The autumn sun was austere and the world was bleak. However, the imperial hunting grounds were lush with greenery and did not show any signs of decline.
The Anqing Emperor had set up the hunting grounds for Yi Ling. This time, only second-rank officials and above would accompany him, but Gu Yan was among them.
Today, she was wearing an autumn-colored riding outfit with only a beaded belt around her waist, outlining her slender waist like a willow. Her silky hair was tied up by A Nuo's skillful hands. There were no pearls or jade, no jewels, and instead, there was a hint of playfulness.
She walked a step behind Gu Yuanxian, completely ignoring the laughter in front of her. She was in a daze.
Hokuin was rich in precious horses, and Nan Hua also had good horses. The Anqing Emperor took Yi Ling to see them one by one, and then asked Yi Ling to choose a horse to hunt.
Yi Ling casually picked a completely black horse from the stable, and the attendant quickly came forward to get it for him.
The Anqing Emperor seemed to inadvertently glance at Gu Yan, "Pingyang also came dressed today. Why don't you prepare to show off your skills to me and General Yi?"
Gu Yan was still in a daze and did not hear the Anqing Emperor speak to her. Gu Yuanxian saw that she did not respond for a long time and anxiously pulled on her sleeve, "Pingyang, the Emperor is asking you something."
Gu Yan finally came back to her senses. She looked at her father's anxious face, then blankly raised her head to look at the Anqing Emperor. She asked in a daze, "What?"
The officials who accompanied her were startled and revealed an awkward expression.
The Anqing Emperor shook his head and smiled. He said good-naturedly, "Since you're here today, then don't make a wasted trip. Let me and General Yi see the heroism of a Nan Hua woman on a horse."
Gu Yan listened and bowed. She went forward to pick a red horse. The attendant led it out, and the eunuch at the side placed a soft leather saddle on the horse's back.
Gu Yan went forward and flipped onto the horse. Beside him, Yi Ling also mounted his horse.
She turned around and gestured to the Anqing Emperor. "Your Majesty, Pingyang has embarrassed herself."
The Anqing Emperor looked at her and nodded with a faint smile.
Seeing the Anqing Emperor nod his head, she turned around and urged her horse to gallop away. Yi Ling followed closely behind. One was riding a red horse, the other a black horse. They chased after each other in the autumn.
The autumn air was refreshing and the cool breeze was refreshing. It felt indescribably carefree as it brushed against one's face. Gu Yan held his whip and urged his horse to gallop away like a maple leaf in autumn, sweeping across the hunting grounds. The depression of the past few days seemed to have been blown away by the wind. The haze gradually disappeared, and the corners of his eyes and eyebrows were raised with a smile.
She was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, all the ministers had become blurry little black dots. Soon, Yi Ling caught up with her. She couldn't hide the surprise in her eyes as she looked at her.
Gu Yan raised her beautiful eyebrows and said proudly: "What, you don't believe that I really know how to ride a horse?"
Years ago, when her three older brothers went to horsemanship class, she thought it was fun and insisted on going. Her father was helpless and afraid that she would get hurt, so he could only give her to her third uncle, who was the best horsemanship in the family.
Her third uncle did his best to teach seriously, and she also studied seriously. In the past few years, there weren't many talents in Jiangdu who could compete with her. This was probably the reason why the Anqing Emperor chose her to accompany him today.
Yi Ling smiled faintly and didn't say anything. She just raised her whip and urged her horse forward. In the blink of an eye, she was half a horse's length ahead of Gu Yan. Gu Yan saw this and urged her horse to gallop after him. The two of them chased one after the other in the grassland.
Shang Lin Yuan was located in the northern suburbs of Jiangdu. It covered an area of a thousand square meters. The two of them unknowingly arrived at the forest at the border of Yuanlin. The poplar trees were straight, and the leaves were falling down. The small stream in the forest gurgled.
The two of them reined in their horses. Yi Ling jumped off his horse and strode over to Gu Yan's side. He reached out his hand to her.
