Chapter 192: Such a Noisy Princess

On the high platform, the Emperor had already arrived. He had also invited the Empress Dowager out for the day. The only thing that surprised Xiao Li was that the Empress had come as well. Her gaze drifted slightly, and as expected, she spotted the figure of Wang Wanqing among a group of palace maids.

There was no court session today, but all civil and military officials of the fourth-rank and above were present, along with the heirs of the great aristocratic families. The three viewing stands were packed with people, making for a rarely seen grand spectacle.

Though reluctant, Xiao Li went up to pay her respects.

Because Xiao Li had saved her life, the Empress Dowager—though still unable to bring herself to like Xiao Li—was at least not as cold as before.

The Emperor was oblivious to the swirling undercurrents. All he knew was that the Empress Dowager was pleased with him, her son, and that his sister, Xuanyang, held him, her brother, in the highest regard.

Of course, while he was very tolerant of Xuanyang, he couldn’t be too indulgent with her.

"For today’s horse race, you must bring me back first place. Otherwise, I won’t spare you."

Xiao Li chuckled. "So fierce, Brother. It looks like I have no choice but to show my true skills."

She glanced aside, smiled at the Empress, then turned and headed down.

On the stairs, Jia Ruo and Lu Ling were coming up side by side and ran right into Xiao Li.

Lu Ling’s eyes lit up. "Princess."

Disgust flashed in Jia Ruo’s eyes, but she put on a teasing facade. "Mr. Lu was just talking about you, Imperial Sister. To think you’d run into each other just now. It must be fate."

Xiao Li shot her a look that was not quite a smile. "Want to bet whether I’d dare to strike you right in front of His Majesty?"

Jia Ruo’s smile vanished instantly. She shot Xiao Li a hateful glare and departed, feigning composure.

As they brushed past each other, her expression twisted and she ground her teeth in hatred. ’Just you wait. You won’t be running wild for much longer.’

Lu Ling, however, was reluctant to leave, staring obsessively at Xiao Li’s defiant, arrogant face. "It’s been but a few days, and the Princess is as stunning as ever."

"I heard that the Princess is participating in the horse race. I know you’ll crush the competition. Allow me to wish you a triumphant victory in advance."

For once, Xiao Li stood and listened to him finish his nonsense. Only then did she ask, "Are Lu Ye and Lu Chengzhi here?"

Lu Ling’s smile faltered. "What do you mean by that, Princess?"

Xiao Li eyed him coldly. "Some want Imperial Power, others want revenge. Now that you’ve all gathered together, it saves me the trouble of hunting you down one by one."

She descended two steps to meet Lu Ling’s gaze, a treacherous storm of madness churning deep within her calm, ink-black eyes.

"I’ll play this game with you all. You’d better succeed in killing me, because if you don’t, I won’t spare a single member of the Lu family’s nine generations."

Her words dripped with sarcasm and provocation.

Lu Ling’s gaze followed her departing figure. He gripped the Bone Flute in his hand tightly and murmured with infatuation, "I would hate for you to die. But... it wouldn’t matter if you did. You will become my most beloved Corpse Puppet."

It was a rare occasion for the Emperor to visit the Military Department, and his purpose, of course, was not merely to watch a horse race.

The warm-up act was a military review. Soldiers in full armor drilled with blades and spears in tactical arrays, a display of Longsheng’s military prowess for the Chi Rong people.

The unit chosen today was the most orderly and capable from the Military Department. Coincidentally, the man leading them was Vice General Liu, who had been there when Xiao Li selected Rong Qing.

Upon seeing Xiao Li, Vice General Liu gave her a nod from a distance and then returned to commanding the soldiers.

"You’re finally here."

Mu Yunzhu rode over on a tall, powerful steed. Her horse was a chestnut brown, also a Ferghana Horse.

She was clad in riding gear, a rare occasion where she was fully covered. Her usual seductive charm was reined in, replaced by the dashing, heroic air of a daughter of the steppes.

