Chapter 62 The Emperor has arranged a fine marriage for me. ...
The carriage convoy stopped at the mountainside garden.
Qishan Imperial Garden was originally the place where the royal family stayed during their autumn hunts. However, because it occupied a large area and had many buildings, the late emperor granted permission for officials' families to also live in the garden, in order to show his benevolence and favor to the people.
The autumn hunt lasts three days. During the day, participants can stroll and play in the safe areas outside the hunting grounds, or venture deeper into the hunting grounds to hunt on horseback in the vast woodlands. If they get tired, they can leave the hunting grounds temporarily to replenish their supplies and rest at the campsites on the outskirts. In the evening, after tallying the spoils of each participant, everyone can return to the hunting grounds for singing, dancing, and feasting.
However, although the imperial hunting grounds were large, for ease of management and security, the guards and attendants within were all palace personnel, and officials were not allowed to bring their own maids and servants. Because of this, some miscellaneous tasks inevitably required personal attention, so many officials and their families disliked joining in the festivities, effectively reducing and controlling the number of participants in the autumn hunt.
Li Pan helped Lou Xueying out of the car.
People also disembarked from other carriages nearby, exchanged greetings, and headed into the imperial garden.
Although they lived in the same imperial garden as the royal family, the entrances were different. The royal family lived in the inner garden, while these officials lived in the outer garden. Their living quarters were far less exquisite than the royal palaces, and most of the houses in the outer garden were smaller than their own homes in the capital. Officials of relatively lower rank might even have to share a courtyard with several families.
However, in her previous life, Lou Xueying lived in a separate courtyard with the Lou family, and in this life, she lives in a separate courtyard with Li Pan. Both are quiet and tidy places, which is acceptable.
They were only staying for three days, so they didn't have much luggage. Besides clothes, they had a bunch of different kinds of medicines—just in case, Lou Xueying brought all sorts of medicines with her.
Lou Xueying frowned, pacing back and forth in the room, checking the trunks, the doors and windows, and even under the bed. Li Pan stood to the side with his arms crossed, asking, "What are you looking for? Hidden weapons?"
Lou Xueying pursed her lips: "You have more experience than me, you go find them."
“If they were going to do it, they wouldn’t do it here. You live with me, what if a hidden weapon hurts you? His Majesty wouldn’t do that,” Li Pan said. “Relax, don’t act like you’re facing a formidable enemy.”
Lou Xueying let out a breath, grabbed Li Pan's hand, and said, "You're not allowed to go hunting later."
“I know,” Li Pan said. “I told him I was unwell and shouldn’t be running around.”
Lou Xueying thought for a moment, then secretly stuffed medicine into the sachet she carried with her. When she couldn't fit it all in her own body, she stuffed it into Li Pan's body.
Li Pan: "Do we need to bring so many?"
Lou Xueying: "The main concern is that when we're not in the room, someone might sneak in to change the dressing."
Li Pan: "...You've thought of everything quite thoroughly. His Majesty will stop at nothing to get rid of me."
Lou Xueying frowned even more deeply: "This is not the time for jokes!"
Li Pan: "Okay, okay, don't be so nervous. The more nervous you are, the more likely you are to cause problems."
He glanced at the water clock in the corner and said, "It's almost time, let's go."
Lou Xueying took a deep breath, took Li Pan's hand, and stepped out the door.
As she stepped out of the courtyard, she encountered other officials coming from the neighboring courtyard. Lou Xueying didn't recognize them, but silently listened as Li Pan exchanged pleasantries with them as they walked.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the other person's gaze remained fixed on Li Pan and Lou Xueying's clasped hands. Unable to contain himself any longer, he exclaimed, "The Marquis and his wife have such a wonderful relationship!"
Li Pan: "Not bad, not bad. Where is your wife?"
The other party said, "She was unlucky and caught a cold, so she won't be coming. Only my son and I came together."
"And what about your son?"
"Alas, they've already run off, rushing to choose horses. They said if they were too late, all the good horses would be gone." The other person then asked with a hint of doubt, "Why is the Marquis only setting off now? Perhaps he's already reserved horses?"
"Unfortunately, I also caught a cold." Li Pan coughed a few times. "I had already said I wouldn't come, but His Majesty insisted that I show my face, so I had no choice but to come. It's a pity that I'm not feeling well, so I won't participate in the hunt."
"I see. It's a pity I won't be able to witness your valor today," the other party laughed. "I was just saying that you would surely win first place today!"
Li Pan humbly replied, "I wouldn't dare."
