ITOTIABSAM | Young General | 102
Onlookers just see the spectacle, but experts can see the tricks. Just by observing how smoothly he mounted the horse, it was evident that Xie Ye was no novice.
Snapping out of his brief astonishment, Lu Jin sneakily glanced at the General's expression: calm and composed, as if he had known all along about Xie Ye's hidden skill.
In contrast, the third prince's demeanor changed from calm to almost losing his fake smile, his eyes darting around as if contemplating whether to intervene personally.
As for what the spectators in the stands were thinking, except for Gu Cong, Xie Ye paid no attention. This body had not undergone any specialized training, yet it achieved such effects solely through precise control of every muscle. Even though the horse had calmed down, his palms were already red from the reins' friction.
A group of newly-adolescent boys and girls nearby also curiously observed this new opponent. Some of them, having received hints from the third prince, intentionally chose the most spirited horse for Xie Ye, expecting him to struggle or even be thrown off. However, they were surprised to see him mount the horse smoothly, earning some astonished praises from the onlookers.
"Why reveal this skill now?" wondered 1101.
Until now, the khan had pretended not to hear anything, but if they provoked Gu Cong, he would surely step in and resolve the situation, attributing everything to a joke among juniors.
Without any hesitation, Xie Ye replied, ‘How could I allow someone to bully my person?’
Since the third prince wanted to see Gu Cong, the General's residence, and even the entire Yan Dynasty become a laughingstock, Xie Ye decided to let him open his eyes wide and see who the real fool was.
Today's competition was about fast horses, with over ten tracks and identical obstacles. The first to reach the finish line would be the winner.
The more straightforward the rules, the less room for luck. As the flag waved, dust flew as the young man in the red robe beside Xie Ye surged ahead, followed closely by the others.
A few seconds later, the only pure "cloud" on the racetrack fell to the back.
Lu Jin, who was just about to gloat, felt his heart clench: Could it be... Could Xie Ye not know how to ride a horse? What if he had only practiced a pretty facade, and ended up falling off? That wouldn't be a laughing matter.
Fortunately, within a few breaths, it seemed like Xie Ye had found the right rhythm for himself. His speed gradually increased, faster and faster, like a winter storm sweeping past, overtaking one opponent after another.
The green silk fluttered, revealing the splendid face of the young man without any concealment. His movements remained elegant, and with a slight lift and tug of the reins, the horse obediently leaped over the obstacles and landed steadily.
As if it were effortless.
As if it were child's play.
As the young man passed by, the young man in the red robe, who had learned some poetry, suddenly had two words pop into his mind, as if he had seen a thorny wildflower in the bushes.
Dangerous yet beautiful.
But he still remembered the task the third prince had given him. He had won once last year, so how could he, in front of his tribesmen, lose to a noble from the Yan Dynasty?
Grimly, he urged his horse forward: "Go!"
"Neigh—"
The horse neighed in pain from being whipped harder than usual.
However, no matter how much he accelerated, the young man adjacent to his track consistently stayed half a body length ahead, tantalizingly close yet just out of reach.
He was going to lose.
He would definitely lose if things continued like this.
While others might think that the third prince was gentle and approachable, the easiest to talk to in the entire royal tent, he knew better. If he messed up the task given to him, even if he appeared to be let off on the surface, he would surely be punished in private, and perhaps even bring trouble to his family.
Thinking of this, the young man in the red robe gritted his teeth, tightly gripped the reins with one hand, and fiercely raised the whip with the other.
Crack!
The whip struck, breaking the skin.
The horse, in pain, threw its head back and surged forward uncontrollably.
1101 was both anxious and furious: "Is he crazy?!"
It was just a race, how could he be so cruel? Moreover, this was too dangerous; it was easy to lose control and get thrown off completely.
Struggling to lower his body and stabilize his center of gravity, the young man in the red robe still couldn't control the horse, swaying from side to side. He had been riding horses for over a decade, but this was the first time he felt no joy, only panic.
Realizing that if things continued like this, he would fall off before reaching the finish line, 1101 urgently called out, "Host!"
Xie Ye originally didn't want to get involved in this kind of trivial matter. Everyone should be responsible for their own choices.
But the thought of Gu Cong watching at this moment, wondering how he would react to this situation, and recalling that "His Majesty is a good person" remark that left him speechless, Xie Ye raised an eyebrow and clicked his tongue silently.
So, amidst numerous anxious or surprised gazes, the young man in white with black hair made a slight adjustment in direction and gradually accelerated, moving closer to the red-robed youth's race track.
Too dangerous.
Gu Cong thought.
The brown horse, driven mad by pain, had lost all reason and was rampaging wildly. Approaching now meant risking being knocked over along with the entire horse.
However, Xie Ye at this moment was so dazzling, despite his plain attire, he shone like a bright flame, impossible to ignore. Gu Cong couldn't help but believe in him.
Sure enough, amidst the cries of astonishment from the sidelines, the young man and the frenzied brown horse slowly closed the distance. With an incredible flexibility, Xie Ye bent his waist at an unbelievable angle, hooking his left leg around the horse's back, almost hanging off to the side to avoid the horse's head. Then, he suddenly straightened up, reaching out:
[System!]
