Chapter 44

Chapter 44

The following day marked the traditional highlight of the autumn hunt.

Each year, noble families would send their eligible young men to participate, all for this very day. The emperor himself would assess their horsemanship and archery, seeking out exceptional talents in martial arts.

Even if one didn't claim the top prize, a striking performance in any discipline could catch the emperor's eye. Not every noble family, after all, enjoyed the glory it outwardly projected. With only the eldest legitimate son inheriting the title, many younger sons, upon reaching adulthood, found themselves without official positions, relying solely on family support—a common plight.

And so, each year, the grand competition saw outstanding young men granted official posts or bestowed with imperial favors.

Originally, this was a rather informal affair, with even the first-place prize dependent on the emperor's mood that particular year.

But then, one year, it was said that the Empress’s young male relatives had come of age and were to compete. The Empress wished to observe in person, and to ensure her presence didn't draw undue attention, the Emperor decreed that any accompanying female relatives who wished to watch were welcome to attend. This soon became a custom, and the event grew increasingly grand.

The rewards also became standardized: the top contender would invariably be granted an official position by the emperor, often within the Imperial Guard—a role both prestigious and secure. Consequently, the competition became even more fiercely sought after.

Upon arrival, Ming Tang and Mrs. Pei proceeded to the women’s viewing area, situated on one side of the proving grounds. Seated behind Mrs. Pei, Ming Tang observed the scene below with a curious gaze. Though she had accompanied the Ming family to the hunting grounds several times before, her mother had never permitted her to visit the proving grounds themselves. Thus, she had never had the opportunity to witness young men displaying their prowess in the arena.

From her elevated position, Ming Tang commanded a clear view.

The guards patrolling the perimeter wore identical armor, their formations meticulously precise, dutifully inspecting anyone who approached the entrance. The young men preparing to compete were dressed in splendid attire, their demeanor exuding an air of carefree elegance.

Pei Yue had reverted to his customary black attire today. Ming Tang had initially expected him to blend into the background, but a casual glance revealed that, far from being inconspicuous, he stood out strikingly amidst the array of colors, exuding a composed dignity that made the other young noblemen, close to his age, appear almost childish by comparison.

Lin Ancheng, the twenty-one-year-old fourth son of the Marquis of Xingguo and Pei Yue’s youngest cousin, shared the same thought.

Pointing at Pei Yue, he exclaimed loudly, “Didn’t you change your habits after getting married and start dressing up? You made us all look so drab that we had to dig out our best clothes from our trunks, and now you’re back in black!”

Nan Wang playfully swung his horsewhip. “Lin means that if you had dressed up today, it would be one thing. But you didn’t even try, and you still outshone us, making us look even worse. And with all the noble ladies watching today, I bet there’ll be some unhappy wives when we get home tonight.”

“Good thing I had the foresight not to bring my wife,” boomed a voice. The speaker was a tall, broad-shouldered man with a thick, bushy beard, his voice carrying far and wide.

Though he appeared to be in his thirties, he was only twenty-six, keeping the beard to project an air of authority. He was Wan Pengyi, son of the Commander-in-Chief of Yulin, currently serving in the Divine Pivot Battalion. As Pei Jun had once led troops in Yulin, he was acquainted with Wan, and consequently held a favorable impression of Pei Yue.

As they playfully teased Pei Yue about his appearance, he didn't try to stop them, occasionally joining in the banter. Amidst their laughter, the Duke of Yu's heir arrived with his entourage.

The Duke of Yu's heir, now well into his thirties, had not inherited his father’s martial prowess, instead appearing refined and scholarly. Upon arrival, he went directly to Pei Yue, pulling him aside to a slightly more secluded spot. In a low voice, he offered his apologies: “My mother was swayed by malicious gossip yesterday and spoke some rather unpleasant words under the guise of the auspicious omen. I sincerely hope you can overlook it.”

No sooner had he spoken than his younger brother’s voice, ever eager for drama, rang out: “It’s been two years since Crown Prince Pei last competed, hasn’t it? I wonder if his horsemanship and archery are still as good as they once were?”

Having just apologized for his mother, the Duke of Yu’s heir could only offer a wry smile as his younger brother once again provoked Pei Yue. Pei Yue shook his head and responded clearly, “Now that I hold an official post, it wouldn’t be proper for me to compete with everyone else.”

