Free Web NovelChapter 179: Chapter 178: Concern (Monthly Ticket 360+)
Du Yunluo looked at Mu Lianxiao walking towards her in surprise.
Princess Yunhua sat on the chair, covering her mouth with a light laugh: "Yunluo, if you want to talk, don’t do it here. These horses kick up a lot of dust when they run."
This was no exaggeration from Princess Yunhua; she was already covering her mouth with a handkerchief.
The commanding officer was about to raise the flag, and people on the field stopped laughing at Mu Lianxiao, focusing entirely on the ball.
Mu Lianxiao handed the reins to the eunuch and walked alone to Du Yunluo, saying, "Why the frown?"
Du Yunluo’s long eyelashes trembled slightly.
The sunlight was intense, and against the light, Mu Lianxiao’s face was not clear; all Du Yunluo could see was those bright, shining eyes.
Her heart suddenly tightened, recalling Mu Lianxiao’s appearance while playing polo earlier...
Even as an outsider, she found his posture extraordinarily handsome, eye-catching, but such movements, imprinted in her memory, brought some fear.
In the past, Mu Lianxiao had died from falling off a horse.
After a cold arrow hit his back, he lost control and fell off the horse, never standing up again in the chaos of the army.
Du Yunluo had heard it from others, and though she hadn’t witnessed it herself, that scene often appeared in her dreams. In the dream, she stood on the city wall, watching the thousands of soldiers and horses outside the city, watching Mu Lianxiao fall from his horse, unable to do anything but watch.
Powerless.
In the nightmare, she couldn’t even scream, and her tears only fell after waking.
No matter how many years passed, just recalling that scene terrified Du Yunluo.
Du Yunluo bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down, quietly saying: "Watching that made me a bit flustered."
Mu Lianxiao was slightly stunned.
He was skilled in riding; flipping around on a horse didn’t bother him. Those on the field were likewise trained fighters, none of whom would feel anxious.
Only Du Yunluo...
A scholarly young lady who couldn’t ride a horse; not being afraid would be unusual. More than fear, it showed she cared about him.
Thinking of this, a smile slowly formed in Mu Lianxiao’s deep eyes, growing deeper until he finally said with a gentle voice, "Next time, I won’t do that."
Du Yunluo didn’t expect this response, leaving her momentarily speechless, staring at Mu Lianxiao, unsure whether to nod or shake her head.
The match continued on the field.
For some reason, the Crown Prince scored a goal, drawing applause from Princess Yunhua.
Mu Lianxiao glanced back before returning his gaze, saying, "The dust is heavy here, let’s walk a bit further away."
The horse field was large. The two walked one after the other, and once they were far from others, Mu Lianxiao stopped.
Du Yunluo still had to mind the people over there, standing neither too near nor too far from Mu Lianxiao.
Mu Lianxiao smilingly asked her: "Why this outfit today?"
Du Yunluo looked down at herself and said, "The Empress Dowager asked me to learn to ride. She said that in a few days, the Holy Emperor would go to the hunting ground and wanted me to go with the Princess. I came to learn horse riding today."
The Holy Emperor planning to hunt was something Mu Lianxiao knew about. Hearing Du Yunluo would go along somewhat surprised him.
She was an outsider when it came to riding. In the hunting grounds, it wasn’t just simple riding like around this field; it involved much more.
"There’s not much time, I’ll probably only learn the basics," Du Yunluo said, aware of her own limits.
Mastering any skill involved both talent and effort. She had learned from Mu Lianxiao before, and she knew she had no talent for horseback riding. As for effort, time was tight, and within a few days, significant progress was unlikely.
Mu Lianxiao smiled, looking her up and down, "At least it looks the part."
"You mean this outfit? I don’t even have proper riding clothes; these were made overnight," Du Yunluo said, smiling with a glimmer in her eyes like a clear spring, looking at her attire, "It’s quite different from usual."
The riding outfit was form-fitting, the lines distinct, the turned collar revealing a long, slender, fair neck, with a Guo Luo belt cinched at the waist, accentuating Du Yunluo’s delicate figure. The boots she wore added a touch of grace to her small stature.
Furthermore, the outfit was structured, outlining curves. From the front, it didn’t seem much, but standing at her side, Mu Lianxiao could only feel his head buzz, refraining from thinking further, quickly looking away.
Seeing his expression change, Du Yunluo was initially puzzled, and then her face flushed red once she realized.
This was not something that could be resolved by mere shamelessness.
Mu Lianxiao first calmed himself and said, "Yunluo, have you chosen a horse?"
Du Yunluo shook her head, "The Princess and I just saw you all playing polo when we arrived."
"Let’s go, I’ll choose one for you."
Du Yunluo promptly agreed. The horse Mu Lianxiao picked for her would surely be more dependable than the one Princess Yunhua chose.
Mu Lianxiao led Du Yunluo to the stables.
Though not an expert, Du Yunluo could still discern a good horse from a bad one.
The fine steeds sent to the palace had long been picked by the nobles, but those left weren’t bad either. Du Yunluo’s petite frame led Mu Lianxiao to choose a relatively smaller horse for her.
"It appears docile," Mu Lianxiao explained, and seeing no one around, he slightly bent towards Du Yunluo’s ear, saying, "Is the Princess still troubling you?"
The sudden proximity made Du Yunluo’s heart skip a beat. She glanced at Mu Lianxiao, "I cannot fathom the Princess’s mind."
Even though Princess Yunhua had been warmly cordial these past days, Du Yunluo dared not relax her vigilance. Princess Yunhua’s temper was too unpredictable, and Du Yunluo couldn’t confidently say how she might behave.
"During the hunt, Princess Rui will be going as well," Mu Lianxiao remarked.
Du Yunluo raised an eyebrow.
Princess Nanyan was going too?
Unlike before, in this life, Princess Nanyan hadn’t fallen out of favor with the Empress Dowager, so she didn’t have to stay behind closed doors at the Prince Rui Mansion. However, as a newlywed, and given Princess Yunhua’s unstable moods, conventional wisdom suggested that Princess Nanyan should avoid confrontation, much like Du Yunluo did by staying out of the palace to avoid seeing the Princess, ensuring a smooth transition.
Feigning illness during the hunt would be a wise choice for Princess Nanyan. Her decision to go could be her own or influenced by Li Luan or even the Empress Dowager.
For Du Yunluo, it was hard to discern, yet having Princess Nanyan along was better than facing Princess Yunhua alone.
Du Yunluo smiled lightly, saying, "It’s nice to go with the Princess."
Mu Lianxiao pursed his lips. During the Heavenly King Hall meeting, he hadn’t thought Du Yunluo and Princess Nanyan were that close, but now Du Yunluo’s tone suggested their relationship had grown closer.
Seeing Mu Lianxiao’s doubt, Du Yunluo said, "The County Princess is different from the Princess."
After all, they were in the palace, and discussing further wasn’t appropriate.
Mu Lianxiao created some distance between them, leading the horse back.
Du Yunluo followed beside him, contemplating the hunting matter, when suddenly she heard Mu Lianxiao call her.
He said, "Yunluo, tomorrow I’ll send a horse to the Du Mansion."
