The Double

Chapter 74: Thrilling Danger

The racecourse was spacious enough for six people to line up side by side at the entrance.

The entire course was circular, with the starting point also serving as the finish line. At the finish stood a neat row of archery targets, already studded haphazardly with arrows, while many more lay scattered on the ground. A young attendant recorded each result in a ledger.

The six female students taking the exam each had a horse. These horses were all provided by Commandant Kong Liu, with fresh horses for each round, all of them gentle in temperament to ensure the safety of the noble young ladies. After all, spirited horses were hard to tame, and if any of the students were thrown, it would be no small matter.

Jiang Li’s horse was a dull brown, as unremarkable as its appearance suggested, and it was currently lowering its head to nibble on the grass. Jiang Li couldn’t help but reach out and stroke the horse’s neck, which reminded her of the times she had raced with Xue Zhao in Tongxiang.

Her action puzzled onlookers. Someone remarked, “What is Second Miss Jiang doing? Does she not know how to ride and think this will make the horse friendly?”

“What nonsense! These horses are from the light cavalry. Friendliness doesn’t matter here. But Second Miss Jiang might truly be a novice—look at her movements, they’re very clumsy.”

Unaware of the outside chatter, Jiang Li gently patted the horse’s head. The horse, however, remained dull and showed no particular affection toward her.

Jiang Youyao, observing this from the side, sneered inwardly, convinced that Jiang Li knew nothing about horsemanship, and busied herself with securing her quiver.

Jiang Yu’e also watched Jiang Li closely. Seeing that Jiang Li no longer appeared as adept as she had in previous rounds, Jiang Yu’e breathed a sigh of relief. If Jiang Li were to shine again in riding and archery, Jiang Yu’e would likely be so consumed by jealousy that she’d wish to ruin her on the spot.

A burly man wielding a copper hammer struck the drum in the examination ground with a resounding “clang—”. Everyone began to prepare, ready to mount their horses.

Meng Hongjin was the quickest to mount. She stepped into the stirrup, swung her body over, and in a flash of red, she was seated firmly on the horse. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.

Most noble young ladies in Yanjing City were delicate and not particularly skilled in riding and archery, so few could match Meng Hongjin’s prowess. Her graceful movements naturally earned her generous praise. Seeing the admiring glances from the spectators, Meng Hongjin felt a surge of pride, and the gloom that had lingered since Jiang Li’s previous victories began to dissipate.

The second to mount was Jiang Yu’e. Her movements were not as crisp and efficient as Meng Hongjin’s but were more restrained. However, her petite and pitiable appearance made even her mounting seem endearing.

Next were Nie Xiaoshuang and Zhu Xin’er, who mounted almost simultaneously. The two seemed to be close friends, as their movements were quite similar—neither particularly distinctive nor flawed.

Then it was Jiang Youyao’s turn. She flashed a radiant smile before swinging onto her horse. Her beauty was so striking, her smile like a blooming flower, that her mounting actions went largely unnoticed. Nevertheless, the young gentlemen in the audience were captivated, their eyes fixed on her.

Kong Liu scoffed at this, muttering to Zheng Huchen beside him, “All show, no substance.”

Zheng Huchen remained silent, while Ji Heng, leaning back in his chair, watched the noble young ladies’ actions with an air of indifference.The last one was Jiang Li.

Kong Liu immediately perked up, straightening his posture considerably. Ji Heng cast him a glance, his gaze utterly indifferent.

Just as Ye Shijie was wondering, "Does Jiang Li even know how to mount a horse? Do nunneries have horses?" he saw her unhurriedly lift her foot into the stirrup, grasp the reins, and nimbly swing onto the saddle.

Her movements were fluid and natural—unlike Meng Hongjin's fiery briskness, Jiang Yu'e's delicate vulnerability, or Jiang Youyao's coquettish smile before mounting. She simply pulled the reins calmly and sat quietly astride the horse, as ordinary an act as eating or drinking.

Liu Xu was momentarily dazed.

Since meeting Jiang Li, she had known her to be unflappable, never once seen her flustered or rushed. Yet she hadn't expected even a simple act like mounting a horse to be carried out with such gentleness. It lacked Meng Hongjin's dazzling flair but felt exceptionally comfortable. Upon reflection, it suited Jiang Li's character perfectly—this was exactly how she ought to be.

