Chapter 15 Ancient trees fill the sky above Jinming Pond, yellow clouds bring sorrow. ...
The sound of the night rain is disturbing, and my heart is restless.
When he heard her even breathing from the inner room, knowing that she had fallen into a deep sleep, Wen Shiqin gently moved to the bedside, took a towel and wiped her wet hair, his gaze lingering on her eyebrows and eyes for a long, long time.
He had already resolved to abandon the fame and fortune of his past life, only wishing to live a simple life in the city, relying on coarse tea and plain rice, and never again to be tainted by the filth and corruption of the court.
But now that force is like a persistent carbuncle, finding its way back to us, and there is no way to avoid it.
He lowered his eyes and stared at the crisscrossing lines on his palm. The last glimmer of hope for peace in his eyes was finally swallowed up by a deep-seated hatred.
The hatred of the past life is still vivid in their minds. Their elder sister was imprisoned, and they couldn't even see her one last time. They didn't even know where her bones were abandoned, left to be pecked at by crows. In this life, that hypocritical and treacherous villain has once again extended his evil claws to their elder sister. The calamity has come even faster and more cruelly than in the past life.
Now that things have come to this, the only option is to plan ahead, seek allies, and not allow ourselves to be at the mercy of others any longer.
His heart ached uncontrollably. He leaned closer, gently smoothing the wrinkles between her brows, then softly soothed her with his palm, his voice extremely gentle: "Sleep, I'm here."
As the morning light broke through the fog, Wen Shiqin and his fellow disciple Xiang Yichuan rode their horses to Jinmingchi on the outskirts of Beijing.
Jinming Pond was originally a corner of the royal villa, which was later converted into a polo field. Ordinary people were not allowed to enter, and it was a place where the sons of the powerful and wealthy competed for entertainment.
Upon arriving at Jinming Pond, Wen Shiqin glanced at the horses ready to go and turned to Xiao Yunzhi beside him, saying, "Master, I've heard that Taxue has a fiery temper and might get spooked on the day. I'll go to the stables to check on them again, just to put my mind at ease."
Xiao Yunzhi was once a loyal and brave captain guarding the border. Now, due to injury, he has retired and opened a martial arts school to take on disciples. He is respected by both the martial arts world and the imperial court.
"With you overseeing things, I'm naturally at ease. Go quickly and come back soon, lest you miss the opening."
Upon hearing this, Shi Qin slowly walked towards the stable. The smell of hay mixed with the neighing of horses wafted over him. He went straight to Ta Xue's side, his fingertips seemingly casually brushing over the seams of the saddle, and said to the stable boy in a casual tone, "It's better to fasten this saddle tighter, so the wild horse doesn't break free."
The servant readily agreed.
He then stepped into the polo field, where the ground was wide and flat, the newly laid Jiangnan grass glistening with morning dew, a verdant carpet. In the stands, surrounded by white marble arcades, the sons of the powerful and wealthy, their elegant clothes and gleaming gold ornaments dazzled the eye as they chatted and laughed.
Xiao Yunzhi raised his hand and pointed to a spot not far away, then whispered to the two of them, "You two should be careful when you accompany him. That young man in brocade robes is the Empress's younger brother, Mu Hualin, who is currently a fifth-rank Xuanjiao Lang. Although he doesn't have much real power, he is from a loyal and brave military family, and no one in the capital dares to treat him lightly."
Wen Shiqin looked in the direction he was pointing and saw Mu Hualin leaning against the railing, chatting and laughing. He was dressed in a dark blue riding outfit embroidered with flowing clouds, and his face was handsome but with a hint of nonchalance. Beside him stood a woman in a light pink dress with gold flowers, who smiled with a charming and gentle air, clearly a pampered young lady.
“The lady beside me is Cen Wanying, the daughter of the Prince of Jing and the Princess of Qingping,” Xiao Yunzhi added. “Her mother is the Empress’s distant cousin. This girl is gentle and kind. Not only is she cherished by the Prince of Jing, but even His Majesty has praised her for being polite and sensible.”
In his previous life, he was in officialdom, and his mind was entirely focused on official duties and repaying kindness. Therefore, he had no recollection of the past deeds, temperaments, or personalities of the two people in front of him. At this moment, it was as if they were strangers meeting for the first time.
However, it was common knowledge that the two factions of the empress and concubines were already irreconcilable. Mu Hualin already harbored resentment towards the concubine, who came from a background of a dancer, for openly and secretly humiliating her elder sister's dignity as empress. She also deeply despised Zhang Mingxu's blatant attempt to curry favor by taking advantage of her cousin's position.
The world is a game of chess, and everything can be used to my advantage.
