Chapter 202: The Splendor of the Horse Field

Seeing such a handsome young man enter, Princess Princess Tuoba's eyes lit up; her previously haughty expression instantly softened, and a hint of shyness flashed in her gaze.

She instinctively adjusted her hair bun, straightened her back, and tried to present her most elegant side.

"This Young Master is..."

Her voice was soft, carrying a touch of expectation.

"Ahem..."

Seeing Princess Princess Tuoba's infatuated look, Jun Jun Zijin's corner of the mouth twitched slightly, and he nearly burst out laughing.

She never expected that this arrogant and domineering Princess, who had declared yesterday that she would marry Quan Quan Aoyu, had set her sights on Jun Chengcai today.

He Li'er raised her eyebrows and made faces, leaving her no face at all:

"I say, whoever you are... oh, Mop Princess, being two-faced like this won't work. Yesterday you wanted to snatch my Jun Zijin's husband, and today you want to be Jun Zijin's sister-in-law?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Princess Princess Tuoba's face turned into a spectacle, but with Jun Chengcai present, she dared not explode.

"Ahem..."

Mocked by He Li'er, Jun Chengcai's handsome face turned red. He coughed lightly, swept his gaze over Princess Princess Tuoba, and bowed slightly as a greeting.

"Your Highness Princess has traveled far; originally you are a guest, but if you intend to run wild in my Jun Manor and provoke a conflict between our two nations, you must ask whether I agree."

Princess Princess Tuoba's face turned pale then red; she never expected that while she originally wanted to give these people a warning here, she instead got a noseful of cold water.

She bit her lip, secretly furious in her heart.

"Young Master is joking; this Palace has only long heard of the prosperity of Emperor Tianqi and has come today specifically to witness it, with no other intentions."

She forced a smile, trying to salvage the situation.

At this moment, He Li'er, who had been holding back, spoke again; she placed her hands on her hips, her face full of defiance, looking exactly like a fearless little chili pepper.

"Hmph, if you want to witness it, then witness it, but why put on such a haughty air? Do you really think Emperor Tianqi has no one?"

Choked by He Li'er's words, Princess Princess Tuoba's face turned completely red; she stood up in angry humiliation and pointed at He Li'er, saying:

"You villain, how dare you speak to this Princess like this! Xiao Hong, slap her face!"

Jun Chengcai stepped forward, blocking in front of He Li'er, his expression stern:

"Your Highness Princess, have some self-respect; this is Emperor Tianqi, not the Northern Kingdom, and you cannot act as you please."

Seeing this, Princess Princess Tuoba trembled with rage, knowing she would gain nothing here today.

She swept her sleeve and said resentfully:

"You refuse a face when offered one; meet me tomorrow at the Imperial Horse Field!"

Knowing she was in the wrong yet unwilling to yield, Princess Princess Tuoba threw down a harsh threat and hurriedly left with her entourage.

After speaking, she turned and left.

He Li'er laughed until she bent forward and backward.

"Little thing! A princess of a vassal state actually expects the Emperor Tianqi Princess to receive her; what are you thinking?"

He Li'er looked extremely proud and teased:

"Jun Zijin, your brother was absolutely handsome today; the key is that he is also down-to-earth."

Jun Chengcai's gaze toward He Li'er deepened again.

Jun Jun Zijin swept her gaze back and forth between the two of them, a smile curling her lips, her eyes full of teasing:

"Brother, if that willful Princess attaches herself to you, what do you plan to do?"

Jun Chengcai glanced at He Li'er, and his face turned red:

"You should worry about that woman attaching herself to my brother-in-law instead."

The few of them laughed and joked, and the atmosphere was not affected at all by Princess Princess Tuoba's stubborn nonsense.

————————

On the third day of the New Year, the Imperial Horse Field was bustling, as if completely ignited by the joy of the Spring Festival.

