Chapter 122
Ye Tianhui followed Gu Shizhang back to Hong Kong. As expected, Mr. Li, the head of foreign trade in the mainland, arrived in Hong Kong. This naturally caused quite a stir among Hong Kong's political and business figures. After all, this was the first ministerial-level official from the mainland to officially arrive in Hong Kong.
Mr. Li then answered everyone's questions at a press conference held at the Governor's Office. He pointed out that the mainland needs tens of billions of dollars in foreign exchange to support the modernization plan, and believed that Hong Kong would play a role in this regard, and he also welcomed everyone.
This incident naturally caused quite a stir in Hong Kong. After the press conference, Mr. Li hosted a private banquet to entertain a large number of people, including important Hong Kong media figures. Gu Shizhang and Ye Tianhui also attended the banquet.
During the dinner, Mr. Li was very interested in Ye Tianhui. He specifically mentioned her racehorses and said he was waiting for good news about her expedition to Europe.
The dinner went more smoothly than expected, and Mr. Li later invited Gu Shizhang to Beijing, which was considered an olive branch.
For Ye Tianhui, all of this was naturally something she had never thought of before, it was like a dream.
At this time, she would also recall the time when she swam from Shekou to Hong Kong. It had only been a short time, but the mainland began to change, and the world seemed to be changing as well.
Of course, I have changed even more.
Under such circumstances, Ye Tianhui naturally devoted more energy to this Hell King's trip to the UK.
According to Ye Tianhui's plan, in order to allow the Hell King to better adapt to the competition in the UK, he planned to let the Hell King go abroad in advance and stay in the UK for training for a period of time.
Transporting racehorses to England across the ocean was no easy task.
Now Lin Jianquan, Sun Jiajing, Lao Zhou and other accompanying personnel have completed the procedures for going to the UK. Even the Hell King has applied for a horse passport and carried out quarantine-related work in accordance with regulations.
In addition, feeding during transportation is also very particular, and the supply of hay and water must be guaranteed along the way.
The transfer plane that transported the King of Hell was also specially modified, using specially trained crew members and making preparations in all aspects.
Originally, Lao Zhou was worried that the fierce Hell King would not be able to adapt to the plane journey, so he and Lin Jianquan accompanied the Hell King on the connecting flight so that they could be ready to deal with any accidents at any time.
Fortunately, the King of Hell was more adaptable than everyone thought. After he got on the plane, he felt sleepy and began to sleep. He slept all the way. When he finally woke up, he had already arrived in the UK.
Gu Shizhang had already found a top-notch stable and training ground specifically for the King of Hell to use. The horse staff quickly settled in. They would accompany the King of Hell through the stage of acclimatization and start training in the UK as soon as possible.
The horse staff under Ye Tianhui put all their efforts into airlifting the food and water that the former Hell King was used to eating. At the same time, they adjusted the diet appropriately according to local conditions to allow the Hell King to gradually adapt to the British climate and soil.
A team of doctors was also brought to control the daily care and diet of the Hell King to ensure that the Hell King's condition was always maintained at the best level.
In addition, professional training was carried out in a special training ground, various situations in local British racecourses were simulated, and even several thoroughbred horses were rented to compete with the Hell King in order to better activate the Hell King's state.
Just when Ye Tianhui and others were undergoing emergency training, they unexpectedly saw Meng Yinian coming to the UK.
He also came here to attend the Royal Ascot this time, but he didn't have any horse racing to participate in, he just came to join in the fun.
When he heard that Ye Tianhui and others were going to conduct a competition simulation training, he suggested: "If you need it, I can lend you my horse."
When he said this, Lin Jianquan was also there.
Lin Jianquan had no expression on his face. He lowered his head to tidy up the saddle of the Hell King and ignored it.
Ye Tianhui smiled and said, "That's great. Thank you in advance."
Meng Yinian has his own stable in the UK and runs a variety of horses. He is willing to help, which will naturally be of great help to Ye Tianhui.
Meng Yinian: "You're welcome."
He smiled and said, "Although we were rivals in Hong Kong, Hell King is now competing in the UK as the Hong Kong Horse King. I hope he can show his prowess in the UK and bring honor to our Hong Kong horses."
Ye Tianhui: "Thank you for your good wishes. I hope so."
After all, Meng Yinian has been running a business in the UK for many years and is very experienced. Now that he is helping out, the horse staff under Ye Tianhui find it very helpful. Meng Yinian is obviously also very interested in the Hell King and comes over from time to time to watch them train horses.
