Chapter 60: The Imperial Steed’s Startle

Wei Qingchen led her Heir’s Guard out from the mountain forest. Just as they reached the open area before the tree line, they could already make out the shadowy figures of men and horses. She urged her horse forward, and sure enough, she saw Mu Qipeng and Mu Qishao, each with their own men, creating a noisy commotion. The uniforms of the guards from the two princely households were quite similar, making it hard for a moment to distinguish who belonged to which master.

Once she got closer, she realized the two groups were at sword-point, bristling with hostility. The princes’ faces were dark and extremely unpleasant.

Wei Qingchen waved her hand, signaling her own guards to stop. She tapped her horse’s flank lightly with her heel and moved forward alone. As soon as she drew near, she heard Mu Qipeng, Prince Lian, say, “You decide the method of competition. Don’t turn around later and say that your elder brother bullied you.”

As he spoke, the smile curved on his lips was slow, disdainful, and arrogant in his eyes. Even without looking directly, one could feel the blatant mockery.

Mu Qishao took the bait, as expected. Fuming, he ground his teeth. “No need for anything else. Just a horse race. We two brothers, the first to arrive wins.”

Wei Qingchen’s brow furrowed slightly.

Prince Lian’s mother, the Imperial Consort, came from a military lineage and was skilled in archery and horsemanship from childhood. She naturally passed all her knowledge to her only son. Moreover, Prince Lian was two years older than the Fifth Prince and had been to the battlefield alongside the Duke of Ye. Although the Fifth Prince also practiced riding and archery, his maternal family was an old aristocratic clan. Compared to the martial Prince Lian, the difference in skill probably wasn’t insignificant.

Wei Qingchen didn’t know how exactly they had started arguing. She couldn’t openly take sides and could only sigh inwardly.

Prince Lian’s smirk grew thicker. Holding his reins loosely, he gestured casually and said, “Where we compete is entirely up to you. This Prince will await at your convenience.”

Before long, even the Mingcheng Emperor had learned that the Fourth and Fifth Princes were going to race horses. Such events were common during the autumn hunt. The Mingcheng Emperor, in excellent spirits, ordered a course set up, intending to watch in person.

When Old Four and Old Five heard that not only had the Emperor not blamed them but had even cleared a field for them, they knew this contest would definitely come with stakes. Prince Lian rode his horse at the forefront, wholeheartedly determined to gain face before his Imperial Father. Tilting his head back slightly, he cast a provocative glance at his younger brother, brimming with confidence.

Mu Qishao controlled his horse with one hand, his lips pressed firmly in a snort. He wasn’t after the stakes, just to prove his own worth.

The rustling autumn wind made the banners snap and flutter. Wei Qingchen urged her horse over and positioned herself beside Mu Qishao. Watching the young palace eunuchs planting small colored flags in the distance, she said, “In a moment, Fifth Brother, take the Left Battle Lane.”

Mu Qishao didn’t speak, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Control your horse with your left hand, carry the flag with your right. Since you are on the left, Fourth Brother must be on the right. You can immediately turn your horse to the left to return. Victory or defeat can be decided then.” Her gaze withdrew from the colored flags and met Mu Qishao’s openly. “I know Fifth Brother is an upright and honorable man. But from ancient times, those who seize victory value strategy over brute force—’The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.’ I wish you, Fifth Brother, triumphant success!”

Mu Qishao tightened his grip on the reins and nodded heavily. “Alright!”

Everything was ready. An imperial guard acting as a referee held a small command flag and stood outside the competition lane.

The Emperor was in high spirits. Being out on an expedition, there weren’t so many rules of propriety. He just had a rug spread out at a distance and sat on his large tiger-skin chair. Beside him stood a contingent of imperial guards. Further away, a crowd of young noble scions had gathered, laughing and joking as they watched. The Sixth Prince, being quite young, stood at the edge of the crowd, standing on his tiptoes. The Emperor noticed, beckoned him over, and told him to come up to the front. The view here was open, with no one blocking it.

The referee waited for the Emperor’s signal. The Mingcheng Emperor gave a slight nod. The referee raised his command flag high, then, with one sweeping downward stroke, the two princes, astride their fine steeds, shot out like arrows leaving a bowstring.

Mu Qipeng had already been enfeoffed and had his own princely establishment, so he used his own household’s warhorse. Since he wasn’t actually going into battle, he hadn’t brought out his best one. Mu Qishao was not yet married and still lived in the Imperial Palace. He happened to have a lucky advantage, riding an Imperial Steed, one in ten thousand.

