"I Like You"
"It's very cute."
The confession rolled across her tongue, then was swallowed silently. Shen Changyin rubbed Xie Yu's hair.
"You're very cute like this."
Xie Yu's head, fluffy beneath her palm, nodded slightly.
"No choice. Born beautiful."
"Come on, pull me up." Xie Yu extended a hand covered in mud.
Shen Changyin hesitated for a moment, then reached out and pulled her up.
As Xie Yu brushed dirt off herself, Shen Changyin said:
"But skipping class is still unacceptable. I'll have someone seal this tunnel later."
Xie Yu stared blankly.
"How can a person's heart be so cruel?"
Shen Changyin chuckled softly.
"And starting tomorrow, I'll be teaching your poetry lessons."
She walked away leisurely, leaving Xie Yu standing there in a daze, unsure whether this was good or bad.
Still, escaping for one day was better than none. Before the palace patrol arrived, Xie Yu hurried off.
But the next day, Shen Changyin ultimately failed to teach her poetry.
The first reason was that the wedding date was approaching. The Ministry of Rites and the Palace Administration were overwhelmed, and many decisions required both of them.
The second reason was that the date for the Spring Hunt had been set—just before the wedding—and there were only a few days left.
Even the Grand Tutor felt it appropriate to set cultural studies aside and have Xie Yu focus on archery and horsemanship. Under no circumstances could the Crown Princess embarrass herself before the public during the Spring Hunt.
Xie Yu was taken by the Imperial Guard's martial instructors to their training camp for secret training.
The results were unknown to the civil and military officials. All anyone knew was that every day after training, the instructors emerged from the camp looking grim.
Privately, the Grand Tutor told several teachers that the instructors were probably driven mad by Xie Yu as well.
Even Shen Changyin did not know the specifics. She only knew that when Xie Yu returned for dinner each night, her hands shook as she held her chopsticks—clearly exhausted.
Several bored officials secretly opened a betting pool, wagering on Xie Yu's performance at the Spring Hunt. Many officials who were hostile to both Shen Changyin and Xie Yu eagerly placed bets.
Amid these speculations, the Spring Hunt arrived quietly.
On the day of departure, all officials gathered outside the city.
The open ground beyond the southern gate of the capital was filled with countless carriages and horses. Officials brought their families—each official bringing three or four carriages—making the procession enormous.
This time, Xie Yu and Shen Changyin again shared a carriage and arrived early outside the city.
As soon as they disembarked, many officials came forward to greet them.
As the wedding approached, more and more people in the capital regarded them as a married pair. The greetings subtly changed—people now greeted them together.
The Spring Hunt was a time of collective leisure for civil and military officials. Formal matters could be set aside, and many chatted with them about wedding preparations.
Eventually, both found the process inefficient and split up to receive greetings separately.
The officials surrounded them, forming two distinct groups.
"The Spring Hunt is about to begin. Lady Shen, what result do you expect your partner to achieve?" asked an official close to Shen Changyin.
Shen Changyin smiled lightly.
"Hard to say. We agreed to eat only what she hunts herself—let's hope I don't go hungry."
"Lady Shen, you don't understand," someone laughed. "As the saying goes, love alone can fill the stomach."
But others raised questions.
"You and the Third Highness are not yet married. Will you register together this time?"
The Spring Hunt used multiple ranking systems—individual tallies to select outstanding youth, and family tallies to assess which families had thriving younger generations skilled in hunting.
Even small official families uninterested in competition were listed, so supplies like sweet water and firewood could later be distributed by household.
Although Xie Yu and Shen Changyin were not yet formally married, registering as a single household would effectively make their relationship public.
Shen Changyin nodded slightly.
"Yes. I am physically weak. This time, I will be relying entirely on the Third Highness to feed me."
The officials immediately burst into teasing laughter. After joking around for a while, the conversation shifted to speculation about who might take first place on the individual ranking list this year.
