Chapter 158: Delivering Weapons Late at Night
Xie Shi'an sat on horseback, his hands gripping the reins tightly.
Since childhood, he had only studied books—no one taught him horseback riding or archery, and he never learned them.
After confirming he would participate in the hunt, he specifically went to the market to select a fine horse and asked his father to hire a tutor to teach him riding and archery.
But the time was too short. In just over ten days, he only learned how to ride a horse. Archery was too difficult and required more time to master.
He had long anticipated that this group would make things difficult for him.
Since it was expected, he didn't panic. He released the reins and dismounted.
"Eldest Young Master Xie, just follow behind us and pick up our prey, hahaha!"
The Sixth Prince laughed loudly, whipping Xie Shi'an's horse. The startled horse bolted, and the others burst into laughter.
As the group rode off, Xie Shi'an pressed his lips together and followed on foot.
"Mother, is he your eldest son?" Chu Hongyu whispered from behind the flower bushes. "He's being bullied—why aren't you helping him?"
Yun Chu smiled.
Xie Shi'an was no ordinary twelve-year-old boy. This person knew exactly what he wanted and would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
Now, the Sixth Prince was humiliating him, but once Xie Shi'an gained a firm footing, he would make the Sixth Prince stumble badly.
However, Xie Shi'an probably wouldn't get that chance.
Yun Chu and Chu Hongyu picked many flowers, wove two wreaths, and then rode back.
The hunting party also returned. Unsurprisingly, Prince Pingxi took first place, having hunted over a dozen prey, including a live rabbit.
The Emperor was delighted and immediately awarded him the prize.
The other princes offered their congratulations.
The scene was friendly and harmonious.
As night fell, bonfires were lit, and everyone had dinner around them.
Yun Chu and Lin Shi prepared to enter Consort Yun's tent when Xie Ping approached, smiling brightly. "Grandmother, Mother, I'd also like to pay my respects to Consort Yun."
Lin Shi's expression cooled.
Yun Chu's divorce from Xie Jingyu was already settled; they were just waiting for the right moment, as Yun Chu had suggested.
These illegitimate children of the Xie family would have no further connection to Yun Chu, so there was no need to indulge them.
"You are now Princess Anjing, affiliated with Consort De's palace. It wouldn't be appropriate for you to visit Consort Yun now," Lin Shi said calmly. "If outsiders see, they might think Consort De and Consort Yun are allied, needlessly arousing the Empress's suspicions."
Xie Ping stiffened. "Is... is that so? Then I wasn't thinking clearly."
Consort De didn't take her seriously, and now she had to avoid Consort Yun too. She felt her future was bleak.
Lin Shi led Yun Chu directly into Consort Yun's tent.
Consort Yun was from a military family. In her youth, she and Yun Chu's father, Yun Silin, trained under the old general together, excelling in horseback riding and archery. However, since the Empress enjoyed hunting, Consort Yun set aside this hobby. Even at Yan Mountain, she didn't join the Emperor on the hunting grounds.
Before Lin Shi and Yun Chu could bow, Consort Yun quickly stopped them and gestured for them to sit. "There are only three of us in the tent—no need for formalities."
She paused, then said, "Elder Brother wrote to me, saying Chu'er had a bad dream—that she dreamed our Yun family was executed to the last member?"Lin Shi nodded, "Many things from Chu'er's dream have come true in reality."
Originally, she hadn't known about the dream, because the men of the Yun family believed such matters need not be shared with women.
It was only when Chu'er's father suddenly brought up the matter of severing ties with the Xie family that she pressed him repeatedly and learned that Chu'er had such a dream...
"Elder Brother said that in Chu'er's dream, Old Eighth died..." Yun Fei's heart trembled, "Chu'er, when you urged me to agree to let Old Eighth go to his fiefdom early, was it because of this dream?"
Yun Chu nodded, then shook her head, "I originally thought that as long as we escaped the vortex of the succession struggle, the Yun family might have a chance at survival. But after speaking with Grandfather, Father, and Elder Brother, I realized that once the Yun family has reached this position, it can never stand apart. I just want to ask one thing, Aunt, have you ever considered having the Eighth Prince ascend to that position?"
Yun Fei was so frightened her pupils contracted sharply, and she quickly glanced outside the tent.
"Qiutong is outside, it's fine," Yun Chu said, "If Aunt has such an idea, then the Yun family is willing to gamble for it."
A bitter smile appeared on Yun Fei's face, "The Yun family has the strength to say such words, but... Old Eighth's temperament is unsuitable for that position. Even if he were to ascend it, he wouldn't be able to hold it steady. Why bother?"
Lin Shi understood the Eighth Prince well—too pure, too kind.
Royal descendants typically develop cunning from five or six years old, but the Eighth Prince, at ten years old, remained as innocent as could be.
She spoke up, "Then let's follow Chu'er's advice. You should apply for the Eighth Prince's enfeoffment and fiefdom early, so he can leave the capital, this den of trouble, as soon as possible."
Yun Fei's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she nodded in agreement.
Old Eighth was now ten years old; he would need to be at least twelve to be enfeoffed as a prince. She still had at least two years... she needed to plan carefully.
After leaving Yun Fei's tent, Yun Chu and Lin Shi returned to their respective tents.
They were not members of the royal family, so their tents were located in another area.
Yun Chu had just entered her tent and was about to wash up when Qiutong lifted the curtain and came in, "Madam, Prince Pingxi requests your presence outside to discuss something."
It was already late in the Xu hour; most people were tired and had long since retired, making the area around the tents very quiet.
Yun Chu didn't know why Prince Pingxi had come to see her so late.
But if there was something important to discuss, this was indeed the best time, as they wouldn't be seen by others.
She changed into a dark-colored outfit and stepped out of the tent. Cheng Xu, Chu Yi's attendant, was waiting at the entrance. Seeing her, he respectfully said, "Madam Xie, this way please."
He walked ahead with his head lowered, inwardly grumbling.
Their prince had always been a gentleman; in all the time he had served the prince, he had never seen him arrange a private meeting with a woman.
Even if there were matters of great importance to discuss, it shouldn't be at such a late hour, and it shouldn't be in such a remote place... If not for his trust in the prince's character, he might have suspected the prince of intending some improper act.
Yun Chu followed Cheng Xu to a lake in the mountains.
The area was lush with vegetation, knee-high grass surrounding the lake. The water reflected the moonlight and sparse stars, and a torch stuck in the ground nearby crackled as it burned.
Cheng Xu bowed his head and withdrew, while Qiutong stood guard at a distance.
Only Yun Chu and Chu Yi remained.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Chu Yi turned around, "No need for formalities.""Last time General Yun asked me to find you a weapon. I searched high and low but couldn't find anything suitable for a woman, so I had one custom-made." He handed over the object in his hand. "See if you like it."
"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."
Yun Chu truly hadn't expected it to be a weapon delivered to her.
She took the object - it was an exquisite short sword, about the length of a woman's elbow, capable of being concealed in a sleeve.
Drawing the sword from its sheath, the blade gleamed with silver moonlight, revealing a chilling sharpness.
She tested its weight - the short sword felt perfectly balanced in her hand. Plucking a strand of hair, she swept the blade through it, and the hair severed effortlessly.
"My thanks, Your Highness!"
Yun Chu genuinely liked this well-suited weapon and couldn't resist testing it a few more times.
"Miss Yun, this short sword has an additional hidden feature."
"What feature?"
Yun Chu was so absorbed in examining the weapon that she completely failed to notice he had changed how he addressed her.
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