Chapter 50: Horse racing cheers everywhere, Nadam on the grassland, race...
Cheers rang out everywhere. Horse racing has always been the highlight of the Nadam Festival on the grassland. Athletes from various tribes gathered on the Mobei grassland, and people who came to watch and cheer also filled both sides of the racetrack.
Mu Xue followed the personal soldiers who led the way and slowly walked towards the high platform. This was specially built for the princes and nobles to facilitate insight into the situation and see clearly.
Tushetu Khan and the Great Lama had already taken their seats. When they saw Muxue coming, they smiled and nodded to her. As a princess of the Heshuo clan, Muxue sat to the left of them, just a little behind them.
After greeting the two elders, she lifted her skirt and sat down. On her left sat a man in elegant clothes who greeted her, "Good luck to you, Princess."
Mu Xue thought for a moment. With such age and appearance, this person? It should be the Chechen Khan. She smiled and said something auspicious.
Instead, I heard a rough voice from the right: "Bogda Khan's pearl is indeed extraordinary. The princess's birth in the grassland is also a blessing for the grassland. I wonder if Tushetu Khan has neglected the princess?"
Mu Xue turned her head to look for the voice. The speaker was fat and had a similar appearance to Chechen Khan. This person must be Tsewang Zhabu, the leader of the Zasaktu Khanate, one of the three tribes in Mobei. The three Khans of Mobei were all here today.
It's just that this person praised himself first, but he looked down on Tushetu Khan. Muxue's mind flashed with the old news she heard from the Fourth Prince. It was said that Tushetu Khan had killed the former Zasaktu Khan, causing the war in the northern desert, and then the Junggar took advantage of the situation and invaded. Although Emperor Kangxi reconciled the relationship between the two tribes during the Duolun League, and they worked together to fight the enemy and maintained superficial peace, the hidden confrontation in private had obviously not stopped.
It's just a feud between them, why did they drag me into it? This guy is really interesting.
This question made Mu Xue feel a little uncomfortable, but she didn't show it on her face. She just said in a friendly manner: "Thanks to my father, you all take good care of me. Unfortunately, I am young and don't understand many things. For example, who are you?"
She pretended not to understand and looked at Tushetu Khan with a confused expression, but thought in her heart, if you want to make a fuss, just do it yourselves and don't bring up the topic with me.
Tushetu Khan smiled and said, "His name is Tsewang Zhabu, and he is the leader of the Zasaktu Khanate. It doesn't matter if the princess doesn't know him."
"I don't understand what the Khan means." Tsewang Zhabu's face darkened. What do you mean it doesn't matter? Does he mean that he is an indifferent person?
"Your Majesty has been so kind to allow the princess to be given to our Tushetu Khan tribe." Tushetu Khan said, "Our tribe will serve the princess with care and attention, so you don't need to worry too much."
"Be careful?" Cewang Zhabu seemed to have heard something funny. What is this old man pretending to be? If you hadn't caused trouble first and killed my brother, the Junggars wouldn't have made such a big fuss. The entire Mobei region was forced to be like a dog that had lost its home and could only wag its tail and beg for mercy from the Qing court.
"That's really what I hope. The Khan has experienced so many things and gained more experience. He can really be cautious."
…
Having successfully diverted her attention, Mu Xue picked up the milk tea, took a sip, and pricked up her ears to listen to their sarcastic conversation.
It's not bad. If they talk more, I can also learn more about the grievances and disputes between the three tribes in Mobei. Maybe it will be useful in the future?
As they were talking, the atmosphere became a little awkward, so the great lama chanted a Buddhist chant and said, "The horse race seems to be about to begin." Then he looked at his brother Tushetu Khan and told him not to talk nonsense with him. Anyway, Tushetu Khan's tribe was the dominant force now, and it would be a loss to argue with him.
Tushetu Khan snorted coldly and said, "My grandson Dunduo Buduo Erji is a very capable horse. He will definitely be among the top in this competition!"
Tsewang Zhabu wanted to add, "No matter how old a horse is, it cannot guarantee that it will never stumble," but when he saw the fourth princess sitting quietly next to him, he remembered that the old man's grandson was the fourth princess's husband, so he stopped talking and said, "The warriors of my Zasaktu Khanate are all eagles who deserve to be worthy of the title. Just wait and see!"
The music sounded, heralding that the horse race was about to begin.
Mu Xue put down the golden bowl in her hand and looked into the distance.
Hmm, it’s too far to see clearly.
"Where's the telescope?" she whispered.
"Here." Rong'er handed over a telescope. This was something Muxue had looted from the missionary Zhang Cheng, and it came in handy now.
Although it was far away and there were many people around, Muxue still saw the figure of Dunduo Buduoerji through the telescope. His height and appearance were already eye-catching, and now with a colorful Hada tied around his neck, he was even more eye-catching.
Winning or not is secondary. Mu Xue's eyes swept over the horse, and she was a little worried about his safety. In the Nadam Festival here, horse riding competitions are all conducted without saddles. On the one hand, it is to reduce the burden on the horses so that they don't run too fast, and on the other hand, it is also to test the skills of the riders.
But if something unexpected happens and you fall off the horse, that would not be fun.
She knew in her heart that Dorji should be fine, but she was still a little nervous.
The song of "Praise of the Steed" sounded, and the person singing the song held up a silver bowl filled with fresh milk, and while singing loudly, he threw the milk into the air with his hand. The wind blew the milk diagonally, and the white milk fell into the green grassland.
When the singing ended, drums were beaten, and at one command, thousands of horses galloped together, and the entire grassland was shaken by the sound of horses' hooves.