In popular storybooks of the time, the champion of spring or autumn hunts was always depicted as a woman in her early twenties—heroic, dashing, and talented, a perfect image of a youthful martial prodigy.
But in reality, most newcomers could not compete with seasoned generals in their thirties or forties.
There were even several middle-aged civil officials who were poor hunters themselves, yet whose wives wielded bows with exceptional skill and appeared on the rankings year after year.
At that moment, one such official responded proudly to her colleagues' teasing:
"What's wrong with that? Who says an official has to be better than her family? Let me tell you—if my wife weren't completely illiterate, she would have taken first place in the martial examinations back then."
The crowd erupted in laughter again.
Several considerate officials, knowing that this was the Third Highness's first time participating in the Spring Hunt, leaned closer to Shen Changyin and spoke in lowered voices.
"Madam Shen, it's the Crown Princess's first year. It's normal if her archery and horsemanship aren't polished yet. Even if she doesn't catch much game, please don't take it to heart."
"Yes, yes. When I was young, I couldn't even catch a single rabbit my first year. I didn't eat any meat the entire hunt—nearly starved."
Some even generously offered to share their own game with Shen Changyin.
Shen Changyin remained calm and gently shook her head, refusing them all.
"If we're going to be one family in the future, what harm is there in eating coarse food together for two days?"
The well-meaning middle-aged officials immediately groaned dramatically, clutching their chests.
They had been married to their own wives for many years, long past the days of romance, and were particularly irritated by Shen Changyin's protectiveness toward Xie Yu even before marriage.
As the officials continued chatting, the southern gate of the capital slowly opened. A bright yellow imperial carriage swayed into view.
The empress's procession had arrived.
All officials bowed deeply.
The empress remained seated inside the carriage without moving. An attendant called out loudly, "You are dismissed—!"
The imperial carriage proceeded forward to the very front of the procession, and only then did the carriages of the officials begin to follow.
By noon, the convoy was still on the road. Each household made do with the dry rations they had brought for lunch.
When the sun slanted westward and hung high in the sky, they finally arrived at the Spring Hunt grounds.
As was customary, the empress ordered a priest to conduct an opening ritual. After saying a few brief words, she waved her hand, officially declaring the Spring Hunt open.
As soon as it began, a lively event followed.
The officials in charge had enclosed a large grassland area and released rabbits that had been raised in advance.
Smiling, they announced, "This will be tonight's dinner. Whether you eat your fill depends on your own abilities."
At once, the women responsible for hunting from each household stepped forward, all carrying their own bows and arrows.
Xie Yu stood as well—but her hands were empty. Seeing everyone else carrying their personal bows, she looked puzzled.
"Isn't the Ministry of Rites providing bows and horses?"
The Second Princess stretched beside her and sneered.
"The bows provided by the Ministry of Rites? You think those are worth using?"
The others were not as bold as the Second Princess, but seeing that Xie Yu did not even have her own bow, they all came to the same conclusion.
The Third Highness must have barely hunted before and did not understand the importance of a good bow.
It was doubtful she could even catch a single rabbit today.
Several officials sitting near Shen Changyin cast sympathetic glances her way again.
"Madam Shen, truly—my daughter is an excellent hunter. Let us give you a couple of rabbits," one official offered again.
Shen Changyin shook her head once more, remaining silent and unruffled.
In the end, Xie Yu took the most basic bow and arrows provided by the Ministry of Rites.
It was an ordinary redwood bow, completely undecorated. Compared to the beautifully crafted curved bows in everyone else's hands, it looked pitifully plain.
She did not mind at all and stood at the entrance to the grassland under the crowd's sympathetic gazes.
At the command of a Ministry of Rites official, everyone entered the field.
Those not participating in the hunt—officials and family members alike—focused their attention on the scene.
Among the green grass, gray rabbits flickered into view again and again, incredibly alert. At the slightest movement, they dove back into their burrows.
These rabbits had been released early and allowed to adapt to the wild. They were especially cautious and difficult to catch.