A light snow that fell last night covered the entire Imperial Horse Field with a layer of silver gauze as thin as a cicada's wing; today the sky was clear and blue, and sunlight poured down without reservation onto the white snow, reflecting a dazzling light that made people unable to open their eyes.

Colorful flags on all sides crackled loudly in the gentle breeze; their brilliant colors contrasted with the white snow, while the elegant sounds of bamboo and string instruments floated on, never ceasing, playing the most joyful movement of the New Year.

The Emperor and Empress sat high in the center of the viewing platform; the Emperor wore a bright yellow dragon robe, his crown tassels swaying lightly, imposing without anger; the Empress wore a phoenix crown and embroidered robe, her pearls and jade ornaments swaying, her demeanor dignified and graceful.

The royal clan members sat in order according to seniority, dressed in magnificent robes, their expressions varied, some expectant, some indifferent.

The ministers of the court were arranged neatly; the civil officials wore wide robes and large sleeves, their eyes revealing the wisdom of scholars; the military generals wore armor, their figures upright, radiating a heroic aura.

Envoys from various nations also took their seats one by one; dressed in different styles of clothing and carrying exotic customs, they watched this New Year event with curiosity and expectation.

"Did you hear? This Northern Kingdom Princess grew up on horseback since childhood; her riding and archery skills are simply amazing."

A noble lady held a silk handkerchief, turned slightly, and whispered to her companion beside her.

"So what? Everyone has seen Lady Lady Qingping's archery skills with their own eyes. Last time Gao Gao Shanshan competed with Lady Lady Qingping in archery, her arrow hit three copper coins; even more incredible, her arrow could turn."

Another noble lady, unwilling to yield, immediately refuted.

"But everyone saw that time that Lady Lady Qingping's riding skills were clearly just ordinary. I think the Northern Kingdom Princess will definitely win."

A crowd of Ladies and Young Ladies gathered together, chattering and discussing.

Princess Princess Tuoba wore a silver-white riding outfit paired with a pale blue ermine cape, which made her skin even whiter than snow and her eyes like cold stars twinkling in the night sky.

Riding a completely black Cangshan Cangshan Moyun, she originally possessed an innate vigor and unconventionality, but her arrogant expression made people dislike her.

She believed she had grown up on the grasslands of the Northern Kingdom since childhood; riding and archery were part of her life, and her eyes were full of determination to win.

Jun Jun Zijin wore a royal blue riding outfit, with the hundred-year-old snow fox fur cape presented when the Northern Kingdom signed the treaty under the city walls after its defeat.

Her jet-black hair was tied high, with a few stray strands dancing lightly in the wind, adding a touch of liveliness to her cold face.

When Quan Quan Aoyu saw her appear before Princess Princess Tuoba wearing that year's snow fox, a doting smile curled his lips.

This mischievous girl truly missed no opportunity to slap that Mop Princess in the face, but he liked it.

When Princess Princess Tuoba saw the snow-fox fur cloak on Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, her eyes turned red as she glared fiercely at him.

When she had seen that cloak in the Northern Kingdom's imperial palace, she had loved it so much she could not bear to let go.

But Princess Tuoba Hong, who had always doted on her, not only refused her that time, but for the first time ever scolded her for being unreasonable.

She never expected that this cloak would end up draped on Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's body.

At this moment, she was gently stroking the neck of the Hanxue treasure horse beside her; this horse was a gift from Quan Quan Aoyu and had been kept for her in the palace all along.

As if sensing its master's comfort, the steed neighed joyfully and nuzzled her hand affectionately.

This Hanxue treasure horse, its entire body red as charcoal fire, with flowing mane and powerful four hooves, appeared even more majestic against the snow; it was her most cherished companion.

Both of them rode top-tier treasure horses,

sitting steadily in their saddles, hands lightly gripping the reins, their figures upright like ancient pines, quietly waiting for the signal to begin the race.

The competition was divided into three rounds; the first round tested speed, with the two racing ten laps on the horse track, and the one who arrived first would win.