Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

One man was betrothed to the prime minister's eldest grandson, another to the second son of a second-rank general, and two members of the Sun family who were officials in Jiangnan were promoted to the capital. It was clear to everyone that His Majesty intended to promote his maternal family.

What outsiders don't know is that all of this was done at Yan Zhen's behest by Xiahou Che.

The group traveled for half a day and arrived at Mount Li.

The area is lush with vegetation and tall trees, and in spring it is a scene of lush grass and birdsong.

Yan Zhen changed into light Hu clothing and stepped out of the carriage. Immediately, a groom led over a sturdy white horse.

Yan Zhen mounted the horse, took the bow and arrow, and tested the feel of the bow and arrow.

Spring hunting is divided into two types: one is to encircle small prey and shoot them within a certain range.

Another method requires venturing deep into the forests of Mount Li to hunt large carnivores.

The former is usually a game where women shoot for fun, while the latter is a competition among the sons of each family, with the person who brings back the most prey each year receiving a generous reward.

Yan Zhen tried her hand at archery and rode her horse around the enclosed hunting grounds, with guards following her at a distance to protect her safety.

A short while later, Yan Zhen shot two rabbits.

"Your Majesty, what excellent archery skills you possess!"

A cheer came from ahead. Yan Zhen looked up and saw Liu Su in a suit of silver armor.

He rode over on horseback, accompanied by a woman in red.

The woman was about the same age as Yan Zhen. She rode a brown steed, her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her features were heroic and sharp, exuding an indescribable air of valor.

"Your Majesty." Liu Su approached Yan Zhen and bowed respectfully. "Arrows and knives have no eyes on the hunting grounds, and the guards are all men, which is quite inconvenient. This is my niece, Liu Ying. She grew up in the military camp and is very skilled. Today, she will accompany Your Majesty on the hunt and protect Your Majesty."

Yan Zhen looked Liu Ying up and down and nodded: "General Liu is very thoughtful."

In front of Yan Zhen, Liu Su gave Liu Ying a few instructions and then rode away.

Yan Zhen pulled on the reins, urging the horse toward the hunting grounds, and Liu Ying immediately followed.

A pheasant soon appeared ahead, and Yan Zhen immediately drew her bow, but the arrow missed, and the pheasant escaped right under her nose.

However, just as the pheasant had escaped a few steps, an arrow shot out from behind, piercing it straight through.

Yan Zhen turned his head, and Liu Ying, three or four meters away, was still in the posture of shooting an arrow.

Meeting Yan Zhen's gaze, Liu Ying cupped her hands in greeting: "Thank you for your kind offer."

Yan Zhen sensed a hint of provocation in her action.

This was no illusion—for the next half hour, Liu Ying followed Yan Zhen closely. Every time prey appeared, she would either shoot it down before Yan Zhen or go after it, showing no intention of giving way to her just because she was the Empress.

Liu Ying was followed by servants who were picking up the prey, their hands full of food.

Yan Zhen squinted at Liu Ying, whose interest was growing, and couldn't help but find it amusing.

This girl was sent to her death like a scapegoat without even realizing it.

However, now that the stage has been set up, it would be unreasonable for her not to join in the fun.

Thinking of this, Yan Zhen spurred his horse and began to race against Liu Ying.

To outsiders, this scene appears to be two girls of similar age who have been aroused and are about to have a good competition.

Yan Zhen pretended not to realize that he was heading towards the edge of the hunting ground.

As they approached the edge of the enclosed hunting grounds, Liu Ying took the reins first: "Your Majesty, further ahead lies the Lishan Forest, which is a large hunting ground where wild beasts roam. Let's go back."

Before Yan Zhen could even utter the word "okay," a dart shot out from the side and embedded itself directly in the rump of the horse she was riding.

The horse, in pain, reared up and neighed, then recklessly jumped over the fence and galloped into the depths of the Lishan forest.

Liu Ying was taken aback, then immediately spurred her horse to catch up: "Quick! Stop the Empress's horse!"

Yan Zhen gripped the reins tightly, pressing his upper body low and lying prone on the horse's back to avoid being thrown off by the startled horse.

The forest beneath her feet grew increasingly dense, and a branch above knocked off her hat. After a frantic run, a precipice suddenly appeared in the distance.

Yan Zhen paused for a moment, then decisively released the reins and jumped off the horse. Upon landing, he adjusted his posture and rolled a few times on the ground.

This movement cushioned most of the inertia, but Yan Zhen still fell quite hard, feeling dizzy and lightheaded before he could see clearly again after a long while.

She stood up by leaning against a large tree. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from all around, and twenty or thirty masked men in black, armed with bows and arrows, appeared one after another and surrounded her.

Yan Zhen remained calm and asked, "Who are you?"

The woman in black did not answer, and the leader shot an arrow at her directly.

Yan Zhen turned to the side, but couldn't dodge in time. The arrow pierced her right shoulder, and blood quickly soaked through her Hu clothing, leaving large wet stains on her shoulder.

Yan Zhen groaned softly and leaned against the big tree behind him.

Seeing that she had no power to resist, a person emerged from behind a large tree that was as thick as two people could hug, walked up to her, and looked down at her.

The other person was wearing a black mask, but Yan Zhen recognized him at a glance: "Liu Su."

Liu Su was silent for a moment, then simply took off his mask: "Your Majesty has excellent eyesight."

Yan Zhen clutched his shoulder, his face growing paler: "Why did you kill me?"

"You know perfectly well why I'm asking!" Liu Su said coldly. "The Xiao family is a wolf in sheep's clothing, plotting to usurp the throne. Shouldn't you die?"

Yan Zhen stared intently at him: "Then why haven't you made a move yet?"

That arrow could have killed her instantly.

Liu Su paused for a moment: "I'll ask you a question. If you answer honestly, I'll give you a quick death and leave you with a whole corpse. But if you try to trick me..."

Liu Su snorted coldly, his eyes full of threat.

Yan Zhen became interested: "Okay, go ahead."

"Was Xiahou Che's usurpation of the throne orchestrated by you?"

Liu Su only began investigating Xiahou Che's past in the last few months.

Upon investigation, he discovered that the whole affair of Xiahou Che leaving the Yeting Palace and being recognized by the late emperor as a member of the royal family was suspicious.

Considering that Xiao Lingyi had been plotting to seize the throne for many years, Liu Su suspected that Xiahou Che had been a member of the Xiao family from the beginning, and that his forced assistance in Xiahou Che's ascension to the throne was also part of the Xiao family's plan.

If that's the case, then Xiahou Che can't be kept either.

After killing the emperor and empress, he will choose a distant relative of the Xiahou clan and support him to ascend the throne.

Yan Zhen smiled slightly and struggled to stand up.

"Have."

Liu Su's heart skipped a beat.

Having confirmed his suspicions with Xiao Lingyi's words, he felt a rush of blood to his head.

He was tricked by these two for six years!!!

Liu Su's hand gripping the longsword trembled as he raised it and thrust it towards Yan Zhen's heart.

At that moment, an arrow shot out from the sky, deflecting Liu Su's sword, and Yan Zhen took the opportunity to retreat.

She turned her head, and Xiahou Che arrived hurriedly with hundreds of guards.

Upon seeing that Yan Zhen was injured, his eyes instantly turned red.

"Kill this old bastard!"

At Xiahou Che's command, the guards immediately engaged Liu Su's men in battle.