Chapter 95 Tenderness at the Shooting Range
His vigorous handwriting with harsh, even commanding tone. His words warmed Qin Yunuan in a sudden.
Qin Yunuan cautiously ignited the fire and burned the letter. While everyone was sleeping soundly during the lunch break, she sneaked outside of the tent in her shirt. The sun was blazing. Qin Yunuan had been walking under the tent shadow. There was still a dense sweat on her forehead a moment later.
The shooting range was tranquil at this time. Only when approached could Qin Yunuan hear the occasional but clear rustling sound. It was the sound of mighty arrows leaving their bows which was clear and clean, without a trace of hesitation.
The summer was hot, but Leng Changxi was still in heavy armor. He was wrapped tightly by the airtight metal, and the sweat dripped directly from the back along the corner of the clothes. But Leng Changxi didn’t relax his fingers. His energetic body seemed to be sending a constant flow of power to the fingertips. Another arrow hit the red center.
Leng Changxi stood alone in the huge shooting range. He still strived for excellence, with each arrow aimed at the red center. The red center of the target at hundred meters away was as large as a fist, but it was filled with arrows. Some arrows even tried to penetrate the target. After Leng Changxi’s practice, the targets were usually no longer usable.
“You came?” Leng Changxi noticed the turquoise figure at the entrance of the shooting range. Although she didn’t have to ride a horse, Qin Yunuan was dressed in fitted clothes to match with the hunt. Her waist belt was tightened, and her hair was tied up more than usual, revealing the pearl-like earlobes, looking more lively and flexible.
“Yes.” Qin Yunuan entered the shooting range and glanced at the armor on Leng Changxi. She felt a bit distressed, “Why don’t you take off the armor on such a hot day? Isn’t it stuffy?”
“Take it off?” Leng Changxi grinned suddenly, “Okay.” After he finished, he untied the straps of his armor. Somehow Leng Changxi took off the armor so fast that almost at the moment, the armor fell to the ground. Leng Changxi revealed his sweaty inner shirt tightly attached to the body. The translucent shirt outlined Leng Changxi’s perfect abdominal muscles and undulating chest.
Qin Yunuan didn’t expect Leng Changxi to be so quick. When she reacted, Leng Changxi shook his inner shirt and continued, “It seems to be hot still.” Then he tried to untie the shirt straps, preparing to take off everything.
“You,” Qin Yunuan turned around quickly. Her heart was beating noisier than those cicadas in the summer, “wear some clothes.”
Leng Changxi shrugged his shoulders, “I’m wearing clothes. Do you want to look back?”
“I mean…” Qin Yunuan, who had a sharp mouth, found that for the first time she couldn’t find any word to refute Leng Changxi. He was a rogue. “I mean, put the armor back on.”
Leng Changxi grinned slyly, and his tone became extremely pitiful, “You told me to take it off, and now you let me put it on again. Forget it. Give me a final word. Should I wear it or take it off. It depends on you.”
Qin Yunuan pointed at the thin jacket on a temporary hanger on the shooting range, “Put that on.”
Dressing in something was at least better than letting Leng Changxi sweat like that.
Leng Changxi glanced at it and replied, “That’s not mine.”
Was there anyone else in this shooting range?
Qin Yunuan was surprised. Then she saw a pair of white riding boots with yellow patterns behind the hanger. The Kylin patterns embroidered on them were all in gold threads. Its owner hid behind the hanger, not realizing that his shoes had betrayed him.
Who else could it be….
Qin Yunuan smiled and said out loudly, “Nice to meet you, Fourth Prince.”
Sima Han suddenly popped his head out. He groaned towards Qin Yunuan stubbornly, “I’m not here. You didn’t see me.”
“It’s okay. Come out, Han,” Leng Changxi said as a master. Although frankly speaking, Sima Han was a few months older than him.
Sima Han moved out reluctantly, lowering his head. His eyes were timid when he looked at Leng Changxi, and he seemed to be afraid of his master Leng Changxi. Sima Han knew that he was not obedient. His master was strict and harsh at work, and he would definitely punish him with running circles.
“Hello, master,” Sima Han bowed 90 degrees to Leng Changxi. Then he straightened up, shouting in his incomparably broad voice towards Qin Yunuan, “Hello, master’s wife.”
“Four Prince…” Qin Yunuan was used to Leng Changxi being a rogue, but now even Sima Han started to name people at random. She turned her head and looked at Leng Changxi. Since Sima Han was his apprentice, he should be in charge. Others would gossip hearing this.
Unexpectedly, Leng Changxi said with praise, “Well, good boy. Good, you are becoming more polite.”
So are you pleased?
