Xiao Chonghua’s face couldn’t hide his embarrassment.
Unexpectedly, however, “Huo Ci” clasped his fists and raised his hand toward the soldiers, announcing in a clear voice:
“Although I dare swear on my life that I did not use any internal energy in this round, the power of the repeating crossbow hasn’t actually been fully tested yet. I also don’t know whether it will perform as powerfully in your hands as it did in mine. Therefore, let’s call this round a draw.”
“The general is truly magnanimous!”
Xiao Chonghua was stunned for a moment.
Could there really be someone so open and upright in this world?
Though he was the third imperial prince born of the legitimate empress, from childhood to now, all he had ever seen and heard were schemes, intrigues, and mutual deception. Even his mother’s own family would say only half of what they meant, leaving the rest for you to guess.
His mother had taught him since he was little: never let even a sliver of your true thoughts show in front of others.
He had always followed that rule.
Almost everyone he met was well-versed in this unspoken code of politeness and pretense.
Only “Huo Ci” was different.
“He” would take every scheme, whether overt or covert, tear them apart, break them down, and lay them bare on the table for all to see.
“He” seemed to be the very embodiment of the saying in the books: a true gentleman is open and aboveboard, with nothing to hide.
Then what had he himself been doing all these years, maintaining that image of a gentleman?
While Xiao Chonghua was still lost in thought, Yun Chunfeng, who was acting as referee, had already begun announcing the rules for the second round.
“A red silk flower is tied to the gate tower of the training ground. The third prince and the general must each ride at full gallop around the field three times, passing through temporary obstacles along the way, before they can claim the flower. During the race, you may interfere with each other, but you must not cause the other party any injury, disability, or death. Anyone who violates this rule—I will not hesitate to use a lightning-summoning talisman to strike them down.”
Xiao Chonghua’s faint smile was nearly impossible to maintain.
Yun Chunfeng, you can say whatever you want, but why do you keep staring at me while you’re saying it?!
Do you have any idea how unsettling that look of yours is?!
Do you really think I’m that despicable in your eyes?
Xiao Chonghua let out a cold snort, turned his head away, patted his warhorse a few times, and tugged it toward the starting line.
Jiang Xingyan waved vigorously at Yun Chunfeng.
Little Ya, sitting on Yun Chunfeng’s shoulders, cheerfully called out to her mother.
“Mommy is amazing!”
But her voice was completely masked by the invisibility talisman—only Yun Chunfeng could hear her.
Jiang Xingyan and Xiao Chonghua both mounted their horses, ready to go.
Clang!
The two shot forward like arrows released from a bow, their speed nearly identical.
The first obstacle was a row of wooden barrels placed by the soldiers. Both riders pulled their reins, and their well-trained warhorses leaped into the air, clearing the barrels steadily.
Outside the field, wave after wave of cheers pushed the atmosphere to its peak.
“Go, General! Overtake the third prince!”
“Stay steady, General—you’ll definitely win!”
“Watch out for the third prince trying to trip you up!”
Xiao Chonghua was boiling with frustration inside.
I might as well not have listened!
Is this how your Huo Family Army treats a guest?
The angrier he got, the more he wanted to win—just to see the disappointed faces of the Huo Family Army after he claimed victory.
Xiao Chonghua noticed a pit trap on his side of the track, while Huo Ci’s side had none.
His first instinct was that the soldiers who set up the course must have rigged it. After all, they clearly didn’t like him—they probably wanted him to lose.
Why would he just sit back and take that?
He glanced sideways at the fully focused “Huo Ci,” then yanked his reins and veered straight into the other’s lane.
Jiang Xingyan had been focusing on the ground beneath her horse’s hooves. She vaguely noticed some signs of recently turned soil—very faint, but enough to keep her alert. She gently pulled the reins and slowed down.
Just as Xiao Chonghua’s horse cut into her path, the two mounts were offset by half a head’s length, which kept them from colliding right away.
“Third Prince, watch out!”
Even though Xiao Chonghua was suspicious by nature, full of schemes, and rarely had good intentions, he was still the most likely candidate to become the crown prince at the moment. If anything happened to him while he was with the Huo Family Army, the emperor would never let them off easy.
Jiang Xingyan sped up to catch him, trying to steer him back into his own lane. There was only a small pit trap on his side—he could just jump his horse over it. Why come over to her side and risk the unknown?
Xiao Chonghua had actually started to wonder when he saw “Huo Ci” slow down: Could there really be some trap ahead that I didn’t notice?
But then “Huo Ci” suddenly urged his horse to drive him away—and that made up his mind.
This is a smokescreen!
They’re just trying to make it less obvious that they want me to lose!
He wasn’t going to budge.
If he wanted to overtake him, let him go over to that side and step right into that pit trap!
Xiao Chonghua’s horse was getting closer and closer to the unknown trap. Jiang Xingyan couldn’t just stand by any longer—she had already prepared herself to use her lightness skill to rescue him if needed.
It was just a casual, offhand challenge. Losing was no big deal.
But she absolutely couldn’t let Xiao Chonghua get hurt, enrage the emperor, and cost the lives of the Huo Family Army soldiers.
“Third Prince!”
She had barely gotten out her final warning when Xiao Chonghua’s warhorse suddenly buckled at the front knees and came to an abrupt halt, flinging him straight into the air.
Fortunately, Jiang Xingyan had been ready. She instantly performed a “Horse Treading on a Swallow” maneuver, launching herself off her own mount, grabbing Xiao Chonghua by the collar, and hauling him to the side.
Neigh!
Both warhorses let out long, piercing cries before collapsing to the ground. Their heaving bellies showed just how exhausted they were as they lay there.
Xiao Chonghua stared in stunned disbelief at the tripwire that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
It had struck the joints of the horse’s front legs with brutal precision. The galloping horse, in pain, buckled onto its knees—either throwing the rider off the saddle and collapsing itself, or sending both horse and rider tumbling several yards forward.
Yun Chunfeng curled his lips into a knowing smile, looking every bit the inscrutable mastermind.
Little Ya, perched on his neck, widened her eyes. “Is Mommy hurt?”
Yun Chunfeng quickly soothed her. “Don’t worry, Little Ya. With your uncle around, I won’t let anything happen to Miss Jiang.”
He then deliberately announced: “In this round, General Huo used internal energy and lightness skill, thereby disqualifying himself. The winner is the third prince.”
For a moment, the entire training ground fell deathly silent.
Everyone had seen what just happened. If General Huo hadn’t saved the third prince, he would have died right there on the spot.
Xiao Chonghua finally snapped back to his senses.
He looked at his warhorse lying on the ground, breathing heavily, and a wave of belated terror washed over him.
A tripwire that could spring up at any moment was thousands of times more terrifying than his pit trap.
So… had “Huo Ci” really been warning him just now?
A wave of speechless shame surged over him.
How could this blunder simply be chalked up to “Huo Ci”?
Xiao Chonghua raised his voice and cut off Yun Chunfeng: “No. If this round is to be decided at all, it should be General Huo’s win. Surely my single life is worth more than all those rigid rules?”
Yun Chunfeng’s brows and eyes brimmed with triumph. “Of course it is. Since the third prince puts it that way, let’s call this round a draw as well.”
A flash of lightning seemed to strike through Xiao Chonghua’s mind.
Could it be… that this whole thing was a scheme Yun Chunfeng had long ago set in motion?!
