Ch 15: Chaos
The arrow was thrown by Meng Qingjiao, describing a stiff arc in the air before flying past the pot’s opening.
She missed.
Although she didn’t look to the side, she could already feel the burning gaze falling on her.
Glancing at the Fifth Prince, seeing his brows furrow for a moment, panic struck her heart, and she felt as if her heart was being roasted by hot fire.
Countless thoughts raced through her mind—the disappointed look from the Fifth Prince after she missed, and the increasingly distant Empress Consort position.
Meng Qingjiao gritted her teeth and threw the second arrow.
“Leaning against the pole, rather a pity,” someone said.
Meng Tingyue had been watching Meng Qingjiao’s performance from beginning to end. Seeing the arrow that hadn’t been fully committed, she shook her head imperceptibly.
With two arrows left, Meng Qingjiao would either ruin her previous reputation as the Arrow Throwing Champion today, or make a fool of herself in public.
Even if she hit both remaining arrows, her previously earned good reputation would be attributed to luck rather than skill.
Seeing Meng Qingjiao sway slightly, Meng Tingyue, who was closest, stepped forward and casually supported her.
“Sister’s Arrow Throwing seems off today. Are you feeling unwell? If so, you can ask the Fifth Prince’s accompanying Imperial Physician for a check-up.”
Meng Tingyue glanced sideways, meeting Meng Qingjiao’s almost explosive angry gaze, and heard the latter’s gritted response, “I, am, fine.”
Meng Tingyue then withdrew her worried gaze. “I think Sister’s condition doesn’t seem quite right. Why don’t I go first, and let Sister rest for a while?”
Meng Qingjiao looked at Meng Tingyue with gratitude and was helped to rest by a maid.
Meng Tingyue took the arrow from the maid, flipped it in her fingertips, and then began to aim at the pot’s opening.
This immediately drew the attention of those around her, as they seemed surprised that she would actually do it.
“His Highness the Crown Prince, the Fifth Prince, they are up ahead,” the attendant respectfully pointed the way.
Shen Yunheng turned the corner of the corridor and saw a group of people gathered by the lotus pond. A figure standing alone in the crowd caught his eye.
“Crown Prince?” the attendant called softly.
Ling Xiao gave the man a nod. “You may leave.”
The attendant departed, and Shen Yunheng stood in the corridor watching the Miss throw her arrow.
The first arrow grazed the edge and missed.
Meng Tingyue hadn’t found her rhythm yet.
The second arrow hit the pole.
The third arrow hit.
The fourth arrow also hit.
“Does Miss Meng’s technique seem learned?” someone asked.
Meng Tingyue smiled faintly. “I played it as a child, but I haven’t played it in a long time, so I’m rusty.”
Everyone was slightly surprised. Having not played for several years, she could still hit twice in a row. This was truly exceptional talent. If it were them, they might not even be able to hit one arrow out of four.
“Sister-in-law is amazing, just like my elder brother!” Young Master Qiao’s flattery was quick and sharp, but it also contained a degree of sincerity.
Arrow throwing seems simple, but it is actually difficult. Miss Meng, having been staying indoors recovering from an illness for a long time, certainly wouldn’t have practiced specifically, nor would she need to lie about it.
Meng Tingyue smiled faintly without speaking, but then came before Meng Qingjiao, smiling warmly and brightly, “I didn’t disgrace my sister, did I?”
At this moment, Meng Qingjiao wished she could devour Meng Tingyue alive, and she also wished she could take back her previous praise of Meng Tingyue’s foolishness and kindness.
Meng Tingyue hit two arrows; if she were to perform worse than Meng Tingyue, who knows how Jingdu would gossip about her tomorrow.
“Elder Sister is truly amazing,” Meng Qingjiao said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile.
Meng Tingyue modestly replied, “No, no, not even one ten-thousandth of my sister’s skill. Sister will surely hit the target once she’s rested.”
It was intentional.
She controlled the number of times she hit, forcing Meng Qingjiao to take the stage. Even if they tied, her reputation as a talented woman would not be damaged.
She wanted Meng Qingjiao to make a fool of herself in front of the Fifth Prince.
Didn’t the Fifth Prince think Meng Qingjiao was a radiant moon in the sky, a talented woman who remained unstained by the mud? Didn’t he resent her for the plot to switch brides, which prevented their marriage?
She would tear apart Meng Qingjiao’s carefully constructed image of a talented woman, piece by piece. She wanted to see how sincere the Fifth Prince’s feelings truly were.
Meng Qingjiao controlled her breathing, afraid that a deep breath taken in anger would rip her clothes.
Her palms were slightly sweaty where she gripped the arrow. Her gaze involuntarily fell on the Fifth Prince, but she found that he wasn’t looking at her.
She looked back and found that the Fifth Prince was looking at Meng Tingyue. She squeezed her hand, her fingers digging into her flesh, a dull ache spreading. Rage, like a gale, swept through her heart, overpowering the pain in her hand.
Her eyes darkened as she gazed at the pot’s opening and threw the arrow with force.
*Dong—*
*Rip—*
Two sounds rang out in succession.
Most of the attention was focused on the arrow that had landed in the pot.
Only Meng Qingjiao frantically covered her left side.
Her large movement caused the clothes on her right side to also rip open.
A wave of gasps arose, and the Fifth Prince’s gaze finally left the dark figure standing in the distance, falling upon the flash of delicate pink, revealing a hint of scarlet and fair skin beneath; his pupils constricted in shock.
“Qing, Jiao—”
The Fifth Prince’s already pale face turned even whiter, his eyes filled with Meng Qingjiao’s panic and distress.
He suddenly gasped for breath, clutching his chest tightly. In his ears, he heard Meng Qingjiao’s distraught cries, and before his eyes, everything turned black and dizzy.
Finally, the Fifth Prince clutched at his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing heavily backward.
Panic erupted on the scene.
Meng Qingjiao was the future Fifth Prince Consort. The male guests present were all outsiders and could not remove their outer robes to give to Meng Qingjiao, only able to avert their gaze in horror.
With the Fifth Prince unconscious, both sides were in a flurry of activity.
Finally, someone from Crane Wind Pavilion brought a clean blanket to drape over her. Meng Qingjiao, overwhelmed with shame, fainted.
The Fifth Prince was also carried away to see the Imperial Physician.
The originally lively and harmonious scene was instantly shattered.
Meng Tingyue hadn’t expected that Meng Qingjiao would choose to protect that laughable reputation as a talented woman, instead throwing her own reputation to the wind.
The Fifth Prince fainting from anger was within her expectations; after all, the Fifth Prince was like a porcelain doll that shattered at the slightest touch, breaking and patching itself together again.
She felt deeply conflicted, wishing the Fifth Prince dead to atone for her past life, yet not wanting him to die so easily.
Thinking this, she sighed softly.
A steady, slow footstep sounded beside her.
The footsteps stopped, followed by a low, heavy voice, “Having created this chaos, are you satisfied?”
