Chapter 206: "Are You About to Cry?
Chapter 206: Chapter 206: "Are You About to Cry?
The Horse Racing Ground was incredibly lively today.
In addition to Chen Minrou, Cui Lingyao had also sent someone back to the Cui Family to invite her paternal cousins to join the fun.
Three years ago, after Xie Jinbai took a concubine, she had drowned. As a result, the relationship between the Cui Family and Prince Yu’s Mansion had plummeted.
They hadn’t associated with one another for a full three years. And while they weren’t quite enemies, they might as well have been.
Xie Jinbai’s status was exalted, and he was destined to ascend the throne one day. Making an enemy of him would not be a wise move.
Now that Cui Lingyao was back, it was up to her to mediate and smooth things over.
The Cui Family wasn’t foolish; they understood the stakes.
The moment Cui Lingyao’s invitation arrived, the household immediately bustled with activity.
The Cui Family consisted of three branches. Aside from the eldest branch, which had one son and one daughter, Cui Lingyao’s two uncles had only sons.
In total, she had nine paternal cousins.
Her older cousins were already married with their own lives to lead, and while the younger ones weren’t married yet, they were already betrothed.
Her youngest cousin, who was sixteen, had recently been betrothed to the second daughter of the Duke Zhao Mansion, Zhao Shijie’s younger sister.
This time, upon receiving Cui Lingyao’s invitation, the cousins who happened to be home brought their wives and children along.
The few unmarried younger cousins also brought their fiancées.
Hearing that Xie Jinbai would be there as well, their fiancées in turn brought their own brothers and sisters.
Through this web of relations and acquaintances, a massive crowd of people arrived.
The Horse Racing Ground was unusually bustling, filled with young lords and ladies in fine silks and brocades.
The air was filled with wafts of perfume, a truly picturesque scene.
The circle of nobility in the Capital City was both large and small. For instance, Cui Lingyao had been searching for a long time now, yet she hadn’t seen anyone from the Shen family.
Her nine cousins had in-laws scattered among the princes and aristocrats of the Capital City, yet astonishingly, not a single one of them had any connection to the Shen Family.
Beside her, Chen Minrou noticed her craning her neck to look around and asked with a smile, "Who are you looking for?"
Cui Lingyao didn’t hide it, answering frankly, "They looked after me a bit in the past, and we get along quite well."
’...And there’s Shen Tingyu.’
’To protect her, he had taken a knife in the back from a Qiang Clan raider.’
’At the bottom of the river, he had held her, using his own body to shield her from the raging current and the scraping of innumerable sharp stones.’
’He had given her his last breath, and had nearly died himself.’
’Cui Lingyao could never forget the despair of waking on the riverbank that day, opening her eyes to find Shen Tingyu hovering between life and death.’
’Nor could she forget the horrific sight of the bone-deep knife wound on his back, swollen and pale from its immersion in the water, with sand and silt embedded deep within.’
’Ever since she’d returned, Cui Lingyao had been desperate to know how Shen Tingyu was doing.’
’Was he still in Pingzhou?’
’Or had he already returned to the Capital City?’
’How were his wounds?’
’She was so worried, yet she didn’t dare even ask someone to make inquiries on her behalf.’
’She was terrified that the walking powder keg of jealousy who shared her bed would go and cause trouble for him.’
Chen Minrou, oblivious to the turmoil in her friend’s heart, assumed she simply wanted to see the Shen sisters. She smiled and said, "That’s easily solved. I remember the eldest young lady of the Shen Family is good friends with my younger sister. We’ll just have her invite them over."
Chen Peirou wasn’t here at the moment, so Chen Minrou specifically instructed a servant behind her to return to her maiden home and ask her younger sister to come join the fun.
She made sure to add that she could bring friends along.
Only then did Cui Lingyao recall that Chen Peirou and Shen Hanyue were indeed quite close.
"Come on, didn’t we come here to ride? What are we doing just sitting around?"
