After a short bumpy ride, they arrived at the Nanxun Palace. The eunuch carefully led Yun Qianmeng into the Qinfeng Hall next to the Imperial Garden. They saw that the hall was already full of officials from both countries. Nan Lan, who was rumored to be ill, was sitting next to Emperor Feng Jing, and she and Nan Hongye were serving Emperor Feng Jing's meals!
"Princess Xichuchu has arrived!" Following the eunuch's loud shout, Yun Qianmeng led Yuan Dong and walked into the Qinfeng Palace with leisurely steps!
As calm and composed as ever, the faint smile on her lips always maintained the princess's dignified beauty. Her noble temperament and appropriate manners made everyone who was originally drinking from cups stop what they were doing and look at the Princess of Chu who had almost died at the hands of an assassin not long ago. They felt that this woman was really different. The calmness and wisdom in her eyes as black as beautiful jade were able to catch everyone's attention in an instant even if she did not speak!
When Nan Lan heard the eunuch's report, her hand that was originally picking up food for Emperor Feng Jing tightened slightly, and the food on the tip of the chopsticks instantly fell into the bowl. She narrowed her eyes and stared at Yun Qianmeng, who was even more dazzling today, with a dangerous gleam!
The bright orange long skirt was covered with a layer of orange-pink tulle, and the gladiolus on the hem of the skirt was elegant and exquisite. The combination of cool and warm colors was just right, making Yun Qianmeng look both elegant and dignified and approachable. Coupled with Yun Qianmeng's original cool and unworldly temperament, it was really eye-catching!
Especially since Yun Qianmeng's skin was originally fair and delicate, and the bright orange color made her face look as smooth as white jade and her eyebrows and eyes as picturesque, instantly overshadowing Nan Lan who was also dressed up carefully today!
Nan Lan looked down at her lavender outfit. Although it looked noble, it lacked a bit of vitality compared to the bright orange one!
She had originally thought of wearing the same colored clothes as Chu Feiyang to hint to the world about her upcoming identity, but she didn't expect to be overshadowed by Yun Qianmeng's brightly colored dress!
Nan Lan frowned slightly, then smiled again, picked up the vegetables that had just fallen into the bowl and placed them on the small plate in front of Emperor Feng Jing, and said filially, "Father, this is the bamboo shoots specially made for you by the imperial kitchen. Please try it!"
"Princess Xichuchu greets Emperor Fengjing of Nanxun!" Under the astonished gaze of everyone, Yun Qianmeng walked steadily to the center of the hall step by step, and bowed to Emperor Fengjing with elegant movements!
"You are so polite, Princess! Please take a seat!" Emperor Feng Jing glanced at Nan Lan's expression and then spoke politely!
"Thank you, Emperor Feng Jing!" After receiving the reply from Emperor Feng Jing, Yuan Dong immediately helped Yun Qianmeng up. Seeing Chu Feiyang sitting on the seat on the right side of the hall, the two walked into the room!
"Thank you for your hard work!" At this time, Chu Feiyang had already put down the teacup in his hand. Seeing Yun Qianmeng sitting next to him, he spoke with a faint smile!
A faint smile slowly appeared on Yun Qianmeng's lotus-like face, and then she nodded slightly towards Chu Feiyang, but did not speak!
Nan Yijun was rather curious to see how polite the Prince and Princess Chu had become today. His gaze could not help but linger on Yun Qianmeng for a moment before he turned to Chu Feiyang with a warm expression, "Prince Chu, our Emperor specially invited His Majesty and Princess to a banquet today in the hope of resolving any misunderstandings between them!"
After speaking, Nan Yijun turned his gaze towards Emperor Feng Jing and Nan Lan, and then spoke, "Your Majesty, what I just said was correct, wasn't it? And since the Princess of Chu agreed to attend the banquet today, I believe she also wanted to resolve the rift between the two sides! Princess Nan Lan, what do you think?"
Seeing that Nan Yijun had spoken before her father, acting as if he were the host of the palace banquet, Nan Lan's heart flashed with anger, but she smiled brilliantly. She nodded kindly to Nan Yijun and spoke on behalf of the ailing Emperor Feng Jing, "Uncle Wang is truly a pillar of Nanxun. He has spoken for me what I wanted to say!"