However, Lin Jianquan has always been very cold towards Meng Yinian. Even when they occasionally meet and talk to each other, he does not show any emotion.
Ye Tianhui advised Meng Yinian: "That's just his personality. I've known him for a long time, and I've only seen him smile at me once."
Meng Yinian smiled bitterly: "Nothing, I understand."
In response to this, Ye Tianhui privately said to Gu Shizhang: "Actually, Meng Yinian is a good person, much better than his father."
Gu Shizhang: "We have known each other for many years, he is indeed good."
Ye Tianhui: "But I don't really want to get involved with Jianquan. Jianquan is a stubborn person."
Gu Shizhang: "It's nothing, just let him be. He may just feel that the Meng family has wronged Jianquan. You don't have to pay attention to him."
Ye Tianhui sighed: "Let's talk about it later."
**************
Originally, Ye Tianhui wanted the Hell King to keep a low profile on this trip. She wanted to give the Hell King as quiet a training space as possible and not attract too much attention.
Unfortunately, the Hong Kong media's love for Hell King was really unbearable. A tabloid reporter even followed Hell King all the way and was photographed after he arrived in the UK via transfer.
As the news spread, both the British and Hong Kong media began to discuss heatedly the Hong Kong horse king's trip to the UK.
People began to compare Goodwood The Stars and Hell's King, and began to analyze the bloodlines of the two horses and the strengths and weaknesses of the two horses.
However, this comparison has caused dissatisfaction among fans of Goodwood The Stars.
Goodwood The Stars won six races and its reputation almost reached its peak. Walking on the streets of London, the old men holding horse racing guides would always talk about the popular Goodwood The Stars. The horse racing hosts on TV would tirelessly introduce Goodwood The Stars, praising its sturdy physique and explosive power. It can be said that the entire London horse racing community was submerged in the fiery wave of Goodwood The Stars at this time. The picture of Goodwood The Stars running was instantly used as an advertising banner and hung in the most conspicuous place on the street.
As an outsider monk, the Hell King suddenly gained so much popularity that it was inevitable that people would feel dissatisfied. For a while, some horse fans even began to attack the Hell King, saying that people were "nothing special".
This sentiment that permeated London caused dissatisfaction among Hong Kong horse racing fans, so the Hong Kong Horse Racing Guide had a big headline asking the question: "Hong Kong Horse King is being snubbed in the UK?"
As soon as this title came out, Hong Kong horse racing fans were excited and felt that they must teach the British horses a lesson.
In this heated debate, reports on Hellraiser and Goodwood The Stars have occupied the headlines of major media, and the confrontation between supporters of the two sides has become more and more fanatical, with fans of the two groups even openly attacking each other.
At this time, the Royal Ascot finally opened.
This year's Royal Ascot was held at the Berkshire Racecourse. In addition to being an exciting horse racing event, this Royal Ascot is also a social occasion for British aristocrats and a stage for royal family members to show their style.
Ye Tianhui naturally understood that such an occasion must not be simple. It was an occasion for socialites to compete with each other for beauty, so she asked the fashion designer to design a set of Chinese silk gifts early on, paired with a tulle shawl and a simple and gorgeous hat, and also wore precious and rare jewelry.
Gu Shizhang has always been a generous person. Since coming to the UK, he has given her some luxurious gems, all of which are rare treasures. Now, when paired with this Chinese pink dress, it looks luxurious and noble.
The two of them were heading to the horse racing meeting. The moment they got off the car, Ye Tianhui saw Gu Shizhang's silhouette in the reflective glass door.
He was wearing a neat British suit made of fine fabric and with a wide cut. He looked solemn and dignified, tall and straight.
He is very heroic and dignified, and his casual movements exude a powerful aura.
Suddenly, those royal family members in gorgeous clothes and those political and business celebrities who were good at socializing all paled in comparison to him.
As time goes by, countless emperors and generals have appeared and disappeared in the long river of history. Now this fashionable and gorgeous horse racing meeting will be nothing more than a yellowed photo in the passage of time.
But he was vivid and clear, and was forever imprinted in her heart.
Even though he is no longer the emperor he once was, at a glance, the strength and confidence that is ingrained in him are still there. He is still himself, the emperor who once conquered all corners of the world.
Gu Shizhang felt it, he tilted his head and looked at her gently: "Hmm?"
Ye Tianhui smiled and took his hand: "Nothing, I just suddenly thought you were pretty."