Both brothers exerted their full effort, and for a moment, it was difficult to tell who was ahead.

Wei Qingchen sat on her horse, watching calmly. Thank goodness Fifth Brother had chosen the Left Battle Lane; this contest might still have some hope.

Hooves flew, racing swiftly across the hunting field. Before long, both men were very close to that colored flag. A roar of cheers gradually rose from the crowd.

The young men were full of vigor, and the Mingcheng Emperor rejoiced in witnessing it, sharing the enjoyment with all. He stood up, gazing into the distance at his two sons. The Sixth Prince, Mu Qibin, was also shouting beside him; one couldn’t even tell which brother he was cheering for.

When they were barely a horse’s length from the colored flag, Mu Qishao pressed his body low. Almost simultaneously with Mu Qipeng, he stretched out his hand. But because Mu Qishao was in the left lane, his right hand was more agile, and he touched the flagpole just a hair faster than his Fourth Brother. Mu Qipeng’s eyes widened in fury, and he let out a thunderous roar. His warhorse suddenly reared up beneath him, its front hooves flying high, as if about to trample his Fifth Brother’s mount.

Mu Qishao’s Imperial Steed was terrified. With a shrill neigh, it wrenched its head away and suddenly bolted, charging forward wildly with man and horse.

Everyone in the camp who witnessed this sudden turn of events was stunned into momentary shock. Before anyone could react, they saw the Heir Wei shoot forward on her horse like a single spearhead, spurring her mount and charging out just as swiftly.

The Heir’s Guard and the imperial guards came to their senses one by one, mounting their horses and following the Heir Wei in the direction the Fifth Prince had gone. Prince Lian, having already snatched the flag, looked at the pursuing guards with an unreadable expression.

Wei Qingchen controlled her horse and brushed past him without stopping. She rode all the way in pursuit of Mu Qishao. She had already guessed: her Fifth Brother’s mount had been startled. An Imperial Steed would run even faster when it went mad. She didn’t know if Fifth Brother could control it.

Right behind Wei Qingchen were Wei Jiewu from the Jingyuan Marquis Mansion and Kang Xun. Next came a squad of imperial palace guards and the Jingyuan Marquis Mansion’s Heir’s Guard. The herd of horses galloped past, kicking up clouds of dust. Mu Qipeng squinted, watching for a moment. Finally, he plunged the hard-won flagpole violently into the ground. Turning his horse with one hand, he looked in his Fifth Brother’s direction and followed.

Wei Qingchen’s current mount was named Soaring Mist, chosen for her by her Father Marshal. When she had been ambushed at the Northern Border years ago and escaped danger, Wei Huaishu had picked out this horse for her upon her return, ordering her to diligently practice her riding skills without neglecting them. Though her Father Marshal never stated it explicitly, his deep, devoted love for his child was something she understood perfectly.

The group had already ridden out a great distance. Mu Qishao’s mount showed no sign of stopping; instead, it ran faster and faster, plunging into the woodland in the blink of an eye.

Wei Qingchen gritted her teeth and fiercely lashed her whip against her horse’s rump. Soaring Mist stretched out its hooves, truly resembling riding the clouds and mist.

“Fifth Brother!” She spotted Mu Qishao’s figure ahead and urged her horse to race forward.

Mu Qishao was gripping the reins tightly with both hands, his body leaning slightly forward, concentrating entirely on controlling the horse. He couldn’t spare a single breath to answer her.

A horizontal green branch loomed right before their faces. Mu Qishao and Wei Qingchen tilted their heads aside one after another, dodging the leaves and twigs.

Bursting through a patch of forest, the view opened up again. The Heir’s Guard and imperial guards were gradually being left behind, at a distance of three or four zhang. Only Wei Qingchen’s horse could still barely keep up behind the Imperial Steed.

“Grab its mane! Try turning the horse to the right!” Wei Qingchen yelled from horseback.

Mu Qishao had also learned riding from famous masters. But a horse gone mad was far crazier than a person. His forehead drenched in sweat, he clung desperately, and then heard Wei Qingchen’s voice, alarmed and distorted: “Don’t yank it suddenly, it will…”

The rest of the sentence couldn’t be finished. The Imperial Steed wrenched its head to the right and instantly changed direction, leaving the woodland.

That direction… it was a cliff face! Wei Qingchen’s face paled. She lashed her whip several times. Soaring Mist, in pain, neighed and ran even faster. As they neared the cliff, she was still half a horse’s length behind Mu Qishao. Mu Qishao’s forehead was beaded with cold sweat from fright, and Wei Qingchen shouted, “Jump it!” As she yelled, she fiercely brought her whip down onto Mu Qishao’s Imperial Steed.

