Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Today's hunt was decreed by Emperor Xingwu. Regardless of whether it carried the deeper meaning of selecting a consort for Princess Qingyang, the participating military officers and scions of noble houses could seize this opportunity to showcase their horsemanship and archery before the emperor. With good fortune, they might be granted official positions or promotions; at the very least, they could make a name for themselves among the imperial family and court officials.

Thus, almost all fifty-two individuals pre-selected by Emperor Xingwu were determined to secure a high ranking. Meanwhile, Qin Bing, Deng Tai, and Fan Huaian, who relished the thrill of such martial contests but were either ineligible or too young, also requested to join. As for the Imperial Son-in-law Fu Kui, he hoped to achieve a good ranking to win the favor of his imperial father-in-law and regain an official post.

After Emperor Xingwu formally encouraged the competing young men, the fifty-six participants mounted their horses and lined up at the entrance of the hunting grounds. At the sound of the drum signaling the start, they galloped in.

The hunting grounds were vast, encompassing grasslands, hills, and forests. Those outside naturally could not clearly observe the hunting activities within; they were there to witness the final results. However, Emperor Xingwu had arranged for entertainers and musicians to perform, and palace servants from the Western Park brought their trained small animals to perform novel tricks. Additionally, the imperial kitchens provided fresh fruits and delicious pastries. Civil and military officials, along with their wives and maidens, engaged in their own conversations, ensuring both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves.

Yong Kang asked her younger sister with a smile, "Did Father give you any hints in advance about why he organized this hunting competition?"

Everyone had guessed it was related to her younger sister's marriage, and as the eldest sister, it was only natural for her to tease her about it.

Princess Qingyang shook her head calmly.

Meng Yao said, "Father must have already made up his mind to give Younger Sister a pleasant surprise."

Princess Yong Deng added, "Indeed, with over fifty fine, impressive young men, even closing your eyes and pointing would be a good choice, let alone the champion who emerges victorious."

After saying this, Deng Shi glanced at Yong Kang with a smile.

Yong Kang didn't take the bait. Although her father had arranged her marriage without consulting her wishes, Fu Daonian had helped put down the southern rebellion with the emperor and was one of the five marquises personally honored by the emperor. Fu Kui was also handsome and dashing, and wouldn't stand out among any of the men present today. In contrast, such a contest of arms and hunting was full of variables. What if the champion turned out to be a young military officer of humble origins or a noble's son like Fan Huaizhong, who was all looks and no substance? If the emperor bestowed the marriage on her younger sister, it might upset her; if he did not, it would seem unfair.

Duchess, Deng Chong's wife, took a piece of melon and added, "Wait, what if the champion is our Deng Tai?"

Deng Shi had no desire to engage with her foolish sister-in-law but forced a smile. "With Prince Jing here, how could it be Deng Tai's turn? Besides, they were all specially allowed by the emperor to participate—just to be part of the excitement. Their scores might not even be counted, and they certainly wouldn’t be considered as candidates for Lin'er's Imperial Son-in-law."

Qin Bing was the little princess's own brother, Fu Kui was her brother-in-law, Deng Tai already had a wife and children, and the fourteen-year-old Fan Huaian was still too young.

Consort Li interjected, "Alright, perhaps this is just an ordinary hunting event for martial display. Let us not presume the emperor's intentions."

Only then did everyone stop talking.

Consort Li looked at her daughter with concern. The emperor was becoming more and more infuriating with age. Zhang Su was such an outstanding young man right there—why not simply arrange the marriage directly? Why organize a hunting competition? What if Zhang Su had bad luck and failed to win the championship...

Princess Qingyang gave her mother a reassuring smile.

Her father had said that her mother might not be able to keep such joyous news a secret, so both father and daughter hadn't told her. In any case, her mother would find out in just a month.

.

Inside the hunting grounds.

