Chapter 63 Long Summer Days "Quickly stop her horse! That's a cliff over there!"
Jiang Ce said, "Greetings, Your Highness."
Yu Lang crossed his arms and walked to Jiang Ce's side. Seeing Jiang Ce's dejected appearance, he asked, "You're not so heartbroken because of that girl, are you?"
In fact, she had noticed that Xue Chan had been listless lately. She had been quiet and drank a lot during the meal, only responding with a smile when her name was mentioned.
Zheng Shaoyu was very talkative and complained to her a couple of times that Jiang Ce was very absent-minded.
She saw Jiang Ce return looking listless when he went upstairs.
Jiang Ce did not respond immediately, but leaned on the railing to watch the water play.
Just then, the performance on the lake reached its climax, eliciting cheers from the shore. He, however, let out a long sigh and lowered his head.
"..." Yu Lang couldn't stand people being coy and pretentious, so he snorted coldly and rebuked them in a stern voice: "A true man stands between heaven and earth. The Marquis of Wu'an's family has been loyal, brave and resolute for generations. How can you be so coy and pretentious!"
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Ce jumped up immediately, as if he had been poked in the foot.
"What's wrong with men? What's wrong with women? The world is vast, can't I be coy and pretentious? So what if I shed a couple of tears and sob on the ground? It's not like heaven is going to take me away!"
Yu Lang saw that he had been looking half-dead, but now that he had been provoked, he dared to argue back.
"......"
Yu Lang remained silent, took a deep breath, and suppressed the urge to punch him.
If it weren't for their familial ties and the bond of growing up together, she would have had him beaten so badly he couldn't get out of bed long ago.
She gave a cold laugh and said sarcastically, "If you're so capable and so good at arguing, why don't you go and argue with her!"
"Me!" Jiang Ce said defiantly for a moment, then softened.
"...I don't have that ability."
Yu Lang finally couldn't help but roll his eyes at him.
Oh well, she was magnanimous and too lazy to argue with this "dead man".
"You're quite the talker." She shook her head helplessly, somewhat exasperated. "Whether you're being coy or pretentious, you're just too weak-willed and pathetic. She's angry, she's annoyed, she's ignoring you, are you just going to give up like that? Or are you planning to get married like this and spend the rest of your life like this?"
Her barrage of questions left Jiang Ce dizzy and disoriented, feeling irritable and helpless.
"Easy for you to say." Jiang Ce glanced sideways, his eyes weary. "If I had a better chance, why would I be standing here in the wind?"
As he spoke, he became slightly annoyed: "If Your Highness is so capable, why don't you give it a try?"
He turned and leaned against the long railing, then closed his eyes and sighed deeply: "Not to mention anything else, now we can't even see each other, let alone reconcile."
Yu Lang's eyes darted around, and he smiled with his hands behind his back, saying leisurely, "If you're not capable, don't underestimate others."
Jiang Ce became alert, straightened up, and frowned: "Your Highness, you—"
"Don't worry, I have my own plans." Yu Lang simply waved his hand.
Jiang Ce wanted to say something more, but she raised her hand to stop him, twirled her skirt and left: "Jiang Bozhou, you'll have to bow and thank me when the time comes."
The heat continued until evening during the Dragon Boat Festival, but Xue Chan decided to go back home because of the summer heat.
As soon as she came downstairs, she saw Yu Lang's carriage parked there in a blatant manner. Qing Luan stepped forward with an umbrella and said with a smile, "Miss Xue, His Highness has something to say to you. Please get in the carriage."
Xue Chan got into the carriage, where Yu Lang was sitting lazily reclining.
"Your Highness."
"You're here, please have a seat."
Xue Chan gently sat down to one side, and as soon as she was settled, Yu Lang slightly raised his eyes.
"I heard you suffer from summer heat."
She paused for a moment, not quite understanding why she said that, and simply nodded.
"There are some, but it's not as serious as people say, at home..."
Yu Lang said calmly, "Since it's so hot in the summer, then come with me to Fanglu Mountain to escape the heat."
Her sudden invitation left Xue Chan somewhat bewildered.
"Your Highness's invitation is too much for me to refuse, but I haven't yet informed my uncle and aunt. Please allow me to go back and make some preparations before heading to Your Highness's residence."
"No need," Yu Lang tossed the book aside, flicked his wrist, and the carriage started moving.
"I have already sent someone to inform you. As for anything else, the villa on Fanglu Mountain has everything you need. Whatever you want, I will provide it. Do you think I would wrong you?"
"How could that be?"
"If that's the case, then let's not say any more."
Yu Lang was too lazy to speak, so she didn't say anything either, and sat silently the whole way.
Xue Chan was thus half-forced and half-carried by Yu Lang to Qingyin Terrace on Fanglu Mountain to escape the summer heat.
She stayed at Qingyintai for three days, spending her days eating, sleeping, reading, and painting.
It was pleasant, but she couldn't figure out what Yu Lang meant. Yu Lang was just idly beckoning her to make a painting, write a couple of words, and frame it.
