Someone waved a yellow banner in the distance, and the several riders in the arena saw it and immediately retreated to the side to wait.
Di Nian also put away his bow but did not dismount. He tugged the reins, making a circle in place, then turned to look toward the female officials and gave Shen Zhili a distant smile.
Under the sunlight, the beads of sweat on his face were crystal clear, and the dark skin of his neck gleamed brightly.
Shen Zhili saw this and felt both embarrassed and annoyed. She immediately pulled Meng Tinghui to turn and step back, saying, "How audacious!"
Meng Tinghui was no fool either. Seeing Di Nian's repeated attitude toward Shen Zhili, she surmised that he must have feelings for her. However, she wondered what status this man held, given Shen Zhili's family background and position, to dare act so unrestrainedly in front of everyone and frequently show her favor.
But even with a thousand questions in her mind, she understood her own position and refrained from asking.
Shen Zhili retreated a few steps before stopping, glanced at the yellow banner held high by someone, and whispered, "The Crown Prince is coming."
Meng Tinghui immediately looked up but saw that the Horizontal Gate beneath the Precious Ford Tower was still closed. After a moment, she curved her lips into a smile, laughing at her own impatience.
Meanwhile, several women in golden bridles and colorful clothes crowded over, surrounding Shen Zhili in the middle, and asked her cheerfully, "It's said that Lord Shen's residence has deep ties with the Imperial Family. Surely you know the background of this Colonel Di? Why not share it with us?"
Meng Tinghui was slightly surprised that these female officials would speak so directly.
The subtle thoughts of unmarried women were naturally understood by everyone. However, the marriages of female officials in the court were different from those of ordinary women—only talented men from the two bureaus, three departments, and six ministries of the court were considered worthy. Yet, men like Shen Zhishu were truly hard to approach, making the young and promising military officers easier to get along with. Seeing Di Nian today, these female officials naturally felt restless.
Thinking this, she couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing and glanced sideways at Shen Zhili.
Shen Zhili, unlike her earlier embarrassed and annoyed demeanor in front of Meng Tinghui, now wore a full smile: "Since you're so curious, why not ask the Crown Prince directly? After all, this man was brought back by the Crown Prince from the old capital, Suiyang."
"We're not like Lord Shen. How would we dare to ask the Crown Prince?" someone said with a laugh. "I heard that Colonel Di has connections with the late Duke of Wu. Otherwise, why would the Emperor treat him so specially? After just two years of service in the inner halls of the Forbidden Palace, he was sent to the Divine Guard Army, and his rank has risen faster than anyone else's. Without any notable achievements, he's already a fifth-rank Commandant—think about Lord Shen's elder brother; even he didn't rise so quickly!"
Shen Zhili listened without a word, staring at the speaker for a long while before lowering her eyelashes and sneering, "You know he has ties to the late Duke of Wu, so why ask these questions? Just based on the name 'Duke of Wu,' who would dare object if the Emperor ennobled him as a prince? And he's only a fifth-rank Commandant—are you already so envious?"
The woman who had spoken earlier, seeing her displeased expression, hurriedly apologized with a smile: "Look, is Lord Shen about to charge us with a crime? Who in the court would dare disrespect the late Duke of Wu?—It's just that we haven't heard of the Duke of Wu having any surviving descendants, so we wanted to seek clarity from Lord Shen..."A thunderous drumbeat suddenly erupted in the distance, cutting off her words abruptly. The group of female officials were slightly startled, all turning their heads to look.
The Horizontal Gate beneath Precious Ford Tower had opened. A single rider shot out like an arrow, swift and fierce, galloping forth as if flying.
Golden sunlight scattered like a net from the sky, enveloping everything. The rider’s black armor gleamed, and his steed was entirely black as well. Mounted with exceptional skill, he raced like a deity across the vast expanse under the clear sky, resembling cold ink swept by the wind, casting all other riders around him into obscurity.
Like the wind, the horse reared as its iron hooves skimmed the sand, stirring up a cloud of yellow dust. In an instant, the man drew his bow and nocked an arrow. The whistling of arrows followed one after another, sharp as blades slicing through the air, causing a sudden, piercing discomfort.
As the wind stilled and the sand settled, he held his bow and reined in his horse, standing tall among the military officers.
Not far away, twenty slender willow targets still trembled violently. The parts previously struck by Di Nian had all shattered, and twenty snow-feathered arrows with horizontal tips were embedded neatly in the yellow sand behind the targets, as if meticulously arranged.
A profound silence fell.
The spectators outside the field were stunned into speechlessness. Even the previously excited and chattering female officials fell quiet.
Meng Tinghui stood watching, her fingertips both cold and burning, her heart tightening with each passing moment.
Fluid and magnificent as splashed ink tracing a dragon’s path, fierce and unyielding yet dignified and proud—who could ever match even a fraction of the unique aura this man possessed?