Gu Shizhang was speechless, raised his eyebrows slightly, and looked at her with a smile: "Tell me, do you want me to do something?"
Ye Tianhui: "No, I'm that kind of person. Let's go!"
The Jockey Club began. The Queen and the Prince of Wales attended the opening ceremony in their best attire. Princes and princesses of the royal family also attended. In addition, there were naturally many British aristocrats and celebrities. It can be said that this was not only a sporting event, but also a hot fashion show. British wealthy ladies and socialites from various countries were all present, all in gorgeous attire, paired with exaggerated hats, which was really dazzling.
Now Ye Tianhui's horse is going to participate in this horse race. This is the first time that the Hong Kong Horse King will compete in the British Royal Ascot. Ye Tianhui is a person in the limelight, so naturally she attracted everyone's attention.
The Chinese-style pink satin dress she wore today was fashionable and gorgeous, perfectly outlining her slender figure. As for the top-notch gorgeous jewelry, it was even more precious and rare, and it was particularly eye-catching even among a group of aristocratic ladies.
She is heroic and elegant, and has the unique softness of an oriental woman. As soon as she appeared, she attracted a lot of astonished glances, and even the royal princess came forward to talk to her and praise her.
It is obvious that the Queen of England was also impressed by Ye Tianhui. She even asked about her and thanked her for her contributions to the Hong Kong horse racing industry.
Ye Tianhui certainly understood that she was pushed to such a high profile position, certainly because of her status in the Hong Kong horse racing world, but in fact there were also some complicated political reasons. It can only be said that history and the situation have put her, who was originally unimportant, in a prominent position.
Naturally, she became more cautious in her words and actions. Some things were not within her control, so she could only do her duty.
The Royal Ascot is a large social occasion for the British upper class, and some important business celebrities from various countries also attend. On the sunny lawn, various wealthy people gather together in groups of three or five, actively expanding their social circles.
Gu Shizhang obviously had a wide network of contacts. He took her with him and introduced her to all kinds of people, including oil tycoons, famous artists, bankers, and so on.
However, what Ye Tianhui didn't expect the most was that she actually met Zhou Wanlan and Ke Zhiming.
It turned out that after leaving Hong Kong, Ke Zhiming settled in the United States and worked as a consultant for the American Jockey Club. Later, Zhou Wanlan went to the United States and the two got together.
At this Royal Ascot race, Ke Zhiming was invited as a technical consultant to participate in referee-related matters, so the two of them also attended the race.
Because Ke Zhiming attended the event as a staff member, Zhou Wanlan dressed quite low-key, wearing only a simple baseball jacket and trousers, and a sun hat.
When Ye Tianhui saw her, she was surprised but also happy for her. She felt that she had completely abandoned her previous life and now looked comfortable and at ease.
Zhou Wanlan was also overjoyed to see Ye Tianhui. She looked her over and praised her, "When you've been away for three days, you should look at you with new eyes. You're completely different now!"
Ye Tianhui smiled when she heard this: "There's really no difference, just the clothes are slightly different."
Zhou Wanlan was stunned for a moment, then she laughed.
She smiled and said, "Yes, it is just clothes."
The two of them spoke in a somewhat cordial manner.
They used to be rivals, but now they meet in a foreign country and their identities are different from before. From another perspective, it seems that they can become friends.
It happened that the opening ceremony was about to begin at this time. Since Ye Tianhui still had to attend the opening ceremony, she briefly said a few words to Zhou Wanlan and agreed to talk later.
The competition started soon. It lasted for six days and was divided into preliminaries and finals. Ye Tianhui had done her homework on these horses in advance. The whole competition could be said to be going according to her expectations. The results of the competition were almost exactly the same as the outcome she had bet on. The only thing that surprised her was Goodwood The Stars. It was indeed a famous horse at the time. Whenever there was a race, no horse could catch up with it. It could be said that it suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was invincible.
Fortunately, Hell King was not far behind. After arriving in the UK, he went through a period of adjustment. Although he was still having some trouble acclimatizing, he won his first battle and successfully took the first place.
In the following days of competition, Hell King and Goodwood The Stars did not meet each other, but they kept pace with each other and fought hard in their respective qualifying rounds.
As a result, the popularity of Hell's Head has continued to grow, and Goodwood The Stars has attracted even more attention, with fans on both sides showing great enthusiasm for their beloved horses.
The hype in Hong Kong was even greater, with people cheering for Hell King from afar. Some fanatical horse racing fans even followed Hell King to the UK to cheer for him.
