NFBE Chapter 229 Autumn Hunting Crisis (3)
Chapter 229 Autumn Hunting Crisis (3)
Before long, the group arrived at a thicket of bushes, and not far away was a grove of low-lying trees.
"Sister Anle, what do you think of this place?" Riley asked.
Jing Anle glanced around. She had never been to this place before, but it didn't look very big. Every now and then, a rabbit would run past. It seemed that this Lai Li had probably planned for a long time before finding such a place.
“The princess’s arrangements are quite appropriate; she must have thought about it for a long time.” Jing Anle stared into Lai Li’s eyes, her words carrying a deeper meaning.
Lai Li remained calm and composed, saying, "This morning I spoke with the Empress Dowager about inviting Sister Anle and the other young ladies to go hunting. The Empress Dowager was very supportive, saying that young ladies should be lively and outgoing, and not confined to their rooms."
Jing Anle sneered inwardly, knowing that this was an attempt to pressure her by using the Empress Dowager. She didn't say much, only saying, "Since it's the Empress Dowager's wish, everyone should have a good time."
“However…” Riley hesitated.
"But what?" someone asked from the side.
"Since it's a hunting competition, we can't let the servants help us; we have to do it ourselves."
The ladies looked at each other, some rubbing their hands together, eager to try, while others wore expressions of worry.
Riley seemed to sense everyone's worries and explained, "Don't worry, everyone. There are no rules or tasks for this hunt. Just have fun, ladies."
"In that case, I must go and change my boots." Jing Anle said, then turned and went back to her tent, with Mu Ping and A Fang following closely behind.
After Jing Anle left, the noble ladies breathed a sigh of relief. They usually spent most of their time at home reading and embroidering, and rarely had the opportunity to go hunting, so most of them were very excited. Only Zhao Yayi remained calm, with a slight frown on her brows, as if she were uneasy.
A short while later, Jing Anle came out of the tent. Lai Li looked down and saw that she had indeed changed into a new pair of boots.
"Since we don't need to ride horses, we can only hunt. If we come in first, what kind of reward will we get?" Jing Rou asked from the side.
Lai Li smiled brightly and turned to ask Jing Anle, "Sister Anle, what do you think?"
Jing Anle toyed with the bow and arrow in his hand, pointing it at Jing Rou. Jing Rou's expression changed, but Jing Anle curled his lips into a smile and pointed the bow and arrow at Lai Li, who remained unfazed. Jing Anle put away the bow and arrow and then casually said, "Since it was Princess Lai Li who proposed this, how about Princess Lai Li gives the winner a piece of jade from the Southern Frontier?"
“What’s so difficult about that?” Riley said generously.
“I’m not talking about ordinary jade, but seven-colored jade,” Jing Anle added.
"Seven-colored jade?" The noble ladies discussed among themselves.
"This is a national treasure of southern Xinjiang!"
Previously, when arrows were pointed at Riley, her expression remained unchanged, but now her face finally showed the slightest tremor.
Jingrou chimed in, "Princess, please don't joke. There's only one Seven-Colored Jade in the world. Why not choose something else instead..."
"It was I who was presumptuous, thinking that the Southern Frontier was so prosperous that Seven-Colored Jade was nothing rare," Jing Anle said casually.
"However, since it was Princess Laili who asked, why don't we let Princess Laili decide? Who knows what amazing thing I might find out next."
This statement undoubtedly implies that southern Xinjiang is barren and has nothing of value.
Lai Li felt a lump in her throat, knowing that Jing Anle was no longer pretending. She smiled and said, "Seven-colored jade is indeed not a rare thing, but it is in my father's possession, and I cannot make a decision about it." After saying that, she took out a jade pendant from her body and continued, "This item is also carved from seven-colored jade. Why not use it as a prize?"
The jade pendant, illuminated by the sun, resembled a rainbow, constantly changing colors, a truly astonishing sight.
"In that case, let's do as Princess Lai Li wishes," Jing Anle said indifferently, as if she didn't care.
No one noticed the fleeting anger in Riley's eyes, except for Zhao Yayi, who had been silently observing her.
Soon, everyone began to take action.
The girls' excited voices rose and fell, some in twos and threes, others alone, as they stepped into the bushes.
……
Meanwhile, the young men of noble families galloped swiftly, chasing their prey. The sound of hooves echoed throughout the hunting grounds, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation, their bows and arrows gleaming coldly, ready to unleash a fatal blow at any moment.
During the pursuit of their prey, the young noblemen continuously displayed their superb horsemanship and archery skills. They skillfully maneuvered their horses, traversing dense forests and rugged terrain, relentlessly pursuing their prey.
Although Qin Xiuyuan was also chasing his prey, he did not forget Qin Xu's instructions and kept an eye on Jing Fengyao at all times to ensure his safety.
Whenever prey is shot, the hunters let out joyful cheers, which echoed across the hunting grounds, making the whole atmosphere lively.
However, in such a lively atmosphere, no one noticed a pair of murderous eyes lurking in the shadows.
Last time, Yelü Yuanxiu was humiliated by Xiao Heng. This time, Xiao Heng wasn't here, so he was determined to show off. He spurred his horse on, leaving the others far behind, and arrived deep in the woods. Sure enough, a frightened wild boar came into view. He drew his bow and prepared to shoot, but unexpectedly, someone beat him to it and killed the boar in one fell swoop.
Yelü Yuanxiu was instantly enraged. His prey had been snatched away, how could he tolerate this? He turned around and shouted angrily, "Who is it?"
Looking back, I saw a handsome and noble man riding a white horse not far away. He was tall, with a golden bow in his hand, and a half-smile on his face.
"Qi Zhi!" Yelü Yuanxiu said through gritted teeth.
"What do you mean by stealing my prey?"
Yelü Yuanxiu and Qi Zhi disliked each other from the start. Last time, Qi Zhi wanted to kill Yelü Yuanxiu but was stopped by Chi Wenyuan. This time, the two were fighting over prey.
"Oh? You're blaming me for being slow?" Qi Zhi's nonchalant attitude made Yelü Yuanxiu even angrier. He immediately picked up his bow and arrow and aimed it at Qi Zhi. In an instant, the arrow flew towards Qi Zhi like the wind.
Qi Zhi dodged to the side in time, and an arrow was firmly embedded in the tree behind him.
"Brother Yelü is trying to kill me!" Qi Zhi's eyes turned fierce the moment he finished speaking. He leaped up and shot an arrow at Yelü Yuanxiu in mid-air. However, as if toying with him, the arrow did not hit Yelü Yuanxiu's body. Yelü Yuanxiu was unable to dodge in time and fell off his horse.
"Hmph, useless thing!" Qi Zhi chuckled a few times, then flew onto the white horse and said, "You shot me with one arrow, I'll return ten to you, so we'll have a fair exchange." He then burst into laughter.
Yelü Yuanxiu, lying on the ground in a disheveled state, glared fiercely at Qi Zhi. Watching Qi Zhi's departing figure, he became enraged and grabbed a fallen bow and arrow, shooting it at Qi Zhi. But Qi Zhi, as if anticipating this, slightly ducked, and the arrow whizzed past. This time, he didn't mock Yelü Yuanxiu; instead, he smiled inexplicably and rode away.