She swung herself off her horse and stood before Xiao Li, her eyes burning with a competitive fire. "Today, your opponent is me."

Xiao Li pulled her gaze away to look at her. "Oh, is that so?"

Mu Yunzhu’s lovely eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Could you stop being so dismissive?"

Xiao Li looked at her. "Sure. After you beat me."

----

After the drill by the Longsheng soldiers, the Chi Rong soldiers came forward to perform a dance from the Chi Rong Army. It was passionate, unrestrained, and full of power.

However, this dance, full of masculine power, was not well-received by the people of Longsheng, who revered Confucian ideals. They simply found it barbaric and frightening.

After their respective performances, the two sides competed in archery, horsemanship, and wrestling, with the horse race as the final event.

Rong Qing waited at the starting line, holding Chi Yan. Xiao Li walked over, adjusting her sleeves. She reached out, took the reins, and was about to mount when she saw Rong Qing drop to one knee. He leaned forward, presenting his shoulder and neck.

Xiao Li frowned. "What are you doing?"

Rong Qing kept his head bowed. "Rong Qing wishes to be a stepping stone for the Princess, to see you safely onto your horse."

’It’s not like I don’t know how to ride. I have no need to step on a man’s shoulder to mount.’

"Get up."

Rong Qing looked up at her, his gaze resolute. "Princess, please step on me without worry."

Mu Yunzhu, already mounted, looked down at them with a charming smile. "Princess Xuanyang, he’s declaring his fealty to you."

Xiao Li gripped the reins; she could have vaulted onto the horse’s back in a single, fluid motion.

After a moment’s hesitation, she lifted her foot and placed it on Rong Qing’s shoulder. She only pushed off lightly, but he used his tall frame and powerful arms to lift her steadily onto the saddle.

Once Xiao Li was settled in the saddle, Rong Qing adjusted the reins for her and then placed the riding crop in her hand.

The tall man looked up at her, his eyes even more resolute than his features. "I once swore I would be the vanguard at your horse’s head, serving you until death. To this day, that resolve has not wavered for a single moment."

Xiao Li looked down at him, then suddenly laughed. She made a fist and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "I know, my General."

Who knew what Mu Yunzhu’s problem was, but she insisted on sidling up to Xiao Li, positioning herself right beside her even for the race.

"Who was that just now? So tall and formidable, he doesn’t look like one of your Longsheng people. And the way he looks at you—he must be hopelessly in love with you."

Xiao Li shot her a sidelong glance. ’For a princess, she’s incredibly noisy.’

Chi Rong and Longsheng each put forth five riders, making ten in total. Aside from the two princesses, Mu Yunzhu and Xiao Li, the Chi Rong side consisted of four soldiers from their envoy’s escort, while Longsheng’s side was made up of hand-picked military generals.

A gong rang out, and all the horses shot forward.

In a horse race, the horse was what mattered most. The rider’s level of martial arts had little effect on the outcome.

The Chi Rong horses were generally more powerful, possessing incredible explosive speed.

The Longsheng riders fell behind right from the start; only Xiao Li’s Chi Yan could keep pace with them.

The race course was divided into five sections: the starting stretch, a section of shrubland, a forest path, the return stretch, and a final lap around the grounds.

The riders had to circle halfway around the mountain opposite them, return, complete one more lap, and then a final sprint would determine the victor.

At first, everyone was simply jockeying for position. But the moment they entered the forest, with the trees obscuring the view, the soldiers from Longsheng and Chi Rong immediately started to fight. Two riders were quickly knocked out of the running.

Xiao Li and Mu Yunzhu took advantage of the chaos to surge to the front.

Xiao Li was originally in the lead by a small margin, and Mu Yunzhu was straining to overtake her. Just then, Xiao Li abruptly reined in her horse. Mu Yunzhu, having shot half a length ahead, finally saw the tripwire studded with caltrops that had suddenly appeared in their path.

"WHOA!"

Both yanked hard on their reins. Their horses reared, front hooves kicking the air, and spun halfway around to narrowly avoid the trap.