Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 195: Injured

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Injured

Up ahead, Emperor Jianming, Marquis Zhenbei, and Marquis An Yuan were competing in the hunt. Emperor Jianming’s administrative work was not overly taxing; the cabinet categorizes and organizes petitions, and by the time they are presented to him, all he needs to do is review them. Having ascended the throne for over a decade, Emperor Jianming has never neglected his horseback skills and has achieved a refined proficiency. Though he cannot compare to Marquis Zhenbei or Marquis An Yuan, as the supreme ruler, the two marquises defer to him. The emperor’s hunting spoils were therefore quite plentiful, exceeding those of Marquis Zhenbei and Marquis An Yuan.

Lin Cheng glanced behind him and spotted Xie Xun, who appeared as carefree as a nobleman enjoying a leisurely outing, trailing them at an unhurried pace. Riding his horse closer, Lin Cheng greeted Xie Xun, who nonchalantly returned the greeting, "Commander Lin."

Lin Cheng replied with a smile, "Young Marquis, why aren’t you joining the hunt?"

"I am hunting," Xie Xun said casually, signaling Zhuifeng to present his prey. Though Xie Xun had been leisurely following behind them, he had caught quite a substantial amount of game.

Lin Cheng wondered inwardly: Had Xie Xun sensed something? But neither Xie Jue nor Xie Zhang had entered the hunting grounds—so why was he shadowing his father? Lin Cheng chuckled and said, "Both Commander Chen and I are ensuring the safety of His Majesty and the marquises. Is there something you’re worried about, Young Marquis?"

"My father fears that my hunting might overshadow others and commanded me to stay by his side, picking up his prey instead. Orders from the father—what can I do?" Xie Xun’s tone held a trace of helplessness.

Lin Cheng wondered again: Last year during the hunt, you weren’t nearly this enthusiastic. Whose spotlight are you trying to steal?

"Young Marquis seems intent on following closely. Could it be that you distrust the defenses of the Forbidden Army and the Jinyi Guard?" Lin Cheng asked, displeased.

"It’s better to rely on oneself than on others. I only trust myself," Xie Xun replied with a smile. "Besides, my father is riddled with old injuries and overly fond of showing off. As his son, following him might let me dissuade him from recklessness. You all won’t be able to persuade him anyway. If something happens—a stumble or a knock—it wouldn’t do for the blame to fall on you."

Lin Cheng: "..."

The two were engaging in verbal sparring when suddenly an arrow whizzed through the forest breeze, heading straight toward the direction of Marquis Zhenbei. Xie Xun squinted his eyes and looked sharply toward the source of the arrow—that was his Second Brother’s Shadow Guard.

Xie Xun abruptly shouted, "Protect His Majesty!"

His shout startled both Marquis An Yuan and Emperor Jianming, who were in the midst of driving game forward. Marquis Zhenbei saw the arrow approaching, and drawing his blade, he slashed it apart with precision. The arrow’s force was full and deliberate—not the product of a misfire.

Lin Cheng immediately led the Forbidden Army to encircle Emperor Jianming. "Assassins in the woods! Protect His Majesty!"

The location was perilously close to the trap Chen Mo had set—a mere step away from being within an encircling hail of arrows. Emperor Jianming, taken aback by this sudden development, instinctively glanced toward Chen Mo.

Marquis Zhenbei had already severed the arrow, while the Forbidden Army and Jinyi Guards stood on high alert. No second arrow emerged, and Chen Mo gestured for two Jinyi Guards to investigate.

Chen Mo said, "Your Majesty, it could be a young noble whose archery skills are lacking, causing them to miss their target."

In a hunting ground hosting thousands of participants, injuries and even fatalities were not uncommon. The mountainous terrain, fraught with danger, made such incidents almost expected. After Xie Xun’s shout for protection, the Forbidden Army and Jinyi Guards had cordoned off the emperor, Marquis Zhenbei, and Marquis An Yuan tightly.

Xie Xun galloped forward. "Your Majesty, father—this deep forest is rife with poisonous creatures and hidden dangers. For the sake of your imperial wellbeing, we shouldn’t proceed further."

The emperor, still brimming with excitement, shook his head lightly. Marquis Zhenbei followed suit.

Xie Xun’s expression instantly chilled; though the sun blazed overhead, he felt the oppressive weight of storm clouds within. It was the calm before the storm, and even the rustling of the forest seemed like a harbinger of doom.