Laymen watched for spectacle and could only tell that the Jiang family's second young miss wasn't entirely clueless about horsemanship, at least knowing how to mount. But experts discerned nuance: Kong Liu noticed something noteworthy and whispered to Zheng Huchen, "Second Miss Jiang is quite good."

Zheng Huchen frowned slightly.

Jiang Li was already on horseback, a heavy quiver of arrows strapped to her back. As she took the reins, the summer breeze brushed warmly against her face, reminiscent of Xue Huaiyuan's earnest admonitions and Xue Zhao's cheerful banter.

A glimmer of tears suddenly welled in Jiang Li's eyes.

But the moisture vanished as swiftly as it appeared, for the starting drum had already sounded—whoosh! Six horses surged forward simultaneously!

Though described as a gallop, it was hardly one: Nie Xiaoshuang and Zhu Xin'er were practically trotting, barely flicking their whips as they cautiously maintained a "running" posture. Kong Liu wiped his face, his tone full of exasperation, muttering, "What a waste of my fine horses."

Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu'e fared better than those two—at least their whip-cracking gestures were dashing. Yet their equestrian skills on horseback remained rudimentary, prioritizing aesthetic appeal over substance, drawing attention to the rider rather than the horse.

Zheng Huchen also shook his head imperceptibly, clearly displeased with the young ladies' frivolous antics. But there was no helping it—equestrianism and archery had never been Mingyi Hall's strengths, or rather, few young misses were willing to endure hardship learning skills seldom used in daily life.

Across the entire drill ground, Meng Hongjin led the charge.

She blazed like fire, her crimson riding habit rendering her both haughty and beautiful, her slender silhouette unmistakably that of a captivating maiden. Her hair billowed behind her with the horse's jolts, composing a picturesque scene. Though Meng Hongjin's features couldn't rival Jiang Youyao's, on horseback, she undoubtedly outshone her.

"Miss Meng is remarkable," someone remarked. "At least in equestrianism and archery, no one surpasses her."

"And what of Second Miss Jiang?" a companion teased. "Didn't she overturn defeats in all four previous events by biding her time?""Look, you see, Second Miss Jiang is now falling behind." The person who spoke earlier replied, "Moreover, Second Miss Jiang doesn't seem to have much drive. It should be impossible for her to overtake Miss Meng."

On the practice field, Jiang Li's dark brown horse was also running.

It seemed unexpected, but upon careful thought, it also appeared within expectations. Jiang Li's riding wasn't as unfamiliar as imagined—she seemed to have ridden before. However, compared to her stunning performance in the qin music "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute" that earned her top honors among the upper three categories, her equestrian skills appeared rather ordinary.

She didn't demonstrate any particular techniques on horseback, making it hard to gauge her riding ability. Yet one thing was clear: she was genuinely focused on the race. After Meng Hongjin, Jiang Li was second.

This wasn't hard to understand. Nie Xiaoshuang and Zhu Xin'er were somewhat afraid of riding and moved cautiously. Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu'e were more preoccupied with showcasing their beauty and charm. In contrast, only Jiang Li and Meng Hongjin were seriously competing.

The distance between Jiang Li and Meng Hongjin wasn't great—just a firm crack of the whip would likely have been enough for Jiang Li to overtake her. Yet Jiang Li showed no intention of exerting herself, even appearing somewhat leisurely in her pace.

Kong Liu was so anxious he scratched his head and ears: "What's wrong with Second Miss Jiang? She could overtake the Meng family's daughter with just a little more effort. Why isn't she moving? Ah, this is driving me crazy."

Zheng Huchen: "Calm down..."

"I can't calm down! Don't you find this frustrating? She could easily pass her..."

With a "snap," someone nearby closed their fan.

Kong Liu stiffened and immediately fell silent. Turning his head, he saw Ji Heng paying him no attention, coolly remarking, "Too noisy."

Kong Liu said no more.

Though Kong Liu was anxious about Jiang Li not overtaking Meng Hongjin, others who were more concerned for Jiang Li breathed sighs of relief—like Liu Xu, Ye Shijie, and Jiang Jingrui. Jiang Li clearly knew how to ride, and she appeared steady on horseback, so there shouldn't be any problems. Today marked the final two events. Once equestrianism and archery concluded, if Jiang Li maintained her current position, she would win the wager with Meng Hongjin and avoid expulsion from Mingyi Hall—an outcome everyone was happy to see.

