Princess Ming Yu, pampered and proud, hated that Prince Fenglin ignored her. His eyes often drifted toward a certain maid with calm grace and deadly precision.
So she arranged a spectacle.
An archery contest on horseback.
Her champion? Yong Li—the most skilled archer in the Imperial Army.The sun rose in the east, painting the skies above the imperial palace in hues of crimson and gold. The garden was bustling with anticipation, but the excitement in the air was poisoned with an undertone of deceit.
Hua Lian stood at the edge of the training grounds, her heart steady, her gaze calm. Today's event wasn't just for sport. It was a show designed with malice, dressed as royal entertainment.
Princess Ming Yu had organized the archery duel herself, supposedly for amusement. But everyone knew it was more than that.
She was supposed to be Prince Fenglin's betrothed.
But Fenglin, though polite, had always been distant toward her. Ming Yu, pampered and entitled, was used to admiration. She couldn't stand the way his attention lingered on a mere maid—Hua Lian.
And now, she was going to break her.
The crowd began to gather—soldiers, nobles, servants—all eager to witness the spectacle. Ming Yu sat high under a jeweled canopy, her face masked with powdered grace, but her eyes burned with cruel glee.
Yong Li, the imperial army's finest archer, stepped out with a confident smirk. Muscles flexed beneath his embroidered sleeves. His mere presence drew loud cheers from the soldiers.
He mounted his tall, fierce steed and pulled his bow with an ease born of years of training. In one fluid motion, he shot an arrow while galloping at full speed. It struck the bullseye—dead center.
A wave of applause followed.
He bowed deeply, arrogant and smug.
Then it was Hua Lian's turn.
She stepped forward, graceful yet firm, mounting a slightly smaller horse—a mare with calm eyes and a mysterious edge. Her long hair was tied back simply. She had no fancy armor or title, just a quiet presence that pulled attention like a magnetic force.
Some scoffed. Some whispered.
"A maid competing against Yong Li?"
"Foolish. This will be embarrassing."
But Prince Fenglin leaned forward, smiling.
"I wouldn't count her out just yet," he murmured.
Hua Lian raised her bow. The crowd hushed.
She galloped. Wind tore through her sleeves as she steadied herself and loosed her arrow.
It struck.
The exact center of the target—splitting Yong Li's earlier arrow sideways.
Gasps. Then silence.
Then—the loudest cheer of the day.
Even soldiers who had laughed now exchanged stunned glances.
Yong Li's pride flared.
He didn't like being upstaged.
With a scowl, he notched two arrows at once and fired while still riding. They whistled through the air—both hit the mark with precision.
The crowd clapped. Ming Yu smirked.
And then she stood.
"Three arrows, blindfolded," she declared. "Let's see how far talent can truly go."
Whispers erupted.
Even Fenglin frowned. "Isn't that too much?"
But Hua Lian merely nodded.
She allowed the blindfold to be tied across her eyes. Her fingers touched each arrow with reverence. Her heartbeat slowed. In her mind, she could still hear the wind, feel the subtle movements of the horse beneath her.
Three arrows.
One breath.
She loosed them.
The crowd held its breath as the arrows soared through the air—three deadly streaks.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
All three landed—perfect center. The previous arrows were shaken from place.
The entire field exploded into applause.
People were shouting, clapping, roaring in disbelief.
Even the princes watching from afar—Wenjin, Mingzhao, Renshu—stood in stunned silence.
Then… it happened.
Her horse reared violently.
Its eyes rolled wildly. It foamed at its mouth. It began to buck and spin, as if possessed. Hua Lian clutched the reins, but the creature was frantic.
She couldn't control it. She was really scared and her entire body was shaking like a leaf.
The princess's voice rang out sharply, but not to help.
"Stand down! Do not interfere!"
The soldiers—who had instinctively moved—froze at her command.
No one came forward.
Ming Yu sat with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
She had ordered someone to injure the horse's leg before the competition and to give it a special herb—a madness root—that would make it unstable.
The horse whinnied and reared again.
Hua Lian's body flew through the air like a discarded doll—spinning, weightless—hurtling toward the trunk of a massive cypress tree.
People screamed.
"Help her!"
"She's going to die!"
The world slowed.
Hua Lian closed her eyes.
So this was how it would end?
But then—
A gust of wind. A blur of bronze and shadow.
A figure moved faster than the eye could follow.
Just before her body slammed into the tree, strong arms caught her midair. She was wrapped in a firm embrace, her fall completely arrested. She was carried completely by someone.
She opened her eyes weakly.
And saw it.
A bronze mask.
Prince Li Yuyan.
He had caught her.
He landed gracefully, holding her like she weighed nothing. The horse neighed beneath his grip as he subdued it with a single tug of the reins.
The crowd was silent. Breathless.
He stared at her for a brief second, his eyes unreadable.
"Stop attracting trouble, stubborn maid," he said flatly.
Then he handed her over to the guards, turned his back, and disappeared into the stunned crowd.
Fenglin and the other princes rushed forward.
Mingzhao's jaw was clenched with rage. Wenjin's hands trembled as he checked her pulse. Renshu placed a hand over her forehead, worry etched on his boyish face.
But the one who saved her… was gone again, without a trace of kindness or explanation.
And yet—
He had risked everything to protect her in front of the entire court.
She slipped into unconsciousness.
But one thought pulsed through her mind as darkness swallowed her.
He saved me. Again. Why?