Chapter 122: Not even forty?
Watching Mu Huaian and Xie Zhiwen walk away, Chen Niao didn't know who Yu Qinghuan was talking about, it was all the same anyway.
She explained with a smile, "The young men in the capital all learn the Six Arts from a young age, and your brother's riding and archery skills are no worse than those of the generals."
While explaining, Chen Niao did not forget to praise Mu Huaian.
Yu Qinghuan suddenly understood. She had been wondering why she had never heard Xie Zhiwen mention that he could ride and shoot.
Chen Niao blinked at her and said in a gentle and persuasive manner, "How about we go in and take a look together?"
Yu Qinghuan waved his hands repeatedly, "Forget it, I can't shoot arrows..."
While the two were talking, Cheng Gongjin rode his horse slowly past them and headed into the woods.
He was dressed in a red robe and rode on a tall horse. His leisurely pace was just like him, very noble and dignified, inspiring a sense of admiration in people.
Many women couldn't take their eyes off Cheng Gongjin, including Chen Niao and Yu Qinghuan.
Yu Qinghuan was thinking about the embarrassing incident last night when Cheng Gongjin caught her. She didn't know if this man would mention it to other people. After all, this would be Xiao Jinghe's handle.
Chen Niao couldn't help but exclaim, "Old Cheng's posture and demeanor are truly the best in our dynasty. I wonder where those rumors in the capital saying he's in his forties or even fifties came from."
Hearing her exclamation, Yu Qinghuan turned his gaze to look at Chen Niao, "Since he's the Prime Minister of the current dynasty, he must have been an official for more than ten years. How could he not even be forty?"
As far as he knew, those who could enter the cabinet had to have served in the court for at least ten years. If Cheng Gongjin had been an official at the age of twenty-five, he should be forty now.
Chen Niao laughed out loud, "How can there be forty..."
She thought about it, and suddenly seemed to understand where those rumors came from.
"It's no wonder you all misunderstand. After all, Lord Cheng won the top three places in the imperial examinations at the age of seventeen and was personally appointed by His Majesty to join the Imperial Academy. There are indeed few people of the same age who can achieve such achievements."
Yu Qinghuan finally understood. Cheng Gongjin entered the officialdom early and was promoted quickly, so now... maybe he is around thirty-six years old?
It was bustling just now, but now it was just the two of them. Chen Niao felt a little itchy and said to Yu Qinghuan, "Why don't you find a place to sit here for a while? I want to go in and take a look. Maybe I can even hunt a fox for you."
Yu Qinghuan was stunned. He looked around but didn't see anyone familiar. Even Sang Ru was not brought with him. He suddenly didn't want to stay.
"I'll go in with you."
Chen Niao nodded. "Then follow me. The path in the forest is a bit winding. Don't stray too far from me to avoid getting separated."
Yu Qinghuan: "Okay."
Chen Niao: "If you get separated, don't panic. There are imperial guards guarding all around. Just follow the others out."
Yu Qinghuan didn't care. Where could he go any further?
"I know."
...
Only after entering the forest did Yu Qinghuan deeply realize how complicated the meaning of "complicated" Chen Niao was.
Because when Chen Niao was chasing the deer, she didn't catch up in time, and the two of them got separated.
After getting separated, Yu Qinghuan wandered around in the woods for a long time. He wanted to return along the same route, but it turned out that no matter which way he went, it seemed the same. He had no idea which way was the way back, so he couldn't even tell the direction.
Just when she didn't know what to do, she saw a flash of red in the distance.
Yu Qinghuan thought she had met Xie Zhili, so she immediately rode her horse to catch up. Just as she was about to shout, she saw clearly that the man was not Xie Zhili at all, but Cheng Gongjin.
She immediately shut her mouth, pulled the reins and wanted to turn around and leave. She really didn't want to be involved with Cheng Gongjin.
But it was getting late, and I had been lost for so long, and I only met this one living person.
