Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 82

On the second day of the Winter Hunt, Cang Chuli had barely woken when hot water for washing was brought in.

Once he had washed, Xia Heng presented him with a bowl of shredded-chicken noodle soup and crisp scallion pancakes.

Xia Heng had risen at dawn to cook the noodles, while Chuqing had sliced off a small piece of pork leaf lard and griddled fragrant, crispy pancakes on an upturned pot lid.

Apparently, these scallion pancakes were Chuqing’s father’s specialty. He had made them during the war years ago, and not one person who tasted them had failed to praise them.

The two women were determined to deploy carbohydrates with a side of carbohydrates and stupefy Cang Chuli with the delicious smell. Failing that, they at least had to send him into such a carb coma that he could no longer remember what had happened the night before.

Xiao Yaqing came over and watched Xia Heng and Chuqing bustle back and forth.

“Why are you two so busy today?”

Xia Heng gritted her teeth. “Take a guess. Could it have anything to do with getting up in the middle of the night to accompany a certain unreliable person to meet her lover, only to be caught by the Emperor and have our guardian called?”

Xiao Yaqing rubbed her nose guiltily.

“I’m sorry…”

Xia Heng rolled her eyes at her. In the end, however, her appetite for gossip won out.

“What happened last night?”

“Well… I still didn’t manage to ask.”

Xia Heng sighed inwardly. As expected, it was never going to be that easy.

“But I don’t think it matters as much anymore!” Xiao Yaqing said with a smile. “I have something more important to do now.”

Seeing the light sparkling in her eyes, Xia Heng hooked an arm around Chuqing and hauled her over.

“Chu Fourth, see that? Remember this expression. That is the face a protagonist makes when she’s about to do something big.”

Xiao Yaqing glared at her, turned around, slung her bow over her back, mounted her horse, and rode into the woods to hunt.

From that day onward, everyone was free to hunt as they pleased.

Some of the military officers had ridden off early in the morning and vanished to parts unknown.

Other households, less interested in hunting, brought out chessboards and challenged one another instead.

Large game was not as easy to find as it had been the day before.

After expending enormous effort, Xiao Yaqing finally shot two wild pheasants and was on her way back when she suddenly noticed the vague shapes of several animals in the woods around her.

She nocked an arrow and peered more closely, only to discover an entire pack of wolves.

Cold sweat broke out over her body. She counted carefully. There were seven wolves in all.

They crept toward her, gradually forming a ring around her and her horse.

The mount beneath her grew restless. Xiao Yaqing hurriedly bent low and spent some time soothing it.

If the horse panicked now, she would have one more way to die.

The wolves drew ever closer. What was she going to do?

Xiao Yaqing cautiously threw one of the wild pheasants aside.

One wolf immediately raced over, seized the pheasant in its jaws, and carried it to the open ground behind the pack.

The remaining wolves did not move. They continued to stare fixedly at her.

Their circle tightened little by little. Xiao Yaqing’s breath caught.

She threw the second wild pheasant, but the pack’s formation still did not break.

Every hair on Xiao Yaqing’s body stood on end. The hand gripping her bow trembled.

Was she truly going to lose her life here today?

*Whoosh!*

An arrow flew from behind Xiao Yaqing and struck one of the wolves dead center.

The pack erupted into agitation. The other wolves were just about to pounce when—

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Several more arrows flew in quick succession.

Xiao Yaqing looked back.

Huyan Lie was leading a group of Tujue guards in loosing arrow after arrow.

Four wolves were shot dead on the spot. The survivors dared not remain. Tails tucked between their legs, they fled.

Huyan Lie turned and said something to the guards behind him in the Tujue language.

One guard immediately led several others after the fleeing wolves on horseback.

“Are you hurt, Miss Xiao?” Huyan Lie asked.

Only then did Xiao Yaqing’s pounding heart gradually settle.

“Thank you, First Prince.”

