Chapter 159: The Startled Horse
As the Imperial Guards opened the bamboo cages, dozens of wild chickens and dozens of wild rabbits fluttered and scurried chaotically outside the polo field. At the same time, the women standing at the boundary line inside the polo field spurred their horses forward, arrows flying wildly.
Each person had twenty arrows, with marks already on the arrow shafts. In the end, the one who shot the most prey would be the winner.
Moving prey was much harder than fixed targets.
Not to mention doing it while riding on horseback archery.
The polo field instantly descended into chaos.
Someone drew their bow, but the jolting made them unable to release the arrow, and the arrow fell right in front of them.
Others even collided with other horses while controlling their own.
Of course, amid the chaos, some rode far ahead.
Wan’er sat upright on her horse, drew her bow and shot an arrow like a shooting star, piercing through a half-flying wild chicken with one shot.
The wild chicken fell to the ground and didn’t move.
Wan’er didn’t pause at all; soldiers would tally the count afterward.
She rode past the wild chicken and continued searching for prey ahead. When a wild rabbit entered her sight, just as she was about to draw her bow again, someone overtook her from the side, and an arrow whistled by, hitting the leaping wild rabbit.
Wan’er turned her head and saw the young girl in plain hunting attire.
“Miss Chai.” Mo Zheng smiled slightly and shook the bow in her hand. “I’m faster than you.”
Still daring to provoke her, Wan’er sneered. “The winner hasn’t been decided yet. What are you smug about?”
Mo Zheng smiled. “Give up, Miss Chai. I’m also the top in horseback archery.”
With that, she spurred her horse forward.
Wan’er looked at her back, a flash of viciousness in her eyes. She tossed aside the whip in her hand and drew a whip from her waist.
The barbs on the whip gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
Horseback archery? She hadn’t come today for horseback archery.
She had come today to beat someone.
Horseback archery was very dangerous; it could startle horses, cause falls, lead to injuries….
This was all because you insisted on taking first place regardless, and this was the consequence you brought on yourself.
Cheap maid, one whip from me today will ruin you, and you can forget about first place for the rest of your life!
Wan’er raised her hand and cracked the whip with a sharp snap, spurring her horse to chase after the young girl ahead.
The young girl ahead knew Wan’er was chasing her but didn’t look back; instead, she hurriedly drew her bow, as if afraid the prey would be snatched.
Wan’er’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she lashed the whip toward the horse ahead.
This whip would land squarely on the horse’s body; the startled horse, stung by the whip, would rear up, throwing the rider off to be trampled by hooves…
Wan’er could already envision the young girl rolling on the ground screaming in agony when suddenly, the young girl ahead whipped around, aiming her bow and arrow right at her.
Wan’er was startled; her gaze seemed to slow, the surrounding noise faded, she saw Miss Yang smile faintly, heard the bowstring hum, and the arrowhead gleaming coldly flying toward her…
At the same time, the hand gripping the whip jolted.
She saw Miss Yang on horseback lean back, skirts flying, one foot kicking toward the whip about to land on the horse’s rump.
The whip bounced, curving in the air and flying back toward her…
Wan’er let out a scream and instinctively lunged forward, hugging the horse’s neck.
The arrow grazed past her back, but the rebounding horse whip cracked down on her back with a snap.
Wan’er screamed again in agony, but it wasn’t over; the rebounding horse whip writhed like a snake, still lashing at her body.
It whipped her back, then her head.
Wan’er felt her scalp torn open by the whip’s barbs, blood flowing down.
“Help—” she croaked out.
“Help—!” a female voice exploded nearby. “Help! Miss Chai’s horse is startled—”
The horse was startled?
No, she was beating her—
Wan’er tried to speak again, but the horse beneath her neighed and bolted forward.
Wan’er instinctively clung to the horse’s neck, her words turning into a scream.
……
…….
“The horse is startled?”
“It’s really startled—”
The once lively polo field turned noisy as the young ladies focused on shooting stopped in terror, watching one horse—no, two horses—galloping madly ahead.
They immediately started shouting too.
The horse is startled!