Thinking of this, Yu Qinghuan gritted his teeth and followed, intending to quietly follow him all the way back.
On the way, afraid of losing her, she approached secretly, but the horse stepped on a half-broken branch, making a noise...
“Rustle—”
Cheng Gongjin in front suddenly turned around, drew his bow and shot an arrow. The tip of the arrow just grazed Yu Qinghuan's neck and penetrated into the ancient cypress tree behind her, making her ears buzz.
Yu Qinghuan's face was pale. If Cheng Gongjin's arrow had been a little more off, she would have lost her life.
Seeing that it was Yu Qinghuan, Cheng Gongjin's eyes were slightly surprised, "Why are you here?"
Yu Qinghuan felt a chill on his back and hurriedly rode forward, "I lost my way and saw you were here, so I followed you."
Cheng Gongjin's eyes darkened slightly. Even if he was lost, he would not have come here. He was afraid that if he followed him, he would have left the hunting ground in a daze.
He said in a cold voice, "This is no longer a hunting ground. If you follow the path you came from, you might encounter some imperial guards. Tell them who you are and they'll take you back."
Yu Qinghuan was stunned. This wasn't a hunting ground. What was Cheng Gongjin doing here? It looked like he wasn't planning on leaving yet...
Just when she was about to thank him, she saw Cheng Gongjin's pupils suddenly shrink.
Before she could open her mouth, her arm was suddenly grabbed by Cheng Gongjin in front of her. The fragrance of ink mixed with cold air swept across her face. She felt dizzy and was pulled off the horse by Cheng Gongjin!
The two men rolled on the ground, and more than a dozen cold arrows pierced into their backs.
"You've been hit by an arrow!"
Looking at the arrow on Cheng Gongjin's shoulder, Yu Qinghuan's face turned pale. She instantly realized that someone wanted to kill Cheng Gongjin, and she was unlucky enough to run into him.
Cheng Gongjin's lips were pale, and a familiar pain spread from his heart.
Hearing the hurried footsteps coming from afar, he broke the arrow shaft on his shoulder with his backhand, "They are coming for me, find a place to hide."
Upon hearing this, Yu Qinghuan quickly got up from the ground and climbed onto the horse. He saw Cheng Gongjin with a pale face and holding his chest, just like that day in the Duke's Mansion.
She gritted her teeth and stretched out her hand to Cheng Gongjin, "Get on the horse!"
Cheng Gongjin paused slightly, and before he could think deeply, he grabbed the hand that was extended towards him and used the force to get on the horse. The unfamiliar breath made him uncomfortable, but he had no chance to get off the horse.
A gust of wind blew past her ears, and Yu Qinghuan's palms, which were gripping the reins tightly, were covered in cold sweat. She had just learned to ride a horse, and in fact, she didn't dare to ride fast. But now the people chasing her were right behind her, so she could only grit her teeth and gallop away, not daring to hesitate for a moment.
After all, she had only lived for two years and didn't want to lose her life here.
In fact, she could have completely ignored Cheng Gongjin and escaped on her own. After all, those people were not coming for her, and they would not chase her after she ran away.
But Yu Qinghuan had a hunch that if Cheng Gongjin, who was either poisoned or sick, was left here... he would probably not even have the strength to mount a horse and would surely die.
In fact, it’s better that Cheng Gongjin is dead, so no one will know about what happened between him and Xiao Jinghe.
But when she thought that Mu Huaian might be sad, she couldn't bear it, after all, this man had just saved her.
The horse rushed through the dense forest, with dead branches whipping its body and leaving bloody marks. It did not stop until it was completely dark. Yu Qinghuan did not dare to stop until her white-knuckled hand covered the back of her hand holding the reins, trying to pull the reins, but she had no strength.
Cheng Gongjin's face was pale, and he spoke with difficulty and weakness: "There is no one here, let's find a place to dismount..."
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