Even experienced military officers found them troublesome and began discussing tactics, planning to form small encirclements and exhaust the rabbits before shooting.
While different groups debated different strategies, a striking figure in bright yellow quietly walked deep into the grassland, raised her bow, and drew it fully.
"The Third Highness is already making a move?"
"That's far too reckless."
All eyes—inside and outside the field—focused on her.
The Second Princess mocked loudly, "Look how arrogant she is. If she hits anything, I'll take her surname. She's just firing blindly because she has no other option."
The moment her words fell, Xie Yu released the arrow.
A red-brown streak cut through the air and disappeared deep into the grass.
But those standing nearby clearly heard the sound of an arrow sinking into flesh.
What had happened?
Silence fell over the entire field.
As Xie Yu walked forward and lifted a gray rabbit from the tall grass—clearly struck by the arrow—the answer became obvious.
Applause erupted.
"This is the first prey of this year's Spring Hunt! The Crown Princess is truly blessed!"
Xie Yu walked over to the Second Princess, waved the rabbit in front of her eyes, and said,
"You already share my surname. Next time, could you make a bet that actually means something?"
On the viewing platform, the empress propped her head on her hand, looking thoroughly amused.
Shen Changyin also revealed a faint smile.
Still, applause did not mean recognition of Xie Yu's skill.
Every year, there were people with poor archery who happened to get lucky and hit something by chance.
One official remarked, "Madam Shen, at least you won't be eating coarse food today."
Shen Changyin said nothing.
Just as the officials were puzzled, another gasp rose from the field.
Xie Yu nocked two arrows at once and aimed forward.
Everyone followed her line of sight—but saw nothing. Only green grass, no trace of gray.
What was she aiming at?
Why use two arrows?
Before anyone could understand, Xie Yu released both arrows and then waited calmly.
About three seconds later, she pointed at the Second Princess, then pointed toward where she had fired.
The Second Princess pointed at herself.
"You want me to pick up your prey? Xie Yu, who do you think you are?"
"If I remember correctly, you still share my surname," Xie Yu replied evenly.
The Second Princess held back her anger.
"Fine—just because your first shot really was impressive."
She walked deep into the grassland, bent down, and lifted two gray rabbits from grass as high as her calves, holding them up for all to see.
This time, the applause was thunderous. Many young women cheered wildly, making all sorts of excited noises.
The viewing platform was just as lively, filled with laughter and clapping.
Amid this atmosphere, more and more people gathered around Shen Changyin.
Several officials said to her, "Madam Shen, why didn't you tell us the Third Highness was this skilled? You fooled us badly."
"Exactly. If we'd known your fiancée was this capable, I would've asked your household to share some game with us."
Shen Changyin's lips curled briefly before she suppressed the smile. She adjusted her collar and replied lightly,
"It's nothing special."
—
The first two days of the Spring Hunt, the number of animals Xie Yu captured far surpassed everyone else's. The crowd went from shock to complete acceptance, eventually feeling that this was exactly how it should be.
Only then did the martial instructors who had trained Xie Yu admit the truth: although they claimed to be training her every day, more often than not, she ended up training them instead.
Close combat had always been Xie Yu's comfort zone, forcing the instructors to ask her for guidance instead.
As for mounted archery, she had initially been lacking, but after just two days of practice, she completely caught up.
What shocked everyone most was her precision with the bow. Whether shooting fixed targets or live prey, she was nearly flawless.
Every instructor had arrived brimming with confidence and left after training sessions looking thoroughly defeated.
And as if her hunting skills were not enough, Xie Yu was also an exceptional cook.
Each night, when campfires were lit in front of every tent, that moment became torture for everyone else.
Because the aroma drifting from Xie Yu and Shen Changyin's tent spared no one.
Every evening, people could see the two of them sitting by the fire. Several branches were propped over the flames, skewering the day's game, roasting until the skin turned golden and crisp. Fat dripped down from time to time, flaring up in bursts of fire.
