Yao Yunshang saw that she suddenly stopped talking, followed her line of sight, smiled bitterly, and asked, "Sister, the hunt is about to begin. Shall we join in the fun?"
"Ah?" Zhao Pei came back to her senses and smiled awkwardly, "No need, just sit here and chat."
Yao Yunshang looked at her in disapproval, "Look at what you said. You're already wearing riding clothes, why don't you stretch your muscles? The general's daughter must be very good at riding, so how about letting me, your sister, broaden my horizons?" After saying that, she looked at Empress Ruan, "My Empress, what do you think?"
Empress Ruan responded, "Zhao Pei, go and have fun. You don't have to stay here with an old woman like me. Yun Shang, you should take good care of Zhao Pei." Yun Shang smiled, pulled Zhao Pei up, turned around and walked out of the tent.
"Ah..." Seeing Yao Yunshang so interested, Zhao admired her and felt it was hard to refuse. Although Yao Yunshang looked weak, once she made up her mind, she would not allow others to reject her. She was not a simple person...
While Zhao Pei was thinking this, she was already being pulled into the stable.
She had never expected today, and what happened later was even more unexpected. When she looks back on it all, she doesn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse.
Yao Yunshang sent away the attendants who followed her and pulled her into the stables. Yunshang seemed to like riding very much. Once she arrived at the stables, she was no longer the dignified Crown Princess. Her smile became warm and heartfelt.
"When I was about five years old, my father taught me how to ride a horse and took me all over the country. Now Deshi will also accompany me to ride a horse when he is free." She smiled sweetly and pulled her towards the depths of the stable.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince can also ride a horse?" Zhao Pei asked behind her.
"Of course." Yun Shang looked back and smiled softly: "Don't be fooled by the Xiao family's literary talents, they are all good at horseback riding. They gallop on the battlefield with heroic spirit. Sister, you will know when you arrive at the hunting ground and see for yourself."
Zhao Pei nodded. She really wanted to... see what he looked like on horseback.
Yunchang searched for a while and finally untied the reins of a horse: "This horse 'Liuyun' has been with me since birth, and has a very good temperament. Let me ride it, sister."
Zhao Pei smiled and said complacently: "Sister, don't underestimate me. It doesn't matter if you give me a horse with a strong temper. I have my own way to tame it."
Yun Shang was slightly stunned after hearing this, and smiled faintly: "Sister, you dare, but I, as your elder sister, don't dare. If you hurt a hair, how can I explain to my seventh brother and Concubine Liang?" She glared at her again and advised: "Besides, sister, you'd better be careful in everything. Not everything is under your control. Some things seem harmless, but they are full of hidden dangers. The days ahead are all on the crest of the wave, so you should be careful everywhere."
Seeing her giving such earnest advice, Zhao Pei knew that life in the palace was not like usual and that one had to tread carefully. Zhao Pei felt warm in the heart, and nodded with a smile as he took the reins from Yun Chang.
Yunshang patted Liuyun's neck and said, "You have to be good." She looked very girly, and Zhaopei's alienation towards Yunshang gradually disappeared. In fact, Zhaopei didn't dislike women like Yunshang, just because she was the crown princess, his wife, and the mother of his children. The envy and jealousy made Zhaopei unable to treat her fairly.
"Sister, which one do you want to choose?" Zhao Pei asked when she saw Yun Shang was not leading a horse.
Yunchang looked around and was troubled: "Huh? Fengwu is not here, this is strange." She frowned and said to Zhaopei, "My dear sister, my horse doesn't seem to be here. I'll send someone to look for it. Why don't you go to the hunting ground and take a look around, I'll be there in a while."
Zhao Pei had no choice but to nod, and after a few steps she got on the horse's back, clasped her hands around the horse's belly, and waved goodbye as she left. In fact, she actually wanted to go around alone.
There was no one on the stands just now, and I guess they all rode their horses to the hunting grounds. A thought flashed through Zhao Pei's mind, maybe I could meet him. As she thought about it, she suddenly felt a surge of excitement in her heart, and she rode her horse to a gallop.
Liuyun sat down, panting and spreading his horse's hooves.
Zhao Pei looked around. There were dense forests, grasslands, valleys, and cliffs. The terrain was very complicated. Where would he go in such a large place
Zhao Pei thought for a moment, and finally chose the road to the valley. For some reason, she felt that he would go there. Liu Yun's steps were a little unsteady, and he was staggering when he ran. Zhao Pei lay on her and patted her belly, saying, "Are you hungry? They didn't feed you enough. When you accompany me through this journey, I will let you eat your fill."
Liuyun seemed to understand what she said, and really quickened his pace, running very fast. Zhaopei laughed, pulling the reins and galloping in the valley.
The autumn breeze, accompanied by the brisk horse hooves, made her completely relaxed. She seemed to have forgotten what she had just thought about, and the wind blew away her depression. Zhao Pei just galloped on her horse, slightly closing her eyes to feel the wind caressing her cheeks and blowing her hair.
Zhao Pei always liked the feeling of traveling freely in the mountains and rivers. Before she knew it, she had run far away and could no longer see anyone. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, and then she took off the black hairband and tied it around her waist.
Her black hair cascaded down like silk, fluttering in the air like a black butterfly. The corners of her red dress were also lifted up, dancing like flames. Zhao Pei felt very satisfied, and the trip was really worthwhile.
She was a contented person, in some ways.
