Chapter 37 His warm and considerate demeanor was truly...
Since the spring banquet was held before the results were announced, the poetry recitation and couplet writing were exempted, and the main event was a horse riding and archery competition.
The scions of prominent families competed in archery and horsemanship with Fengshan, using a points system where the one with the highest score won first place.
Yu Tan once had the privilege of viewing this masterpiece at the Princess's Flower Banquet. Its magnificent scale made one feel as if they were atop Mount Tai, with the whole world laid out before them. It is indeed a masterpiece worthy of collection.
She still remembers the shock she felt when she first saw the painting, and she doesn't know who will own it.
She followed Princess Chang Le to the racecourse, where Princess Chang Le stopped and stared at her and Qi Yuansi.
Yu Tan wore a neat short shirt, while Qi Yuansi wore a gorgeous ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with hairpins and ornaments jingling in her hair. They were clearly not there to ride horses.
Princess Chang Le walked past Qi Yuan Si and stood in front of Yu Tan: "Yu Tan, can you ride a horse? Let's have a race later."
"I can't." Yu Tan shook her head. She came today to learn how to ride a horse, hence her simple attire.
Princess Chang Le pursed her lips: "The girls in Bianjing are just too pampered. In my village, the girls can all ride horses and are even more swift and decisive than the boys when it comes to killing."
Qi Yuansi covered her mouth and laughed, already used to Princess Chang Le's tone of voice.
Princess Chang Le was not angry when she saw the two women refusing her; she quickly ran towards the racecourse.
"Since you won't come with me, I'll go by myself and win first place."
A fence stood in front of the racetrack, and the scions of noble families stood on the outer perimeter, each with a fine horse by their side, or mounted on their mounts. Without exception, their faces radiated youthful vigor, determined to win first place.
Yu Tan had never come to the racetrack before, so Qi Yuansi and she stayed on the outermost edge and didn't go any further.
Princess Chang Le strode onto the racetrack, where a stable boy led over a chestnut-red steed.
Princess Chang Le, dressed in red, looked dashing and heroic. With a nimble movement, she mounted her horse, gripped the reins with one hand, and spurred the horse towards Yu He'an.
Princess Chang Le and Yu He'an were a few meters apart.
Yu Tan was too far away to hear what Princess Chang Le and Yu He'an were saying. She could only see the unrestrained smile on Princess Chang Le's face as she rode her horse closer to Yu He'an.
Yu He'an's expression was no different from usual. The wind lifted his long hair, with a scarlet ribbon tangled in it, exuding youthful spirit.
Yu He'an usually stays at his desk in his study, head bowed, studying, giving the impression of being mature beyond his years, rarely displaying such unrestrained behavior.
The two were dressed in scarlet hunting outfits and looked very well-matched.
Seemingly sensing that someone was watching him, Yu He'an turned his head and looked over, his gaze passing through the racetrack and onto the hill.
Yu Tan felt embarrassed, as if she had been caught spying. She quickly smiled and waved to Yu He'an. Yu He'an nodded, turned her horse around, and went to the other side of the fence.
Qi Yuansi muttered, "Your brother is still the same, so cold and aloof. He's quite a match for Princess Chang Le."
Yu Tan's hand gripped the silk thread at the cuff of her sleeve as she whispered, "How long has Princess Chang Le been back? How did you two meet?"
Qi Yuansi counted on his fingers: "Just two months ago, Chang Le was brought back to Bianjing."
Two months ago, during the Spring Festival, she was troubled by rumors and afraid that Yu He'an would find out her identity, so she didn't even realize it.
Curious, she asked, "How did you find them? After all, they've been missing for so many years."
Qi Yuansi said mysteriously, "It's quite a coincidence that the Princess's carriage was stopped by bandits on her way back to Bianjing, and she hasn't even received any guards yet."
The princess was rescued by a woman in black with a curved sword at her waist. After spending a few days together, the princess noticed the items the woman had given to her beloved daughter and investigated them several times.
Princess Chang Le was brought back to Bianjing after her savior turned out to be her long-lost daughter.
Yu Tan smiled and said, "What a coincidence."
"Speaking of which, you should thank Princess Chang Le. You have no idea how outrageous the rumors were before she returned to Bianjing."
"Um?"
Qi Yuansi exclaimed dramatically, "You really don't know?"
Yu Tan shook her head: "I don't go out in winter, so it's impossible for gossip to reach the Marquis's residence."
"It is said that Marquis Yu has found a woman who resembles his deceased wife to be your concubine."
Qi Yuansi pulled her to a high place to sit, where they could see the entire racecourse.
“That’s ridiculous. My father has been a widower for many years. If that were really the case, he would have remarried long ago. Why would he have to wait until now and still bear this infamy?”
"Let's not talk about it anymore, let's not talk about it anymore. It's just hearsay, who would really believe such things? Yao Yao." Qi Yuansi had just sat down when he winked at her, "Who was that gentleman in the peacock-patterned indigo brocade robe?"
"Who?" She didn't raise her head, still wondering if Yu He'an would hear these rumors after finishing the exam.
Qi Yuansi excitedly grabbed her arm and pointed to Chu Minglang on the racetrack, "That's him, he's been waving at you for ages."
Yu Tan waved at him, and Chu Minglang gripped the reins, causing the horse to spin around in place, mouthing exaggeratedly at her.
"Wait until I win that painting for you."
She nodded.
Qi Yuansi leaned closer: "You know him?"
Chu Minglang had little contact with the prominent families of Bianjing, so it's no wonder that Qi Yuansi didn't recognize him.
When asked by her friend, she could no longer hide it and poured out all the things she had been unable to say these past few days.