Unaware of these calculations, Jiang Li kept her distance from Meng Hongjin specifically to observe what Meng Hongjin might attempt. Perhaps because she had already died once, her sensitivity to schemes was particularly sharp. She had noticed Meng Hongjin's unusual behavior early that morning. After much thought, she suspected Meng Hongjin was planning something—or might have already set something in motion. Though Jiang Li didn't yet know the details, her strategy was to stay as far from Meng Hongjin as possible. If Meng Hongjin hadn't yet succeeded, she would inevitably try to deliberately approach Jiang Li.

Sure enough, after another incense stick's worth of time, Meng Hongjin gradually slowed down. Alert, Jiang Li also reduced her pace, maintaining the same initial distance between them. This created a strange dynamic on the field, with even Jiang Youyao and others catching up from behind, nearly riding abreast with them.

"What's going on?" spectators outside wondered, perplexed. "Is the Commandant's horse failing? Did they not feed it this morning?""Bullshit!" Kong Liu retorted, forgetting he was still seated in the examiner's position on the verification grounds. He turned back through the crowd and shouted, "I added night feed several times last night—how could I be hungry?"

"Then you must be too full to run?" The crowd burst into laughter.

Kong Liu was so angry he couldn't speak. When he glanced aside, he noticed Ji Heng beside him had lifted his eyelids at some point and was thoughtfully watching several parallel figures on the racetrack.

Kong Liu's heart sank with a thud, vaguely realizing something.

Even though Jiang Li had slowed her pace, she was gradually closing the distance with Meng Hongjin. It seemed Meng Hongjin had expended too much energy at the start and was now tiring, causing her to slow down.

They had reached the latter half of the racetrack, approaching the archery targets.

Because of this, one section of the racetrack passage had become extremely narrow. Both Jiang Li and Meng Hongjin were about to pass through that entrance.

Jiang Li held the reins with one hand while reaching back with the other to draw an arrow from her quiver, preparing to nock it on her bow. Mounted archery was the most difficult discipline—the challenge lay in needing both hands to handle the bow and arrow while riding, making it impossible to hold the reins and control the horse simultaneously. Many noble young ladies would keep one hand on the reins while shooting, resulting in poor aim and chaotic shots. Others, too afraid to release the reins, simply gave up targeting altogether. Even those bold enough to use both hands for archery could only do so briefly, quickly firing an arrow before grabbing the reins again.

Proper aiming required time—how could one hit the target with such frantic haste? Thus, in the mounted archery event so far, no one had managed to hit the bullseye.

Yet Jiang Li released both reins, holding her bow and arrow as she aimed at the target.

"Quite daring," Zheng Huchen rarely offered praise.

Gasps rippled through the surrounding crowd: "She's truly fearless—look how long she's been without reins, the longest so far!"

"Indeed, see how steadily she controls her horse? She sits perfectly composed. I'd say Second Miss Jiang is quite skilled at horsemanship—she shows no panic at all.Jiang Li's expression while shooting from horseback showed not a trace of fluster—it could even be described as composed and graceful. What should have been a tense moment seemed to slow down under her command, easing the audience's anxiety.

Her riding posture remained stable, legs tightly gripping the stirrups, her bow-holding hand equally steady. Though Second Miss Jiang's body wasn't as robust as her previous self, her recent efforts at recuperation had brought significant improvement.

Eyes locked on the bullseye, Jiang Li's vision transformed the target into a leaping hare, a yellow fox, or a soaring bird—just as she had done countless times during hunts with Xue Zhao.

Aim, release!

Whoosh—the arrow left her hand, cutting urgently through the air with a whistling sound.

Then everyone saw the red-fletched arrow strike squarely in the center of the target!

Bullseye!

The verification grounds fell silent for a moment, no one daring to believe their eyes.

Kong Liu slapped his thigh and yelled, "Beautiful!"

Before he finished speaking, he saw Jiang Li swiftly draw another arrow and shoot it toward the target center!

Another bullseye!

Without pausing, Jiang Li drew yet another from her quiver.

