It’s Better to be the Empress Dowager

Chapter 22: horse riding

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Early in the morning, Zhao Zixun changed into his unicorn suit and went to greet Zhao Chengjun. Today is the day to formally meet with King Zhongshun, so there is no room for sloppiness.

Anji Timur was the king of Hami, who paid tribute to the Yan Dynasty and was awarded the title of King Zhongshun. Hami is the gateway to the northwest. It is located between the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, the Tatars and the Yan Dynasty. It guards Jiayuguan and has always been a battleground in the northwest. The Hami Kingdom fell to the Yan Dynasty when the dynasty opened, and became a subject to the Yan Dynasty. However, it is only superficially good.

Especially in the past few years, the Tatar Khans unified the tribes in Mobei, intending to revive the glory of the grassland empire, and the Eastern Chagatai Khanate also changed to a new Khan, ambitious, and coveted the Central Plains for a long time. But at the moment, the Dayan court has changed to a seven-year-old little emperor.

The Tatars and the Eastern Chagatai Khanate were eyeing them, and the Hami Kingdom was located between the three regimes and gradually began to swing. The internal situation of the Hami country is complicated, and the forces of various countries have penetrated, and the Hami royal family is even more straightforward. From the generation of Anji Timur's grandfather, whoever is powerful around the regime obeys whoever is strong, and it is faster than anyone else. It is obviously wishful thinking to count on the loyalty of King Hami to the Yan Dynasty.

Therefore, this hunting is not a simple hunt, but more to deter Hamiwei and win over Anji Timur. Anji Timur traveled with his children and camped not far away. After King Jing arrived yesterday, he simply went to say hello. Today is the official meeting between the two parties.

On such occasions, it is not so formal, and it is not necessary to wear official uniforms, but it must not be sloppy, and must not be looked down upon by the Hami people.

Zhao Zixun chose a unicorn suit, which is gorgeous and prominent, but has no rank, so it will not be aggressive. Zhao Zixun entered the main tent, and as soon as he looked up, he saw Zhao Chengjun wearing a red silk dragon suit sitting behind the table, his chest, back and shoulders embroidered with a dragon with claws and claws, a jade belt on his waist, and boots on his feet, majestic and domineering. come.

Zhao Chengjun lowered his eyes, as if he was looking at something, his face was very cold. He has sharp features, sharp edges and corners, and when he's not smiling, he looks more and more difficult to approach. He was wearing the prince's uniform, and the bright red robe was so flamboyant that it almost burned people's eyes, and the dragon-like dragon on his body was silently announcing his status.

Zhao Zixun was shocked by this scene, he paused slightly, then bowed his head, and respectfully greeted Zhao Chengjun: "Father."

Zhao Chengjun raised his head to see that it was him, looked back at him with a glance, and responded lightly. Zhao Zixun walked to the desk and lowered his hands to greet Zhao Chengjun: "Father, did you sleep well last night? Are there any mosquito bites in the second half of the night?"

Zhao Chengjun paused for a moment, then turned the page unhurriedly, and said indifferently, "It's okay."

Speaking of what happened last night, Zhao Chengjun didn't want to think about it a second time. Fortunately, Tang Shishi didn't do anything more in the middle of the night, and An'an fell asleep. But Zhao Chengjun felt shallow, he couldn't fall asleep after being woken up once, even if the surroundings were quiet and silent. Especially when Zhao Chengjun thought that there was another person in the tent, someone he couldn't trust at all, his sleepiness became more and more shallow.

In the second half of the night, Zhao Chengjun slept intermittently, until it was almost dawn when he finally closed his eyes for a while. But soon, it was time to wake up.

Zhao Zixun routinely settled in the morning and evening, asking about the health of his elders. When he was talking, the curtain was lifted behind him, and Tang Shishi walked into the main tent with a pot of hot tea.

As soon as Tang Shishi entered the door and found Zhao Zixun, he was immediately excited. It's a pity that King Jing is also here at the moment, Tang Shishi didn't dare to play tricks in front of King Jing, so he could only pretend he didn't see it, and came forward to deliver tea obediently.

