Chapter 83

Chapter 83: She excels at exploiting loopholes. The flying fire arrows were like ignited talismans of awakening. The excitement on the faces of those caught in the chaos gradually faded, and the madness in their eyes slowly dissipated. The scene moments ago had resembled an arena, with Gan Qiongying seemingly transformed into a beast tamer. Her successive fire arrows successfully drove back the savagery, and now everyone had regained their senses and composure. Several guards traced the source of the fire arrows and quickly rushed toward Gan Qiongying, who was still holding four fire arrows. They closed in step by step, slowly encircling her in a semi-circle. They dared not act rashly, fearing that the arrows in Gan Qiongying’s hands might actually strike someone present. Thus, they could only attempt to persuade her with words. "Princess Duanrong," one guard hesitated, worried that Princess Duanrong, like the Regent and Jinchuan Zhizi, might be too caught up in the frenzy to stop. But duty compelled him to step forward and advise, "The arrows are dangerous. Please hand them over to this servant." Gan Qiongying’s expression remained tense. The guards around her also dared not snatch the arrows away. Some people on the field had already fled in all directions, seeking cover, while others stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do. Zhongli Zhengzhen and the Regent hid behind the corpse of the big black bear, clutching their wounds as they gazed at Gan Qiongying through the flames, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. Suddenly, a guard rushed to the left front of Gan Qiongying. He signaled the other guards to step back, then first bowed respectfully and deeply, before bending forward again and saying, "It is our incompetence that has forced the Princess to intervene and restore order in the arena." Upon hearing this, the guards behind immediately understood and stepped back a few paces, maintaining a safe distance from Gan Qiongying as they bowed respectfully. Gan Qiongying kept her eyes fixed on the people in the arena, her fully drawn bow moving back and forth horizontally, as if she had not yet decided where to aim. Meanwhile, those on the field could not clearly hear the guard’s words and remained terrified, fearing they might be struck by the fire arrows. At that moment, the steward of Haoyue Manor came running, panting heavily. He rushed to where the crowd had gathered, clearly exhausted from the run. Bending over, he supported himself on his knees to catch his breath, then suddenly realized something and looked up sharply, only to find that the arena had fallen silent. He glanced around, following the gazes of the crowd, and saw Gan Qiongying holding the fire arrows. His breathing, which had just begun to calm, instantly grew rapid again. Gan Qiongying’s eyes were resolute. She finally released the fully drawn bow, and the arrows shot toward a nearby target, landing neatly and hitting the mark with all four arrows. For a woman to possess such strength was truly something that would make many men feel ashamed and inferior. However, unlike when the Regent had hit the bullseye earlier, drawing admiration from everyone present, the crowd did not approve of Gan Qiongying’s archery skills. Before the fire arrows were shot, they had been terrified of catching fire. Yet once the arrows hit the target and they were out of danger, they instead wore expressions of disdain. Some even whispered and murmured criticisms, questioning Gan Qiongying’s actions. Gan Qiongying paid them no mind. She turned and asked the old steward, "Is Aunt, the Princess, unwell?" "Reporting to the Princess," the old steward stepped forward, his voice still trembling, "The Eldest Princess was frightened, and Imperial Physician Wu is attending to her... She is now out of danger." Out of danger meant there were still minor issues. Recalling how Princess Hui'an had just fainted on the ground while that pack of bastards clearly saw it yet ignored her completely, still running wild—obviously not holding any genuine respect for Princess Hui'an—Gan Qiongying felt her anger boiling over. "Alright," Gan Qiongying said, her voice softening considerably upon seeing the elderly steward's advanced age and the two trips he had just rushed through. "You're not young anymore. Go and rest." The old steward was genuinely anxious and truly helpless in the face of the earlier scene. Though he had managed the Haoyue Manor for many years, it was entirely due to Princess Hui'an's sentimentality toward old ties. As a commoner without official rank, how could he possibly persuade the Regent and Jinchuan Zhizi? Thus, Gan Qiongying didn't blame him for knowing only to seek out the Grand Princess in a crisis. Hearing him wheeze like a pig, she feared he might drop dead right beside her and quickly