Chapter 33 Sister An Yu...will you always treat me like this? ...
Xiao Wangqing had left the stands and came to this secluded place without knowing when.
He stood tall and straight, a lingering gloom between his brows. The two eunuchs, intimidated by his overwhelming aura, were at a loss as to what to do, and they dared not actually touch the prince's body.
"Your Highness, this is the pony that Your Highness has asked you to look after. Although it has a docile temperament, I am afraid that it might disturb you..." An eunuch bowed bravely and said.
Xiao Wangqing did not respond, but looked past them and towards Shen Zhiwei and Xiao Lingjun who were under the shade of the tree.
Xiao Lingjun's hands had already naturally dropped when Xiao Wangqing appeared. His face remained warm and smiling. He took a half step forward, just enough to shield Shen Zhiwei slightly from his sight. His tone remained gentle, "Third brother, are you also interested in these docile little ponies? That's rare."
Xiao Wangqing ignored his question and walked straight to them without stopping, standing three steps away.
He glanced at Shen Anyu, who was carefully stroking the mane of a red pony, and his gaze returned to Shen Zhiwei.
"Your Majesty, I'm in a good mood," he said, bowing. "But the wind is strong here, and Miss Chen looks frail. I'm afraid she won't be able to stay long."
This was an abrupt statement, even a bit rude. The smile in Xiao Lingjun's eyes faded slightly, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply said, "Third brother, you're so thoughtful. I was just about to take them back."
Shen Zhiwei lowered her eyelashes, feeling Xiao Wangqing's gaze restless on her, almost scrutinizing her with an intensity that made her feel extremely uncomfortable. Subconsciously, she leaned closer to Xiao Lingjun, a subtle gesture that seemed to please the Crown Prince, and the oppressive aura surrounding him eased slightly.
However, the next moment, Shen Zhiwei saw Xiao Wangqing reaching out his hand to her.
In his palm lay a small, smooth jade plaque, carved with simple cloud patterns and tied with a dark silk ribbon.
"I found this on the sidelines while training horses just now." He bent down slightly to look at her, his dark pupils bottomless. "It looks like the style that young ladies usually use. Did Miss Chen lose it?"
Shen Zhiwei was startled and looked at the jade token. She was not wearing any similar ornaments today and was about to shake her head when Shen Anyu beside her turned around and her eyes lit up.
"Oh! It's mine!" The little girl ran over excitedly, her cheeks flushed. She scratched her cheeks a little embarrassedly, "I must have accidentally dropped it while running around just now. Thank you, Third Prince!"
She reached out to take the jade token.
Xiao Wangqing pinched the silk ribbon with his fingertips, and the jade token swayed slightly in his palm. With a flick of his wrist, the jade token fell steadily into Chen Anyu's palm: "In this case, it will be returned to its original owner."
Chen Anyu happily took the jade token, carefully tied it back around his waist, patted it gently, and after making sure it wouldn't fall off again, he raised his head and gave Xiao Wangqing a pure smile.
"Thank you, Third Prince! This was the birthday gift the Crown Prince gave me two years ago. If I lost it, I would be heartbroken!"
Xiao Wangqing's gaze lingered on her smiling face for a moment, and he nodded slightly without saying anything more.
Shen Zhiwei looked at her sister's happy expression, and the strange feeling in her heart caused by Xiao Wangqing's sudden appearance dissipated.
Xiao Lingjun took everything in, his smile unchanged as he said, "Since you've found it, keep it safe and don't be so careless."
Chen Anyu stuck out his tongue and replied, "I understand." But he couldn't help but touch the jade token, unable to let it go.
Xiao Wangqing stood aside silently, and seemed to look at Shen Zhiwei again inadvertently.
Shen Zhiwei felt a little uncomfortable being looked at by him, and turned her face slightly to avoid the overly direct gaze.
"The wind is indeed a bit chilly," Xiao Lingjun said at the right moment, naturally supporting Shen Zhiwei's elbow, "I'll take you back to rest."
Xiao Wangqing's gaze finally shifted away from her and fell on Xiao Lingjun's face. The two brothers' eyes met in the air, colliding silently. Something cold and sharp was secretly fighting under the appearance of warmth and gloom.
"Third brother, do you want to come back to the stands with us? The foreign countries just presented us with a few newly arrived horses, I'm sure they'll suit your taste."
"No need." Xiao Wangqing shook his head and refused decisively. His eyes finally swept across Shen Zhiwei's face, then he turned and left. The dark figure quickly disappeared under the grass slope.
Shen Zhiwei exhaled.
Xiao Lingjun's hands were still protecting her side, not actually touching her. He lowered his eyes to look at her and said softly, "Are you tired?"
"Not bad." Shen Zhiwei shook his head.
Back in the stands, the noise and noise came back.