The polo match is about to begin. In the center of the field, the Moon City stands tall like a palace gate, with colorful banners fluttering on both sides and a gilded ball hanging in the center, shining brightly in the sun.
When Wen Shiqin saw Mu Hualin's fingertips stroking Taxue's mane with steady and skillful movements, he spurred his horse closer and said with just the right amount of praise, "Young master and Taxue get along very well. Judging from the way you hold the reins, your riding skills must be superb."
Upon hearing this, Mu Hualin smiled slightly: "It's just an ordinary skill I practice in my spare time, nothing special."
Wen Shiqin smiled and pointed to the open track in the distance: "To be able to tame such a spirited horse is no ordinary skill. Today the weather is fine, why don't you ride it for a lap and let us see your true horsemanship?"
Mu Hualin led the magnificent white horse, stroked its mane, and laughed, "Alright, it's been a while since we've had any fun, let's run a few laps to warm up!"
After saying this, he mounted his horse and galloped away, with Wen Shiqin and the other two following closely behind.
During the journey, the three chatted about past races and reminisced about the autumn hunt for deer. On a whim, Mu Hualin suddenly turned his horse towards the open grassland and challenged the rider: "This place is wide open and unobstructed. Why don't we have a race? We'll ride back to the racecourse from here, and the first one to arrive wins!"
"Young master, you're in high spirits!" Xiang Yichuan echoed loudly.
Before he finished speaking, Mu Hualin spurred his horse and galloped away, its hooves flying through the snow like a white rainbow across the tall grass.
As the outline of the racecourse gradually became clearer, it was only a few dozen steps away from the edge of the field.
Ten, nine, eight...
A pebble, seemingly flying from nowhere, struck the horse's rump and saddle. Ta Xue suddenly reared up, letting out a piercing neigh, and began to paw at the ground, galloping out of control. Caught off guard, Mu Hualin's body snapped backward, veins bulging in his forearms from gripping the reins tightly. A short, muffled groan escaped his throat, but he still managed a low shout: "Ta Xue! Hold on!"
Before he could finish speaking, the horse jolted violently again, and half of his body was almost hanging outside the saddle. He nearly fell off, but he could only hold on tightly to the saddle bridge, his voice trembling: "...Can anyone stop me!"
"Hold on tight to the saddle!" Wen Shiqin urged his horse forward like an arrow, his left hand gripping the saddle tightly to catch up. The moment the two horses were close, his right hand grabbed Mu Hualin's arm like an iron clamp and pulled him towards his own horse.
Xiang Yichuan also spurred his horse to chase after it, trying to restrain the frightened horse from the other side, but saw that Taxue turned around like a madman and rushed straight towards Cen Wanying at the side of the field.
Cen Wanying was playing a game of pitch-pot with her close friend on the sidelines, her hair ornament swaying gently with her movements, completely unaware of the impending danger.
It wasn't until the horse's mournful neighing pierced the noise that she realized something was wrong. She looked up and saw the white horse charging towards her. The smile on her face froze instantly, all color drained from her face, and she stood frozen in place, unable to move. Her eyes were wide open as she watched the horse's hooves getting closer and closer, with the force of a horse cutting through the air. She was terrified.
Even if Mu Hualin couldn't save her in time, she still had the skill of riding to protect herself. But Cen Wanying was a princess of noble birth; if she were injured by this horse's hooves today, the wrath of the Prince of Jing and the accountability from the officials would be something they could not easily bear.
In the nick of time, Wen Shiqin swiftly drew a dagger from his sleeve, flicked his wrist, and with a flash of cold light, the dagger plunged deep into the horse's rump. Stimulated by the excruciating pain, the mad horse reared up abruptly, its front hooves pawing the air, sending dust flying and eliciting gasps from all around.
Taking advantage of the moment, Wen Shiqin dismounted, his toes barely touching the ground before he leaped forward like a startled swan, grabbing Cen Wanying's waist and rolling to the side with her. The horse's hooves scraped against Wen Shiqin's back, gravel embedding itself in his flesh, the excruciating pain making his vision blur, yet he still held Cen Wanying tightly in his arms until they rolled several feet away from danger, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Upon hearing the noise, the surrounding guards swarmed over and gathered around, drawing the startled horse away.
As the dust settled, Cen Wanying was still being held in Wen Shiqin's arms, clearly not yet recovered from the shock she had just experienced.
Wen Shiqin supported himself on the ground and helped her up. A metallic taste filled his throat, and he bent over and coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood. The wound on his back, where the sand was embedded, burned with pain.
