Yue Ling was stunned.
He had initially thought Jiu Yue was merely strong—after all, he had witnessed firsthand how she had exhausted the black horse the day before.
But how was her archery this good too?!
Was this the reaction and strength a princess should possess?!
Yue Ling desperately wanted to turn around and check on Jiu Yue, but he restrained himself, shaking off the chaotic thoughts in his mind. Focusing, he urged his horse forward while keeping an ear out for any movement in the air.
He didn’t look back, so he couldn’t see Jiu Yue’s situation… but the guards at the horse track could.
The moment the targets were released, the guards saw Jiu Yue clumsily draw the heavy bow, casually nocking several arrows without even taking time to aim. The moment the string was fully drawn, the arrows flew out—
And landed squarely on the straw targets.
Her face lit up with realization, mixed with surprise, as if silently declaring: Damn, I’m good!
The guards: "…"
Not only that, but Abao, though not causing trouble, was currently slacking off. Any guard carrying a horse on their back could have overtaken Jiu Yue and Abao.
But Jiu Yue didn’t seem to care.
By the time Yue Ling was nearly done with his first lap, Jiu Yue and the black horse were still lagging behind as if out for a leisurely stroll. Even the guards grew anxious—until, on her third shot, Jiu Yue suddenly changed her stance.
Originally, she had been sitting properly on the horse while shooting, but now… she lay down.
Yes, that’s right—Jiu Yue clamped her legs against the horse’s belly, leaned all the way back, and fired off a few arrows in a flashy manner. But she didn’t stop there. Instead, like plucking a zither, she drew the bowstring again… and released.
The string snapped straight onto Abao’s rear.
Abao: "…"
Abao let out a cry and picked up speed.
Jiu Yue smiled faintly, and from then on, her bow never rested.
Yue Ling was tense.
Because from the start until now… he hadn’t managed to hit a single target!
How terrifying was this?!
He, the master of horse racing, was being utterly crushed by a woman!
No… no no no, she hadn’t crushed him yet—at least she was still behind him—
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a cloud of dust kicked up beside him, and the sound of hooves grew louder.
Yue Ling turned his head as if seeing a ghost, only to find Jiu Yue lying on her horse’s back, casually holding the heavy bow and waving at him cheerfully.
"Hey, nice to see you," Jiu Yue said, then patted Abao’s rear.
Abao shot a disdainful glance at Yue Ling’s horse before speeding up, its hooves a blur.
Horse and rider breezed past Yue Ling’s entire world, leaving him far behind.
Yue Ling: "…"
He was not happy! Not happy at all!!!
Yue Ling finally cracked, his expression shattering as he gave up on archery altogether and focused solely on racing.
Laps were the priority—if he didn’t complete enough, even perfect archery wouldn’t matter!
Swallowing hard, Yue Ling tightened the reins and kicked his horse. "Hyah! HYAH!!!"
Jiu Yue could hear Yue Ling’s desperate, cracking voice from afar.
What a delightful sound.
Wearing a satisfied smile, she rode ahead, only to find a crowd of guards gathered by the fence, watching the spectacle.
"Your Highness, go! Your Highness, overtake him! Just two and a half laps left! Two and a half!"
Yue Ling was currently leading Jiu Yue by two and a half laps.
And Yue Ling himself only had two laps left to complete his ten.
"Don’t rush, don’t rush," Jiu Yue waved at the crowd, even high-fiving a few enthusiastic guards before entering the next lap. The spectators quickly noticed a shift in Jiu Yue and Abao’s demeanor.
No longer leaning back, Jiu Yue now pressed forward, her body low against the horse’s mane.
She looked as if she were embracing Abao, the two moving in perfect harmony from a distance.
"Her Highness is so gentle—no wonder she tamed such a fierce horse!" The horse trainer from the previous day watched in admiration.
Meanwhile, the "gentle" princess herself was smiling sweetly while tugging Abao’s ear and whispering, "Don’t make me whip you. Run faster."
Abao let out a series of indignant noises, as if protesting or cursing under its breath.
But despite the complaints, Abao’s speed only increased.
Jiu Yue’s posture minimized wind resistance, allowing Abao to perform at its peak. The gap between her and Yue Ling narrowed rapidly, and Jiu Yue still didn’t neglect the archery targets.
Yue Ling wanted nothing more than to reach the finish line, but every so often, Jiu Yue and the black horse would overtake him again…
By the third time, the guards at the fence erupted in cheers.
"She’s caught up!"
"Your Highness! Sprint for the finish!"
This was the final half-lap.
Jiu Yue brushed past Yue Ling.
Watching her figure grow smaller in the distance, Yue Ling felt his heart shatter.
...
Mid-game break.
Yue Ling began searching for excuses.
It had to be the track! This horse track was nothing compared to those in Dongyue—there weren’t even any obstacles, making it too easy for Her Highness to catch up! His true skills couldn’t shine!
It had to be the guards! Their cheering distracted him, breaking his focus and ruining his performance!
It had to be the horse! A bad horse choice was like a skilled cook without ingredients—no matter how talented he was, if the horse was slow, what could he do?!
With unprecedented calm, Yue Ling listed every possible reason for his defeat before approaching Jiu Yue with his demands.
Jiu Yue was exceedingly accommodating, granting every one of them.
Obstacles on the track? Sure, add them!
No cheering squad? Fine, split the guards—those who cheered for Yue Ling would get extra rewards today!
The horse was no good? Then take Abao!
At this moment, Abao was the picture of docility, bringing tears to Yue Ling’s eyes.
"Your Highness is so considerate. I will give my all to make this a match you’ll never forget!"
Jiu Yue stroked her new mount’s neck and smiled. "No problem. Let’s begin."
...
Emperor Yan was delighted to hear that Sima Qing hadn’t clung to Zhaoning that day, making his paperwork fly by with newfound efficiency.
At noon, when Eunuch Mao reported that Zhaoning was still at the horse track with the Dongyue crown prince, the emperor’s interest was piqued.
"The guards say Her Highness is having a wonderful time," Eunuch Mao added.
The thought of Zhaoning laughing freely on horseback lifted Emperor Yan’s spirits.
The horse track wasn’t far. Glancing at Eunuch Mao, the emperor instructed, "We are weary. Before the hour of Shen, no one is to disturb Us."
Eunuch Mao smiled knowingly. "This servant understands."