Brimming with pent-up energy, Chen Minrou grabbed her reins, swung herself onto her horse, and said to her friend, "Quick! Ride a couple of laps with me."
"Alright!"
Cui Lingyao readily accepted. She gripped the reins, placed her foot in the stirrup, and with a surge of strength from her core, swung herself astride the horse’s back.
Chen Minrou shot her a glance, then brought her riding crop down. She galloped off first, with Cui Lingyao close behind.
Both of their mounts were warhorses, much taller and faster than ordinary steeds.
But both were excellent riders and handled their mounts with steady skill.
Several dozen yards away, two men who had been watching a fight on the martial arts platform both paused and turned to look over in unison.
Xie Jinbai’s gaze locked onto her.
She had changed out of her long dress and undone her hair bun. Her dark hair was tied in a high ponytail that danced in the wind, revealing her slender neck. Clad in a striking, bright red riding habit and deerskin boots, she galloped across the field with a crop in her hand.
Her back was straight and slender, her bearing valiant and graceful. She was so beautiful under the warm winter sun that she seemed to glow.
Xie Jinbai’s eyes were glowing, too.
He had taught her that horsemanship with his own hands; he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
Zhao Shijie’s reaction was no less intense.
He stared in a daze at his wife galloping on horseback, and his eyes slowly began to redden.
The current dynasty’s customs were liberal; horseback riding and archery were nothing unusual for the daughters of noble houses.
Chen Minrou was her parents’ first daughter. Doted on by her father and older brothers, protected by him—her fiancé since before they were born—and surrounded by a few kindred spirits she called close friends, she had developed a proud and vibrant personality.
While not exactly reckless, she was absolutely carefree, vivacious, and captivating.
In her maiden days, she had loved galloping on horseback and was always the first to join in any excitement. From boating on the lake in spring to admiring the snow in winter, she would gladly accept every banquet invitation—she had a restless spirit.
But after marrying him, she had reined in all her pride and willfulness, learning bit by bit how to be a poised and proper Heir’s wife.
She would no longer go riding or practice archery unless he accompanied her.
Later, when she became pregnant, she never even touched a riding crop.
After that, her body was weakened by childbirth. She needed someone to support her just to walk a few steps and rarely even left her own courtyard.
Zhao Shijie couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d last seen her so free and unrestrained.
In his memory, the vivacious and radiant girl he knew had, over the seven years of their marriage, slowly transformed into a poised and virtuous matron.
She had borne him children, passing through the gates of hell twice to do so.
She had nearly died.
’And what about me...?’
The figure in red on the spirited horse galloped away, quickly disappearing from sight. Xie Jinbai slowly retracted his gaze and glanced at the man beside him. He found the sight rather strange. "Are you about to cry?"
The two had known each other since childhood, and thanks to Cui Lingyao and Chen Minrou’s friendship, they had interacted frequently over the years. While not as close as brothers, they knew each other quite well.
Moreover, they now shared the relationship of lord and subject.
Xie Jinbai had never seen him on the verge of tears before.
Zhao Shijie slowly lowered his gaze, saying nothing.
On the martial arts platform up ahead, a competition was underway.
Many of the young noblemen had come today specifically for Xie Jinbai. Hoping to make an impression on him and secure a better future for themselves, they had suggested holding a competition.
Xie Jinbai had nodded indifferently and ordered Li Yong to fetch a silver spear from the armory to serve as the prize.
With that, the combatants on the stage fought with even greater fervor.
The shouts from the crowd grew louder with each passing moment.
The atmosphere was electric.
After the first round, the crowd favorite was the Cui Family’s Jiulang.
At sixteen or seventeen, he had already bested three opponents. Brimming with youthful confidence, he stood in the center of the ring, long spear in hand, waiting for the next challenger.
If no one else stepped up to fight, this impromptu tournament would soon have its final victor.
Xie Jinbai lolled back in his chair, his knuckles drumming against the armrest. His posture was languid, his gaze nonchalant.
He couldn’t muster a shred of interest.