They chatted casually along the way, and encountered some other officials and their families along the way.
Almost everyone couldn't help but stare at Li Pan and Lou Xueying's tightly clasped hands. Li Pan remained calm and composed, while Lou Xueying's ears gradually turned red.
Even so, she still didn't let go of Li Pan.
She knew that if she let go of Li Pan's hand, the others would instinctively take him to their colleagues, leaving her with the women. But she absolutely could not be separated from Li Pan now, and for that, she was willing to endure the mocking glances of others.
The sky was high and the clouds were wide. Qishan in August was much cooler than the capital city, with occasional strong winds that even carried a hint of chill. Outside the hunting grounds was a large, flat campsite, where dozens of flags fluttered in the wind.
More than a dozen large tents were neatly pitched on the camp. The largest one, of course, was the emperor's private tent, white with gold patterns, heavily guarded all around. Behind it were the tents for the empress, the crown prince, and the princes and princesses. Further back were the tents for other imperial relatives and officials' families to rest temporarily.
In the center of the camp, dozens of military officers and sons of nobles and officials who were participating in the hunt were already leading their horses, carrying bows, rubbing their hands together, and eager to try their luck.
Li Pan's appearance almost instantly attracted everyone's attention.
Li Pan had no choice but to drag Lou Xueying along and start explaining to everyone that he had caught a cold, didn't plan to participate in the hunt, and asked everyone to stay away from him to avoid getting infected.
Inside the main tent, Emperor Jinghui lifted his eyelids and asked, "What's the commotion outside?"
Eunuch Zheng went out to inquire and returned to report: "It is Marquis Wu'an who has arrived with his wife. He said he has caught a cold and will not participate in the hunt, but some people are still urging him to participate despite his illness."
As expected.
Emperor Jinghui then asked, "Where is the Crown Prince?"
Eunuch Zheng: "His Highness the Crown Prince is still in his tent, so he probably won't be participating either."
Emperor Jinghui twitched the corner of his mouth.
Eunuch Zheng: "The auspicious time is approaching. Would Your Majesty like to change your clothes?"
Emperor Jinghui: "I won't participate either, so why should I change my clothes?"
Eunuch Zheng: "..."
Suddenly, a powerful and long horn sounded, and the noisy crowd outside the tent immediately quieted down.
The people participating in the hunt in the camp held their breath and stood in their respective rows. Several princes emerged from their tents, wearing light armor, and led their horses to the front of the crowd.
The second horn sounded, and the Crown Prince and Empress emerged from the main tent and stood quietly before it.
Li Pan suddenly felt Lou Xueying grip his hand tightly, and he couldn't help but turn his head to look at her.
But she looked in the direction of the Crown Prince, and just as he was about to look at her, she quickly lowered her eyes.
Li Pan raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Isn't His Highness the Crown Prince participating either?"
He hasn't changed into riding gear yet, and there's no horse or bow beside him, clearly indicating that he intends to remain idle and not participate in the hunt.
The third horn sounded, the imperial tent was lifted, and the emperor, dressed in a black robe with dragon patterns, slowly walked out of the tent and stood with his hands behind his back on the viewing platform.
Li Pan: "..."
Li Pan asked Lou Xueying in a low voice, "Is there some kind of rule? Why are all the other princes participating, but His Majesty and the Crown Prince are not?"
Lou Xueying thought to herself, how could she know?
Needless to say, the Crown Prince participated in the previous life. Although the Emperor did not participate in the entire event, she heard that he rode out for a ride, hunted a few animals, and then returned.
Why aren't these two participating this year? Could it be that Emperor Jinghui is afraid that the ambush he set for Li Pan might accidentally harm his own health, while the Crown Prince, who just escaped death, is afraid that Emperor Jinghui might take advantage of the autumn hunt to harm him?
Lou Xueying found it absurd and ridiculous.
What a fine autumn hunt, how did it turn out like this?
The sound of horns echoed outwards, silencing any whispers. The hunters, already arrayed in formation, bowed in unison, their armor clashing and metal clanging. Officials and their families watching from the perimeter also knelt like a tidal wave, their shouts reverberating through the valley, startling the faint, uneasy roars of beasts echoing from the depths of the forest.
Emperor Jinghui stood below the high platform, with a panoramic view of the surrounding scenery.
The participants in the center of the camp couldn't hide their excitement, while the onlookers on both sides were also full of anticipation.
There were only two exceptions.