Emperor Jianming said, "There are generals like General Zhao and iron cavalry guarding the hunting grounds, and many others accompanying me. My safety is assured. Rarely do I have the chance to hunt alongside my valued officials; today must end with merriment all around. Besides, I have yet to track down the spotted deer; let’s search for its trail together."

Within the hunting grounds, there was only one spotted deer. Whoever claimed it would be crowned the king of this hunt.

"Understood!" Marquis Zhenbei and Marquis An Yuan, ever loyal, naturally risked their lives to accompany the emperor.

Emperor Jianming took the lead, heading deeper into the forest, when suddenly a second arrow was fired from behind. Xie Xun squinted his eyes; in an instant of lightning-like reflexes and years of knowing Xie Jue deeply, he subtly diverted the arrow’s trajectory—directly toward Marquis Zhenbei.

Inwardly, Xie Xun murmured: "Father, forgive me!"

The shocking twist happened in a heartbeat. Marquis Zhenbei slightly sidestepped but still took the arrow in his arm. The arrow punctured his flesh deeply, nearly piercing through his arm as blood gushed out.

"Father!"

"Unfilial son!"

Marquis Zhenbei and Xie Xun spoke almost simultaneously. Marquis Zhenbei’s eyes reddened with fury. "Are you conspiring to murder your own father?!"

"Marquis!"

"Protect His Majesty!" Lin Cheng shouted again, prompting the Forbidden Army and Jinyi Guards to remain on high alert, watching the direction from which the arrow had been released.

Xie Xun: "..."

Emperor Jianming was equally stunned; no one had anticipated such a dramatic moment to unfold. While accidents during hunts were common, this spectacle of a son seemingly attempting to kill his father was something else entirely.

"Father, it was truly unintentional. Please don’t get angry—return to camp quickly for treatment," Xie Xun said coldly as he rode closer, his brows sharper than frost. "Your Majesty, these woods are treacherous; these arrows may be the work of Beiman attackers. I beseech your return to camp. We will thoroughly investigate the matter."

Though the first arrow could be dismissed as an apprentice’s poor aim, the second arrow’s emergence revealed deliberate intent. Should something happen to Emperor Jianming, those accompanying him would inevitably share in his fate.

Chen Mo, as Commander of the Jinyi Guard, prioritized the emperor’s safety above all else. Any further insistence on hunting risked exposing their plans. Decisively, he declared: "Your Majesty, the Young Marquis speaks wisely—these woods are and Beiman’s agents surely seek to disrupt our peace. Permit us to escort you safely back to camp and uncover the truth."

Just one step away!

They had been so close to succeeding!

Who had unraveled their strategy? Who had fired those arrows at them? Xie Xun attributed it to Beiman attackers, forcing everyone to shift to that narrative.

Lin Cheng narrowed his eyes and cast a suspicious glance toward Xie Xun. He could have intercepted the arrows but instead redirected them at Marquis Zhenbei. The scene was too bizarre—it left Lin Cheng uncertain, as though Xie Xun’s motives were veiled in shadows.

Xie Xun, riding Zhuifeng, withdrew to the rear. Turning back, he caught sight of two fleeting shadows—the Shadow Guards of his Second Brother. Why had they risked their lives to shoot those two arrows?

If the Jinyi Guards apprehended them, it would implicate the entire Marquis Mansion. What exactly was Second Brother planning?

Marquis Zhenbei, heavily wounded by the arrow, was escorted back to camp, where Judge Zhang was utterly dumbfounded.

Marquis Zhenbei?

Injured by an arrow during the hunt?

This would surely be the greatest joke in Yanyang’s history! Judge Zhang hurried into the tent to assess the injury, noting that the arrow had nearly pierced through Marquis Zhenbei’s left shoulder. Though alarming in appearance, the wound had thankfully avoided vital areas. For someone as physically formidable as Marquis Zhenbei, such injuries were nothing more than superficial.

"My arm has long been burdened by strain, aching faintly on rainy days. This arrow won’t cause lasting harm, will it?" Marquis Zhenbei asked.

Judge Zhang looked up at Marquis Zhenbei, feeling the battlefield aura radiating from this god of war. "Marquis, rest assured—I know what to say."

Marquis Zhenbei smiled but said nothing, his hand clenched into a trembling fist, the veins bulging. Whether he was containing his rage or enduring pain was known only to him.