The hunting grounds at night, a cool breeze rustled.
With every gust of wind came a scent of danger, even of death.
Although this was not the beast enclosure, the beast enclosure and the ordinary areas were separated only by a net.
During the day, the giant beasts feared the patrolling army and dared not cross the boundary.
But at night, that was not a certainty.
Chu Qianli looked at the dark, dense forest ahead, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Feng Yexuan was truly ruthless. Did he not worry about his beautiful, delicate young ladies getting hurt?
He had no shred of pity or tenderness for them.
"I heard someone was once thrown into the hunting grounds. If you don't know how dangerous it is inside, you can ask Miss Chu Qianli, who was once Prince Xuan's concubine."
Yu Linglong's voice, laced with a sarcastic laugh, rang out through the crowd.
The gazes of all the young ladies shifted, almost in unison, towards Chu Qianli.
Someone had actually been thrown into the hunting grounds before?
Going in and being thrown in – the difference was immense!
One by one, they became inexplicably agitated.
"Miss Yu, then... was Miss Chu really thrown in?"
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Chu Qianli, as if they were gossiping behind her back.
But in reality, they were openly speaking ill of her.
For these young ladies, gossip was the easiest way to attract attention.
"That was because she made a mistake, right? Otherwise, how could she have been thrown into such a dangerous place?"
"Exactly! Isn't that tantamount to a death sentence?"
"Why would the Prince throw her in there? Could it be that she committed an unforgivable crime?"
"I heard that on her wedding night with the Prince, that girl was with another man..."
"What do you mean 'with another man'? It's clearly because she was unfaithful and seduced Fourteenth Prince."
"Was it really Fourteenth Prince? I only heard rumors, I didn't expect it to be true! Then Fourteenth Prince..."
"Why would Fourteenth Prince be interested in a woman like that? Even if she threw herself at him, he wouldn't want her."
"No wonder she was demoted from Crown Princess to concubine! If you ask me, the Prince was quite lenient. If it were someone else, she would have been beaten to death on the spot, wouldn't she?"
"Isn't this throwing her into the hunting grounds, wanting her to be bitten to death by wild beasts? But then, she's lucky to be alive and standing before you now?"
"Truly shameless! To do such a wicked thing and still have the nerve to participate in the selection for Crown Princess!"
"Exactly! Even if she could win, Prince Xuan would never want her! I don't know what she's hoping for, knowing there's no good outcome..."
Chu Qianli adjusted her clothes.
She paid no mind to the constant murmuring around her.
Those who wanted to see her flustered and angry would be most displeased to see her so calm.
The murmuring immediately grew louder.
"Truly shameless. If it were me, I'd rather die!"
"Exactly. To be abandoned and still come back with a thick skin, only to be abandoned again? I don't know what she's thinking."
"Some people are just stupid. They think they'll have a chance if they try again. Those who are stupid are truly brainless!"
"Indeed. If they had brains, they wouldn't be here to be humiliated again."
"Even if she's chosen, at best she'll be a concubine again! Crown Princess? The Prince would have to be out of his mind to want her."
"Heh, so stupid..."
Long Ziyue arrived.
The girls' scolding became even more brazen.
Long Ziyue frowned, utterly perplexed.
"Are all the young ladies of your Northern Underworld Kingdom this bored?"
She directed this question to Chu Qianli, but because she hadn't deliberately lowered her voice, the surrounding young ladies could all hear her.
"What did you say?" Someone couldn't help but step forward, enraged. "Don't think you can be so presumptuous here just because you're a郡主 (junzhu - princess of a lower rank) from a neighboring country!"
"Exactly! You can't insult the women of our Northern Underworld Kingdom!"
Long Ziyue couldn't be bothered with them.
She turned and began tidying her clothes with Chu Qianli.
Tonight, both of them were wearing practical attire. Coming to the hunting grounds at night, there was no need to guess; the competition would surely involve entering the grounds.
Some of the young ladies had come in long skirts. While beautiful, they were inappropriate for the occasion.
"Hey, did you hear that?"
Someone was still yapping away.
Long Ziyue glanced at Chu Qianli with a hint of pity. "Do you have to face these people often?"
"Not often. Most of the time, they don't have the chance to see me."
So, now that they had the opportunity, they could scold as much as they wanted.
She pretended not to hear, as it wouldn't cost her anything.
"I'm afraid the more you ignore them, the angrier they'll get, and they might lose control and attack."
No sooner had Long Ziyue finished speaking than someone, truly enraged, picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it forcefully at Chu Qianli.
"Who gave you the guts to ignore me, young lady!"
Long Ziyue's eyes changed, and she was about to warn Chu Qianli to be careful.
But she saw a cold glint flash in Chu Qianli's eyes. Suddenly, she raised her hand.
With a whoosh, the stone, neither too big nor too small, was swept back by her palm strike.
"Ah..." A young lady not far away screamed and rolled on the ground, wailing, "Ah, my face, my face... Ah! Ah..."
"Blood! She's bleeding!"
The surrounding young ladies immediately panicked. A few screamed loudly, "Chu Qianli injured someone! Guards, help! Chu Qianli is trying to kill someone!"
Many who had been hoping for a spectacle finally got their wish.
The girl lying on the ground was the daughter of a Marquis's mansion, her status quite high!
That stone had hit her face, and now her face was covered in blood.
It was definitely disfigurement!
"Chu Qianli is a murderer!"
The young ladies shrieked. Guards immediately rushed over, surrounding the perpetrator.
Long Ziyue looked at Chu Qianli, even she was stunned.
This... this girl, she might not act, but when she did, she actually disfigured someone.
It seemed... a bit too ruthless.
But why did she feel so satisfied?
Long Ziyue realized she also had a beast living within her. It turned out she was not kind at all.
Seeing someone disfigured, she felt no pity, and instead, felt they deserved it.
Who told them to make the first move?
"What? You don't recognize me anymore?"
Chu Qianli tightened her belt, tying it around her waist, and smiled calmly at Long Ziyue. "Then I'll give you a chance to get to know me again. I, Chu Qianli, am never a kind person."
Long Ziyue was merely stunned for a moment before smiling. "If kindness leads to being bullied, then I'd rather be a little wicked myself!"
Who would want to be the one who gets bullied?
"She's a murderer!"
"Chu Qianli is a murderer!"
"Help!"
The young ladies were still screaming.
At the entrance of the hunting grounds, two carriages stopped.
Someone strode over and commanded sternly, "Silence! What happened?"