CH 75.2

After successfully scaring the bird, Yuan Ci Xian shot a second shot without any pause, and this time she shot at the bird.

However, Emperor Huining underestimated Xi Ju’s skill. The moment Yuan Ci Xian made a shot, he also quickly drew his slingshot. Although he was one step slower her, he had amazing arm strength and excellent shooting skills, and after his golden marble knocked down hers, it still chased after the bird that was flying away.

Zheng Zhuo suddenly raised his head, rushed forward, and almost at the same time, he also shot one.

At this moment, the bird had flown far away, and only a vague shadow could be seen through a layer of water curtain, but the two golden marbles pursued it accurately, and after breaking through the water curtain, there was almost no sign of slowing down, and they both hit the bird’s body.

With a “pop” sound, the bird fell to the ground, and everyone’s hearts couldn’t help but tighten, but Yuan Ci Xian had already predicted the result: Zheng Zhuo’s goal was not to win, but to prevent Xi Ju from winning, so this marble must be shot to kill, and without even looking she knew that the bird must have dead.

The palace servants hurriedly ran down the high pavilion to pick it up, and after a while he presented the bird dead body, and said to Emperor Huining who was holding his breath, “Return to Your Majesty, there is a mark on the scroll on the bird’s neck, but the bird is dead, with two gold marbles mark, one hit the bird’s chest and the other hit the bird’s wing.”

The implication was that the marble that hit the bird’s chest caused it to die, but the one that hit the bird’s wing should be the winner of the scroll. But the problem was that the golden marbles all look the same, and most of the people present have no eyesight to see clearly just now, even if they really saw clearly, their words wouldn’t be convincing, so naturally they couldn’t judge the outcome.

This was showing Xi Ju’s intelligence. If he also hit the bird’s chest, Emperor Huining would definitely declare that both of them lost, but the current situation was a bit tricky. The old emperor had already play trick once, and it was really unreasonable to say that no one would get the prize. After signaling Yuan Ci Xian and others to return to their seats, he said: “In that case, Zhen will give Sixth child and Crown Prince half a prize as discretion.”

The old emperor’s words were quite clever. The word “as discretion” meant that there was no winner or loser, and there was no first place’s prize, but he was willing to give it as a favor. This was to gain the upper hand first, to prevent Xi Ju from making excessive request, and if he still shamelessly ask for one, he could also refuse “as discretion”.

According to etiquette, Emperor Huining should asked Xi Ju what he wanted as a prize first, but perhaps he was a little dissatisfied with his scramble for the marble that knocked down Yuan Ci Xian’s, so he turned around and asked Zheng Zhuo first with a smile: “What does Sixth child want?”

In fact, Emperor Huining was quite satisfied with Zheng Zhuo’s performance today, even if he didn’t speak up, he would be rewarded in the future. Zheng Zhuo judged the situation and naturally chose to retreat, and said: “This child doesn’t want anything, but the weather is hot and humid recently, mosquitoes and flies are bothering people, and this child heard that my mother can’t sleep well at night. If Father can give some incense for mother, this child will be very grateful.”

Emperor Huining seemed to be more and more satisfied with this son, and couldn’t stop praising him for his filial piety, and immediately ordered the eunuchs to serve Zheng Zhuo’s mother, Xue Cairen, immediately. As the so-called “half” the prize, naturally it didn’t matter.

After the reward here was over, the old emperor glanced at Xi Ju: “What does Crown Prince want?”

Xi Ju looked a little bit troubled, and he replied: “What I want, I’m afraid it can’t be counted as ‘half’.”

Everyone’s heart went cold, can’t be counted as half, could it be a city?

Emperor Huining raised his eyebrows and said, “You talk about it first.”

Xi Ju was silent, then reached out to take off the jade ring on his little finger: “I want to ask Your Majesty to let me marry the owner of this ring.”

Yuan Ci Xian and Shaohe both raised their head.

There was an uproar all around, all the courtiers seemed to be wondering who this so-called owner was. Even if Emperor Hui Ning was a person in high position, he forgot things a lot, and couldn’t figure it out for a while, he didn’t remember what this jade ring was all about.

Lu Shi Qing blinked lightly, but did not speak.

Xi Ju had already begun to explain: “A few years ago, my Nanzhao presented a piece of high-quality rough jade to Your Majesty. This women-style jade ring was probably given to a noble in the dynasty after Your Majesty asked someone to make it. The owner of the ring is here today.”

Only then did Emperor Huining vaguely realize that such a thing happened, and after hearing this, he continued to think about who he gave the ring to. Empress Liang had already remembered what was going on, her expression changed drastically, and she glanced at her daughter.