Mu Hualin, still shaken, dismounted and strode forward. Her eyes were filled with admiration and gratitude as she looked at Wen Shiqin. She patted his shoulder and said, "If you hadn't reacted quickly, not only would I have been in trouble, but if Yingying had been even slightly injured, the Prince of Jing would have surely used me against him!"
Wen Shiqin swallowed the metallic taste in his throat, raised his head and forced a smile: "It's good that the young master and the county princess are safe and sound."
Mu Hualin turned around and quickly approached Cen Wanying. The arrogant and unruly air between her brows had completely disappeared, leaving only a hint of unease. She cupped her hands and said awkwardly, "Yingying, dear cousin, I really scared you just now! It's all my fault for being impulsive and wanting to race horses, which almost caused a disaster. Please don't be angry with me. I will find that set of glass beads from the Western Regions as an apology later."
Cen Wanying clutched the hem of her skirt with her fingertips, taking a long time to compose herself. As she gently shook her head, the golden hairpin at her temple swayed slightly. Her voice was soft yet trembling: "Cousin, there's no need to worry. I...I'm fine." After saying this, she curtsied and bowed to Wen Shiqin, but her eyelids quickly lowered, only daring to glance at the green grass beside him. Her voice was gentle: "May I ask your esteemed name, young master? If it weren't for your selfless protection just now, I fear I would have met with misfortune. I will forever remember this life-saving grace."
Although it was an unintentional act, what young girl in her prime could resist a hero rescuing her in a moment of crisis?
Moreover, when she looked up from her still-shaken state in his arms, Cen Wanying had already caught a glimpse of half of the boy's silhouette and suddenly understood the true meaning of the ancient poem "a gentle and kind young man, with unparalleled beauty"—it was indeed a man of such innate elegance.
Now that she was about to thank him in person, the thrill of that fleeting glance surged back, making her lack the courage to even look up.
Mu Hualin suddenly remembered and hurriedly asked, "Yes, yes, I'm so grateful to you just now! Which mansion's guard are you from?"
"My name is Wen Shiqin, a disciple of Instructor Xiao." Wen Shiqin returned the greeting calmly, his tone steady and even. "You flatter me, Princess. It was nothing."
Upon hearing this, Cen Wanying spoke softly but with genuine praise: "So you are a disciple of General Xiao. No wonder you have such steady skills." As she spoke, she lowered her head to straighten her disheveled skirt and turned to Mu Hualin, saying, "Cousin, my clothes are really messy. I need to change first. You must thank our savior properly."
Upon hearing Mu Hualin's repeated agreement, Cen Wanying, supported by her maid, left with light steps.
As she approached the table, she hesitated, then, with a touch of shyness, took a handful of green plums to smell.
The farcical scene of the startled horse came to an end, and the guests gradually dispersed, leaving Xiang Yichuan to clean up the mess.
He led the still somewhat restless Ta Xue towards the stable. As they passed the hitching post, he noticed that the tassels on the saddle were still tangled in the corner of the post. He bent down to untangle them, and just as his fingertips touched the gap in the saddle wood, he felt a small, hard object.
Brushing aside the accumulated dust and cushions, a fine silver needle stained with black marks was found hidden inside.
His heart sank. He rubbed the coolness of the needle's end with his fingertips. Just as he was about to ponder when the needle had been hidden here, he heard soft footsteps behind him, their sound particularly clear as they trod on the scattered hay.
Xiang Yichuan turned around abruptly and met Wen Shiqin's gaze. The other man was leaning against a wooden pillar by the door, playing with a dagger in his hand. His slender figure blocked most of the sunlight, and his face had a half-smile on his face.
"What are you looking for? Snowwalker's saddle, is there something wrong with it?"
Xiang Yichuan's fingertips stiffened, and he subconsciously gripped the silver needles tightly.
He couldn't believe that his loss of control while riding through the snow during the race was all part of his senior brother's scheme. He suppressed his shock and forced a smile: "N-nothing, it's just that the saddle pad was loose. I'll fix it."
Wen Shiqin stepped forward slowly, his gaze sweeping over the man's clenched palm. His smile faded slightly, but his tone still carried a hint of playful arrogance: "You've always been meticulous, but the horse farm is crowded and noisy. Some things may seem insignificant, but if you rashly reveal them, you might cause a huge problem. Don't you agree?"
These words struck like a thunderbolt, and Xiang Yichuan instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly and discreetly slipped the silver needle into his sleeve and bowed his head, saying, "Senior brother is right. I was overthinking it."
Wen Shiqin looked at his tense profile, the last trace of a smile in his eyes disappeared, and he simply said, "Come back early after you're done packing," before turning and leaving, leaving Xiang Yichuan standing there clutching the silver needle in his sleeve, his fingertips icy cold.
