Jin Shu laughed and tapped Lu Gu on the head a few times.
“Your mother is in good health. Just wait and see how your mother wins the jackpot for you.”
Lu Gu pursed his lips imperceptibly, covered his head, and dared not say anything more.
Since she was going to mount a horse, her current attire was definitely inappropriate. Jin Shu tied a knot between her legs in her long skirt to ensure that her legs could move freely, and then took off her red cloak and threw it to Lu Gu.
"Warm up the wine, I'll be right back."
Lu Gu: "???"
He couldn't understand, but he still obediently placed the wine pot on the small stove next to him.
When Jin Shu came on stage, several ladies from prominent families in the audience couldn't help but speak up.
"Madam Lu wants to join in the fun with the young people? Hehehe, but then again, just like those young kids, Madam Lu is also widowed!"
"Who knows? She might just be looking for an opportunity to show off, and who knows, some young man might fall for her."
"Hehehehehe... You people are really sharp-tongued. No wonder Jin Shu doesn't like to talk to you. But I think it's unlikely that any young man would be interested in her, but aren't there some older men in the audience? They might just take her back as a concubine!"
Laughter and chatter continued below, and as they watched Jin Shu actually walk up, they became even more excited and teased her.
Hu Jin naturally wouldn't let this opportunity pass; at this moment, she couldn't wait to regain all the face she had just lost.
Everyone who came to the racecourse to win a prize went to the horse farm and chose a horse.
The three princes naturally participated, and besides them, there were mainly some young men skilled in riding and archery. Among the few brightly colored figures, Jin Shu, dressed in red, slowly entered the arena leading a tall white horse.
Although she was nearly thirty years old, Jin Shu's face showed no signs of aging. She blended in with a group of young people without standing out at all. On the contrary, her upright figure and beautiful face attracted a lot of admiring glances.
Jin Shu was already used to being the center of attention. Although she was the oldest among them, she didn't feel embarrassed at all. Ignoring everyone's gaze, she calmly leaned against the white horse, occasionally reaching out to stroke its forehead, and making unique sounds with her special skills.
Soon, the white horse, which had just become restless due to the approach of strangers, gradually calmed down.
Before the competition began, Jin Shu lined up to get a bow and arrow.
Before us lay a wide archery field, covered in sand that made it easy for horses' hooves to sink in, making the already fierce and untamed horses even more difficult to control.
The arena is set up with more than a dozen checkpoints. Participants need to ride on horseback and aim their bows and arrows at moving targets on both sides while crossing the checkpoints.
There are over a hundred moving targets in total, and the prize is hidden inside one of them. The best way to win the prize is to hit as many targets as possible.
Of course, this competition requires not only skill but also luck. Someone might only hit the target once, but that one arrow happens to be the winning one.
After learning the rules, Jin Shu led her white horse into the arena, found her position, and then all she had to do was wait for the gong to be struck to start the competition.
The three princes waited in the middle on horseback. In the past, it was usually these sons and grandsons of the emperor who won. This year, the eleventh prince, who was participating in the competition, was a famous archer and had superb horsemanship. Even His Majesty was full of praise for him.
Now that the Eleventh Prince has taken the stage, the others are just trying their luck. After all, winning a prize is all about luck. Even if they can't hit as many targets as the Eleventh Prince, they might just have better luck.
Before the competition began, everyone mounted their horses and waited for the gong to sound.
Looking at the giant horse next to Jin Shu, who was even taller than her, the three children of the Lu family silently worried for her.
Lu Xu: "Has Mother ever ridden a horse before?"
Lu Huai: "Young ladies from noble families usually learn some horsemanship, but it's all superficial. But Mother might be an exception."
Lu Gu sighed.
"That's impossible. She's spent her whole life in the backyard and has hardly ever gone out. How could she have had the opportunity to practice horseback riding?"
Lu Xu stared at him and asked curiously.
"How did you know? Your mother didn't tell you."
Lu Gu glanced at him and said leisurely.
"Of course I know, I know much more than you do."
After all, he had lived with his biological parents for so long, and he had learned a little about Jin Shu from their usual conversations.
From her father's words, we can tell that Jin Shu is a young lady from a feudal family who never leaves her home. Even her every smile and gesture is carefully trained. She walks with graceful steps and has learned things like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—things that a well-bred young lady should learn. She almost never participates in such public events.
That's why Lu Gu couldn't help but feel a little worried.
Jin Shu is actually a good person, not a bad person. Although she almost broke up his parents, it was not a capital offense and she should not have died under the hooves of a horse.
“Mother always has her reasons for doing things. We should trust her. If she says it's okay, then it's definitely okay.”
Lu Xu firmly believed everything Jin Shu said, which made Lu Gu always look at him with a hint of mockery.
"Let's think of something. If all else fails, we'll rush in and save her."
Lu Xu didn't take his words seriously at all, and continued to stare at Jin Shu on the field with great interest. Finally, he simply stood up and shouted loudly.
"Mom! Keep going!!"
Lu Gu lowered his head silently, feeling a little embarrassed.
On the other end, Jin Shu heard her son's encouragement, smiled, waved, and nodded at him.
This scene became a joke in the eyes of the group of ladies from aristocratic families.
"This mother and son are really something else, they're really using this place as a stage to show off!"
"Hehehe, it would be interesting if she fell off the horse. The horse is so tall, she would be crippled if she fell off."
"I don't think she'll even be able to mount the horse!"
"How about we take a gamble and see how many targets she can hit?"
Upon hearing this, Hu Jin immediately said something.
"I bet she won't hit a single target! She'll be crippled from the fall!"
"Then I'll bet she won't be able to get over the first hurdle."
"Hahaha, I bet she can't get on the horse!"
Hu Jin laughed and agreed.
"You're right. It would have been better if she hadn't gotten on the horse in the first place, so she wouldn't have fallen flat on her face later."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked over, and the next second, Hu Jin's cheerful smile froze.
Just moments ago, Jin Shu had been belittled by her, but now, with a light leap, she easily and neatly sat atop the horse's back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com