The Child Emperor

Chapter 103: The Girl with a Bow

Chai Yun was an expert in illicit affairs. Until he held the beauty in his arms, he wouldn’t easily let his guard down, so he hedged his bet by raising both possibilities of either getting a beauty or getting a dud. Dismounting his horse, he handed the reins to Zhang Yanghao. Pressing against the wooden ladder with both hands after confirming its stability, he said to the young man who had run the fastest in the alley behind the Cui residence, “Qilang, you go first.”

The young man, called Qilang, was taken aback. “Ah? Me first? Isn’t that inappropriate?”

“Bah, what are you thinking? I’m letting you go in to explore the path. Didn’t you run pretty fast previously? Now I’m giving you the chance to be on the frontlines this time.”

Qilang blushed in embarrassment and dared not refuse. He climbed the ladder with both hands, stopping midway, he lowered his head and asked, “Little Marquis Chai, there won’t be any danger inside, right?”

Chai Yun coldly said, “I’ll wait for you to tell me.”

Qilang chuckled awkwardly, and he could only continue climbing. When he reached the top of the wall and looked inside for a while, he whispered, “It’s pitch dark, can’t see anyone.”

“Of course, there’s no one. Hu You is the daughter of a marquis. Would she wait below the wall? Hurry up, go in and look around. If there’s nothing wrong, let me know.”

Qilang was very reluctant and muttered, “If I had known, I should have brought a servant…” but still climbed over the wall. “There’s a ladder on this side too.”

“Speak softly,” Chai Yun reprimanded.

The inside of the wall fell silent. Chai Yun smiled at Marquis Juanhou and said, “Engaging in such risky business has some risks after all. There was someone who got caught by the family patriarch, who had a bucket of urine poured over him from head to toe. Since then, his reputation was ruined, and he could only seek flowers in the red-light district. No decent girl from a good family would come near him.”

Han Ruzi laughed and shook his head. In his heart, he despised Chai Yun in front of him more than that “someone.”

” Little Marquis Chai, everything is fine inside,” came Qilang’s voice from inside the wall.

Chai Yun smiled, adjusted his clothes, and leisurely climbed the ladder. When he reached the top of the wall, he bowed and said, “Come in one by one. I’ll let you all have a glimpse of the beauty tonight, so that your trip tonight is not in vain. Then… forgive me for my lack of courtesy, but go home on your own. If you want to go to Jiang Residence, wait for me there. All expenses will be on me.”

Zhang Yanghao and the others were overjoyed. They quickly found a place to tie their horses, then ran back to snatch the ladder. Even though they knew that Hu You hadn’t waited below the wall, but still wanted to go over first.

“Come in,” Chai Yun’s voice came from inside the wall.

Zhang Yanghao and the others made a show of courtesy by yielding the way to the Weary Marquis, but eagerly climbed the ladder over the wall when the Weary Marquis refused.

“Weary Marquis, it’s your turn,” Chai Yun’s voice said.

Han Ruzi, who had hesitated for a long time, finally made up his mind. Unwilling to continue following Chai Yun’s madness, he whispered, “You guys have fun. I… I’m going home.”

There was a moment of silence inside the wall. Chai Yun was probably very displeased. When he spoke again, his voice was very cold, “Hu You… Lady Guiyi has also invited you. Come in.”

“Me?” Han Ruzi was surprised, but he still didn’t want to go in. “I don’t know her, and I don’t want to know her. I’d rather go home. Zhang Yanghao, if you go to Jiang Residence, please tell Du Chuanyun to return to the manor soon.”

There was no sound inside the wall. Han Ruzi took it as Chai Yun’s agreement and walked towards the tree where the horses were tied. After a few steps, he stopped, turned around, and looked at the top of the wall. Something felt strange. Chai Yun’s tone was off when he spoke, calling Hu You Lady Guiyi. There was no need to suddenly become polite even after going over the wall.

