Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: As Princess Consort Ling, Never Admit Defeat
 

Everyone knew that Murong Jiu grew up on a rural farm, yet they did not know she was proficient in everything from horseback riding to archery.

She had a tough but tender-hearted master who not only taught her to read and write but also specially hired someone to teach her how to ride and shoot arrows after discovering her interest in horseback riding.

She liked playing with knives and guns, a seeming innate passion—God knows how envious she felt the day she saw Fu Baozhu dressed in riding attire.

In her past life, once confined to the inner court, she had never touched weapons or horses again, and with her health compromised, facing Jun Haoze’s strangulation, she had no strength to fight back.

She thought, once she had given birth, she must train thoroughly, never again to be as powerless as she had been before.

And at this moment, facing the pitching game, she was not the least bit nervous.

The Fifth Princess and Fu Baozhu could hardly wait for her to make a fool of herself, thus they quickly agreed to a competition.

“This is the Eastern Pearl Necklace bestowed by my father, the emperor. You cannot find another one like it in all of Great Yan. Today, I will stake it as the wager. Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law, if you can win, this Eastern Pearl Necklace will be yours.”

The Fifth Princess removed the necklace from her neck, a treasure and a symbol of her status.

In Great Yan, only members of the Imperial Family could wear the Eastern Pearls, and some concubines were not allowed to wear them. Despite how favored Noble Consort Qi was, the emperor had never granted her a few Eastern Pearls.

Only the empress and the Empress Dowager were most entitled to wear Eastern Pearls.

The necklace of the Fifth Princess was given to her by the emperor when she came of age, a privilege no other princess had, precisely because she was the legitimate daughter of the empress.

She brought out this necklace, obviously to show off; Murong Jiu certainly did not have the capability to win it.

Fu Baozhu looked on with some envy.

The Fifth Princess was not afraid of losing to Fu Baozhu, because the latter would definitely return it to her.

She stood tall and proud facing Murong Jiu, “Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law, what about you, what will you wager? I’ve put forth something so valuable, surely you can’t offer too little.”

“Someone, go to the storeroom and bring out the Jade Annuli.”

Before Murong Jiu could speak, Jun Yuyan loudly proclaimed.

General Fu was surprised: “Is it the Jade Annuli that His Majesty bestowed upon Prince Ling six years ago?”

Six years prior, Jun Yuyan had waged war against the Xiongnu, recapturing six cities, and the emperor delightedly granted him the Jade Annuli from the national treasury and titled him Prince Ling, calling him the War God of Great Yan.

The title of War God came from this.

This Jade Annuli also symbolized extraordinary significance.

The emperor granting the national treasure to Jun Yuyan was a hint that he was the future ruler of Great Yan.

General Fu had not expected Jun Yuyan to wager the Jade Annuli.

Though it was all in fun, the stakes were real, and a loss meant a real loss.

If the emperor found out, he would surely be furious.

Jun Yuyan nodded, “Since the Princess Consort wishes to have some fun, a bigger prize makes it more interesting. Today, whoever outshines the other between Leyang and Miss Fu will own this Jade Annuli.”

Fu Baozhu was overjoyed inside.

If she could get her hands on the Jade Annuli representing the War God Prince, wouldn’t the world say that she and the prince were a match made in heaven?

Besides, this Jade Annuli was of much higher value than the Little Jade Guanyin.

Was the prince intentionally planning to give her the Jade Annuli?

It was well known that among the three, her accuracy in pitching was legendary, never missing within twenty paces.

She had not expected the prince, who seemed as cold as ice, to do such a delightful deed.

Murong Jiu also had not anticipated Jun Yuyan would help her with the wager, nor was she less astonished that he would offer such a treasure as the Jade Annuli.

He did not know he was adept at this skill, and yet he had such boldness—was he not afraid she would cause him a loss?

Watching Fu Baozhu’s heart flutter, Murong Jiu asked, “What is Miss Fu’s wager?”

“Whoever wins, I will give this bracelet to them!”

Fu Baozhu immediately showed her bracelet, a translucent green jade bracelet that glowed under the sunlight, with excellent water content, only slightly inferior to the Jade Guanyin.

The jade bracelet had been a gift for her sixteenth birthday, painstakingly selected by her three older brothers. Hearing her use such a gift as a wager made all three furrow their brows slightly.

They did not approve of such a competition—competing in events like horseback archery, which Fu Baozhu had practiced from childhood, was unfair as she was betting on her strengths against others.

Soon, the pots and arrows for throwing were ready.

Initially, the distance was set at ten paces, ten arrows per person, and the one hitting the most targets would have the greater chance of winning—the rules were simple.

The Fifth Princess called out loudly, “Who’s going first? Perhaps the Eldest Imperial Sister-in-law should start?”

Murong Jiu smiled slightly, “Guests first. Fifth Princess and Miss Fu, you go ahead.”

“Alright! I’ll start!”

The Fifth Princess looked at Fu Heng, and in order to impress, she stepped forward first. She wasn’t bad, hitting eight out of ten arrows.

When it was Fu Baozhu’s turn, she hit all ten arrows.

Soon it was Murong Jiu’s turn. Both the Fifth Princess and Fu Baozhu secretly hoped to see her fail, wondering if she could even hit two.

Unexpectedly, Murong Jiu, holding the arrows with an easy demeanor, threw one gently and it went straight into the pot.

The Fifth Princess and Fu Baozhu squinted their eyes, assuming it was just good luck.

However, Murong Jiu continued in the same posture, quickly throwing all the arrows into the pot.

The two were dumbfounded, their expressions souring.

It must be luck, such a close distance, even a child could make it!

Fu Baozhu shouted loudly to a servant, “Place the pot twenty paces away!”

She refused to believe that Murong Jiu could still manage to hit it!

The Fifth Princess was eliminated, leaving only Murong Jiu and Fu Baozhu to continue the contest.

Fu Baozhu did not hold back; she picked up the arrows and started throwing at the pot, believing that the better she performed, the more nervous Murong Jiu would be, leading her to a complete defeat.

General Fu felt her excessive competitiveness was not good, but he said nothing in front of others.

Of the ten arrows, Fu Baozhu hit the target with the first nine and wore a pleased look, but the last one missed slightly and fell to the ground.

“Baozhu, you’re amazing! To hit nine out of such a distance, you’re certain to win! Eldest Imperial Sister-in-Law, maybe you should just concede.”

said the Fifth Princess.

Murong Jiu smiled faintly, “Concede? As Princess Consort Ling, the word concede will never come from my lips.”

Prince Ling is the War God, undefeated in battle. Although she was only nominally his consort, she would not tarnish Jun Yuyan’s reputation.

Jun Yuyan applauded lightly and chuckled, “Ah Jiu is right, we of Prince Ling’s Mansion never admit defeat.”

Murong Jiu locked eyes with his deep gaze, almost getting lost in his smiling, swirling deep eyes.

She steadied her mind and threw two arrows towards the pot with her right hand.

The Fifth Princess mocked, “The Eldest Imperial Sister-in-Law talks a grand game, but that throw was really perfunctory…”

Ding-dong!

Before she could finish her sentence, both arrows entered the pot together, making a crisp sound.

General Fu exclaimed, “Such accuracy!”