Chapter 200: Hunting (Part 2)
Seeing Xie Jing Xing not speaking, Ji Yu Shu scratched his head and smiled at Shen Miao, “In fact, one could call Third Older Biao Brother. I am cousins with Third Older Biao Brother and according to the ranking of brothers in the clan generation, he is number three. Third Older Brother’s Imperial Mother is my Yi Mu (Mother’s Sister). We are maternal cousins.”
After Shen Miao heard Ji Yu Shu speaking, she then understood. So Ji Yu Shu’s mother and Xie Jing Xing’s Imperial Mother were full blooded sisters. Ji Yu Shu was also considered as the Imperial family and was maternal cousins as Xie Jing Xing. No wonder even though Xie Jing Xing said that Ji Yu Shu was not good, he still take great care of him.
Ji Yu Shu laughed twice and waved his hands, “One heard that my Mother had seen SaoZi and my Mother also said that SaoZi was very good, dignified, wise and is a daughter of a noble house. If it was not Third Older Brother that took action early, she would blame me for not marrying back such a beauty like SaoZi when I was in Ming Qi.”
Xie Jing Xing said calmly, “Ji Yu Shu, do you want to go to the tower prison?”
“I am only joking.” Ji Yu Shu jumped up and ran like his buttocks were on fire, “One heard that Gao Yang is also here. I will go look for him. SaoZi, play around slowly.”
He then disappeared for afar.
Shen Miao was in between laughter and tears as she turned to ask Xie Jing Xing, “Gao Yang is also here? Why did one do not see him?”
“He is an official, most likely would come later.” He then said, “Gao Yang is the Chancellor of Health Affairs.”
Shen Miao smiled, “I know.”
“You do have the ability to inquired Gao Yang’s identity.” Xie Jing Xing said with a laugh but it was not a laugh.
Shen Miao heart jumped and did not have anything suddenly. She knew of Gao Yang’s identity because of her experiences in her past lifetime in Ming Qi’s tribute as the person who came was not Xie Jing Xing but Gao Yang. Thus from the beginning, Shen Miao’s attitude to Gao Yang was that she had long knew that Gao Yang was Xie Jing Xing’s people.
Fortunately Xie Jing Xing was not entangled on this issue and only said, “When the hunt begins, you will follow me to the fields of the hunt to catch some hares. When SiShi (modern timing: 9 – 11am) arrives, I will follow Imperial Older Brother to the infield and the guards will be left for you. You are free to stroll around the field.” After pausing, he then said, “YiMu (maternal aunt) is also here today, I will let Ji Yu Shu mention it to her. If I did not return later, go back to the city with YiMu and she will send you to the Prince residence.”
“You will not come back later?” Shen Miao looked at him with suspicion. Actually when Xie Jing Xing take action, he would be very confident about it. When in Ming Qi, when he had the identity of the heir of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An, even under the Fu family’s monitoring, he could still easily complete his plance and that was enough to show that he was not one who act in a rush. But why this time Shen Miao felt that it was not good and followed Xie Jing Xing here, now there were doubts in his words.
“Rest assured. Imperial Older Brother and I have made preparations.” He smiled warmly, “The two months has not arrived yet so how could I bear to be dead.”
Shen Miao pushed him. Under the public eyes, she did not want to accompany Xie Jing Xing to be shameless. Upon turning her head around, she felt a gaze on herself and looked towards that direction but saw Ye Furen, who was at the Bright Summer Banquet, looking at her.
Ye Furen wore a light clothes and that easy to walk in and stood faraway. Their gaze met and she did not evade it and smiled gently. It was just that the gaze made Shen Miao feel uncomfortable on instinct. She asked, “The Ye family is also going to hunt today?”
“Ye Mao is the Prime Minister so naturally he has to follow. But the officials would only be in the outer fields and not enter the inner fields.” Xie Jing Xing followed Shen Miao’s gaze and discovered that she was staring at Ye Furen and asked curiously, “You seemed to be very concerned with Ye Furen. What happened?”
“One do not know why.” Shen Miao frowned, “The Ye family people always did not give me a good feeling. It is best that you guard against them.”