Still a bullseye!

In that brief moment, Jiang Li had fired three arrows in rapid succession—every one hitting dead center!

Silence turned to uproar, uproar transformed into cheers.Jiang Jingrui murmured, “My heavens…”

This wasn’t music—it was imperial archery. The Imperial College also taught imperial archery, and Jiang Jingrui had studied it. He knew how difficult it was, which was why seeing Jiang Li hit all three arrows seemed unbelievable.

Was it luck? It absolutely wasn’t luck!

Kong Liu stared dumbfounded, then quickly began slamming tables, kicking benches, and sighing heavily.

Zheng Huchen asked him, “What are you doing?”

“Damn it, didn’t you see?” Kong Liu pointed at Jiang Li. “Three arrows, all hits! Even in my light cavalry, how many have such accuracy? Damn it, why is she the Grand Secretary’s daughter? If she were a man—no, if she were from an ordinary family, I’d drag her into my cavalry unit no matter what!”

Zheng Huchen: “…Shut up!”

When Ji Shuran saw Jiang Li hit all three arrows, she nearly failed to conceal her displeasure. She knew that with these three shots, Jiang Li had completely overshadowed Meng Hongjin’s earlier brilliance, not to mention Jiang Youyao, who was never skilled in imperial archery. The rest of the group seemed to have become mere foils for Jiang Li.

Frowning, she said to Jiang Yuanbai, “Where did Li’er learn imperial archery? Even Jingrui and Jingyou in our mansion have specialized martial arts instructors, yet they don’t perform as impressively as Li’er. Could that nunnery have taught her so much? Since her return, it’s as if there’s nothing she can’t do.”

Subtly, she once again sowed doubt in Jiang Yuanbai’s mind.

“Sister-in-law, Li Yatou has been clever since childhood. They say that even if an orchid seed grows in the mountains, the flower it blooms is still an orchid…” Just as Lu Shi of the second branch was about to mock Ji Shuran, she suddenly let out a startled cry.

Everyone turned their gaze to the riding ground.

In the somewhat narrow passage, Jiang Li was in front, with Meng Hongjin behind. After Jiang Li shot her three arrows, Meng Hongjin prepared to shoot as well. But just as Meng Hongjin reached for the quiver on her back, Jiang Li’s horse suddenly let out a long whinny and reared up!

“Not good!” Kong Liu leaped to his feet.

Something had gone wrong with the dark brown horse beneath Jiang Li. For some unknown reason, it suddenly began to gallop wildly.

Meng Hongjin was so frightened she stopped reaching for her arrows and immediately reined in her own horse.

The field erupted into chaos.

In the past, there had been students who fell from their horses due to poor riding skills, but they only suffered minor scrapes. A horse suddenly going mad had never happened before, as these horses were all brought in from the light cavalry unit—they were very gentle and not untamable wild steeds. Such a horse wouldn’t suddenly go berserk without cause, yet Jiang Li’s horse had clearly gone mad right before everyone’s eyes, with no one touching it and no external influences.

What was going on?

“Rescue her, quickly!” Zheng Huchen immediately ordered the surrounding soldiers.

“Heavens.” Liu Xu covered her mouth with her hands, rushing to the front of the viewing platform, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn’t enter the riding ground and could only watch anxiously for Jiang Li.

Ye Shijie hadn’t expected such a sudden turn of events either. They could do nothing from outside the field, watching helplessly as Jiang Li was carried along by the crazed horse, their hearts pounding nervously. Then, they saw the dark brown horse suddenly toss its head, throwing Jiang Li off its back.

“Jiang Li!” Jiang Jingrui shouted.The next moment, Jiang Li was seen gripping the reins tightly, half her body flung outside the horse as she leaned sideways against its flank, nearly being dragged forward by the galloping steed.

Yet she did not fall.

The crowd stared wide-eyed.

"She knows equestrian arts?" Kong Liu exclaimed in surprise, instinctively glancing at Ji Heng.

Ji Heng rested his chin on his hand, watching the thrilling scene of girl and horse without comment.

Meng Hongjin, who had been following Jiang Li, had expected to see her thrown heavily to the ground. Instead, Jiang Li managed to dangerously cling to the horse's side as it raced forward, escaping unscathed despite the peril.

