Yunxiao glanced at Shen Xi, then casually swept his gaze over the crowd before speaking slowly: “Enough—farce over. It’s time to see the results of the hunt.”
His tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. The tense atmosphere finally receded like a tide, and no one mentioned the Yuan sisters again—as if the earlier confrontation had never happened at all.
Shen Xi thought to herself: Yunxiao has always valued advantage and disliked trouble. After all the fuss from Yuan Jingxian and Yuan Zhilan, any good impression they had must have vanished entirely.
“Ah! Right!” Yun Zilan suddenly seemed to remember something. “How much game did each team get? Let’s hear it!”
“Oh my—we almost forgot the main event!” Gu Qianqian chimed in excitedly.
Soon after, the official in charge of tallying results stepped forward holding a register.
Team Shen Xi, Yun Zhao, Yuan Zhilan: 20 pieces of game
Team Shen Mo, Gu Qianqian, Lin Wan’er: 18 pieces of game
Team Yunxiao, Yun Zilan, Yuan Jingxian: 15 pieces of game
Shen Mo nodded slightly, his eyes sweeping over the number for Shen Xi’s team. A flicker of surprise crossed his face before he looked at Shen Xi and Yun Zhao, a faint smile touching his lips: “Looks like luck was on your side today.”
Shen Xi met his gaze, raising her eyebrows slightly: “Luck helps, but without precise archery, we’d never have taken first place.”
Yunxiao and Yun Zilan were never skilled archers, so their result was respectable enough. But no one had expected Shen Xi and Yun Zhao to outperform Shen Mo—known as the capital’s finest archer.
Lin Wan’er leaned close to Gu Qianqian, her voice barely a whisper but full of amazement: “Shen Xi’s archery is truly on par with any man’s—she’s almost as good as her brother Shen Mo.”
Gu Qianqian nodded in agreement: “Of course she is! She’s a proper daughter of a military family!” As she spoke, her eyes drifted toward Shen Xi, genuine admiration shining in them.
Looking at Shen Xi collecting the prizes, Yun Zilan stroked his chin with a sigh: “Tsk—I should’ve practiced more with the instructors back then. Wouldn’t be so far behind now.”
Yunxiao’s gaze passed over Yun Zhao, his tone giving nothing away: “The Prince keeps his talents well hidden.”
“Brother—you’re not upset, are you?” Yun Zilan leaned closer with a mischievous grin. “Lost to him at weiqi earlier, now beaten at hunting too. Taking two losses in a row—don’t go getting sour about it, haha!”
“Your mouth never stops running.”
The official stepped forward carrying a tray, smiling warmly: “Your Highness the Prince, Miss Shen—these are the prizes for first place.”
Three items lay on the tray:
– An intricately carved golden arrow with rare white eagle feathers for fletching
– A mutton-fat jade seal inscribed with the characters “Hunt Champion”
– A small red sandalwood box containing a flawless Dongzhu pearl—round, luminous white, and of tribute quality.
(Note: Dongzhu pearls are highly prized freshwater pearls from Northeast China, historically reserved for imperial use. White eagle feathers were also rare and often used for ceremonial or high-status archery equipment.)
Shen Xi’s eyes scanned the three items before settling on the golden arrow. She picked it up, her fingertips tracing the carved patterns along its shaft. The base of the white feathers carried a faint scent of hawk oil, clearly well-maintained.
“This arrow feels good in the hand,” she said, hefting it lightly before turning to Yun Zhao. “Which one will you choose?”
Yun Zhao’s gaze passed over the jade seal and sandalwood box, finally resting beside the golden arrow. Instead of taking the seal symbolizing victory or the valuable pearl, he reached for a small silver whistle tied to the edge of the tray.
The official laughed approvingly: “Excellent choice, Your Highness. This silver whistle is forged from Western Region cold iron mixed with fine silver—it carries sound exceptionally far, making it invaluable for hunting grounds.”
Seeing him choose such an unassuming item, Shen Xi raised an eyebrow: “Practical choice.” She pushed the jade seal toward him. “You should take this. It bears the title of ‘Champion’—it wouldn’t be right for me, a woman, to keep it.”
Yun Zhao glanced down at the seal briefly: “It’s of no use to me. Keep it for yourself as a trinket.”
As Shen Xi spoke with Yun Zhao, Yun Zilan’s loud voice rang out from nearby: “Hey Yun Zhao—what are you thinking! Passing up the champion seal and precious pearl to carry around a measly whistle?”
“This whistle is no ordinary item,” Shen Mo said—one of the few who knew its true value. “Even Western Region kingdoms struggle to present one as tribute each year. The cold iron is tempered in snow water, and the silver is mixed with gold dust—not only does its sound carry ten li, but it can also startle away fierce beasts when blown.”
Yun Zilan paused, leaning in for a closer look only to have Yun Zhao step aside subtly. “Is it really that remarkable?”
Shen Xi looked at Yun Zhao in surprise: “So it is a rare treasure—you’ve been hiding it well.”
Just then, a eunuch dressed in a dark blue robe embroidered with python patterns hurried over from the corridor. Bowing respectfully, his voice was high-pitched but courteous: “Your Highnesses, Your Highness the Prince—the Emperor and Empress have prepared a banquet in the main hall and commanded me to fetch you all. Everything is ready—please follow me.”
His eyes were slightly lowered, hands folded before him—humble yet dignified, clearly a senior eunuch accustomed to handling court affairs.
Shen Xi recognized him immediately—this was Eunuch Wu, one of Yunxiao’s most trusted men in her past life.
Yunxiao nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping over the group: “In that case, let us go together.”
Gu Qianqian’s eyes lit up: “Perfect! Hunting worked up quite an appetite—good food and wine will be just what we need.”
Shen Mo clicked his tongue: “Gu Qianqian—‘worked up an appetite’? You practically turned the hunting grounds into a garden stroll!”
Gu Qianqian’s face flushed as she shot back: “You’re the one who treated it like a stroll!”
Yun Zilan moved to Yun Zhao’s side: “I hear the imperial kitchen just received some rare seafood—you must have a few cups with me.”
Yun Zhao gave a quiet “Mm,” his gaze glancing casually toward Shen Xi.
She was lowering her head to tidy hair tousled by the wind. Sunlight streamed through the corridor’s carved windows, gilding her locks with a soft golden glow.
Eunuch Wu led the way with bowed head, his steps light and silent.
Walking slightly behind, Shen Xi watched Yunxiao’s steady figure ahead. Memories of her past life’s end surfaced, and her fingertips tightened slightly…
Suddenly she felt someone draw near. Turning, she saw Yun Zhao had slowed his pace by half a step, walking beside her. The jade pendant at his waist swayed gently with his steps, catching the light in shimmering fragments.
“Watch your step,” he said quietly, his eyes on a slightly higher step ahead of her.
Shen Xi paused before nodding: “Thank you, Your Highness.”
At the end of the corridor, the upturned eaves of the main hall were visible, with faint sounds of music and laughter drifting from within.
Eunuch Wu stopped at the appropriate moment, stepping aside to guide them: “Your Highnesses, Your Highness the Prince, Master Shen, young ladies—we’ve arrived.”
Yunxiao nodded slightly and took the lead toward the hall doors.
Eunuch Wu called out in a clear voice: “Announcing His Highness the Crown Prince, Fourth Highness, and His Highness the Prince—” before lifting the beaded curtain to let them pass.