race
"It's really strange that the Censor-in-Chief would allow his daughter to learn horseback riding and archery!" Wei Shu deliberately observed Jiang Jin's expression.
"I learn horseback riding and archery because I enjoy it, and others learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting simply because they enjoy them. General, you wouldn't even want to control my likes and dislikes, would you?" Jiang Jin naturally wouldn't let Wei Shu see through her.
“Imperial Censor Jiang is self-disciplined and a good father, but the fact that he allowed you to marry me suggests that he values his other daughters more.”
"General Wei, so you know that people avoid you like the plague. But my elder sister is already married, my third sister is in poor health, and my fourth sister has just come of age. What's so strange about me marrying you?" Jiang Jin's expression changed slightly, and she ignored Wei Shu.
"You're really protecting the Jiang family!" Wei Shu lifted the curtain and looked out the window. "We're almost at the horse ranch, you should get ready!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the carriage came to a smooth stop. Wei Shu got off the carriage and took Jiang Jin's hand. "Zhou Liao, come in. The rest of you, surround the horse farm and don't let a single fly get out!"
"Yes!" The Imperial Guards formed an orderly circle around the horse farm.
"Let's go, Madam!" Wei Shu led Jiang Jin to the stable. "You can choose any of these horses you like. If you lose one, don't blame my horse."
"General, rest assured, I am not the kind of person who cannot admit defeat!" Jiang Jin slowly walked to a reddish-brown horse.
"I want it!" The girl, dressed in a red dress, wore a smug smile, a stark contrast to her submissive and respectful demeanor at the Jiang residence.
"Bring Huoyun out!" Wei Shu gave the order, and several men emerged from the shadows, swiftly leading Huoyun out.
"Madam, please go first!" Zhou Liao stood respectfully to one side, beside a black steed.
"Then I shall respectfully accept your offer!" Jiang Jin nimbly mounted his horse and pulled on the reins. The horse neighed and surprisingly obeyed Jiang Jin.
"General, what's this?" Wei Shu glanced at him, but Zhou Liao quickly put aside his disdain and mounted his horse.
"Military Advisor Zhou, don't hold back!"
As a whistle rang out in the distance, Zhou Liao's steed galloped out. "Madam, it seems your horse doesn't obey you!"
"The competition has only just begun; it's too early to make grand pronouncements. Fire Cloud Chariot!"
As if understanding Jiang Jin's command, the steed beneath him charged towards the black horse, shouting, "Military Advisor Zhou, now it's my turn to overtake you!"
The sound of hooves echoed throughout the riding arena as the young girl on horseback, holding the reins, raced over numerous obstacles alongside her steed.
Although the red horse was ahead and behind the black horse, it was clear to anyone with eyes that it was more stable. Jiang Jin reached the finish line first, but she didn't stop and rode towards Wei Shu.
"General, may I borrow your arrows?" Wei Shu nodded slightly as he looked at Jiang Jin in the distance, and a servant quickly presented Wei Shu with his bow and arrows.
"Catch!"
Jiang Jin stood up and caught the arrow steadily. He then mounted his horse, nocked the arrow, and fired at the distant birds.
“Wei Shu, my horsemanship is in no way inferior to your Imperial Guards!” Jiang Jin swiftly bent down, picked up the bird, and landed it steadily in front of Wei Shu.
"Excellent horsemanship!" Wei Shu couldn't help but clap and cheer. "Zhou Liao, starting tomorrow, the Imperial Guards must intensify their training in horsemanship and archery."
"Yes!" Zhou Liao looked at Jiang Jin with admiration. "Madam's horsemanship is almost on par with the general's."
"You flatter me!" Jiang Jin jumped off his horse and walked to Wei Shu's side. "I have won the competition. General, you must keep your promise."
"Of course, I'm not one to go back on my word." Wei Shu couldn't help but laugh as he looked at Jiang Jin's unrestrained and flamboyant smile.
"Shall we go back to the manor now?" Jiang Jin looked at Huo Yun with some reluctance.
"Since we're here, why don't we ride a few more laps?" Wei Shu mounted his horse.
"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Once back on horseback, Jiang Jin, like a carefree fairy, shed her heavy shell and returned to her true nature.
"General, rumors say you are an excellent rider. Why don't you let me see for myself today!" Jiang Jin said arrogantly, pulling on the reins.
"Very well, how could I refuse my wife's request!" Wei Shu gripped the reins and galloped off into the distance. Jiang Jin, not to be outdone, gave chase. The two, one in black and one in red, rode freely across the riding arena. Meanwhile, someone in the distance was watching the situation closely.
"Your Highness, it seems Second Madam is ready to go to Yuezhou." The clothing shop manager stood respectfully beside the woman.
"See? The marriage I helped arrange turned out quite well, didn't it?" the woman said with a smile, brushing away the foam from her cup.
"Your Highness is incredibly insightful; you were able to see at a glance that he is truly a celestial being."
"What a pity..." the woman glanced at the person beside her, "This can't go on forever."
"Yes, I'll arrange it right away!" The shopkeeper left the long building, and the woman stood on the high place looking at Jiang Jin. "Jin, don't let me down."
"Wei Shu, you're going to lose!" Jiang Jin sprinted with all her might, but Wei Shu beside her remained unhurried.
"That's not necessarily true!" The dark horse suddenly seemed to have divine assistance, overtaking the red horse and winning the race in one fell swoop.
"General's horsemanship is indeed superb; Jiang Jin is completely outmatched!" Both of them stopped their horses in unison.
