Chapter Fifty-Six
“Su Sha and Brocade have long been bound by treaties of peace and friendship. How could there be any ‘disadvantage’?” Feng Qishan’s words seemed to be forced through gritted teeth. “I advise you to think carefully—this may be your only opportunity.”
“Father!” Feng Suige cried out urgently.
Almost simultaneously, Yixiao flatly refused. “Thank you for your kindness, Lord of the Nation.” She glanced at Feng Suige’s anxious expression and spoke slowly, “It was indeed improper of me to mention ‘disadvantage.’ I beg your forgiveness. In truth, much of my archery skill comes from natural talent. In terms of technique, I’m no different from ordinary people. I fear I would only waste the time of Su Sha’s elite soldiers. There are no shortcuts in martial arts—skill is honed through diligence, nothing more.”
“‘Skill is honed through diligence’—how admirable,” Feng Qishan sneered. “Are you saying your famed reputation as a divine archer is nothing but baseless exaggeration and hearsay?”
Yixiao hesitated for a moment before answering clearly, “Yes, that’s exactly it.”
“So that’s how it is.” Feng Qishan suddenly smiled. “In truth, this Martial Arts Tournament is meant to select a few trustworthy instructors for Su Sha’s elite forces, particularly the Archery Unit. Initially, I considered you—the acknowledged top archer of the Embroidered Army and Suige’s concubine—for this opportunity. But now, it seems my judgment may have been flawed.” He closed his eyes briefly in contemplation before continuing, “Yet I still believe you are a rare talent. How about this? I command you to participate in the archery competition. If you place within the top three, I will entrust Su Sha’s Archery Unit to you. If you fall short, I will have no choice but to select the best among the top three.” His tone was laced with regret by the end.
Yixiao stared at Feng Qishan in bewilderment, while Feng Suige frowned. Before he could press further, Feng Qishan waved a hand dismissively. “I have memorials to review. You may leave now.”
“Hey,” Fu Yixiao called out as she trailed slowly behind Feng Suige. “I feel like he has some ulterior motive. What do you think it is?”
Feng Suige slowed his pace to match hers and replied casually, “Father always has his reasons for what he says and does. Until things become clearer, I can’t be certain what he’s thinking.”
Yixiao quickened her steps to walk beside him. “I’m not entirely sure either. I just feel that his wanting to see me can’t be a good thing. But this time, it all seemed too smooth—that’s why I’m uneasy.” She looked up to find Feng Suige watching her with an amused expression and blurted out, “What’s with that face? Don’t you think he’s been dead set on scheming against me? Or do you disagree with what I said?”
“You…” Feng Suige chuckled softly. “You’re like a hedgehog. I didn’t even say anything, and you’ve already spun a whole web of thoughts.”
Yixiao pursed her lips and fell silent. They walked quietly for a while before Feng Suige suddenly spoke again. “Still, if you could always speak your mind as openly as you did just now, I’d have less to worry about.”
When Yixiao pretended not to hear, Feng Suige sighed. “Father said he wants to select a trustworthy archery instructor. If you don’t make the top three, I suspect he’ll resort to his old tactics—” He tilted his head and winked at her. “Care to guess what they are?”
Yixiao frowned. “I can’t guess.”"Among the visitors this time, it seems Lord Ye Duanfang of Dengxin is present," Feng Suige laughed heartily. "His divine archery skills are widely praised in Su Sha, unlike some who merely have a reputation without substance." As he spoke, they reached the end of the corridor. Feng Suige swiftly descended the long steps toward the waiting carriage below, while Yixiao chased after him, demanding, "What does this have to do with him?"
Feng Suige only gave a mysterious smile and said no more.
Yixiao listlessly crouched in the flowerbed, using a hairpin to poke at the soil. Feng Suige had left instructions for her to practice archery more, but he hadn’t been seen for days. After the medicinal soup incident, the inner residence had become the most heavily guarded area in the entire Prince's mansion, with sentries placed both openly and covertly everywhere. The number of servants allowed to move freely within the inner residence had dwindled to a pitiful few.
Upon examination by the medical officer, the medicinal soup from before was found to contain graphite and mercury—indeed a common contraceptive concoction. However, the medical officer warned that prolonged use could harm the body and, after several doses, might even lead to permanent infertility. Enraged, Feng Suige nearly stormed into the palace to confront Consort Jing immediately. But Qin Yu’s words cooled his temper: "Let her think she succeeded—she’ll try the same method again. If she learns this attempt failed, she’ll resort to other means to harm the Minor Imperial Concubine, and we won’t be able to guard against them all..."
Brocade—it seemed there was no going back now. The only option was to fight to the end.
After days of quiet reflection, the one thing Yixiao couldn’t understand was how Feng Suige’s feelings for her had developed. Why had he so abruptly declared his love for her?
Everything had happened too suddenly, leaving her feeling disoriented and unsettled. Feng Suige’s affection seemed to grow by leaps and bounds, so rapidly that it dazzled her and left her no peace to discern its authenticity. It was as if her eyes were deceiving her, making her see things all wrong—yet she couldn’t deny the burning love he exuded whenever they were alone, scorching every fiber of her being.
Yixiao had always known Feng Suige’s appearance was extraordinarily captivating, so she deliberately ignored it, trying to convince herself that beyond his privileged birth as an Imperial Son, he was merely moderately accomplished in both civil and martial arts, occasionally attentive to her, and skilled at painting... Apart from these minor virtues, there was truly nothing else about Feng Suige worth admiring.
But perhaps, from the moment he pushed her into Xia Jingshi’s embrace, from his habitual roguish smiles, from his unreserved indulgence, from his unabashedly loving gaze, from the solemn vow that he would give her everything—everything had quietly changed. Without her realizing it, Feng Suige had seeped bit by bit into her life.
She might have realized it a little late—or perhaps not too late at all.
When she saw his joyful expression, she would smile. When he acted shamelessly, she would indulge him. When his eyes held pain, her heart would ache. That night, as he leaned toward her, she had nearly closed her eyes—had he spoken those words a moment later, she surely would have.So she didn't want to admit her feelings for him, because it was a fact she simply couldn't accept. Because she felt she should deeply hate him—hate everything about him, hate how he shattered her peaceful life and caused her such immense impact!!!
She hated anything that affected her.
Just like how she hated Xia Jingshi, that man she had once loved so profoundly, a man whose heart was as hard as his name suggested.
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