A group of martial men, strong and hardened from years of training, naturally had far greater strength than the average person. With their combined effort, the shallow pit—originally half a meter long and a meter deep—was soon expanded into a trap nearly three meters long and two meters deep.
They then covered it with a layer of cloth, scattered some loose soil and dead branches atop it, and thus, a simple yet convincing trap was complete.
Yun Chuhuan personally carried the warning sign Yun Shu had prepared in advance—"Trap Ahead"—and planted it firmly into the ground nearby.
Though all he did was place a sign, he stood proudly with his hands on his hips afterward, as though the entire trap had been the fruit of his labor alone.
"I have a feeling!"
He declared with unwavering confidence,
"This trap will definitely catch something big!"
The guards exchanged silent looks.
There truly was nothing that large in this part of the forest.
Yun Shu offered no comment.
It really would be something big.
If her memory served, this was the very day—the first of the autumn hunt—when the Crown Prince would meet with disaster.
"I agree. I think we'll see results from this trap before the day is through."
Matching Yun Chuhuan's enthusiasm, Yun Shu nodded and offered a suggestion:
"We've been riding for quite some time and must be tired by now. Why don't we leave this trail and circle around to find a more secluded spot to rest and eat something? We can wait there and see whether our trap catches anything."
"I agree!"
Yun Chuhuan immediately nodded, then turned to the lead guard.
"You should know where the best hidden spots are around here, yes?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
The guard bowed.
"Please follow me."
…
Their party followed the trail back down for a short distance. Led by the guard, they soon passed through a natural curtain of dense vines that formed a concealed enclosure.
From the outside, unless one looked very closely, there was no way to detect their presence. Yet from within, Yun Shu and the others could easily observe the path below.
Yun Chuhuan sat beside Yun Shu, chewing dried meat with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, deeper within the nearby mountain cave, the men under the Eldest Prince finally began to relax.
"You're certain the Fifth Princess and Sixth Prince have left this mountain?"
"Absolutely," came the firm reply.
The black-clad man spoke with certainty.
"Earlier, the Sixth Prince's group took the trail on the western side. I didn't dare follow too closely, lest I risk exposing myself and bringing trouble upon the Young Master. I assumed they'd return the same way, so I waited near the trail's exit.
Just now, I saw them with my own eyes exiting that very path."
The leader of the black-clad men gave a nod of approval.
This mountain wasn't large. Since the Fifth Princess and Sixth Prince had been gone for a good while, they had likely already reached the cliff at the peak.
Now that they were returning the same way, it could only mean they were leaving.
Surely they wouldn't turn around and climb all the way back up again from another path. Who would be that bored?
Brushing aside this minor interlude, the black-clad men resumed their positions within the cave, silently awaiting the Crown Prince's arrival.
The Crown Prince did not disappoint.
Under the subtle guidance of the spy planted within his ranks by the Eldest Prince, the Crown Prince and his party soon appeared at the base of the mountain.
"This mountain looks rather small," he remarked, eyeing it critically.
"Indeed, Your Highness. It isn't large," said the guide with a deferential bow, "but foxes and deer often appear here."
Then, lowering his voice flatteringly, he added,
"Your Highness is a true son of Heaven, surely blessed by fortune. Perhaps you might even encounter a pair of deer."
"Oh?"
The Crown Prince's interest was piqued.
He had participated in several autumn hunts before and knew full well that ferocious beasts were all contained in a separate zone.
Last year, in a bold move to overshadow the Eldest Prince, he had attempted to hunt a tiger. Not only had he failed to kill the beast, but he'd also lost two guards in the process.
The incident had been harrowing enough to leave a faint shadow in his heart.
This year, unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of venturing into the feral beast zone again.
Without the threat of those deadly animals, deer became a prize well worth pursuing.
Looking up at the tranquil slope before him, a determined gleam sparked in the Crown Prince's eyes.
With a swift snap of his reins, he galloped ahead.
"Hyah!"
"Hyah!"
His guards spurred their horses and followed close behind.
Only the planted spy lagged behind on purpose. Ensuring no one was paying attention, he pulled a specially crafted bone flute from inside his collar and blew into it.
No sound could be heard.
Or rather, no human ear could detect it.
But within the mountain cave, a small black dog—trained for just this moment—suddenly perked up and ran to the entrance, lifting its head to gaze into the distance.
"They're here."
Inside the cave, the black-clad men met each other's gaze, each one tightening their grip on their sword hilts.
Their leader stepped forward, gripping the rope tied around the neck of the white "divine deer." He watched the trail intently.
Roughly three minutes passed.
Then he drew a dagger and sliced through the rope.
The "divine deer" was free. Without hesitation, it leapt away, bounding toward the path.
"It's the divine deer!"
One of the Crown Prince's guards cried out excitedly.
"A Heaven-sent omen! We offer our congratulations to the Crown Prince!"
"Ha ha ha! Excellent!"
The Crown Prince, too, saw the figure of the elegant white deer darting through the forest. Joy lit up his face.
"Come! We ride together to capture this omen and present it to Father Emperor!
And remember—no one is to harm the divine deer!"
A Heaven-sent sign.
Now, let's see the Eldest Prince try to compete with that.
The Crown Prince charged after it with full force, unaware that he had already entered a narrow trail with no forks.
Snap.
A brittle branch cracked under his horse's hoof.
Behind the vine curtain, Yun Shu paused mid-sip from her waterskin.
"Did someone just arrive?"
"Yes, Your Highness," one of the guards whispered after listening carefully.
"A small group is making their way up the trail. About ten riders in all."
"Ten…"
That should be the Crown Prince's party, then.
Yun Shu passed her waterskin to the guard, then stood and moved toward the vines.
Yun Chuhuan followed suit, bristling with irritation.
"Who dares come up here now? Are they trying to steal our prey?
One of you go and send them off. Tell them this mountain is already claimed by this prince!"
"Don't listen to him."
Yun Shu shot him a sidelong glance.
"Hunting depends on one's skill.
Besides, have you even considered the possibility that it might be Eldest Brother or the Crown Prince himself?
Would you really drive them off?"