Tang Shishi stood by the side of the table pouring tea, and heard Zhao Chengjun ask Zhao Zixun below: "I heard from the guard that you also called an imperial doctor yesterday, what's the matter, is your injury okay?"

Zhao Zixun said, "It's all right. My son just thought that the hunt was about to start. He was afraid that he would lose his suzerainty status in front of the Hami people, so he called the imperial physician to check it out, just in case."

Tang Shishi relied on pouring tea, and other people couldn't see it, and rolled his eyes secretly. Oh, what to prepare for the unexpected, it is clear that the prince is pretending to be a public servant to diagnose the pulse of his beloved mistress.

Zhao Zixun's excuse was not very clever, Zhao Chengjun didn't ask more, just said: "You just need to pay attention. Apart from Anji Timur this time, his son and daughter are also here. You have met his son before, who is very famous. Mu'er is a reckless man, and there is nothing worthy of special attention. Instead, it is his young daughter, Naren Toya, you have to be careful."

Zhao Zixun's expression became tense: "Why?"

Zhao Chengjun tapped his fingers on the table with a strange look on his face. He didn't continue talking, but glanced back at Tang Shishi: "Is the tea bad for so long?"

Tang Shishi was pricking up his ears and waiting for the next words, but King Jing suddenly turned his attention on her. Tang Shishi sighed regretfully, smiled eloquently on his face, and said, "The tea is ready, Lord, take it slow."

She stepped back with the tray in her hand, and saluted Zhao Chengjun and Zhao Zixun in turn: "Wan Fu, Your Highness, Jin An, the eldest son, and the little girl will retire first."

Tang Shishi performed the Wanfu ceremony, and then Shi Shiran left. Zhao Zixun did not withdraw his attention until the redness left his field of vision, and said to Zhao Chengjun: "Father, you just said a lot of news about Hami and Tartar, will she..."

Zhao Chengjun raised his eyebrows slightly, smiled, and said slowly, "She? She won't."

Zhao Zixun frowned, still unable to rest assured: "But she was sent by the capital after all, and her parents and family are in the hands of the imperial court, so she has to be guarded."

Zhou Shunhua was also sent from the capital, and the Duke's family was far more dependent on the court than the merchants. For some unknown reason, Zhao Chengjun flashed displeasure in his heart. The feeling was quick and light, and it disappeared immediately. Zhao Chengjun ignored his abnormality and said, "This king has never missed a man before. She is not interested in this."

Zhao Chengjun felt that he was covering up his emotions, but in fact, his tone naturally brought out a little toughness. Zhao Zixun closed his mouth, it was hard to say.

Although the hunting has not started today, it is far more lively than the hunting. Throughout the day, people in the main tent came in and out, and there was almost no time to stop. By noon, the voice was even louder.

The King of Zhongshun, Anji Timur, came with his son, and Zhao Chengjun personally took people to the entrance of the camp to meet him. As soon as Anji Timur saw Zhao Chengjun, he hurried up to meet him. Zhao Chengjun also smiled slightly and surrendered to Anji Timur.

Zhao Zixun followed behind Zhao Chengjun, saw Temur, smiled and nodded to say hello. Zhao Zixun turned his eyes and noticed a man. The man was thin and small, and he was particularly nondescript among the burly Hami people.

Zhao Zixun only glanced at it and then retracted his gaze, not taking this strange person to heart. The two princes greeted each other and entered the main tent, and a group of followers supported by the side, slowly flocking to the tent. Zhao Zixun also followed the crowd and entered the main account to discuss matters.

Said to be a discussion, in fact, is to listen to Zhao Chengjun and Anji Timur. It sounds like the prince and the prince are only one generation apart, but the difference is completely incomparable. On this occasion, Zhao Zixun had no reason to interject at all.

Tang Shishi is very self-aware. She doesn't want to work for the Queen Mother Yao, but King Jing doesn't know it. In order to lessen his suspicions, Tang Shishi always hides as far away as possible in this kind of meeting.

She kept walking away from the main tent and slowly walked to a relatively flat meadow. The stables are grooming the horses. After all, the hunting will officially start tomorrow. This hunting is a joint hunt between the two countries. No matter what aspect, the stables dare not let their horses have an accident.