The Imperial Steed reached the cliff’s edge, stretched out its four hooves, and leaped, soaring right over the chasm.

Wei Qingchen’s warhorse, however, was at the end of its strength. Yet Wei Qingchen had no way to avoid it. She could only press herself low, clench her jaw, and charge across.

Soaring Mist’s front hooves landed, but its hind hooves hung in mid-air. In that single, critical instant, both horse and rider toppled backward together, plunging towards the valley floor.

The guards following them had seen the whole disaster unfold. They cried out in horror, reining their horses to a frantic halt. On horseback, Wei Jiewu screamed, “Second Brother!!!”, his voice already thick with tears.

Mu Qishao finally managed to bring his horse under control. Not daring to ride any further, he abandoned the horse and sprinted back. His heart hammered wildly, terrified that Wei Qingchen really had fallen off the cliff because of him.

Luckily, the kid was blessed with great fortune. The instant she fell, she’d managed to swing the horsewhip in her hand around a branch jutting out horizontally from the cliff face, snagging it and barely stabilizing herself. Mu Qishao, lying prone at the cliff’s edge, spotted her at a glance. Laughing and crying all at once, he yelled at the top of his voice, “Hang on! Your brother is coming to save you!!!”

On the other side, the guards were still trying to figure out how to bridge the gap. Mu Qishao turned and dashed into the woods, finding a thick, bowl-sized vine. He felt around in his short boot and drew out a sharp blade he always carried. He cut a very long length of the vine, tested it, then sprinted back to the cliff edge. After a moment’s thought, he tied one end of the vine securely to a large tree, letting the other end drop down. Reaching Wei Qingchen, he mustered every ounce of his strength to haul her back frantically. Wei Qingchen, who did possess martial skills, used this leverage to step on tree roots and rocks, and with immense difficulty, finally climbed back to the cliff top.

When the guards saw this, they all burst into loud cheers. Prince Lian, astride his horse amidst the crowd, felt his tightly furrowed brow relax slightly, and his suspended heart finally settled back down.

On this side of the cliff, the two cousins lay sprawled on the dirt ground, gasping for air in huge heaves. Turning her head, Wei Qingchen saw her Fifth Brother’s hands—covered with cuts from the vine. She grabbed his sleeve to look. Mu Qishao just chuckled ruefully. What did this amount to? If Cousin Wei hadn’t risked his life to save him, he would have been the one at the bottom of the cliff long ago.

Chu Mingxi slept very poorly that night. She woke up before the sky had fully brightened. Lying open-eyed, she looked at the bed canopy, noting its somewhat plain color. This wasn’t the Marquis Mansion.

This was the main headquarters of the Imperial Medicine Hall. The day after Wei Qingchen had left for the Elegant Orchid Hunting Grounds, Chu Mingxi had come here for a visit, hurrying back to the Marquis Mansion that very night. She’d had to return again on the third day. Going back and forth was quite a distance, so the Grand Princess had instructed her to rest here for a day and properly settle the matters regarding supplying the imperial medicines.

So this was the fourth day since Wei Qingchen had left the Marquis Mansion. Chu Mingxi leaned against the pillow and slowly blinked her eyes.

The Imperial Medicine Hall Supplier position for the palace was selected every three years. The Imperial Medicine Hall had been appointed for many consecutive terms, but each time, competition from rival firms was inevitable. After breakfast, Chu Kang came to report. Chu Mingxi dealt with the most pressing matters first. In the blink of an eye, several managers arrived. Furrowing her brow in thought, Chu Mingxi delegated the decisions to Chu Kang, then took her people and set off to return to the Jingyuan Marquis Mansion.

It was not yet noon—neither early nor late. The maidservants couldn’t figure out why the Young Mistress wanted to return so abruptly, especially since the Heir wasn’t home. The imperial autumn hunts in previous years usually lasted seven or eight days.

Chu Mingxi herself couldn’t quite explain the reason either. She just knew that after not seeing her for a few days, her heart felt like something was missing.

The carriage rolled along and arrived back at the Marquis Mansion. She had just entered the second gate when she saw Ruolan leading several maids coming to greet her. “The Young Mistress has returned! The Heir just got back as well, covered in injuries. The Old Titled Lady was just about to send us to fetch you.”

Chu Mingxi’s heart lurched. Pushing past the crowd, she walked swiftly towards the Yearning Hall.