As he spoke, Nan Lan picked up the wine glass in front of him and turned to Yun Qianmeng. He then raised the wine glass in his hand and smiled at Yun Qianmeng. "Uncle Wang has already sent people to investigate. The assassins a few days ago were remnants of the previous dynasty. I, Nan Xun, have already sent troops to encircle and eliminate them! I beg your forgiveness for disturbing the princess!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng and Chu Feiyang exchanged a glance, but Yun Qianmeng didn't raise the wine glass in front of her. Instead, Chu Feiyang sneered and said, "How bizarre! This remnant of the previous dynasty chose to show up when my princess was visiting the Prime Minister's residence, rather than earlier. And Prime Minister Wan knew that the Regent and other prominent figures would be present that day, so why didn't he take precautions? How can this be resolved with just an apology? If something goes wrong, who will take the responsibility?"
Unexpectedly, Chu Feiyang did not give Nan Lan any face in front of the court officials of the two countries. A few questions made Nan Lan's face turn pale, and the knuckles holding the wine glass were obviously raised. If she had not paid attention to the identity of the princess at this time, she would have been angry long ago!
"The King of Chu is a military commander, so he naturally understands that the remnants of the previous dynasty are omnipresent! Even if Prime Minister Wan had made sufficient preparations that day, I'm afraid they would have other ways to sneak into the Prime Minister's Mansion! And the princess also indirectly saved the life of the princess that day. Doesn't this eliminate the anger in the heart of the King of Chu?" Seeing Nan Lan speechless for a moment, Nan Yijun immediately spoke out to help, and his words also reminded Chu Feiyang not to forget Nan Lan's life-saving grace to the Princess of Chu, and reminded the King and his wife of Chu not to be ungrateful!
Upon hearing Nan Yijun's words, Chu Feiyang's eyes suddenly turned cold, his face already covered in chill. His clear and slightly cold voice slowly rang out, "If the princess hadn't led the assassin to my princess that day, how could my princess be in danger? If the princess hadn't invited my princess to the backyard of the Prime Minister's Mansion, how could my princess be frightened? Regent, don't you think all this is too coincidental? Although I haven't spoken about this matter before, it doesn't mean that I don't understand it in my heart!"
Nan Lan saw that Chu Feiyang was obsessed with Yun Qianmeng's shock and was even trying to uncover the truth, while Yun Qianmeng was sitting calmly beside him, so she changed her target and said to Yun Qianmeng, who seemed unusually quiet today, "Princess Chu, I only asked you that day and I have already apologized today. Please persuade the King of Chu not to hold on to this matter and have the guards of Western Chu withdraw from Prime Minister Wan's residence!"
When Yuan Dong saw Nan Lan actually gave such an order to his own princess, a hint of anger rose in his eyes, and then he looked at the princess sitting in front of him with some worry!
Yun Qianmeng pursed her lips and smiled, then spoke softly, "The princess seems to have forgotten that when she led the assassin towards me, I saved her life! Not only did I save her, but I also lost a golden hairpin that my mother had left for me! So, who owes the princess more, me or her? I'm sure everyone here has an idea of this!"
As soon as these words were spoken, whispers suddenly broke out in the hall!
Be it the officials of Western Chu or the courtiers of Southern Xun, none of them had expected that there would be such a scene before Princess Nanlan rescued Princess Chu. If what Princess Chu said was true, then Princess Nanlan was really shameless!
It was the Princess of Chu who saved her first, but the other party kept silent about it for many days, not wanting to cause too much controversy!
However, Princess Nanlan has been making a big fuss about her act of saving people, and even threatened the King of Chu and his wife. This move is really unbecoming of a princess, and it has really brought shame to Nanxun!
Among them, the one who talked the most was the Western Chu official sitting behind Chu Feiyang!
"Excuse me Princess, is what our princess said true?" A civil servant, whose face turned slightly red due to anger, stood up and asked loudly to Nan Lan, who looked embarrassed at the moment, with a hint of anger!
"Emperor Feng Jing doesn't know that our princess lost her mother when she was young. Madam Yun's belongings are extremely precious to her, but she used Madam Yun's belongings to save the princess. It can be seen that the princess has a sense of justice! But I didn't expect that the princess would force her like this. Is she bullying us because we are in Nanxun now?" Another civil servant spoke immediately, his look filled with righteous indignation, and he wished he could burn through Nanlan with the anger in his eyes!