"You're so young yet you've reached such a level; you have a bright future ahead of you. If you ever hit a bottleneck, just come and ask me, and I'll teach you everything I know!" Wei Shu finally spoke his true feelings on the horse track.
"Then I'll take your kind words, General!" Jiang Jin exclaimed, riding his fiery cloud swiftly towards the stables, stopping and dismounting in one fluid motion.
"You're quite fast." Wei Shu then appeared behind Jiang Jin. "Alright, let's go back to the manor!"
Jiang Jin quickly composed herself, instantly transforming into a gentle and serene woman. Wei Shu found this amusing and took Jiang Jin's arm, asking, "Madam, have you also learned face-changing?"
"The general is no better than me, is he?" The two walked intimately out of the horse farm and rode back to the city in one carriage.
"I'm going back to my parents' home tomorrow. Will my husband come with me?" Jiang Jin ate several pieces of pastry before she could stop feeling hungry.
"Of course, rumors are circulating in the capital that I have deep feelings for you. How could I let my wife go alone this time?" Wei Shu replied calmly, wiping his bow and arrows.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, my husband." Both of them were preoccupied with their own plans, which somewhat reduced other emotions.
Jiang Jin woke up just after 3 a.m. on the day of her return visit to her parents' home. She looked up and saw Wei Shu dressed in his official robes. "This is the first time I've seen you before court. I didn't expect you to have the habit of getting up early!"
"It was my fault. How about I personally undress you when you return tonight?" Jiang Jin sat on the couch with her hair disheveled, her dark eyes fixed on Wei Shu.
"Alright, then Madam will have to practice diligently!" Wei Shu left the room with a smile.
"My lady, would you like to eat?" Ah Bei brought over a copper basin and placed it on the shelf, then carefully ironed the clothes he was wearing for his homecoming visit today.
"No need. Just send the letter to the clothing store to get back the fabric I ordered a while ago." Jiang Jin handed the letter to Abei. "From now on, there's no need to contact the clothing store."
"Yes." Abei bowed and took his leave. Jiang Jin then packed her clothes in the room and headed to Yuezhou. It was summer, so she didn't need many clothes.
"Third Sister." A young girl climbed in through the window.
"Why are you back?" Jiang Jin asked the girl with some surprise. "Have you arranged everything for His Highness?"
"I came back secretly; I have to rush back soon." The girl handed the hairpin to Jiang Jin.
"To add to your makeup!"
"Ziyuan, how can you do this? If His Highness finds out, he'll scold you again." Jiang Jin reluctantly accepted the hairpin.
"I traveled day and night to get back, why are you criticizing me the moment we meet?" Zi Yuan huffed, feeling wronged.
"I'll be leaving the capital soon to go to Yuezhou with Wei Shu. You must be careful with your words and actions, and absolutely do not act so recklessly again!" Jiang Jin sighed helplessly and patted Zi Yuan's hand.
"This is the residence of the Imperial Guard General. Don't come here unless absolutely necessary. I don't know what kind of sentries Wei Shu has here." Jiang Jin quickly walked to the window and lifted a corner of it.
"I've heard that Wei Shu treats you with great care; everyone in the capital says the mad dog has changed his ways!" Zi Yuan watched Jiang Jin from the shadows.
"Do you believe it? Wei Shu is a very cunning man. If he could fall in love with me in the next two or three days, it would be a real disservice to his ruthless nature." Jiang Jin glanced at the servants resting outside.
"Let's hurry up and leave, or we won't be able to leave if Wei Shu goes to court." Jiang Jin opened the window for Zi Yuan.
"Understood, then see you in the capital next time!" Zi Yuan quickly flipped out of the Wei residence, and Jiang Jin breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her.
After dawn, Jiang Jin was once again organizing the gifts for the bride's return visit. "Wife, they've been delivered!" Abei took the fabric back and shook his head slightly.
"Let's put these fabrics in the homecoming gifts for Third and Fourth Mistresses," Jiang Jin said with a smile, touching the fine fabric.
"My lady, the general should probably finish court soon. Should we warm up his breakfast?" Abei asked Jiang Jin while rewrapping the gifts.
"Yes, serve the meal when the general returns." Jiang Jin inserted the hairpin Zi Yuan had given her into her hair.
"My lady, the general is back!" the maidservant announced from the doorway. "The general invites you to dine in his study."
"Let's go." Jiang Jin lifted her skirt and walked into the courtyard. "Madam, the cloak!"
Ah Bei draped the cloak over Jiang Jin's shoulders. After arriving at the study, Ah Bei tactfully remained outside the door, allowing Jiang Jin to enter alone.
"General," Jiang Jin said, removing her cloak and looking at the breakfast on the table, "why the change of taste?"
"This is a gift from His Majesty. We will set off for Yuezhou tonight." Wei Shu placed a bowl of hot porridge in front of Jiang Jin. "If you have anything to pack, you should pack it as soon as possible."
"I understand. If we set off at night, what about the curfew?" Jiang Jin sipped her porridge, pondering the unusual situation.
"Don't be afraid. The General of the Imperial Guard will let us go. We can just leave the city gate." Wei Shu glanced at Jiang Jin indifferently. "Are you scared already?"
"Of course not. I was just thinking that the journey would be extraordinary, and it might be a bit too weak to only bring Zhou Cong and Zhou Liao?"
“More people would be a burden, and besides, the rest will enter Yuezhou in batches so we won’t be left isolated.” Wei Shu put down his chopsticks. “Today is your homecoming; you should know what to do.”
"General, rest assured, my relationship with you is very loving." Jiang Jin wiped his mouth with his handkerchief. "If there is nothing else, then please come back to the manor with me."
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