Free Web NovelChapter 181: Chapter 180: Taboos
Princess Yunhua sat on a chair, her phoenix eyes watching the field.
She sat comfortably and casually, as if this were not an equestrian field but her sleeping quarters.
Though not formally seated, her posture had no flaw.
Li Yu had just scored a goal, and Princess Yunhua clapped with a smile, continuously praising him.
As the commanding officer raised the flag, Princess Yunhua’s eyes shifted, looking far into the distance at Du Yunluo and Mu Lianxiao.
It seemed as though Du Yunluo was just getting used to it, the horse being led by Mu Lianxiao, slowly moving forward.
The two of them were saying something, and Du Yunluo’s smile on her face was hard to hide.
Princess Yunhua took a glance or two and chuckled, "How can that be considered horse riding? So slow, when will Yunluo ever learn? Had I known, I wouldn’t have let Ah Shao teach her."
Suiyu stood behind Princess Yunhua, her head lowered without a word.
Princess Yunhua chuckled twice, suddenly gripping the horsewhip placed beside her, waved it forcefully, "I’d say you should lash the horse’s hindquarters like this, and after a jolt, you’ll learn."
The horsewhip was folded, and though Princess Yunhua swung it, it did not unfurl, yet the sudden action still startled Suiyu, her face turning pale immediately.
Princess Yunhua turned her head, raising her eyes to look at her, "What are you scared of? I didn’t ask you to ride; with your frail arms and legs, who would serve me if you got frightened?"
Suiyu forced a smile.
She wanted to say, Du Yunluo was also slender, a girl raised in a scholarly family, the first time on a horse, it’s good enough she could sit steadily, completely unlike the daughters of a military family who grew up ’wild.’
But these words Suiyu could only swallow back, not daring to let a single word escape.
Princess Yunhua’s temper had grown increasingly unpredictable these two days; she was like a clay Bodhisattva crossing the river, barely able to protect herself, let alone dare to speak for others.
Sighing secretly, Suiyu quietly glanced at Li Luan riding on the field.
She missed Princess Nanyan quite a bit. When the Princess was in the palace, she could help persuade the Princess, making life somewhat more bearable for them below, now, they had to withstand it themselves. As the Chief Palace Maid, Suiyu was in constant fear every day.
Especially...
She hoped Princess Yunhua would never find out.
Princess Yunhua suddenly leaned back, resting against the back of the chair, tilting her head high, staring directly at Suiyu: "I forgot, where is Ah Bi?"
Suiyu felt a chill down her back, the high sun above bringing not the slightest warmth, as if those youths sweating it out on the field and her were in different seasons. Suiyu secretly swallowed and said, "This servant does not know."
"You don’t know?" Princess Yunhua blinked in confusion, "I suppose so, if a palace maid does something wrong, the steward will handle it, it’s normal that you don’t know."
Suiyu’s heart, which she had been holding up, did not ease a bit. How could she not understand the Princess’s temper after serving by her side for so many years?
Sure enough, Princess Yunhua’s tone shifted again, "Why don’t you go to the steward aunt to find out?"
Suiyu stiffened all over.
Princess Yunhua acted as if she didn’t see Suiyu’s nervousness, "Last time I told Yunluo we’d play with some incense, keep that in mind and go to the Imperial Household to check what’s needed, let them make up for what’s missing."
Suiyu gritted her teeth, responding respectfully.
It wasn’t until Princess Yunhua sat up straight and her gaze moved away from her that Suiyu couldn’t help trembling all over.
The hands clasped before her were tightly intertwined, and Suiyu’s mind was filled with a single thought— Princess knows.
That day, at Guoning Temple, Princess Yunhua asked the Empress Dowager for sandalwood, and upon returning to her room, she had Suiyu light it.
Ah Bi had a keen sense of smell, and even though Suiyu stood by the incense burner for just a moment, the scent clinging to her was detected by Ah Bi.
Ah Bi pestered her for some incense, claiming she had been careless and brought only one kind from the palace. When Princess Nanyan napped before, she found it cloying and asked to change it at night.
"The County Princess wasn’t used to carriages and felt unwell. Even her usual incense felt cloying. But I only brought this one, and at night I couldn’t swap it for another. Good sister, share some with me. Just enough for one night, or how can I explain to the County Princess when she returns?"
Ah Bi pleaded and begged, and Suiyu, unable to refuse her anymore, promised to speak to the Princess.
However, the Princess was with the Empress Dowager at the time, and Ah Bi couldn’t wait. Suiyu, emboldened, decided on her own and gave a small pinch to Ah Bi.
It was well-intentioned on Suiyu’s part, not expecting Ah Bi had ulterior motives.
Although what happened afterward had little to do with the sandalwood Suiyu gave her, it was a thorn in the Princess’s heart.
Most importantly, she violated the Princess’s taboo.
The Princess was very generous to Princess Nanyan. On ordinary days, she gifted enough to fill thick records. Just a tiny pinch of incense was not something the Princess minded.
What the Princess minded was Suiyu’s presumption. Even if she was to give something to the County Princess, it should be the Princess doing so herself, it was not Suiyu’s place to decide.
Suiyu lamented inwardly; she knew better than anyone Princess Yunhua’s temperament. How could she have been so muddled that day?
That night, Ah Bi was taken away. Suiyu had been on tenterhooks, thinking she might get away with it, until now she finally understood, the Princess had known all along.
Suiyu stared at the back of Princess Yunhua, since the Princess knew, why hadn’t she punished her? Just knocking her with words, which really wasn’t the Princess’s usual demeanor.
Yet, knocking was better than punishment.
The contest on the field ended, the outcome was obvious.
The process was back and forth, thrilling, the Crown Prince participated too, enjoying himself, laughing and chatting with everyone.
Princess Yunhua stood up, waving over the eunuch leading the Crown Prince’s mount.
The eunuch led the horse over, and Princess Yunhua snatched it over, mounted, "You all disperse, it’s my turn, borrowing my imperial brother’s horse."
With that, regardless of Li Ke’s consent, she clamped the horse’s belly with her legs, swung the whip in her hand, and sped off.
At this moment, Du Yunluo was directing the horse to trot, calling it a run, it was barely faster than a slow walk.
Mu Lianxiao released the reins, standing aside and watching her. Du Yunluo was not greedy, just slowly turning in that area, her posture was not particularly elegant, but at least she was sitting steadily.
Hearing the commotion over there, the two of them looked up.
Li Ke’s mount was tall and robust, but tiny Princess Yunhua appeared completely unfazed. Her feet struggled a bit to reach the stirrups, yet she rode very steadily.
The Crown Princess Consort had said before that Princess Yunhua’s riding skills were excellent. The Princess wasn’t doing any flashy moves, just spurring further and further, the horse galloping, kicking up a cloud of dust.
After one lap around, passing by Du Yunluo’s side, the dust pricked Du Yunluo’s eyes, making it hard to keep them open, and the horse beneath her restlessly pawed at the ground.
Du Yunluo tightened her grip on the reins and said to Mu Lianxiao, "Princely Heir, I better get down."