Xiao Lingjun's expression had returned to normal, and he was chatting and laughing with the old clan members who came to greet him. However, his gaze fell on Shen Zhiwei more frequently than before.
Shen Anyu quickly became lively again, holding Shen Zhiwei's hand, pointing at the young men racing horses in the field and chattering, completely forgetting the little episode with the jade card.
The sun gradually set in the west, but the hustle and bustle at the racecourse did not subside. Instead, it became more intense because of the horse race that was about to begin.
Colorful flags fluttered, horses neighed, and young men, full of vigor, tightened their reins, eager to try their luck at the starting line. The laughter and cheers of the ladies echoed one after another, and the air was filled with the vibrant energy of trampled grass and the restlessness of flying dust.
Shen Anyu stared intently, her little face flushed with excitement. She tugged at Shen Zhiwei's sleeve, pointing at one and saying, "Sister, look at that black horse, it's so majestic!", then worrying about that, "Oh, his saddle doesn't seem to be fastened tightly!", chattering non-stop.
Shen Zhiwei felt a little dizzy from being swayed by her, and smiled helplessly, but her eyes were involuntarily drawn to the vibrant energy in the arena. Even the usually calm Xiao Lingjun smiled and commented on the strength of several popular foals with the elder clan member beside him, a rare touch of leisure between his brows.
Just before the referee was about to wave the flag, something strange happened.
Near the fence on the side of their stands, a chestnut pony that had been quietly waiting to go on the field was suddenly startled for some reason, let out a sharp neigh, and suddenly raised its front hooves.
The young groom who was leading him was caught off guard and stumbled, and the reins fell out of his hands.
The colt no longer just stood up, but suddenly turned around, digging the ground with its iron hooves, splashing a cloud of grass and mud, and rushed madly towards the crowd gathered outside the fence.
"ah--!"
"The horse is startled! Get out of the way!"
The crowd erupted in chaos. Guests in the stands stood up and retreated in panic, cups and fruit plates were knocked to the ground with a crackling sound. The maids were terrified and shoved each other to avoid the attack.
The racehorses in the field were also affected by the sudden chaos. Some raised their hooves in fright, while others circled in agitation. The scene was in complete chaos.
The frightened horse had red eyes and was breathing heavily from its nostrils. It didn't care and rushed straight towards Shen Zhiwei and the others.
The speed is extremely fast and the momentum is fierce.
"Protect the emperor! Stop it quickly!" Xiao Lingjun's face suddenly changed, and he shouted sternly. He pushed the old clan member next to him to the guards behind him, and at the same time reached out to pull Shen Zhiwei.
In a flash, Shen Zhiwei only felt a flash before her eyes, and a cherry pink figure reacted faster than her. It was Shen Anyu who was standing outside her.
"Sister, be careful!" The little girl seemed to be frightened, her voice filled with tears. Instead of hiding behind, she suddenly opened her arms and rushed towards Shen Zhiwei regardless of anything, as if she wanted to completely protect her behind her with her frail body.
This action was extremely clumsy, and could even be described as reckless and disorganized protection.
She rushed over and blocked Xiao Lingjun's hand reaching out to Shen Zhiwei, and also blocked the space for Shen Zhiwei to dodge backwards.
The frightened horse was close at hand, its red eyes bulging, and it carried a wild and bloody smell. Its iron hooves were raised high, and it was about to step down.
In a split second, she had no time to think and instinctively pulled her sister, who was lying in front of her, into her arms, turning around and using her back to face the deadly horseshoe.
The expected severe pain did not come.
In my ears were the shrill neighing of horses and the heavy sound of their bodies falling to the ground, mixed with the terrified screams of the crowd and the chaotic footsteps.
Shen Zhiwei snapped her eyes open and found herself still clutching Shen Anyu in her arms, both of them standing intact. The frantic chestnut colt lay a few paces away, twitching in pain, an ebony arrow lodged deep in its throat, its feathers still trembling.
Xiao Wangqing had already stood before them, a heavy iron bow in his hand, the bowstring still humming. He maintained the posture of releasing the arrow, □□.
"Third... Third Prince..." Shen Anyu in Shen Zhiwei's arms seemed to have just reacted. Her little face was pale, her lips were trembling, and tears suddenly burst out. She clutched Shen Zhiwei's clothes tightly, "Sister! Sister, are you okay? I was scared to death... Woo woo..."
She was shaking with tears and her speech was incoherent, obviously she was extremely frightened.
Shen Zhiwei's heartbeat was still rapid. She took a deep breath, suppressed the throbbing in her chest, and gently patted her sister's back: "It's okay, An Yu, don't be afraid, sister is here."
Her gaze passed over the top of Shen Anyu's head and looked at Xiao Wangqing who had put away his bow and turned around.