Saddles, reins, stirrups are all checked, not even the hooves. Tang Shishi stood outside the railing and watched for a while, and his mind gradually became active.

When Tang Shishi was in the palace, she prepared a lot of encounters with the prince, but she ignored one thing, that is, they were here to hunt. In other words, most of the day, the prince was not at the camp.

Very irritating, even if Tang Shishi wanted to make a coincidence, he couldn't have a coincidence. The best way is to learn to ride a horse and go hunting with the prince.

Even if you can't go, it's better to be a hero who falls from a horse or stumbles to save the beauty, rather than being dry on the ground. The plan was perfect, the only problem was that Tang Shishi couldn't ride a horse.

Seeing Tang Shishi staring at the horse motionless, the steward asked tentatively, "Miss Tang, do you want to ride a horse?"

Of course they knew that the famous Tang Meiren, after the deworming incident yesterday, no one dared to neglect Tang Meiren's request. Tang Shishi looked at the snoring horse, gritted his teeth, and said, "Okay. But I want the safest one."

The steward found a docile little mare, held the reins, and slowly led Tang Shishi to choose a horse. Tang Shishi didn't want to endure hardship or work hard, he just wanted to live a life of a superior person without working hard. But when he really made up his mind, he was extremely determined.

For example, when I was a child, I recited the Four Books and Five Classics for Qi Jingsheng, for example, I climbed up in the palace in order to get ahead, for example, now I learn to ride horses for Zhao Zixun.

As long as she can get a chance, she can endure no matter what kind of hardship.

Tang Shishi was extremely focused on her studies, unaware that there were many people standing outside the grass field while she was studying.

Anji Timur looked at the figure in front and smiled at Zhao Chengjun: "Long time no see, King Jing already has a family. Congratulations."

Zhao Chengjun paused for a moment, then smiled: "King Zhongshun misunderstood, she is not a concubine, but a maid of the palace."

"What, it's just a maid?" Anji Timur was extremely surprised, he looked at the person on the horse, and then looked at Zhao Chengjun's indifferent face, and laughed loudly: "King Jing, there is a word among you called Lianxiangxiyu, and I happened to be today. For you. Such a beautiful woman should not be a maid. You really should get a wife soon, I am your age, Temur will be able to ride a horse."

Opposite is King Zhongshun, Zhao Chengjun didn't have a cold face, but passed the topic lightly: "The matter of marrying a wife is the king's own regulations, so I won't worry about King Zhongshun."

Anji Timur could see that Zhao Chengjun didn't like this topic. Although the nomads were informal, it didn't mean they couldn't understand the wink. Anji Timur changed the subject wisely and said, "I haven't moved for a long time, and my bones are frozen. You don't have to follow me, just go horseback riding yourself."

Temur just waited for this sentence, and as soon as his father Khan ordered, he immediately ran to pick a horse. Zhao Zixun noticed that the thin man also followed.

Zhao Zixun frowned, always feeling that something was wrong. At this time, Zhao Chengjun said: "You can go too, don't be restrained."

Zhao Zixun returned to God, clasped his fists and said, "Yes."

Tang Shishi was finally able to trot around on the grass with her horse. She was very happy, and was about to turn around and talk to the horseman when she suddenly found that there were many people on the grass.

There were many people standing on the edge, with two men at the center. Looking at the clothes of one of them, it was King Jing.

There is no need to guess the identity of the other person, it must be the loyal king Anji Timur.

Tang Shishi quickly dismounted and trotted back to the edge. She got off in such a hurry that she forgot that she could ride back.

Anji Timur saw that the red-clothed beauty was running back quickly, and laughed at Zhao Chengjun: "Look, Prince Jing, you still said no. She saw you coming, so she ran back in a hurry, didn't she? ."

Zhao Chengjun smiled lightly, but in fact he took it in his heart, she was not for him. She is for Zhao Zixun.

