The Western Hills comprised six peaks. Of these, the eastern and southern peaks had served as imperial hunting grounds for generations. Dedicated keepers raised various birds and animals for the hunts, including deer, foxes, and rabbits. Dangerous beasts such as tigers and wolves were kept apart on the other peaks.
That was why Xu Qingye found it so surprising when his horse seemed to have been startled by a predator. Before he could investigate, however, His Majesty had spurred his horse forward, too quickly for him to stop.
Only after they reached the deepest part of the southern peak did the little emperor rein in his horse and ask leisurely, “Heir Xu, didn’t you say there was a dangerous beast? Where is it?”
Xu Qingye’s expression was grave. It was not merely that there were no predators. They had not seen so much as a rabbit along the way. Yet their horses remained restless, constantly trying to press forward.
Rather than being frightened by a beast ahead, they seemed to be drawn toward something.
A sudden suspicion struck Xu Qingye. He was about to dismount and investigate when a snow-white deer flashed through the forest ahead.
Someone immediately cried, “Your Majesty, a white deer!”
When a wise sovereign arose, a white deer appeared. That snow-white animal was the key to winning this Western Hills hunt—and to deciding the fate of every member of the Jiang and Yang clans.
“It seems Heaven does not favor the Jiang and Yang families.” Song Liang smiled with amusement, then shouted, “Hyah!” and galloped after the deer.
Startled, Xu Qingye was about to stop him when a trip rope suddenly sprang up across the path. It brought down the horses of the two leading guards, throwing their riders to the ground.
“Whoa!”
Song Liang happened to be a pace behind them. He hauled sharply on the reins, and his horse reared, stopping just short of the rope.
Xu Qingye assumed the little emperor’s less accomplished riding had caused him to lag behind the guards, allowing him to escape by chance. He was still inwardly rejoicing when, having brought his horse neatly to a halt, the emperor asked his companion with keen interest, “Are the imperial hunts always this entertaining? They even have trip ropes?”
Xu Qingye scarcely knew what to say. A person could be foolish, but how could anyone be this foolish? Did that rope look like something that belonged in a hunt?
Yet the commander beside the little emperor answered with complete seriousness, “Your Majesty, imperial hunts do not have trip ropes. This is an assassination attempt.”
“An assassination attempt.” Understanding dawned on the little emperor’s face. Then he sighed. “Truly, men fear fame as pigs fear growing fat. My reputation for virtue has spread throughout the realm and even drawn assassins. What a calamity.”
Xu Qingye: “…”
Xu Qingye thought that when the Hu had invaded from the north, they ought to have sent the little emperor outside the city to fend them off with that impenetrably thick skin of his.
His speechlessness lasted only a moment. Those concealed in the forest gave them no time to react. Dozens of arrows immediately flew out, hemming them in.
The guards swiftly enclosed Song Liang in their midst. Cutting down the incoming arrows, they urged their horses toward the one opening not covered by the volley.
They raced through the wooded mountains without daring to pause, until they finally reached the forest’s edge.
Xu Qingye’s expression changed drastically. Reining in his horse, he shouted urgently, “There’s a cliff ahead! Pull up!”
“Whoa!”
Song Liang hauled back on the reins of his galloping horse, his body hanging almost entirely in midair. Xu Qingye’s heart lurched, terrified that the little emperor would tumble from the saddle and plunge over the cliff. To his astonishment, however, Song Liang held himself steady. The instant the horse’s hooves struck the ground, he yanked the reins sideways and successfully turned it around.
Cold sweat drenched Xu Qingye. He let out a long breath of relief.
Behind them, the guards reined in their horses in unison and drew their blades without hesitation, sheltering Song Liang at their center. Commander Liang of the Xiaoyi Guard moved straight to the front.
Xu Qingye stared for a moment, then urged his horse forward to stand beside Liang Fei, shielding Song Liang.
A laugh sounded behind him. It was the little emperor’s voice, without the slightest trace of tension. Instead, he sounded teasing.
“Heir Xu, why must you stand in front of me?”
Xu Qingye’s expression was cold and solemn. Although he had no desire to pledge himself to the little emperor, he could not simply watch him be assassinated before his eyes. He merely explained, “The assassins have bows. Their arrows could injure Your Majesty.”
He had intended to risk his life protecting the emperor, only to hear the latter reply casually, “But you’re blocking my view of the beasts I’m hunting.”
At those astonishing words, Xu Qingye finally lost patience and turned to tell him to stop fooling around. Yet the instant he looked back, he heard an arrow tearing through the air, hurtling toward him.
Realization struck. His pupils contracted, and he reached out to catch it—but it was already too late. A black-fletched arrow skimmed his neck and flew straight toward the little emperor at the rear.
Before he could even regret his mistake, he saw the emperor, who had been sitting so casually in his saddle, suddenly seize the longbow beside it and slowly nock a white-fletched arrow.
Xu Qingye stared in disbelief. For a moment, he thought the little emperor intended to shoot the black arrow out of the air. But how could that be possible? Quite apart from the emperor’s own skill, even the finest master archer of the age could not instantly aim at an incoming arrow from a mere three feet away—especially one tipped with dark iron.
The answer came swiftly.
It was possible.
The white-fletched arrow skimmed past the dark arrowhead and effortlessly split the shaft in two. Without stopping, it continued forward and plunged into the dense forest.
“Aaah—”
A piercing scream suddenly rang out, scattering birds from the trees. The woodland beside the cliff fell abruptly silent.
Xu Qingye sat frozen, scarcely able to believe his eyes.
The man responsible, however, behaved as though nothing had happened. He casually drew three more white-fletched arrows from his quiver, set them to his bow, and said with relish, “As I said, hunting dangerous beasts is my favorite pastime.”
“Whoosh—”
All three arrows flew at once into the forest ahead. Three agonized screams followed.
Xu Qingye’s eyes widened in shock. Only after a long moment did he think to look at the others, but neither the guards nor Commander Liang showed the slightest surprise. Clearly, they had known of the little emperor’s abilities all along.
He was bewildered. Was this what the little emperor was truly like? Was this still the worthless, cruel, and vicious puppet emperor everyone spoke of?
Having just struck his “beasts,” Song Liang paid no attention to Xu Qingye’s thoughts. There was now only one arrow left in his quiver.
Slowly, he nocked it and drew the bow to its fullest span. The mountain wind lifted his smooth black hair and the crimson ribbon binding it. His sharp gaze held an edge keener than the arrow in his hands.
A moment later, an amused smile curved his lips as he asked—
“Marquis of Wuying, are my arrows to your satisfaction?”
“…”
The lightly spoken question made the masked man hidden deep in the forest go rigid.
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