However, in London, the debate between horse fans on both sides is becoming increasingly heated. In a recent popular horse racing TV show, two guests had a heated public argument because of their different opinions on the two horses, and the argument even reached the point of slamming the table.
The situation has become so serious that whenever reporters interview a politician or celebrity, they will specifically ask whether you support Goodwood The Stars or King of Hell.
When faced with such sensitive information, no one dares to answer, because no matter how they answer, they may be swallowed up by supporters of the other side.
When things developed to this point, everyone's emotions were as tense as a fully drawn bow.
This outward enthusiasm naturally brought great pressure to the horse racing staff. This was the first time that the King of Hell had fought overseas, and Hong Kong horse racing fans, as his hometown fans, gave their full support, and everyone in London was eagerly waiting for it.
No one knows whether Hell King can overcome the climate and soil problems, defeat Goodwood The Stars in London, where there are many famous horses, and win the title of Horse King.
**************
What Ye Tianhui didn't expect was that it suddenly started raining in London.
This month is a humid season in London, and the chance of rainfall is indeed quite high. Ye Tianhui's professionals also predicted this and carried out appropriate horse racing training for the special season.
However, no one expected that the temperature would drop suddenly near the racecourse where the competition was held. The continuous rainy season made everyone feel even colder, and many people had to take out their thick coats.
The track for this race is actually a mountainous area with a high altitude and a particularly low temperature. There were even some tiny snowflakes mixed in the cold rain.
This rare weather was naturally a surprise for the horses.
When the unexpected happens, no one knows whether it is an opportunity or a challenge.
However, the bad weather of rain and snow did not dampen the enthusiasm of horse racing fans. The ratings of the TV horse racing programs set new highs. Horse racing fans placed bets one after another, and some people even gathered outside the racecourse, waiting to catch a glimpse of the King of Hell.
Some people even printed out photos of the King of Hell, put them in shop windows, and printed them on calendars to attract business.
However, at this time Ye Tianhui vaguely realized that something was wrong.
Today's King of Hell naturally has the momentum to sweep away thousands of enemies, but the higher it is praised, the more difficult the road will be.
First of all, this competition must be carried out with a weight allowance. Based on the previous achievements and performances of the Hell King, the weight must be high. The high weight will naturally be a burden to the Hell King.
Secondly, they encountered such bad weather. Even if the rain and snow stopped, the runway was muddy. Hell King had little experience in competitions and had never experienced such weather. Lin Jianquan also had no such experience. For them, everything was a new challenge, which brought great uncertainty to their performance.
British jockeys and horses have experience in participating in major British competitions and are experienced. They should also be trained for such extremely bad weather competitions.
*********
The night before the competition, although there was no unusual rain or snow, the weather was still gloomy and the air was still damp and cold.
That night, Ye Tianhui held a simple meeting to analyze tomorrow's opponents' strategies and their responses. However, during the meeting, Lin Jianquan disappeared.
Ye Tianhui: "Where are they?"
Sun Jiajing frowned: "He went to the runway."
Ye Tianhui: "Hmm?"
Sun Jiajing was helpless: "He said that now the rain has changed and he wants to check the runway conditions again."
In fact, the road condition of the runway is naturally of paramount importance. The technical staff of Ye's Horse Service Company have already studied the runway thoroughly, and the topographic map is hung here. Just at noon, everyone personally re-surveyed a section of it.
I didn’t expect Lin Jianquan to go again?
Facing everyone's puzzled looks, Sun Jiajing said, "He said he wanted to take another look."
Ye Tianhui nodded: "That's fine."
Tomorrow he will drive the King of Hell across that mountain road. He needs to be reassured, needs to see it with his own eyes, and needs to be confident in his heart, so let him go.
After the meeting, Ye Tianhui left the company.
I didn't feel anything when I was in the company, but once I left the company, the cold and damp company was so cold that it penetrated into my bones.
Ye Tianhui sat on the leather seat, looking out the window. In the cold rain, the colorful light signs were shining brightly, and the London Eye in the distance was gently turning in the rain.
This kind of London is brilliant but also cold.
Ye Tianhui thought of Lin Jianquan.
Tomorrow is his peak battle. If he wins this battle, he will create a piece of history in the London Racecourse and become a legend. His name will become a symbol of horse racing in Hong Kong.
But what if we lose?
No one will remember his past glory, people will just downplay it with two words: "narrow defeat".
People's enthusiasm always focuses on the winner.