After Tang Shishi ran back, he found that only King Jing was there, and Zhao Zixun had disappeared. Tang Shishi was so anxious that he had to hide his anxiety and bowed his eyebrows to the other people: "See King Jing, see King Zhongshun."

Zhao Chengjun could see her impatience at a glance, a smile crossed his lips, and he said, "You don't need to serve today, just go and play with your own."

"Thank you, lord." After Tang Shishi finished speaking, he quietly looked around and asked daringly, "My lord, where is the prince?"

"Back to camp and change into riding clothes." Zhao Chengjun raised his eyebrows and gestured behind Tang Shishi, "That's not it, they are back."

Tang Shishi turned his head happily, only to see Zhou Shunhua following Zhao Zixun's side at a glance, and also changed into convenient clothes. The smile on Tang Shishi's face suddenly turned cold, and Zhao Zixun walked to Zhao Chengjun's side, somewhat confused, "Father."

For some reason, Zhao Zixun always felt that Zhao Chengjun looked at him strangely. If you have to describe it, it is probably sitting on a mountain and watching tigers fight

"You don't have to worry about me, you can act on your own." Zhao Chengjun smiled and glanced at Zhou Shunhua lightly, "And with a female family?"

Zhou Shunhua became tense all of a sudden, Zhao Zixun silently stood in front of Zhou Shunhua and said, "Report to my father, Shunhua is not well recently, I will take her out to get some air."

Zhao Chengjun laughed: "No need to explain. You are old, who you like, who you favor, it's all your personal affairs, and you don't need to report it to me. It's rare that the weather is nice today, so let's go."

Zhao Zixun breathed a sigh of relief, clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, father."

When Tang Shishi listened to King Jing's words, his eyes widened. King Jing clearly disliked the prince to hang out with women regardless of the occasion. She thought that King Jing would scold Zhao Zixun for bringing women over.

As a result, King Jing not only did not scold, but also encouraged Zhao Zixun

Why? Tang Shishi was dumbfounded, and Zhao Zixun had already taken Zhou Shunhua to leave. Tang Shishi grumbled in his heart, and deliberately asked, "Sister Zhou, can you ride a horse?"

Zhou Shunhua's expression was slightly stiff, and he shook his head awkwardly. Tang Shishi smiled proudly and said, "It's really unfortunate that Sister Zhou can't even ride a horse. What will Sister Zhou do when she gets on the horse?"

Zhao Zixun glanced at Tang Shishi, lowered his head and asked Zhou Shunhua, "You can't ride a horse?"

Zhou Shunhua shook his head. Tang Shishi raised his neck and said with a smile, "I will."

Tang Shishi had just come down from the racecourse, her hair was a little messy and her face was red. When she said "I will", her eyes were really flowing, looking forward to brilliance. Even if it is showing off, it is bright and cute, as if a child has learned a new word and deliberately asks for praise in front of adults, which makes people laugh.

Zhao Chengjun was slightly absent-minded for a moment, he found that Anji Timur was right, Tang Shishi's appearance, such a righteous and arrogant temperament, really did not look like a maid. This is the kind of attitude that can only be cultivated by people who never worry about being rejected.

Tang Shishi confidently waited for the next sentence, but Zhao Zixun glanced at Tang Shishi and said gently to Zhou Shunhua, "It's okay, I'll teach you if you don't know how."

Tang Shishi's laughter froze, what, isn't this kind of thing losing the ticket without this skill? Why did Zhao Zixun play the card according to common sense? Zhao Chengjun lowered his head and covered the smile on his lips. Tang Shishi was at a loss. As soon as he opened his mouth, Zhao Zixun said, "Since Miss Tang can know how to ride, you must be able to ride it by yourself. If that's the case, I won't disturb Miss Tang having fun."

Saying that, Zhao Zixun nodded to Zhao Chengjun and left with Zhou Shunhua. Tang Shishi was completely stunned, so wouldn't anything be the heroine's script? Like her, who learned ahead of time, can only sing a one-man show from beginning to end

Zhao Chengjun looked at Tang Shishi's expression with a smile, and asked slowly, "Why, you can't ride a horse anymore?"

Tang Shishi gritted his teeth and said word by word: "I will!"