4 Times married to my enemy

Chapter 15 : Let him shoot, I'm not afraid of him!

Chapter Fifteen

Qin Peng listened to the familiar words and felt an inexplicable strength surge within her.

Back then, under her planning, she led her mother out of the cold palace. Her mother gained great favor, and she also became a beloved princess of the emperor, living a life of luxury and abundance.

Ascending to greatness, the jealousy and envy of others intertwined. At that time, her guard was not as high as it became later; she still carried a bit of the innocence of a young girl. Then, in the lotus seed soup she personally offered to her mother, someone had poisoned it.

Although in the end she tried every means to prove her innocence, her mother was already gone. Even though she clearly knew who was responsible, she could do nothing.

She could only wear mourning clothes and kneel on the ground, allowing the empress to place a hand on her shoulder, sighing, "Poor child."

And she had to bow her head in gratitude, expressing her appreciation for the empress's kindness.

On the day of her mother's funeral, she carried her mother's coffin up the mountain herself. The coffin was too heavy; halfway up, she could no longer hold it and suddenly knelt down.

At that moment, she felt she could not stand up.

It was too heavy; she truly could not stand up.

Just then, a pair of hands reached out and helped her lift the long wooden beam supporting the coffin.

The young man wore a plain robe, his handsome face, typical of southern men, bore a calm expression.

He was about the same height as her then, and though his physique seemed less robust than hers, he stood behind her like a sturdy pine, placing his shoulder under the long beam and then lifting it up.

The weight suddenly left her shoulders, and she looked up in a daze, seeing the young man's calm face, his voice gentle: "Stand up, I'll help you carry it."

She said nothing, her beautiful face completely serene.

"Thank you."

It was rare for her to be so serious; his hand trembled slightly, as if he wanted to do something but ultimately did not.

The two young people stood one in front of the other, carrying the coffin together up the mountain.

From beginning to end, she never looked back, but she could feel that person's presence, that person's warmth, following closely behind her. Whether she fell or stood up, he would bear all the burdens on her shoulders.

But she was never someone who needed protection, so she gritted her teeth and continued forward, letting the earth bury her loved ones.

That night, she returned to the cold palace, standing silently in front of the room where she and her mother and brother had lived for many years.

The rain fell for most of the night, and she stood there for most of it. Then she heard a voice, suppressing anger, calling out: "Zhao Peng!"

She did not turn around, but felt someone holding an umbrella over her. Qin Shuhua's voice was filled with urgency: "What are you doing standing here? Do you know how long Zhao Yu has been looking for you? How long have you been standing? Why are your hands so cold?"

She said nothing, just stared blankly at that room. Qin Shuhua pulled at her, and she finally spoke: "Let me stand for a moment."

Qin Shuhua was taken aback, holding her hand without letting go.

His hand was particularly warm, becoming her only support on that cold night. She had never felt him so tall and reliable, which made her heart ache slightly. In a hoarse voice, she said, "Tomorrow I still have to go back to watch Xiao Yu study. Just let me stand here for a moment; I've been sad all night, and I can't..."

Before she could finish, he suddenly hugged her tightly.

He had always been reserved and awkward, with a hint of gentlemanly shyness.

It was always her teasing him, playing with him; he would blush and shy away, almost wanting to take a detour when he saw her.

However, that day, for the first time, he took the initiative to embrace her.

His umbrella fell, and the rain poured onto his shoulders. The young man held her tightly, as if he felt her pain and shared her anger.

"Zhao Peng," he trembled slightly but forced himself to be calm, "If you're sad, then be sad. If you want to cry, then cry. If the sky falls, I'll hold it up."

She said nothing. For so many years, she had been her mother's support, her brother's world. She had walked through storms alone, and he was the only one who said such words to her.

All the grievances and sadness surged forth, and she could no longer hold it in, bursting into tears.

She cried until her voice was hoarse, collapsing to the ground. And that young man held her the whole time, supporting her.

He adhered to propriety but also carried an inexplicable closeness.

Then he told her that the road of life was difficult, and he would accompany her.

Because of this sentence, she stood up again, becoming the beautiful and glorious Princess Yuyang.

Now, hearing this sentence again, she felt that if she could stand up once, she could stand up a second time.

Her spirit was uplifted, and she truly managed to push through the last stretch. As she neared the palace gate, the crowd began to get chaotic. Qin Peng felt dizzy and didn't pay attention to her surroundings when she heard a scream, followed by Wei Yan's loud shout: "Sister-in-law!"

Qin Peng didn't react at all before she saw an assassin suddenly reach out from beside Qin Shuhua, placing a sword against her neck.

This person was clearly a woman; she had seemingly gone to assassinate Qin Shuhua but had chosen to flee quickly after being blocked by him. She raised her hand and took Qin Peng hostage.

Qin Peng's short sword slipped down from her sleeve, her expression calm. The person had decent martial skills, and Qin Peng did not dare to move recklessly. The person holding her said to the crowd, "Back off!"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar, causing Qin Peng to frown involuntarily. The people around looked at Qin Shuhua, hesitant to act. Wei Yan decisively spoke up: "Back off!"