“Imperial Older Brother is currently interested in pulling the Ye family over so every action of the Ye family is monitored and nothing is wrong.” Xie Jing Xing thought and saw Shen Miao’s cautious look before comforting her, “They are outside the area and would not influence the situation. There is no need to worry.”
When Shen Miao looked at Ye Furen again, Ye Furen had already turn around to talk to other Furens. Shen then suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and let it be.
When the time was up, the hunt would begin. The officials that came today were not of low status and these officials will accompany in the hunt while the female family would watch the activities. Those who were more courageous would go into the outer fields and those who had a quieter temperament would stay outside the hunting area to wait.
Coincidentally, Lu Wan-er also came today.
Most likely Lu Wan-er had spent a lot of effort in dressing as her ridding attire was very beautiful that it made her look peerlessly delicate. If Shen Miao was not there, she would be the most eye-catching person in the entire occasion. Consort Jing and Lu Wan-er were sisters after all and with the Lu family’s protection and doting, she had all the temperament of rich young lady.
It was just that Shen Miao was there so her fabulous ridding outfit was a little bland. Even though it was pretty, but standing together with Prince Rui, there was a sense of incomparable.
It was no wonder at all as it was Xie Jing Xing and Shen Miao that have a strange sense of harmony. Forget about Prince Rui, since he was Emperor Yong Le younger blooded brother and a true royalty, thus he was filled with elegance. But Shen Miao was only a common official family’s daughter in Ming Qi and moreover it was a family of military lineage but had this kind of magnanimous and nobility that made one felt dignified. Both of their atmosphere were seamless that let alone a person like Lu Wan-er, even if it was an immortal, it would be incomparable.
Lu Wan-er was however unaware of it and walked to Shen Miao under everyone’s somewhat strange gaze. Even though she was facing Shen Miao to speak, her eyes were glued onto Xie Jing Xing. Her voice was delicate and sweet and the tone of voice she was using seemed to have become honey.
“WangFei of First Rank, one did not expect that one could meet you here today. On the day of the Bright Summer Banquet, one felt familiarity at first sight with WangFei of First Rank and thought that when one is free, one would definitely meet up with you. One did not think that one can encounter it now. It is really fated.” Lu Wan-er talked to Shen Miao courteously and obediently, without half of a shadow of the bossy and domineering manner of the Bright Summer Banquet.
Shen Miao’s heart was laughing and she wondered what was in the brains of this Lu Wan-er’s. Could it be that she believed that Xie Jing Xing would believe whatever she said? Moreover there were other residences’ Furen present and Shen Miao would not hide anything and tell Xie Jing Xing the truth. Lu Wan-er did not display any ‘familiarity at first sight’ but ‘hatred to the bones’.
As Lu Wan-er spoke, she did not what for Shen Miao to reply and looked at Xie Jing Xing. Her unconcealed affection was all over her gaze as she said sweetly, “Prince Rui of First Rank also look very prestigious today. Early before, one had seen during an encounter in Older Sister’s palace. At that time, Prince Rui of First Rank praised Wan-er Qin skills as outstanding. Now Wan-er practices Qin even more and has improved a lot. One do not know when Your Highness Prince of First Rank would be free to give pointers to Wan-er.”
Shen Miao paused at involuntarily looked towards Xie Jing Xing. Lu Wan-er would not like in front of Xie Jing Xing. Xie Jing Xing actually heard Lu Wan-er’s playing Qin and praised Lu Wan-er Qin skills as outstanding?
Seeing Shen Miao suspicious gaze, Xie Jing Xing’s lips hooked up and laughed, “Oh, not happy?”
Shen Miao looked away.
Xie Jing Xing shrugged his shoulders and when he looked towards Lu Wan-er, his expression was changed. His handsome brows were still lazy as he spoke but there was no smile on his face.
“At the beginning when one spoke to Imperial Older Brother, one encountered Consort Qing and Consort Jing said that Fourth Lu Young Lady was playing Qin in Jing Hua Palace and wanted Imperial Older Brother to go over to listen. This Prince listened to it that day but said that it was as comparable to crows. Fourth Lu Young Lady, you cannot even differentiate between compliment and sarcasm? It seems that it is really necessary to get a teacher to give pointers to one’s brain.”
