11、第 11 章 Suyua ...
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The news reached the Orchid Courtyard before Suyuan did. By the time she returned from the celebration, Nanny Zhang had already heard that every unmarried daughter of the Khan's household was expected to participate in the upcoming bride selection. Shuran was sitting upright against the headboard when Suyuan entered, a cup of medicine untouched beside her. From the worried expression on Nanny Zhang's face, Suyuan knew immediately that her mother had heard everything.
"Yuanyuan," Shuran called softly. "Come here."
Suyuan walked over and sat beside the bed. Shuran studied her face for a moment before asking, "You have to participate in the competition?"
"It seems so."
"You don't have to."
"Mother, refusing would only make things worse."
Shuran fell silent. She knew her daughter was right. The Khan had already neglected them for years, but publicly refusing his command could give the other women another reason to attack them. "Then don't try to win," she said quietly.
Suyuan smiled , "I wasn't planning to."
Nanny Zhang stared at her. "You already have a plan?"
"Of course."
Ayao, who had been sorting the clothes Suyuan had worn that day, looked up suspiciously. "Should I be worried?"
"You should."
Ayao sighed. "I knew it."
Suyuan leaned back against the chair, her expression almost cheerful. She had spent eighteen years learning how to survive among people who were stronger than her. If someone wanted her to compete for a husband, there was no reason she couldn't simply give them exactly what they expected from a sickly, fragile princess.
The next morning, preparations began throughout the palace. The young women were given new riding clothes, bows, and hunting equipment. Servants hurried through the courtyards while horses were brought from the stables. Excitement spread among the younger members of the Khan's household, particularly those who believed they had a real chance of being chosen by one of the visiting princes.
Suyuan, meanwhile, appeared to take the competition very seriously.
She requested a bow and she chose the smallest and least impressive horse available.
Ayao stared at it.
The horse looked old enough to remember the previous Khan.
Suyuan stroked its neck.
"Perfect."
For archery, she deliberately selected a bow that was slightly too large for her arms. She tested the string once, made a doubtful expression, and handed it back.
"This one is difficult to control."
The stableman immediately offered another.
Suyuan accepted it with a grateful smile.
Ayao watched in silence.
"You know how to shoot properly, don't you?"
Suyuan looked at her innocently.
"Do I?"
Ayao narrowed her eyes.
"Miss."
Suyuan smiled.
"Ofcourse I don't."
The first event was horsemanship, the young women gathered on the open grassland outside the palace while the visiting princes and tribal elders watched from the raised viewing platform. The wind tugged at the banners overhead, and the horses stamped impatiently against the earth. Suyuan mounted her elderly horse , the moment the signal sounded, the other riders rushed forward.Suyuan remained behind , "Miss!" Ayao shouted from the side. "They're already halfway there!"
Suyuan held tightly to the reins.
"My horse is nervous."
The horse continued walking at the leisurely pace of someone taking an afternoon stroll and when Suyuan finally crossed the finish line, she was last.Several spectators laughed and one of the noble girls covered her mouth, whispering something to her companion. Suyuan simply dismounted."That went well," Ayao said dryly.
"Very well."
"You came last."
"Exactly."
The second event was archery, Suyuan stood before the target with her bow in hand.
The other competitors had already shown their skill. Arrows struck near the center of the target, earning cheers from the crowd. Then Suyuan's turn came, she drew the bow and her arm trembled and she released the arrow flew far to the left and landed harmlessly in the grass.There was a moment of silence then, laughter erupted from somewhere in the crowd. Suyuan lowered the bow and looked at the arrow "Perhaps I'm weaker than I thought."
Ayao covered her face but one person wasn't laughing. Across the field, the young prince who had saved Suyuan at the river was watching her carefully. He remembered how steadily she had held the fishing rod that morning. He remembered how quickly she had reacted when she fell into the river and now she couldn't hit a target standing barely thirty steps away?
His lips curved slightly.
Interesting.
The final event of the day was hunting and Suyuan knew this would be even easier.
She entered the forest with the other competitors, carrying a small hunting knife at her waist. Once the others disappeared among the trees, she deliberately took the wrong path.She found a quiet patch of grass beneath an old tree and sat down. From her sleeve, she pulled out a small piece of dried fruit , she ate it peacefully.
A bird landed nearby.
Suyuan looked at it.
The bird looked at her.
Neither moved.
"Don't worry," she whispered. "I'm not hunting you...."
After an hour, she returned empty-handed , the results were humiliating.
Last in horsemanship , nearly last in archery with no prey whatsoever in the hunting event. The other competitors celebrated. Suyuan received sympathetic looks from some and mocking smiles from others but she didn't care. As far as she was concerned, the plan had succeeded perfectly. Nobody would choose a sickly princess who couldn't ride, couldn't shoot, and couldn't hunt.
Or so she thought.
When the results were announced, Suyuan noticed the visiting prince from the river watching her from across the field, he wasn't laughing instead, he looked almost amused. Their eyes met and he lifted his cup slightly. Suyuan frowned for some reason, she had the unpleasant feeling that her carefully planned failure had attracted exactly the wrong person's attention.
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第11章 第 11 章
