Seeing that he did not hesitate in the slightest and showed no unnatural expression, Si Huahuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that Xie Yun had not yet formed any intention to kill her. For now, she would simply interact with him normally and observe his actions closely at all times.
She had finished her test and was about to leave when Xie Yun grabbed her arm.
“What do you want?” Si Huahuan frowned.
“Stay here and wait properly,” Xie Yun said in a tone that allowed no argument.
“Wait for what?”
“Wait for Jiang Heshu.”
Si Huahuan replied, “There is no need. I told you already, I am not sick.”
“I don’t believe you.”
The two stood at a stalemate until Jiang Heshu strode briskly into the courtyard.
He had clearly come in a great hurry, and might well have been dragged straight out of bed. There was a faint shadow of stubble around his lips, and his hair crown was fastened crookedly.
He had finally finished his duty at the Imperial Medical Office and was looking forward to sleeping late. He had been sound asleep when someone shook him awake.
The moment he heard that Princess Kangle was ill, he was instantly wide awake. He rinsed his mouth hurriedly, tied up his hair carelessly, wiped the sleep crust from the corners of his eyes with one swipe, and then hoisted his medicine chest onto his back and set off.
Seeing the two of them standing in the courtyard staring at each other, and noticing that Si Huahuan’s complexion was rosy with no sign of illness, Jiang Heshu relaxed slightly and asked, “Where does Your Highness feel unwell?”
Xie Yun spoke before she could answer. “She is suffering from delirium and mania.”
Jiang Heshu froze. “Pardon?”
Si Huahuan pointed at Xie Yun and said exasperatedly, “It is this black-hearted, evil-minded man who needs a thorough treatment.”
Before long, the two of them were arguing again.
Jiang Heshu stood between them, looking utterly weary of life. Finally, unable to endure it any longer, he shouted, “Enough!”
He glared at them, looking from one to the other. “It seems to me that I am the one who is sick. I rushed here early in the morning just to listen to you two bickering and flirting.”
“Who is flirting with him!”
“Who is flirting with her!”
Jiang Heshu fell silent for a moment.
He turned back to confirm with Si Huahuan. “Your Highness, are you truly not feeling unwell in any way?”
Because of the heated argument, a faint pink flush had risen on her skin, smooth and white as jade. She cast a sideways glance at Xie Yun with her alluring, cat-like eyes. “No.”
Jiang Heshu immediately slung his medicine chest back onto his back and turned to leave without a moment’s hesitation. “Farewell.”
The sun had not yet fully risen; perhaps he could still go back and catch a bit more sleep.
Xie Yun held her arm, a look of concern on his face. After pausing to consider for a moment, he made a solemn suggestion. “If nothing else works, perhaps you should drink some blessed water.”
Si Huahuan shook off his hand and gave him one last glare before walking away.
*****
After finishing her breakfast, Si Huahuan traveled by palanquin to the polo field, arriving just as the sun was high and bright.
Colorful flags fluttered around the grounds. Lacquered railings enclosed a wide expanse of lawn, where freshly cut grass exuded a moist, fresh fragrance. On the lush green field, dozens of riders galloped back and forth, swinging their mallets and sending bits of grass flying into the air.
At the edge of the field stood a shaded viewing stand. Light silk curtains swayed gently in the breeze. Young ladies and gentlemen gathered in groups of three or four under the canopy, chatting and laughing, occasionally turning to watch the action and breaking into applause.
She had just stepped down from her palanquin when she spotted Ye Shuyi under the shade, dressed in a purple riding outfit and talking to a man standing beside her.
The man had his back to her and was tall and slender. He wore a blue riding robe with narrow sleeves, and the jade crown holding his hair in place glowed with a soft, warm luster in the sunlight. It was none other than Jiang Heshu, who had clearly made an effort to tidy himself up.
They had practically grown up together and were very close friends. When teams were drawn by lot, Ye Shuyi and Jiang Heshu happened to end up in the same group. At that moment, they were observing the match and discussing tactics.
Ye Shuyi was the first to notice her and waved from a distance. “Huahuan! Over here!”
Si Huahuan had barely sat down when the match ended, and it was time for Ye Shuyi and her team to take the field.
She sipped her plum juice and watched for a while until her eyes began to blur. When she looked around the surroundings, she caught sight of a familiar white figure.
She stood up, walked to the edge of the polo field, and stood with her hands on her hips right behind the white shape. “Big Fatty Dog, what are you doing here?”
Jiaojiao opened its mouth wide at the sight of her. The ball it had finally managed to pick up in its jaws fell to the ground. It bounded toward her joyfully.
Afraid that its claws might snag and tear her silk dress, Si Huahuan quickly stepped back.
Jiaojiao missed its target. Its wet nose let out soft, whimpering sounds, and its eyebrows, shaped like two little dots, moved up and down in a way that was undeniably endearing. Her heart softened, and she reached out to stroke the fluffy top of its head.
