Chapter 118 - Lu Chen Teaches Jinniang to Ride A Horse

Translator: Henyee TranslationsEditor: Henyee Translations

After the banquet, Lu Chen went to Qiao Jinniang’s new courtyard.

Sitting on the couch in the house, he asked her, “Didn’t you buy Fulu’s Princess Mansion? Why are you living in such a small courtyard?”

“Mother doesn’t want to go there. It’s pretty good here. It’s not far from the newly opened Myriad Taste,” Qiao Jinniang said.

Lu Chen said helplessly, “I had had my men dig a tunnel there so that it will be easier for you to leave the East Palace to have fun in the future.”

Qiao Jinniang said in surprise, “Did you really dig a tunnel? I thought you wouldn’t agree! I didn’t expect you to think the same as me!”

How could Lu Chen not agree? But he couldn’t let anyone discover the tunnel, not even his father.

“Besides you and me, don’t tell anyone about the tunnel, not even Xi‘er.”

Qiao Jinniang nodded. “Okay.”

Lu Chen gently tapped his fingers on the table and said, “I took a big risk to dig the tunnel for you. Can’t you pay me back a little?”

“Like making the deadline shorter?”

“No way.” Qiao Jinniang said, “You have to wait until the Lantern Festival. Not a day less.”

Lu Chen sighed and stopped teasing her, asking, “When are you going to return to the Duke Mansion?”

“Return to the Duke Mansion?” Qiao Jinniang wondered, “Do you think my parents’ divorce is fake? Of course we won’t go back.

“Didn’t you see what Duke Anyuan did to my mother? He brought a seventeen-year-old woman from nowhere with him to show off the day after their divorce.”

Lu Chen said, “Does Mother-in-law think the same?”

“Yes!” Qiao Jinniang said, “A woman has divorced at all costs. Do you think she will go back to the old days?”

Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he didn’t take a concubine or what before meeting Qiao Jinniang again.

Otherwise, from what he knew of Qiao Jinniang, she might never forgive him for the rest of her life.

Lu Chen said, “Are you free the day after tomorrow? Didn’t you say you never learned to ride a horse last time?

“Tt just so happened that a few Ferghana horses were sent to Longhua Mountain by the Wan Kingdom as tribute. Shall I take you to learn how to ride?”

Qiao Jinniang nodded and said, “I’m free.”

Lu Chen continued, “There will be winter hunting next month, and you will be able to hunt on horseback at that time.

“The last time I went hunting, I didn’t see you. You must have been bored during the last hunt.”

Qiao Jinniang didn’t even want to recall the last spring hunt. Fortunately, she couldn’t hunt and ride horses at that time.

If she could, she might have shot him to death with an arrow when she saw him!

Then she might have been executed too.

In September, the autumn wind was rustling and the weather was refreshing. It was a good time to climb a mountain.

The stable on Longhua Mountain was divided into several parts, one of which was reserved for nobles and officials to play polo.

From time to time, noble ladies would come here to play polo.

Today’s polo match was held by several princesses.

Therefore, almost all the young masters and noble girls in Chang’an had come.

Qiao Jinniang and Qiao Ruoyi were not in the Duke Mansion any longer, so they didn’t receive the invitation.

‘When Qiao Jinniang arrived at the Longhua Mountain stable, she saw many acquaintances heading for the racecourse.

At the gate of the racecourse, she met a few noble girls.

“County Mistress Jia’an, are you here to play polo too?”

“Can you ride horses, County Mistress Jia’an? Duke Anyuan is a marshal. As his daughter, you must be very skilled at riding.”

Qiao Jinniang simply said, “I don’t know how to ride a horse, so I came to leam it. Are you here to learn how to ride a horse too?”

One of the noble girls said, “Didn’t you receive the invitation from the princesses? Today is a polo event held by the princesses. Almost all nobles in Chang’an are here.”

“Oh, I’m afraid you forgot that now County Mistress Jia’an is no longer Duke Anyuan’s daughter, so it’s not surprising that you didn’t receive an invitation, right?”

“Titer, County Mistress, I didn’t mean to laugh at you. It’s just that without the invitation, you can’t enter the Longhua Mountain racecourse today.

“Although this racecourse was open to the public, it has been block-booked today and only nobles are allowed in.

“If random people can enter and leave at will, it will disturb the nobles inside, so you must have an invitation to enter.”

These noble girls had long been jealous of Qiao Jinniang, who was nothing but a countryside girl but somehow became the daughter of Duke Anyuan, forcing them to have to compliment her.

Now they finally didn’t have to compliment her anymore, so they certainly would take the chance to make fun of her.

“County Mistress, please go back. After all, you can’t go inside, and there’s no fun outside.

“If too many people come later, I am afraid that you won’t even be able to go down the mountain.”

“Itll be pathetic to watch longingly from the door.”

Qiao Jinniang clenched the handkerchief in her hand. “I’m sorry to let you down, but I can assure you that I won’t ‘watch longingly from the door.”

Not long after, the official of the stable hurried over and saluted Qiao Jinniang.

“Tm sorry I am late, County Mistress. I didn’t know that you came to ride horses today. The tribute horses are all ready. You can pick a horse you like.”

Qiao Jinniang said, “It’s alright. I came too early.”

Lu Chen hadn’t finished today’s levee yet, and Qiao Jinniang had never ridden a horse before, so she was very excited to have a chance to learn to ride a horse.

She was so excited that she got up early in the morning and simply came to the stable by herself.

The noble girls who were laughing at Qiao Jinniang were very puzzled.

“Didn’t Qiao Jinniang leave the Duke Mansion with Zheng Shi? Why is the official so respectful to her?”

“Although she has left the Duke Mansion, she is still the Duke’s daughter. Don’t go too far.”

These noble girls regretted it a little. If they had known this, they wouldn’t have taunted Qiao Jinniang so meanly.

Qiao Jinniang entered the stable and saw several mighty horses in the manger.

‘The white horse among them was taller than her and was quite majestic. It must feel good to ride on this horse.

“Can I ride this horse?”

‘The official only dared to let Qiao Jinniang pick a horse, but didn’t dare to let Qiao Jinniang mount the horse before the Crown Prince came.

Qiao Jinniang was rather bored. If she had known this, she should have waited for Lu Chen at home.

She was in a position where she could see the polo field on the gentle slope in the distance.

The first polo match had already begun, and from a distance, the teams could only be distinguished from the color of their armor.

After watching a match, Lu Chen arrived. “I had something urgent to tend to after the levee. Sorry to make you wait.”

Qiao Jinniang said, “It’s fun to watch them play polo here.”

Lu Chen: “When you learn to ride a horse, I will take you to play polo.”

Qiao Jinniang shook her head and said, “That’s fine, but I’m afraid it won’t be easy for me to learn to ride a horse. Let’s learn to ride first.

“Lhave already selected a horse, the big white horse.”

Lu Chen looked over and smiled. “You have sharp eyes. This horse is the king of the tribute horses.

“A Ferghana horse will only have one owner in its life. I am afraid this horse is not suitable for beginners.

“Ride my horse first, and then ride this white horse when you’ve learned how to ride a horse.”

Qiao Jinniang looked at Lu Chen’s jujube red horse and said, “But your horse doesn’t look good.”

Lu Chen: “…”

Lu Chen’s treasure horse: “…”

In the polo field, a noble lady turned her eyes to the distant stable that specialized in training tribute horses, which only royal family members could enter.

Why was there a woman there?

And it looked like Qiao Jinniang who they had just taunted at the door?