Princess Pingcheng also stood up. Though she had been watching Wan’er and Yang Luo on the field, the distance and crowd made it hard to see what happened. Suddenly, she saw two horses neighing and charging wildly.
The horse is startled?
Why did it suddenly get startled?
Did Wan’er and Yang Luo fight, causing the horse to startle?
It was possible; she knew Wan’er came with ill intent and would surely vent about last time.
Suddenly, her eyes narrowed.
The direction the startled horse was running—
Oh no.
That was where the Emperor was hunting.
Princess Pingcheng shouted, “Stop her—”
By now, the two galloping startled horses had reached the Imperial Guards at the polo field’s perimeter.
But facing startled horses, the Imperial Guards couldn’t stop them and couldn’t shoot with bows either, since there were people on horseback.
And not just anyone—ladies from Marquis Yichun’s Mansion, the Empress’s niece, Princess Pingcheng’s cousin…
They not only couldn’t block but quickly cleared the way, lest the startled horses go even crazier, throwing and trampling the riders—that would be deadly.
Princess Pingcheng stamped her foot, rushed down, mounted a horse, and chased after the two horses.
She had promised Father Emperor and Mother Empress.
She wouldn’t let this Miss Yang appear before them.
How did this accident happen so suddenly!
Riding on horseback, Princess Pingcheng watched the two riders ahead, now almost out of sight…
A strange thought flashed: Could Yang Luo have startled the horse?
……
……
Mo Zheng crouched on the horse’s back, gently flicking her hand; a stone accurately struck the horse ahead.
The horse, which had veered off, immediately neighed and corrected its course.
Wan’er on its back let out chaotic screams.
Mo Zheng glanced back and vaguely saw a large group of horses and riders chasing after.
But it was too late to stop her now.
Mo Zheng’s lips curved into a smile.
Since she had come this time, it wasn’t to write some essay that would be burned.
Of course, she wouldn’t make a big fuss just because an essay was burned either.
What fun would that be?
At the martial arts banquet, scholars quarreling over essays always lacked confidence.
Even if quarreling, it had to be over something like riding and shooting martial displays.
Not to mention Chai Wan’er providing such perfect assistance on a platter.
They had a grudge, and Wan’er had a prominent identity…
Mo Zheng looked ahead; Yang Luo had scouted the Emperor’s hunting location last night.
The other side of the polo field.
Sure enough, cresting a hillside revealed a mountainside with fluttering colorful flags, one high platform with a bright yellow tent and dragon banners waving conspicuously.
Outside the hunting ground, soldiers stood at attention; as they drew nearer, they raised spears, forming a defensive military formation.
The Capital Garrison guarded the Emperor’s location.
Trespassers could be shot on sight.
But.
Mo Zheng flicked another stone; the horse carrying Wan’er neighed and instantly accelerated from its slowing pace.
“The horse is startled—”
Mo Zheng shouted shrilly, her voice carrying far.
“Help—”
“Save Miss Chai quickly—”
“A lady from Marquis Yichun’s family—”
……
…….
“It’s Miss Chai!”
“Don’t shoot arrows—”
“Lower the spears—”
“Get the long ropes—”
“Wooden rails, set up the wooden rails—”
Wei Jiao sat in one corner of the high platform, overlooking the chaos outside the hunting ground.
He had noticed from the moment the two horses appeared on this hillside, perhaps because his gaze had been fixed there.
He knew Princess Pingcheng was at the polo field over there, and he knew that dog wouldn’t stay quiet. Sure enough, soon under the winter sun, two horses appeared one after the other in his sight.
On the foremost horse, the young girl in red hunting attire had disheveled hair, sprawled on the horse’s back, blood and dust mixed, utterly wretched, emitting whimpering cries.
He had watched Wan’er strut out arrogantly with her people toward Princess Pingcheng’s side.
Now she was in this wretched state.
Wei Jiao watched the soldiers panicking to stop the mad horse without harming anyone, then looked at the young girl on the horse behind Wan’er’s mad one, screaming while controlling both horses, her eyes shining brightly even through the flying dust.
This madwoman!
Wei Jiao couldn’t help laughing.
“Startled horse—”
Sitting on the high platform, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted loudly inward.
“Protect the Emperor—”