He turned his gaze, sweeping it across the crowd, pausing on her face for a few moments. Then, slowly, he relaxed his bow and reins, his long fingers stroking the raven-black curve of the bow. Raising his voice, he called out to the guards and officers, "Again!"
His words snapped everyone back to attention.
In an instant, the crowd erupted, cheers and applause rising like thunder, resounding through the skies without end.
Only then did she lower her head slightly.
Such a man—who could claim him for themselves alone?
He was the Crown Prince of all under heaven, yet he was not her Crown Prince alone...
Shen Zhili, watching gleefully beside her, laughed heartily. "His Highness the Crown Prince has been trained in horsemanship and archery since childhood by Prince Ping himself. How could those flashy posers, who don’t know their limits, ever compare?"
Meng Tinghui let out a soft sigh, calming the turbulent emotions surging within her, before nodding. "Indeed, the Crown Prince... is beyond compare."
As they spoke, the riders on the field began another round of archery contests, with occasional shouts and laughter echoing from afar. Meanwhile, palace eunuchs led over smaller palace horses, inviting the long-waiting female officials to join in games like hitting colorful targets or tying silk balls, offering them a chance to win prizes as well.
The female officials grew excited once more. Knowing the Emperor had always favored women skilled in horsemanship and archery, they were eager to showcase their grace, hoping to catch the eyes of the military officers nearby.
Shen Zhili was the first to lead a horse over. She ran her fingers along its long mane, tugged at the reins, and mounted effortlessly with a step into the stirrup. Urging the horse forward a few steps with practiced ease, she then returned and asked Meng Tinghui, "Can you ride?"
Meng Tinghui fidgeted uneasily, nodding but adding, "I learned a bit during my time at the women’s academy, but I rarely have the chance to ride regularly. I’m afraid I can’t manage as well as they do..."Shen Zhili interrupted her with a laugh, "As long as you can ride, hitting the colored ball isn't difficult. Just watch how I do it and follow my lead. Since you're here today, if you stubbornly refuse to mount the horse, who knows what people will say behind your back."
Meng Tinghui was still hesitating when several female officials approached with horses, smiling at her, "Lord Shen is absolutely right. If Lady Meng refuses to ride, wouldn't it seem like you look down on us?"
A Yellow-robed Attendant brought her a chestnut horse and said gently, "Lady Meng, rest assured. This is just a game among the female officials - nothing dangerous will happen."
She had no choice but to take the reins, thanking everyone with a smile.
Over the past four months, she had been quietly working alone in the Imperial Academy. No improper rumors about her and the Crown Prince had circulated at court, and since even Shen Zhili maintained friendly relations with her, these female officials had gradually been showing her goodwill. Her previously tarnished reputation had largely recovered.
Given the current situation, if she continued to resist, others would think her aloof and unwilling to socialize. Moreover, this rare opportunity to bond with the female officials shouldn't be wasted.
Thinking this, she smiled at those around her and mustered the courage to mount the horse.
The horse proved obedient, merely shaking its red mane before submitting to her guidance.
Everyone cheerfully urged their horses forward as Yellow-robed Attendants distributed painted mallets to the female officials. In the distance, colored balls hung high on poles, ready to be released at the signal.
The horse's hooves lightly trod the sand. Seeing it was steady, she relaxed and turned to smile at Shen Zhili, saying, "It's fine."
Shen Zhili also relaxed, saying, "When you're free later, I'll take you riding..." Before she could finish, Meng Tinghui's horse suddenly raised its head, excited by the sight of men practicing archery in the distance. Without warning, it bolted toward the Precious Ford Tower.
Before Meng Tinghui could react, she tightly gripped the reins, bewildered by the horse's sudden frenzy. Her heart pounded like a drum as she desperately leaned forward to grab the horse's mane.
Shen Zhili's anxious voice called from behind, "Watch out for the arrows—"
Looking up, she saw the horse had charged recklessly into the archery range, with sharp arrows flying directly toward them.
Terrified and trembling, she instinctively leaned aside to dodge. Unexpectedly, the horse grew more frantic at the sight of the gleaming arrowheads, galloping wildly without direction.
Losing her grip on the reins as she leaned right, she felt her left ankle painfully twist in the stirrup. The next moment, she was thrown from the horse, plummeting toward the ground—
A sudden, sharp pain at her waist as someone hauled her up. Dizzy and disoriented, she was slammed hard against a rigid saddle, her chest burning with pain.
Gasping, she opened her eyes, still shaken. The surroundings continued to shift—she was clearly on another horse, held tightly against someone's chest.
A powerful black warhorse carried them steadily and swiftly away.
His angry voice came from behind her, "At least you're not completely foolish—you knew to dodge the arrows."
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