1. Hunting

The ground trembled, and I stood up from the couch, brushing off the folds of my clothing and adjusting my waist. The sound of hooves echoed, and soon the Emperor, surrounded by the Feathered Forest Army, was galloping towards me.

"Hmm." Liu Yang replied casually, taking his sister's hand and walking step by step towards the lakeside.

Although they tried to suppress their voices, the noise of the crowd ultimately startled the wild ducks resting on the lake's surface. At the moment the arrow was released from the bow, a series of flapping sounds echoed across the lake.

The Emperor has returned!" Liu Yang suddenly interjected

Seeing her anxious and uneasy demeanor, akin to a mouse encountering a cat, she had completely lost the lively and cheerful spirit she had just moments ago, and in my heart, a sense of reluctance and tenderness suddenly arose

Guo Shengtong, who was resting in the jade carriage, heard the news and gracefully descended from the vehicle, accompanied by a group of attendants with gentle laughter and conversation. Liu Xiu did not dismount, but stood firm on his horse, dressed in a dark blue patterned robe, looking up with a smile at his wife. Following them was a hunting carriage, as the young Crown Prince Liu Qiang was still too young to ride a horse, so he accompanied them in the carriage for this hunting trip

With a whoosh, Liu Qiang's arrow was released, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, it successfully struck a wild duck that was preening its feathers ten zhang away. As the wild duck fell, it startled another companion nearby, causing it to take flight.

A few years ago, when she was still young, she could use her ignorance as an excuse to evade responsibility. However, in recent years, as she has grown older, she has continued to be a source of concern. Her lack of virtue reflects poorly on the royal family's reputation, which has led her biological mother to express her discontent regarding the matter.

As they spoke, Liu Yi Wang had eagerly fetched her bow and arrows. At the age of eight, this set was crafted more like a toy for children playing house.

"Fourth Brother! Fourth Brother!" The righteous prince ran over from the lakeside, lifting the hem of his skirt and bouncing along. The new clothes he had just changed into in the morning were already in a disheveled state by this time. "Fourth Brother—come! Shoot one for them to see. Clearly, it is Second Brother and Third Brother who lack skill, yet they still blame me..."

Shh! Silence!

"Fourth Brother!" The Prince of Yi wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, poking his little head out, and curiously asked, "The Crown Prince is really impressive, isn't he?"

No wonder he was excited; in fact, I was even more excited. That boy Liu Yang was deliberately showing off, as he shot and hit a duck that was ten zhang away instead of choosing a closer target.

Just as I took two steps forward, I immediately came to a halt, my palms slightly damp. The righteous king instinctively recoiled behind me, and I embraced her, placing my hand on her slender shoulder

Liu Yang's footsteps suddenly came to a halt. He did not turn back, but called out to the person behind him in a perfectly measured tone: "Yiwang, come here, brother will teach you how to hunt ducks"

Liu Qiang's hunting cart was adorned with many mountain chickens and wild birds. Although they could not be considered significant game, for an underage child, such a harvest is indeed commendable. Despite being the crown prince, he was still only thirteen years old, and occasionally displayed some childishness. I watched from a distance as Liu Xiu conversed with Guo Shengtong, gesturing towards Liu Qiang while speaking. Guo Shengtong's smile grew even more radiant, and Liu Qiang, feeling quite pleased with himself, took down the game hanging from the hunting cart and jumped off the cart to present it to his mother

"What a fool!" Liu Yang observed this scene in its entirety and then let out a disdainful sneer.

At this moment, Liu Qiang had just presented his catch to the Empress Mother and was being dragged by his younger brother Liu Fu to the lakeside. Liu Fu gestured towards the wild ducks swimming in the center of the lake, occasionally mumbling a few words, which made Liu Qiang burst into laughter

At this moment, Liu Yang had brought his younger sister to the lakeside, where Liu Qiang was focused on hunting ducks. Liu Yang did not rudely approach to pay his respects and disturb him; instead, he waved and called over a young attendant, whispering a few instructions in his ear

Such a bare and direct gaze, utterly unmasked, truly makes my heart race. Just as I was about to speak up to interrupt his daze, unexpectedly, he suddenly stepped forward.

The flock of ducks, which was originally fighting for food, was suddenly thrown into chaos; some flew away while others ran, causing water droplets to splash across the lake's surface. The sudden commotion left onlookers with no time to pay attention to what kind of wild duck His Fourth Highness had shot with his sister's toy bow and arrow.

I did not look up, my gaze still fixed on Liu Yang. Indeed, he released his grip, and the arrow, crafted from a slender bamboo pole, flew forth with a whoosh, piercing straight through the neck of a wild duck.