Shen Miao almost burst out laughing as she did not realize Lu Wan-er was slow-witted to this level. Xie Jing Xing did not give other face at all when he speak so how would he care if there were other people around or not.
Lu Wan-er’s face immediately became red.
In fact in Jing Hua Palace, after she finished playing the Qin, her entire heart was concentrated on Prince Rui and it was jumping so loudly as she was indulging on Prince Rui’s appearance. How would she be able to hear in what Prince Rui said? She was not hear clearly and thought that Prince Rui was praising her and now that Prince Rui made it clear, she now looked like a joke thus Lu Wan-er was stunned on the spot.
Xie Jing Xing swept her an angry look and said, “And this Prince is a brother of the Emperor, in the future Lu Fourth Young Lady better not mention about one going to the palace of a Consort. Those who do not know would think that Lu Fourth Young Lady is deliberately provoking something. This Prince is unable to afford to have such an offence.” Finishing, he then pulled SHen Miao away and threw Lu Wan-er alone by herself at the original spot.
Shen Miao felt that Lu Wan-er was silly enough to be pitiful and asked Xie Jing Xing, “The Lu family is so powerful so how did they raise all their young ladies like this?” Be it Consort Jing or Lu Wan-er, they could be able to fight with the previous Shen Miao. It was just that Shen Miao was deliberately raise by the Second and Third household of the Shen family to have such a character but these Lu Wan-er and Consort Jing is Lu Furen’s biological daughters.
Xie Jing Xing said, “One’s whole heart is in court battling, naturally discipline of one’s children are neglected. Moreover the Lu family has always indulge daughters and cultivate sons.”
Shen Miao then understood it clearly. With the Lu family’s business, even if the daughters in the family were married casually, they would not worry about food or clothes in this lifetime and even being arrogant was alright as their strong maiden family was behind them.
As they were speaking, Xie Jing Xing had already pulled Shen Miao to the edge of the hunting ground. There were a few officials and a few females who had picked their horses. When Xie Jing Xing walked nearer, Tie Yi lead two horses over. One of the horse was a tall black handsome one while the other was a slightly short red pony. Xie Jing Xing supported Shen Miao up the red horse, while he rode the black horse.
Emperor Yong Le’s end began to move and the Imperial army were also prepared to head in with Emperor Yong Le.
The drummers began to rhythmically beat the drums, as if one was playing some ancient tune. As the drumbeats became faster and faster, it became more urgent till at the end an arrow was shot and flew straight to a golden fruit that was hung at the far end and the drummers stopped drumming suddenly.
The hunt has started.
Xie Jing Xing brought Shen Miao to the outer fields and Mo Qing and a few of them followed. Upon entering the hunting grounds, one can bring along a few guards. However there were not much danger in the outer fields and under the broad daylight, nothing would happen so bringing them along were just in case.
“When will you be entering the inner fields?” Shen Miao asked Xie Jing Xing as she rode the horse. She had not been riding a horse for a long time but this horse was docile and she could control it easily.
“Imperial Older Brother will send a signal to me on SiShi (modern timing: 9 – 11am) and then I will leave.” Xie Jing Xing sat up straight, “Now one can still accompany you around. Do you want to hunt a fox?”
Shen Miao, “Fox?”
Xie Jing Xing reached out and grabbed her reins, “Follow me.”
Xie Jing Xing had good hunting skills. Shen Miao had no doubts that if he was not Great Liang’s Prince Rui and just an ordinary mountain folk, with this set of hunting skills, he would be able to make a fortune. About the matter of shooting with great precision, Shen Miao had always felt it was just Shen Qiu bragging but now she had finally seen it. Xie Jing Xing’s aim was very good that he would hit all his targets. It was only a short time and their horses back were already full of prey. Even though they were all small animals, but it was very rare.
“What else you want to hunt?” Xie Jing Xing smiled proudly, “I will help you to hunt.”
Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, she saw Cong Yang rushing over from the other side and said out of breath, “Master. It is not good. The Emperor has entered the inner fields. Just now Tie Yi and me did a search and were unable to see the Emperor. There were horse tracks at the bottom of Hua Luan Peak.”
“Inner fields?” Xie Jing Xing frowned, “Did not give any signal and went in alone?” His gaze flashed and he barked lowly, “Darn it.”