Crack.
With a momentary body reinforcement, Xie Ye forcefully pulled the struggling red-robed youth over, flinging him onto his own horse's back.
Stimulated by this, the frenzied brown horse completely lost its direction and dashed out of the race track. A few seconds later, the young man in white fluttered across the finish line represented by the red cloth. Though his horse was panting, it remained stable under his control.
After a brief silence, waves of cheers erupted, echoing across the prairie. The steppe venerates the strong, especially when someone just saved their sons.
Having failed to achieve his goal, the Third Prince's face immediately turned ugly, unable to hide behind his usual gentle facade any longer.
Meanwhile, Wu Qige, sitting beside him, either lacked insight or simply wanted to provoke the Third Prince, finished a jug of wine and cheered, "Well done!"
With those words, sitting across from him, Lu Jin felt like the Third Prince's face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot, comically so.
As for Gu Cong, who was originally sitting in the stands, he had disappeared without a trace.
The young man lay flat on the bumpy horseback, his stomach churning, but he held back from vomiting. With great difficulty, he turned his head and looked up at the young man who had saved him.
It was only then that he realized he had been crying without knowing it, his vision blurred. When the wind blew, his face felt cool and wet.
There were no comforting words or smiles from the other side. His left arm hung awkwardly, and sensing his glance, he looked over coldly, as if warning him, "Cry all you want, just don't dirty my clothes."
It wasn't the most polite attitude, but it made the red-robed youth feel extremely relieved. He sniffled heavily, apologized, and thanked him sincerely.
Gu Cong watched from a distance, feeling that the scene was quite annoying. Fortunately, the red-robed youth was quickly carried away by others, while the young man on horseback remained motionless.
Approaching quickly, Gu Cong reached out and wrapped his arm around Xie Ye's waist. Without a word, he lifted him down from the horse.
As his feet touched the ground, Xie Ye discreetly hid his right hand behind his back.
But it was too late. Gu Cong had already noticed the hint of red on the reins and the clearly dislocated left arm of the young man.
Grasping his forearm firmly, Gu Cong suddenly exerted upward pressure. With a crisp sound, the displaced bones realigned.
Xie Ye sucked in a sharp breath.
Gu Cong's expression was stern. "Feeling the pain now?"
Although his tone was harsh, his movements were gentle. He took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wrapped up Xie Ye's hand, which had been chafed by the reins.
The frenzied brown horse was subdued, and the red-robed youth was tightly embraced by his companions who had caught up from behind. Many of them didn't speak Han language, but they still rushed to Xie Ye, bowed, and performed the etiquette of the steppe, murmuring something.
Gu Cong said, "They're thanking you for saving their friend."
Gu Cong continued, "Leaving you with the most ill-tempered horse was their mistake."
Xie Ye didn't really care about these things. Even if they apologized, he wouldn't generously forgive them. After all, how could he forgive these "children" who had just come of age? He was only in his twenties with this body.
The side effects of muscle overuse became increasingly intense. Although he could endure the soreness, he still leaned into Gu Cong's arms, affectionately nuzzling against his neck.
It was like acting spoiled.
Gu Cong's indifference couldn't hold up any longer.
Suddenly, he remembered what Yan Beilin had said to him during their last court session.
—"Xie Ye is a very dangerous person."
Today's events seemed to confirm that Xie Ye had many secrets hidden from him.
But at this moment, the young man who depended on him seemed extremely soft, with curled eyelashes almost closed, relaxed, exposing all his vulnerabilities to Gu Cong.
Gu Cong felt a sense of satisfaction.
The outcome of the competition was obvious to all. Before the referee could announce it, he smoothly lifted the young man by his knees and carried him out.
With everyone injured, what face did he have left to speak of, with both himself and the royal tent?
And from the moment Gu Cong left the seat with a flick of his sleeves, the third prince knew that his plan had failed. Not only did he fail to see Gu Cong embarrassing himself and the Yan Dynasty to boost morale, but he also lost face for the grassland. A person who grew up on horseback had used all means but still couldn't win against a slender young man. Worse still, he had to be saved by him.
It was simply the worst outcome.
He glanced at his father's expression secretly, but before the third prince could say anything to salvage the situation, he heard the disappointment in his father's voice: "You, go down."
With his flattery deflated like a punctured balloon, the third prince opened his mouth to protest, but he didn't dare to truly argue. He could only slink off the platform in embarrassment.
On the other side, the slightly exhausted Xie Ye was directly carried back to the tent by Gu Cong.
The Nadam Festival was one of the most important festivals on the grassland, and most people were gathered at the celebration. The journey back was eerily quiet, with no attendants outside the tent. Gu Cong bent down to lay Xie Ye on the low pallet covered with felt inside the tent. He then took out the medicine he carried with him, squatting down to remove Xie Ye's shoes before reaching up to unfasten his belt.
The inner side of his thigh stung painfully, likely from a scraped wound that had started bleeding. Concerned about revealing too much, Xie Ye instinctively pressed his hand against it.
"My nose is quite sensitive," Gu Cong stated matter-of-factly. He looked up, meeting the youth's gaze with an insistence that brooked no refusal.
"Do you want me to take them off for you?"
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