Chapter 27 True Nature Revealed

Chapter 27: True Colors Revealed

The day of the winter hunt was clear and bright.

The royal hunting grounds were blanketed in deep, pristine snow, stretching as far as the eye could see—a dazzling expanse of white.

Jiang Shuning carefully concealed the sleeve crossbow within her sleeve and rode at a leisurely pace with the party of noble ladies. Her posture was composed, her control of the horse effortless, drawing frequent glances from Xia Yan beside her.

"Shuning, you're amazing! You used to be afraid to even get on a horse, but now you look like a seasoned rider. You must have been practicing hard lately, haven't you?"

A slight smile touched Jiang Shuning's lips. "Just so I could hunt alongside you! You'll have to go easy on me later, don't let me lose too badly."

No sooner had she spoken than the horse beneath her shied suddenly.

Her heart tightened. She quickly adjusted her posture, steadying herself, and her gaze involuntarily swept to the right—Jiang Yaozhen had somehow drawn near without her noticing.

Jiang Yaozhen's mount pushed in aggressively, bumping into Jiang Shuning's horse, which tossed its head with a snort, nostrils flaring in agitation as it snorted puffs of white breath.

Jiang Shuning leaned forward, gently stroking the horse's neck. After a moment, the animal calmed.

In her past life, such a bump would likely have sent her tumbling from the saddle, making her a laughingstock before everyone's eyes.

Jiang Shuning lifted her gaze calmly, and sure enough, she caught the poorly concealed malice in Jiang Yaozhen's eyes.

Xia Yan couldn't stand it. "Yaozhen, Shuning has only just learned to ride. How could you bump into her like that? What if she had fallen?"

Jiang Yaozhen merely snorted, her tone dripping with disdain. "Well, she didn't fall, did she? Look at her, she seems quite capable."

"You—" Xia Yan was about to retort when she saw Gu Wanying riding over slowly.

Gu Wanying swept a cold, somewhat haughty, and mocking gaze over the Jiang sisters. "Must you two sisters bicker and compete at every turn? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were sworn enemies."

Stung by the words, Jiang Yaozhen's face darkened. With a cold humph, she suddenly cracked her whip, urging her horse into a gallop and riding away, her retreating back radiating a mix of anger and shame.

Jiang Shuning, however, simply watched her go quietly, a slight frown creasing her brow as she fell into thought.

Xia Yan asked in a low voice, "Shuning, what's wrong? You look troubled."

"It's nothing." Jiang Shuning shook her head, suppressing the doubts in her heart.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Jiang Yaozhen in this life.

In her past life, Jiang Yaozhen had been adept at playing the pitiful victim, acting the part of a weak, bullied younger sister suffering under her legitimate elder sister's tyranny, raking in endless sympathy.

But now, she repeatedly revealed her true nature, making no effort to hide her arrogance.

Was it because being elevated to legitimate daughter status had given her confidence?

Or did she have some other backing, making her feel she no longer needed to pretend?

As Jiang Shuning pondered this, a low, resonant horn blast suddenly sounded in the distance, signaling the official start of the winter hunt.

The procession of noblewomen gradually dispersed, each seeking their own prey.

Jiang Shuning lightly patted her horse's neck, about to urge it forward to follow Xia Yan, when her peripheral vision abruptly caught a familiar figure not far away—Xiao Lingchuan.

He was dressed in dark hunting attire, a jade belt cinching his lean waist. Leaning against a withered tree, he held a longbow, his gaze locked on a distant target like a hawk's.

Before anyone could react, a sharp *whoosh* cut through the air. An arrow shot forth, striking a tree trunk opposite with a solid *thud*. A snow-white hare was pinned firmly to the wood, struggling in its death throes.

An attendant quickly stepped forward, retrieved the prey, and announced loudly, "Your Highness, Fourth Prince—a hare!"

The hunting grounds erupted in excitement. Exclamations of admiration rose: "The hunt has barely begun, and the Fourth Prince has already scored the first success! His archery is truly unmatched!"

Against the backdrop of the vast white snow, Xiao Lingchuan's exceptionally handsome face appeared even more striking. His tall, straight figure, accentuated by the hunting attire, was heart-stirring, making everything around him seem to blur into insignificance.

The Noble Maidens cast frequent glances his way, their admiration unconcealed.

Jiang Shuning watched him intently, finding the scene before her utterly unfamiliar.

In her past life, while Xiao Lingchuan hadn't been as sickly as the Crown Prince, his constitution had been average. In strenuous activities like hunting, he had never stood out.

Hindered by his Nanyue bloodline, he had always kept a low profile. It wasn't until he received his princely title and after the late emperor's passing that he gradually revealed his ambition to contend for the throne.

But in this life, why was everything so different?