He patted the Duke of Yu’s heir on the arm, signaling that he took no offense.

Pei Yue, born into the Duke of Dingguo’s household, had learned horsemanship and archery under his elder brother’s tutelage from a young age. After uncovering certain past events, he trained even more diligently. While his peers were still merely frolicking in courtyards, Pei Yue was already riding gentle ponies around the proving grounds.

Once he reached an appropriate age and his physique was sufficiently robust, he began training with various weapons, with archery being a paramount focus.

At fifteen, Pei Yue entered the competition for the first time and claimed first place. He repeated this feat for the next two years, each time requesting alternative rewards from the emperor due to his youth, prompting the emperor to quip, “The runners-up these past two years must be secretly fuming.” It wasn't until the sudden upheaval in the Duke of Dingguo’s household that Pei Yue ceased competing, allowing others to finally claim the top spot.

His words brought back memories for many. Seeing Pei Yue’s calm demeanor, some grew anxious, hoping he wouldn’t rise to the bait and change his mind.

Others, having never witnessed his skills firsthand, suspected his legend might be exaggerated—perhaps due to his family’s influence—and secretly hoped he would compete, seeing it as a chance to make a name for themselves by outdoing him.

Amidst the lively atmosphere, several princes arrived at the proving grounds. Noticing the crowd, they decided to approach together.

After the formal greetings, Prince Jin was the first to speak: “What’s all the chatter about? It sounds quite lively.”

As the emperor’s eldest son, his question was promptly answered, with someone quickly recounting the earlier exchange in detail.

Prince Jin perked up with interest. “Oh?” He turned to Pei Yue. “I’d hoped to witness your famed arrow technique today—the one that doesn’t harm the auspicious animal.”

Since the princes’ arrival, Pei Yue had composed himself. At this question, he smiled. “It was merely a lucky shot—the arrowhead had been removed. My archery is nothing extraordinary.”

An arrow without a head? Prince Chu, standing behind, glanced at Pei Yue. Tall and handsome, Pei Yue’s appearance naturally made him likable. Yet the prince felt a pang of irritation—no wonder his subordinates had reported someone shooting a messenger pigeon with an arrow lacking a head, allowing the bird to escape injured but alive, recovering after some time.

Though the pigeon hadn’t carried any sensitive information, raising no concerns about leaks, messenger pigeons were hard to train, and he hadn’t brought many to the hunt... Biting back his irritation, Prince Chu chimed in: “Such modesty might make those you defeated in past years resentful.”

Sensing the mood and seeing two princes take his side, Yu Gaoxuan, the third son of the Duke of Yu, grew even more excited, loudly urging Pei Yue to compete.

It was merely horsemanship and archery. With matters having reached this point, Pei Yue no longer declined. “Very well, I’ll give it a try.”

Prince Jin laughed heartily and clapped Pei Yue’s shoulder. “I look forward to seeing Crown Prince Pei claim first place.” With that, he left for his seat.

Soon, the emperor arrived at the proving grounds, taking his place on the grand dais and signaling the start with a wave.

A horn sounded, and the young men waiting at the sidelines entered the field one after another.

The emperor’s gaze paused. “Pei Yue is competing too?”

Just yesterday, Pei Yue had mentioned he’d only attend for appearances before taking his family for a stroll around the hunting grounds.

Wang Shen, hearing this, summoned a servant from the proving grounds. After a brief exchange, he returned to the emperor’s side and bowed. “Crown Prince Pei initially had no intention of competing. It was the third son of the Duke of Yu who provoked him, and the two princes also expressed their wish for him to participate. Thus, he agreed.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Wang Shen didn’t specify which princes, and the emperor didn’t ask, as if the empire had only two princes, making the reference unambiguous. Having learned the reason, the emperor said no more, leaning back on his armrest to observe the proceedings below.

When the horn sounded a second time, dust clouds erupted on the field as pounding hooves filled the air. The competitors urged their mounts over obstacles, leaping and turning toward the finish line.

Pei Yue’s steed was a prized stallion, and his riding skills were superb. Clearing the obstacles first, he reached the finish line with ease, pausing to stroke his mount's neck before turning to watch Yu Gaoxuan arrive close behind.