“He is Chu Minglang, the eldest son of the Chu family in Lingnan. My grandmother and elder brother both want me to marry him.”
Qi Yuansi said with disdain, "Lingnan is a wild and desolate place, so far away from Bianjing. If you really marry someone from Lingnan, we sisters don't know how long it will be before we see each other. Why should we let you marry someone so far away?"
Yu Tan shook her head; she didn't know either. "It's probably warmer over there."
Qi Yuansi angrily tugged at the grass: "Staying in Bianjing is nothing more than burning a few more charcoal pieces in winter. Although Chu Langjun seems nice and seems to have feelings for you, Lingnan is so far away... If you leave Bianjing, you will have no Marquis's mansion to rely on... What will you do when your marital bond weakens in the future?"
"Mmm," Yu Tan responded softly. She had never really thought about marrying Chu Minglang.
She did not fall in love with Chu Minglang as in the story, and she had no intention of getting entangled with him.
Qi Yuansi said with exasperation, "Why didn't you tell them you didn't want to? Old Madam Song dotes on you so much, she would definitely help you find someone else."
“I mentioned it, but it was no use.” Yu Tan shook her head. “I won’t mention it again.”
Anyway, we just need to get through this period.
Qi Yuansi peeked out mysteriously: "Yaoyao, why don't you become my sister-in-law?"
Upon hearing this news, she swayed and reached out to shake Qi Yuansi's arm.
"Qi Erniangzi, wake up! Your brother is only ten years old. What kind of wicked ideas are you having?"
Qi Yuansi said playfully, "I'm just anxious to help you. If I were a young man, I would go to your house tomorrow to propose marriage and solve your crisis."
"Thank you so much, Second Madam Qi."
The fences on the racecourse were removed, and the young men mounted their horses as the red flags on white backgrounds were raised.
Various fine horses charged out, with Princess Chang Le in red leading the way, closely following Yu He'an. Her riding speed was in no way inferior to that of her husband. Inside the racetrack, tall poles stood with fist-sized lanterns hanging from them.
When the young man rides his horse across the horse track, he quickly shoots down the small lanterns. The race is won by speed and the number of lanterns shot down.
Yu He'an and Princess Chang Le walked one after the other, and the little lanterns fell down in large numbers and quickly.
“They are such a perfect match.” Qi Yuansi excitedly grabbed her sleeve. “I’ve always thought about your brother, with his cold and aloof nature, what kind of woman would be a good match for him? Now I understand, it should be someone like Princess Chang Le.”
Yu Tan frowned: "Hmm?"
Qi Yuansi said with relish: "A distinguished family background and a fiery personality."
"Yeah?"
"It definitely is. Let's bet on it if you don't believe me."
"I won't gamble." She lowered her head and tugged at the grass.
A few days ago, Yu He'an said he would focus on establishing his career first and wouldn't get married. However, marrying Princess Chang Le would greatly benefit his career.
"If Princess Chang Le were your sister-in-law, she should be easy to get along with; she has a very easygoing personality."
"Yes, I know, it's a good thing." Yu Tan lowered her head, the wind of the wilderness blowing against her face, messing up her hair. She reached out and smoothed her hair down.
Qi Yuansi and Yu Tan have known each other since childhood. Qi Yuansi understands that the siblings relied on each other in their childhood, and he understands the place Yu Hean holds in Yu Tan's heart, as well as Yu Tan's sense of loss.
If they grow up and get married, they will never be able to return to the close bond they had in childhood.
But how can people not grow up?
Qi Yuansi tried to change the subject, gesturing towards Li Xu with her lips, "You don't know Li Erniangzi, she thought she had climbed up to Princess Chang Le, and she stole the show at the snow appreciation banquet a few days ago."
Yu Tan looked in the direction Qi Yuansi pointed, and saw Li Xu standing outside the racecourse, holding a clean handkerchief and waiting for Princess Chang Le.
Li Xu's gaze remained fixed on a young man, Song Yi, the second son of the Minister of Rites.
Yu Tan finally understood why Li Xu was targeting her. She had met her several times at banquets, and Song Yi had given her several visiting cards to discuss painting techniques.
It's a pity that she only liked to draw but knew nothing about painting. They were innocent before, but they were envied. It's really ridiculous.
With only a hundred meters left in the race, Yu He'an spurred his horse's belly, took the lead, and rushed across the finish line. He only reined in his horse a few hundred meters away.
The young men reined in their horses and left the racetrack one after another, and the stable boys stepped forward to count the small lanterns and keep score.
Her enthusiasm for marathon running even made her eager to try it herself.
She saw Yu He'an walking in her direction, and she got up and brushed the grass clippings off her clothes.
Yu He'an must have come to teach her how to ride a horse, but after only a few dozen steps, Princess Chang Le caught up with her, said a few words to Yu He'an, and then Yu He'an followed her to another place.
"Yaoyao, I heard you want to learn to ride a horse. Let's go that way. The snow is very gentle and perfect for beginners."
Yu Tan glanced at Chu Minglang, who had just come off the racetrack, his face still dripping with sweat. He had come straight to her without resting for a moment.
He gently lifted his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his cheeks, considerately took half a step back, and stood beside the tan horse. He reached out and touched Taxue's neck, and Taxue obediently lowered its head.
"Yaoyao, shall we give it a try?"
Their warm and considerate demeanor makes it impossible for anyone to say a word against them.
Author's Note: Thank you uksophie for the nutrient solution. [Starry-eyed]
It might be late tomorrow; I need to rewrite the later chapters. [Fireworks] I'll watch it in the morning.
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