TFSRITA Chapter 180

Xu Chengbo scoffed and casually tossed his arrow forward—it landed in the vessel as well.

The two arrow vases were moved a foot farther away for the next round.

To everyone’s surprise, both hit their targets again.

To determine the winner, the vases were moved forward once more.

Just when it seemed like all three arrows might be needed, Xu Chengbo’s arrow struck the vase with a crisp sound but fell outside.

“Jiaxun won?!”

“Brother Jia, we won!”

“Wow, Your Highness, are you finally conceding defeat this time?”

The crowd erupted into a lively commotion, some congratulating Jiaxun and others laughing and chatting among themselves.

To most, it was just some competitive fun between a few spirited young men.

Jiaxun, thrilled, jumped up in excitement and ran to Yan Qing. “I won!”

Yan Qing gently ruffled his hair. “Yes, you did. You were amazing.”

A faint blush crept onto Jiaxun’s face as his gaze drifted toward her lips. After a brief moment of hesitation, he held back. It wasn’t appropriate to act affectionately in front of others, so he quickly shifted his focus to Xu Chengbo. “Hand over the deed to the countryside estate.”

Xu Chengbo’s face darkened with frustration, but he grudgingly fulfilled his end of the bet, handing over the deed.

His glare was sharp as a knife, full of irritation and unwillingness to accept defeat.

He had spent the past two months training relentlessly at home while Jiaxun had been out gallivanting—yet he still lost?

Jiaxun, however, couldn’t care less. With the deed in hand, he handed it directly to Yan Qing, his expression practically begging for praise, making it hard not to want to ruffle his hair again.

With the competition over, Yan Qing gave a few parting instructions, ensuring Jiaxun would behave, and joined the other women back in the inner courtyard.

By the time the banquet ended, it was quite late, but Yan Qing decided to visit the Grand Princess’s quarters.

As expected, Jiaxun tagged along. Yan Qing shared everything she had seen and deduced that day.

She had spent two months carefully avoiding any suspicious actions to build trust with the Grand Princess and Pingwu Marquis. Now that she was finally making her move, she hoped not to arouse any doubts.

Her explanation was cautious and comprehensive, covering everything she could think of.

Jiaxun was completely dumbfounded, staring blankly at her. “Qingqing, how do you know all this?”

Yan Qing smiled kindly. “Think about it, and you’ll figure it out.”

Pingwu Marquis, however, smacked the back of Jiaxun’s head. “Idiot!”

The Grand Princess said nothing but maintained a calm demeanor.

Jiaxun clutched his head, looking aggrieved, and sidled closer to Yan Qing for comfort.

Pingwu Marquis sighed at his son’s hopelessness but looked at Yan Qing with far more approval. His tone softened. “You make a good point. But why do you think the Fourth Prince is the best candidate?”

Yan Qing sighed lightly. “Because there’s no better option.”

“What about the Third Prince?” the Marquis asked, curious.

Yan Qing explained, “The current peace of the Yan dynasty calls for a ruler who can maintain stability. The Third Prince is far too ruthless—he even committed mass slaughter in a city. If he were to become emperor, anyone who offended him would face unimaginable consequences.

“Additionally, the Third Prince already wields some military power. If His Majesty were to name him heir, he’d need to grant him even more authority. That would make the Marquis an even greater threat in his eyes.

“Today’s events could very well have been orchestrated by the Emperor himself. After all, who else could command the son of a prince?”

The Marquis, though straightforward by nature, understood quickly when things were explained to him. Spending his days between the barracks and the Grand Princess, he wasn’t particularly sensitive to political schemes, but Yan Qing’s insights struck a chord.

After some thought, he nodded. “Let’s arrange a meeting.”

That statement signaled his agreement.

Yan Qing remained composed, nodded back, and excused herself from their presence.

Jiaxun hurried after her, grumbling along the way. “Qingqing, why didn’t you just tell me directly? I didn’t know anything! Thank goodness I won today. Ugh…”

Yan Qing narrowed her eyes slightly. “Are you blaming me?”

A chill ran down Jiaxun’s spine. He shook his head vehemently. “No, no! I was just saying!”

“Good.” Yan Qing patted his head, her smile returning. “Want to go shopping with me tomorrow?”

“Of course!” Jiaxun instantly forgot his earlier complaints and smiled brightly, nodding enthusiastically.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, the couple headed to the bustling streets, taking their time and bringing along a few servants.

They skipped the carriage, strolling casually and stopping whenever something caught their eye.

Every intriguing snack or trinket they found was promptly bought, with Yan Qing taking a couple of bites before handing the rest to Jiaxun.

Jiaxun, ever the obedient partner, happily ate everything handed to him, trying his best to avoid wasting any food. He even pointed things out to Yan Qing. “Qingqing, want to try this one?”

“This one’s good, too. I’ve had it before.”

Yan Qing nodded, buying whatever he recommended.

With their current wealth, they enjoyed themselves without restraint.

Interestingly, many vendors refused to accept payment, insisting on gifting their wares. Jiaxun, accustomed to this treatment, accepted the offerings without hesitation.

Seeing this, Yan Qing didn’t bother arguing and joined him in enjoying the goodwill.

Their public displays of affection surprised many who recognized them.

Jiaxun was particularly well-known in the capital, and his reputation made Yan Qing recognizable by association.

Every so often, they overheard snippets of conversation about themselves.

“See? Marrying a virtuous wife is a blessing. Look how well the Prime Minister’s daughter has straightened him out—he’s so well-behaved now.”

“No kidding! Look at him now—how different is he from before?”