sjar Chapter 526 The horse was startled... It came on purpose!
Chapter 526 The horse was startled... It came on purpose!
Without a second thought, he spurred the horse's flanks, and the steed shot off like an arrow.
"Get out of my way!"
Zhao Yunci shouted, and everyone spurred their horses to give way.
His horsemanship was superb. While galloping, he accurately judged the route of the frightened horse, pulled the reins sharply, and his mount cut in front of the horse, running alongside it.
In a flash, Zhao Yunci stretched out his arm and accurately grabbed Consort Rong's slender waist, pulling her forcefully.
He then lifted her from the out-of-control horse and held her in his arms.
The startled horse, freed from its restraints, neighed and charged into the distance.
Zhao Yunci steadily reined in his horse and brought it to a stop.
The woman in his arms was still trembling, her pretty face, streaked with tears, buried against his chest, emitting soft sobs.
"Your Majesty, I...I'm so scared..."
Zhao Yunci looked down at her, her expression softening, and patted her back: "It's alright, it's nothing."
Consort Rong then raised her head, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears, filled with the fear and admiration of someone who had survived a calamity.
"If it weren't for Your Majesty's divine might, I would be... I fear I would have been..."
As she spoke, tears fell again, her frail appearance evoking pity.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it."
Being praised and admired so highly by the beauty, Zhao Yunci smiled slightly, all his previous sharpness dissipated, leaving only the majesty of a monarch and the self-satisfaction of a man.
He helped Consort Rong sit upright, and had her sit sideways in front of him, and the two rode together on a horse.
"Your Majesty's horsemanship is unparalleled, and your bravery is extraordinary. It is my great fortune to have been saved by Your Majesty."
Consort Rong leaned close to him, her voice soft and sweet, making no attempt to hide her admiration.
Zhao Yunci was overjoyed by her flattery and laughed loudly, "Haha, it's just some riding and archery skills."
He looked around, his gaze landing on a wild rabbit flying by, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up within him.
"What does Rong'er like? Tell me, and I will hunt it for you today."
Gu Junze's gaze lingered briefly on the man and woman riding together before he indifferently looked away.
The scream not only startled the crowd, but also caused the silver fox he had been watching for a long time to completely disappear.
He frowned slightly, not because of the farcical hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress incident, but because of the prey that had escaped.
He turned his horse around and headed in the opposite direction from the crowd without looking back, where the woods were denser and the place was quieter.
He was determined to get that silver fox.
On the other side, Consort Rong, who had been rescued by Zhao Yunci, was gazing up at the emperor in front of her with affectionate eyes.
She raised her slender finger and pointed to a sika deer grazing leisurely on a hillside in the distance, her voice charming and captivating.
"Your Majesty, look at that deer. Its fur is so beautiful. If it could be made into a vest, it would be very warm to wear in winter."
Zhao Yunci looked in the direction she pointed, and there was a robust male deer with beautiful antlers and smooth fur.
He felt his heart burn with excitement at Consort Rong's adoring gaze, and laughed heartily, "Very well! Today I will hunt it down for you!"
Having said that, he steadied Consort Rong in his arms and addressed the surrounding members of the imperial family and nobles in a loud voice: "Everyone, please watch carefully!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already drawn an arrow from the quiver beside the saddle, nocked the arrow, and moved with fluid, effortless grace.
The surroundings fell silent instantly, and all eyes were on him.
Zhao Yunci narrowed her eyes slightly, her arm as steady as a rock, and aimed at the deer's neck.
"Whoosh-"
The arrow pierced the air with a sharp whistling sound, precisely striking the sika deer's vital points.
The deer let out a mournful cry, struggled twice, and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.
"it is good!"
"Your Majesty's perfect shot!"
A thunderous roar of cheers and flattery erupted from the surrounding crowd.
Zhao Yunci's face was full of smug smiles. He enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention and the thrill of conquering his prey and the beauty.
He looked down at Consort Rong in his arms, his tone tinged with a hint of smugness: "How is it?"
"Your Majesty's divine might is unparalleled!" Consort Rong's eyes shone with admiration, and she almost melted into his arms, her voice sweet enough to be cloying.
"It is truly an honor for me to witness this with my own eyes."
Zhao Yunci laughed loudly, spurred his horse forward, and was followed by a group of princes and ministers who came to offer their congratulations. The group marched in a grand procession toward the prey.
The minor incident of the startled horse was completely transformed into a grand event showcasing the emperor's divine prowess.
On the other side of the forest, on a wide lawn.
Su Wan's tense body finally relaxed completely. She even dared to imitate Chu Ruohan, gently shaking the reins to make the white horse beneath her trot.
The wind blew past her ears, carrying the fragrance of grass and stirring up joy in her heart.
"Sister Ruohan, I never imagined that the world could be so vast!"
She turned around and shouted loudly to Chu Ruohan, who was riding alongside her, her face beaming with an unprecedentedly bright smile.
Seeing the light in her eyes, Chu Ruohan was genuinely happy for her.
“This is just a corner of the hunting ground. When we get back to the capital, I’ll take you to the horse farm on the outskirts of the capital. It’s much flatter there.”
"Okay!" Su Wan nodded vigorously, feeling all the pent-up frustration in her chest vanish with the ride.
Just then, a palace maid rode up on horseback, hurrying from the direction they had come from, looking somewhat flustered.
"Your Majesty the Empress!" A palace maid reined in her horse a few steps away, dismounted, and quickly walked forward, bowing breathlessly.
Su Wan's smile faded slightly as she asked, "What's the matter?"
The palace maid lowered her head, not daring to look Su Wan in the eye, and her voice was somewhat weak.
"Your Majesty, just now... just now Consort Rong's horse was startled and ran amok in the hunting grounds."
Chu Ruohan's heart stirred, and she looked at Su Wan.
Su Wan tightened her grip on the reins and pressed, "Was Consort Rong injured? How is she now?"
The palace maid's voice was even lower: "Consort Rong is alright. It was...it was His Majesty who personally rode his horse and rescued Consort Rong from her frightened horse."
She paused, then added, "His Majesty is incredibly brave; he shot an arrow that hit a sika deer in the distance and said he would give the deer hide to Consort Rong to make a vest."
"Now... all the relatives and officials are gathered around His Majesty to offer their congratulations."
The warmth from that brand-new riding outfit seemed to cool down rapidly at that moment.
Su Wan's smile vanished completely, and her eyes, which had just been sparkling, dimmed instantly, as if covered with a layer of gray.
She said nothing, but silently gazed into the distance, in the direction of the bustling crowd.
The lake-blue riding outfit, worn now, looked somewhat ironic.
It turns out that his thoughtfulness can benefit many people.
His heroic spirit must be displayed in front of everyone, especially in front of delicate beauties.