Disappointment surged through Meng Hongjin. Hidden in her sleeve was a slender object resembling a brush holder—a novelty her elder brother had acquired for her two years prior. At the bottom of this brush-like tube was a concealed mechanism that, when pressed, would shoot out fine silver needles.

Meng Hongjin had coated the needles with a drug. In the narrow passageway, just after Jiang Li finished shooting three arrows, Meng Hongjin had used the motion of drawing her own arrows to discreetly press the mechanism under cover of her sleeve.

The needles struck deep into the horse's hindquarters. Startled and in pain, the horse naturally went wild. Meng Hongjin had been certain Jiang Li would be thrown off, likely suffering broken limbs. The needles were too fine to be easily detected afterward, and even if discovered, who could prove she was responsible?

Having observed Jiang Li show no particular horsemanship earlier, Meng Hongjin assumed she only possessed basic riding skills. She never imagined that when Jiang Li's horse went mad, not only was Jiang Li not thrown off, but she even displayed remarkable skill before everyone's eyes—movements that clearly demonstrated advanced equestrian ability!

She had been deceived by Jiang Li!

Shock and fury warred within Meng Hongjin.

The attendants coming to assist Jiang Li rushed forward. Jiang Yuanbai was particularly frantic with worry, but the enraged horse was too dangerous. The only options were to behead the horse—which would injure Jiang Li when it collapsed—or use qinggong to swiftly carry Jiang Li away. But these were all men, and having Jiang Li held in their arms would inevitably spark gossip.

While they hesitated, the dark brown horse accelerated again. The crowd gasped as Jiang Li lost grip with one hand, the reins slipping away, leaving her hanging on with just a single hand!

Meng Hongjin's heart leapt with joy. Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu'e were equally delighted—Jiang Li was finished!

But before their smiles could form, they saw Jiang Li suddenly raise her hand and grab the horse's mane!

The dark brown horse neighed in pain as its front half reared up. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Li leaned backward, flipped with the momentum, and in one fluid motion regained her seat on the horse's back!

She was back in position!

This breathtaking sequence lasted mere breaths, leaving spectators feeling strangled by tension, unable to speak. Only when Jiang Li was securely back in the saddle did they finally exhale in relief.

"This girl..." Zheng Huchen was at a loss for words. Ordinary women—even most men they knew—rarely possessed such courage. Beyond Jiang Li's unexpectedly superb horsemanship, what stood out was her composure in crisis, her unshaken calmness even if Mount Tai collapsed before her. This was why she excelled whether in archery, riding, or anything else.

She truly didn't resemble a young lady from an official's household—and she was only fifteen.No sooner had he breathed a sigh of relief than exclamations erupted around him once more. Zheng Huchen fixed his gaze and found himself utterly speechless this time.

For Jiang Li, after remounting, made no attempt to reunite with the rescue team. Instead, she seized the momentum and urged the frenzied dark bay horse toward the finish line.

She actually intended to complete this competition—relying solely on this maddened black horse!

How reckless! How impulsive! How... goddamn exhilarating!

Jiang Li crouched low against the horse’s back, her cyan-blue robes fluttering in the wind like an emerald streak of lightning. Though the color was gentle and refined, it carried the vibrant vitality of bamboo after rain. It was hard to believe that such a delicate frame could harbor such immense courage—like a gentle stream capable of rolling the hardest stones.

"Look, look quickly..." Kong Liu exclaimed excitedly, tugging at Ji Heng’s sleeve.

Ji Heng glanced at his sleeve and replied calmly, "I see."

Meng Hongjin, trailing behind, was horrified. She hadn’t expected Jiang Li to be so fortunate—the frenzied horse hadn’t thrown her off, and now Jiang Li was ahead. This couldn’t go on. Panic set in as Meng Hongjin noticed the crowd cheering for Jiang Li, with no one sparing a thought for her.

This was equestrian archery—her strongest skill! If she lost even this to Jiang Li, she would be nothing!

With a sudden burst of determination, Meng Hongjin cracked her whip fiercely and charged after Jiang Li.

After the earlier commotion, Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu’e, who had fallen behind, caught up. Seeing Meng Hongjin surge forward, they refused to be outdone. As the final stretch approached, they urged their horses onward, each showcasing their skills.

