Chapter 259: The Wife I Appointed
The hunting location for autumn hunting was the same every year, in the Fantasy Forest where Li Tianzhuo's mother hid.
The mountain range is very vast, stretching for dozens of miles.
The hunting ground was some distance away from where Queen Zhuo was buried, and was on a not-so-high mountain.
In the early autumn morning, the mist had not yet dissipated, and the imperial guards' black armor was covered with frost.
Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of officers are ready to go.
At the head of the team were two hundred soldiers holding the Nanxin Great Sun Golden Crow Flag, each of them looking heroic, and the majestic bird on the flag was about to spread its wings and fly high.
All civil and military officials had also arrived and stood at the end of the team, with the middle position reserved for the royal family.
Everyone is waiting for Emperor Nan Xin to appear.
Deng Youning, Deng Yan'an and others were invited and came early in the morning.
In order not to lose the dignity of Princess Dongji and the Grand Secretary of Dongji, they deliberately wore gorgeous clothes corresponding to their status. It would not be too late to change into riding and hunting clothes when they arrived at the destination.
Li Tianzhuo and Prince Yi, as the only princes participating in the hunt, were dressed more solemnly.
It doesn't look like they are going hunting, but more like they are going to war.
Deng Xuelian, dressed in a fairy-like white dress, followed King Yi.
She was not of high enough rank to dress too gorgeously, and from a distance she looked like King Yi's maid.
Since they all came out to participate in the hunting, Deng Youning and Deng Xuelian were bound to meet each other.
But neither of them had much to say to each other.
Even when we met, it was as if we didn't know each other.
"Azhuo, how are your preparations going?"
"We must not fail in capturing Deng Xuelian and Yi Wang."
Deng Youning asked worriedly.
"I have asked the Suzaku Army to disguise themselves as bandits and ambush around Xiaozhu Peak. This is a fire signal. Take one too. If you run into trouble during the hunt, set off a fire signal to call for their rescue."
As he spoke, Li Tianzhuo passed the flare to Deng Youning.
He even gave one to Deng Yan'an out of reassurance.
"The Emperor has arrived--" Just at this moment, the eunuch's sharp voice rang out.
Emperor Nan Xin walked out of the palace gate wearing a bright golden armor.
"Long live the emperor!"
Everyone knelt down.
Only Li Tianzhuo, Deng Youning and Deng Yan'an stood and bowed.
We've been waiting for him. Now that he's here, the team can set off.
As Emperor Nan Xin and everyone else got into the sedan chair, they all got ready to go.
"rise--"
The shrill voice of the flag-bearing eunuch pierced the silence, the Great Sun Golden Crow Flag rose in the wind, and the sounds of horns, drums, gongs... rang out one after another.
The team made their way through the commotion.
When the people learned that it was the emperor's hunting day, they lined the streets to watch.
When they saw the guard of honor just appearing, they knelt down and shouted, "Long live the emperor."
Deng Youning, Li Tianzhuo, Deng Yan'an and others were sitting in the carriage, looking at the people of Nanxin, feeling deeply moved.
Maybe Emperor Nanxin was not a good man or a good father, but he was definitely a good emperor.
It was also because of him that Nanxin was able to be governed so prosperously.
His extraordinaryness can be seen from the people lining the streets to welcome him.
In less than an hour, the team was out of the city.
When they arrived at the hunting location, Xiaozhu Peak, the team stopped and the soldiers, palace maids and eunuchs began to busy themselves with setting up tents.
These several thousand people will stay here for three or two days.
In addition to the royal dragon tent, civil and military officials also needed tents.
The entire foot of Xiaozhufeng Mountain will become a group of tents.
While setting up the tent, the emperor would usually take the opportunity to visit Queen Zhuo in the nearby Fantasy Forest.
It's rare that Li Tianzhuo is by his side this year.
Soon, the eunuch sent by the emperor came up to Li Tianzhuo, Deng Youning and the others and said, "Your Highness Prince Changle, His Majesty invites you to accompany him to pay homage to Queen Zhuo."
Li Tianzhuo nodded, took Deng Youning's hand, and was about to follow the eunuch to Emperor Nan Xin.
The eunuch looked at Deng Youning with some embarrassment.
It felt like he didn't want her to go.
Li Tianzhuo naturally understood what he meant and said bluntly:
"Ningning is the wife I have chosen for this life. Isn't it natural for a daughter-in-law to pay respects to her mother-in-law?"
The eunuch did not dare to conflict with Prince Changle and could only retreat without saying anything.
When Emperor Nan Xin saw Li Tianzhuo bringing Deng Youning with him, he looked displeased but didn't say much.
After they walked down the mountain and paid a simple tribute to Queen Zhuo, they returned and the tent had been almost set up.
The emperor returned to his tent to rest.
Li Tianzhuo wants to take Deng Youning to choose a horse.
Deng Yan'an did not follow and returned to their tent alone.
There were many people gathered around the stable, all of them were sons of officials who came to choose horses.
The ministers’ families can also participate in Nanxin’s autumn hunting.
The more young people there are and the more prey they catch, the happier the emperor will be.
This also means that Nan Xin has an endless supply of available talents.
Seeing Li Tianzhuo and the others coming, everyone stopped what they were doing and bowed to greet them.
Yuan Gu was naturally among them.
"Your Highness, the Ferghana horse you ordered is ready."
When the groom saw Li Tianzhuo coming, he hurried to meet him.
The horse was given special instructions by King Changle, and he treated it like his own ancestor.
Li Tianzhuo nodded and explained to Deng Youning:
"Your foot injury has just healed, so I don't have any gifts to give you. This horse was carefully selected by me. Come and have a look."
He held Deng Youning's hand and walked forward happily.
As long as he is with Deng Youning, Prince Changle is still the young man full of vigor and vitality as he was back then.
Among the ministers' families, there were also many unmarried ladies of marriageable age.
They had heard of the great name of King Changle since six years ago.
This time I finally got to meet him, but unfortunately, there was a princess from Dongji accompanying Prince Changle.
Everyone could only watch and dared not get close.
Among them, Min Nanqiu, the daughter of Lord Zhongshu Ling Min, was the one who admired Prince Changle the most.
I met him for the first time when I was only seven or eight years old, and I decided to be with him for the rest of my life.
Besides, he is the King of Changle, second only to the emperor. If he can get his protection, his whole family will be able to rule Nanxin.
But he was too dazzling, as bright as the stars in the sky, making it impossible for people to get close to him.
She had barely even spoken to him in all these years.
This time she finally mustered up the courage. Regardless of success or failure, at least she had tried and would not leave any regrets for herself.
Min Nanqiu held a sign in his hand and approached Deng Youning and Li Tianzhuo cautiously.
Li Tianzhuo, who was stroking the horse's hair, only had Deng Youning in his eyes besides the horse, and he didn't look anywhere else.
"Ningning, this light yellow fur is very rare."
"This horse doesn't have a name yet, what do you think it should be called?"
Deng Youning thought for a moment and said, "Since it is a light yellow, why not call it Autumn Pear?"
After hearing this, Li Tianzhuo tapped her nose lovingly.
"I knew you liked pears the most."
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to plant pear trees behind his villa in Dongji.
"The pears in Dongji should be ripe now. I wonder if we can eat them this year."
Recalling Dongji, Li Tianzhuo also wanted to go back.
At least everything feels stable there.
"Your Highness Prince Changle~"
Min Nanqiu's voice rang out, and they both turned around to look.
Deng Youning raised her eyebrows and chuckled.
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