"What the Regent just said was the remnants of the previous dynasty! The Regent has been in charge of the government for your emperor for many years, but he still hasn't solved this problem. It's obvious that the Regent is not capable of this task. It's better to replace him with someone else!" At this time, Lu Xin, who had been smiling sinisterly and watching the joke, suddenly spoke, and his spearhead was directed at Nan Yijun, as if he would not give up until Nan Yijun was brought down!
Unexpectedly, Nan Yijun was not Nan Lan. He became unstable after hearing a few harsh and questioning words. His face was as gloomy as water and his expression was indifferent. Even when he looked at Lu Xin, he still smiled faintly and did not respond to Lu Xin's provocation!
"General Hu Wei, what do you mean? Our regent is deeply trusted by the emperor and has been managing the government for many years. What qualifications do you have to slander our regent like this?" Nanxun's ministers would naturally not let the officials of Xichu gain the upper hand. At this time, one of Nan Yijun's confidants questioned Lu Xin, and his words were full of defense for Nan Yijun!
At this time, Chu Feiyang glanced at Emperor Feng Jing who was sitting above. He saw that he looked pale and weak, but his seemingly lifeless eyes raised their eyes when the minister spoke. Presumably, Emperor Feng Jing was taking advantage of the debate between the ministers of the two countries to collect the information he wanted!
But how could Nan Yijun allow all of his people to be exposed under the nose of Emperor Feng Jing? With the wine glass in his hand turning slightly, Nan Yijun shot a sharp gaze at Lu Xin and said calmly, "Even if they are the remnants of the previous dynasty, they are also the internal affairs of Nanxun. What does it have to do with General Hu Wei? If you have the leisure to care about the affairs of other countries, General Hu Wei should think more about your own retreat!"
However, Lu Xin showed no fear of Nan Yijun's threats. A ferocious expression shone through his sneer. He then retorted, "If the Regent is as powerful as you claim, why hasn't he wiped out the remnants of the previous dynasty yet? Or are Nan Xun's army a bunch of cowards?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a strong smell of gunpowder suddenly filled the hall. The officials of both countries disliked each other, especially the officials of Nanxun, who shot their eyes at Lu Xin like sharp blades, wishing they could take off Lu Xin's head immediately!
"What's the matter, General Hu Wei, do you want to see the strength of my Nanxun army? I'm afraid that with your identity as General Hu Wei, you are not qualified!" Being laughed at, Nan Lan, as a princess of a country, naturally resented it in her heart!
If Yun Qianmeng hadn't taken the lead today due to his poor chess skills, how could Nan Xun have been mocked and insulted by that burly Lu Xin!
For a moment, Nan Lan's heart was filled with anger, and he wished he could immediately call upon Nan Xun's generals to fight against Lu Xin!
"Prince of Chu, Princess of Chu, how about this! Since General Hu Wei spoke rudely to me, Nan Xun, then Xi Chu and Nan Xun will have a hunting competition! If Nan Xun wins, the incident of Princess Chu being frightened will be over, and the guards of Xi Chu must withdraw from the Prime Minister's Mansion! What do you think?" Nan Lan didn't wait for Nan Yijun to speak. After exchanging glances with Emperor Feng Jing, he began to ask Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng!
"What if Xichu wins?" Chu Feiyang asked calmly!
Chu Feiyang's words made the ministers of Western Chu smile confidently, with Lu Xin's expression being the most obvious!
Nan Lan glanced at Yun Qianmeng, who was sitting next to Chu Feiyang, bit her lower lip slightly, and spoke after a while, "Then we'll discuss this after Xi Chu wins!"
Such denial made the officials of Western Chu really dissatisfied, and they all looked angry!
However, Chu Feiyang had not spoken yet, so they naturally did not dare to act rashly. They were just waiting for the King of Chu to gain more benefits for Western Chu!
"I wonder what Emperor Feng Jing and the Regent think! If Western Chu wins this hunting trip, what will your country's plan be?" Disdaining Nan Lan's answer, Chu Feiyang asked Emperor Feng Jing and Nan Yijun loudly!
Nan Yijun and Emperor Feng Jing exchanged a glance, and both of them knew in their hearts that Chu Feiyang must be taking advantage of this incident to increase bargaining chips for Xi Chu in the negotiations. They were both secretly annoyed. This Chu Feiyang was really shrewd and was always thinking about Xi Chu!