Between their chairs was a small table holding chilled tea. Each of them did her own thing, occasionally taking a sip.
Xie Yu periodically rotated the skewers to ensure even roasting, and whenever she called out, Shen Changyin would sprinkle powdered spices over the meat.
Once the meat was done, Xie Yu would remove it, slice a small plate with her dagger, and hand it to Shen Changyin so she could eat with chopsticks—cleanly, elegantly, without dirtying her hands.
The atmosphere between the two of them was quiet and harmonious, yet it threw many newly married young wives into utter turmoil.
One would ask the other, "Why can't you hunt that much game?"
The other would snap back, "You're not missing arms—why don't you go hunt it for me?"
In short, watching those two live as if they were on vacation made them grind their teeth and nearly bite their handkerchiefs to shreds.
Yet at the center of the storm, Xie Yu and Shen Changyin were not nearly as perfectly in sync as they appeared.
Xie Yu was, naturally, extremely pleased.
She had always wanted to win against Shen Changyin.
Although hunting was something she could win at without even trying, taking first place this time still felt immensely satisfying.
On top of that, over the past two days she had dramatically increased her prestige among the younger officials, attracting quite a few people to her side.
She had even formed good relationships with several military officers—given time, they could all be put to use.
Among them were even some talents Shen Changyin had originally planned to recruit, now snatched away by her.
All in all, she was winning on every front.
Shen Changyin always looked calm and unaffected, but that did nothing to dampen Xie Yu's excellent mood.
From time to time, she would deliberately tease her.
"Wasn't this one originally someone you wanted? Sorry about that—my charm is just too great. She chose me."
Each time, Shen Changyin would silently lift her gaze from her book, look at her once, and then resume reading.
However, Xie Yu's moment in the spotlight was not without consequences.
Although she and Shen Changyin were registered as one household for the Spring Hunt, they were still sleeping in separate tents.
So one night, just as Xie Yu entered her tent, she found a disheveled woman inside, clothes half undone, exposing a large expanse of pale chest, winking at her.
She screamed and bolted back out.
"Shen Changyin! Shen Changyin!"
Her legs had never felt so weak in her life as she shouted with absolute sincerity,
"Help!"
Shen Changyin stepped out of her own tent. Seeing Xie Yu pointing frantically at her tent, she looked puzzled at first—then stepped closer, and her face instantly darkened.
She immediately called for guards, had the woman on the bed tied up, and thrown out.
Later, they learned that this woman was a well-known mad poet of the day. Her talent was genuinely high, and she had gained a considerable following due to her unconventional poetic style. Because of her youth, she currently held only a minor position in the academy, but her future had been promising.
Yet after watching Xie Yu hunt day after day, she had suddenly relapsed into madness and reverted to her former erratic behavior.
What could Xie Yu and Shen Changyin do?
One was the Crown Princess, the other the Regent—under public scrutiny, there was no way they could simply have someone killed.
The idea that punishment did not extend to officials was not a strict rule, but it applied well enough here.
In the end, they could only strip her of her official post.
That, however, was a matter for later.
That same night, after Shen Changyin had the madwoman taken away, her expression remained stormy for a long time. She would not allow Xie Yu to sleep on a bed that someone else had used.
She ordered the bed and bedding burned, then had people go into the nearby bamboo forest to cut bamboo overnight and assemble a temporary bamboo bed.
Upon further inspection, they discovered that Xie Yu's luggage chest had also been opened and rummaged through.
The clothes inside could no longer be worn.
So Shen Changyin had Xie Yu wear her own clothes instead.
Both of them were tall. Although Xie Yu was slightly taller and Shen Changyin slightly slimmer, ancient garments were loose-fitting by nature, so Shen Changyin's clothes fit Xie Yu well enough.
It just felt strange to Xie Yu.
After bathing, she changed into Shen Changyin's clean clothes inside her tent and called out,
"I'm done changing."
