White Wolf
The Emperor and nobles lived in luxury and comfort, naturally not venturing deep into the mountains like hunters. The so-called hunting was setting up enclosures in the wilderness, and soldiers would drive wild beasts into the enclosures. The Emperor and nobles only needed to stand elegantly behind the fence and shoot arrows at those panicked wild beasts.
People from a military background naturally looked down upon such hunting. When those physically weak nobles drew their bows, I heard a faint hiss. Turning my head, I saw a group of guards not far away, with Cheng Mao leading them.
Cheng Mao also noticed me. Since the people sitting here were all noble family members, he couldn't come over to pay his respects. He just bowed slightly in place as a greeting.
"Is that Da Tangxiong's deputy general? I remember his name is Cheng Mao," Zhou Shi said from the side.
"Exactly," I replied, "After I got married, it was Cheng Jiangjun who escorted me to Yongdu."
Zhou Shi nodded and said with a smile, "Da Tangxiong treated Tangsao very well. I heard that at that time, Tangxiong dispatched two hundred soldiers just to escort Tangsao to Yongdu."
I smiled back and remained silent, not responding to the comment.
Amidst the lively atmosphere around me, I appeared to be watching, but my mind was elsewhere. I was absentmindedly going over the events of this early morning, and my thoughts didn't stop for a moment.
Actually, I am very grateful that Wei Ci intervened just now. Otherwise, I truly wouldn't know how to deal with Wei Tan.
He dragged me back from the forest, and as soon as we sat down, he incessantly talked about him and Empress Xu. In the end, he even told me about how things become apparent over time and that there's no need to conceal anything.
I'm not really concerned about the truth of Wei Tan's and Empress Xu's affairs; he said a lot to me, but it was merely to convey his attitude towards Empress Xu. What worries me is how he will behave in the future. If Empress Xu wants to see him again, will he go to meet her? In the forest, he told Empress Xu that it was the "last time," but I'm afraid even he is not sure. If Empress Xu says something again in the future, will he truly be resolute enough not to see her?
Qi Shu once said to me, "Youthful love is sincere." I bitterly smiled in my heart, realizing how deeply I can empathize with my husband's feelings when he meets his old love in secret. Is it because I, too, have someone like Pei Qian whom I have never truly let go of?
The only good thing about this whole situation is that Wei Tan took the initiative to explain it to me. It shows that despite these cold days, he still wants to continue being husband and wife with me.
As for his talk about honesty, how much I wish I could believe it. In that moment of hearing it, I was also deeply moved.
Perhaps both of us have already shown the greatest sincerity in this marriage, but the word "honesty" is not fair to us. Just like Father and Mother, even though they may appear harmonious on the surface, there are still many things Mother wouldn't say in front of Father. I am deeply confused, what kind of couple Wei Tan and I are in his heart?
******
After two rounds of shooting, the soldiers dragged away the dead and injured wild beasts from the enclosure, and the sound of drums resumed, signaling the start of a new round.
"That person, who is he?" Mao Shi pointed to a few people in the enclosure who were about to shoot arrows at the prey. "The one wearing a green robe and armor, I have never seen him before. How can he stand together with several imperial family members?"
I also looked over, and indeed, that person was over seven feet tall and looked completely unfamiliar to me.
"That's Liang Ren," Zhou Shi explained, "I heard he is the descendant of the Sixth son of Emperor Wen, Hejian Wang. During the campaign of Tan Xi, he pledged allegiance to Chengxiang, and the Emperor addresses him as 'HuangShu' based on his royal lineage."
"Hejian Wang from Emperor Wen's era?" Mao Shi chuckled and said, "That's an event from two or three hundred years ago. His Majesty and this 'HuangShu' are truly distantly related."
"Please don't underestimate him," Zhou Shi said, "It is said that this man was born into a poor family and had only a few acres of meager farmland to support his household. He learned how to weave mats and lived in the marketplace. During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he gathered local people to defend against bandits, and he was appointed as a xiàn chéng. Later, during He Kui's rebellion, he joined Dong Kuang's forces. After Dong Kuang's defeat, he went to Liaodong and served under Lu Kang. When Tan Xi's army retreated to the north, Tan Xi's fourth son, Tan Yao, fled to Liaodong, and Liang Ren instigated Lu Kang to kill Tan Yao. As a result, ChengXiang appointed him as the Governor (牧-mù) of Jiaozhou."
