Chương 15: Chapter 15: Wild Horse
On the second day, the wind rose, and thick clouds covered the sky, casting a dim layer over the sunlight.
On the hillside, Yu Xinyi, dressed in military attire with tied sleeves, rode towards Yu Lingxi and said, "Sui Sui, the weather has suddenly changed today, and there might be heavy rain tonight. Let's have another hunt and then break camp to return home. Otherwise, getting caught in the rain in the mountains is most likely to cause colds."
Yu Lingxi's purpose for this trip was not solely hunting. After a moment of contemplation, she replied, "Alright."
Behind the camp, the snow-treading red horse, tied to a post, emitted a low whinnying.
This fine steed was always understanding of human emotions. However, today, for some reason, it seemed restless and unwilling to let strangers approach, lightly pawing the ground with its hooves.
"Shh." Yu Lingxi reached out to stroke the horse's shiny mane in an attempt to calm it.
However, the red horse shook its head, resisting the reins. Yu Lingxi took a step back, about to call the guards for assistance when a strong arm reached out, grabbed the reins, and forcefully pulled them down. The red horse snorted and obediently lowered its head.
Yu Lingxi looked at Ning Yin's profile as he tamed the horse, a hint of surprise in his eyes. The red horse was spirited and had a fierce temperament. Apart from herself and his father, Yu Lingxi had never seen it bow its head to a third person. Even when her sister tried to approach, the horse would resist.
"Miss, it's alright now." Ning Yin turned his head, and a gust of wind swept by, causing a strand of his disheveled hair to brush across his pale lips.
The wind was strong today, and the spring chill was biting. He was dressed lightly, and the knuckles holding the reins were slightly reddened. Coincidentally, Hutao brought over a set of red cotton cloak to shield her from the wind.
Yu Lingxi unfolded the vibrant red cloak but didn't put it on. Instead, she casually draped it over Ning Yin's shoulders. When tying the cord around him, Yu Lingxi sensed the tension in Ning Yin's body. However, it lasted only for a moment, and he soon relaxed, his eyes reflecting a faint trace of curiosity.
Hutao also wore a puzzled expression and glanced a few times at the young man who had captured the master's favor, muttering with a pout, "Well, let me fetch another one for the Miss…"
"No need. We might get hot during the hunt later." Yu Lingxi examined Ning Yin from head to toe, thinking that Ning Yin indeed suited these bright colors, exuding a stunning beauty with a strong visual impact.
"The cloak is a bit short; just make do with it," Yu Lingxi said while grabbing the reins. Mounting his horse, she continued, "Since the people I brought along cannot appear too shabby, to avoid bringing shame to the Yu family."
Ning Yin kept looking at her, his eyes pitch-black and unreadable. However, he didn't hand the reins over to her. Hutao frowned at the empty palm and said, "Don't be impolite, beggar. Don't look directly at the young lady like that!"
Only then did Ning Yin slightly open his lips and called, "Miss."
Yu Lingxi focused, thinking he might express gratitude for the cloak. However, after waiting for a while, she heard the young man's voice with a hint of amusement, "It's going to rain today. Not suitable for hunting."
A cold wind swept in, and in the distance, a prolonged horn sound echoed.
The hunt had begun, and Yu Xinyi urged everyone forward with a whip. Yu Lingxi couldn't care less about Ning Yin's seemingly meaningless words. She raised the horsewhip and said, "I'll return before the rain starts."
The overcast clouds obscured the sun, casting shadows over the earth.
Ning Yin watched Yu Lingxi's figure in the distance, his eyes seemingly covered by a shadow, a cold and indifferent air prevailing. In the woods, the hunting dogs barked wildly, and startled birds took flight. Today, the one who took the lead unexpectedly was Zhao's seemingly inconspicuous adopted son.
Zhao Xu threw the deer he hunted in front of everyone, planted an arrow with the Zhao family crest in the ground as a marker. However, his gaze was fixed on Zhao Yuming on the outskirts, with an obvious attempt to please her.
The congratulatory sounds gradually came in sporadically. Zhao Yuming finally showed a smile on her face, and her posture straightened.
Nanyang's Junior Prince Ning Zizhuo angrily threw his carved bow. Losing to Yu Xinyi yesterday was one thing, considering her noble background and extraordinary skills. But losing to an unknown adopted son of the Zhao family today? What was happening?
The prey was right in front of them, yet their spirited horses seemed sickly and couldn't run. They could only watch as Zhao Xu left them far behind, snatching the prey away.
"Sui Sui."
Yu Xinyi furrowed his brows, leading her horse over and asked in a low voice, "How's your horse?"
Yu Lingxi shook his head, patting the restive red horse beneath him. "It has been restless since this morning, not very obedient."
Yu Xinyi surveyed the lackluster horses from various families and said, "Strange, why are our horses having issues overnight?"
Before they could figure out the problem, a piercing neigh rang out.
Everyone turned in confusion to see the white horse under Ning Zizhuo suddenly bulging its eyes, foaming at the mouth, lifting its hooves high, seemingly mad and intent on throwing Ning Zizhuo off the saddle!
Falling from such a height was no joking matter!
"Stop! Stop it!"
Ning Zizhuo struggled to pull the reins, but in vain. He could only hurriedly shout, "What are you all standing there for? Help!"
Xue Cen was the first to react and quickly rode forward, attempting to assist.
