Huangyuan City chuckled and rubbed her face, "Let's go."
So he boarded the carriage first.
The carriage was entirely black, adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes. The curtain was made of exquisite silk, exuding an unobtrusive opulence and solemnity.
YUYAO looked at it and followed him up.
The carriage was filled with a faint incense aroma of sandalwood, separated from the outside world's hustle and bustle. Huangyuan City was just sitting there, smiling at her.
Yuyao sat beside him, not knowing where this man was taking her.
Just about to ask, he heard Huangyuan City mutter, "Yaoer, do you know how to ride a horse? The scenery outside the capital city is particularly beautiful. If you can ride, we can even gallop together."
The West was an area where both men and women knew how to ride horses, and they were skilled at it. That's why he wanted to take her to the outskirts of the capital to run horses.
Although he knew she was likely to ride a horse, he still wanted to ask.
YUYAO's corner of her mouth curved up, a smile with a hint of mischief. "Your Highness, I am from the Western Regions. I have grown up on horseback since I was young, and riding horses is nothing to me."
Huangyuan City laughed heartily, "That's wonderful. I've heard that women from the Western Regions are skilled riders. Today, I must witness the grace of Miss Yao."
YUYAO looked at him with confident eyes, a smile on her lips. "Your Highness, please come on. I've never lost a ride on horseback."
Huangyuan City was amused by her words, reaching out and gently rubbing her cheek. "You are quite confident, but I like it."
YUYAO smiled at him and didn't say anything else.
The carriage had smoothly driven into the streets of the capital, listening to the hustle and bustle outside.
She peeled back a corner of the carriage curtain, her eyes scanning the bustling street scene, and her heart was filled with a myriad of feelings.
Along the streets, the cries of merchants, the laughter of pedestrians, intertwined, creating a lively buzz.
It's rare to see such a lively scene after staying cooped up in the palace all day.
Huangyuan City observed it, thinking that she was used to freedom in the West, but after coming to Jing State, she had been staying in the palace all the time and never came out. He felt a bit painful.
"Would you like to go out and take a look?"
He reached out and gently rubbed the strands of hair behind her head, asking softly.
Yuyao looked back at him, and met his eyes full of pity. She felt as if her heart had been burnt and the taste was indescribable.
She slightly shook her head, "No need. I'd rather go horseback riding with Your Highness outside the city."
"Hehe, it's no wonder that you, a girl raised on horseback, find it hard to stay cooped up in the palace all day."
Huangyuan City felt more and more painful, thinking that in the future he would take her out for a walk more often to avoid being cooped up.
The capital city is not far from the place where they can go horseback riding.
Not long ago, the carriage gradually came to a stop at the horse racing field outside the suburbs of the capital.
The dawn sun broke through the mist, golden light piercing through the thin fog and falling on the ancient yoke, imbuing it with a subtle layer of gold radiance.
Surrounded by vast fields, the distant mountains are layered, the wildflowers in the near distance are blooming, forming a tranquil and harmonious scene.
The two got off the carriage.
They saw Dongfeng bring out two horses from the horse stable, one black and one white, like the embodiment of night and dawn.
He led the horses to a stop beside the carriage, waiting for his master's instructions.
Huangyuan City took a glance at those two horses, and his gaze fell on Yuyao's face.
"Yaoer, let Your Highness witness your horse riding skills. If you win Your Highness, this jade pendant is yours."
His voice was deep and clear, with a hint of jest. He was rubbing a jade pendant in his hand, which shone with a warm luster in the sunlight.
This jade pendant has been with him for many years and is his symbol, of great significance.
Yuyao's eyes fell on the jade pendant in his hand. In one glance, she knew it was no ordinary pendant. It must have some special significance.
Such a jade pendant, she dared not take.
She smiled mischievously, "I am not afraid to compete with Your Highness, but if Your Highness is willing, I dare to propose that if You lose, please agree to my request."
Her tone carried a hint of mischief and seriousness, making it hard to guess.
Huangyuan City raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. "Oh? Then, Yaoer, what condition do you propose?"
Yuyao's corner of her mouth curved up, a mysterious smile on her lips. "I haven't thought about it yet, but it won't be something Your Highness cannot do. You can rest assured."
Huangyuan City stared at her, his deep eyes seeming to pierce into her heart.
Yuyao felt uncomfortable being stared at like this, thinking to herself: Could it be that my proposal was too much?