Leng Changxi looked Qin Yunuan’s embarrassed face with a burst of complexion. He thought that Qin Yunuan was unwilling to see a third person when they meet in private. So he waved decisively to Sima Han like petting small animals, “Alright, you’ve greeted her. Go back and rest.”
“Oh.” Sima Han nodded and was about to leave. Qin Yunuan was busy keeping him, “Since you came here, why not see Yuzhao?”
“Is Fourth Miss Qin also here?” Leng Changxi asked.
“This is not the case,” Qin Yunuan had confirmed that Qin Yuzhao’s mind was likely to be healthy after getting along with her and observing for these past few days. But she still didn’t want too many people to know about her relationship with Leng Changxi. Therefore she had to keep it as a secret to Qin Yuzhao, who lived with her. “But I happened to bring a small portrait of Yuzhao. She asked me to draw for her before the lunch break. I didn’t take it out of the jacket layer.”
Qin Yunuan said as she took out a neatly folded drawing paper. The paper was as small as the palm of her hand as it spread out. In the portrait was a graceful girl. Her facial features were outstanding, especially those big bright eyes. They appeared to be even more vivid under Qin Yunuan’s painting.
“Is this sister a fairy?” Sima Han opened his eyes wide and stared into the portrait.
“How do you think, Four Prince?” Qin Yunuan smiled gently. She didn’t bring it by accident. Qin Yunuan had always remembered that Yuzhao got interested in Sima Han, yet she didn’t know how Sima Han thought of Yuzhao. Judging from this, the two had predestined affinity.
Sima Han nodded and almost drooled, “She looks good. She looks great. Can you find this fairy sister for me? I want to take her back to the palace and keep admiring her every day.”
“It might be possible,” Qin Yunuan pretended to be mysterious, “Just you know, the fairies in the sky were not like normal people on earth. There are too many serving ladies in your palace. Fairies would lose their uniqueness living in such a mixed environment, and she won’t look so good.”
The serving ladies in Qin Yunuan’s words were those seven or eight maids who had spent the nights with Sima Han.
“Then I will drive them all away and leave none. I just want this fairy sister,” Sima Han was very decisive.
Qin Yunuan smiled and let out a sigh of relief, “Since you have got the determination, I would disclose this secret to you, Fourth Prince. You could see this fairy sister in the archery competition this afternoon. Do you know what to do?”
As soon as he heard that he was able to see this fairy-like girl, Sima Han got so happy that he clapped his palms, “I will ask my mother to grab her for me and treat her well in my palace.”
Watching Sima Han walk away happily, Leng Changxi turned his head and grinned at Qin Yunuan, and his tone lifted a bit, “You are getting more powerful now, using few words to persuade Han to send away all those beauties in the palace.”
“Fourth Prince should be willing to do it first.” Qin Yunuan said as she subconsciously pinched her sleeve to wipe away the sweat dripping on Leng Changxi’s chin, “If they haven’t seen each other before or they have never had feelings, how can this be so easy?”
This conclusion was made only days ago when Qin Yunuan occasionally saw a string of antique emerald beads around Qin Yuzhao’s waist. Qin Yuzhao was never particular about her clothes and hair, but the beads were carefully decorated with red string. The smallest decorative pendant underneath seemed to have been especially replaced with a new one. She had worn it for some years.
Qin Yuzhao was such a reckless girl. It was strange that those fragile emerald beads would be so well preserved.
Qin Yunuan only happened to recall that at the poetry fiesta, she saw the same string of jade beads in Sima Han’s waist. On such a momentous occasion, a distinguished prince was wearing such a cheap jade. People would take him as stupid and ignorant. Still, Qin Yunuan knew that the beads, which were very inconsistent with the two’s usual identities and behaviors, must indicate some connection between them.
“One is acting silly in the palace, and the other is acting silly in the mansion of Grand Commandant. The only chance for them to meet each year is during the New Year banquet, and they have only a glance.” Qin Yunuan lamented, “They are like the Cowherd and the Girl Weaver.”
“So we are fortunate. I can always see you when I want to,” Leng Changxi smiled softly. At this moment, the two had left the shooting range from the path and walked downhill to the mountainside. In the distance, they could see Eunuch You, who worked for the emperor. He was leading those young eunuchs to set up the shooting range, preparing for the archery competition.
Leng Changxi would certainly play the game in the afternoon.
“Aren’t you tired without a break at noon for the afternoon game?” Qin Yunuan asked with her head slightly raised.
“Who said that I didn’t have a rest.” Leng Changxi suddenly approached her, leaned down, and kissed Qin Yunuan’s cheeks. He chuckled in a low voice, “Well, this is enough for my rest.”