Only now did this round of the competition take on a life-or-death intensity. Yet the most astonishing was Jiang Li. The dark bay horse, driven by pain, thrashed wildly to dislodge her, but no matter how violently it bucked, Jiang Li’s grip on the reins remained steady. It was as if nothing had changed from the start—except for the horse’s frenzy.

Including her composure.

As they neared the final stretch, a row of targets appeared ahead. Still crouched on the horse, Jiang Li held the reins tightly with one hand while reaching for an arrow with the other.

"Look! She’s going to shoot at the targets!"

"Heavens, she’s risking her life!"

Earlier, Jiang Li had miraculously hit three targets—the only one to do so in today’s competition. There was no need for her to shoot again now. Moreover, with the horse gone mad, drawing a bow with both hands was far more perilous than before.

"This girl has grit," Kong Liu praised. "I admire her!"

No one cared whether he admired Jiang Li or not. Meng Hongjin, close behind, felt her heart clench at the sight. She suddenly recalled that during the earlier shooting segment, she had been too busy scheming against Jiang Li to shoot any arrows herself. Jiang Li, however, had already hit three targets perfectly. If Meng Hongjin failed to hit more than three bullseyes by the finish line, she would lose to Jiang Li. There was no time to waste!

Without a second thought, Meng Hongjin grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed at the targets near the endpoint.

At that moment, Jiang Li curved her lips into a faint smile, notched an arrow, and let it fly right after Meng Hongjin!

Jiang Li’s arrow was marked red, Meng Hongjin’s blue. By sheer coincidence, both arrows hurtled toward the same bullseye—one blue, one red—their trajectories stretching slowly through the air, one after the other.Perhaps Jiang Li drew her bow with greater strength, or perhaps Meng Hongjin was too panicked—regardless, the two arrows, with Jiang Li’s shot later, caught up to Meng Hongjin’s arrow mid-flight. The fletching carried the shaft, causing Jiang Li’s arrow to collide with Meng Hongjin’s.

A light touch, or perhaps no contact at all—Jiang Li’s arrow continued swiftly toward the bullseye, while Meng Hongjin’s arrow was nudged into a subtle direction, yet reinvigorated by the impact of the red arrow, it shot toward the other side—

"Your Highness!"” someone cried out in alarm.

A wave of uproar erupted instantly.

Meng Hongjin instinctively turned to look and saw, near the edge of the testing ground closest to Prince Cheng, Princess Yongning clutching her shoulder, blood seeping through her fingers.

Was that… Meng Hongjin felt dazed.

“How dare you! Seize her at once!” Princess Yongning shrieked.

“Was it me?” Meng Hongjin thought hazily, still unable to grasp what had happened, when Princess Yongning’s guards abruptly stepped forward and apprehended her, disregarding the ongoing competition.

Meanwhile, Jiang Li finally crossed the finish line. She clung to the black-brown horse’s mane with one hand and spread the other wide. As she passed a nearby locust tree, she suddenly released her grip and leaped upward—

Hanging from the locust tree.

Though not particularly elegant, her posture was light and effortless.

The frenzied black-brown horse charged out of the arena, and people were already rushing to stop it. Jiang Li’s final arrow, shot simultaneously with Meng Hongjin’s, landed steadily on the bullseye, its fletching painted with red cinnabar.

She had won.

Jiang Li fell silent for a moment, then quietly glanced toward the other side, where Princess Yongning was surrounded by a crowd. A cold flicker passed through her heart.

Princess Yongning had escaped again. If she had been a little closer… if Meng Hongjin’s arrow had been a bit sharper, that blue arrow would not have merely struck Princess Yongning’s shoulder but pierced her chest instead.

Just a little bit off.

Kong Liu finally sat down, patting his chest. He was drenched in sweat, and Zheng Huchen beside him was no better. After witnessing such a perilous test, they felt more exhausted than after their usual drills. Nevertheless, Kong Liu was delighted. He said to Ji Heng, “Did you see how incredible Second Miss Jiang was? It was truly eye-opening. She must be over the moon with all the attention she’s getting today.”

“I think she’s somewhat disappointed,” Ji Heng remarked lightly.

“Disappointed?” Kong Liu was puzzled. “About what? She’s the champion. Damn it, the Six Arts are all over, and she took first in every one. What is there to be disappointed about?”