"So, this man has been switching allegiances all along," Mao Shi exclaimed, and then she glanced at Zhou Shi with a meaningful expression. "Tangshu (referring to Zhou Shi's husband) treats you well too, telling you so much."
Zhou Shi blushed but couldn't hide her pride, "How much he can say is not determined by his ability, but by my skillful questioning."
When Wei Tan and several others stepped onto the field, the soldiers clearly showed excitement with their voices. I looked over, and Wei Tan was standing in the front. He tested the bowstring, and suddenly, he glanced in our direction.
From afar, it seemed like his gaze lingered on me for a moment, but soon he turned his head away.
"Oh? Who is Da Tangsiong looking at?" Zhou Shi covered her smile with her sleeve and glanced at me playfully.
"I have no idea," Mao Shi echoed her and chuckled softly after saying so.
I pretended not to hear and remained silent, but I couldn't help but look towards the Emperor's direction. He was only about three or four zhang away, dressed in hunting attire with a fur cloak draped over his shoulders. Beside him, Empress Xu was staring fixedly at the enclosure, her face seemingly covered with layers of makeup.
At the lower end of the royal seats, Wei Jue was wearing a large cloak, and he seemed to be in high spirits, exuding a robust and imposing aura with his stout figure.
The wild beasts were driven into the enclosure, and as soon as the chief archer gave the command, arrows shot through the air, and all the animals fell down, not a single arrow missed its mark.
The cheers were loud, and Wei Tan was smiling, talking with Wei Zhao and Wei Ci in a relaxed manner, his expression carefree.
Both the Emperor and Empress Xu had expressions devoid of emotion.
Wei Jue touched his beard, wearing a faint smile on his face.
The most solemn moment of the winter hunt had finally arrived. The Emperor took off his fur cloak and received the golden-headed arrow from the Yellow Gate Attendant. The drums began to sound as a completely white wolf was driven into the enclosure.
The crowd erupted into an excited discussion.
White wolves are extremely rare and have always been exclusive hunting targets for the Emperor. In the past, in Chang'an, there were specialized wolf pens in the imperial palace to breed white wolves for the Emperor's hunting purposes. However, after the destruction of Chang'an, these creatures became scarce, and the Emperor had to use stags as substitutes for his hunting endeavors.
Most of the people present were seeing the legendary white wolf for the first time and eagerly craned their necks to catch a glimpse of it.
The Emperor drew his bow and fitted an arrow, and I noticed his expression was solemn. However, it was evident that his arm strength was not sufficient to handle the specially made large bow, as his hand trembled slightly.
The crowd fell silent, watching the Emperor take aim. In an instant, the twang of the bowstring sounded, and the arrow was released, flying for a distance before landing in the enclosure. The white wolf continued to roam freely, unharmed.
The expressions of the spectators became subtle, and many of them exchanged knowing glances without saying a word.
The Emperor's face showed a hint of embarrassment, but he quickly regained his composure and received the second arrow from the Yellow Gate Attendant.
"BiXia, this bow seems inadequate. Please let Chen have a look." At this moment, Wei Jue calmly spoke up.
The Emperor glanced at him, seemingly pondered for a moment, and then replied casually, "One has troubled Chengxiang." Afterward, he handed the bow over to Wei Jue.
Wei Jue took the bow, plucked the bowstring, and pulled it back. Suddenly, he drew an arrow from his quiver, fitted it onto the bow, and aimed.
"A swoosh" - the arrow cut through the air. Before people could react, the arrow had already been released. The white wolf's head was pierced through, and it fell to the snowy ground, its crimson blood creating a striking contrast.
The sudden silence engulfed the scene, freezing the previously laughing and chatty crowd. Everyone's expressions became stiff and frozen on their faces.
"Si She, why haven't you announced the result?" Wei Jue, however, remained composed and asked towards the enclosure.
The Chief Archer, who was standing stiffly, had a change in expression and hurriedly said, "Replying to Chengxiang, the shot was a hit."
Wei Jue smiled calmly and turned to the Emperor, whose face was tense, and handed the bow back to him, saying, "Chen just wanted to give it a try, there is no problem with this bow."
