Xue Zi Ning saw the person emerge from the room again, clad in a large black cloak, making it impossible to discern their gender, their entire appearance concealed within the voluminous garment.
She believed this person might be a key.
"Ning An." Prince Jing suddenly called out.
She quickly entered and bowed, "Your Highness, your subordinate is here."
"I am going out, you will accompany me," Prince Jing said without raising his head.
"Yes, Your Highness," Xue Zi Ning replied.
Upon arriving at their destination, she realized Prince Jing intended to go hunting.
"Ning An, what is your archery skill like?" Prince Jing suddenly asked.
Xue Zi Ning answered, "My archery is average."
Prince Jing smiled upon hearing this, "Yesterday you were able to defeat me, I believe you are quite skilled."
"Your Highness, your subordinate is ashamed."
"Very well, in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, we will see who hunts more prey. Whoever wins, I shall grant them a favor."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Xue Zi Ning quickly said.
Prince Jing rode his horse into the hunting grounds, and Xue Zi Ning followed closely behind.
Yesterday, she had actually intended to kill Prince Jing, but ultimately did not act, feeling that killing him would not resolve anything. Today, however, she could not afford to win against Prince Jing.
Xue Zi Ning did not focus her thoughts on the hunt. She simply felt that Prince Jing's sudden decision to hunt was somewhat abnormal, very abnormal. She had been in her post for less than a day, and he was calmly hunting with her?
Was he not afraid she harbored ill intentions? Or did Prince Jing have some ulterior motive?
With this thought, Xue Zi Ning felt she needed to be more cautious.
The prey in the hunting grounds were all wild animals that had been captured beforehand and placed in the training area. Although not tamed, they retained some wildness, yet they were still different from truly wild animals.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of fighting from not far away. That direction was where Prince Jing had gone.
She quickly urged her horse forward, heading towards Prince Jing's location.
Soon, she reached the scene of the fight. At a glance, she saw Prince Jing, dressed in a deep purple brocade robe, surrounded by several guards, while the black-clad assailants had already encircled him and the guards.
She did not approach immediately but watched them fight from behind a tree.
Soon, she noticed that the black-clad assailants did not strike with extreme viciousness, even showing restraint.
"Be careful, protect His Highness!" The guards were gradually losing strength.
Seeing this, Xue Zi Ning sprang forward, "Your Highness, be careful!" she shouted, drawing her bow and shooting swiftly without even taking aim.
The sound of an arrow piercing flesh made everyone gasp in astonishment, for the arrow had impaled three people at once.
Amidst the surprise, Xue Zi Ning landed before Prince Jing and said anxiously, "Your Highness, you must leave quickly. Leave this to your subordinate."
Prince Jing was taken aback, but after a moment, he could only say in a low voice, "Then... be careful."
She nodded, "Your Highness, rest assured. It is they who should be cautious."
Having spoken, she looked up. The black-clad assailants before her inexplicably trembled. Considering how swiftly she had drawn and fired her bow, piercing three with a single arrow, if she were to fight seriously, wouldn't they...
The black-clad assailants looked towards Prince Jing. Prince Jing turned and said, "Go."
Seeing Prince Jing depart, Xue Zi Ning's lips curved into a slight smile. The remaining black-clad assailants looked at her calm face revealing a cunning smile, and inexplicably shivered.
She grinned and said, "Are you coming all at once, or one by one?"
The black-clad assailants exchanged glances. There was only one person before them; could they, so many, be afraid?
Half an incense stick later, the black-clad assailants cried out in misery. What kind of person was this? They were not human, how could they fight so well?
Xue Zi Ning lowered her sleeves and leaned against a tree, tutting twice. "This won't do. You can't even defeat me alone."
The black-clad assailants heard this and were so enraged they nearly spat blood. They were not good enough? This fellow dared to boast so brazenly. Did he know who they were to speak like that?
If they hadn't been instructed beforehand, they would never let this fellow off. However, considering how formidable this youth was, they decided it was best to retreat obediently.
Watching the black-clad assailants flee faster than anyone, Xue Zi Ning's gaze turned colder. At this point, she understood. These people were likely all Prince Jing's.
The hunting grounds were quite far from the imperial city, so it was usual to camp there overnight.
When Xue Zi Ning returned, she heard that Prince Jing was injured and therefore seeing no one. But she knew Prince Jing was not injured. He was probably plotting something else right now.
Inside the tent, Prince Jing sat in the place of honor, with several black-clad figures kneeling below.
These were the same black-clad assailants who had attacked Prince Jing in the afternoon.
"How was it?" Prince Jing asked.
The leader of the black-clad assailants replied, "Reporting to Your Highness, that person is very powerful. Ten of your subordinates could not defeat him."
"All ten of you could not defeat him?" Prince Jing was somewhat astonished. He knew this Ning An was formidable, but he never imagined he was so powerful. These were his trained hidden guards, and although not comparable to Xue Chang Jun's Shadow Guards, they were far more capable than regular guards. Yet, that Ning An could fight ten at once?
However, recalling how Ning An had effortlessly pierced three with a single arrow in the afternoon, he felt that fighting his own Shadow Guards was not an issue.
"Your Highness." The black-clad assailants felt greatly wronged. They had trained for decades, only to be defeated by a single youth, and ten of them at that.
"You have worked hard. Go back and continue your training!" Prince Jing waved his hand, signaling them to withdraw.
The black-clad assailants had no choice but to retreat. After all, they had lost and therefore had no say.
"Master Li, what do you think?" Prince Jing shifted his gaze to a corner.
Soon, a person emerged from the corner, still wearing a black cloak that obscured his entire being, his face hidden from everyone.
"Your Highness, what do you think?" Master Li asked Prince Jing in return.
Prince Jing blinked, then said, "If he can be of use to me, it would be my good fortune. If not, then eliminate him."
"Then does Your Highness believe he can be of use?" Master Li inquired.
Prince Jing replied, "I have tested him according to Mr. Nan's suggestion, and I cannot find any issues with him for the time being." "Your Highness, it is still prudent to be cautious."
Prince Jing nodded. "Naturally. After all, such a formidable person appearing so suddenly makes me somewhat uneasy."
"Your Highness, you still suspect he is one of Xue Chang Jun's people?" Master Li asked.
Prince Jing started at this. "Master Li, you do not know. Although Xue Chang Jun is currently missing, I am certain he is in the capital."