The spectators below the platform burst into cheers, each shouting the name of their own tribe. Of course, the loudest cheers came from the Tushetu Khanate.
"Tushetu Khanate! We will win!"
Muxue held a telescope in her hand and just followed Dorji to look.
Dorji on horseback had a completely different temperament, just like a hunting snow leopard, rushing in the wind like an arrow, every muscle tense. The black horse carried him across the grassland, gradually standing out and leaving many people and horses behind.
It seemed that he was the first to take the lead, ahead of everyone else.
The shouts from the high platform suddenly became louder, and everyone was cheering "Dundo Buduo Erji" and "The young prince will win!"
Even Tushetu Khan cheered: "He is worthy of being my grandson!"
Mu Xue also had a smile on her face. She put down the telescope. The racehorse had now run to a distance where it could be seen with the naked eye.
They were not far from the finish line, and when it was time to speed up, the black horse was still in the lead, but the other horses also caught up. A young man in a blue robe whipped the horse desperately and shouted as he caught up. Another strong man in a black robe broke through the encirclement and chased Dorji from the left and right.
"The one in the black robe is a warrior from my tribe!" Tsewang Zhabu slammed the table and stood up, cheering, "Hurry up! Surpass Dunduo Buduo Erji! I will reward you!"
Tushetu Khan frowned and shouted to the front: "Hold steady!" The kid was running too fast in the front, and I wonder if he has enough energy left for the final sprint.
Duo Erji was still in the advantage, half a horse length ahead of the other two.
He waved the whip high, urging the horse to speed up. The black horse was galloping at full speed when suddenly a sharp horse neigh was heard nearby - for some reason, the horse of the young man in blue robe suddenly rushed out two steps and was ahead of everyone else, but the next moment its hoof broke and the whole horse tilted to the side.
The young man in blue robe was caught off guard and rolled out sideways, just right in front of Duo Erji who was about to rush over!
Suddenly, something unexpected happened, and there was a sound of gasps. If the horse stepped on it, the young man in blue robe would be injured or killed. At such a high speed, the horse would definitely stumble and fall over if it stepped on human bones.
Mu Xue stood up and shouted, "Dunduo Buduo Erji!"
In the split second between life and death, Duo Erji pulled the reins with his right hand and pulled the horse back. The black horse's four hooves were in the air, and it leaped forward. The hem of Duo Erji's red robe just brushed the brim of the man's hat, and he actually jumped over him!
"What a great riding skill!" The great lama had just picked up the prayer wheel, but he stopped and praised sincerely.
The exclamations from below the stage rang out like thunder, endless and making people's heads buzz.
Mu Xue clenched the telescope tightly, her heart beating like thunder.
Fortunately... Fortunately he didn't? No one? Was thrown off his feet.
Tushetu Khan also came back to his senses from his shock: "But... this will be slow."
During this moment of delay, the black-robed Zasaktu Khan next to him had already rushed to the first position.
The end is not far away.
"So what if it's slow? As long as we're safe, that's good enough." Mu Xue couldn't help but retort.
Tushetu Khan said nothing.
Everyone looked at him in silence, only Cewang Zhabu burst into laughter: "Indeed, your horsemanship is good, but sometimes you have to rely on fate."
Tushetu Khan's face twitched. He should have killed this bastard brother at that time!
Ahai at the back also became anxious. The warriors he chose did not catch up, and only his nephew was ahead. He was the hope of the Tushetu Khanate, but this bastard was still making sarcastic remarks.
He stepped forward and confronted Tsewang Zhabu and said, "You are simply sick. Will the Eternal Heaven bless you?"
"You say Changshengtian, will Changshengtian listen to you?"
Just as they were about to start arguing, a roar like thunder struck out of the blue: "Shut up, everyone!"
It turned out to be the fourth princess who had been quiet and silent all along?
It is always shocking when a quiet person suddenly goes crazy. The two were stunned.
Mu Xue turned her head and said in a domineering tone: "Watch the horse racing!"
But Dorji on horseback lowered his body, accelerated suddenly, and rushed forward!
Little by little, he pursued relentlessly, only one horse length away, half a horse length away.
Seeing that the finish line is getting closer and closer.
A colorful satin, pulled by wood, quietly waits for the winner.
Everybody held their breath, even the cheers suddenly froze, and everyone looked up at the colorful satin at the finish line.
Who will cross the line first?
Duo Erji rode his black horse and broke the colorful satin at the finish line with a snap!
"Dundo Buduo Erji wins!"
The cheers were like waves, sweeping across the platform. Ah Hai laughed wildly at Tsewang Zhabu: "Well, this is destiny."
Mu Xue didn't care about the chaos. She lifted her skirt, took two steps at a time, and ran down the platform without any manners as a princess.
Duo Erji had already dismounted and was surrounded and cheered by the crowd.
"Dundo Buduo Erji."
Mu Xue stopped and called his name softly.
When Dorji heard it, he pushed through the crowd and walked straight towards her.
"You——" Mu Xue was about to say something, to praise him, but the next moment, she felt her body lighten. Duo Erji's big hand grasped her waist, and he lifted her up easily! Isn't he so strong?
The feeling of weightlessness was followed by the world spinning. Dolji held her and spun her around several times, her skirt fluttering and spinning like a flower.
Mu Xue unconsciously hugged him tightly with her arms and laughed.
Duo Erji's eyes were blazing: "Princess, I won!"
"Well, you're amazing."
He leaned over, rubbed his ears against Mu Xue's, and whispered in her ear: "So, Princess, can you give the champion a little reward?"
"Like—kiss me."
Mu Xue felt her face burning and punched him: "Let's talk about it when we get back to the tent."
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