If we don't talk about good conditions now, if Xi Chu wins, I'm afraid Chu Feiyang will ask for an exorbitant price. Not only will the Prime Minister's Mansion be in jeopardy, but even the negotiations will be affected!
Thinking of this, Nan Yijun and Emperor Feng Jing exchanged glances again, each with their own thoughts. Nan Yijun smiled faintly and said, "If Xi Chu wins, then I will not force Your Majesty's guards to evacuate the Prime Minister's Mansion! Your Majesty also knows that Prime Minister Wan is the Prime Minister of a country. If Your Majesty sends troops to surround the Prime Minister's Mansion, wouldn't that embarrass me, Nan Xun? This is also our biggest concession!"
Between the country and the individual, Nan Yijun and Emperor Feng Jing made the decision at the same time, which was to protect Nanxun and abandon the Prime Minister's Mansion!
"Uncle Wang!" When Nan Lan heard Nan Yijun's reply to Chu Feiyang, she screamed in surprise!
Just as she was about to stand up and walk towards Nan Yijun, she was stopped by Emperor Feng Jing. "Lan'er, how can a girl like you be allowed to randomly get involved in state affairs?"
Emperor Feng Jing's voice was not loud, but his tone was firm and carried the authority that only an emperor could have. Even Nan Lan was shocked. Then, with a grim expression, he bowed to Emperor Feng Jing and said, "Your son will obey your father's order! I will return to the palace to change clothes first, and then go back to the hunting grounds!"
After she finished speaking, Nan Lan immediately left with the palace maids...
In the Nanxun Royal Hunting Ground...
Long before both parties decided to start hunting, the palace servants had already built a temporary tent for Emperor Feng Jing to rest!
After lunch, everyone moved to this grand and spacious hunting ground!
It was summer in Nanxun at that time. The grass on the hunting ground was lush green, and the woods in the distance were lush and verdant. Occasionally, a deer would leisurely run by, looking very relaxed and comfortable!
Just because of the arrival of these two hostile groups, the originally peaceful hunting ground was instantly plunged into a vortex of fighting, and the smell of gunpowder and competition filled the air!
"Your Highness, this time each side will send out ten people. Whoever hunts more prey within three hours will win! How about it?" Everyone came to the shaded tent, and Nan Yijun explained the rules of the game!
This rule is biased for Xi Chu!
After all, among the officials from Xichu who came to Nanxun this time, only Chu Feiyang and Lu Xin were military generals, while the rest of the entourage were all civil officials!
When everyone heard that Nan Yijun was actually taking advantage of Xi Chu's loophole to make up the rules, every look they gave Chu Feiyang was filled with worry, and they were increasingly dissatisfied with Nan Xun who was taking advantage of the loophole!
"Your Highness, the guards around me can be of use!" Even if Lu Xin was stupid, he still knew what was important at such a moment!
He approached Chu Feiyang and whispered his plan!
Chu Feiyang, however, remained calm and composed, leaving everyone in Nanxun unable to figure out his true identity. He listened calmly to the names Lu Xin reported, then nodded, agreeing with the people Lu Xin recommended. He then replied to Nan Yijun, "In that case, we will hunt according to the Regent's rules!"
After he finished speaking, Chu Feiyang looked at Yun Qianmeng who was sitting next to him, nodded to her, and was the first to step out of the tent!
The eunuchs outside had already prepared bows and arrows for both sides to use. The arrow feathers of the two sides were marked with different marks to avoid mistakes!
As Chu Feiyang and Nan Yijun mounted their horses at the same time, a horn sounded outside the tent, indicating that the competition had begun!
Chu Feiyang raised a confident smile, then clamped his legs around the horse's belly and rushed into the woods like an arrow...
Nan Yijun, however, looked suspiciously at Chu Feiyang, who was followed only by an unfamiliar guard. Recalling his rather cold relationship with Princess Chu today, Nan Yijun couldn't help but glance back at Princess Chu, who was now leisurely sipping tea in the tent. He quickly suppressed his doubts and, not lagging behind, raised his bow and arrow, striking the horse with force. The steed beneath him then galloped off into the jungle...
"Oh, I didn't expect that Uncle Wang and King Chu have already set off!" Half a cup of tea later, Nan Lan walked into the tent in a fiery red riding uniform. Seeing that only Emperor Feng Jing, Nan Hongye, and Yun Qianmeng were sitting inside, he spoke in surprise!
