Chapter 58
On the second day of hunting, Yu Xi personally participated. The guards led his private black horse to the hunting grounds. Ling Huanchen vaguely remembered that the horse had a name: Xuanxin.
He looked at the man and the horse who were extremely intimate after meeting each other. Xuan means black, so isn’t Xuanxin the black heart?
"Huanchen, come and touch it."
Under Yu Xi's encouraging gaze, Ling Huanchen still reached out and touched the horse's head.
Yu Xi looked at this scene with a softer look. "Well, is he very well behaved?"
Xuan Xin not only let him touch her obediently, but also tilted her head deliberately, as if she was enjoying it. This instantly gave Ling Huanchen the illusion that he was petting a kitten or a puppy.
"Didn't the king say yesterday that I could also go hunting in the hunting grounds?" Where was his horse? Where was his bow and arrow?
"A gentleman's word is as good as gold."
Yu Xi said with a smile, and suddenly put her arm around Ling Huanchen's waist, led him onto the horse, grabbed the reins, and wrapped him between her arms, "Let's ride together."
No wonder Yu Xi agreed so readily, it turned out it was all planned in advance.
Ling Huanchen looked around quietly. Everyone in the hunting ground was looking up at the sky or the ground. Only Yu Zhao was staring at them and laughing foolishly.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. While it was unbecoming for them to do this in broad daylight, it was unrealistic for him to learn horseback riding and archery overnight. For the sake of being able to watch the hunt firsthand, he could put etiquette aside for the moment.
The horn blew again, and Xuan Xin took the lead, with the other horses following closely behind. True to his reputation as a warhorse, Xuan Xin soon opened up a gap between himself and the other horses, leaving only a few able to catch up.
Entering the depths of the woods, everyone split into several teams. Ling Huanchen looked back, but did not find Yu Zhao and Zuo Lan. Behind them were some ministers he did not recognize.
At this moment, a sika deer came into view. As if startled by the sound of horse hooves, the deer fled in all directions without a clear plan. In a flash, before anyone could draw their bows, the deer had already been shot and fell to the ground.
Ling Huanchen blinked, and Yu Xi had already put down the bow.
It happened so fast that he didn't have time to react.
"Your Majesty's archery skills are unmatched."
"Your Majesty is mighty!"
"I am far behind you."
The expected flattery followed one after another, and Ling Huanchen couldn't help laughing. Yu Xi must have heard these words so many times that her ears were callused.
Yu Xi did not deliberately take credit for himself. When prey appeared later, he did not rush to take the lead and left it to his ministers to show off.
"Huanchen, do you want to shoot an arrow?"
Ling Huanchen was looking around curiously, but when he heard the words, he tilted his head and seemed to feel something soft on the side of his face, and he stopped in time.
Yu Xi pursed her lips and said in a gentler voice, "Try it?"
Ling Huanchen was eager to try, "Your Majesty, will you teach me?"
"Okay, I'll teach you."
Yu Xi placed the bow and arrow in Ling Huanchen's hands, then held his hand to control the force and direction of the bow. With the arrow fully drawn, it slowly moved upwards, aiming at a lone goose in the clear sky. Ling Huanchen turned his head quietly, catching a glimpse of Yu Xi's narrowed eyes from the corner of his eye.
Yu Xi suddenly let go, and the arrow shot out with unstoppable force, piercing the sky. The wild goose fell to the ground in an instant like a kite with a broken string.
Behind him, there were cheers and praises again, but Ling Huanchen paid no attention. He was still immersed in the focused and awe-inspiring look on Yu Xi's face as she practiced archery. It was just like watching Yu Xi practice swordplay, with less of her usual gentleness towards him and a hint of arrogance.
In his previous life, he would have retreated into the shell he had built for himself to protect himself. But now, far from being afraid, he couldn't look away.
Yu Xi hugged him, resting her chin on his shoulder, "Are you happy?"
Seeing Ling Huanchen nod, he asked again, "Do you want to come again?"
"Yes." Ling Huanchen said without thinking.
Yu Xi laughed out loud, pulled the reins, and clamped the horse's belly. Xuan Xin raised his horse's hoof and turned to run towards the open space.
Because of the novelty of Ling Huanchen entering the competition for the first time, Yu Xi, who didn't want to take the lead, accidentally became the first again.
The final horn blew, and everyone rode back to the viewing platform. It was time to report the number of prey, but there was no sign of Yu Zhao.
"Where is Zhao'er?" Since they separated in the woods, they haven't seen Yu Zhao again.
Yu Xi frowned and called Fu Changshi over, "Check to see if anyone else has not returned."
Fu Changshi turned around and came back, "Your Majesty, and Miss Zuo Lan of the Zuo Mansion, everyone else has returned."
Leaving Zuo Lan aside, this wasn't Yu Zhao's first time hunting, so he shouldn't have been unaware of the return date. Ling Huanchen felt a surge of unease, unable to figure out where it came from.
In his previous life, Yu Zhao encountered the Mingcheng spy in the marketplace. Back then, Yu Zhao particularly loved hanging out with the common people. Because he wasn't very skilled in his craft, he was targeted and abducted. When he was rescued, he also brought back a lifesaver: the spy.
The spy took advantage of his status as a savior to stay in the Prince's Mansion, and gradually became friends with Yu Zhao. He used sweet words to trick Yu Zhao into falling into their trap, and became a bargaining chip to lure Yu Xi into the trap.