The autumn afternoon sunlight was like gold. It seeped through the branches of the towering poplar trees and fell on his face, which seemed to be carved by a knife. Hardness and softness, coldness and warmth, perfectly blended on his face, revealing the fortitude that was rarely seen in Southern Hua men.
Gu Yan turned her head away, deliberately ignoring his outstretched hand. She flipped off her horse. Yi Ling calmly turned his hand over and stroked the mane of the date red horse. He said, "There is a fine colt in the South, but it is unfortunately trapped in this small Shang Lin Yuan."
Gu Yan was slightly startled. She understood the deeper meaning behind his words. She said, "A fine colt was born here and grew up here. Its world is only so big. How can it be trapped?"
Yi Ling lowered his eyes to look at her. His gaze was calm, but deep in his eyes, there was a thick black color. "How can an ordinary horse know the ambition of a fine steed? It will never experience the pleasure of galloping freely across a vast land."
"Galloping freely across a vast land." Gu Yan was shaken by his words. She muttered and repeated them.
"Pingyang, could it be that you also like an ordinary horse trapped in this garden, and don't like a fine steed that can travel thousands of miles?" He asked in a deep voice that cut like a knife.
Gu Yan was stunned by his words. She raised her eyes to look at him. His eyebrows were full of pride. It seemed that the four seas and the universe could not contain his ambition.
'A real man should be like this.'
She remembered her second brother's evaluation of Yi Ling.
Jiangdu was very cultured. Men loved to be romantic and elegant. Admiring flowers and drinking tea, playing the zither and composing poems. She had always thought that men were handsome. But today, between his eyebrows, she saw what a real man was like.
Unfortunately, she was not a woman who wanted to put on armor and go into battle.
"General Yi, I have never seen a fine steed before, so I can't say whether I like it or not." She smiled slightly and cleverly avoided his questioning.
Yi Ling smiled faintly.
The two of them did not speak. They both mounted their horses and slowly walked back.
When they reached the front of the crowd, the Anqing Emperor saw that the two of them had returned. He happily asked: "General Yi, the women of the Southern Dynasty do not lose to the Hokuin, right?"
Yi Ling dismounted and said: "Princess Pingyang is indeed worthy of her reputation."
He only praised Princess Pingyang and did not follow the Anqing Emperor's words to praise all the women of the Southern Dynasty. He was quick-witted. Everyone present gasped in admiration.
The attendants approached and wanted to help Gu Yan dismount. However, the reins were grabbed by Yi Ling. He stood below the horse and looked up at Gu Yan. However, he said to the Anqing Emperor: "Yi Ling, please hold the reins for Princess Pingyang."
Everyone was stunned. They did not know what he meant.
Gu Yan smiled calmly and looked down at Yi Ling: "In that case, I will have to trouble General Yi." Her tone was provocative. She thought that she would anger him. However, Yi Ling's deep eyes narrowed and revealed a trace of a smile.
Gu Yan looked at him. She suddenly felt that other than being a killing god on the battlefield, there were many other aspects of him that no one knew.
On the second day after the Autumn Hunt, the Empress sent a message from the palace. She said that she missed Gu Yan and summoned her to the palace.
The autumn morning breeze blew against the tassels on her dress. As she moved, the bracelets and accessories collided with each other, creating a pleasant sound.
Gu Yan was wearing a jade dress with clouds and clouds. Her hair was tied up in a high bun, revealing her snow-white neck.
When she arrived at the entrance of Changle Hall, she heard bursts of laughter. It was very lively.
Gu Yan raised her hand to stop the Palace Maids who went to report. She had A Nuo come forward to open the curtain and enter.
In the spacious front hall, there were three or four Palace Maids playing with the Crown Prince, Feng Jing. The shuttlecock was cleverly passed back and forth by the Palace Maids. The Crown Prince anxiously chased after the shuttlecock, but he could not touch the shuttlecock at all.
Gu Yan saw this scene and thought that the Empress must not be in the palace. She was famous for being strict with the Crown Prince. How could she let him play in the hall?
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