"Royal sister, you are a step too late. Uncle Wang and King Chu have already entered the woods to hunt! I'm afraid they have already set their sights on their prey!" Nan Hongye smiled and spoke when he saw his sister come in!
"I'm really late! I wanted to see the King of Chu's archery skills! It is said that the King of Chu can shoot an arrow through a willow leaf from a hundred paces away, and the bow and arrow are superb in his hands, but I didn't expect to miss it!" Seeing Nan Hongye's answer, Nan Lan half-lowered his eyes with some disappointment and walked to the side of Emperor Feng Jing!
"You, just can't sit still! Look at how calm and quiet the Princess of Chu is. You should learn from her and stop acting like a child!" Emperor Feng Jing rarely joked with his daughter, but his smiling eyes glanced at Yun Qianmeng who was sitting quietly beside him. He was a little puzzled in his heart. The Princess of Chu was really quiet today. She hadn't spoken for half a day!
Seeing Emperor Feng Jing praising her like this, Yun Qianmeng could only put down the teacup in her hand and said with a faint smile, "Thank you, Emperor Feng Jing for your praise! The princess is doted on by Emperor Feng Jing, so her personality is naturally more lively!"
"I wonder if the princess ever participated in hunting when she was in Western Chu?" Seeing that neither Chu Feiyang nor Nan Yijun were in the tent, Nan Lan walked straight to Yun Qianmeng and sat down, then asked with a smile!
Yun Qianmeng raised her eyes slightly and saw Nan Lan with her long hair tied up. She was wearing a fiery red riding suit and holding a horse whip. She looked very capable and completely different from her usual wide-sleeved palace dress. However, she understood the purpose of Nan Lan's outfit and said calmly, "No!"
"The King of Chu is a skilled warrior and an expert in military strategy! As the prince's legal wife, how can the princess only know the pleasures of the boudoir?" Hearing Yun Qianmeng's negative answer, Nan Lan raised his eyebrows, with a slight flash of contempt in his eyes, and then he spoke provocatively!
Nan Lan's arrogance made Yuan Dong frown slightly, and his hands under his sleeves clenched lightly. He couldn't stand the smug look of Princess Nanxun!
But compared to dealing with Nan Lan at this time, Yuan Dong was more worried about the princess. After all, the prince was not here at the moment, and the tent was full of Nan Xun's people. If Nan Lan did something bad to the princess at this time, I am afraid that he would not be able to protect her by himself!
"Your Highness is a skilled warrior, so he naturally has the ability to protect his wife. Why should I bother? The princess bears the responsibility for the rise and fall of the country, so she naturally has to learn more than others! And I think the most outstanding man in Nanxun is the Regent. Unfortunately, the Regent is the princess' uncle. No wonder the princess chose a prince consort from another country!" Yun Qianmeng's words were full of sarcasm, and she naturally gave Nan Lan a cold shoulder. Even if Emperor Feng Jing was dissatisfied, he could not point it out!
After all, Nan Lan had fallen for Chu Feiyang first, and had repeatedly hinted to the King and Queen Chu. If this were to get out, how would the Princess of Nanxun Kingdom maintain her dignity? I'm afraid even the face of Nanxun Kingdom would be completely humiliated by her!
Even though Nan Lan couldn't swallow this loss, he could only swallow it like a candied date!
When Yuan Dong saw that the princess in front of her was so eloquent, her worries dissipated slightly, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes!
Nan Lan pulled the whip in her hand straight, and it took her a while to calm down. She forced a smile and said, "Your Highness is right! But how many women in the world can be as lucky as your Highness to get such a good husband? But your Highness, if you keep him all to yourself, wouldn't that be too selfish?"
After he finished speaking, a hint of jealousy flashed across Nan Lan's eyes, and his gaze towards Yun Qianmeng was full of hatred!
Yun Qianmeng, on the other hand, leisurely picked up the teacup on the small table in front of her, holding it in one hand while gently lifting the lid of the bowl with the other hand to blow away the hot steam. Then she spoke softly, "Princess, isn't this also what you were thinking?"
After he finished speaking, Yun Qianmeng lowered her head slightly and took a sip of hot tea. Her eyes were clear and bright, with an indescribable calmness. Nan Lan's anxious expression, which she tried hard to hide, was reflected in her black jade pupils, and a hint of sarcasm could not help but appear in her eyes!
