Chapter 14 Humiliation
The people around were initially shocked, and then rumors surged like a tidal wave. Even the ladies who were originally arranging flowers and drinking tea in the pavilion all came out.
Everyone watched as Xie Qingran completely tamed the wild horse. Under the sunlight, Xie Qingran, dressed in a light purple outfit, ran two laps around the racetrack with a cool expression. Even under the bright sun, the chill emanating from her was still very obvious.
"This... what kind of behavior is this?"
"Mother, is my sister deliberately trying to embarrass the Xie family?"
Xie Hanyue grabbed Wang's arm, tears welling up in her eyes with anxiety.
With so many people watching, how embarrassing! How can she ever go out again?
"Xie Qingran!"
Lu Jinzhi felt he had lost all face, so he strode forward and pulled Xie Qingran, who hadn't landed properly yet, over to him.
"Let go!"
Xie Qingran's eyebrows furrowed tightly. In front of everyone, she forcefully shook off his hand and glared at him unhappily.
"Outrageous! Pulling and tugging in public like this, what kind of behavior is this?"
"Young Master Lu may be shameless, but I still have my dignity, and my Xie family still has our dignity!"
Xie Qingran had never spoken so harshly before, at least not in front of Lu Jinzhi.
After all, Xie Qingran would always lower her head shyly whenever she saw Lu Jinzhi, as if she couldn't live without him.
This situation has left Lu Jinzhi dumbfounded.
"You...you're insane?"
"elder sister!"
Xie Hanyue rushed over and grabbed her arm in front of everyone. Her eyes were red with anxiety, and she choked out, "Sister, go back quickly. Don't embarrass yourselves here. Mother can't take it anymore."
The pointing and whispering of those around her meant nothing to Xie Qingran. She simply shook off Xie Hanyue's hand and glanced at the man under the pavilion not far away. Even from that distance, she could still feel the man's probing gaze.
Very good. As long as she's interested, that's all that matters. As long as she can pique this person's interest, today will be worthwhile for Xie Qingran.
She smiled and handed the reins to the horse trainer beside her.
"good!"
Just as everyone was criticizing and mocking Xie Qingran, a strong voice rang out.
Everyone turned around, and upon seeing the newcomer, they hurriedly knelt down: "Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
The emperor strode forward and walked straight up to Xie Qingran. He looked her up and down and said with a smile, "You must be Xie Qingran, the eldest daughter of the Xie family?"
"Your humble servant Xie Qingran greets Your Majesty!"
Xie Qingran nodded obediently, and then respectfully performed a deep bow.
Seeing this, the emperor nodded in satisfaction: "Indeed extraordinary. This wild horse is hard to tame. Miss Xie, you are truly skilled!"
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. I am unworthy of such praise." Xie Qingran showed no shyness, only satisfaction with her horse-training skills.
Seeing how outstanding Xie Qingran was, and how she remained neither humble nor arrogant in front of him, the emperor was satisfied.
He nodded: "In that case, I will bestow this horse upon you. I have always felt that women should be as heroic and spirited as Miss Xie!"
As soon as he said that, the attitude of the people around him changed immediately.
"Yes, Miss Xie is truly remarkable, amazing!"
"Even the palace horse trainers couldn't do it, but Miss Xie did. She's really something!"
"I wonder if Miss Xie is married?"
Seeing that the people around him had changed their opinion of Xie Qingran, the emperor nodded in satisfaction. He knew very well that his attitude was everyone's attitude, and if anyone's attitude was different from his, then they were going against the imperial authority.
Seeing Xie Qingran showing off like this, Lu Jinzhi's eyebrows furrowed tightly, and he gritted his teeth to warn her: "Don't think that just because the emperor praised you a few times, you're something special. Let me tell you, I will absolutely not marry you!"
Does this person not understand human speech?
Xie Qingran's eyebrows were tightly furrowed. After glancing at Lu Jinzhi, she turned and walked in the other direction.
After she came down from the racetrack, the sharp edge she had always exuded vanished instantly. She obediently walked to Wang's side and quietly sat down next to her.
Wang wanted to reprimand Xie Qingran, but since even the emperor was praising her, she couldn't say anything more. She could only grit her teeth and snort, "You better behave yourself."
"yes."
Xie Qingran readily agreed without any intention of arguing back.
Seeing this, Wang's anger vanished instantly, and she even felt as if she had punched cotton.
Her eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and she felt extremely aggrieved in front of Xie Qingran.
"The Imperial Concubine has arrived!"
The chief eunuch shouted, and everyone stood up and bowed.
Xie Qingran concealed herself in the crowd, behaving very properly, but the Imperial Concubine spotted her immediately upon arriving.
The Imperial Concubine walked up to the Emperor and Empress, bowed, and spoke in a charming and alluring voice: "Your Majesty and Empress, I pay my respects."
"You coughed twice when you woke up this morning. Didn't I tell you not to go out in the wind today? Why did you still come?" The emperor quickly grabbed the concubine's hand and made her sit down beside him. He asked with gentle concern, "Why are your hands so cold? You didn't even put on an extra layer of clothing before going out. You never take good care of yourself."
As he spoke, the emperor took the imperial concubine's hand and warmed it for her.
The Imperial Concubine blushed deeply, lowered her head shyly, glanced at the Empress secretly, withdrew her hand, and said softly, "Your Majesty, I am not that delicate."
It is said that the Imperial Concubine is the most favored concubine in the harem, and seeing her today, it is indeed true. Almost everyone's eyes are on the Imperial Concubine, but Xie Qingran has been carefully observing the Empress's expression. The Empress's expression has not changed much, but her hand is tightly clenching the handkerchief in her hand. It can be seen that she is doing her best to endure this scene.
Even though everyone knows that the emperor's favorite concubine is the Imperial Concubine, the empress is still the empress. Now, in front of so many people, the emperor's favoritism towards the Imperial Concubine is a slap in the face to the empress!
How could the First Lady of the Nation be humiliated like this?
The Imperial Concubine's gaze swept over everyone before finally settling on Xie Qingran. She smiled slightly and asked, "The eldest daughter of the Xie family has also returned?"
"Your humble servant Xie Qingran greets Your Highness the Noble Consort."
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