Her internal thoughts were busy asking the system, "Has Huangyuan City's favor dropped?"
The system lazily yawned and said, "No, but it's observing you."
Hearing that there was no drop in favorability, Yuyao felt a bit more at ease.
Thinking of her Western Regions identity, she regretted her impulsiveness.
She had rashly proposed such a request, and she didn't know what the other party was thinking.
Huangyuan City stared at her for a while, then laughed, "Alright, Your Highness agrees to it."
Just a condition. As long as it's not related to the Western Regions' court, he can agree to it.
The premise is that he must win first.
As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped onto the horse, grabbed the horse's abdomen with his legs, and the black horse galloped out like an arrow, raising a cloud of dust.
Yuyao's heart was relieved, and as soon as she saw Huangyuan City run far away, she also jumped onto the horseback.
She gave a soft command, and the white horse followed closely behind. The two horses galloped across the fields outside the city, like two streaks of lightning, piercing the tranquility of the morning.
Dongfeng and Nanfeng stood there watching, their eyes following the two galloping figures.
"Yuochi concubine's horse riding skills are indeed outstanding. The master might be overtaken by her."
Dongfeng praised with a series of 'hmms,' his eyes fixed on that direction.
Nanfeng gave him a glance and said, "The horse riding skills of people in the Western Regions are all very good, and even some children as young as a few years old can ride horses. It's nothing strange that Yuochi's horse riding skills are good."
"What you said is true. Let's pick two horses to ride for a while. It's better than just standing there."
Dongfeng suddenly made a suggestion.
"Okay."
Nanfeng also didn't refuse. They both rode horses to go there.
Over there on the track, Yuyao and Huangyuan City were chasing each other, neither giving way.
In the first lap, Yuyao, relying on her precise grasp of the horse's nature, cleverly used the turn to overtake and crossed the finish line first.
In the second lap, Huangyuan City, unwilling to lose, accelerated and almost kept pace with her.
In the end, it was Yuyao who won by a slight advantage.
In the third lap, Huangyuan City finally won the only victory by taking advantage of his rich experience and pushing hard on a straight line.
They looked at each other and smiled, the competition over, but their camaraderie deeper.
"Your Highness lost. What condition do you have?"
Huangyuan City laughed heartily, jumped off the horse, handed over the reins to Dongfeng, and looked at Yuyao with his eyes filled with admiration and indulgence.
Yuyao also jumped off the horse, her smile sly, "I haven't decided yet. It's not too late to tell Your Highness when I have thought it over."
As soon as he finished speaking, he handed the white horse to Nanfeng.
Huangyuan City pretended to be annoyed: "You, are you trying to use this to blackmail the king? It's quite bold of you."
He walked towards her, gently rubbed her nose with his hand, his expression filled with gentle and indulgent love.
Yuyao smiled and dodged, deep down in her eyes, a complex flashed.
"I dare not try to threaten Your Highness, but this gift is too valuable, and I'm at a loss for a moment."
"Hehe, be it as you wish. Just let me know when you've decided."
The two walked back together with smiles on their faces.
Huangyuan City encountered acquaintances and went over to talk with them.
Yuyao, on the other hand, went to the latrine by the stable. She reached the door of the latrine and was about to push it open.
Suddenly, a dart shot towards her direction, mixed with the sharp sound of wind.
She reacted quickly, sidestepping to dodge, and swiftly reached out to catch a dart, which was still attached to a note.
She furrowed her brow, her eyes scanning the surroundings, and her spiritual awareness quickly spread out. She saw a black-clad person hurrying away in the distance.
Yuyao didn't recognize the black-clad person, just by the back, she couldn't tell much.
She took the note off the dart, unfolded it, and saw clearly written on it: "Kill Huangyuan Cheng quickly. Don't forget your mission."
The handwriting was messy and urgent, revealing a sense of urgency and ruthlessness.
Yuyao's heart sank suddenly. This note was obviously from someone she knew.
It seems that the Western Regions' court is eager and urging her to act quickly.
Huangyuan Cheng is her target, and she naturally cannot kill him.
She crushed the note in her hand and felt a mix of emotions. She raised her hand and scattered the paper dust with the wind.
Yuyao stepped into the latrine and quickly came out.
On the way back, she kept thinking about how to get rid of the identity of a Western Regions assassin.
