Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Going Berserk Mama Wan bowed to Ling Jiayue and the others and said, “Ladies, all the horses in the horse stables are inside. Please feel free to choose whichever you like. There is just one thing: please pay attention to your safety and do not injure yourselves. Although these horses have all been specially trained, they are still animals, after all. You must be extremely careful.” “Mama Wan is quite right. When dealing with animals like these, one naturally has to be extremely careful. Otherwise, you might be bitten without even knowing when it happened. Isn’t that right, Miss Ling?” Miss Wei could not resist sneering at Ling Jiayue after hearing Mama Wan’s words. Ling Jiayue replied to Miss Wei with a warm, courteous smile, “Miss Wei is right. One naturally has to be extremely careful around animals like these. Otherwise, if one of them goes berserk, it can be truly frightening.” Ling Jiayue considered herself fairly sharp-tongued. Since Miss Wei had provoked her so blatantly, she naturally was not going to let the remark pass unanswered. The young ladies from the various families saw that Miss Wei had not only failed to gain the upper hand but had also been thoroughly mocked in return by Ling Jiayue. One after another, they covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs and began to laugh. Miss Wei’s face burned with embarrassment. She stamped her foot and said, “Mama Wan, just look at them!” However, Mama Wan still remembered how Miss Wei had pointed at her nose and cursed her earlier. She merely bowed to Miss Wei before stepping aside. When Miss Wei saw that everyone was laughing at her and that Mama Wan was ignoring her, she angrily stamped her foot with a huff. Abandoning the others, she marched straight into the horse stables to choose a horse. While Miss Wei was still there, the young ladies had only covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs as they laughed. Now that she had left, they burst into open laughter. Miss Wei, walking ahead of them, grew even angrier when she heard the laughter. The corners of Ling Jiayue’s lips, however, lifted into a faint smile. “Elder Sister, let’s go in and choose our horses too,” Ling Yuwan said. As she spoke, she pulled Ling Jiayue toward the entrance. But Ling Jiayue remembered that Ling Yuwan was carrying the powder from the sachet. If they entered the herd like this, would that not cause all the horses to lose control? Ling Jiayue caught hold of Ling Yuwan and said, “Little Sister, there are too many people and too many horses inside right now. I would be fine, but if anything happened to you, how could I explain it to Mother and Concubine Chen when we returned? Let’s wait here for a while. The horse racing is not important at all—your safety is what matters.” Ling Yuwan could not help feeling suspicious when Ling Jiayue suddenly showed such concern for her. Along the way, Ling Jiayue had treated her neither warmly nor coldly. Why had she suddenly become so concerned now? Yet for the moment, Ling Yuwan could not figure out Ling Jiayue’s intentions, so she had no choice but to agree. “Elder Sister is right. I’ll listen to you. We can go in later. Actually, it isn’t only my safety that matters—your safety is even more important. You are the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s Residence, after all. If anything happened to you, I could never bear the responsibility.” Although Ling Jiayue had not yet been injured from falling off a horse as Ling Yuwan had planned, Ling Yuwan still took the opportunity to smear her in front of everyone. What kind of person was Ling Jiayue? She immediately recognized Ling Yuwan’s insinuation. Without the slightest haste, she deflected it with a smile. “Little Sister, that hurts my feelings. Although there is a distinction between legitimate and secondary daughters, I regard you as my own younger sister in my heart. Even Mother treats us no differently. How could you think that way?” “I misspoke for a moment. I hope Elder Sister will forgive me,” Ling Yuwan said, sticking out her tongue playfully. Ling Jiayue merely smiled without saying anything, presenting a picture of sisterly warmth. Seeing how friendly Ling Jiayue was toward her secondary sister, Mama Wan also nodded lightly, as though she approved of Ling Jiayue. While Ling Jiayue and the others went to choose their horses, Ling Jiaxuan and Ling Pingzhang sat drinking wine and discussing the matter. “Pingzhang, I’ve never seen Yue’er ride a horse before. Do you think she’ll be safe?” “Older Brother, since Yue’er is willing to go, she naturally isn’t afraid. You’re worrying far too much. Just sit here and have a drink with me. Come, let’s have another toast.” Ling Pingzhang raised his cup and began drinking with Ling Jiaxuan again. “I never knew your capacity for liquor was so good, Pingzhang. You must have done plenty of sneaking drinks at the academy. Be careful, or I’ll tell Concubine Wan later,” Ling Jiaxuan teased. “Good Older Brother, please spare me. This younger brother respectfully begs you,” Ling Pingzhang said, pulling a funny face. “Fine, fine. I’ll let you off today. Come, let’s drink.” Ling Jiaxuan and Ling Pingzhang continued drinking. At the banquet, cups were exchanged and wine flowed freely, presenting a truly peaceful and prosperous scene. Meanwhile, Ling Jiayue and Ling Yuwan were still waiting outside the horse stables. A whole one incense stick’s time had already passed. Why had they still not gone in to choose their horses? As it turned out, when Miss Wei had been selecting a horse, she had taken a fancy to a completely snow-white one. However, Miss Lin, a noblewoman from Ye Kingdom, had already chosen that horse, and the two of them had reached an impasse. Miss Wei said, “You should know that this is Dayi. If you still won’t let go, go choose a horse back in Ye Kingdom.” Miss Lin retorted, “Although today’s peach-blossom banquet is being hosted by Dayi, it is being held for the sake of friendship between our two nations. Besides, I was the one who chose this horse first. How can you be so overbearing?” “I’m being overbearing. So what? I must have this horse. Let go!” Miss Wei said forcefully. Miss Lin was about to say something else when her personal maid advised her, “Miss, Miss Wei is overbearing. There is no need for us to imitate her. If she wants it, just give it to her. We came here to enjoy ourselves; there’s no reason to let her ruin our mood.” After hearing her maid’s advice, Miss Lin finally released the reins she had been gripping tightly. Seeing Miss Lin let go, Miss Wei still could not resist taking one last advantage. “Good thing you know what’s best for you. This young lady won’t bother arguing with you.” With that, Miss Wei led the horse away, looking as pleased with herself as a victorious rooster. Little did she know that she had already lost all dignity at the peach-blossom banquet that day. When Miss Wei led the horse out of the horse stables and saw Ling Jiayue, she gave a lofty snort. Ling Jiayue, however, paid her no attention at all. Just then, a gust of wind blew from the direction where Ling Jiayue and Ling Yuwan were standing toward Miss Wei. By coincidence, it carried the scent from the sachet on Ling Yuwan’s body into the nostrils of the horse Miss Wei was leading. The horse immediately became uncontrollable. One moment, it was leaping high into the air; the next, it was constantly whinnying. Miss Wei assumed that the horse was merely refusing to obey. She desperately tried to hold it back and keep it from moving wildly. But the horse was in the throes of going berserk. How could it withstand being restrained by a person? Miss Wei struggled desperately to hold on while the horse fought just as desperately to break free. Suddenly, the horse raised its hooves high and kicked Miss Wei hard in the chest. How could Miss Wei withstand such a blow? She let out a scream before being kicked to the ground, where she passed out.