The next day, Wen Shiqin's back wound had been properly bandaged with wound medicine. As soon as he arrived at the horse farm, he saw Mu Hualin standing beside Yuecheng, leading Taxue. Upon seeing him, Mu Hualin clapped her hands and laughed, "We've been waiting for you!"
As the match began, Wen Shiqin picked up his red-silk-wrapped polo mallet, riding his horse with effortless grace, and precisely intercepting the colorful ball with each swing of the mallet. When on the same team as Mu Hualin, he could always skillfully pass the ball to Mu Hualin's mallet through a series of maneuvers. When they were opponents, he would reveal a slight flaw at crucial moments, losing just the right amount of time.
After several races, Mu Hualin grew to admire him more and more, patting him on the shoulder and saying, "My horse farm won't be the same without you!"
On the third day, Mu Hualin discussed military strategy and tactics, and Wen Shiqin was able to answer him fluently. Mu Hualin was increasingly surprised as he listened, and finally sighed, "I originally thought you were just a good horseman and polo player, but I never knew you had such insights into these strategies. It's a pity we didn't meet sooner! From now on, just call me Yuanhuang!"
As they reined in their horses to return, dusk had already settled over the long embankment. The two men rode slowly, chatting about people and events in the capital. Somehow, the conversation turned to Zhang Mingxu.
“That fellow is now relying on his cousin’s favor, and his whole family is benefiting from it,” Mu Hualin tightened the reins, her tone full of disdain. “When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven!”
Wen Shiqin turned his head to look at him, a faint smile on his lips, his fingertips gently stroking the handle of the riding whip: "It's fine for Yuan Huang to say these words to me, but you must not mention them in front of others. If these words reach his ears, or are overheard by someone with ulterior motives and used to instigate, it will not do us any good."
Mu Hualin was taken aback by these words, then nodded in realization. His straightforward nature had made him forget that the capital was teeming with spies. Thinking of this, he held Wen Shiqin in even higher regard and quickly replied, "That makes sense." After a moment of silence, he finally couldn't suppress his curiosity and lowered his voice, "Speaking of which, you've always been more insightful than me, so what's your attitude towards Zhang Mingxu?"
The setting sun cast a warm glow on Wen Shiqin's features, but it did not dispel the deep, unfathomable look in his eyes. He gazed ahead, his lips parted slightly, and his voice was so low it almost blended with the wind: "If I gain power one day..."
Although Mu Hualin had keen hearing, the sound of horses' hooves distracted him, and he couldn't hear the rest of the sentence. Just then, Cen Wanying's maid rushed over and bowed, saying, "Young Master Mu, the county princess has prepared some medicine for your injuries and asked you to go and get it immediately."
Although Mu Hualin had been seriously injured by the startled horse, he was fortunate to have been rescued by Wen Shiqin. He only suffered minor abrasions and did not need any medicine. He did not think deeply about the maid's intentions, but simply turned his horse around and nodded slightly to Wen Shiqin: "Let's talk another day."
On the long embankment, only Wen Shiqin stood alone in the setting sun.
As the setting sun painted the sky crimson, he took advantage of the last rays of sunlight to slowly remove the longbow from his waist.
With fingertips, he plucked the bowstring, drawing it to its fullest extent, and raised his hand towards the sky.
An eagle fell to the ground following the sound.
"If I gain power one day..."
The evening breeze, carrying the twilight, swept across the embankment, causing his robes to flutter. Wen Shiqin sheathed his longbow, gazed at his dying prey in the distance, and continued his unfinished words:
"This scoundrel must be executed."
A note from the author:
The next two chapters will be super sweet, with the characters making up. Updates tomorrow morning at 9 AM. [Dog head with rose emoji][Dog head with rose emoji][Dog head with rose emoji]
P.S.: Regarding Mu Hualin having a courtesy name, while the male lead doesn't, the main reason is that, firstly, the proportion and frequency of commoners giving their children courtesy names in the Song Dynasty was far lower than that of the scholar-official class, and giving courtesy names was still an extension of elite culture; secondly, we're already used to hearing his name, so we didn't give him a courtesy name. However, in the second volume, the male lead will have a new name to use outside [dog head with rose][dog head with rose] (digging a hole to entice you).
And, as previously mentioned, all the embroiderers at Huayun Pavilion have two-character names, so the female lead's name at Huayun Pavilion will now be "Jinxiu". Except for her friends in the embroidery alley who call her Qiaoniang, everyone else calls her Jinxiu. [dog head with rose in hand][dog head with rose in hand]
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