Everyone around frowned at the scene.
They whispered among themselves: “Why is the Shang family’s Second Miss so deranged? The Prince is teaching us riding and archery, yet she insists on dragging the Crown Prince here to cause trouble.”
“Who knows? The Crown Prince spoils her, indulging her without limits.”
Shang Shiyan ignored the Crown Prince and Shang Yunrou. She only wanted to learn to ride quickly, so she wouldn’t have to rely on others in the future. She focused intently, listening carefully to Gu Peice’s instructions.
Just then, Shen Shian galloped past, brushing dangerously close to Shang Shiyan’s horse. Her normally docile mount suddenly reared on its hind legs and bolted forward uncontrollably—!
“Ah!” Shang Shiyan cried out, hastily pulling the reins as Gu Peice had taught her.
“Ah Yan!” Su Wenyan saw what happened and was about to leap from her horse to help, but a dark figure rushed ahead of her.
The horse beneath Shang Shiyan was completely out of control, running faster and faster. In her mind flashed Yu Yao’s sinister expression—someone had tampered with the horse. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that the Crown Prince and Shang Yunrou appeared at the riding grounds, and her horse lost control? What was Shang Yunrou’s goal?
Even as she steadied herself, Shang Shiyan speculated inwardly. She seized the right moment, spotted a patch of grass ahead, and released the reins, throwing herself toward it. Better to tumble into the grass than be thrown violently from the saddle. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the pain of the fall—when suddenly, a figure landed in the grass before her. A deep, familiar grunt of pain sounded as he hit the ground.
Shang Shiyan: “?”
Opening her eyes, she saw Gu Peice, brows furrowed tightly. “Reckless, aren’t you?”
To dare jump from a runaway horse—did she not fear breaking her legs?
They were already at the edge of the riding grounds, far from the others, who couldn’t see their movements clearly.
Shang Shiyan lay against Gu Peice’s chest. “I—I calculated beforehand. There’s grass here. Even if I fell, it wouldn’t hurt too much.”
Gu Peice’s voice was low and stern. “And if there had been thorns hidden in the grass?”
Shang Shiyan: “…”
She had no words, though inwardly she thought: *Better to fall into the grass than be thrown onto hard stones from the horse’s back.*
“Not getting up? Planning to sleep on me?”
Shang Shiyan’s face flushed crimson. She scrambled awkwardly out of his arms. “Th-thank you, Your Highness, for saving me.”
“Ah Yan! Ah Yan! Are you alright?”
Just as she stood, Su Wenyan rode up from a distance, her eyes full of worry.
Shang Shiyan shook her head. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“Let’s go back.” Once they returned, she would know exactly what Shang Yunrou’s scheme had been.
Shang Shiyan and Su Wenyan followed behind Gu Peice. As they approached, they overheard noble girls whispering in disbelief: “So that’s it! I knew Shang Shiyan was just pretending to retreat to advance! Seeing the Crown Prince riding with Rou’er, she lost control—she must have been driven mad with jealousy!”
“And she keeps claiming she doesn’t care about the Crown Prince, but clearly she does!”
“Too bad the Crown Prince doesn’t care for her at all. No matter how she plays her little games of feigned retreat and coy pursuit, in front of him, she’s nothing but a clown.”
Shang Shiyan: “…”
So that was their plan.
How laughable. Shang Yunrou knew exactly how to manipulate Shen Shian’s mind—he despised her persistence most of all. This trick would only make him more convinced that Shang Shiyan was scheming and more determined to annul their engagement.
Shang Shiyan glanced at Yunrou, who hurried toward her with feigned concern. “Sister, are you alright? It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on learning to ride from Brother Shian, your horse wouldn’t have been startled. It’s all because of me…”
Shang Shiyan’s lips curved in a mocking smile. “My horse was startled—what does that have to do with you?”
Shang Yunrou faltered, glancing at the noble girls nearby, as if unsure how to respond.
“Shang Shiyan, if you care for the Crown Prince, then say it openly like before. This sneaky retreat-to-advance act only makes you look ridiculous.”
“The Crown Prince only rode with Yunrou on the same horse, and you lost control like that. Your true feelings can’t be hidden…”
“Silence!” As the noble girls covered their mouths, mocking Shang Shiyan, Gu Peice’s stern command cut through the air.
“Your Highness, it’s been investigated.” Jinyun led the calm horse forward. “A silver needle was driven into its foreleg, and it was dosed with a stimulant.”
At those words, all the noble girls froze. So the horse hadn’t lost control because of Shang Shiyan?
“A pack of fools, swayed by a few careless words.” Gu Peice’s gaze swept over them with contempt.
“Who tampered with it?” His cold, sharp eyes fell on Shang Yunrou. “Just as the Crown Prince and Second Miss Shang approached, the horse went wild.”
Shang Shiyan fixed her gaze on Shang Yunrou. The drug must have been Yu Yao’s doing. Shang Yunrou, to create the illusion that Shang Shiyan lost control when she and the Crown Prince drew near, had tossed the silver needle under the horse’s hoof.
Meeting Gu Peice’s eyes, Shang Yunrou’s face went pale. She hid behind Shen Shian. “No—it wasn’t me! This has nothing to do with me!”
“Report this to the Chancellor. Since it concerns the lives of noblewomen, the case will be handed to the Court of Justice. There must be an explanation.”
Gu Peice showed no intention of letting the matter drop. He even wanted the Court of Justice to investigate. Hearing this, Shang Yunrou panicked completely. Such tricks might fool Shang Shiyan, but if the Court of Justice became involved, she would be ruined.
Shang Yunrou clutched Shen Shian’s sleeve, tears brimming in her eyes. “Brother Shian, it truly wasn’t me. If the Court investigates, no matter the truth, once a noblewoman is dragged into the case, my reputation will be destroyed…” She broke down, crying prettily like pear blossoms in the rain.
Shen Shian already despised Gu Peice. Now, seeing him make such a fuss, Shen Shian thought it was just deliberate provocation.
“Prince Lin’an, this is a trivial matter. Miss Shang is unharmed. Must you stir up such trouble?”
He turned to Shang Shiyan. “Shang Shiyan, if you keep using such despicable tricks to draw my attention, I will petition Father for a decree to annul our engagement!”
Shang Shiyan nearly laughed aloud in disbelief. Even now, Shen Shian still thought she was hopelessly devoted to him.
No wonder the Crown Prince, raised like the center of the universe, was so endlessly self-confident.
Shang Shiyan could no longer hold back. “Your Highness, please do as you wish. I would be more than glad to annul our engagement immediately, lest I continue to be slandered as a woman who schemes shamelessly for men and has lost her senses!”
“I, Shang Shiyan, have always been able to take things up and put them down. Since I have said this marriage is over, then it will be over. If Your Highness has the ability, persuade the Empress to agree to cancel the betrothal. Stop troubling me, a mere young woman, day after day!”