Its thick, soft fur easily swallowed her fingers, like sinking into a cloud warmed by the sun.
It was surprisingly pleasant to touch.
Si Huahuan couldn’t help but rub and pat it a few more times.
Jiaojiao tilted its chin upward, closed its eyes, and thoroughly enjoyed the caresses.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, she lifted her eyes. She saw a feathered arrow flying straight toward her, glinting coldly in the light. In an instant, the blood in her veins seemed to freeze.
Memories of the arrow that had pierced her heart in her past life surged like a tide. She wanted to dodge, but her legs felt as heavy as lead, unable to move even half a step. She could only watch helplessly as the arrow drew closer and closer.
Thwang!
Another streak of silver light shot out from the left, arriving just before the arrow reached her. It deflected the shot, sending it slanting into a nearby tree trunk. Wood chips flew in all directions, and the feathers at the end of the arrow shaft trembled violently.
“Why didn’t you dodge?!”
Xie Yun appeared in a flash, breathless and rushing at full speed. His usually calm and composed face now showed distinct signs of panic and alarm.
He frowned deeply. His knuckles, gripping the bow, turned white. His eyes swept rapidly over her body from head to toe, checking her over. Only when he confirmed that she was unharmed did the tension in his shoulders ease slightly.
It was only then that Si Huahuan realized her back was cold with sweat. Her knees went weak, and her body crumpled like an autumn leaf, sinking downward.
Xie Yun released his grip on the longbow, letting it drop to the ground. With one long arm, he caught her falling body and held her firmly in his embrace.
Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes still held a lingering look of shock and terror.
He raised his hand and patted her cheek gently. “Si Huahuan, speak to me.”
Jiaojiao also pressed close to her, stamping its feet anxiously and circling around her, panting continuously.
They were at the boundary between the archery range and the polo field. Hearing the commotion, many people could not suppress their natural curiosity and turned to look in their direction, straining to catch every detail.
After a long moment, the blood finally returned to her brain. The empty, dazed look in Si Huahuan’s eyes was replaced by a burning, raging fury.
She took a deep breath. Her legs were still weak, but she leaned against Xie Yun’s arm and slowly stood up. Her cold gaze swept over several young men standing nearby, each holding a bow.
“Who… did… this?”
She spoke slowly, separating each word. Her voice was not loud, but everyone present could clearly feel the boundless, suppressed rage boiling inside her.
A young man dressed in blue began to tremble. His knees buckled, and he fell to his knees. “Your… Your Highness, please forgive me. I… I didn’t mean…”
“Do you have eyes growing on top of your head?!” Si Huahuan interrupted sharply, refusing to listen to his excuses.
She bent down, reached out, and picked up the arrow that Xie Yun had deflected. She raised her arm, preparing to throw it.
Several people standing beside the man in blue immediately knelt down as well, blocking him with their bodies and pleading for mercy. “Spare his life, Your Highness, spare his life! This is the Heir of the Yuan family, the only son of the Marquis of Yongchang. You must not harm him!”
Whether he was round, flat, a persimmon, or a pear, she did not care. She was not afraid even if the Marquis of Yongchang himself showed up.
She swung her arm with all her might and hurled the arrow straight at the Heir.
The arrow landed precisely in the grass right in front of his knees, striking the ground with a chilling thud.
“The target is thirty *zhang* away! Thirty *zhang*!” Si Huahuan pointed toward the distant archery target. “And you still managed to miss by this much? Useless trash!”
She had been so close… so close to being killed by an arrow again!
She was not some immortal deity. She had been given a chance to be reborn once, but she could not expect to be reborn every time.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She planted her hands firmly on her hips, her expression openly filled with disdain and humiliation. “Any random female guard chosen from the Duke of Wei’s household could shoot an arrow straight through your pig’s head. Crawl back home as fast as you can. Don’t you dare pick up a bow again in public and make a fool of yourself!”
As soon as the scolding ended, the air over the entire lawn seemed to freeze.
The Heir’s face alternated between green and red. He collapsed onto the ground, shaking uncontrollably like a sieve.
The onlookers wanted to laugh but dared not, their faces turning red from holding it in.
Si Huahuan didn’t even bother to glance at him again.
The Heir looked around at the faces of the crowd — some filled with pity, others with contempt. Overcome by grief and indignation, he raised his arm to cover his face and ran away, sobbing loudly.
Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation spreading across her back. She turned her head and saw Xie Yun’s hand resting lightly against her back, moving rhythmically to help her calm her breathing.
She glared at him, her expression still burning with anger yet also filled with inexplicable confusion.
Xie Yun said, “Your soul was barely in your body as it was early this morning. Then you were frightened half to death and flew into a rage. I have no desire to become a widower before I have even married you.”
Did he really need to keep bringing up the marriage just to annoy her?
