A young gentleman with a face as fair as jade, standing behind Prince Duan, had been sizing up Mei Yao. Now he stepped forward and said, “This must be Princess Wenshan! I am Lu Cheng of the Marquis Gongshun residence. Greetings, Princess!”
Mei Yao collected her thoughts and responded with her signature smile: “Young Master Lu, you are too kind.”
In Prince Duan’s eyes, the Princess Wenshan from Qiyun Town was more formidable than beautiful, but the woman before him now was even more stunning—and gentler. He was no stranger to beauties and had long passed the age of judging them by appearance alone, yet he couldn’t help but be captivated by her radiant smile. He believed any man with an eye for beauty would be moved!
Li Sheng’s expression softened, his voice warm: “Princess, have you settled in well since arriving in the capital? If you need anything, just tell Fu Guang—no need to be polite. If you encounter any difficulties, you may also inform me. I will certainly look after you.”
Mei Yao thought he was quite skilled with words. In just a few sentences, he had taken credit for all of Fu Guang’s kindness toward her, as if Fu Guang’s closeness to her was due to the entrustment of his Fourth Brother.
Even Li Youtong glanced away with a sidelong look.
Mei Yao’s smile was full of sincerity: “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness and Princess. I have settled in very well.”
As they spoke, a cheerful voice rang out, brimming with the unique vitality of youth: “So you are here! Just now, Grandmother arrived and couldn’t find anyone. I said you must be frolicking at the horse track. Why haven’t you run a few laps yet?”
From these words, Mei Yao guessed it was the Ninth Prince, Li Xiang, and indeed, he was a dashing young man. Behind him followed several other young gentlemen, all exuding high spirits.
Li Xiang greeted Li Sheng and Li Youtong, then seemed to notice Mei Yao in the crowd. His peach-blossom eyes swept over her from head to toe, but he only smiled without saying anything. Instead, he turned to Yan Yu and said, “It’s rare to see General Yan at the Peach Blossom Banquet. Having witnessed the beacon fires of the northwest, you should take the time to appreciate the splendid sights of the capital.”
His double entendre brought a faint smile to the cold-faced general’s lips, who replied simply, “Very well.”
What an effortless response.
Li Xiang suggested, “Since General Yan is here, why not run a few laps?”
Lu Cheng, who had seen Yan Yu ride earlier, quickly interjected, “Who would dare race against General Yan? When he mounts a horse, it’s a matter of life and death. We wouldn’t dare show off our meager skills in front of an expert!”
“You may not dare, but I do!” Li Xiang, confident in his own horsemanship, grinned at Yan Yu. “What do you say, General Yan? Will you grant me this honor?”
“I dare not!” Yan Yu truly had no intention of granting any favors.
Prince Duan laughed and said, “Enough, Ninth Brother. With your bold nature, you’ve already won without even racing! In my opinion, General Yan should serve as the judge. You all can race among yourselves!”
Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng exclaimed with excitement, “Prince Duan is truly fair! It would be dull for the young ladies to merely watch. Why not join the race as well?”
“I’ll join!” Ever since seeing Yan Yu again, Lu Wan had been eager to show off. Having grown up running around with Lu Cheng, she believed her horsemanship was no worse than her brother’s.
Li Xiang turned to Mei Yao: “Princess Wenshan, can you ride?”
Seeing everyone’s eyes on her, Mei Yao smiled faintly and said, “I have ridden before.”
Her answer was ambiguous—whether she could ride or not, whether she was skilled or not, was left for others to guess.
Li Xiang chuckled and said, “Then you must be an expert! I look forward to learning from you later! Who else wants to join?”
Lu Wan pulled in two more female companions, and with four men and four women, they prepared to compete with high spirits.
Li Youtong plucked a hairpin from her head and said with a smile, “While they’re changing clothes, why don’t we make a bet…”
When Mei Yao returned in her riding attire, everyone present was momentarily stunned! This outfit had been brought from the southern border, carrying a touch of exotic flair—fitted and form-hugging, accentuating her full, perky chest. With her slender waist and long legs, her figure was displayed to perfection. Coupled with her captivating beauty, it was truly impossible to look away!
The gathered noble ladies whispered among themselves, finding the style of the dress rather daring. Words like “shameless” and “seductive” quietly reached Mei Yao’s ears. However, because Li Youtong was present, they didn’t dare to be too outspoken.
The reactions of the young noblemen were quite different. They wanted to look but felt too embarrassed to stare openly. Several of them blushed at the ears, glancing a few times before averting their gaze, only to be drawn back as if by an invisible force.
In contrast, Li Sheng and Li Xiang, the two royal scions, were far more shameless in this regard. They stared openly and boldly, with Li Xiang even teasing, “I’d say the Junzhu’s riding outfit is the most stunning—she’s already won before the race even begins!”
“Ninth Brother, don’t joke around!” Li Youtong chided softly.
Mei Yao glanced at Yan Yu. He didn’t avoid looking at her either, but his eyes darkened slightly, and he frowned a little.