A figure appeared on the top of the wall, standing straight. Han Ruzi couldn’t see the person’s face clearly, but he could see that the person was drawing a bow, seemingly ready to shoot, and the target was none other than him.

Han Ruzi was shocked. Instinctively, he started to run. Just a dozen steps, and he could hide behind the horses. However, the arrow was faster. With a swish, the arrow grazed over his head, landing a few steps ahead, piercing the ground and trembling slightly.

Han Ruzi quickly stopped, and a stern female voice came from the top of the wall, “The next arrow will be aimed at you. Don’t think darkness will shield you from punishment.”

Han Ruzi’s heart pounded. He couldn’t believe such a thing would happen. The opponent’s arrow was indeed accurate, and he was sure he couldn’t outrun it. He had no choice but to turn slowly and say, “I have no grudges against you.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come up,” the woman’s tone became even more severe.

Han Ruzi walked slowly towards the wooden ladder, hoping that Meng E could suddenly appear and save him as she used to. However, with Chai Yun riding so quickly, no one would have been able to catch up.

Was this a trap set by Chai Yun and the others? Han Ruzi’s heart shook. Holding onto the ladder, he looked up at the figure above and asked, “Are you working for Prince Donghai?”

“I don’t know anything about any Donghai. If you don’t shut up, I’ll injure your leg and drag you up.”

The girl didn’t say she would shoot to kill but rather to injure, adding a touch of credibility to her threat. Han Ruzi had no choice but to climb the ladder and over the wall.

On top of the wall, the woman still had her bow bent, arrow aimed at Han Ruzi.

The night was deep, but the moonlight was bright. Han Ruzi finally got a glimpse of the woman’s face—it was an extremely beautiful visage. He couldn’t find words to describe it, only feeling a flutter in his heart, almost falling off the wall.

Though the girl was of similar age as him, her demeanor was mature. From her actions, it was clear she knew what the other party was thinking. She pulled the bowstring a bit more and said coldly, “Imbecilic ruler indeed.”

“Are you Hu You… I mean, the daughter of Marquis Guiyi?” Han Ruzi asked.

The girl lowered her arm, switching the bow and arrow between her hands. She swung the bow with her right hand. With no way to escape, Han Ruzi had to jump off the wall, but still taking a hit on his back.

The walls of the manor weren’t as towering as the palace walls, but it wasn’t short either. After landing, Han Ruzi’s feet tingled, and he sat on the ground for a while. Standing up and turning around, he saw Chai Yun and the other five lined up along the wall. They looked at him helplessly, and two men and a woman held swords, looking at them.

“Sorry, I had no choice,” Chai Yun smiled, not particularly nervous, pointing at Qilang beside him, “This kid is the worst.”

A man holding a knife whispered, “Shut up, didn’t ask you to speak.”

Chai Yun remained silent, making a calming gesture, asking the other not to get upset.

The woman from the wall came down and said to the man with the knife, “Big brother, second brother, go get the ladder and bring in the horses.”

The two men nodded, leaving to fetch the ladder and the horses outside.

Now, there were only two women standing guard, one with a bow and the other with a sword. Both were young. The latter was obviously a servant. Chai Yun, who had seen a lot, wasn’t particularly afraid. He bowed and smiled, “I am Chai Yun. I came as an invited guest. Miss, you have a heroic spirit, and your hospitality is unique.”

“Why did you bring so many people?” Marquis Guiyi’s daughter drew her bow again.

Chai Yun was even less afraid. “Miss, forgive me. These are my best friends. They insisted on coming with me. Now that they have seen you, you can let them go. I’ll stay.”

Han Ruzi couldn’t believe that Chai Yun would be so affected by lust. He was a seemingly intelligent person, yet he failed to see that this was a deliberate trap.

The sword-wielding maidservant said, “This man’s mouth is too filthy. Let me stab him.”

Chai Yun raised both arms, maintaining a smile on his face. “I’ll stay silent unless the lady asks me to speak.”

Lady Guiyi remained as cold as ice. “You others, state your names.”