Besides, if she hadn’t been killed by him in her past life, her body wouldn’t have turned rigid and immobile just now.
Thinking back to the events of her previous life, she reached out and slapped his hand away from her back with a sharp *smack*.
By now, the first half of the polo match had finally ended. Ye Shuyi and Jiang Heshu, who had been fully absorbed in the game and only just heard about the accident, hurried over. Ye Shuyi looked her over carefully from head to toe and asked, “Huahuan, are you alright?”
Si Huahuan glanced sideways at the group of people nearby, still craning their necks to listen in. She cleared her throat. “I am fine.”
Xie Yun watched her trying hard to appear calm and composed and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
To Si Huahuan’s ears, that laugh sounded nothing but mocking and extremely grating. She took Ye Shuyi by the arm and walked away. “We shall talk about this later.”
Ye Shuyi followed obediently without hesitation. As they walked, she asked, “Who fired that arrow anyway? Only a blind man could draw a bow and miss so badly as to shoot all the way to the polo field.”
“Some Heir from the Marquis of Yongchang’s household.”
“The Heir of Yongchang?”
Si Huahuan asked, “Do you know him?”
Ye Shuyi replied disdainfully, “The Marquis of Yongchang is Imperial Consort Ning’s own brother. Relying on the good reputation of Old General Yuan, he lives a life of extravagance and excess. He took more than twenty concubines and only finally had a son when he was well advanced in years. He dotes on that precious son of his to an absurd degree.”
“As for the Heir Yuan, he has learned nothing and has no skills. He spends his days gambling, drinking, raising fighting cocks, racing dogs, and bullying the weak and helpless. Yet he is a complete coward who bullies the timid but fears the bold. If anyone ever causes trouble or brings charges against him, the Marquis simply sends them away with a bag of silver. He is incredibly generous with his money. Most people take one look at the silver pouch and immediately back down, dropping the matter entirely.”
Hearing this, Si Huahuan began to recall the details. Imperial Consort Ning and the Marquis of Yongchang were both insatiably greedy and had been embezzling funds and living in luxury for years. In her previous life, roughly about a year from now, Xie Yun would impeach them. In the end, Imperial Consort Ning was deposed, the Marquis was stripped of his title, their property was confiscated, and they were exiled.
She had never paid much attention to court affairs and only occasionally heard bits and pieces, so it had slipped her mind for a moment.
Tsk… If only she had thrown that arrow with better aim just now. Leaving such people alive was nothing but a disaster.
*****
In the afternoon, shortly after Si Huahuan woke up from her nap, Yao Huang came to report in a mysterious tone. “Your Highness, something has happened down at the archery range.”
“What is it?”
Yao Huang smiled, pressing her lips together, her eyes crinkling and dimples appearing on her cheeks. “You will have to go and see for yourself, Your Highness.”
Si Huahuan said, “What matter requires this Princess to go and see it personally? Does it concern me?”
Yao Huang spoke cryptically. “It is certainly something good. And nearly half the people in Qingyan Garden have already rushed over to watch the fun.”
Her curiosity piqued, Si Huahuan’s interest was aroused. Since she had nothing better to do today anyway, she set down the jar of scented powder she was holding. “Very well then, let us go and have a look.”
From a distance, Si Huahuan saw that where small targets had once hung in the archery range, there now stood a large wooden board, upon which the outline of a human figure was vaguely visible.
As she walked closer and looked carefully… Well, isn’t that the Heir Yuan?
He was standing perfectly straight in front of the board. On top of his head sat a small red fruit. His entire body was surrounded by arrows, stuck densely all around him. They were placed so close to his robes that they had effectively traced his silhouette right onto the wooden board.
Looking closely, the distance between every arrow and his body was barely a hair’s breadth.
The Heir’s face was ashen. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead. His legs shook uncontrollably, yet he dared not move even a fraction of an inch. He lived in fear that if the archer’s hand trembled even slightly, the next arrow would pierce his flesh.
Xie Yun drew his bow and aimed at him once more. He held the position for a long time without releasing the string, then clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. “Don’t move, Heir Yuan. It would be most unfortunate if I were to accidentally miss the target again.”
The Heir closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
Why must he be so unlucky today!
He had only wanted to secretly teach the arrogant Princess Kangle a lesson, frighten her a bit, and vent his anger on behalf of Princess Changning.
But her arrogance had exceeded all his expectations. She had completely disregarded his father’s status and humiliated him publicly. Then, when he was bragging about it behind people’s backs, Marquis Ming’an had just happened to hear him.
The Marquis had said that if he agreed to act as a target for him, all past offenses today would be written off and forgotten.
He had thought it best to settle the matter quickly. Besides, Marquis Ming’an was known for his exceptional skill in archery; nothing bad would really happen. So he had agreed.
But now…
The Marquis had accidentally missed the target thirty-two times already! He was clearly just toying with him!