“Failing to kill with a borrowed knife, of course she’s disappointed,” Ji Heng chuckled softly, standing up. “Today’s drama was decent, but it lacked bloodshed—too straightforward. We’ll see what the future holds.”

With a flick of his sleeve, he departed.

“What a freak,” Kong Liu muttered under his breath, then remembered something and called out, “You haven’t given your judgment yet!”

Ji Heng swaggered off without a care. But today’s equestrian and archery test was even easier to judge than the music competition, as the contrast was too stark. Whether Ji Heng participated or not made little difference. Everyone could see that Second Miss Jiang’s mastery of equestrian and archery skills was impeccable.But that Miss Meng was in for a misfortune. Not only was her archery skills poor, but she also shot Princess Yongning, Consort Liu's most beloved daughter. It was no small matter for a woman to be left with a scar—whether it was Princess Yongning or an ordinary official's daughter, neither would let it slide easily. At best, it could be called an accident; at worst, it was an attempt to harm a member of the royal family.

Meng Hongjin’s face turned ashen, trembling with fear. Now she understood the severity of the situation and couldn’t help struggling as she cried out, "It wasn’t me! I didn’t mean to harm the Princess! It was... it was Jiang Li! Jiang Li set me up!"

Someone in the crowd sneered, "This Miss Meng is full of lies. The arrow that struck Her Highness was marked with blue—it’s clearly hers. How ridiculous to try and shift the blame to Second Miss Jiang."

Each arrow was marked, and the one that hit Princess Yongning was blue, unmistakably Meng Hongjin’s. As for Jiang Li’s arrow colliding with Meng Hongjin’s, it happened too quickly and from too far away for anyone to see clearly. Even if Meng Hongjin spoke the truth, no one would believe her—firstly, Jiang Li’s archery skills weren’t that refined, and secondly, why would Jiang Li have any reason to harm Princess Yongning out of the blue?

Liu Xu hurried over, clutching Jiang Li’s hand with lingering fear. "You scared me to death! When the horse panicked, why did you run forward? It’s just a competition—how could it be worth risking your life?"

"Didn’t I turn out fine?" Jiang Li smiled reassuringly, though inwardly she felt a pang of regret. At the last moment, she had deliberately deflected Meng Hongjin’s arrow, hoping it might injure Princess Yongning. Unfortunately, she had miscalculated.

"Meng Hongjin is in serious trouble this time..." Liu Xu whispered. "Judging by Princess Yongning’s demeanor, she won’t let this go easily."

Jiang Li smirked inwardly. Princess Yongning had always held herself above others, looking down on those of lower status. Even if Meng Hongjin’s father, Meng Youde, held the position of Chengxuan Commissioner, he meant nothing in Princess Yongning’s eyes. Still, Jiang Li felt no sympathy for Meng Hongjin. Though she didn’t know exactly what Meng Hongjin had done, the fact that her own dark brown horse had gone wild was undoubtedly linked to Meng Hongjin. Jiang Li clearly remembered that, just before the horse bolted, Meng Hongjin had been right behind her.

To go so far as to try and take her life over a mere competition—Meng Hongjin was truly ruthless. Now that she had crossed paths with the equally merciless Princess Yongning, she had only herself to blame.

"Honestly, she got off easy," Liu Xu said, also showing no pity for Meng Hongjin. "With her tangled up in this dispute with Princess Yongning, the bet between you two will just have to be dropped."

"Who said it would be dropped?" Jiang Li retorted. "Once she settles her case with Princess Yongning, she’ll still have to honor our bet. I’ll be waiting."

Liu Xu was taken aback. She had always known Jiang Li to be magnanimous and unwilling to hold grudges, quite different from the rumors she’d heard, and this was the first time she had seen Jiang Li act so assertive. After a moment of surprise, she couldn’t help but laugh. "As it should be. Why should the hard-won stakes be forfeited? Even the owner of a gambling den in Yanjing City would cry injustice on your behalf. No matter the outcome, Meng Hongjin must keep her word. I’ll stand as your witness."

Jiang Li smiled and nodded in agreement.At this moment, Jiang Youyao and the others also dismounted and returned to their families. As soon as Jiang Youyao saw Ji Shuran, she cried out "Mother!" in a panic-stricken voice.

