhao. Suddenly there was a burst of cheers beside her. It turned out that Wanyan Su shot in the heart for the past few times. Each competitor had ten arrows, and then the score would be calculated according to the arrow crater shot on the target.
It was already the tenth arrow. Wanyan Su would be the winner if he could still shoot right on center. Even if Leng Changxi had hit all in the center, he would draw a tie with him.
Sima Xiu’s expression was not as pleasant as it was before.
With a “snap” sound, the arrow was off the bowstring, and the feathery, birch arrow flew straight out. It was again in the center.
Ten arrows all landed in the center. Wanyan Su was undoubtedly the proudest winner in this competition.
“Emperor, don’t flatter me.” Wanyan Su put away his bow and arrows. He arched his hand towards Sima Xiu with Han etiquette.
Sima Xiu appeared to be joyful, praising, “The Seventh Prince of North Di is superb in archery. Come, I’ll give you a reward.”
“Thank you, emperor.” Wanyan Su smiled and arched his hands again, looking at Leng Changxi, who was still standing outside the range with an indifferent face that seemed to have no intention to compete at all. He grinned and reminded him, “General Leng of Qi, it’s your turn.”
Whether the nation could deflate North Di seemed to be Leng Changxi’s burden at the moment.
From afar, Qin Yunuan met Leng Changxi’s eyes. Their hearts matched the beat within a glance, and then Leng Changxi strode forward. His movement was natural and smooth, from picking arrows from the box to opening the bow. Every arrow hit the center. But when it came to the ninth one, Leng Changxi stopped for a long time.
With a simple touch, Leng Changxi knew in his heart that the ninth arrow was different from others. The shaft was much more brittle. If he had shot without stopping, he might use strength in the wrong place and miss because of inertia.
Leng Changxi glanced at Sima Ray with the corner of his eye. A trace of disdain lingered on his lips. He waved his hand and pulled out the remaining two arrows in the box. Did he mean to shoot double shots?
But even if these two arrows had hit the center, he would end in a draw with Wanyan Su.
Qin Yunuan not only straightened up but also fixed her eyes on the game.
Two arrows were off the string with a snap.