From her seat among the women, Ming Tang distinctly heard several muffled gasps around her, followed by subtle glances directed her way. For some reason, she felt a surge of pride, unconsciously straightening her posture further.

Drawing a bow and firing an arrow required full concentration and relative stillness, making it far more popular among female spectators than the dust-churning equestrian events. As the competitors dismounted and took up their bows, the stands gradually quieted.

The men lined up in order, with Pei Yue positioned closest to the women’s viewing platform. Compared to the earlier horseback competition, his figure was now even clearer, and Ming Tang became increasingly aware of the sidelong looks around her.

This was her first time observing Pei Yue from this angle. Tracing his form with her gaze, she sighed inwardly: So, her self-control was rather impressive, wasn’t it?

Soon, the horn sounded. Pei Yue steadied his breath, drew an arrow, and pulled the bowstring taut. One arrow flew, then another in quick succession.

Ming Tang found herself focusing intently, the background blurring as Pei Yue’s figure sharpened. She even felt she could discern the design of the thumb ring he wore.

Then it struck her—hadn’t she personally chosen that ring for him this morning?

On the field, Pei Yue’s arrows streaked like meteors, each striking the bullseye. By the time he’d loosed ten, some competitors were only on their eighth shot.

With two indisputable first-place finishes, the spectators in the stands maintained decorum, refraining from loud cheers, but the soldiers watching below erupted in applause.

Amid the clamor, Pei Yue handed his bow to an attendant and, as if sensing something, turned his head—their gazes met. Ming Tang blinked in surprise, then smiled, clapping softly and raising both thumbs in approval.

Pei Yue couldn’t help but smile back. Only when he turned to bow toward the emperor’s dais did he realize something amiss: Had he just been treated like Pei Ze, coaxed with praise?

Recalling how Pei Ze would beam with delight after wheedling him into mimicking Ming Tang’s compliments, Pei Yue unconsciously touched his nose. Surely his own smile hadn’t been that obvious just now?

Meanwhile, those who had previously assumed Pei Yue’s proximity to the emperor was due solely to luck and a handsome face began revising their opinions: At the very least, Crown Prince Pei’s horsemanship and archery were undeniably exceptional.

And now, Wang Shen was reading the emperor’s decree: With the Commander of the Jinwu Guard recuperating at home and advanced in years, Pei Yue was promoted to fill the post.

At this point, the envious gazes of the crowd naturally fell upon Pei Yue.

Thinking that if he hadn’t spoken up, Pei Yue wouldn’t have competed today and thus missed this opportunity, Prince Jin felt greatly disappointed.

Prince Chu, watching Yu Gaoxuan—who had been beaten by Pei Yue in both events—standing dejected, head hung low, seemed thoughtful.

Yu Gaoxuan stood with his head lowered, expecting to receive only some token rewards from Wang Shen, but to his surprise, the emperor also assigned him a post—under Pei Yue’s command.

Once the appointment was announced, seeing Yu Gaoxuan seemingly frozen in place, some couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him: defeated by Pei Yue today, only to become his subordinate tomorrow. As fellow sons of noble houses, how humiliating was that?

The Duchess of Yu, recalling how her eldest son had tactfully corrected her the day before, realized that her words had likely offended the Pei family. Now, with her youngest son set to serve under Crown Prince Pei, she was filled with regret and thought to herself that she ought to send gifts to the Pei family later.

Otherwise, what if Crown Prince Pei gave her youngest son a hard time?

Come to think of it, who was she speaking to yesterday when the topic of the auspicious animal came up? Having met too many people yesterday, the Duchess of Yu now found herself unable to recall.

Meanwhile, as soon as the event concluded, Yu Gaoxuan sought out Pei Yue, who was standing by the carriage speaking with Ming Tang. With some awkwardness, he asked, “Crown Prince Pei, may I learn archery and horsemanship from you in the future?”

Pei Ze, who had been enthusiastically describing to Pei Yue how hard he had cheered for him during the competition, frowned when interrupted. He widened his eyes at this much taller stranger and asked, “Don’t you have your own uncle?”

Trying to steal A-Ze's uncle, huh?