"Thank you, Third Prince, for your help." Her voice was hoarse and her legs were a little weak.
Naturally, she also wanted to live a few more years.
Xiao Wangqing's eyes quickly swept over her and Shen Anyu. After confirming that everything was fine, he nodded slightly, his voice still calm: "It's just a piece of cake."
His gaze lingered on the little girl's tearful face for a moment, then quickly shifted to look at Xiao Lingjun who was walking quickly towards him.
Xiao Lingjun's face turned pale. The sudden change just now had obviously made him lose his composure. He quickly walked over to Shen Zhiwei and grabbed her arm with such force that she frowned slightly.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" His voice was tense, with shock, anger and fear in his eyes. He looked her up and down carefully, and only after confirming that she was fine did he suddenly hug her tightly in his arms.
The hug was brief and intense, nearly suffocating Shen Zhiwei. He then released her and turned to the still-sobbing Shen Anyu. His tone softened, yet still stern: "Anyu! Why were you so reckless just now? If it weren't for Third Brother's precise archery skills, you and your sister wouldn't be alive right now!"
After being scolded by him, Shen Anyu cried even harder, sobbing, "I... I saw the horse rushing over, and I was afraid it would hit my sister... I... I didn't think too much... Wuwu... Prince brother, I was wrong..."
She cried pitifully, her eyes were red and swollen, like a child who had done something wrong and was extremely frightened.
Xiao Lingjun looked at her like this, but he didn't scold her anymore. He just frowned and shouted to the guards who came rushing over, "Investigate! Investigate immediately! Why did the horse suddenly get frightened? Where is the groom?!"
The scene was in chaos. The guards hurriedly took control of the scene, calmed the frightened horses and the crowd, dragged the dead horse away, and searched for the groom who had caused the trouble.
Shen Zhiwei gently broke free from Xiao Lingjun's hand and continued to comfort her sister in her arms. She looked at Shen Anyu's red eyes and nose, and recalled the scene when she had stood in front of her before, and her heart couldn't help but soften.
It was so dangerous just now, and her first reaction was to rush over to protect herself.
"Okay, don't cry, An Yu, it's okay," she coaxed softly, gently wiping the tears from her sister's face with a handkerchief. "Don't be so impulsive next time. When you encounter danger, you must protect yourself first, understand?"
"Hmm... Hmm..." Shen Anyu nodded with sobs, leaning dependently in her arms, his hands still tightly grasping the corner of her clothes.
Xiao Wangqing had already handed the bow to the attendant behind him and stood silently by, watching the guards deal with the scene.
Xiao Lingjun's anger had not subsided, and the air pressure around him was extremely low. The manager of the horse farm had already rolled and knelt on the ground, kowtowing and apologizing.
After some investigation, the negligent groom was quickly found. He was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and replied tremblingly, saying that the foal was usually very docile, but for some reason it was suddenly frightened by the sparks flying from the stands, and thus suddenly went crazy.
Sounds like an accident.
Xiao Lingjun's face was gloomy, and he obviously didn't believe it completely, but there was no more evidence at the moment, so he had to detain all the people and interrogate them in detail later.
After this incident, all interest in enjoying the scenery was gone.
Xiao Lingjun had no intention of staying any longer and immediately ordered the carriage to return to the palace. He personally sent Shen Zhiwei and Shen Anyu to the carriage, his face still grim, and ordered the guards to protect them strictly.
The carriage drove away from the horse farm. Shen Anyu's eyes were still a little red and swollen. She leaned listlessly on Shen Zhiwei's shoulder, her fingers unconsciously twisting her sister's belt, and occasionally sniffing.
The thrill of the racecourse just now seemed to have exhausted her energy, and the little girl was unusually quiet at the moment.
"Are you scared?" Shen Zhiwei asked in a low voice, brushing away the slightly messy hair on her forehead with his fingertips.
Chen Anyu hummed softly and shrank into her arms, her voice a little nasal: "It's just... I'm suddenly so scared..." She paused, raised her face, and her eyes were red again, "Sister, you just... why did you turn around just now? If that horse hoof fell..."
"Silly talk," Shen Zhiwei interrupted her, speaking more slowly, "Didn't you also rush over to protect your elder sister? Our An Yu has grown up and knows how to protect her sister."
Shen Anyu’s eyelashes trembled, and she lowered her eyes, buried her face deeper into Shen Zhiwei’s shoulder, and said sullenly: “But I almost hurt you…”
“Who can predict the unexpected?” Shen Zhiwei patted her back gently, “It’s all in the past, don’t think about it anymore.”
"Sister...will you always treat me like this?"
Shen Zhiwei was confused by the question and thought about it seriously.
"Yes." I guess so.
"Then...then An Yu will do the same! Treat my sister very well."
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