Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Jiang Pengji hopped from the horse’s back. The animal seemed to have understood her, and thus licked her face and went to the side to eat some grass.
“I wonder when we can have pears.” Gazing at the pear trees on the banks of the Wan River, she took a deep breath, enjoying their sweet fragrance.
There were no gatherings by the river, so she was the only person there with the group of horses.
She walked closer to the water, kicked away her wooden slippers, took off her socks, and immersed her feet in the water. The soothing coolness brought peace to her nerves. She sighed, laid her arms on the pebbles to support herself with her body declined, and looked up at the sky.
Shushu Zuiai Luoli: “I can’t resist the picture!”
Laosiji Lianmeng: “What pretty feet!”
Liu Xi was raised in a comfortable environment. After a day of riding, running, and shooting, her skin began to swell and her feet trembled a little when they touched the water.
“That hurt. I should train more myself.” Her toe drew circles on the surface of the water.
After a while––when she began to feel better––she was ready to leave, but she stopped at the sight of a youngster standing at a distance.
He was about eighteen and in sapphire clothing. His face was smooth like porcelain. He had bright and round eyes, and elegantly thin, red lips. Others would like him at first sight, for his lips curved like he was constantly smiling. Yet, the corners of his lips were dropped with a sense of mild anger.
That did not prevent the audience from screaming for the handsome face, however.
LiuLianwei Niunai: “Aww! I know the ancient times are cruel and dangerous, but I want a time travel so bad now just to see this boy every day!”
Koujiao Chifan: “I don’t understand. Don’t they say ancient people are as ugly as eff? Why are the guys we see so pretty?”
Zhubo Zhengmian Shangwo: “I love the host forever, but I wanted to crawl into the screen the moment I saw him.”
The bullet screens almost blocked Jiang Pengji’s sight, and she had no choice but to filter a part of them.
She then looked around to ensure no one else was near her.
So the young man was staring at her… Why?
His cheeks were reddened with irritation, and his eyes complained about some unforgivable crime that she had just committed. But she had done nothing more than relax her feet and let twenty horses eat grass! Did the horses offend him?
Just as Jiang Pengji was growing even more confused, a viewer gave her an idea.
Aize Huahuo: “Haha! Did he drink in the lower reaches? He seems quite mad.”
“…” She looked at her feet, which were still in water, then at the flushed nature of his face. Was that her fault?
Then, she put on her socks and her slippers and whistled. The white horse ran towards her, leading the other 27 horses. Their colors varied, but their figures were equally strong.
Apparently, the white horse was their leader and they did not need Jiang Pengji’s guide.
“That’s weird. Aren’t they a bit too smart?” mumbled Jiang Pengji. She went onto the white horse’s back, glanced at the youngster who had not moved a step, and headed towards him.
As she came near him, she made a hand gesture. “How may I call you?”
The young man was tall, but still a head shorter than the horse. When the animal exhaled heavily in his face, he looked startled and took a step backwards.
Jiang Pengji stopped the horse by tapping its back and continued, “The style of your clothing… You’re not from Hejian, are you?”
The teenager looked at her again, this time in a more complicated manner. After a moment of silence, he returned a hand gesture. “I’m from Langye. You may call me Han Yu.”
What about the other name? Knowing the ancient practice of having at least two names, Jiang Pengji asked in her mind, but then remembered that the other name could only be used by close friends and senior people.
She looked down and asked, “I’m Liu Xi from Hejian. I noticed you looking at me back there. How may I help you?”
Her question made him furrow his brows further. Jiang Pengji made a silent chuckle in her mind while the audience complained about her teasing a beautiful boy.
Han Yu could not think of an appropriate answer. He could not say that he had just drank downstream because his water bag was empty and he was too thirsty to wait until he arrived at the town. Should he be glad that the langjun was merely washing his feet, not excreting in the river?
He dropped his head, feeling the disgust in his stomach when his eyes met her feet.
Jiang Pengji added, “Sorry. I know I should not do this in public, but my feet really hurt after a long journey… Are my horses disturbing you?”
Han Yu calmed down. “No… Wait, are they war horses?” His eyes widened.
“I don’t know, but they’re certainly not bad.” Jiang Pengji smiled and stroked the horse’s hair. In return, it licked her palm. “I’m taking White for a walk. I just led her to find some food and she brought back a group of friends. I’m not any less surprised than you are!”
Han Yu’s eyes kindled and he looked at White. “Her shape, legs, and eyes are beautiful! And her extraordinary, intimidating air! Is she from the north?”
“Should be. She’s a gift from my father. He said she was picked from the royalty of the northern tribes,” she replied. “I know little about horses, but White is wonderful, indeed! She seems to understand my words and is particularly intimate with me.”
That was a lie. White hated her at first, and she would not submit herself were it not for Jiang Pengji’s frightening air of death.