"Ah!" The prince's expression changed, and he was so frightened that he let go of his hand, his small hands tugging at his hair, then at his disheveled clothes and skirt. "Mother! Mother! Please help me see, is this okay? Is this okay?"

While a standoff was about to ensue here, Liu Yang over there casually stroked his bow and arrow, tested the elasticity of the bowstring, and then surprisingly began to nock an arrow and draw the bow in a seemingly serious manner

There!

I saw it

The righteous king said, "You are trying to deceive me again!"

Only a prince can truly understand what it means to experience pressure

I redirected my gaze, unintentionally disregarding the playful antics of the children as they teased the cat and chased the dog, and instead found myself more intrigued by the child beside me, who sat upright and composed.

Why not go hunting with your brothers

Liu Fu smiled and said, "My sister, is that a bow and arrow you are holding? You might as well return to the palace and play with those little chicks and ducklings raised by the Grand Minister."

The onlookers cheered incessantly, and Liu Fu and Liu Ying couldn't help but clap their hands in admiration, repeatedly expressing their approval

The righteous king glared at him fiercely, puffing her cheeks and shouted, "Dare you mock my bow and arrow? This was personally made for me by Father Emperor, do you have one? Do you have one?" She made a face and stuck out her tongue, saying, "If you have the ability, have Father Emperor make one for you too!"

In a moment, the young eunuch turned around, followed by seven or eight inner court attendants, each carrying a ceramic jar in their arms. Liu Yang glanced at them, waved his hand to indicate, and then these individuals immediately dispersed, leaving two to stand by the shore, while the others jumped onto two small boats.

She and I, like thieves, quietly lingered behind this group of youths. Neither Liu Qiang nor Liu Fu noticed my arrival; only Liu Ying caught a glimpse of me. When he was about to call out, I gestured for him to be silent, and he immediately understood, pursing his lips and lowering his head.

Although the bow and arrow are small, their presence is truly not to be underestimated. I suddenly sensed something and was about to speak out to stop it, but unexpectedly, a hand landed on my shoulder, and a deep voice chuckled, saying: "Let it be!"

Liu Qiang once again drew his bow and nocked an arrow, yet this time the target was not easy to find. The wild ducks, which were nearby, were at least thirteen or fourteen zhang away from the shore. He held the bow and arrow, scanning back and forth several times, but he hesitated to release the arrow.

At this moment, even Liu Qiang could not help but put down his bow and arrow, quietly observing what tricks the fourth brother was up to.

"Indeed! Father has returned!" Liu Yang stared blankly into the distance and pointed with his hand.

Just like her name—Liu Yi Wang! She seems more suited to be a boy!

Liu Ying presented the bow and arrows in a flattering manner from the side

The wild ducks on the lake are gathering in greater numbers, yet they are also swimming further away

The righteous king still held onto his sleeve, exerting great effort to drag him to the lakeside

After the disturbance, the flock of ducks continued to circle in the air, while three or four bold ones dared to rest on the surface of the lake, but they swam far away. By my estimation, the distance from the shore to where the ducks landed is at least ten zhang away

The hand on his shoulder trembled slightly, and Liu Xiu let out a low "oh," appearing both surprised and invigorated

"It's your fault again!" A head popped out from the bushes, turning around fiercely and saying, "I really don't understand why you insist on following us."

As tensions escalated and it seemed a quarrel was about to break out, the guards and court officials who had been lying in the grass and scattered around quickly gathered together, with several of them pleading and coaxing to de-escalate the situation

Before the scolding was finished, a light punch landed on the chest. A little girl dressed in a pale green straight-cut robe jumped out from the bushes, exclaiming, "Stop talking nonsense! Clearly, it was you who were clumsy..." She stood up, only slightly taller than the two young gentlemen in brocade who were crouching, yet she possessed an undeniable aura of fearlessness.

However, I knew that Liu Xiu had noticed it, and not only Liu Xiu, but also the Crown Prince Liu Qiang, who was beside Liu Yang, had noticed it as well. His expression gradually changed from initial surprise to a serious demeanor.

The Princess Yi is unfortunate, for her status as the eldest daughter places a greater burden on her compared to her younger sisters; yet, she is also fortunate, as she has not yet been conferred a title, and even if one day she is granted the title of princess, it would only be alongside the feudal lords, ultimately not as a male heir

This child... truly does not spare others any worry at all

Liu Yang was being tugged by his younger sister's dirty little hand, leaving two blurred handprints on his sleeve. He had a well-known obsession with cleanliness and preferred to dress himself in a manner that was dignified yet elegant, especially in occasions like the present. However, he merely glanced at the soiled sleeve and did not shake off his sister's hand.