May has passed in the blink of an eye, and the weather is getting hotter. In the evening, the sky is clear and bright.
Xue Chan was pulled away by her and they took a walk on the path behind Qingyin Terrace.
The two walked one after the other along the tree-lined path, surrounded by lush vegetation, the cicadas' chirping gradually fading away.
Xue Chan walked slightly behind her, without saying a word the whole way.
Yu Lang saw that she was hanging her head, just like the drooping plants beside her. After thinking about it for a while, she still felt that she didn't like beating around the bush, so she simply said it directly.
"Did you and Jiang Bozhou have a fight?"
Xue Chan was silent for a moment, then replied, "No."
"Stop lying," Yu Lang glanced at her indifferently, casually breaking off a flower and playing with it in his hand. "Isn't it better to just talk things out?"
Xue Chan replied, "I don't want to talk to him."
"Then I'll make him apologize to you?"
"I don't think it's necessary."
"..."
Xue Chan kept her head slightly lowered and remained silent.
Why are you so stubborn?
"I'm afraid I don't want to eat it, why do I have to eat it?"
Yu Lang was taken aback by her direct words and became somewhat impatient.
"Fine, whatever."
It was just her meddling anyway. He wasn't her sweetheart, so why was she getting involved? Jiang Ce should just scratch his head and worry about it.
The two walked along the tree-lined path and entered a pavilion halfway up the mountain to sit and enjoy the evening breeze.
Xue Chan leaned idly against the railing, gazing into the distance as dusk fell. Not far away was the Wei River, with wisps of green smoke rising straight up from its banks.
The Wei River flows eastward through a forest, where a white wall can be faintly seen, with pavilions and black tiles shimmering slightly.
"Is that also His Highness's villa?"
Yu Lang glanced at it: "That was the garden of a famous man from the previous dynasty, named 'Ai Garden'. I don't know who owns it now."
Xue Chan gave a soft "Oh".
"What, you don't like my Green Shade Terrace?"
"How could that be?" Xue Chan smiled.
Yu Lang replied, "In fact, Qingyin Terrace is not as luxurious as other villas, but it was built by my father for my mother."
As if recalling the past, she became exceptionally gentle. The setting sun cast a pale golden glow on her face.
"My mother was extremely skilled in riding and archery. There was even a small training ground behind Qingyin Terrace. My father ascended the throne, but my mother never came here. Later, she bestowed it upon me."
Then, my mother passed away.
Xue Chan listened quietly, but saw several tall and splendid clumps of flowers and trees beside the tree-lined path swaying softly in the summer sunshine.
She suddenly remembered that there was a hollyhock in Yuchuan's home, which her mother had planted with her when she was a child.
It's early summer now, so the hollyhocks in my house must have bloomed by now, right?
Perhaps she should write back and ask, as she hasn't written to her father in a while.
The two continued their stroll along the tree-lined path, walking around halfway before turning back.
Yu Lang couldn't help but pinch her somewhat thin face and click his tongue twice: "I haven't treated you badly, so why can't you handle any nourishment?"
Xue Chan could only smile and say, "Your Highness, everything here is fine, but my body is made of grass and wood, unlike your golden body, so I am naturally unable to bear the wealth and blessings of the imperial family."
"Tch," Yu Lang chuckled, mercilessly shattering these empty pleasantries. "Stop talking to me like that. You just don't want to stay here with me."
She walked ahead with her hands behind her back, and lightly jumped: "But you won't be able to stay for more than two days."
Xue Chan was slightly surprised: "Does Your Highness intend to let me go back?"
"Release?" Yu Lang frowned slightly and snorted, "It's as if you're not here to enjoy yourself, but to go to jail."
Xue Chan was somewhat embarrassed, her face flushed slightly from the summer heat: "I have troubled Your Highness for too long, it is time for me to go back."
Yu Lang said calmly, "My father has been staying at the Fanglu Mountain Palace to escape the summer heat and to conduct summer hunting rituals these past few days. I am going with him, so naturally you will have to come along too."
Summer hunting?
Her?
"But I don't know how to hunt."
Yu Lang said, "Who said you were going hunting? It's just that with you around, the Imperial Concubine can see you. Xia Miaoben is just a matter of etiquette. At most, you'll just be riding a horse and enjoying the breeze."
After saying that, she turned around and looked Xue Chan up and down.
"With your skills, you can't even draw a bow, let alone hunt."
She openly showed her disdain, but Xue Chan didn't eat the heart; instead, she smiled easily.
"I've heard that Your Highness is excellent at riding and archery. It's a great honor to be able to admire your demeanor."
Her words pleased Yu Lang greatly, putting him in a good mood.
"This is nothing. We're definitely going to Jiuhua Mountain for an autumn hunt this year. The hunting grounds there are huge. I'll make sure Father takes you with him."
Xue Chan smiled but didn't say anything.
Yu Lang was a man of his word, and the very next day he took Xue Chan to the imperial palace.
