The surrounding people were first shocked, then rumors and gossip surged like a tide. Even the ladies and young misses who had been arranging flowers and drinking tea in the pavilion all ran out.
Everyone watched as Xie Qingran completely tamed the spirited horse. Under the sunlight, dressed in a pale purple outfit, Xie Qingran circled the riding grounds twice with a cold expression. Even though the sun was blazing, the chilly air she carried with her was still just as palpable.
“This… How improper!”
“Mother, is Older Sister doing this on purpose to disgrace our Xie Family?”
Xie Hanyue tugged on Wang Shi’s arm, her anxious tears starting to fall.
“So many people are watching. How humiliating is this? How will I ever be able to go out in public again?”
“Xie Qingran!”
Lu Jinzhi felt as if he had lost all face. He strode forward and yanked Xie Qingran over before she had even landed steadily on her feet.
“Let go!”
Xie Qingran’s brows knitted together tightly. In front of everyone, she forcefully shook off his hand and looked at him with displeasure.
“How audacious! Pulling and tugging in public, what is this behavior?”
“Young Master Lu may have no shame, but I do! The Xie Family does!”
Xie Qingran had never been so harsh and severe, at least not in front of Lu Jinzhi.
After all, whenever Xie Qingran had seen Lu Jinzhi before, she would shyly lower her head, looking as if she could not live without him.
Her current demeanor left Lu Jinzhi dumbfounded.
“You… Are you mad?”
“Older Sister!”
Xie Hanyue quickly ran over, grabbed her arm in front of everyone, her eyes red with anxiety, and said with a sob, “Older Sister, let’s go back quickly. Don’t make a spectacle of yourself here. Mother can barely take it anymore.”
The pointing fingers and murmurs from the crowd meant nothing to Xie Qingran. She simply shook off Xie Hanyue’s hand and glanced at the man under the pavilion not far away. Even from such a distance, she could feel his probing gaze.
Very good. As long as there was interest. As long as she had piqued this person’s interest, then for Xie Qingran, today had been worth it.
She smiled and handed the reins to a Horse Taming Official at her side.
“Excellent!”
Just as everyone was criticizing and mocking Xie Qingran, a resonant and powerful voice rang out.
The crowd turned one after another, and upon seeing who had arrived, they hurriedly knelt. “We greet the Emperor! Long live Your Majesty, for ten thousand years, for ten thousand times ten thousand years!”
The Emperor strode forward, walking directly to Xie Qingran. He looked her up and down and said with a smile, “You are the eldest young miss of the Xie Family, Xie Qingran?”
“Your subject, Xie Qingran, pays her respects to Your Majesty!”
Xie Qingran nodded obediently, then properly performed another grand curtsy.
Seeing this, the Emperor nodded in satisfaction. “Truly out of the ordinary. This spirited horse is difficult to tame. Eldest Miss Xie has great skill!”
“Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. Your subject is unworthy.” Xie Qingran showed no trace of shyness, only satisfaction with her own horse-taming skills.
Seeing how outstanding Xie Qingran was, and how she could remain so composed and dignified in his presence, the Emperor felt pleased.
He nodded. “In that case, I shall bestow this horse upon you. I have always believed that women should be just like the eldest young miss of the Xie Family, full of heroic spirit!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the tide of the crowd’s opinion instantly turned.
“Yes, Eldest Miss Xie is truly a rare talent. Impressive, most impressive!”
“Eldest Miss Xie accomplished something that even the palace’s Horse Taming Officials could not. She is truly remarkable!”
“I wonder, is Eldest Miss Xie betrothed?”
Seeing the change in the crowd’s assessment of Xie Qingran, the Emperor nodded in satisfaction. He knew very well that his attitude was everyone’s attitude. If anyone’s attitude differed from his, it was tantamount to opposing the imperial authority.
Watching Xie Qingran steal the show, Lu Jinzhi’s brows knitted together tightly. He gritted his back teeth and warned, “Don’t think you’re so great just because the Emperor praised you a few times. I’m telling you, I will absolutely not marry you!”
Did this person not understand human speech?
Xie Qingran’s brows furrowed deeply. After a single glance at Lu Jinzhi, she turned and walked in the other direction.
After she came down from the riding grounds, the sharp aura about her instantly vanished. She walked obediently to Wang Shi’s side and silently sat in the seat next to her.
Wang Shi had wanted to reprimand Xie Qingran, but now that even the Emperor had praised her, Wang Shi couldn’t say much more. She could only grit her back teeth and snort coldly, “You’d better behave yourself.”
“Yes.”
Xie Qingran agreed directly, with no intention of talking back.
At this, Wang Shi’s simmering anger instantly dissipated, and she even felt as if she had thrown a heavy punch into a ball of cotton.
Her brows knitted together tightly. She felt that now, in front of Xie Qingran, she was utterly stifled.
“The Noble Consort has arrived!”
The Grand Eunuch announced in a loud voice, and everyone rose to bow.
Xie Qingran hid herself within the crowd, behaving with perfect propriety, yet the Imperial Concubine spotted her at first glance as she approached.
The Noble Consort walked before the Emperor and Empress and curtsied. When she spoke, her voice was utterly enchanting. “This concubine pays her respects to the Emperor and the Empress.”
“You were coughing this morning. Didn’t I tell you not to go out in the wind today? Why did you still come?” The Emperor quickly took the Imperial Concubine’s hand and had her sit beside him, his concern gentle. “Why are your hands so cold? You don’t even know to add a layer of clothing when you go out. You never take good care of yourself.”
As he spoke, the Emperor held the Imperial Concubine’s hands, warming them for her.
The Imperial Concubine’s face flushed red. She lowered her head shyly, stole a glance at the Empress, and pulled her hands back, speaking in a low voice, “Your Majesty, this concubine is not so delicate.”
It was said that the Imperial Concubine’s favor reigned over the six palaces, and seeing it today, it was clear the rumors were true. Nearly everyone’s eyes were on the Imperial Concubine, but Xie Qingran was carefully observing the Empress’s expression. The Empress’s expression didn’t change much, but her hands were gripping her handkerchief tightly. From this, it was evident that she was using all her strength to endure this scene.
Even though everyone knew the Emperor doted on the Imperial Concubine the most, the Empress was still the Empress. For the Emperor to show such favoritism to the Imperial Concubine in front of so many people was a direct slap to the Empress’s face!
How could the mother of the nation be humiliated like this?
The Imperial Concubine’s gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Xie Qingran. She smiled faintly. “The eldest young miss of the Xie Family has returned as well?”
“Your subject, Xie Qingran, pays her respects to the Noble Consort.”