Chapter 68: I Hate Pipa the Most

Chapter 68: I Hate Pipa the Most

The hermit has his own ingenious plan...

Could a couple's quarrel lead to victory?

I doubt it. At best, it might lower Bi Luhun's guard. But if we fail to catch our prey, we're bound to lose. Even if we succeed, it's still likely a loss. No matter how much they assist, if the main general isn't up to par, we can't match that dog, Bi Luhun!

Wen Ruan: "You're too loud. Let's go."

Fang Rui: ...

In his moment of unguardedness, he had blurted out what he was thinking!

Wen Ruan waited for a moment, tilting his head slightly. "Why haven't you left yet?"

Fang Rui blinked. "Are you serious?"

Wen Ruan: "Otherwise?"

Fang Rui couldn't believe it. "You chose me to help you, and now you don't want me anymore?"

"It's not that I don't want you," Wen Ruan said as he rode closer, lowering his voice meaningfully. "It's clear that Little Marquis Fang's talent astounds the world, his martial prowess is extraordinary, and his courage and intelligence are unparalleled. You're capable of shouldering greater responsibilities and handling more important matters." He leaned in closer, speaking earnestly. "What you have to do is the most crucial. You mustn't be careless."

Fang Rui was stunned. "I... I have another task to accomplish?"

How come he didn't know about this himself?

Wen Ruan gestured for him to lean down, then whispered something in his ear.

Fang Rui: ...

His expression was indescribable as he looked at his good friend with a complex gaze. "A-Ruan, tell me the truth. You're not trying to get rid of me because you find me annoying, right?"

Wen Ruan wore an expression of righteousness. "A noble marquis like yourself, how could you lack confidence? Whether I win or not depends entirely on you!"

Fang Rui rubbed his face. "Alright then."

Everyone in the capital knew how handsome A-Ruan was, especially when he smiled. He seemed gentle and warm, like the sun in April. Only those close to him knew that this guy was actually quite cunning, full of tricks. The things he arranged, which seemed unrelated at first, would only reveal themselves as brilliant moves at the last minute. It was probably the same now.

Although he didn't understand it, listening to A-Ruan was always right!

Instead of eating this couple's dog food here, he'd rather ride away. He loved riding horses! If he gave Young Master Huo some face... after all, New Year's Day wasn't far off, and he had a whole cart of fine wine!

"I'm leaving then! Nanxing and Lan Tian, protect the young master!" Fang Rui declared spiritedly, ready to dash out.

"Wait."

Wen Ruan pulled him back. "We need to be discreet. When we separate, circle around the three spies sent by the envoys without letting them know."

Fang Rui: ...

What did you take martial artists for? Why didn't you remind me earlier? They've been talking for so long; who knows if someone might have overheard!

But Wen Ruan smiled and shook his head, gently patting his shoulder. "Prince Jian and I are having an argument, aren't we?"

During an argument, anything is possible. The more intentional it seems, the less suspicious it becomes. The most critical words were whispered softly into Fang Rui's ear, so even Nanxing might not have heard. How could the distant supervisors possibly overhear?

Fang Rui understood. So, they had to act, huh?

He instantly put on a bitter and resentful face, gritting his teeth. "You deliberately shooed me away, telling me to cool off elsewhere. You just didn't want me to ruin your alone time together! Do you think I enjoy doing these menial tasks for you, unable to carry a bow and arrow? Hmph, I'd rather play by myself, going wherever I please!"

"Yah!"

He spurred his horse and ran off, disappearing quickly from sight.

The three distant supervisors from the envoy didn't bother to intervene. Their mission today was to watch Wen Ruan and prevent anyone from helping him shoot arrows during the hunt. If others turned against each other and scattered, it was good news for them. Why would they stop Fang Rui?

As long as he didn't use a bow to help Wen Ruan cheat, everything was fine.

On Wen Ruan's side, they didn't eat quietly, feasting on roasted wild chicken instead.

Nanxing was more perceptive, knowing how to avoid trouble. Lan Tian, however, was a bit pitiful. When his master was disliked, he would inevitably suffer as well. If they were doing normal work, Wen Ruan would tolerate him, but if he wanted to seize the opportunity to speak well of his master... then he shouldn't be around either.

Zhu Yan: ...

What on earth happened yesterday afternoon! He returned to his tent late at night, and A-Ruan showed no signs of abnormality, nor did he say anything. Zhu Yan thought A-Ruan was worried about his hardships and didn't want to burden him.

At the hour of Wei yesterday afternoon, the main event began.

Neither Zhu Yan nor Wen Ruan expected to encounter Bi Luhun so soon, but Bi Luhun did. Now that the advantage was clearly on his side, he naturally wanted to crush this couple completely, creating a one-sided battle. Zhu Yan and Wen Ruan didn't want to fight, so they had to find a direction to evade. Thus, they fled while he pursued, resulting in a comically dramatic scene.

"What's the point of hunting prey, chasing and pursuing? That's what dogs are for. Noble Prince Jian, don't just float along. Do something useful, will you?"