Chai Yun wasn’t afraid, so the others weren’t particularly afraid either. They even exchanged meaningful glances, implying that “Hu You” was indeed worthy of her reputation, though she lacked some of the gentleness expected of a beauty. Starting with Zhang Yanghao, each person reported their name and identity.

Lady Guiyi turned to the Weary Marquis. Han Ruzi didn’t speak, but since Chai Yun had called on him earlier, she already recognized his identity. There was no need to say it again.

“An imbecilic ruler who hasn’t learned his lesson even after being deposed,” Lady Guiyi said.

The more Han Ruzi thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong. Even if Lady Guiyi had a bad temper, she wouldn’t greet her “lover” together with her two brothers. “This is a misunderstanding. I had no idea I would come here tonight.”

“Didn’t you suggest that Chai Yun should fight with Cui Teng using my family as an excuse?” Guiyi Marquis’s daughter asked.

Han Ruzi looked at Chai Yun. This was a private conversation between the two of them, and it shouldn’t have reached the ears of the person concerned. Chai Yun smiled wryly, “I wanted to help you gain some reputation, but who knew it would spread so quickly.”

Han Ruzi was about to explain when Marquis Guiyi’s two sons returned. They brought the ladder, the horses, and even the arrows that had fallen to the ground.

These two young men were not much older than twenty. Despite being called elder brothers, their faces showed more youthful innocence than their fourteen or fifteen-year-old sister.

“We got six. How should we deal with them?” one of the young men asked.

“The more, the better,” Guiyi Marquis’s daughter asked Chai Yun, “Did you tell anyone else to come here?”

Chai Yun hurriedly shook his head, “No one else, just these friends. I didn’t even bring any servants. I deliberately circled around the city a few times, all following the lady’s instructions.”

“What about the letter?”

Chai Yun took out a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and carefully unfolded it, revealing the letter inside. “Here it is. I’ve been keeping it close to me all this time.”

The sword-wielding maidservant stepped forward and snatched the letter. She laughed, saying, “I’m the one who wrote the letter. Keeping it close to you won’t move me.”

Although the maidservant wasn’t ugly, she was far from being as attractive as Lady Guiyi. Chai Yun was greatly disappointed but quickly smiled again, “Even if it’s not the lady’s handwriting, I’ll consider it the lady’s sentiment. This piece of sincerity is still genuine.”

Han Ruzi really wanted to tell Chai Yun to speak less.

A young man with a sword stepped forward and said, “Stop wasting time; take them to see father.”

Chai Yun only began to feel a slight fear at this moment. “Isn’t it unnecessary? Isn’t it a bit too early to meet your father? How about I visit formally in a few days?”

The two young men looked angry, but Lady Guiyi laughed, “You really want to know my name, right?”

Ever since seeing the lady’s face, Chai Yun’s caution had completely vanished. He nodded and smiled, “I think of it day and night… But you don’t have to say it in front of them.”

“It doesn’t hurt to say it. It’s just a name. I am a descendant of the Xiongnu Virtuous King of the Right, my name is Jin Chuiduo.”

“Nice name,” Chai Yun praised, not even knowing which were the characters of the name.

“Our family is returning to the Xiongnu, and we need a guide,” Jin Chuiduo continued, keeping her arrow pointed at Chai Yun’s feet.

“Things are fine in the Capital. Why go back to the Xiongnu?” Chai Yun couldn’t bear to see such a beautiful person leave. “I don’t know the way either.”

Jin Chuiduo’s voice grew colder, “But now, we don’t need you.”

With that, she raised her bow and arrow. Before anyone could understand what was happening, an arrow shot out, hitting Chai Yun squarely in the chest.

Chai Yun opened his mouth in surprise, looking down at the arrow in his chest. He couldn’t believe it was real.

Zhang Yanghao and the others collapsed to the ground.

Jin Chuiduo turned around, took another arrow from her quiver, and said to the Weary Marquis, “You. Lead the way for us.”

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