On the racecourse, Mei Yao initially held back, observing the others. The Lu siblings, however, charged ahead from the start. These two weren’t competing for victory but merely seeking a chance to show off—a transparent motive.
In the latter half of the race, Mei Yao began to push harder, turning it into a contest between her and Li Xiang. Only then did everyone realize that Princess Wenshan was not only beautiful but also impressively fierce!
As they neared the finish line, Mei Yao was far in the lead when something suddenly fell from her person. Without hesitation, she pulled on the reins and turned around, seemingly intent on retrieving it. Even with her exceptional riding skills, this move alarmed everyone. With horses galloping across the field like lightning, her action was incredibly dangerous!
Li Xiang’s horse thundered forward, closing in on Mei Yao. Fearing a collision, he yanked the reins, but it seemed too late. At the critical moment, a figure flashed past, grabbing her and rolling them both to the ground. The neighing horse brushed past them and came to a halt several yards away!
The onlookers finally released the breath they had been holding! Li Youtong, pale with fright, hurried toward the field with the others.
Mei Yao was now lying on top of Yan Yu.
She seemed stunned, motionless.
Her slender waist was gripped tightly by one large hand, while the other cradled her head. Her face nestled against his neck, her chest and stomach pressed closely against him.
The man beneath her felt rather hard.
Mei Yao lifted her head, her frightened eyes meeting those of the man below. His handsome face was inches away—a young general with sharp brows and bright eyes.
For a moment, she felt an impulse to kiss him.
Her moist eyes blinked a few times, and as her red lips parted slightly, she noticed the man beneath her swallow, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
At that, she felt him grow even harder!
The onlookers quickly gathered from all directions, chattering anxiously:
“Is the young lady alright?”
“Is the Junzhu unharmed?”
“General Yan’s skills are truly remarkable!”
“Brother Yu, are you okay?”
The last call was both delicate and urgent. Mei Yao looked up, first seeing a pair of gold-thread embroidered shoes adorned with pearls, then an exquisite and luxurious brocade skirt embroidered with peonies and colorful butterflies, and finally a delicate little face that held both tension and annoyance. Naturally, the tension was for “Brother Yu,” while the annoyance was directed at her, Mei Yao.
The two large hands that had held Mei Yao tightly loosened their grip.
Supported by Feng Xiu and Li Youtong, Mei Yao stood up, her heart beating a little too fast. She wondered whether her face was flushed or pale at that moment.
The man who had saved her also rose to his feet. His attendant moved to brush the dust off his master’s clothes but was stopped by a raised hand. Instead, he strode toward the object she had dropped on the ground.
It was a bone whistle, unfortunately trampled by the horse.
Mei Yao hurried over, only to find the item already picked up by Yan Yu.
The two spoke almost simultaneously:
“Risking your life for this thing?”
“Please return it to me, General!”
For a moment, they were at an impasse.
Everyone turned their gaze to Yan Yu’s hand. The object had been unclear earlier, and now Yan Yu held it tightly, making it impossible to see what treasure it was that had Princess Wenshan so anxious she would risk her life for it.
Mei Yao stared unblinkingly at the man before her, trying desperately to detect any hint of vulnerability in his expression. Unfortunately, his eyes revealed no emotion, and even his earlier words gave no indication whether they were meant as mockery or concern.
It seemed like a casual remark.
Yet he still held her item, refusing to return it.
Mei Yao extended her hand, her tone softening further, tinged with pleading. “Thank you for saving me earlier, General. The item in your hand is something I hold dear. Please return it to me.”
He noticed her delicate, pale palm, which had somehow been scraped. Her small hand was now reddened over a large area.
Mei Yao also noticed the abrasion on her palm, only now feeling the stinging pain. Seeing him remain motionless, she stretched her hand out further and said, “Please return my beloved item to me, General Yan.”
She emphasized the words “beloved item” heavily. The large hand holding the bone whistle finally lifted slowly, hovering above her palm. After a brief pause, he pressed the item into her hand.
“Thank you, General!”
Mei Yao clenched the object in her hand and glanced apologetically at the others. “I’m sorry for spoiling everyone’s fun. Please continue enjoying yourselves. I’ll go change my clothes.”
Li Youtong said with concern, “Let me accompany you. We can also have a doctor take a look at your hand.”
Li Sheng added, “Your Highness, as a princess, you must not take this lightly. That injury looks painful. Let Fu Guang accompany you and have a doctor examine it properly.”
“Thank you, Princess and Prince. Feng Xiu’s company will suffice. Please enjoy yourselves. I must excuse myself now.”
She turned to leave with Feng Xiu, hearing a delicate, anxious voice behind her: “Brother Yu, are you all right?”
Yan Yu saw the young lady before him tugging at his sleeve, trying to check him over. He subtly avoided her grasp and replied calmly, “I’m fine.”
Lowering his gaze to the hand that had held the bone whistle, he could still feel the lingering tingling sensation from Mei Yao’s fingertips brushing against his palm. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Li Sheng, who seemed lost in thought as he watched the graceful figure retreating into the distance.