"A man without integrity cannot stand. This rule was proposed by Cai Lin himself, and now he goes back on his word. Does Cai Daren conduct himself the same way in official circles—changing the rules the moment the tide turns against him?"
Earlier, Cai Lin had said, "The Hall of Extensive Learning has never made exceptions for anyone. The challenger sets the rules. What, is the daughter of the great general also such a coward?"
His words still echoed in the air, and now Shen Miao threw them right back at him, slapping Cai Daren's face with a resounding crack and leaving Cai Lin speechless.
"You set the rules, and now you refuse to follow them. With just a flip of your tongue, you can say anything you want? Is this how the officials of Ming Qi behave?" Her words were sharp, mercilessly escalating the matter. Cai Daren broke out in a cold sweat.
In the world of officials, there were many colleagues—some allies, some rivals. Shen Miao’s words, if heard by the wrong ears, could easily be twisted into something far worse. And with members of the royal family present, any misstep could invite imperial suspicion. If that happened, not only Cai Lin but the entire Cai family would suffer.
"Miss Shen speaks wisely," interjected Prince Yu, giving Shen Miao a peculiar smile. "Cai Daren, since your son set the rules, he must see them through."
Prince Yu was not known for kindly stepping in to mediate. His words immediately drew everyone’s attention to Shen Miao, their gazes filled with understanding, disdain, and everything in between.
Prince Zhou and Jing Wang exchanged glances. Jing Wang sighed, "Even Uncle has spoken."
"Perhaps we’ll soon have a young aunt?" Prince Zhou joked, shaking his head as if amused by his own words.
With Prince Yu’s decree, Cai Daren dared not voice any further objections, no matter how resentful he felt. Swallowing his anger, he forced out, "Yes... this official has been thoughtless." He shot Cai Lin a glare—one that conveyed both pity for his misfortune and fury at his incompetence—before turning and leaving.
Cai Lin watched his father walk away, his own anxiety mounting. He had assumed Shen Miao was all bark and no bite, but when he met her clear, piercing gaze, a chill ran down his spine. She was like a silent predator—outwardly just a young girl, yet exuding an aura that was utterly terrifying.
Lowering his voice, he threatened, "If you harm me, the Cai family will never let you go." It was a desperate attempt to intimidate her. Cai Lin was now trapped—if Shen Miao’s arrow strayed even slightly, his life would be forfeited. He had seen arrows go astray during hunts, striking prey in the eye or the rump, never delivering a clean kill. The sight of the struggling animals had been gruesome. Was he now the helpless prey?
His threat was nothing more than a plea for her to hold back—to merely go through the motions of drawing the bow. He whispered again, "If you cooperate this time, I... I won’t trouble you in the Hall of Extensive Learning again."
Shen Miao raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze fixed on him.
Cai Lin tensed, afraid she might refuse. But she had encountered men like him countless times in her past life—bullies who cowered when faced with real resistance. If she let him off today, he would surely return to his old ways, nursing his wounded pride and seeking revenge.
He was like a young badger fresh out of its den, thinking itself the ruler of the forest—until it met a wolf and cowered. But given the chance, that badger would always return, itching for another challenge.
But she was no wolf. She was a tiger. And the only way to ensure this badger never dared provoke her again was to sink her fangs into its neck—to make it understand, once and for all, the cost of defiance.
She smiled faintly. "Earlier, I asked you: I’m standing right here—do you dare kill me? Your archery already answered that question for you."
"Now the question is mine. Would you like to hear my answer?"
Her face was smooth as jade, still carrying the softness of youth, like a tender sprout in spring—adorable and fragile. Yet her words were chillingly ruthless.
"I dare."
With that, she turned and walked to the shooting platform.
Cai Lin stood frozen until the examiner called his name, snapping him back to reality. Only then did he notice the entire crowd watching him, their eyes alight with anticipation.
His gaze drifted to the pink-clad girl among the female attendees. Shen Yue was chatting with someone, not even glancing at the platform. A pang of disappointment struck him, making his current predicament feel even more humiliating.
He had started this—how could he back down now? If he lost to a mere girl, the Cai family would become the laughingstock of the capital. Worse still, Shen Yue was watching. If he embarrassed himself, how could he ever face her again?
A small girl, acting so fearsome—did she truly dare kill someone? Even with a life-and-death contract, taking a life wasn’t something easily brushed aside.
Reassuring himself, Cai Lin mustered his courage and stepped calmly behind the white line three zhang away, placing the herb fruit atop his head.
The crowd shifted their attention between him and Shen Miao, an odd tension hanging in the air.
In the distance, Xie Jingxing asked, "What do you think—will she hit the mark?"
"Of course not," Su Mingfeng retorted. "Forget whether she has the nerve to shoot Cai Lin—does she even have the skill? Noblewomen rarely practice martial arts, and as for Shen Miao, you know as well as I do that she’s never been trained in anything."
Xie Jingxing chuckled softly. "Not necessarily."
"Are you proposing another wager?"
"Why bother? I already know the outcome."
Su Mingfeng, accustomed to his friend’s cryptic remarks, asked, "And what outcome is that?"
Lazily, Xie Jingxing replied, "You lose."
Shen Yue watched Shen Miao on the platform, her heart inexplicably tightening. She whispered to Chen Ruoqiu, "Mother, will she hurt Cai Lin?"
"Of course not," Chen Ruoqiu replied, sighing inwardly at her daughter’s agitation. Youth made one so impatient. "Hitting a target isn’t that easy. Your uncle once mentioned that drawing a bow requires strength. When has your fifth sister ever practiced archery in the manor? Just pulling the bowstring would exhaust her. Don’t overthink it—she’s just playing around."
Was Shen Miao really just playing around?
Of course not.
She lifted the bow, nocked the arrow, and drew the string—her movements fluid, as if she had done this a thousand times before. There was no hesitation, no struggle. Her form was flawless, leaving no doubt that she was a skilled archer.
The next moment, the arrow left the string, hurtling toward Cai Lin with deadly intent.
The entire hall fell silent. In the absolute stillness, the arrow struck the ground with a crisp clatter.
Its tip was stained with a speck of red.
Author's Note:
Tea Tea has her thesis defense tomorrow, so these past few days have been all about the drafts. Wishing myself luck (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
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