The Emperor stared at him, his eyes filled with extreme embarrassment and anger, which he made no effort to conceal on his pale face. I could even see his right hand tightly gripping the hilt of his sword.
My heart skipped a beat as I worried that he might not be able to control his rage and draw his sword. However, in that moment of tension, someone else reached out and took the bow from Wei Jue's hand.
"One has troubled Chengxiang ," Empress Xu's voice was gentle as she spoke, then she turned her gaze towards the Emperor.
The Emperor's expression was uncertain as he locked eyes with Empress Xu for a moment. Then, he reached out and took the bow from her hand.
It seems like I could sense many people breathing a sigh of relief. As I looked at the Emperor and Wei Jue returning to their positions, I realized my palms were tightly clenched, and I opened them, feeling a damp and cold sweat. The tense situation had left me quite anxious.
The incident came unexpectedly, and as the two-day winter hunt finally came to an end, everyone's face carried a subtle and unspoken expression.
On our way back to the residence, the three of us – myself, Zhou Shi, and Mao Shi – were no longer chatting like before. Instead, we remained silent throughout the journey.
Mao Shi couldn't help but glance at us, hesitating before saying, "Chengxiang's arrow just now…"
"Shh," Zhou Shi quickly interjected, shaking her head at Mao Shi and gesturing towards outside the carriage.
Mao Shi fell silent.
I looked at the trembling curtain of the carriage, not saying a word, lost in my thoughts, reminiscing about the past.
After my father and brothers were executed, although I had the protection of Empress Dowager Liu, I felt like a walking corpse, living each day in a daze, confining myself to my room. The only person who came to visit me besides Empress Dowager Liu was Prince Chen.
At that time, everyone in the royal family was like a nightmare filled with fear and hatred for me, and Prince Chen was no exception.
I saw him as if he were my enemy, to the extent that I even grabbed his hand and bit it fiercely while he was offering me pastries. I'm sure it must have hurt, and he was bleeding at that moment. However, he didn't say a word and didn't inform the Empress Dowager. Yet, the next day, he still sent me rice cakes as if nothing had happened.
I remember he looked at me, his face carrying a calmness that didn't seem to match his age. He softly said, "Do you miss your parents? I miss my mother too. But even when they were gone, One wouldn't even have the luxury of missing them."
Perhaps it was his words that reminded me of my father's final instructions, or maybe I realized that he was not my true enemy. Since then, I have never sought to harm him. We were both in a similar plight, and if it weren't for him, I don't know how I would have endured those painful days.
The memory of the youthful and kind Prince Chen overlapped with the pale-faced Emperor before me, and I couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh deep from within my heart.
Indeed, one unsettling event followed another. If the incident of stumbling upon Wei Tan and Empress Xu's secret meeting left me at a loss, the situation on the hunting ground was truly heart-pounding. I dare not imagine what would have happened if the Emperor had drawn his sword on the spot. The outcome could have been disastrous.
I must admit, Empress Xu's actions were quite clever today. In the midst of such a tense situation, she took the initiative to step forward and defuse the tension. Whether in front of the Emperor or Wei Jue, she displayed her importance.
And me? On one hand, I have connections with old friends who supported me after my father's death, and on the other hand, I am a member of my husband's family, where I have taken refuge. If a day comes when armed conflicts arise, what should I do?
Just as my mind was filled with thoughts, suddenly, a sound of galloping hooves approached, and shortly after, the horse-drawn carriage came to an abrupt halt.
Both Zhou Shi, Mao Shi, and I were thrown off balance by the sudden stop. Just as we were about to inquire about the reason, Wei Tan's voice came from outside, "Is Furen inside the carriage?"
The driver answered, "Replying to Da Gongzi, Furen is inside the carriage."
I was taken aback, and both Zhou Shi and Mao Shi looked surprised as well. After a moment, they exchanged glances and chuckled.
The corner of the carriage curtain was lifted, and sure enough, Wei Tan was outside. His face was flushed from the north wind, and his breath formed white vapor as he breathed out.
"How come Da Tangxiong is so impatient? We haven't even returned home yet," Zhou Shi teased playfully with a hint of ambiguity in her tone.
Wei Tan smiled, "It'll only delay for a moment." As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on me, "I need to go to Chang'an immediately. Would Furen like to follow along?"