Jiang Youyao had no idea what had happened. Initially, she had secretly rejoiced when she saw Jiang Li's horse go wild, but to her dismay, the troublemaker survived against all odds—not only did Jiang Li avoid being thrown to her death, but she also stole the spotlight on the horseback archery field with her exceptional archery skills. Even Meng Hongjin, who was originally the best in imperial archery, couldn't surpass her. And then there was Meng Hongjin, who inexplicably shot and wounded Princess Yongning. Watching Meng Hongjin being detained by Princess Yongning's guards, Jiang Youyao felt an inexplicable sense of dread.

"Mother—" Her gaze at Ji Shuran was filled with anger and fear. Meng Hongjin was someone who opposed Jiang Li, so how had she ended up imprisoned so mysteriously?

Ji Shuran was also furious. Since yesterday, when she happened to notice the look Meng Hongjin gave Jiang Li, she had vaguely guessed that Meng Hongjin would take action against Jiang Li. Needless to say, the sudden frenzy of Jiang Li's horse today was undoubtedly Meng Hongjin's doing. Yet, in the end, Jiang Li emerged unscathed, while Meng Hongjin ended up trapping herself.

Though unclear how Jiang Li had managed it, today's events forced Ji Shuran to reassess her. One incident after another—from Jiang Li's drastically changed temperament since returning to Yanjing to her sudden mastery of music and archery—made Ji Shuran feel both unfamiliarity and danger.

If before, Ji Shuran had planned to use others to eliminate Jiang Li as a thorn in her side, now the threat Jiang Li posed had suddenly intensified. Ji Shuran believed that even if she had to take matters into her own hands, she must make Jiang Li disappear as soon as possible.

She could wait no longer.

On the announcement platform, the results were being proclaimed, but the crowd was in chaos due to Princess Yongning's injury, and no one paid attention to the names being called.

Even without listening, everyone likely knew that Jiang Li was today's champion.

Jiang Li herself had no interest in the announcer on the platform. Her gaze swept over the crowd and settled on Shen Yurong, who stood not far from Prince Cheng, maintaining a subtle distance from Princess Yongning.

Princess Yongning was being escorted away by guards and attended by maids to treat her injury. Jiang Li estimated that although the arrow hadn't been fatal, the wound was serious enough—likely requiring a month or so to heal, with the possibility of scarring. This was precisely why Princess Yongning was so enraged.

But at this moment, aside from her fury, Princess Yongning's gaze lingered faintly on Shen Yurong, appearing pitiful and delicate.

Jiang Li had never seen this side of Princess Yongning. In her final memories, Princess Yongning wore a triumphant, smug smile—a face twisted with malice and venom. This tender, charming demeanor was like that of a completely different person.

Jiang Li then turned her attention to Shen Yurong. He subtly avoided Princess Yongning's gaze, yet at the critical moment when she was about to lose her temper, he timely offered a concerned look. Instantly, the willful princess's anger subsided, and she reverted to her earlier state of tender affection.

Watching this, Jiang Li felt nauseated and couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Shen Yurong certainly had a way with women—even Princess Yongning was utterly bewitched by him.However, having been married to Shen Yurong for three years, she understood that when Shen Yurong decided to "love" someone, no one would doubt his sincerity, and few could resist it.

Jiang Li was not at all surprised that Princess Yongning would fall for him. Yet, watching the pair of adulterers flirt openly before her eyes, she still felt a surge of anger and disgust.

She quickly turned her head away, afraid that if she looked a moment longer, she would be unable to conceal the profound hatred in her eyes.

It was not yet time. Without absolute certainty, she had to wait a little longer, just a little longer...

In the alley outside the racecourse, two figures walked deeper into the shadows. The one in front wore vibrant red robes, and even from behind, his figure exuded an air of effortless charm.

"Wen Ji," the man in front spoke, his voice like a river of stars spread across the night sky, cool and dreamlike. He asked, "Is there enmity between Princess Yongning and the Jiang family?"

Wen Ji paused briefly before replying, "This subordinate does not know."

The man in front did not stop, continuing his leisurely pace forward. After a long while, his voice drifted back.

"Neither do I."

(End of Chapter)