When someone wins, someone loses, but who wants to be the loser?
She closed her eyes slightly and whispered to the driver, "Go up the mountain."
Apparently, her order confused the driver, so she added, "To the racetrack."
*************
In the misty night rain, Ye Tianhui arrived at Happy Valley. After asking the staff there, she learned that Lin Jianquan had been here since the afternoon and had not left. He had been walking on the track.
Ye Tianhui carried a coat and held an umbrella as she walked to the runway, which was built against the mountain and curved around Morrison Road.
In the vast night rain, Ye Tianhui could not see Lin Jianquan's figure, and could only see the lonely road pole standing beside the runway.
Ye Tianhui walked up with an umbrella. The road was not easy to walk on, it was muddy and slippery.
She imagined the feeling of the King of Hell's horse hooves stepping on it tomorrow, and imagined the possible scenes tomorrow, but she was actually unsure in her heart.
If she were to march and fight, she could hold the sword tightly in her hand and cut through the thorns and bushes. Even if she had no food in her stomach and no soldiers behind her, so what? She could still stand up straight and fight with all her last bit of strength.
It’s just that some things are beyond human control, and a person’s success actually depends on God’s will.
She walked forward in silence, and finally, she saw a figure in the night ahead.
He held an umbrella, squatted on the runway, groping the road on the ground with his hands, and moved forward bit by bit.
He sensed her presence and looked up.
In the cold and damp night rain, the faint light of the street lights in the distance shone on him, and he gave her a tight smile.
Then, he opened his lips and explained in a low voice, "I want to feel this road with my own hands. It's been raining for so long, and the mountain road is so soft and firm that I want to feel it with my hands. Only then can I accurately understand the feeling of the Hell King's hoof landing tomorrow and control the rhythm most precisely."
He looked at her and said, "Only by touching it myself can I know and remember it most clearly. No one else can do that."
Ye Tianhui didn't say anything. She just walked to his side, put the jacket in her hand on Lin Jianquan, and helped him zip it up.
When the zipper reached his neck, her fingers brushed against the skin of his chin, and she felt the coolness of his skin; his body temperature was alarmingly low.
She was helpless and distressed, so she hugged him through his jacket: "What if you catch a cold like this?"
Lin Jianquan's body stiffened for a moment while he was hugged by her, and then he slowly relaxed.
He buried his face in her shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "No, I know my body very well. If I don't want to be sick, then I won't be sick."
Ye Tianhui sighed softly.
Words were so pale and powerless at this moment, she had nothing to say, she could only pat his back gently with her hand.
She whispered, "I'll accompany you."
Lin Jianquan shook his head: "No."
He explained in a low voice: "I can't concentrate with you around."
Ye Tianhui let him go and looked at the delicate and thin boy.
His thick black eyelashes raised, and his inky pupils were deep and bottomless.
Ye Tianhui whispered, "You seem to have grown taller."
Lin Jianquan twitched his lips slightly: "Well, yes, I hope I won't grow any taller."
For a rider like him, weight is a big taboo and he must reduce the load to a minimum.
Ye Tianhui: "It's okay, you can grow taller. Don't deliberately suppress yourself in pursuit of grades."
She was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Do you remember when we first met?"
Lin Jianquan looked at her deeply with his dark eyes and said, "Of course I remember, I will always remember."
Ye Tianhui: "We are not short of food or clothing. The money you earn now is enough for you to have a comfortable life. So am I. I have everything I need. Love, career, money, family, I have it all. We can just let nature take its course. If we have it, it's good. If we don't have it, there's no need to be too deliberate."
She stroked his soft hair, the roots of which were wet from the rain.
She said gently, "So I hope you can relax and not be so tense. No one in this world can succeed forever. I once thought I was invincible, but later I realized that my success wasn't because I was so outstanding, but rather because of luck. If the time and place were not right, I could also fail miserably."
Lin Jianquan only felt that her voice was warm and powerful.
He chuckled: "But I hope to succeed, I don't want to fail."
"I used to have nothing. All I wanted in life was to stand out. I wanted to have a house, a car, and money so I could support my mom and stop going hungry. But now I'm grown up. I have my own ideas and ambitions. I hope I can win, I hope I can receive honors, I hope I can be the winner and climb up the ladder."
Through the thin, damp, cold mist, he looked at her in the hazy night: "I also hope to use myself to achieve you."
Ye Tianhui smiled: "Thank you, you must first achieve yourself before you can achieve me."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
