Chapter 86 Teaching
"How could I not know that my fourth brother has some expertise in the Imperial Road?"
The deep, resonant sound of hooves came from not far away; it was a pure black Akhal-Teke horse.
Its large, strong muscles bulge and pulsate as it runs; even someone who knows nothing about horses would praise how well-cared-for the horse is.
The man on horseback, dressed in black and gold riding attire, was somewhere between a young man and a teenager. He looked at Qi Huan with a hint of disdain in his eyes, adding a touch of arrogance and sharpness to his already exquisite features.
It was Crown Prince Qi Jun.
Qi Jun did not ride closer. After running a few more steps, he pulled on the reins, and the horse reared up, let out a deep breath, and shook its ears.
He sat astride his tall horse, shifting his gaze from Qi Huan to Xiao Yuxuan.
"Brother Crown Prince!"
Qi Minying released Xiao Yuxuan's hand and bowed respectfully.
Qi Huan's expression changed the moment he heard those words.
Wasn't it said that Miss Xiao came here to learn horseback riding? It's one thing for Qi Minying to come and join in the fun, but what is the Crown Prince doing here?
He could only close his folding fan and bow with his hands clasped, saying, "Your Highness."
He just didn't look happy, as if someone owed him money.
"This humble woman greets Your Highness the Crown Prince—"
Xiao Yuxuan also hesitated. In her memory, before the Crown Prince passed away, he was always diligent, either working on state affairs or preparing to work on state affairs. She could let it go the previous times, but why did he have the leisure to run a horse today?
"Why has the Crown Prince come here?"
Qi Minying is Qi Jun's younger sister, so she is naturally close to him. They have become much more familiar with each other over the past few days. She approached him and asked him in a well-behaved manner, but in her heart she planned to go horseback riding with her sister Yuxuan after her brother left.
With her elder brother, the crown prince, around, Sister Yuxuan will definitely feel constrained and nervous.
Qi Jun dismounted, tossed his riding whip to the groom beside him, and glanced at Xiao Yuxuan behind Qi Minying, who was looking down, lost in thought.
"I have been entrusted by someone to teach Miss Xiao how to ride a horse."
Upon hearing this, all three people present widened their eyes.
Crown Prince, teach Xiao Yuxuan to ride a horse?
Qi Huan felt as if struck by lightning. The Crown Prince was going to snatch away the prey he had finally locked onto? Was the Xiao family really that important? The Crown Prince was even willing to personally teach the Xiao family's daughter how to ride a horse in order to win over the Xiao family? This sacrifice was far too great.
His mind was full of political maneuvering in the imperial court, but he didn't think about matters of love or sex at all.
The reason is simple: the Crown Prince will be nineteen in a few months, but he doesn't even have a concubine in the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince is focused on governing the country and never wastes time on romantic relationships.
He was racking his brains when he came to the conclusion that since the Crown Prince wanted the Xiao family, it meant that the Xiao family did indeed have something special about them.
He'll snatch whatever the Crown Prince wants!
Qi Minying glanced at Xiao Yuxuan and saw that she also looked surprised, which made her feel a little troubled.
"Brother, you're not familiar with Sister Yuxuan, so why don't I do it? I can ride a horse, and I can teach Sister Yuxuan!"
Qi Jun coldly rejected her:
"Wait until you're taller than Miss Xiao before you say that."
Qi Minying pouted and compared her hands with it, unconvinced.
She was indeed much shorter, but she was four years younger than Yu Xuan. So what if she was a little shorter? In a few years, she would definitely be taller than Yu Xuan!
"Fourth brother, have you finished all your studies at the academy? You still have time to come to the horse farm?"
After criticizing his sister, Qi Jun relentlessly questioned his brother, leaving Qi Huan drenched in sweat.
As for the academy's coursework... naturally, he never finished it. With Xiao Jin and his companions around, he almost never completed his coursework on his own.
When Qi Jun asked him that question, he had a strong feeling that if he stayed any longer, all his secrets would be exposed.
"Brother, I suddenly remembered that I still have some homework to finish, so I'll take my leave now!"
He ran so fast that he disappeared from sight in no time.
"Minying, you get on the horse first, let me see how good your basic skills are."
The Crown Prince wanted to test Minying, so Xiao Yuxuan naturally stepped aside to observe quietly.
As she watched, she pondered the matter in her mind.
The "horse riding instructor" that the eldest princess hired for her turned out to be the crown prince.
What's even stranger is that the crown prince actually agreed.
She certainly didn't doubt the Crown Prince's imperial skills; his reputation for being both a scholar and a warrior was known throughout the capital. She just couldn't understand why he would be willing to waste so much time teaching people to ride horses; it was truly a losing proposition.
And that burned letter—the Crown Prince intentionally reminded her of Xiao Yuyao's background, but didn't explain it too clearly. Was he hoping that if she wanted to know, she would go to him?
Qi Minying was still young, and she needed a horse stool to mount the horse. She refused the eunuch's offer to be a human horse stool and instead led the horse to the wooden horse stool herself. She gripped the saddle firmly with her small hands, pushed off with her right leg, and mounted the horse.
She gripped the reins and quickly settled herself in her seat. Before she could even give Xiao Yuxuan a smug smile, her horse's rump was whipped hard.
With a neigh, the pony, carrying its master, galloped off, the clatter of hooves kicking up a cloud of grayish-yellow dust.
"Ouch--"
Qi Minying quickly grabbed the reins, but no matter how she pulled, she couldn't stop the horse. She could only ride away resentfully.
“Minying has not grown up in the palace over the years, so her personality has become much more lively. However, if she is unruly, I hope Miss Xiao will be more tolerant.”
Qi Jun suddenly spoke, and Xiao Yuxuan quickly withdrew her gaze from Qi Minying.
She looked at the Crown Prince, who was so close to her. His sharp brows and deep, narrow eyes were fixed on her, so oppressive that she subconsciously took a half step back.
"Is Miss Xiao afraid of me?"
Qi Junyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.
Perhaps realizing he had lost his composure, he pursed his lips, turned his face away, and explained:
"Teaching you to ride a horse this time is not only at the request of the Princess, but also as a way for me to repay you for your kindness in saving Min-ying. There is no other intention."
Xiao Yuxuan's chest calmed down slightly, and she let out a soft breath.
"Your Highness is wise and powerful. Minying's matter is nothing more than a small favor for me. I really dare not take up so much of Your Highness's time. Perhaps we should find another tutor instead..."
She wasn't afraid of the Crown Prince, but spending too much time with him made her feel like she was wasting his time. His talents and abilities should be used where they were needed more.
"Miss Xiao, why belittle yourself? It is a gentleman's duty to repay kindness, so how can it be considered a delay?"
Qi Jun's lips curved into a slight smile, and the corners of his eyes curled up slightly.
"Miss Xiao is afraid of heights, is there any reason for that?"
In his spare time these past two days, he flipped through some medical books and learned about a kind of mental illness: people have a deep impression of certain experiences and cannot forget them for a long time. When they encounter similar situations again, they become overly sensitive or fearful.
Xiao Yuxuan's reaction in his arms that day was almost exactly the same as the symptoms described in the book.
Xiao Yuxuan was taken aback, not expecting that the first lesson in learning to ride a horse would be asking this question.
She lowered her eyes; those memories had been buried for so long that she had almost forgotten them.
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