Xiao Tong walked a little far. He had no intention of hunting, but just rode his horse around to look at the beautiful peaks and clear waters. He was full of thoughts, and he sighed more than once that if his sixth brother was around, if his seventh brother was around... there would definitely be a fierce contest, and he would definitely be able to hear the hearty laughter that resounded through the sky even from such a distance.
Thinking of what my father said not long ago, it was like a stone pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
This year's autumn reeds seem a bit deserted no matter how you look at them.
The sound of hurried horse hooves came into his ears. Xiao Tong looked up and saw the woman who was as agile as a butterfly and as quiet as a red lotus entering his sight. She seemed not to notice him. She kept running forward with her eyes slightly narrowed and a smile on her face, leaving behind a string of crisp and hearty laughter.
As far as I can remember, I haven't seen her for a long time.
She still is.
Xiao Tong shook his head and smiled, subconsciously trying to avoid him. But it was too late, Zhao Pei had already seen the figure she had been thinking about. She looked at him with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe he was so close to her, stopped her horse and rubbed her eyes. Seeing him still standing there, she was stunned at first, and then she didn't know what to do.
She just looked at him silently, taking in every detail of him with her eyes.
Zhao Pei opened her mouth several times, but found that she couldn't say a word. What should she say? What should she say... Just as she was hesitating, perhaps Xiao Tong couldn't stand such a look, so he spoke first: "Zhao Pei, long time no see."
She smiled bitterly. It's been a long time since we last met. So many things have happened, it seems like many years have passed. But you are still standing here, smiling calmly, as if you know nothing. Do you know my grievances? Do you know my feelings
She wanted to question him, but she questioned herself first. Why did she question him? Who are you to him? After several twists and turns in her stomach, she stammered a few words: "Hello... Long time no see..." Zhao Pei saw that he had no intention of leaving, and finally smiled lightly, just like Yao Yunshang's smile. Maybe he would like such a gentle smile.
Zhao Pei wanted to say something, but suddenly she felt something was wrong. Liu Yun, who was sitting down, seemed impatient from the beginning, and now he kept digging at the ground and panting under her crotch. Zhao Pei was slightly stunned and reached out to comfort her, but Liu Yun quickly spread his hooves and ran forward.
Zhao Pei was not prepared and almost fell off the horse, but fortunately her left hand was wrapped around the reins. However, Liuyun was galloping almost madly, and Zhao Pei only felt that the scenery around him was moving backwards rapidly and becoming blurred in the bumpy ride.
She was floating on the horse's back and could fall off at any time. The sudden change made Zhao Pei unable to react for a while. She lay on the horse's back and hugged Liuyun tightly, not daring to let go. But Liuyun screamed and ran faster. "Liuyun, stop! Whoosh-" Zhao Pei shouted, but Liuyun ignored her and plunged into the dense forest.
The branches passed by her head with a whizzing sound. Zhao Pei couldn't hold on any longer and screamed. What happened? How could she lose control? She remembered what Yao Yunshang had said to her before, that not everything was under her control.
"Zhao Pei! Don't hold the horse's neck!" Xiao Tong's shouts were mixed with the sharp sound of the wind. Zhao Pei's heart trembled and she almost cried. She barely opened her eyes and saw Xiao Tong, who was chasing closely behind her and constantly spurring his horse to grab her reins.
"Brother!" Zhao Pei called him and her whole body began to tremble.
"Don't be nervous, hold the reins and let go of the horse's neck." Xiao Tong kept spurring his horse and followed her, speaking calmly. Zhao Pei was too nervous to see the worry in his eyes.
Zhao Pei nodded and tried to loosen the horse's neck, but she found that she didn't dare.
"Don't be afraid!" Xiao Tong looked at the road ahead and shouted at her.
Zhao Pei tried to grab the reins that had been thrown out in the bumps. It took her a long time to reach them. She pulled them back, but Liuyun didn't listen to her at all. She also looked up at the road ahead and was a little stunned. There seemed to be no road ahead. Were we at the cliff? !
Would Liuyun be so stupid as to rush down? Was he crazy? But Liuyun seemed to be really crazy. Instead of stopping, he sped up and rushed forward with all his strength.
Zhao Pei was completely shocked and at a loss. Her mind went blank and she didn't know what to do.
Xiao Tong was anxious and kept spurring his horse. Seeing that there was no more time, he thought for a moment and shouted, "Jump!"
"Ah?" Zhao Pei heard these two words. Isn't this... courting death? Now she was so dizzy that her mind was a little unclear.
Xiao Tong yelled again: "Jump over the horse! Quick!"
Zhao Pei turned around and looked at him. His eyes, as bright as the moonlight, were filled with determination. She was lost in thought. This might be the first time that Xiao Tong looked at her so intently. At least, it was the first time she saw him. She had become insane, and there was no cure.
"Jump off the horse!" The cliff was right in front of him. Xiao Tong was a little impatient and didn't dare to wait any longer. He jumped off his horse and reached out to grab her hand. Such a strong and warm hand, tightly holding her hand, and then holding her in his arms.
Zhao Pei fell into his warm embrace, smelling his unique fresh scent. Staring at the eyes that made her fall, she felt that time had stopped and the sound had disappeared. But they kept falling.
With a dull thud, Xiao Tong fell to the ground on his back. Zhao Pei had no time to care for him, as the two of them had already rolled to the side with the previous force, but it happened to be a steep slope with messy trees, extending straight to the bottom of the valley.
Zhao Pei felt a sharp pain somewhere on her body. She forced herself to keep her eyes open, looked at him and smiled.
"It's great..." She murmured weakly, and the last thing she saw was his clear eyes, and then she was dizzy in the upheaval... (To be continued)