Mulan Hunting Ground

"Hahaha! I'm back again! Quickly bring out the horse, I'm going to run a couple of laps!" As soon as he arrived on the grassland, Hongzhao seemed to want to let loose. He always felt that riding a horse in the capital was not as enjoyable as it was in the capital.

Riding and archery are definitely best experienced on a vast, boundless grassland.

Seeing that Hongyan and Hutu were also eager to try, Changning simply let them go for a run. In any case, the Imperial Guards had already surrounded the area and conducted a thorough search beforehand, so it was quite safe.

Watching the children leave, she sighed, "Children really have so much energy!"

Even Hongmin, Hongchen, and Hongyang weren't tired at all, curiously looking around. What made her happy was that Hongchen no longer rejected his younger brother; on the contrary, he was now dedicated to making Hongyang his little follower.

Hongzhao told him stories of the heroes from the Water Margin. Hongchen thought being the older brother was the coolest thing ever, and it would be even better if he had 108 younger brothers.

He even went out of his way to find Changning and asked in a cute, childlike voice, "Mommy, can you give me 108 younger brothers like Liangshan?"

Changning didn't know how his 36-degree mouth could utter such cold words.

Upon arriving at the yurt, Changning changed into some comfortable clothes; she also wanted to get some fresh air!

Just then, Yinzhen finished his work and put away all the memorials, saying he wanted to take her around.

Changning simply changed into riding attire as well, a bright red outfit, clean and neat, with all her hair tied up, making her look quite dashing.

Changning was never very good at riding horses, but she was always quite interested in them. Yinzhen even specially chose a chestnut mare for her. She was gentle and liked to be close to people, and Changning liked her very much. She named her Feixue (Flying Snow).

Yinzhen didn't understand why the chestnut-colored horse was named Feixue (Flying Snow).

However, this did not stop him from applauding and cheering.

“Horses are our most loyal friends. No matter where we are, they can bring us home.” Yinzhen patted Feixue. “Once you let it recognize you as its master, it will never betray you.”

Besides Changning, Yinzhen also picked out ponies for Hongmin, Hongchen, and Hongyang, and even specially asked Anda to teach them. It was the first time for the little boys to ride a horse, and they screamed with excitement.

Changning turned around and saw that her sons had already gripped the reins and were eager to try. She blushed, thinking that she couldn't possibly be inferior to her three-year-old son.

but……

She might not be as good as him.

After all, Hutuli was already very skilled in archery when he was three years old, and he even killed a wild boar when he was five.

Seeing Changning sitting stiffly on the horse, her posture somewhat unnatural, Yinzhen flipped over and mounted the horse with a graceful and nimble motion, sitting behind her and encircling her in his arms.

"Relax, I'm here, don't be afraid."

With the man's broad shoulders behind her, Changning immediately felt an overwhelming sense of security.

The two rode together on one horse, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, a scene as beautiful as a painting.

"Oh my, she's so well-behaved!" Changning exclaimed softly. Feixue seemed to sense her nervousness and walked slowly. Then Yinzhen spurred the horse's flanks, and it began to trot lightly.

"Come on, follow the horse's rhythm. Don't be too stiff, and relax your legs, or they'll definitely hurt tonight."

Changning smiled radiantly, her eyes gleaming with a hint of cunning, making Yinzhen almost squint: "Then you can give me a massage tonight, won't that solve the problem?"

Yinzhen swallowed hard.

Hongyan, Hutuli, and Hongzhao, who had just finished a race, saw their father and mother riding horses together sweetly. Without them saying a word, everyone present could feel the deep affection between them.

The three children remained silent for a long time.

Hongzhao exclaimed, "Mother is so old, and she's only now starting to learn to ride a horse!"

Forehead……

Hongyan and Hutuli exchanged a glance. It seemed that this kid only saw how to mock his mother, but didn't he see the sticky look in their eyes? That lingering affection made them blush.

Hutuli had been so determined to never get married again, but looking at her father and mother in the distance, she thought, "Hmm, if someone loves me this much, I should be quite happy, right?"

Hongyan was also somewhat lost in thought.

As night falls, the campfire will be lit.

Tonight, Yinzhen will meet with the various Mongol princes, and Changning will go with him.

The roasted lamb here is really delicious, and the ethnic minorities are really good at singing and dancing. The enthusiastic Mongolian girls dance with such vitality that you can feel their vibrant energy. Changning watched with great interest.

Meng Guqing also arrived, dressed in princely attire, her face showing a composed and serious expression. Across the campfire, she exchanged a glance with Changning, her expression instantly softening. She raised her wine cup, facing Changning from afar.

Changning was also pleasantly surprised. She had originally thought that Meng Guqing's female identity should be kept hidden and that it was best not to show it to others. However, she did not expect that Meng Guqing would sit there so openly and honestly.

Despite being a woman, none of the Mongolian princes present looked down on her.

In Mongolia, strength is of paramount importance. Mengguqing has proven with her abilities that she is no less capable than any man, and under her leadership, Ujumchin is stronger than ever before.

Even if someone wanted to show disdain for her female identity, they still had to take into account Ujumqin's strength, which was the source of her confidence to walk upright.

Changning's eyes lit up. If a Mongolian prince could be a woman... then female officials in the palace could also be arranged.

Honghui sat upright to one side, watching the bustling scene before him, feeling even more lonely and desolate. This was the place that had taken his mother's life.

He could barely contain his emotions when Hongyan sat down beside him and served him a bowl of sweet date soup: "Brother, you should eat less of this mutton. This soup was specially ordered by Father to be made for you."

Honghui looked up, momentarily stunned, and looked incredulously in Yinzhen's direction. Seeing that he was also watching him, his eyes immediately reddened. He took the sweet date soup and thanked Hongyan.

"Hongyan, thank you."

Hong Yan sat down next to him with a smile: "It's nothing, we're brothers. Big brother, why are you being so polite?"

Honghui slowly sipped the hot, sweet soup with a spoon, his voice almost inaudible: "It's not that I'm being polite... I'm just afraid... that you don't treat me like family anymore."

The Mongolian song was cheerful and loud, but Hongyan couldn't hear it. However, he patted Honghui on the shoulder and said, "Brother, Father has always been proud of you, and so have I. No matter what, you will always be my brother."