Only then did Shen Changyin enter—and found that her usual plain white robe with subtle patterns fit Xie Yu surprisingly well.
Xie Yu kept sniffing herself. When she noticed Shen Changyin come in, she said,
"This is strange. I smell like you."
Shen Changyin froze. After a moment, her voice turned slightly hoarse.
"That's not strange. It's just the incense."
Only then did Xie Yu relax.
They hadn't spoken long before raindrops began striking the oilcloth above their heads.
Before long, a torrential downpour crashed down.
Rain hitting a tent was far louder and more immediate than rain on a roof.
The two sat on chairs, drinking hot tea, watching as the world outside turned into a vast flooded expanse, the rain falling endlessly like strings of beads.
The aged tea on the table slowly released its fragrance.
Because of the heavy rain, they called back the people sent to cut bamboo. There was no need to risk lives over a single bed.
Xie Yu felt that sleeping on a reclining chair for one night was not a serious problem.
Though the rain roared loudly, it had a steady rhythm, as if awakening some ancient memory. Xie Yu quickly grew drowsy.
She yawned, squinted her eyes, tilted her head—and fell asleep on the chair.
Shen Changyin glanced at her, set down her book, and quietly went to the bed to retrieve a quilt, gently laying it over her.
The moment the warmth touched her, Xie Yu instinctively shifted, wrapping herself in it, her face sinking into the soft fabric.
Shen Changyin read a little longer. When night deepened, she looked at the empty bed, then at Xie Yu sleeping beside her.
In the end, she chose not to sleep on the bed. Instead, she took a blanket for herself and slept on the reclining chair as well.
Whether it was the rain or Xie Yu, Shen Changyin fell asleep quickly and deeply.
Until the middle of the night, when someone screamed.
A guard outside the tent shouted,
"Your Highness! Madam Shen! Something has happened!"
Both of them woke at once and let the guard in.
Soaked through, the guard reported,
"The rain is too heavy. A nearby mountainside has collapsed."
Outside, cries and frantic packing could already be heard as people prepared to flee.
Xie Yu and Shen Changyin exchanged a look. Neither panicked. Instead, they took out a terrain map and began analyzing the situation.
Xie Yu had once suppressed bandits in the southern outskirts in a dream and knew this mountain range well. Comparing it to the map made everything clear.
She shook her head.
"Our area is elevated and flat. We're some distance from the mountains. The forest cover there is dense, and the soil isn't loose—landslides are unlikely. Even if one happens, it won't reach us."
Shen Changyin summoned two officials from nearby tents and instructed them to calm the officials and their families, telling them not to panic.
Xie Yu ordered the guard to confirm exactly which mountain had collapsed—north or south.
The two officials returned quickly.
"The empress was already packing to leave. After hearing this, she paused."
The guard returned as well.
"It was the north side of Autumn Tiger Mountain."
Xie Yu's finger tapped the map. Her expression changed abruptly.
"There's a village at the foot of that mountain."
A landslide would bring down massive amounts of earth and stone, likely crushing houses and burying people alive.
When Xie Yu had recruited militia in her dream, many of the young women had come from that very village.
She took several deep breaths.
After confirming the landslide had stopped, she immediately went to the empress and asked her to send troops to rescue the villagers.
The empress refused.
The ruler, who had reigned for decades, sat behind her desk. Candlelight cast her face into something severe and inscrutable. Her words were merciless.
"The storm is dangerous. Soldiers might be expendable, but these officials are the pillars of the state. They all have families. How do you expect them to abandon their families and risk their lives to save a mere village?"
The empress's tent was exceptionally warm. Even the oilcloth was specially made—the rain sounded softer here than anywhere else.
Xie Yu stood in that warmth, yet felt ice-cold.
She endured it again and again—until she finally said,
"Are you insane?"
The guards immediately moved to draw their blades. Xie Yu pulled out her dagger in response.
The empress pressed her hand downward, signaling both sides to calm down and lower their weapons.