Her grip on the reins tightened, her knuckles turning white. A bizarre and terrifying suspicion surged in her heart.

No, it couldn't be. That was too absurd!

This suspicion unsettled Jiang Shuning so much that she had little heart for the hunt. By the end of the first round, she had only managed to bag one hare and two pheasants.

Xia Yan fared slightly better, with two hares and three pheasants. Jiang Yaozhen, however, remained the standout among the noblewomen, having taken three hares, three pheasants, and a roe deer—far surpassing everyone else in both quantity and variety.

Jiang Yaozhen was beaming with pride. Her outstanding performance caught the eye of Fifth Prince Xiao Huaijin's mother, Consort Rong, who specially invited her to her tent to offer pointers on riding and archery to Princess Ronghua.

Princess Ronghua was just ten years old, the full sister of Fifth Prince Xiao Huaijin. She was as delicate and lovely as a porcelain doll.

Aside from the eldest princess, who had married into Beiling, she was the emperor's only precious daughter, doted upon immensely.

Jiang Shuning had also harbored hopes for this hunt. She had intended to win Princess Ronghua's favor with an outstanding performance.

In her past life, she had known that this young princess had little interest in anything else but adored riding and archery, especially admiring women who excelled at hunting.

If she could instruct the princess in riding and archery, it would be an opportunity to draw closer to Xiao Huaijin and Consort Rong.

Unfortunately, she had ultimately failed to achieve her goal, missing this golden chance.

The results of the men's hunt were announced. Surprisingly, this year's champion was Fourth Prince Xiao Lingchuan.

Alone, he had taken a dozen or so hares and pheasants, two roe deer, two sika deer, and even a pure white fox.

The fox's fur was frost-white. The creature itself had been exceptionally agile and lively—a rare treasure indeed.

Third Prince Xiao Xiuzhan had taken a slightly higher number of hares and pheasants, but only one deer, and nothing comparable to the white fox.

White fox fur was exceedingly precious. Made into a cloak or a warm hat, it would not only provide warmth but also be a mark of supreme luxury, enough to inspire envy.

Xiao Lingchuan publicly presented the white fox pelt to the Empress, his words earnest: "This humble gift is for Your Majesty, a small token of your son's regard."

Hearing this, the Empress felt a warmth in her heart, her expression visibly moved.

It must be known that although the Empress held the highest position in the rear palace, her status noble, she often paled in comparison to Consort Xi's overwhelming favor, rarely receiving such consideration.

Sensing the jealousy in Consort Xi's eyes nearby, the Empress smiled and declined, "The Fourth Prince is most thoughtful. However, at my age, such luxurious fox fur garments are no longer suitable for me. Why not keep it for your future Prince's Consort to make clothes from?"

But Xiao Lingchuan bowed solemnly, his voice sincere. "Your son lost his mother young and was left alone and helpless. If not for Your Majesty's compassion back then, rescuing your son from the Cold Palace, how could I be where I am today? Not to mention a single white fox pelt; even ten tiger pelts could hardly repay Your Majesty's kindness!"

These heartfelt words spoke directly to the Empress's heart.

Her eyes reddened slightly as she sighed, "Good child, your filial piety brings me great comfort."

Back then, she had taken Xiao Lingchuan out of the cold palace merely as a convenient gesture—firstly because he was a royal descendant, and secondly because his humble background posed no threat to the Crown Prince's position. She was happy to do something that showcased her benevolence.

She never expected this child to remember it to this day, with such profound gratitude.

The Emperor, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, his gaze filled with approval. "The Fourth is exceptional in horsemanship and archery, and he carries such gratitude in his heart. Rare, truly rare! This pleases me greatly. Someone! Reward the Fourth Prince with a thousand taels of gold, and deliver it immediately to Jinghe Palace!"

"Thank you for your grace, Father!" Xiao Lingchuan bowed respectfully, his demeanor composed.

A eunuch responded loudly, "Your Majesty's will be done!"

The news of Xiao Lingchuan being rewarded with a thousand taels of gold soon reached the ears of the Third Prince, Xiao Xiuzhan, who flew into a jealous rage and shattered a white jade cup.

"It's just a white fox! What's so great about it? In the next hunt, I will definitely catch better prey than him!"

Consort Xi said sternly, "Zhan, the prey is just a trivial matter. Your goal today is to make your father consider establishing you as the Crown Prince!"

Xiao Xiuzhan's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated. "Mother, that arrow... Do I truly have to take it? What if those assassins miss? Wouldn't I be in mortal danger?"

Consort Xi's gaze was resolute, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "Don't worry, those men were handpicked. Their archery is precise and will never endanger your life—you'll only get a flesh wound. With the position of Crown Prince at stake, what does such a small price matter?"

Only then did Xiao Xiuzhan reluctantly nod. "I won't let you down, Mother."