书斋小说网

第 12 章（第1页）

ChapterTwelve—APrincessWhoCouldNotWin。

Theseddayofthepetitionbegahacloudlesssky，andSuyuanarrivedatthetraininggroundslookingsiderablyenthusiasticthaneveryoneelse。Herbodywasstillsorefromyesterday，particularlyhershoulders，andtheairmadeherchestfeeltight。ShehadbarelysteppedthroughthegatewhenAyaoappearedcarryingabow，aridingwhip，andabundleofhuntingequipment。"Miss，whiedoyouneed?"Suyuanglatheonsandshookherhead。"None。"Ayaostaredather。Suyuanlookedtowardthedistantfieldwheretheothertestantswerealreadywarmingup。

Ayaosighed。"Atleastpretendyouwanttowin。"Suyuangaveheraseriouslook。"IfIsuddenlybeeexcellenttoday，yesterdaysfailurewillbeesuspicious。"Ayaothoughtaboutitaantlynodded。"Thatmakessense。"Afteramoment，shefrowned。"Wait。Doesthatmeanyoudeliberatelyshotthatarrowyesterday?"Suyuanlookedoffended。"Ofcoursenot。"Ayaoseyesnarrowed。"Miss。"Suyuanturnedaway。

Theseddayspetitionwasheldfartherfromthepalace，wherethegrasslandstretchedtowardasmallforestandawidestream。Uhefirstday，todayseventsrequiredteamwork。Thepetitorsweredividedintogroupsandgivenseveraltasks:crossingthestreamonhorseback，carryingaheavyflagbacktothestartingpoint，andfinallypetinginamockhuntwheretheyhadtoretrievecoloredribbonshiddenthroughouttheforest。Thevisitingprinceswatchedfromhorsebackwhilethetribalelderssatbehalargeopy。Itwassupposedtodemonstratece，coordination，andstrength。

Suyuanlookedattheheavyflagthen，shelookedatherarms。ShelookedatAyao。"Ayao。""Yes?""DoyouthinkanyonewouldnoticeifIpreteofaint?"Ayaoimmediatelyshookherhead。"Absolutelynot。""Why?""Becauseyesterdayyoupretendedyourhorsewastoofastwhenitwasbarelymoving。"Suyuanclickedhertongue。"Yourebeingdisrespectful。""Imbeingeducated。"BeforeSuyuancouldahesignalsounded。

Thefirstgrouprushedtowardthestreamthen，Suyuansgroupfollowed。Theirtaskwassimplejusttocrossthestream，retrievetheflag，aurnbeforetheroups。Unfortunately，Suyuansteammatesseemeddetermiowin。"HeySuyuaerstaybehindus!"oneoftheyoungwomenshouted。Suyuanhappilyobeyedandsherodeslowlybehindthem，maintainingasafedistance。Whentheyreachedthestream，theotherridersjumpedacrosswithease。Suyuanshorsestoppedandshepulledthereins。Nothinghappenedandshepulledharder。Thehorseremainedpletelystill。"Yuanyuan!"Ayaoshoutedfromtheriverbank。"Kickit!"

Suyuanlookeddownatthehorseandthehorselookedbackather。Shewhispered，"Pleasecooperate。"Thehorsesnorted，Suyuanclosedhereyes。OfallthehorsesinYounis，shehadchosentheohthestropersonality。Thespectatorsbeganlaughing。Evensomeofthetribalprincescoveredtheirmouths。Suyuanfinallyleaowardthehorsesear。"Ifyoucrossthestream，IllgiveyouthecarrotIsaved。"ThehorsesearsimmediatelyperkedupandItcrossed。Suyuanstaredatit。"。。。Soyoudouandhumanlanguage。"Whenshefinallyreachedtheotherside，herteammateshadalreadyreturnedwiththeflag。Theylookedatherindisbeliefandoneofthemasked，"Wherewereyou?""iating。""Withwhom?"Suyuanpoiherhorse。HerteammatestaredattheanimalthenatSuyuaernottoask。

Theeveevenworsewhileeachteamhadtocarryalargewoodenflagtogether。Suyuantookthesmallestpositionatthebadbarelytouchedthepole。

"Suyuan，youoliftit!"

"Iam。"

"Youretougit。"

"Thatsteicallylifting。"

Thegirlbesideherlookedreadytoscream。Theflageventuallyreachedthefinishline，mostlybecausetheothermemberscarrieditwhileSuyuantributedenthusiasm。Whentheyarrived，Suyuansmiledbrightly。"Wedidit。"Herteammatedroppedontothegrass。

"Youdidnothing。"

"Iencedeveryone。"

"Yousaidbecarefulthreetimes。"

"Thosewereimportanttributions。"

EvenAyaohadtoturnawaytohideherlaughter。Yetfromtheviewingarea，thedisguisedprincetinuedwatg。Hehadbeguntonoticeapattern。Suyuansfailureswerealmosttooperfect。Shewasntclumsybutwascareful。Shewasntincapablebutshesimplyneverseemedtoputinenoughefforttosucceed。Whenanotherpetitorstumbledduringthemockhuntlaterthatafternoon，Suyuanwasthefirstpersontohelpherup。Shegavethegirlsomewaterandquietlyreturheribbonshehaddropped。

"Youcouldhavetakenit，"thegirlsaid。

Suyuanshrugged。

"Idont。"

"Why?"

Suyuanglaowardtheviewingplatform，Hereyesbrieflymetthedisguisedprinces。Thenshesmiled，"becausewinningistroublesome。"Thegirlstaredatherasthoughshehadjustheardthestrahingintheworld。Suyuanturnedaway，shehadetothepetitionwithonepurposetomakeherselfundesirable。Everythingwasgoingperfectlyexceptforonesmallproblem。Themoreshetriedtoappearuseless，themoreiedthatmysteriousprinceseemedtobee。