"It is really my negligence to let the princess sit here and wait for the result!" Emperor Feng Jing spoke lightly, his weak tone always carrying a hint of imperceptible wisdom!
Yun Qianmeng put down the teacup in her hand and smiled faintly, "Your Majesty, you are joking! This is my honor!"
Nan Lan saw that her father was willing to help her, and the anxiety in her eyes instantly dissipated. She immediately smiled and said, "Since the princess has never experienced the joy of hunting, why don't you take the princess to the woods for a tour? I believe the princess will definitely like hunting!"
"No!" Before Yun Qianmeng could speak, she saw Yuan Dong frowning and refusing!
"How dare you! You have no right to speak here?" Yun Qianmeng, without waiting for Emperor Feng Jing and Nan Lan to take advantage of the opportunity to attack, was the first to scold Yuan Dong, "Why don't you apologize to the princess now!"
Yun Qianmeng's harsh words made Emperor Feng Jing and Nan Lan slightly stunned. They had not expected that the Princess of Chu would react so quickly. Before they could open their mouths to teach the maid beside her a lesson with court etiquette, she had already paved a way out for the maid. An apology could offset the maid's serious crime of contradicting the princess. The Princess of Chu was really smart!
"I know I was wrong, please forgive me, Princess!" Yuan Dong also knew that she had been impulsive, and immediately walked to Nan Lan and knelt down!
"Princess, my maid has been spoiled by me and accidentally offended you! I beg the princess and the emperor to forgive me. I will punish her severely when I return!" Yun Qianmeng immediately followed up Yuan Dong's words, not giving Nan Lan a chance to speak. "Why don't you thank the princess quickly? I'll show you how I'll punish you when I return!"
"I thank the princess for not killing me!" Yuan Dong kept her head down and spoke completely in accordance with Yun Qianmeng's words. After she finished speaking, she immediately stood up and stood behind Yun Qianmeng again!
Seeing that there was absolutely no opportunity for her to intervene, Nan Lan was secretly annoyed. She could only force a smile before speaking, "The princess's maid is indeed very loyal to her master! However, I only invited you to ride with me to enjoy the scenery. What do you have to worry about? Are you afraid that I will plot against your princess along the way?"
"Princess, you have misunderstood! I have never ridden a horse before. If I mount a horse rashly, I am afraid I will lose my manners. Please forgive me!" Yun Qianmeng straightened up slightly, blocking Nan Lan's sight towards Yuan Dong, and directly took on the difficult question posed by Nan Lan!
Nan Lan smiled upon hearing Yun Qianmeng say this, and then tried to persuade her, "I'm not particularly skilled either, and we're all women, so why should Princess be worried? Besides, I've already changed my clothes, so you can't ask me to change back into my palace attire! I'll have someone choose the most docile horse for Princess!"
Seeing Nan Lan had spoken, Emperor Feng Jing nodded slightly at her, then turned to Yun Qianmeng and warmly invited her, "Princess, why don't you give it a try? The feeling on horseback is completely different from on flat ground! If I were not in poor health, I would also hope to be like the King of Chu!"
"This..." Seeing Emperor Feng Jing join the lobbying, Yun Qianmeng's expression relaxed for a moment!
Upon seeing this, Nan Lan immediately and enthusiastically pulled Yun Qianmeng to her feet and walked directly out of the tent. "Princess, don't worry or be afraid. This horse is the most docile. Just sit on it quietly, and you won't make any mistakes!"
As he was speaking, the eunuchs outside had already brought in a few horses with pure white fur. It was obvious at a glance that they were good quality horses!
"What do you think? This horse is very beautiful, right?" Nan Lan pulled Yun Qianmeng to the front of the horse, took her hand and gently stroked the horse's hair, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration!
Yun Qianmeng looked at the thickly-haired horse in front of her and couldn't help but smile in admiration as she said, "It's indeed a good horse!"
Nan Lan took the opportunity to let the palace maids and eunuchs help Yun Qianmeng sit on the horse, and then he also jumped on the horse. His movements were so agile and quick that it was obvious that he was an expert in horse riding!
Seeing Yun Qianmeng being forced onto the horse, Yuan Dong immediately ran forward and snatched the reins from the eunuch's hands. Then she looked up at Yun Qianmeng and said worriedly, "Princess, I must stay with you!"
