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Qin Xiao looked deeply worried.

Shen Chuwei asked, “Brother Qin, what do you mean by that?”

“His Highness has just become the Crown Prince, and so many people are eyeing him like prey.

How can it not be dangerous?

Besides, before we left, Master Lu read his fortune and said there was great peril.” It was because of Master Lu’s words that Qin Xiao had been so restless.

If someone else had said it, Shen Chuwei might not have believed it, but she trusted Master Lu.

Great peril meant a threat to life.

Qin Xiao said, “I want to go protect His Highness, and you’ll come with me.”

He was mainly concerned about Shen Chuwei being alone here, fearing that something might happen to her.

Shen Chuwei blinked, forgiving herself for still thinking about eating roasted rabbit meat at this moment.

Without considering whether Shen Chuwei wished to follow or not, Qin Xiao pulled her onto a tall steed and then mounted another himself.

Being tall and sturdy, Qin Xiao lifted Shen Chuwei as if she were a small chick.

As she watched the horses take off, Shen Chuwei once again reflected on how challenging it was to be Xiao Jinyan’s concubine.

At this moment, deep within the hunting grounds

After circling the area, a hint of confusion flashed in Xiao Jinyan’s eyes.

He hadn’t seen a single piece of game the entire way; something was definitely amiss.

Xiao Yunxuan rode up on his horse and, seeing no game on Xiao Jinyan’s horse except for feathers, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud, “The Crown Prince is truly at ease, haven’t you started hunting yet?”

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the two deer and a rabbit already on Xiao Yunxuan’s horse and responded indifferently, “How can I compare with Brother, who has already hunted several animals?

I have only just begun.”

“Of course, since the Crown Prince’s archery is unmatched, even if you start later, you will be better than us,” Xiao Yunxuan said superficially flattering him while sneering to himself, everywhere you’ve been has been cleared out, no matter how skilled your archery is, you will return empty-handed.

Xiao Jinyan was not surprised when he heard that; having seen no game on his way, he knew there had been foul play, and it turned out to be Xiao Yunxuan’s doing.

“Brother is too modest, with your ability, I am no match,” he said.

Xiao Yunxuan’s face stiffened, feeling as though Xiao Jinyan saw right through him, but then he laughed again, “It’s the Crown Prince who’s being modest.

I am still very much looking forward to His Highness’s archery.”

After Xiao Yunxuan left, Xiao Jinyan was not in a hurry to hunt but continued to ride forward instead.

He could not return empty-handed as doing so would surely invite the ridicule of his brothers and even disappoint the emperor.

Yet, after circling a large area, he still hadn’t seen any game.

*

Shen Chuwei followed Qin Xiao, running all the way, with Xuetuan nestled in her arms, its front paws tightly clutching her clothes, afraid of being jolted off.

She watched helplessly as rabbit after rabbit dashed by without a chance to catch one.

Not just rabbits, there were deer, wild boars, pheasants, foxes, and more.

“Brother Qin, where is His Highness?” Mainly because the saddle was too hard, bouncing on it made her buttocks hurt.

“The hunting grounds are so vast, I don’t know where His Highness is either, let’s start searching,” Qin Xiao urged the horse into a gallop.

Shen Chuwei watched as Qin Xiao sped away like the wind, not wanting to run so fast herself as it hurt her buttocks too much.

She lowered her gaze to Xuetuan in her arms and asked, “Do you know where His Highness is?”

Xuetuan lifted its head and meowed.

Shen Chuwei no longer felt like running around aimlessly with Qin Xiao—her buttocks couldn’t take it.

“Meow.” Xuetuan leaped from the horse’s back, landing steadily on its agile limbs before running into the hunting grounds.

Shen Chuwei squeezed the horse’s belly and followed.

With Xuetuan’s help, it didn’t take long to find Xiao Jinyan.

“Your Highness.”

Xiao Jinyan, seeing Xuetuan suddenly appear in the middle of the road, felt a bit puzzled.