The number of predators and rare game released into the grounds the previous day was limited, and each type of animal was worth points. The highest score was assigned to the single male tiger, worth two hundred points. Next was the leopard, worth one hundred fifty points, followed by the red fox, worth one hundred points. There were also five wolves and five wild boars, each worth fifty points, and then deer, yellow sheep, and other smaller animals worth twenty points or less.

Hunting the male tiger did not guarantee victory, but it significantly increased the chances of winning the championship, and the fame from taking down a tiger was even greater.

The participants followed an unspoken rule: either head straight for the fierce or rare beasts like tigers, leopards, wolves, boars, or foxes upon entering, ignoring the smaller, low-point animals along the way, or focus on accumulating points by hunting deer, sheep, or even chickens and rabbits. However, if the latter group encountered fierce beasts driven away by the former, they were not allowed to take advantage of the situation, or they would be ridiculed.

Those intent on winning the championship or gaining fame chose to head straight for the fierce and rare beasts.

The fifty-plus young men, along with their accompanying game wardens, made quite a sight when gathered together. Once they dispersed after charging into the grounds, they spread out, relying on their hearing to detect where fierce beasts might be lurking. Thus, in the initial stage, encountering fierce or rare beasts was largely a matter of luck. Even if someone had some knowledge of where fierce beasts typically dwelled, it would not be applicable today, as the galloping horses had already spooked the animals. Sensing danger, how could the beasts remain in place?

Zhang Su was also among those hunting the tiger. Although he did not have the great luck of encountering the fierce tiger directly, he spotted two wolves while galloping in search of the tiger and shot each with a single arrow.

This took him more than half an hour. Just as he was about to choose a direction to continue his search for the tiger, he suddenly heard a tiger's roar in the distance. As Zhang Su turned his horse toward the sound, movements from other parts of the grounds also converged toward the roar.

The red-and-black striped tiger moved quickly through the forest, using its speed and the cover of trees to evade several arrows from the hunters. However, hoofbeats approached from other directions as well. Realizing that the forest no longer offered refuge, the male tiger continued its frantic flight toward the open area ahead.

"Haha, Deng Tai, you have good luck! Pity your archery isn't quite accurate enough!"

Catching a glimpse of the tiger and seeing Deng Tai about to nock another arrow, Qin Bing laughed loudly to distract him. Despite the distraction, his horse galloped even faster.

Deng Tai swore under his breath. Before the other figures drew closer, he fired another arrow.

With a "swish," the arrow grazed the tiger's back.

Mounted archery was difficult because the galloping horse affected the archer's aim. Even if the aim was true, the changing terrain under the horse's hooves—even a slight difference in elevation—could throw off the archer's accuracy at the last moment.

No matter how much Deng Tai wanted to curse, the tiger he longed for had already dashed beyond the edge of the forest. When his horse carried him out of the forest, confirming that the tiger was still in sight but had increased its lead by running faster across the grassland, Deng Tai glanced distractedly at the figures emerging on either side of him.

To his left were two men: Prince Jing Qin Bing and Cheng Zhixu, a centurion from the Imperial Guard who had earned the title of Tanhua in military examinations. To his right were three: Fan Huaizhong, Zhang Su, and Fu Kui.

Deng Tai clenched his teeth. Now it was a race of speed!

Six fast horses galloped almost neck and neck. The tiger ahead fled even faster for its life, weaving left and right to avoid making itself an easy target for the hunters.

Qin Bing, Fan Huaizhong, and Fu Kui all attempted shots but missed—the distance was still too great.

As they pursued, the tiger suddenly leaped, clearing a dry gully whose width was not immediately apparent.

When the six pursuers reached the spot, they saw the winding dry gully, about half a zhang (about 5 feet) deep, that nearly separated two stretches of land. Some sections farther away were narrow, but the stretch before them was nearly two zhang wide. Note that the width for cavalry training in the capital camp was less than one zhang.

Assessing the situation at a glance, Cheng Zhixu, Fan Huaizhong, and Deng Tai pulled up their horses in time as they approached the gully.

