Chapter 42

After the person chosen to lead pierced the red heart, the gong sounded, which meant the official start of the winter hunt.

"I wonder who is chosen to shoot the golden arrow this year," Gu Shuang revealed her longing, "Sister still doesn't know right? Each family will select a quota and send it to the Emperor's hand. The Emperor will then randomly draw a name from those lists to be responsible for shooting the golden arrow at the red heart. That is an honor that common people can only admire from afar. As long as they hit it, not only will the Emperor generously reward them, but the person who leads will also become famous overnight with praise across the capital city. They can then walk sideways in Bianjing."

Gu Shuang pointed at the high-hanging target in midair.

"However, this is very difficult. If they miss, not only will they easily incur the Emperor's displeasure, but also become a laughing stock. Thus, each family is extremely prudent when selecting someone," Gu Shuang explained.

Gu Ying asked, "Who did our family choose this year?"

Gu Shuang shook her head and said, "Grandmother sent a calligraphy work of Wang Xizhi to Minister Mu in Guanwen Hall. She didn't let Minister Mu submit any names to the Emperor. But this is understandable. Grandmother was worried that if one of us was chosen, it would humiliate the Gu Family. Not submitting a name is the best way to avoid losing face among the aristocratic families in Bianjing."

Gu Ying nodded thoughtfully.

It would be great if Grandmother really didn't submit any names.

But that was not the case.

She still remembered when she had just been rescued by Bai Zhi and the others from Gu Jia's trap. Before she could clean up, Liu Shi had sent someone to push her to the opening ceremony of the winter hunt. In her disheveled state, she was seen by everyone and despised by Jiang Yin.

She tried her best to shrink into a corner, keeping a low profile, hoping to get through the opening ceremony safely.

But out of the 50 wooden name plaques presented, the Emperor randomly drew her name... "Dongping Earl Manor, Gu Ying!"

She was so frightened then that she froze in her seat when the court eunuch called out her name.

She didn't dare to get on the horse or draw the bow. Holding the golden arrow with trembling hands, she knelt under the Emperor's stare.

Mockery, contempt, disgust all came pouring in.

Her face was as pale as a ghost as she begged the Emperor to allow her fiancé Jiang Yin to shoot the arrow for her.

Because that one shot was very difficult.

Therefore, whenever a woman was chosen, she could ask a gentleman to shoot the arrow for her.

Naturally, Jiang Yin also performed very well, hitting the red heart directly with one shot, eliciting cheers from the hunting ground.

The Emperor promised to reward him with gold brocade in person. But he knelt before the Emperor and rejected material rewards. He sincerely asked the Emperor to grant him a residence that could shelter his elderly mother and young sister.

Since then, Jiang Yin's reputation for being wise and filial spread far and wide.

And her reputation for being timid and cowardly was equally spread in an unflattering way.

But she didn't care about reputation back then. She only cared about how Jiang Yin saw her. So she resolutely brought her dowry to marry into the Jiang Family and became the abandoned wife who was tormented by Jiang Yin for ten years...

"Sister, what are you thinking about?" Gu Shuang called out after waiting for a while without getting a response. She curiously reached out and waved in front of Gu Ying, "Sister?"

Gu Ying came back from her memories and smiled wryly, "Little sister, I'm fine. I just suddenly recalled that when father left Bianjing, he left me a book that specifically taught some archery and martial arts skills."

"Ah?" Gu Shuang was surprised, "Sister can't be thinking of becoming the person who leads right?"

Gu Ying lazily combed her hair behind her ears and smiled lazily, "Why not?"

Gu Shuang chuckled, "I didn't mean it that way. It's just that since the founding of Dong Li, academics has always been valued over martial arts. Scholars have high status while military officers have low status. It was only after the current Emperor took the throne and the borders were invaded by foreign enemies that he started paying attention to military officers. Otherwise, women would never have had the opportunity to shoot that arrow. Moreover, no woman has shot that arrow until now. The hunting ground is still the world of men that we women have nothing to do with."

Gu Ying sighed, "How can we women have nothing to do with it? We are no worse than men." Gu Shuang held Gu Ying's hand and gently stroked her delicate fingers. "Sister, what if the Emperor chooses you? Will you shoot that arrow?"

Gu Ying raised her eyes and looked calmly at the towering target stand without answering.

Gu Shuang was only joking. Some women couldn't even draw a bow. Although her sister was a military officer's daughter, her hands were soft and delicate. How much martial arts skill could she have?

Besides, Grandmother didn't submit any of the Gu women's names. There was no way it would be their turn today. They only needed to quietly watch others compete for the spotlight.

So Gu Shuang straightened her cloak and said with a smile, "Sister, just stop thinking too much. Let's go sit over there."

Gu Ying nodded and walked with Gu Shuang to the Gu Family's seats.

Soon after, the Huo Family's women arrived at the hunting ground.

Huo Qiyan walked in surrounded by people. She was dressed very dazzlingly today, full of jewelry and beaded headgear. Her evening mist red brocade propitious cloud patterned gown with gold threads was embedded with dozens of shining Donghai pearls. The flower on her forehead shone brightly with a golden pearl in the center, making her look like a celestial fairy.

In such an occasion, even Princess Yueyan sitting to the right below probably did not stand out as much as her.

She was so ostentatious that she inevitably displeased the other women who looked down on her in secret.

But Huo Qiyan proudly raised her chin, not caring about their gazes at all. She only needed to attract the gazes of the men's seats opposite her.

The jealousy of the women would only make her more smug.

As the daughter of Minister Huo, a veteran official of three dynasties, who was highly respected and carried the phoenix prophecy, Huo Qiyan had always been someone the Bianjing women looked up to and admired.

Thus, the Huo Family's place was livelier than the others.

Gu Shuang curiously turned her head to look at Huo Qiyan admiringly as she was surrounded by women. "The young lady of the Huo Family really has all the pampering in the world. She's so beautiful, with a good family background. She really makes people envious. Prince Shu and Prince Duan are both interested in marrying into the Huo Family, but they haven't agreed. I wonder who the Huo young lady will marry in the future. Alas, unlike Sister Wan whose ambition is as high as the heavens, but whose status and position is far from the Huo young lady's. And Eldest Sister only married a poor scholar after dreaming of marrying into a marquis manor. Even if Eldest Brother-in-Law gains fame and fortune in the future, how could he compare to these century-old prestigious families of Dong Li. What do you think, Sister?"

Gu Shuang turned around, only to see Gu Ying resting her cheek on her hand, gazing at the men's seats across from them.

Gu Shuang was baffled. "Eh? Sister, who are you looking at?"