"You think I'm heartless?" the empress said. "Do you think these officials don't value their lives? Don't you know their lives are worth more than everyone in that village combined?"
"Go find someone willing to command the rescue. Pull her away from her family. Tell her family you want her to lead troops into this storm to save strangers—and that she might die."
"Find that person. If you do, half the imperial guard is yours to command."
She leaned back.
"But I'm telling you now—you won't find her."
Xie Yu went still.
"I will."
She said nothing more, left the imperial tent, and returned to Shen Changyin's.
As she bound her sleeves and tied the cuffs of her trousers, she told Shen Changyin everything.
Shen Changyin asked,
"Who are you going to find?"
Xie Yu tightened the knot on her sleeve.
"Me."
"The Crown Princess is also an official," she said fiercely.
Shen Changyin's expression changed. The air seemed to turn cold.
"The landslide may have stopped, but there's no guarantee another won't follow."
"Your mother may be cold-blooded—but she's right."
She stood in front of Xie Yu.
"If you go, you could truly die."
Xie Yu replied calmly,
"When does living ever come without risk? Today's odds are just a little higher."
Shen Changyin's chest rose and fell.
"Don't go."
In the candlelight, her face had turned deathly pale. Xie Yu noticed it by chance and paused for a moment.
Then she spoke as gently and calmly as she could.
"Don't worry. I'm very tough—have you forgotten? I escaped from you five times. You even forced me to sleep in the forest with wolves. And I'm still alive, aren't I?"
She put her rain cape back on, placed the bamboo hat over her head, and prepared to leave the tent to gather the soldiers.
As she passed Shen Changyin, her sleeve was suddenly grabbed.
Shen Changyin's pale fingers clenched the fabric tightly, so hard that her fingertips turned white.
She wanted to say don't go.
But when Xie Yu turned back, her eyes were bright, like silently burning black flames. Her expression was calm, yet anyone could tell—this was a decision she would never change.
In the end, Shen Changyin loosened her grip.
Xie Yu went out to gather the soldiers, making sure each of them wore at least a bamboo hat. She distributed shovels and other tools, and specifically arranged one unit to carry waterproof oil lamps to provide light.
In the raging wind and rain, she assembled a dark, dense formation. After briefly explaining the situation, she said:
"Tonight, I'll be with you. You dig, I dig. You save people, I save people. And if heaven truly isn't fair, then I'll die together with you."
In the darkness, countless pairs of eyes lit up—silent, but shining.
"Move out," Xie Yu said, waving her hand.
The formation turned and began to advance.
Xie Yu was about to leave as well when someone suddenly grabbed her hand.
She turned and saw Shen Changyin wearing a bamboo hat, soaked through, clearly having run over in a hurry, her chest heaving.
"I'm coming with you."
Xie Yu actually laughed.
"Don't joke. With your body, what could you even do there? Stay here. Stay alive. Don't make me worry—that alone would be your contribution."
Shen Changyin knew this herself. She had only wanted to say it. After Xie Yu said that, she fell silent.
The rain grew deafening. Thunder began to roar overhead.
Shen Changyin's grip on Xie Yu's hand tightened until it nearly hurt.
Her expression grew increasingly calm.
The wind blew rain across her face, soaking several strands of hair that clung to her smooth cheeks.
Pale skin, black hair—when lightning flashed, she was breathtaking.
She lifted her eyes, stared straight into Xie Yu's, and shouted over the storm:
"I love you."
Xie Yu froze, almost unable to react.
She had once wanted to clarify Shen Changyin's feelings. She had wanted her to admit it clearly, out loud.
Even her desire to defeat Shen Changyin had been fueled partly by that stubborn pride.
But just like this?
Without her winning anything?
Shen Changyin had said it outright?
Xie Yu opened her mouth, unsure what to say—only for a soft finger to press gently against her lips.
Shen Changyin gripped her hand tightly.
"I don't want your answer now. I want it later."
"So remember this—you must come back alive."
"Because you owe me an answer."
—
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