Deng Tai and Cheng Zhixu pulled up because they were not confident they could clear the gap and did not want to risk falling and injuring themselves.

Fan Huaizhong pulled up not out of timidity but because he knew Princess Qingyang would not favor someone like him. Why should he risk too much for the championship?

The remaining three—Qin Bing, purely for the sake of hunting the tiger and not wanting to lose to his companions due to fear of injury; Fu Kui, compelled to strive to win the favor of his imperial father-in-law; and Zhang Su...

As the three horses were in mid-air over the gully, Qin Bing, gripping his reins tightly, briefly glanced at the other two. He could understand Fu Kui's desperation to prove himself after two or three years of frustration, but since when had Zhang Su become so competitive?

Before he could finish the thought, Qin Bing was astonished to see Zhang Su notching an arrow. At the very moment the three horses reached the highest point of their leap, as Qin Bing tightened his reins to brace for the impact of landing, Zhang Su actually dared to release his reins and...

Zhang Su's eyes were fixed solely on the tiger.

The distance was not entirely impossible. Perhaps thinking the hunters' horses could not clear the gully, or simply tired from running, the tiger had slowed its escape after crossing. If he did not act now, the three of them would shoot simultaneously, and it would be uncertain whose arrow would bring the tiger down.

Zhang Su took this quick chance.

As the arrow left his bow, Zhang Su held the bow with his left hand and grabbed the reins with his right as his horse landed steadily on the other side of the gully.

Qin Bing and Fu Kui slowed down because the tiger had been struck by Zhang Su's arrow in its right hind leg. The arrow was embedded deeply, and the tiger had fallen, unable to run.

"Well done! I underestimated you before. I didn't expect you to be so daring, Zhang Su!"

Qin Bing offered a brief compliment before immediately turning his horse to find another route back to hunt for the leopard. The hunt was not over, and he could not afford to waste time.

Zhang Su gave a respectful bow, then signaled to the nearby game wardens before heading off in another direction to search for other fierce beasts.

.

The hunting competition went on for an hour and a half. When the game wardens brought out the still-living male tiger, a buzz went through the monarch and officials waiting outside.

Upon learning that the tiger had been shot by Zhang Su, Emperor Xingwu ordered the guards to describe in detail how Zhang Su had hunted the tiger.

The guard, also excited, vividly recounted the scene of Prince Jing, Zhang Su, and the other four pursuing the tiger together, especially Zhang Su's amazing shot from horseback.

Emperor Xingwu was very pleased!

Although he and his daughter had already decided on Zhang Su as the Imperial Son-in-law, and he knew of Zhang Su's capabilities, he still hoped Zhang Su would do better than the other talented young men on the hunting grounds and win the championship fair and square. Only such a Zhang Su could truly be worthy of his bright Lin'er!

Restraining himself, Emperor Xingwu did not look at his daughter, waiting until the hunting competition ended. When Zhang Su emerged with over a hundred points worth of game, large and small, unquestionably securing the top position in this hunt, Emperor Xingwu finally glanced toward his youngest daughter. Then, turning to Zhang Su, who had stepped forward to receive praise, he said, "Young Zhang, though still young, you already hold a third-rank official position. I won't be promoting you, but I am very fond of you and wish for you to become my son-in-law. Are you willing?"

Amid the astonishment and murmurs of the crowd on both sides, Zhang Su knelt on both knees and said clearly, "I am deeply honored by Your Majesty's favor, though I fear I may not be worthy of the princess."

Only then did Emperor Xingwu ask his youngest daughter for her opinion: "Liner, are you willing to take Zhang Su as your son-in-law?"

The little princess once again looked over the Third Young Master Zhang kneeling before her and replied with a faint smile, "I trust Father’s judgment. Since Father believes Zhang Su is suitable, I choose him."

Zhang Su bowed once more in gratitude toward the little princess.

Qin Ren, who had been stunned throughout the entire exchange, thought to himself, "..."