Logically, everything should be fine now. But he thought, what if something unexpected happens? After all, many things change when you do them again.
"Send someone to look for him, and make sure he's brought back before dark."
At Yu Xi's command, the guards rode back to the woods and hurried to look for someone.
They waited until dark, but the guards didn't return, let alone any news of Yu Zhao. Yu Xi's face was unpleasant, and as the incense stick was about to burn out, he suddenly stood up, and Ling Huanchen followed suit.
"Your Majesty, are you going to look for it yourself?"
Yu Xi held his hand and patted the back of his hand twice, "I'll be back soon."
Ling Huanchen nodded, "I'll be waiting for you and Zhao'er here, Your Majesty, be careful."
The captain of the guards had already followed Yu Xi down from the viewing platform and was about to mount his horse when he heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance. The sound gradually approached, and gradually a light began to appear from the woods.
"The Prince has been found! Miss Zuo has also been found!"
Ling Huanchen was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw the guards bringing back three people. In addition to Yu Zhao and Zuo Lan, there was also a guard with an injured left leg.
"Brother Wang!" Yu Zhao ran over and rushed directly into Yu Xi's arms, "I almost couldn't see you."
Yu Xi hugged his younger brother and patted him on the back twice, "What happened?"
"It's all my fault for being greedy. I finally saw a brown bear and wanted to hunt it, but I chased it into the dense forest. I didn't catch the bear, but instead strayed into a wolf's den. Luckily, Miss Zuo and this guard rescued me and I was able to come back."
The hunting grounds were actually divided into sections. Another section of the dense forest was home to many ferocious beasts and was generally not accessible. Yu Zhao, clearly eager to claim first place, forgot the key point and rode his horse in pursuit.
"Always causing trouble like this." Yu Xi scolded him lightly, but her hand was still patting his back gently, just like when she was coaxing her younger brother to sleep when they were young.
Yu Zhao sniffed, and after calming down, he felt a little embarrassed. He quickly stepped out of his brother's arms and said, "Brother Wang, please ask the imperial physician to treat this young man's injury. He was bitten on the leg by a wolf, and it was a serious one."
Of the three, Yu Zhao and Zuo Lan were dusty and a bit disheveled, but they were relatively unharmed. This guard, on the other hand, was different. His trouser legs were torn and the ground was covered in his blood. If he wasn't treated in time, he would be crippled.
The guard was lifted up and passed the viewing platform. Ling Huanchen saw the man's appearance clearly.
It turned out to be that spy.
"Huan Chen."
Ling Huanchen came back to his senses and found that Yu Xi had stood beside him without him knowing when.
"It's okay." Yu Xi thought that he was uneasy because he was worried about Yu Zhao, so she comforted him.
Seeing this, Yu Zhao also felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Wang's wife, I made you and my brother worry. I will never act rashly again."
Ling Huanchen calmed himself down and smiled, "Just come back safely."
Due to an unexpected event, the third hunting round was canceled, and everyone returned the next morning. The most prominent figure of this hunt was undoubtedly Miss Zuo Er, who not only won first prize in the first round but also saved Yu Zhao, earning a generous reward. The Left Prime Minister's residence was a place court officials most sought after, and after this visit, there was no shortage of guests. Not only did they come to visit the Prime Minister, but many also came with marriage proposals.
The guard who had saved Yu Zhao's life was taken to the Prince's Mansion. Yu Zhao insisted on taking care of the guard, ensuring that he would have enough food and clothing in the future, regardless of whether his leg could be healed or not. Yu Xi always doted on his only brother, and since he was just a small guard, he gave him whatever he wanted.
Ling Huanchen had been thinking for several days about how to remind Yu Zhao to be careful of the guard. After thinking it over, according to Yu Zhao's temper, he decided to remind Yu Xi to come quickly.
He wondered how this spy had managed to infiltrate the hunting grounds as a guard, catching him off guard. While this incident was completely beyond his expectations, there was a twist. In his previous life, Yu Zhao had only one savior; in this life, there was also Zuo Lan.
"What are you thinking about?"
Ling Huanchen then realized that he had been standing in front of the window for a long time. "Nothing, I just felt it was unsafe to send a guard I wasn't familiar with to Yu Zhao."
"Huanchen thinks there's something fishy about that guard?" Yu Zhao subconsciously recalled the guard. He really had no impression of him. But it was normal for him to have no impression. After all, there were only a few guards he could remember.
"I've had someone check, and everything about his family background is normal." It was precisely because it was normal that he agreed to Yu Zhao's request. But normal didn't mean there were no problems. If it weren't for Yu Zhao, he could have taken him away for questioning. But Yu Zhao, with his straightforward personality, would definitely have objections if he considered him a friend.
"Did Huanchen notice something?"
Ling Huanchen shook his head. He had no evidence. Even if he knew that this person was a spy, he could not produce convincing evidence. If he rashly brought it up, it would easily lead to him being retaliated against.
"I just think it's better to be careful."
Yu Xi tidied up his drooping hair and led the others away from the window. "The Prince's Mansion is guarded by secret guards. I'll ask them to keep an eye on it."
The author has something to say:
Thank you for the encouragement from the lovely little "Si Yu"!
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