Wen Ruan, lacking stamina and afraid of the cold, wanted to slack off even during the hunt. Why would he want to run continuously? He directly dispatched Zhu Yan to divert Bi Luhun's attention, leading him away to another location.

However, his words carried a hint of sarcasm.

What could Zhu Yan do? His consort was his responsibility, and he had to indulge her. He charged out on his horse to do the work.

His martial prowess was undeniable, coupled with the accumulated resentment from before. He could easily hold the line, preventing thousands from advancing, using his strength to control the entire envoy, allowing his consort to rest and play as she pleased.

The officials of Da Li, who hadn't entered the forest but were watching closely: ...

The other members of the envoy, who also hadn't entered the forest but were observing, were much more smug.

"In such a narrow encounter, wouldn't they normally spar? Why is only Prince Jian engaging, while the princess has run off? Could it be... she's scared?"

"What's so strange about that? The princess obviously hasn't participated in a proper hunt before. She doesn't dare shoot large game and only dares to shoot small game when it's right in front of her. So far, she's only managed to catch a few wild chickens, which she's roasting to eat. How could she dare to clash with the leader?"

"Tsk tsk, how pitiful indeed. Without any real skill, he still agreed to this wager. Look at our leader; how many trophies does he have already? How could he not be afraid? Even with Prince Jian as his husband to help, what difference does it make? He's still going to lose! Regardless."

On the Da Li side, even if their hearts were filled with uncertainty, they couldn't afford to show weakness. A young official immediately retorted,

"Surely you can't be that forgetful, right? You don't remember that the competition ends only tomorrow evening? Let me think about it—how many times have certain people suffered similar losses at the hands of Prince Jian? Thinking they held the upper hand, they charged in recklessly, only to be lured into strategic traps from which they couldn't escape?"

"What use is having many trophies if you don't send them back for display? So many that you're almost unable to carry them? Wouldn't that hinder your hunting for the rest of the event? Even my servant's foolish son knows better."

"It's good to underestimate us. The more you underestimate us, the easier we'll win..."

The verbal sparring between the two sides was intense, far more exciting than the actual hunting competition in the forest. But deep down, everyone was uncertain, especially the young people on the Da Li side. They were nearly at their wits' end. What was wrong with His Highness, Prince Jian? He had never been so gentlemanly before. Why was he being so fair now, not resorting to any underhanded tactics or cheating?

That's your princess consort, your bedmate! How could you bear to watch him lose like this!

What should we do... With Princess Consort Jian's archery skills, none of us dare to open our eyes and watch. How could we possibly win?

Wait... What does this new information mean? Assassins?

Indeed, an unexpected event occurred in the forest.

A fierce tiger, disturbed by the commotion, charged into the battle between Bi Luhun and Zhu Yan, causing chaos. Immediately after, masked assassins also entered the fray, engaging both Bi Luhun and Zhu Yan.

They attacked Bi Luhun and then Zhu Yan, without any clear order or division of the battlefield. It was a dizzying scene, making it impossible to discern who these assassins were targeting.

Wen Ruan wasn't too far away, watching from horseback with his arms crossed: "Just two waves of assassins, just two targets... Interesting."

Nanxing and Lan Tian exchanged a knowing glance.

Lan Tian moved her lips silently: Did the princess consort do this on purpose? Did she anticipate it?

Nanxing took a deep breath: Otherwise? Could it be that they really had a quarrel, to disrupt the prince's composure, allowing others to take advantage and kill the prince?

Lan Tian: ...

So the princess consort didn't dislike the prince, but rather wanted to create an opportunity to see who would 'take advantage' of the situation? Could it be that the prince also saw through it and was intentionally cooperating?

When it comes to playing games, you two are truly unmatched.

Lan Tian composed herself, determined to sharpen her instincts in this area. She couldn't let Nanxing outdo her!

The appearance of the assassins was sudden, and their attempts to deliver a decisive blow were fierce. However, once this initial attempt failed, their momentum was significantly reduced. Zhu Yan had been prepared all along; there was no way he would stumble here. Before long, he overpowered the assassin, broke out of the battle circle, and returned to Wen Ruan's side.

He reined his horse next to Wen Ruan, leaning close, his voice low and soft: "Ah Ruan, how cruel of you to push your husband into danger like that, without a hint of concern."

Wen Ruan rode forward a few steps, his clear eyes looking back at him, his expression unchanged: "No, I simply don't like you."

Zhu Yan: ...

Wen Ruan snorted: "You don't need me anyway. All you've ever wanted is a perfect pipa."

What nonsense?

Zhu Yan: "Ah Ruan doesn't... dislike the pipa?"

Wen Ruan glared at him: "Yes, I hate the pipa, absolutely hate it!"

With that, he turned and left.

Zhu Yan: ...

Lan Tian noticed the approaching assassins: "Master, shall we continue fighting?"

Zhu Yan couldn't allow the assassins to bypass him and chase after Wen Ruan. He raised the sword he had seized from the assassin, rode forward, and engaged the assassins again.

