The horses' hooves clattered. Qiao Yan took the lead on her horse and quickly left Ye Xi and the others behind.
However, Ye Xi wasn't flustered. She just focused intently on the path ahead.
Leaping over obstacles, crossing ditches, circling the flags and turning the horse... She did it all in one smooth motion.
Gradually, she caught up with Qiao Yan in front.
"Yo - I didn't expect your horsemanship to be so good," Qiao Yan shouted as she turned to look at Ye Xi.
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Qiao," Ye Xi shouted back.
"I can't compare to your superb skills. But I do have the ambition to overtake you."
"Haha..." Qiao Yan looked back and smiled brightly.
"Come on then!"
One in front and the other behind, they galloped away closely. The on - lookers' hearts rose and fell with their race. They cheered for Qiao Yan one moment and for Ye Xi the next, all speculating who would come out on top.
"Brother," Yun Qianying, who was watching the race, asked.
"Who do you think will win?"
Yun Qi stared intently at the two beautiful figures on the field and answered without hesitation.
"Of course it's Miss Qiao from the Qiao family.
"Although Miss Xi is also quite good, her horse - riding skills are obviously not as good as Miss Qiao's. But I heard that she only started learning archery and horse - riding recently, while Miss Qiao has been in contact with it since childhood.
"To achieve such results, she can be regarded as a natural talent."
Yun Qianying felt even more dissatisfied. Her brother rarely praised people like this. She pouted and pretended to be coquettish.
"Why do you praise her so highly, brother? I think she's just average. Her looks are not even one - tenth as good as Miss Qiao's."
Yun Qi glanced at the dissatisfied Yun Qianying and was very honest.
"Your taste is off. Miss Xi's archery and horse - riding skills are comparable to the men of our Yun family. You..."
"Mr. Yun, you're wrong," Cao Wei interrupted. She didn't know when she had stood behind the siblings.
"Miss Xi is full of tricks. She might have been secretly practicing for a long time. She just deliberately hid it so that no one would know, just to gain a good reputation.
"People like her can't compare to the young masters and young ladies from the Yun family. She's just a clown."
These words really hit Yun Qianying's heart. She couldn't help but let out a snort and said cutely.
"I don't know about that. My brother and I left the capital when we were young and just came back recently. We're not familiar with the noble ladies in the capital.
"But... I seem to have seen you. Which family's young lady are you?"
Cao Wei was taken aback.
Previously, she and Cao Sheng accidentally met a girl as beautiful as a fairy in the suburbs of the capital. They thought she was a young lady from the Yun family and wanted to get close to her. But they couldn't find her after that. Later, she made a big scene in Nongqiao Garden and was in a complete mess. Then she met the real Yun Qianying and realized that the girl had told the truth.
But Yun Qianying was following the Fourth Princess at that time, and Cao Wei was in such a mess and had been punished. She didn't dare to go up and talk to her.
Fortunately, Yun Qianying didn't notice her. Cao Wei was embarrassed for a moment. Her eyes flitted over Yun Qi and she introduced herself again.
"My name is Cao Wei. I'm from the Cao family of the State Uncle's Mansion. Miss Yun saw me once when you came to Nongqiao Garden."
" Oh—" Yun Qianying suddenly clapped her hands.
"No wonder you look familiar."
At that time, she was so excited about seeing Shen Zhou soon that she didn't notice that Cao Wei in front of her was the one who had been punished in Nongqiao Garden. And no one had introduced Cao Wei to her at that time. After the punishment, Yi Zhen had taken her to meet Ye Xi and Qiao Yan. Now when Cao Wei introduced herself again, she didn't think about it at all. She really thought they had just passed by and seen each other in Nongqiao Garden.
But this Cao Wei really suited her taste. She was much better than Ye Xi and Qiao Yan that Yi Zhen had introduced to her. The two of them soon started chatting as if they were kindred spirits.
Yun Qi frowned and glanced at the excited Yun Qianying. He didn't know much about this Cao Wei, but he had found out something about her brother Cao Sheng. He wasn't a good person.
Yun Qi didn't have the prejudice that if the brother was bad, the sister must be bad too, so he didn't stop them.
He turned to watch the race on the field intently.
What he didn't know was that Cao Sheng's sister was really in the same boat as her brother...
Below, Ye Xi had caught up with Qiao Yan. The two were almost riding side by side and galloped like lightning towards the first obstacle set up ahead.
"I'm going to give it my all!" Qiao Yan said as she reined in her horse. The red - clothed rider and the magnificent horse almost merged into one. They leaped high into the air, leaving only a faint shadow and a fading sound in the air behind.
Ye Xi wasn't willing to be outdone. Before Qiao Yan's voice faded, she also leaped into the air. Her blue clothes, red horse and black hair fluttered in the wind.
However, the accident happened in an instant—
Ye Xi suddenly felt weak all over. She couldn't even grip the horse's belly. When the horse landed and jolted, she lost control and fell to the side.
The horse was galloping as fast as an arrow. If she fell, she would surely break her neck, arms, and skull. It would easily cost her her life.
The strong wind howled past, blowing off the veil on her face. It spun and landed on the yellowing grass.
At this life - and - death moment, no one had the time to notice Ye Xi's suddenly revealed peerless beauty. Gasps rang out one after another. Emperor Zhaohuan, sitting in the middle, and the queen beside him couldn't help but lean forward. Some timid people even covered their eyes, too scared to look.
In the blink of an eye, several figures flashed up and rushed towards Ye Xi.
After the incident of being cut by an arrow, Yi Yuan felt uneasy and had been waiting near the racecourse early. As soon as he saw Ye Xi in trouble, he flashed over.
On this side, Qiao Yan noticed that something was wrong with Ye Xi. The red whip around her waist shot out like a snake's tongue and wrapped around Ye Xi's waist. However, it only barely stopped Ye Xi's falling trend. Even under the jolting of the two horses, she was also pulled to the side.
In just a moment, Yi Yuan was already close. He smoothly jumped onto the horse's back, pulled Ye Xi into his arms and shouted:
"Let go of the whip!"
Qiao Yan gritted her teeth and whipped back. The red whip twisted back like a red dragon. However, she couldn't stop herself from falling.
"A Yan!" Qiao He on the viewing stand shouted. His hands and feet went weak instantly.
Seeing that Yi Yuan had pulled Ye Xi back, Shen Zhou and Yun Qi, who had jumped up with Yi Yuan just now, paused. Before they could turn back, they saw Qiao Yan in danger. Yun Qi twisted his waist and leaped to Qiao Yan's side. He put his left arm on the horse's back and grabbed Qiao Yan with his right hand.
"Watch out," Yun Qi said calmly.
Then he pulled her up forcefully, moved aside and landed on the side. He loosened his grip and threw Qiao Yan onto the horse's back.
The two cooperated surprisingly well. As soon as Yun Qi left the horse, he rolled a few times to relieve the impact from the horse. Qiao Yan landed right on the horse's back and picked up the reins again.
Looking back and smiling at Yun Qi, Qiao Yan waved her hand and shouted:
"Thank you—"
The flying young woman in bright clothes and on a spirited horse, with every frown and smile, was so free and easy and charming.
Yun Qi felt as if something had hit his heart hard.