The guards glanced at Wei Yan, who yelled angrily, "What are you looking at? Back off!"

Saying this, Wei Yan turned back to the person and said, "Let her go, and I'll let you leave."

"General Wei, your words are not credible. How can I trust you? I ask the Fourth Princess to come with me!"

The person let out a cold laugh, pressing Qin Peng back. Upon hearing this, Qin Peng realized who it was. She retracted the short sword in her sleeve and cooperated with the person to retreat.

The person was somewhat surprised by Qin Peng's actions. Qin Peng whispered, "Don't be afraid; I want to kill Qin Shuhua too."

Upon hearing Qin Peng's words, the person looked at her with some confusion, but her actions became bolder as she pressed Qin Peng back to the horse, then mounted and urged the horse to charge out.

Wei Yan cursed and immediately mounted to chase after them. Qin Shuhua remained expressionless, while Jiang Chun took up a bow and arrow. Qin Shuhua raised his hand, drawing the bow, aiming at the person riding away.

From a distance, Qin Peng saw Jiang Chun with the bow and arrow and anxiously said, "Hurry and put me behind you; he won't shoot if he's worried!"

"Who knows what you're up to?" The masked woman laughed coldly. "Let him shoot; I'm not afraid of him!"

"Oh, you don't know his archery skills..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Shuhua drew his bow, the arrow whistled through the air! The masked woman seemed to have anticipated his move, suddenly bending down to dodge, exposing Qin Peng to Qin Shuhua's arrow while reaching out to catch it.

She worried that Qin Peng would do something behind her back while also fearing Qin Shuhua's arrow, so she used this tactic, nearly causing Qin Shuhua to shoot Qin Peng with the first arrow. He didn't dare to shoot again with the second arrow.

However, Qin Peng acted even faster. Hearing the arrow whizzing toward her, she bent down and sidestepped. In that instant, it revealed her martial skills. Even if her movements were somewhat slow, her posture showed some foundation.

Qin Shuhua's expression suddenly turned cold as he grabbed an arrow and shot three in a row!

Wei Yan, seeing this scene, immediately turned his horse around and shouted, "What are you doing?!"

However, Qin Shuhua said nothing; his hand trembled slightly.

That previous movement... that arrow-dodging movement...

He was too familiar with it.

He had seen her practice dodging arrows countless times; she had always been somewhat prepared, liking to think about what to do before something happened.

Her martial skills were learned alongside him; he was very clear about the small movements of the person named Zhao Peng.

Was it that person?

Was it her... reincarnated, or... did she never die?

Qin Shuhua's mind was in disarray; he was too eager to confirm.

The three arrows flew past, and Bai Zhi cursed, raising her sword to block the arrows, not allowing them to touch Qin Peng at all!

Qin Shuhua couldn't see clearly. He raised his hand to grab another arrow but was held back by Wei Yan, who had rushed back: "Are you crazy?!"

"It's her..." Qin Shuhua was clearly caught in a strange emotion, trembling slightly, struggling to grab the arrow: "Is it really her..."

If it was her, then she would definitely dodge his arrows.

If it wasn't her...

What difference would it make?

"Qin Shuhua!" Wei Yan looked at Qin Shuhua, whose mind seemed unclear, and raised his hand to punch him. Qin Shuhua was caught off guard and was knocked back.

The pain finally brought Qin Shuhua back to his senses, and by that time, Bai Zhi had already run far away with Qin Peng.

Qin Shuhua's last arrow struck Bai Zhi, hitting her shoulder and causing blood to flow. Qin Peng decisively said, "Run toward the east gate, into the mountains!"

Bai Zhi looked at her strangely, feeling that this person was very familiar, but still followed her instructions to run outside, saying as they ran, "You're a strange princess; clearly skilled in martial arts yet pretending to be so weak. Now, Qin Shuhua will definitely think you and I are in cahoots."

"Are you still blaming me?" Qin Peng was furious, wanting to poke this person's forehead and directly scold her: "I've already told you I'm in cahoots with you. Even if I didn't say it, you should know with your brain that as the eldest princess, my relationship with Qin Shuhua is definitely one of life and death. Are you still using me as a target? Are you crazy?"

"Who knows?" Bai Zhi laughed coldly. "He's so good-looking; I don't trust women around him."

Qin Peng: "..."

Bai Zhi, what on earth happened during these years I was gone?

Bai Zhi was Zhao Peng's personal maid, raised like a sister since childhood. At first, when Qin Peng followed Qin Shuhua back to Qi country, she couldn't bear to let Bai Zhi, who had just gotten married, part with her, so she let Bai Zhi stay in Beiyan. As a result...

"What are you doing in Qi country? Did Xia Houyan abandon you?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhi's expression turned cold, and the short knife in her hand was instantly placed against Qin Peng's neck as she coldly said, "Who exactly are you?!"