Free Web NovelChapter 190: Chapter 189: The Startled Horse
Du Yunluo paused, reaching out to rub Snow Clothes’ forehead. Snow Clothes squinted and snorted twice.
It wasn’t that Du Yunluo was stingy; Snow Clothes was a horse given to her by Mu Lianxiao. She hadn’t ridden it herself yet, so lending it out felt a bit reluctant.
Princess Nanyan immediately noticed Du Yunluo’s hesitation and gently patted her horse, saying, "If Miss Huang doesn’t mind, I’ll lend you mine. Caiwei has been with me since I was little, gentle in nature. Even though my riding skills are poor, it never jolts me around."
Huang Jie was both surprised and flattered. Since Princess Nanyan was lending her the horse, she forced herself to nod, despite her apprehension about riding. "Thank you, Princess Rui."
Princess Nanyan handed the reins over to Huang Jie.
Huang Jie didn’t rush to mount the horse. Instead, she led Caiwei around for a bit, muttering to herself as if trying to get familiar with the unfamiliar horse, and then finally stepped on the stirrup to mount.
Princess Nanyan watched from a distance, quietly saying to Du Yunluo, "It’s hard on her too."
"I heard she really can’t ride," Du Yunluo remarked, keeping an eye on Huang Jie, feeling slightly worried.
"It’s okay; Caiwei is very gentle," Princess Nanyan said, then glanced at Snow Clothes and smiled. "Was this horse a gift from the Heir of Duke Dingyuan? No wonder you’re reluctant."
Realizing she’d been exposed, Du Yunluo didn’t deny it but changed the topic: "Why does Princess Hui ridicule Huang Jie?"
Du Yunluo hadn’t interacted with Princess Hui much, but she’d heard many stories from Yunuo and Princess An Ran.
Princess Hui held herself in high esteem and was quite temperamental. In the past, she had competed with Princess An Ran for top status among the noblewomen in the Capital. Although she was a concubine’s daughter, she was still a commandery princess in Prince Rui Mansion, quite different in status from Huang Jie, a general’s daughter.
Princess Nanyan chuckled softly, leaned in, and said to Du Yunluo, "I usually don’t gossip like this, but since you’ve asked, I won’t hide it. Do you remember whom Princess Hui was married to?"
For a moment, Du Yunluo couldn’t recall. She’d been too preoccupied with her own troubles to pay attention to the marriage affairs of unfamiliar girls.
Princess Nanyan continued, "She was married off to Pingchuan, to the second son of Prince Pingchuan. For this marriage, Princess Rui begged the Grand Empress Dowager profusely."
Princess Hui’s birth mother was somewhat related to a favored concubine in the palace, but Princess Rui greatly disliked this concubine’s daughter.
Prince Rui originally wanted Princess Hui to stay in the Capital, but Princess Rui managed to have the Empress Dowager marry her off to Pingchuan.
This was done quite elegantly. A commandery princess marrying into Prince Pingchuan Mansion, a perfectly matched union, so no one could criticize it. Yet, by sending Princess Hui away from the Capital, Princess Rui ensured that her birth mother couldn’t leverage her status to live comfortably and proudly.
"Just recently, Princess Rui brought it up with the Grand Empress Dowager. The Grand Empress Dowager neither agreed nor disagreed, but judging from past events, I imagine it will happen within half a year. Princess Rui claims that Princess Hui fancies the eldest son of General Huang, Huang Yun. Prince Rui was reluctant to pair Princess Hui with Huang Yun, so he agreed with Princess Rui."
Du Yunluo was quite surprised: "Really?"
"That’s how it is," Princess Nanyan glanced around, lowering her voice. "But judging from Princess Hui’s attitude of blaming Huang Jie, it seems Princess Rui fabricated the story."
As they were talking, they suddenly heard a piercing scream, sharp enough to chill the heart.
Du Yunluo looked in the direction of the sound, spotting Huang Jie clinging desperately to Caiwei’s neck while Caiwei’s hooves kicked wildly, threatening to throw Huang Jie off.
Princess Nanyan turned pale.
Caiwei was her horse. Although Huang Jie’s riding skills weren’t refined, if she were to fall and get hurt, Princess Nanyan would feel guilty.
"Miss Du," Princess Nanyan called out, "lend me your horse."
Princess Nanyan reached for the reins. Du Yunluo was about to let go when Mu Lianhui’s intriguing expression from the tent flashed through her mind, startling her. She instinctively tightened her grip on the reins: "Not allowed."
Princess Nanyan was taken aback. Du Yunluo frowned and shook her head. In the distance, Huang Jie’s cries grew more desperate, drawing a crowd eager to watch but no one daring to step forward and calm the startled horse.
"Make way!" A clear voice accompanied by the sound of hooves approached. A figure on a horse rushed in, effortlessly grabbing Caiwei’s rein, skillfully bringing the horse to a halt.
Princess Nanyan and Du Yunluo hurried over.
Huang Jie dismounted, her legs weak, collapsing to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Caiwei paced anxiously. Princess Nanyan patted it and apologized to Huang Jie, "I’m sorry. I didn’t expect Caiwei to behave like that."
"It’s my, it’s my own clumsiness..." Huang Jie sobbed.
"And yet you rode? What did you say when you came? Luckily, I was nearby and heard your cry, otherwise, would you have been thrown off?"
"She was so clumsy that she scared Princess Rui’s horse, truly a sin," Princess Hui’s voice interjected with thick sarcasm. "But what about you, Huang Yun? Why aren’t you out hunting and instead came here?"
Hearing this, Du Yunluo glanced more closely at the young man; he was indeed Huang Yun as Princess Nanyan had mentioned earlier.
Huang Yun, being straightforward, could admonish his sister but wasn’t good at dealing with others’ mockery, turning his blushing face away.
Huang Jie, holding back her sobs, said, "Brother, I’m fine now, you can go back to your tasks."
Seeing that Huang Jie was upright with Du Yunluo and Princess Nanyan’s support and suffered no injury, only frightened, Huang Yun nodded firmly and rode away.
Princess Hui was overlooked by Huang Yun throughout, infuriating her to the core, spurring her horse away in a fury.
Princess Nanyan initially wanted to explain to Huang Jie that Caiwei wasn’t usually so anxious, but saying so would seem like blaming Huang Jie. So, she refrained from commenting and had someone assist Huang Jie to rest. She then took Du Yunluo aside to a quiet spot, asking, "Why did you just say no?"
Princess Nanyan had a keen sense for anomalies. She knew Du Yunluo’s "not allowed" was different from her earlier hesitation when Huang Jie borrowed the horse.
Du Yunluo exhaled softly, "I was afraid something would happen. Would the Princess and Lady really leave the two of us behind to race away?"
Halfway through her sentence, Princess Nanyan understood.
She, as Caiwei’s owner, knew best how gentle the horse was. Even if Huang Jie was inexperienced, it shouldn’t have startled the horse. Caiwei’s frenzied behavior was something Princess Nanyan had never witnessed.
"It’s not the Princess," Princess Nanyan said confidently. "If she sought trouble, she’d have plenty of methods. She wouldn’t resort to such passive-aggressive means."
Du Yunluo comprehended.
Princess Yunhua was straightforward in nature. She’d smash porcelain dolls with a fling or lash at a horse’s rump with all her might. Her status allowed her to act boldly and openly. These minor schemes weren’t something she wouldn’t use out of disdain, but rather, she wouldn’t even conceive of them.
