Feeling the bodily change, Wanyan Ping suddenly looked up and met Song Qingshu’s gaze. A flush of red slowly crept up from her neck. Instinctively, she pushed him away and huffed, “Put on the rest yourself. I’ll wait for you at the main gate.” Leaving those words behind, she turned and ran out without looking back.
Song Qingshu silently berated himself before quickly finishing dressing. Fortunately, Wanyan Ping had already helped him put on most of it. By the time he reached the main gate, she was already astride a small red horse, her expression clearly showing impatience from waiting too long.
When she saw Song Qingshu emerge, her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but remark, “Brother-in-law, you may be a bit ugly, but with this outfit, you actually look rather heroic.”
Song Qingshu chuckled. “Of course. After all, who do you think helped me put it on?”
Wanyan Ping’s face turned red, and she mumbled, “It was obviously my sister who prepared these clothes for you. What does it have to do with me?” Then, with a squeeze of her legs, she urged her horse forward, galloping away while leaving behind a string of bell-like laughter. “Brother-in-law, come chase me! Let’s see who’s better at riding.”
“Chase you?” Song Qingshu’s expression turned odd. Her words reminded him of a certain infamous joke from his past life: ‘You chase me. If you catch me, I’ll let you hehehe…’
However, watching Wanyan Ping’s skilled horsemanship as she quickly disappeared down the street, he wasn’t too confident in catching up. After all, he had transmigrated from the modern world, where he had never even ridden a horse. Though he had gained some experience in this world, his riding skills were just passable at best. Compared to a nomadic girl raised on the saddle—let alone one of the best among them—he was clearly at a disadvantage.
As he hesitated, a servant had already brought his horse over. Feeling his pride swell, Song Qingshu declared, “I’ve fought through armies of a hundred thousand on the battlefield. Do you think I’d be afraid of a little girl?”
Perhaps it was this surge of confidence that made him perform beyond his usual ability. He mounted the horse in one smooth motion and immediately gave chase. Fortunately, they were still within the city, where the streets were crowded, limiting Wanyan Ping’s ability to fully unleash her riding skills. Only because of this did Song Qingshu slowly close the gap between them.
Just as they neared the city gates, a guard saw them charging forward and bellowed in anger, “Who dares to gallop recklessly through the streets?!” This was the imperial capital, where the roads were filled with pedestrians, and such reckless riding was strictly prohibited.
“Blind fool!” In response, Wanyan Ping lashed out with her whip, striking the soldier and sending him staggering. With a frosty expression, she rode past without slowing down.
Seeing this from behind, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but click his tongue in astonishment. Just a moment ago, she had been laughing like a blooming flower, yet in the next instant, she had turned into an ice-cold noblewoman. The transformation was too extreme.
Though he disapproved of such aristocratic arrogance, he understood that as the most beloved sister of the emperor, she had been pampered since birth. This behavior was perfectly natural for her, and he had no intention of preaching to her about human rights.
What intrigued him more, however, was Wanyan Ping’s personality. Whether it was the ruthless girl he had seen that night at the Laundry Courtyard or her current cold demeanor, she seemed like a heartless queen. Yet, in front of him, she was a shy and bashful young lady. He couldn’t tell which side was the real her.
After the two of them had ridden past the city gates, the soldier Wanyan Ping had whipped finally climbed back to his feet. Feeling the blood trickle down his face, his anger surged, and he reached for his alarm bell to sound a warning.
“Don’t do it!” His comrade hurriedly pulled him aside.
“That wretched woman dared to assault a guard and force her way through the city gates. That’s a crime punishable by death anywhere! Why are you stopping me?” The injured soldier gritted his teeth in rage.
“Forget it. You’re new here, so I don’t blame you for not recognizing her.” His companion lowered his voice. “That ‘wretched woman’ you’re talking about is none other than the emperor’s most beloved sister—Princess Qi. Even those arrogant noble scions of the capital dare not cross her. If she’s displeased, she’ll whip them without a second thought, and they wouldn’t even dare to complain. Do you think you’re more powerful than them?”
“Hmph!” The soldier snorted but knew his comrade was speaking the truth. He had no choice but to swallow his anger. “Then who’s the man chasing after her?”
“Why? Are you thinking of taking it out on him?” His comrade shot him a sympathetic look. “I advise you to drop the idea. That man is Princess Qi’s brother-in-law, the imperial consort! He holds the position of Left Minister and is also the head of the Tang Kuo family. If you mess with him, you’re asking for death.”
“The Tang Kuo family?” The soldier’s expression stiffened.
“Obviously. How many Tang Kuo families do you think there are?” His comrade rolled his eyes. “In our Jin Empire, aside from the imperial clans of the first and second emperors, the three most powerful noble families are the Tang Kuo, Pucha, and Tudan clans. They have intermarried with the royal family for generations and hold countless high-ranking positions. We mere foot soldiers are nothing in their eyes.”
“Damn it, what bad luck today!” The soldier spat angrily on the ground, his eyes filled with resentment as he watched the two ride away. “Brother-in-law chasing his sister-in-law… Who knows what kind of scandalous thing they’re up to?”
“Heh, a brother-in-law’s little sister is always his precious little sweetheart,” his companion said with a perverted grin. “Those aristocrats lead such debauched lives. If you ask me, they probably left the city just to find a secluded place for a ‘long’ session.”
“Bah! That man looks frail and sickly. If he can last three hundred rounds, I’ll write my name backwards!” The soldier spat out a mouthful of blood and sneered. “His wife is a princess, and his sister-in-law is a princess too. If it were me, I’d make sure they couldn’t even get out of bed every day.”
His comrade laughed and scolded, “Keep dreaming… But you’re not wrong. That Princess Qi might be fierce, but with those long, shapely legs and that perky little rear, I’d love to—”
*****
Wanyan Ping, of course, had no idea that she had become the subject of these two soldiers’ filthy fantasies. But even if she had known, she wouldn’t have cared. Such insignificant insects weren’t worth a second thought. Of course, she would still make sure to issue a command that would make them regret ever being born.
Once she was out of the city, her exceptional riding skills finally had the chance to shine. Before long, she had left Song Qingshu far behind. She had no idea how long she had been riding when she suddenly pulled on the reins.
Seeing that there was no one behind her, she pouted and muttered, “Brother-in-law, you idiot!”