“You’re too courteous, Miss Xiao. It’s dangerous to be out here alone. Why not travel with me? There is safety in numbers.”

Xiao Yaqing hesitated for a moment.

“The fright has left me rather shaken. I would like to return and rest.”

Huyan Lie inclined his head slightly.

“Then I will escort you back.”

Xiao Yaqing was about to refuse when he continued, “Those remaining wolves have yet to be caught, and who knows what other beasts are lurking in these woods?

“If you run into danger again while returning alone, would I not have saved you for nothing?”

Xiao Yaqing considered this, then said, “In that case, I will trouble you, First Prince.”

Huyan Lie rode alongside her.

“Did you come hunting alone, Miss Xiao?”

Xiao Yaqing smiled awkwardly.

“You have quite the spirit of a woman of the grasslands.”

When she did not answer, Huyan Lie added pointedly, “Some people are born to be eagles, not sparrows.”

Xiao Yaqing said nothing more.

After riding for some time, they finally saw the tops of the tents at the hunting grounds.

“I will escort you only this far. If we go any farther, I fear being seen together may harm your reputation,” Huyan Lie said with gentlemanly consideration.

Xiao Yaqing thanked him and rode toward her household’s tent.

Along the way, she glanced back once.

Huyan Lie was still where she had left him, watching her depart.

* * *

“There are actually wolves on the hunting grounds? Just stay here and watch the contests with us. Don’t go hunting again,” Xia Heng urged.

The story left Chuqing frightened too.

“That’s right. Our General has hunted more than enough game. Whatever you want to eat, just ask him for it.”

Still shaken herself, Xiao Yaqing nodded.

Perhaps she and hunting were simply ill-fated. She had better behave herself and wait to be fed.

“All right, Eagle… Move aside. You’re blocking my view of the contest.”

Xia Heng reached out and pushed Xiao Yaqing out of the way.

After hearing what Huyan Lie had said to her, Xia Heng decided that “Eagle” would be Xiao Yaqing’s newest nickname.

Considering the entire ridiculous performance she had staged the night before, she deserved it.

Xiao Yaqing turned and took up a place beside Xia Heng.

The three women looked toward the archery contest taking place in the center.

The guards had set up several targets in the middle of the hunting grounds.

Any young masters and ladies of the noble families who were interested could come forward and display their skill.

Currently on the field were the Little Fatty from Grand Secretary Liang’s household and another refined-looking young man.

After every arrow he shot, Little Fatty glanced toward Cang Chuli.

Xia Heng found it amusing.

Fate truly was a wondrous thing. Not long ago, at someone else’s banquet, the two had been at each other’s throats.

Ever since the contest at the training ground, however, Little Fatty seemed to have become Cang Chuli’s most devoted admirer.

“Excellent! A bull’s-eye!”

After loosing his final arrow, Little Fatty Liang scampered over to Cang Chuli. He said nothing, merely stared at him with an expectant look.

Cang Chuli was utterly baffled. Why had everyone started coming to act unhinged in front of him lately?

Had his reputation as a god of slaughter stopped working?

Unable to hold back any longer, Little Fatty asked, “General! What did you think of my shooting?”

The moment Xia Heng heard this, she thought, *Oh, young man!*

*Of all the people you could have asked, you chose him?*

Cang Chuli’s expression did not change. He asked coldly, “What do you think?”

Little Fatty, however, looked even more excited.

“I know I still have many shortcomings! Ever since I returned from the training ground last time, I’ve practiced archery every day!

“I will keep working hard. I won’t disgrace the Zhenbei Army, and I won’t let anyone think your judgment is poor, General!”

With that, he ran off, found another practice target, and resumed training.

Xia Heng could not help looking at Cang Chuli.

*Was this the highest possible realm of being a boss?*

*It was as though he had said nothing—and yet somehow said everything.*

*With a talent like that, it would be a crime not to run a pyramid scheme!*