Nan Lan was about to take Yun Qianmeng away, but unexpectedly a Cheng Yaojin appeared halfway. He winked at the eunuch beside him, and the eunuch brought a horse of the same breed and handed it to Yuan Dong!
Yuan Dong took a look at the horse's coat and realized that his horse could not keep up with the speed of the two horses ridden by Yun Qianmeng and Nan Lan. He couldn't help but frown, but there was no other way at this time. It was at least faster than walking!
Thinking of this, Yuan Dong jumped lightly and sat steadily on the horse's back in the blink of an eye, protecting Yun Qianmeng!
Nan Lan saw Yuan Dong's extraordinary skills and recalled how this girl had saved Yun Qianmeng from danger several times in the Xiangfu Garden that day. She tightened her grip on the reins slightly, then raised one hand, pointing to the lush green woods ahead, and said, "Princess, let's go for a walk in the woods! The midday sun is at its scorching hottest, and the shade in the woods is a great place to beat the heat!"
As he spoke, Nan Lan took Yun Qianmeng's reins and led her towards the dangerous woods...
'Swoosh...' A sharp arrow shot out from the hidden bushes!
'Ah...' A wolf fell to the ground without even struggling!
"Your Highness is such a great archer. He can knock the prey to the ground with just one arrow, and even penetrate the prey's throat. I really admire him!" The two teams that had originally separated met again in this dense forest!
Nan Yijun looked carefully at the wild wolf whose throat was pierced by an arrow, and praised Chu Feiyang!
"Your Highness, you are joking. This is just a trivial trick! I'm sure the Regent is also very familiar with it!" Chu Feiyang put away his longbow, held the reins with one hand and continued to walk deeper into the woods, while dealing with Nan Yijun who he 'met by chance'!
Seeing Chu Feiyang's guards put the prey into bags and piled them on the horse's back, Nan Yijun retracted his gaze and smiled faintly, "Your Highness's archery skills are certainly worthy of praise, but doesn't Your Highness feel that it's cruel to shoot an arrow through the throat? It's rare for Your Highness to be so considerate and attentive to the Princess!"
Chu Feiyang was alert to the movements around him, and took the time to respond to Nan Yijun's provocation, "Your Majesty, you don't know that it is precisely because he doesn't want to see his prey suffer from arrow wounds that he simply shoots an arrow through the throat to spare them the pain before death! Does your Majesty enjoy seeing his prey struggling to death in front of him? In my eyes, this is true cruelty!"
Nan Yijun didn't expect Chu Feiyang to say such words. His heart was slightly shocked and his eyelids drooped slightly as he thought about Chu Feiyang's words. However, he gradually agreed with Chu Feiyang's point of view in his heart!
"I didn't expect that the prince is such a great archer and has such unique insights!" Nan Yijun tightened his hand holding the longbow slightly, and couldn't help but have the idea of competing with Chu Feiyang!
Chu Feiyang, however, was leisurely searching for his prey, showing no signs of nervousness due to the competition. He seemed to be waiting for something else...
"Is there something on the prince's mind?" He always felt that Chu Feiyang was a little strange today, which was why Nan Yijun followed Chu Feiyang closely!
Seeing Nan Yijun's keen sense, Chu Fei smiled and asked, "There are too many things on my mind. I wonder what the Regent is referring to?"
Chu Feiyang's frankness made Nan Yijun look suspicious. He looked at Chu Feiyang carefully, but saw that Chu Feiyang had the same confident and calm smile on his face as usual. Although he didn't have many opportunities to shoot, the arrows he shot hit the target every time. If he hadn't been concentrating, it would have been difficult to hit the moving prey with one arrow. This made Nan Yijun doubt his own feelings again. Could it be that Chu Feiyang's expression was too changeable, which made him have an illusion?
"If the Regent doesn't take action, I will win this competition!" But Chu Feiyang spoke up to remind Nan Yijun who was immersed in his thoughts!
When Nan Yijun looked up, he found that Chu Feiyang had already galloped off on his horse, chasing after a fleeing tiger...
"Princess, are you feeling much cooler?" Leading Yun Qianmeng deeper into the woods, Nan Lan couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth, with a hint of lightness in her voice. She raised her head and looked at the sunlight shining through the leaves. The twinkling lights were intoxicating, and her mood was even more uplifted!