Shaohe’s face turned pale, clutching the cuffs of her clothes tightly. The next moment, Xi Ju looked over and smiled at her, “It’s Shaohe State Princess.”

Yuan Ci Xian frowned. She originally thought that Xi Ju mistook the ring as hers, and wanted to provoke Lu Shi Qing. But now it seemed he had already found out the real owner of the ring, and he came for Shaohe from the very beginning.

If it was her that Xi Ju wanted to marry, she wouldn’t be too worried. No matter how much Emperor Huining love face, he wouldn’t be so reckless because of a competition. Letting her marry a crown prince of another country whilst she was already engage would make him a laughingstock in the whole Great Zhou. But now that the object was changed to Shaohe, it was a bit difficult to deal with.

Emperor Huining had also been in a high position for many years, and already went through all kind of winds and waves. Even though he was surprised in his heart, he didn’t show it on his face. He just acted as if he had suddenly realized, and didn’t even ask how the ring got into his hands, smilingly said: “Then it’s true it can’t be counted as ‘half’, Crown Prince might as well change the prize.”

Xi Ju also smiled lightly: “What if I show enough sincerity to make up for the other half?”

There was dead silence all around, Shaohe had lowered her eyes and remained silent since the time she raised her head, only her hands that were hidden in her sleeves trembling slightly.

Empress Liang looked at Emperor Huining with eyes full of pleading, but sure enough, she saw a trace of wavering in him, and saw that he didn’t say anything to cut this off, but instead turned to probe: “It’s not in accordance with etiquette for Crown Prince to use the competition’s prize to ask to marry Zhen’s daughter, not to mention Shaohe is the jewel in Zhen’s palm, and definitely cannot casually marry her far away to Nanzhou just for the so-called ‘sincerity’.”

The implication was to hear what he can come up with.

Xi Ju nodded slightly: “Xi Ju understands. I implore Your Majesty to move to the Zichen Hall to discuss the matters with you.”

Emperor Huining was silent, patted the back of Empress’s hand to show comfort, and then announced the end of the banquet, signaling Xi Ju to follow him.

Everyone watched the emperor leave, secretly guessing Nanzhao’s intentions, but they dared not reveal anything in front of the empress, and waited for the nobles to withdrew before whispering to each other.

Yuan Ci Xian felt uneasy, called her brother, then left with Lu Shi Qing. She got on to his carriage, and finally asked anxiously when there was no one around, “What’s going on in Nanzhao?”

Lu Shi Qing didn’t answer for a while, looked down at the two red marks on her fingers. He grabbed her hand, bent over and took out a porcelain bottle from the medicine box under the carriage seat, and applied the ointment for her.

These two red marks were from the slingshot’s force. Although Yuan Ci Xian was a little accomplished in martial arts, she was still a delicate and tender girl. In the competition just now, it was inevitable that she would hurt her hand a little bit.

She looked down at his meticulous movements, couldn’t help but choked, and said lightly: “You don’t need to apply ointment for such small injury.” After saying that, she sighed, “I’m still a little slow, if only I didn’t give Xi Ju a chance to get that prize.”

Lu Shi Qing waited until he finished giving her medicine, then raised his eyelids and said, “It’s already very good. This matter has nothing to do with you. If Xi Ju is bound to win, even without today’s competition, even without the ring, he will still mention this matter. If he’s not bound to win, he can’t come up with enough conditions to make His Majesty tempted, then naturally Shaohe will not be sacrificed.”

Yuan Ci Xian frowned and asked: “Which do you think it is?”

Lu Shi Qing glanced at her: “You already know the answer.” Otherwise, why would she frown.

“Xi Ju can really come up with the conditions to make His Majesty agree?”

Lu Shi Qing nodded.

She hated Nanzhao in her heart, and said urgently: “Although Xi Ju’s move has no connection with the ring, but after all Shaohe was really helping you back then… Do you have any way to make His Majesty change his mind?”

She hadn’t mentioned the reason for the ring to Lu Shi Qing earlier, but she just acquiesced that with his ability, he would definitely find out the truth, so she didn’t explain much at the moment.

Lu Shi Qing was silent for a while then said: “I understand morality and kindness, but the conditions that Xi Ju is willing to put forward may not be something I can turn over with just talking. There’s nothing I can do about this.”

Yuan Ci Xian frowned, and wanted to say more, but was resolutely interrupted by him: “Do you want me to die?” He looked at her fixedly, “Yuan Ci Xian, I am not afraid of death, but what if I save Shaohe at all costs, and the person to be sacrificed is changed to you?”