Unfortunately, Consort Xue suffered from heatstroke during the hunt due to the hot weather and developed a fever that night.
"Your Highness requests your presence."
Xue Chan had been attending to Consort Xue for the past few days since arriving at the palace. On this day, after taking care of Consort Xue's medicine, she received an invitation from Yu Lang to go hunting in the countryside.
She walked slowly down the corridor, then suddenly stopped.
A person was sitting under the eaves of the mountain corridor, talking quietly to the flowers peeking in.
He heard a slight noise, looked up, and was surprised to find Xue Chan standing on the stone steps, her expression calm and indifferent.
Jiang Ce was just sitting there in a daze when he unexpectedly ran into her, and was suddenly overjoyed.
“You…” He immediately stood up and stepped forward, wanting to speak to her.
Xue Chan stood on the stone steps, her gaze falling on his outstretched hand. She looked up again, a slight smile playing on her lips, and spoke softly and gently.
"Get out of the way."
Jiang Ce lowered his hands and clenched them behind his back, reluctantly taking two steps back and obediently making way.
Xue Chan quickly disappeared at the end of the mountain corridor.
It was called a hunting trip, but it was really just a formality. Besides, it was quite hot in early summer, so Yu Lang invited Xue Chan just to watch them ride horses and shoot arrows, while he himself strolled leisurely around the hillside.
She just couldn't stand the heat; even though it was morning, she still felt a little dizzy.
"It's you."
As Xue Chan looked up, Bao Jia walked over with his arms crossed.
The two had some past grievances, and she was too lazy to pay attention to her. After bowing, she prepared to leave.
Baojia walked up and said with a smile, "You're taking care of the child all by yourself. Are you ashamed because you don't know how to ride a horse?"
Xue Chan said, "I'm not the only one in the world who can't ride a horse, so what's there to be ashamed of?"
There are a lot of fallacies and strange theories.
Baojia frowned, wondering why Yulang had summoned her if she couldn't ride or shoot.
But then she thought about it again and simply slung her bow and arrows over her shoulder and said with a smile, "You look so bored wandering around here by yourself. I'll find someone to teach you how to ride a horse."
Xue Chan didn't find it boring, but Bao Jia was very forceful and dragged her away.
She couldn't ride a horse, so palace servants led her around and she learned slowly.
Perhaps she really didn't want to learn to ride a horse, so no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't learn well. Even the gentlest horse made her feel dizzy from the jostling.
Xue Chan knew that Bao Jia was using the excuse of teaching horsemanship to spar with her again.
The horse beneath her grew impatient and lunged forward. The palace servants lost their grip, and Xue Chan tumbled off.
Half of her body was almost touching the ground when she was supported on both sides and pulled back onto the horse.
Xue Chan took a couple of breaths, her arms being pulled by Yu Lang and Jiang Ce respectively. The two men rode their horses, sandwiching her between them, and helped her sit up.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she said to Yulang.
Yu Lang looked at Jiang Ce, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and suddenly curled his lips into a smile: "Fine, since he's here anyway, I'll go find Bao Jia and Yang Jun to play with."
"I'm going too!"
Xue Chan wanted to follow, but she couldn't ride a horse and couldn't control it, so she couldn't catch up at all and instead startled the horse again.
Jiang Ce silently reached out and steadied the horse: "Don't be too nervous, horses are very intelligent."
Xue Chan gripped the reins tightly and couldn't help but kick him: "The palace servants will teach you, no need for you to worry."
With her resisting, Jiang Ce obediently steered his horse a little further away. Even though Xue Chan was diligently learning to ride, she could still sense him following her at a distance.
Jiang Ce rode his horse nearby with Zheng Shaoyu and the others, keeping an eye on their safety and glancing at Xue Chan every now and then.
However, she learns things very quickly, and before long she had already gotten the hang of it.
Having found some enjoyment in horseback riding, Xue Chan couldn't help but feel calmer and became more focused. She could even move around independently within a certain area, free from the close guidance of the palace servants.
It's almost noon now, and the sun is getting increasingly scorching.
"Miss Xue, let's stop here for now. His Highness and the others are also heading back."
Having discovered some of the joy of horseback riding, and with Jiang Ce not around to get in her way, Xue Chan was much happier.
When she turned around, she realized that she was already some distance away from Yu Lang and the others.
"drive!"
Xue Chan heard a rapid sound of horses' hooves, and saw Bao Jia galloping towards her with a smile on his face.
Baojia sped past, and because he was too close, he startled Xue Chan's horse, which immediately became frenzied and charged wildly, carrying Xue Chan away into the distance.
Yu Lang turned around and, seeing the situation, shouted, "Quickly stop her horse! There's a cliff over there!"
A shadow rushed out at breakneck speed.
Baojia was also startled by the commotion, and the whip in his hand fell to the ground while he was still on his horse.
"How could this be? It shouldn't be like this. How could the palace horses be so unperturbed...?"
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