No, to be more precise, there was only one person. Although Li Pan was neither excited nor expectant, he still maintained a respectful and calm expression. However, Lou Xueying, who was beside him, had a frosty face. While everyone else bowed their heads and cheered, only she raised her eyes and cast a cold glance at him.
Emperor Jinghui gave a bitter smile to himself, thinking that she had misunderstood and that he had no intention of doing anything to Li Pan here. Unfortunately, even if he did say it, she probably wouldn't believe him.
She stood out among the crowd of gray, black, brown, and blue-green people in her pomegranate-colored dress—she wasn't with the women, but with Li Pan, on the officials' side.
The autumn hunt was an occasion for "enjoying oneself with the ministers," so it naturally didn't have the same strict rules as court. Especially for those who weren't participating in the hunt, as long as they stood in line, no one cared who should stand where.
However, out of habit and subconscious rules, everyone still basically divided the area according to men and women, and also according to official rank. Only Lou Xueying, under the surprised gazes of the men around her, stood like a nail next to Li Pan, refusing to move an inch.
Li Pan went along with her, frequently touching her shoulder and pinching her hair before the show even started, behaving very intimately. This made the others too embarrassed to even make jokes, and they awkwardly moved away from them.
Sigh, well, Miss Lou was already renowned for her beauty even before she was married. Now that I see her, she truly is like a celestial being descended to earth. It's only natural that Marquis Wu'an, a rough man, would be so captivated by her. He was once reminded by the emperor for being distracted during court, thinking about buying pastries for his wife. Now, he's directly leading his wife to watch the autumn hunt—it seems like something he would do.
"His Majesty has decreed—" Eunuch Zheng stepped forward and shouted, "The Autumn Hunting Ceremony is intended to demonstrate martial arts and test wisdom and courage. I hope all of you will do your best and display your abilities. If there is any exchange, please stop when you have made your point. I will observe from here and await good news."
With another gong sound, Eunuch Zheng announced, "The auspicious hour has arrived; the autumn hunt begins!"
The generals and young men, who could no longer contain themselves, immediately mounted their horses and, like arrows released from a bow, shot out of the camp and disappeared into the mountains and forests, leaving only the dust kicked up by their hooves swirling in the air for a long time.
Li Pan narrowed his eyes and raised his hand to shield Lou Xueying.
The autumn hunt had just begun, and the hunters were still searching for their prey, so there wasn't much to see yet. The onlookers gradually dispersed, some taking a walk, some chatting, and others heading to a small, secluded horse stable next to the hunting grounds.
Li Pan asked, "What's that place for?"
Lou Xueying replied, "Some people don't know how to ride or shoot, but they still want to try. They can ride the horses there. They are small in size and have a gentle temperament. Women can ride them too."
Li Pan: "Didn't you say you'd never been here before? How did you know?"
Lou Xueying: "The autumn hunt has been held for so many years, and it's the same every year, so I've naturally heard people talk about it."
Li Pan: "Do you want to go?"
Lou Xueying shook her head.
She is now very sensitive to all sources of danger and has no desire to take any risks.
While Li Pan and Lou Xueying were talking, Emperor Jinghui was still on the high platform, quietly watching them.
He watched Li Pan shield Lou Xueying from the dust, watched Li Pan casually put his arm around Lou Xueying's waist, watched Lou Xueying pluck a leaf from Li Pan's shoulder, and watched the two whisper to each other as they walked further and further away.
It's not cold today, and I'm wearing plenty of clothes, but a subtle chill and a persistent pain still creep into my bones.
Emperor Jinghui turned his head and looked at the Crown Prince standing behind him.
"Ji'er." He suddenly laughed, calling him like a loving father, "Why don't you go to the hunt?"
The Crown Prince lowered his eyes and said, "I have caught a cold and am not fit to ride a horse."
"What a coincidence, Marquis Wu'an also caught a cold. It seems that people are most susceptible to illness during the change of seasons, and even the strongest person cannot resist it," Emperor Jinghui said quietly.
Crown Prince: "Father, you must also take good care of yourself and your health."
Emperor Jinghui: "What were you looking at just now?"
The Crown Prince said, “I am watching those people hunting. Even though I cannot participate in the hunt myself, I am still very excited just by watching.”
"Oh, I thought you were looking at Marquis Wu'an," Emperor Jinghui laughed. "Did you see? Marquis Wu'an is truly in love with his wife. They are inseparable, and he doesn't care about being ridiculed by others."
The crown prince lowered his head even further and said in a low voice, "Father has bestowed a good marriage upon us."
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Author's Note: Thank you everyone for the comments and nutrient solutions! Happy holidays everyone!
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