urged him to step aside and rest. The old steward indeed couldn't hold on any longer and was nearly supported away by the guards. The crowd in the courtyard, who had just been pale with fright, now began to murmur and gossip. One noble scion, who held an official title and prided himself on his lofty status, even stepped forward to accuse Princess Duanrong of ulterior motives, calling her an ingrate for disrupting her own aunt's birthday banquet. This noble scion certainly wasn't tired of living. As a scholar with an official title and a teacher who was a great Confucian master of the era, what did it matter if Gan Qiongying had a notorious reputation? Even if she was a Princess, so what? If she truly dared to punish him, she would be stirring up a hornet's nest among the literati. The scholars of the realm were countless; those with bellies full of useless ink who couldn't pass the imperial exams had nowhere to apply their skills. If each spat a mouthful of ink, they could blacken the nobility until they dared not step outside. Moreover, if genuinely oppressed by the powerful, one could even gain a reputation for integrity and uprightness, standing above others when entering officialdom later. In the original plot, Princess Duanrong had suffered from clashing head-on with such people, not daring to leave her residence for several months. Gan Qiongying herself, however, couldn't care less. She didn't even glance at the noble scion who deliberately raised his voice. Let him talk. It wouldn't make her lose a piece of flesh, nor was he stealing her money. What was there to be angry about? Gan Qiongying had her own way of venting. Setting down her bow, she raised her voice and declared, "At Princess Hui'an's birthday banquet, you all have engaged in violence and brutality, showing contempt for the imperial family, causing Princess Hui'an to faint from shock. She remains unconscious to this day, her fate unknown." "I have already sent word to the Dali Temple and notified all imperial relatives. If anything happens to Princess Hui'an, every single one of you present today will be heading to prison!" Of course, this was just a bluff, but Gan Qiongying stood on solid ground. Moreover, Princess Hui'an had indeed fainted here earlier, witnessed by many. Though part of the reason for Princess Hui'an's collapse was the shocking truths Gan Qiongying had revealed, given the tense and critical situation, why would she shoulder such blame herself? She would definitely pin it on these bastards. Let them drown in their own mess. And since these scholars were so eloquent with their tongues, let them take a turn at the Dali Temple. Gan Qiongying wanted to see how glib they'd remain then. Upon hearing this, the crowd fell into a brief, deathly silence, after which no one dared utter another word. They finally realized the severity of the situation, exchanging uneasy glances as the color drained from their faces in mutual apprehension. The Regent's expression also turned stern. Clutching his wound, he stared at Gan Qiongying, the coldness in his eyes undimmed by the firelight. Gan Qiongying naturally noticed the Regent shooting daggers at her with his gaze. She pretended not to see it, showing not a hint of guilt. Borrowing a line from a comedy sketch she had once seen: "I can't beat you, but I'm not convinced." Of course, she knew that neither the Regent nor Zhongli Zhengzhen was someone to be trifled with. However, with the title of Princess Hui'an backing her, even the Regent could not hold Gan Qiongying accountable. And what crime had Gan Qiongying committed? Mediating a fight? Although Sima Rui was the Regent, wielding great power, if one were to assign blame, the "incident" he himself had caused tonight, if scrutinized closely—especially if Princess Hui'an refused to let it go—could amount to more than just contempt for the imperial family. It was uncertain whether he might even be accused of attempting to harm a member of the royal family. Even if he tried to pin a charge of attempted assassination of a court official on Gan Qiongying, as long as no one died, her status as a member of the imperial family would shield her from severe punishment. The mere title of "imperial relative" pinned Sima Rui firmly to the ground, like an insurmountable sky pressing down on him forever. Moreover, strictly speaking, the Regent was required to bow when meeting Gan Qiongying. If she were the real Princess Duanrong, she might fear the Regent. With his far-reaching influence, ruthless methods, and the Empress Dowager as his backing—and with Gan Lin held firmly in the Empress Dowager's grasp—Princess Duanrong would naturally hesitate to confront the Regent, fearing collateral damage. But Gan Qiongying was not afraid. She didn't confront him head-on; she excelled at exploiting loopholes. Laying low and biding her time.