nucmednet Chapter 399 Where are the peonies?
Chapter 399 Where are the peonies?
"Your Majesty, I am Gu Wenxuan." Gu Wenxuan leaped onto his horse with clean, swift movements, like a seasoned general. This action not only caused the guards on both sides to grip their sword hilts, but also startled everyone on the city wall.
However, Gu Wenxuan paid no attention to any of this. Her gaze was sharp as she stared intently at the city tower, as if she could see through the thick walls to the people on the tower.
"Does Your Majesty consider the hundred cartloads of betrothal gifts worthwhile?" Gu Wenxuan's clear and firm voice echoed across the empty square.
Before he could finish speaking, Ouyang Lie walked up to the girl with a smile, only to find that she only reached his eyebrows. However, when his eyes met Gu Wenxuan's, he was stunned by the burning passion in her almond-shaped eyes, so much so that he unconsciously took a half step back.
"Worth it, so worth it!" Ouyang Lie composed himself and smiled as he looked at the person in front of him. "I originally thought my princess was a beautiful and delicate peony, but my princess gave me a surprise attack."
Gu Wenxuan's lips curled slightly, her peripheral vision catching sight of the dragon-patterned jade pendant at Ouyang Lie's waist. It was rumored to be a gift from the old emperor of the Western Regions, yet now it hung casually by his side, like a plaything of some young master. "In that case, Your Majesty should be careful not to prick your hand." She reached out and stroked the horse's mane; as her fingertips brushed against its ear, the beast affectionately nuzzled her palm.
In the distance, the melodious bugle calls of the honor guard drifted over, like celestial music floating from the horizon. However, Gu Wenxuan paid no heed to this beautiful sound; her gaze passed over the city wall and landed on the rolling hills outside the city.
The hills were sparsely vegetated, with exposed rocks, like warriors stripped of their finery. Though they had lost their outward splendor, they exuded a resilient and indomitable spirit. Gu Wenxuan gazed silently at these hills, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up within him.
“Your Majesty, let them go their own way for now,” Gu Wenxuan suddenly said, her voice clear and firm. With that, she gracefully remounted her horse, her movements skillful and elegant.
The wind tousled her long, flowing hair, tracing bold arcs in the air as if displaying her freedom and untamed spirit to the world. A confident smile played on her lips as she turned to Ouyang Lie, saying provocatively, "When we're almost at the capital, let's wait for them and have a horsemanship contest. Let's see who rides faster!"
Looking at her vibrant and confident appearance, Ouyang Lie's heart stirred. He suddenly recalled the scene of chasing white foxes in the hunting grounds when he was a child. He was just as passionate and energetic back then, and the feeling in his heart was exactly the same as it was now.
A slight smile played on his lips as he mounted his horse, the reins twirling between his fingers with effortless ease. His gaze met Gu Wenxuan's, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and he replied, "Princess, don't cry if you lose."
The sound of hooves thundered like a sudden downpour, and the two horses shot off like arrows. Gu Wenxuan deliberately slowed down, watching Ouyang Lie's black horse charge ahead three zhang (approximately 10 meters). She smiled and pulled on the reins, and the warhorse immediately accelerated, the wind whistling past her ears and whipping up the stray hairs at her temples. In a daze, she even forgot that she was a princess burdened with the mission of a political marriage, and felt only that at this moment, she was just an ordinary woman pursuing freedom.
Ouyang Lie turned and saw her radiant smile, a soft spot in his heart being touched. He had never seen a woman like this before—unlike the timid and gentle concubines of the harem, or the rigid and reserved female officials of the court. She was like an eagle on the grasslands, carrying an innate pride and untamed spirit.
The two horses galloped side by side, crossing the stream and shattering the setting sun. Suddenly, Gu Wenxuan grabbed Ouyang Lie's sleeve and leaped onto his horse. The black horse neighed in fright, but Ouyang Lie held it firmly. "You!" He looked down in surprise, only to see Gu Wenxuan wink slyly: "Your Majesty, does this count as me winning?"
As dusk deepened, their shadows stretched long across the sand. Ouyang Lie felt the warmth of the woman in his arms, and his heart pounded erratically. In the distance came the anxious shouts of the guards, but Gu Wenxuan gently leaned on his shoulder: "So, a marriage alliance isn't all bad." Her voice was soft, yet like a pebble, it created ripples on the calm surface of Ouyang Lie's heart.
Ouyang Lie reined in his horse, turned around, and gazed at her. "Wenxuan, I once thought that a marriage alliance was nothing more than a contract, but you've made me realize..." His words were interrupted by a sudden clap of thunder, and dark clouds had unknowingly blanketed the sky. Gu Wenxuan looked into his earnest eyes and suddenly felt her cheeks burning.
The rain poured down, and the two galloped on horseback, finally taking shelter in front of a dilapidated temple. Gu Wenxuan shook the water droplets from her hair and watched Ouyang Lie start a fire with dry branches. The firelight illuminated his sharply defined face, reminding her of the chivalrous swordsmen she had read in her childhood stories.
“Back in the Great Xia Dynasty, I often heard people say that an emperor’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.” Gu Wenxuan reached out and poked at the fire, sparks flying everywhere. “But today, the emperor seems like my brother.”
Ouyang Lie chuckled and took out a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to her: "If we were truly brothers, you should call me 'Big Brother' right now." Seeing Gu Wenxuan in a daze, he added: "However, I don't want you to call me Big Brother. I'd rather hear you call me..." Before he finished speaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the temple.
"Your Majesty! Princess!" The guards' shouts seemed to pierce through the rain, reaching straight into Gu Wenxuan's ears. She stood up abruptly, instinctively straightening her armor, but Ouyang Lie stopped her with a hand.
Ouyang Lie's movements were so gentle they made one's heart tremble. He carefully wiped the raindrops from Gu Wenxuan's cheeks with a clean white handkerchief. The handkerchief was soft and slightly cool to the touch, just like his gaze at that moment, conveying an indescribable tenderness.
"Another day, I'll take you to see the sunset at the Royal Hunting Grounds. It's even more beautiful than the sunset over this desert," Ouyang Lie said softly. His voice was deep and magnetic, as if it could penetrate the rain and reach Gu Wenxuan's heart.
Gu Wenxuan gazed at him quietly, looking at the tenderness in his eyes. Suddenly, she remembered a saying her mother had once said: "For a woman, to find a soulmate in her life is the greatest blessing." At this moment, she felt that these words were so true.
She nodded slightly, and the water droplets on her hair rolled down with her movement, dripping into the fire with a soft sizzling sound. Although the sound was faint, it was exceptionally clear in the quiet rainy night.
The rain gradually subsided, leaving only a fine drizzle, as if even the heavens couldn't bear to disturb the tranquility between the two. Ouyang Lie mounted his horse and then extended a hand to Gu Wenxuan. Without hesitation, Gu Wenxuan took Ouyang Lie's hand and used it to leap onto the horse's back.
The two rode together on one horse, slowly retracing their steps. Gu Wenxuan sat behind Ouyang Lie, his gaze fixed on his broad back, and suddenly felt that the unknown road ahead no longer seemed so frightening.