Chapter 26 Reluctance

Yueli met Shen Zhaoyi and Jiang Ronghua on the road.

Zhaoyi Shen walked towards her with a smile on her face. "Sister Jiang is very excited to be in the enclosure. Sister Jiang and I want to take a look around. Would Sister Yu like to join us?"

Yueli thought about it and agreed.

Shen Zhaoyi walked in the middle and looked sideways at Yueli: "Sister Yu is coming to the enclosure for the first time. If there is any inconvenience, please feel free to come to me."

"Thank you, Empress Zhaoyi."

"The hunting season lasts for five days. Tomorrow, the court officials will have a hunting competition. We women will just watch and see who comes out on top."

Yue Li nodded, and then she continued, "There will be free hunting in the next few days, and there will also be a polo match. Sister, you can join us then. We won't go deep into the woods, just wander around the surrounding area."

Jiang Ronghua listened to the two people talking and secretly curled his lips.

He's not a child, is it necessary to remind him like this?

As they were talking, they passed by the stable.

She had no intention of going in, but Shen Zhaoyi saw Rong Jieyu in the stable.

"Sister Rong is here too." Zhaoyi Shen walked forward and saw that she was leading a tall black horse. She couldn't help but smile and said, "Sister Rong's father and brother always shined in the hunting grounds in previous years. It's true that a tiger father will have a dog son."

Rong Jieyu said calmly, "Your Highness, the Concubine Zhaoyi is too kind."

She was leading the big black horse past Yueli. The big black horse snorted, which scared Yueli. She quickly hid behind Jiang Ronghua.

Jiang Ronghua looked speechlessly at the wrinkled sleeves she had pulled: "What are you afraid of?"

"It's so high." Yueli saw the big black horse kicking again and frowned. "It's so high, what if it falls down?"

Jiang Ronghua's face darkened: "Keep your voice down."

If Concubine Rong heard it, she would think Yueli was cursing her.

Fortunately, Concubine Rong always kept to herself, and she only said a few words to Concubine Shen before leaving.

The big black horse she chose was looked after by a special groom, so she could just ride it whenever she wanted.

Yueli was not really interested in riding horses. After they came out of the stable and turned around a bush, they saw a fence in front of them where some deer with their antlers removed were kept.

When the palace servants saw the concubines approaching, they hurried over to explain, "Ladies, these are deer raised for viewing. They have been antlered and are docile. Ladies, would you like to go in and take a look?"

Jiang Ronghua nodded with interest. She took Shen Zhaoyi's arm and said, "Let's go take a look. I remember there are a few deer in the palace's zoo, but they're not as pretty as the ones in the enclosure."

No matter how clean the deer pen was, there was always a strange smell. Yueli followed Jiang Ronghua with her nose wrinkled in disgust, and she didn't want to get close at all.

Jiang Ronghua took the vegetable basket handed to him by the palace maid and took out some vegetable leaves from it to feed the deer.

"Are you scared, Sister Yu?" Zhaoyi saw Yueli standing still and pointed to the smallest and most docile deer in the corner. "If you're scared, you can feed these small deer. There are also rabbits over there. You might like them."

Yueli nodded perfunctorily.

Jiang Ronghua pulled her out from behind him and said, "Why do you always stand behind me? Look how cute the little deer is. Come and feed it too."

"How do I feed it..." Yueli looked embarrassed. She really hated the taste.

Jiang Ronghua rolled his eyes and gave Yueli the vegetable leaves and carrots in his hand: "Here, pat its head again."

"Hurry up." Jiang Ronghua fed her for a long time, but Yueli could only nod and say "hmm hmm" and then hid far away, with no intention of getting closer.

In the end, Jiang Ronghua couldn't stand her anymore and grabbed her hand and forced her to touch the deer.

Yueli held her breath, her tender palms were tickled by the rough hair. The little deer was very docile and even nudged her palms with its head.

"That's it. You have to get more familiar with it, then it will listen to you."

"I know, I know..." As soon as Jiang Ronghua let go of her, Yue Li quickly withdrew her hand.

Shen Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Sister Yu is new to this, so she must be a little scared. Why don't we go somewhere else?"

"Okay." Jiang Ronghua put the remaining radish back.

*

At night, the camp will hold a bonfire dinner as a welcome party.

Yueli, Shen Zhaoyi and others came out of the deer pen and went straight to the dinner venue. As soon as they approached, they heard cheers coming from the front.

Shen Zhaoyi stopped and looked ahead. After seeing clearly, she smiled and said, "They are competing in archery."

Jiang Ronghua watched with great interest: "General Xiao is indeed amazing. This archery skill of shooting an arrow through a willow leaf from a hundred paces away is undoubtedly his best."

Yueli curled her lips. Why did she hear this name everywhere today?

Not far away, Xiao Mingcheng stood a hundred steps away from the target, and every arrow he shot hit the center of the bull's eye with ease. However, everyone still felt unsatisfied and asked him to shoot at the leaves on the trees.

Xiao Mingcheng drank some wine and his face turned a little red, but he still responded to the crowd's clamor.

A high platform had been built in the center of the camp. He Yanchen climbed up to the high position and saw Yue Li from afar.

But she was standing there watching intently.

His face suddenly darkened, and he ordered Ji Ming: "Go and bring Yu Ronghua here."

Yue Li didn't want to look at all, and was walking towards her seat when she saw Ji Ming.

Ji Ming smiled and said, "Master Ronghua, His Majesty wants you to come over."

Yueli secretly glanced at the man on the platform. Seeing that he was not looking at her, she breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly trotted to his side, holding up the hem of her skirt.

"Your Majesty." Yueli's eyes sparkled. "I just went to see the fawn. Your Majesty, would you please hunt a deer for me tomorrow and have some venison?"

He Yanchen held her hand, asked her to sit close to him, and raised his chin slightly: "Did you enjoy what you saw just now?"

Yue Li felt guilty for a moment, but she rolled her eyes and said in a sweet voice, "I saw General Xiao shoot an arrow through a hundred steps, he was truly amazing."

Hiding her small hand under the table, she scratched the man's palm. "But I heard that when Your Majesty suppressed the rebellion of the Western Rong, you annihilated thousands of enemies and never missed a target. You were truly admirable."

When he suddenly heard her mention this, He Yanchen paused with his hand holding the wine cup.

The look in his lowered black eyes gradually became deeper.

He once thought that this battle would satisfy his father, but who knew that he only felt that he had stolen the limelight from his most respected prince.

He Yanchen's hand holding the wine cup suddenly tightened. Yue Li noticed something was wrong and quickly held his hand.

A layer of warmth covered the back of his hand, and He Yanchen suddenly pulled himself out of his negative mood.

He raised his eyes and met Yue Li's worried gaze.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?" She felt a little aggrieved. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Nothing." Seeing that she was frightened, He Yanchen reached out and hugged her in his arms. As he smelled the faint fragrance on the woman's body, he felt that the emotions accumulated in his chest dissipated a little.

Yue Li took the man's hand that had just held the wine cup. Seeing that his palm was a little red, she rubbed it for him and said, "Your Majesty, could you shoot a red fox for me tomorrow? I want to make a fox fur coat for winter."

Yueli raised her little face slightly in his arms and looked at him expectantly. She looked very obedient, and her clear almond eyes were full of his presence.

He Yanchen suddenly wanted to cover her eyes.

For the first time, he felt a little reluctant to leave this world.

I can't bear to never see these eyes again.