Hearing the familiar voice, he turned his head and saw Shen Chuwei galloping toward him on horseback.

Not seeing Qin Xiao by her side for protection, his brow furrowed slightly.

“Why are you here?”

Shen Chuwei’s eyes curved into a smile, “Qin Xiao was afraid Your Highness might be in danger and wanted to protect you, so he brought this concubine along with him.”

After finishing her words, she gave an awkward smile, “Big Brother Qin ran too fast, and this concubine couldn’t keep up.”

Xiao Jinyan spoke in a deep voice, “Are you very familiar with Qin Xiao?”

Shen Chuwei replied, “As the saying goes, ‘Once a stranger, twice familiar’— we are acquainted.”

Xiao Jinyan: “You are not allowed to address them that way in the future.”

Shen Chuwei, looking puzzled, “Why not, Your Highness?”

Xiao Jinyan, expressionless: “You’re simply not allowed, why so many questions?”

Shen Chuwei didn’t understand why Xiao Jinyan was suddenly angry.

Wasn’t it out of politeness that she had called him Big Brother Qin?

Xiao Jinyan watched Shen Chuwei’s petite figure sitting on the tall horse and couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be thrown off any second.

“Come here.”

Shen Chuwei tugged on the reins, drawing closer to Xiao Jinyan’s horse with confusion.

As soon as she neared, she saw Xiao Jinyan extend his hand to wrap around her waist, and just like that, effortlessly lifted her onto his horse, seating her in front of him, which was also within his embrace.

Shen Chuwei was small and light; it was very easy to lift her with one hand.

Xiao Jinyan did not like sharing a ride with anyone else; he only did so because he was concerned that Shen Chuwei falling off would be troublesome.

Shen Chuwei looked down at the hand encircling her waist; it was handsome indeed, but the spot it held near her kidneys strangely tickled, making her want to reach out and scratch it.

Her back was pressed firmly against Xiao Jinyan’s chest, allowing her to distinctly feel his strong and vigorous heartbeat.

There was embarrassment, but even more so, a sense of astonished delight.

Xiao Jinyan gripped the reins tightly with one hand and held onto Shen Chuwei’s waist with the other; he had personally verified the previous night how slender her waist was.

He held her close to prevent her from falling, which would have been bothersome.

Xuetuan watched as the two rode away on one horse, its short little legs scampering along.

If it could talk, it would probably be cursing now—it hadn’t been lifted onto the horse yet!

Shen Chuwei sneakily lifted her head to peer at Xiao Jinyan, reflecting sadly that her short stature meant she could only see Xiao Jinyan’s sensual Adam’s apple and his sharp chin.

Reframe the concept, and she might consider herself indulging in a luxury.

For instance, having the Crown Prince serving as her groom was a rather enjoyable affair.

She withdrew her gaze back to the horse’s back, where she spotted several dozen arrow feathers, and her interest was piqued once again.

Not only did she have the Crown Prince playing her groom, but shortly, she would also witness the Crown Prince’s Archery performance, a show she couldn’t see even if she paid for it.

Having it for free meant she was in luck.

“Your Highness, hitting the target from a hundred paces is no problem for you, right?”

Xiao Jinyan: “Hmm.”

Shen Chuwei continued to puff her colorful flattery, “Then this concubine may witness Your Highness’s extraordinary Archery.”

Xiao Jinyan: “You’ll be disappointed.

I’ve been looking around for a long time and haven’t seen a single game.”

Shen Chuwei lifted her head in confusion, looking towards Xiao Jinyan, “How is that possible?

On the way here, this concubine saw many, many games.”

Xiao Jinyan’s concise reply: “Someone deliberately drove the game away.”

Shen Chuwei immediately understood, “Someone has resorted to despicable means, intending to make Your Highness lose.”

Xiao Jinyan: “Hmm.”

Shen Chuwei: “Your Highness won’t lose.

Shortly, there will be plenty of games, and Your Highness will return with a full load.”

Xiao Jinyan cast his eyes downwards in confusion at Shen Chuwei, “What do you mean?”