I sighed helplessly in my heart; it seems that tomorrow I must take care to properly teach this nephew a lesson—this kid is too full of himself and loves to show off too much

"It is time to teach the Grand Princess the proper etiquette and conduct." The Queen had repeated this phrase more than once, but each time it was deftly sidestepped by the Emperor with a smile.

Out of curiosity about what he was up to, I decided to abandon my attention to the movements of Liu Xiu and Guo Shengtong, and I lifted my skirt to walk towards the lakeside.

Liu Fu found it uninteresting and, feeling dissatisfied, said: "That was merely a game set up by Father Emperor for your amusement; how could it possibly be taken seriously as hunting animals?"

After asking twice without receiving a response, I turned my head and found Liu Yang staring ahead, his eyes bright and intense, as if two flames were flickering and burning within his dark pupils

I gently played with her damp forehead hair with my fingers, then waved my hand, and immediately, several palace maids and eunuchs gathered around to undo her braid and re-style her hair. She no longer acted mischievously and obediently allowed them to arrange and groom her.

The little girl has already celebrated her seventh birthday, yet she does not resemble a princess at all, being loud and boisterous all day long. She is the eldest daughter of the emperor and should be a model for all girls in the nation, but unfortunately, she is even less refined than the daughters of ordinary families. I feel somewhat helpless and overwhelmed by her tomboyish personality. If she were not born into royalty, if she were just an ordinary girl, I would not impose too many restrictions on her spirited and lively nature. Unfortunately, she is a princess, destined to be extraordinary from birth.

Liu Fu, playing by the lakeside, saw his father and elder brother returning and excitedly dropped the bow and arrow in his hands, rushing forward. In contrast, Liu Ying stood by the lake, hesitating with an awkward expression, unsure whether to advance or retreat

The eunuchs rowed the small boat to about seventy or eighty zhang away before stopping, then they threw food towards the flock of ducks. In an instant, the surface of the lake was filled with quacking sounds, as the ducks flapped their wings and became excited, creating a commotion. The small boat quietly rowed back, gradually leading the wild ducks in large numbers towards the shore. Finally, the people in the small boat stopped feeding, and two young attendants on the shore took over, continuing to throw crumbs of cakes into the air.

The little clever one rolled his eyes, and when our gazes met, it seemed he guessed what I was worried about. He couldn't help but become stubborn again: "I am not afraid of Mother, I am afraid of her nagging. Every time she nags, it is Father who helps me out... But Mother, look, now Father has gone horseback riding to hunt in the mountains, and he won't be back for a while. What if..."

"Fourth brother, it's all thanks to you!" Liu Qiang praised as he punched Liu Yang playfully, "Indeed, you are the best at using your brain."

A smile blossomed involuntarily on my face as I slowly approached him

He turned his head, and a look of surprise mixed with amusement passed over his youthful face: "Mother must be joking, is that really considered hunting?"

Regarding this matter, I believe no one understands it better than the seemingly innocent yet actually clever and precocious youth beside me. Even Liu Fu and Liu Ying, who are two years older than him, are currently more focused on how to indulge in mischief and playfulness.

"Be careful, my dear, you might wet your shoes." Chen Min pretended to assist, but I waved my hand, signaling her to remain silent

"Go! Go! Fourth Brother, help me shoot one!" The Prince of Yi exerted all his strength to try to drag him over.

I suppressed my laughter and felt a sense of admiration, yet I did not reveal any emotion on my face

Liu Fu and Liu Ying, unable to wait for Liu Yang, took it upon themselves to stand by the shore and shoot arrows. However, considering their young age and limited strength, they were unable to achieve much distance, let alone accuracy. After more than a dozen attempts, Liu Fu showed some promise, as one of his arrows nearly struck a dazed duck. At the same time the arrowhead plunged into the water, it also frightened away the wild ducks.

As Liu Fu cheered with joy, Liu Yang smiled and patted Yi Wang on the shoulder, saying, "Go and fetch your little bow and arrow"

"Really?" The righteous king was indeed swayed, or perhaps she saw her protector returning and completely forgot the fear of her mother's nagging, thus she rushed forward with excitement. "I have a bow and arrows, although... they are a bit small, but Father said they can still injure people"

With a sudden rush, it soared into the sky, its wings beating against the water's surface, leaving only a few ripples behind. In mid-air, feathers drifted down, landing on the water's surface, and ultimately, the rippling patterns of the water returned to tranquility as they spread outward in layers

Liu Yang chuckled to himself, and I shot him a glance, pulling the terrified Yi Wang closer: "So you finally know to restrain yourself, but what about all that wild behavior before?"

He lowered his head and quietly gazed at his sister, who was drenched in sweat, and suddenly said with utmost seriousness, "The Empress has arrived"