Yun Qianmeng watched Nan Lan's actions and his suddenly improved mood. A cold smile appeared on her lips, but it was fleeting. She then said calmly, "Let's go back! We're in the middle of a competition right now. If we get hurt by those inconsiderate arrows, we can't blame anyone! What's more, there are countless ferocious prey hiding here. If the princess is accidentally injured, I won't be able to save her!"
Nan Lan saw Yun Qianmeng being so timid and cowardly, and a flash of contempt flashed across her eyes. Then, she turned her head with concern and assured with a smile, "Don't worry, Princess! I grew up in this woods and I'm very familiar with the roads here! Besides, aren't there so many palace maids accompanying me? What's there to be afraid of? Once we pass through this woods, we'll see an open space. The scenery there is truly breathtaking!"
After he finished speaking, without waiting for Yun Qianmeng to speak, Nan Lan winked at the palace maid beside him, then raised the whip in his hand and whipped the horse he was sitting on several times. The horse felt the pain and immediately ran forward with all its might!
Nan Lan's horse started running, which naturally led Yun Qianmeng's horse to run faster!
"Princess, wait for me!" Yuan Dong became very anxious upon seeing this, and immediately whipped the horse he was riding and followed Yun Qianmeng closely!
In this dense forest, Nanlan's horse was running straight forward unhindered. It was obvious that the road here must have been cleared by someone, and the wild beasts around must have been driven away by someone!
Yun Qianmeng held on to the saddle buckle tightly, trying to lower her body as much as possible, and at the same time kept an eye on Nan Lan's every move. Seeing that her attention was only on the road, she presumably thought that Nan Lan's intention was not to get rid of her in this woods, but that the focus was probably on that open space!
After this analysis, Yun Qianmeng immediately turned around to look at Yuan Dong, who was following closely behind her but was still far behind. As for the eight palace maids who had been following Nan Lan before, there were only four left!
Yun Qianmeng instantly snatched the reins from Nan Lan, pulled the reins hard, and stopped the horse unsteadily!
"Princess, what are you doing? Do you know how dangerous it was just now?" Nan Lan looked at Yun Qianmeng, who swayed a few times on the horse but did not fall off. Although he blamed her, suspicion appeared in his eyes!
Yun Qianmeng's eyes flashed with fear. She slapped her chest with both hands and said in shock, "How could I know this? If the princess hadn't run so fast, how could I have done this?"
At this moment, Yuan Dong caught up with them. She was sweating profusely from anxiety. Finally, she saw Yun Qianmeng lying in front of her safely. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Princess, you really scared me to death!"
"It's okay! The princess is just joking with us!" Yun Qianmeng glanced at Nan Lan coldly, but signaled Yuan Dong to follow closely beside her and not to be left alone!
"In that case, Princess, let's hurry up!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng stopped to wait for this girl, Nan Lan spoke patiently!
"Let's go!" Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly, took Yuan Dong's reins, and the two walked side by side, following Nan Lan to the edge of the woods!
Seeing Yun Qianmeng being so cautious and wary of him, Nan Lan secretly resented her, but then he thought about the vast open space and felt relieved!
The closer you get to the edge of the woods, the more noticeable the hot wind outside becomes. The bright sunlight pierces into people's eyes, making it impossible to open them. The stars between the leaves seem beautiful but contain a hint of coldness!
"Princess, how is it?" The heat wave hit her face, but Nan Lan pointed at the open space that was full of flowers but still hot and asked Yun Qianmeng how she felt!
"Naturally it is breathtakingly beautiful!" The sea of flowers in front of him was intoxicating, but Yun Qianmeng noticed with sharp eyes that this sea of flowers was actually planted on the edge of a cliff. There was also vigilance and coldness hidden in his smiling eyes!
Yuan Dong also noticed this and couldn't help but move closer to Yun Qianmeng, using his body to block Yun Qianmeng's back to prevent Yun Qianmeng from being injured by the hidden arrow!
A hint of cold light was mixed in with the sunlight among the leaves, making it difficult to distinguish between what was real and what was fake!
The constant sound of wind on the cliff makes it impossible to distinguish other movements hidden in the sound of rustling leaves!
"Hiss..." The horse beneath Yun Qianmeng suddenly cried out in pain and instantly ran towards the cliff ahead...
Yun Qianmeng Moment
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