This time, he didn't intend to disengage from the battle circle but to completely eliminate the assassins!

He was going to cut off the battlefield, providing no assistance to Bi Luhun's side. If he didn't teach these bastards a lesson, how would they learn?

Pipa...

As Zhu Yan fought, he pondered these two words. What did he miss last night?

Today's assassins were somewhat lacking in power. Zhu Yan handled them calmly, and even Bi Luhun emerged relatively unscathed, with only a cut on his arm that required bandaging.

He laughed loudly and shouted towards Wen Ruan in the distance—

"Princess Consort Jian! Why are you running so fast? Scared by a few bandits? Oh—you don't have many trophies either, do you? Are you giving up because you know you're going to lose? Actually, if you beg me, I might give you some face. After all, you are skilled; you did invent the new salt, didn't you? Would you like me to let you win, to make your loss look less humiliating? I have no other demands, just one thing—stab Prince Jian once, how about that?"

"You're dreaming!" Wen Ruan sneered.

Bi Luhun narrowed his eyes, riding forward to ensure Wen Ruan could hear him: "I heard that your Prince Jian isn't honest. He has a lover outside—no, wait, they knew each other before you. How could they be considered a lover? Clearly, it's you, Wen Ruan, who stole someone else's marriage, forcing Prince Jian to marry you! No wonder you don't want to stab Prince Jian. Wen Ruan, listen to my advice. Men who can't control their desires are dogs. There's no future with him. Why not try a different life?"

Wen Ruan sneered. Now he knew who sent that damn pipa.

And this dog of a man—

He turned around, glaring coldly at Zhu Yan. What kind of womanizing deeds had he done that everyone outside knew about?

Zhu Yan: ...

He had a rough idea of what had happened.

He threw his long sword, which landed precisely in front of Bi Luhun's horse hooves—

"Daring to set me up like this, you must have thought about the consequences?"

"So what? Is Prince Jian thinking of killing me? Do you dare?" Bi Luhun laughed wildly, "What if I mess with you? I've sent people to kill you more than once or twice. You know it, and you've also set traps for me. We're both equally dirty; don't complain about each other's methods! At least I gave you a brief romantic encounter, enriching your experience. Only now can you coax an inexperienced young man to become your princess consort. You should thank me!"

After shouting loudly, he looked at Wen Ruan again: "Young master, you should see him clearly now? The man beside you isn't a righteous and pure-hearted man. He's full of tricks, deceiving innocent and pure young men like you!"

"In my opinion, you should leave him; it's meaningless to stay. Why not come with me to the Northern Di? Our lands are vast and open, free and easy. We may lack certain qualities, but with your miraculous ability to create wonders, what do you fear of scarcity? Live as you please, favor whomever you wish, how delightful isn't it?"

Bi Luhun was trying to stir up trouble, but he didn't intend to push too hard. After saying this, he rode away on his horse: "Young Master, consider it. I'll come back to find you!"

Zhu Yan: ...

Meanwhile, two people emerged from the rear tents: Wen Yu and Jing Yuqing.

Wen Yu said he wanted to take Jing Yuqing to a place, but Jing Yuqing wasn't very willing: "Why go into the woods? We aren't among those participating in today's hunt..."

"We're not carrying bows or arrows, nor do we intend to hunt. We won't venture deep, just at the edge of the forest, what does it matter?" Wen Yu didn't want to offend Jing Yuqing or make him unhappy. In good conscience, everything he did was for someone!

Still, he had to coax gently, smiling all the while: "I know Brother Qing has been bound by many constraints in the past, etching the etiquette of a gentleman into his bones, never crossing the line lightly. But Brother Qing is a free spirit at heart, loving travel, yearning for the grandeur of heaven and earth... With such talent and virtue, you shouldn't be overlooked by the world."

Jing Yuqing's expression softened slightly.

"Brother Qing will surely not be a man of unappreciated talent in the future. You will pass the spring examinations, soar high, and succeed. Now is merely the wrong time, don't let yourself be trapped by the ways of the world. I... I only hope you're happy, that even in these trying times, there can still be bright memories, things worth remembering..."

Wen Yu reached out, unfastening the buttons on his robe: "Doesn't Brother Qing want to?"

It must be said, Wen Yu had a handsome appearance, and he was in his prime. When he intentionally tried to entice, the springtime passion revealed in his brows and eyes was enough to make anyone standing before him lose control.

Jing Yuqing's gaze deepened slightly, looking around. No one was there, it was quiet: "But it's very cold, and you're afraid of the cold."

Wen Yu didn't want to do this either, but he had already upset Jing Yuqing before. He needed to act quickly, maximizing efficiency to get Jing Yuqing to listen to him again. Moreover, the timing was about right. Later, it wouldn't be convenient for him to call Jing Yuqing out again. Waiting for so long without doing anything would surely lead Jing Yuqing to become unhappy and leave soon. Of course, he had to think of something...

He gritted his teeth, smiling tenderly and seductively: "Brother Qing can warm me up."