However, before he could approach Ning Zizhuo, his own horse began foaming at the mouth, going mad and charging wildly. Followed by the second, the third...
All the horses went berserk, with the sound of hooves, neighs, and panicked shouts creating chaos in the forest.
Except for the Zhao family's horses.
Yu Lingxi desperately tried to calm her red horse, which was neighing and panicking. When she hastily looked up, she saw Zhao Xu and Zhao Yuming's horses standing unharmed on the outskirts, appearing conspicuously calm amidst the frenzy of mad horses.
Zhao Yuming's face turned pale, and she subconsciously glanced at Zhao Xu beside her.
"Impossible, it's impossible..." Zhao Xu muttered, an obvious sign of panic and guilt flashing across his face. He clearly only poisoned the fodder at the Yu family last night to ensure the Zhao family's victory today. Yet, for some unknown reason, all the horses had gone mad.
Could it be haunted?
In the midst of the chaos in the forest, with continuous screams, Yu Lingxi couldn't hear what the Zhao family members were saying. However, it was clear to even a fool that there was a problem with the Zhao family.
Then, Zhao Xu shouted something, cracked his whip on Zhao Yuming's horse, and fled the scene with her. At the same time, Ning Zizhuo couldn't control the mad horse and fell off!
In the blink of an eye, a figure stepped on the horse's back and leaped, Yu Xinyi grabbed Ning Zizhuo's luxurious clothes with one hand, landing steadily on the ground with him.
Ning Zizhuo's eyes turned red with fear. Before he could express his gratitude, he saw the mad horse raising its front hooves high, stomping towards Yu Xinyi's back!
Yu Lingxi was horrified, not caring about chasing Zhao Yuming. She desperately pulled the horse's reins beneath her and rushed towards her sister!
The horse neighed and charged forward, knocking Ning Zizhuo's mad horse away. The raised hooves narrowly missed Yu Xinyi's shoulder, avoiding a fatal blow...
Yu Lingxi had no time to rejoice, only to see the pain making the horse that had been knocked away go completely berserk, its eyes red as it bit into another horse's neck!
Suddenly, blood poured from it's neck, and the pain made Yu Lingxi jump up. Carrying Yu Lingxi, he madly ran towards the depths of the dense forest.
"Sui Sui!"
"Younger sister!"
Yu Xinyi's exclamation and Xue Cen's simultaneous shouts rang out. Both of them didn't have time to react and quickly ran after. However, the entire forest was filled with crazed horses. Yu Lingxi rode an exceptional horse from the Western Regions, and with human strength alone, how could they catch up?
When Ning Yin entered the woods, this was the scene he witnessed.
Yu Lingxi's horse was particularly alert. Sensing the abnormality in the fodder last night, it chose not to eat further, resulting in a milder poisoning compared to the other horses. As long as she focused on self-preservation and didn't meddle too much, her life wouldn't be in danger.
However...
"She still got involved." Ning Yin sneered.
The familiar and fragile figure bounced on the horseback and quickly disappeared into the depths of the dense forest, leaving Yu Xinyi and Xue Cen far behind.
No one understood better than Ning Yin what it meant when Yu Lingxi was left alone at this moment.
His cold and indifferent gaze fell on the still-shaken Ning Zizhuo, who was his prey for this trip.
Just as he took a step forward, a corner of his cloak got caught in the thorns. Then, the rapid sound of hooves approached, and the Zhao siblings escaped. Ning Yin's gaze fell on the warm cloak, tilting his head. After weighing the benefits, he changed direction and walked towards the middle of the road.
"Get out of the way!"
Zhao Xu shouted loudly but didn't slow down his horse; instead, he charged directly at the person blocking the path!
That youth not only didn't dodge but smiled.
Yes, he smiled. His lip curled up, but his gaze was cold, as if despising an ant destined to live and die in obscurity. A sense of ominousness, like being stared at by a wild beast, shrouded Zhao Xu's heart. Unable to rein in his horse in time, he saw the youth forcefully pull him off the horse and slam him against the roadside.
The youth only used one hand.
"Zhao Xu!" Amid Zhao Yuming's miserable scream, Zhao Xu rolled down the ditch like a dead sack of potatoes.
Ning Yin seized the Zhao family's horse, deftly pulled the reins, turned around, raised his hand, and plunged the dagger into the horse's hindquarters. The pain made the grey horse recklessly dash into the forest.
Yu Xinyi chased halfway and saw a figure, like an arrow leaving the bowstring, brushing past her side and heading towards the direction where her sister disappeared.
The crimson cloak on the horseback fluttered in the wind—it was a young man she didn't recognize.
...
The wind in her ears was like a cutting blade, tree branches in the dense forest repeatedly lashed against her body, causing a fiery pain. Yu Lingxi gripped hard on the horseback, not daring to release the reins.
"Stop..."
She forced herself to maintain consciousness. Her palm, squeezed painfully, spoke just four words before the violent jolts made her bite her tongue. Her stomach churned, the taste of faint blood filled her mouth, and her whole body ached.
It's okay.
She reassured herself: When her horse gets tired, it will stop...
But soon, even this slight hope shattered. The forest came to an end, and in the distance, a group of people on horseback appeared.
Revealing a brightness, it turned out to be a rugged cliff.
Her horse rushed out of the woods and came to a stop just three feet away from the cliff. The crushed stones tumbled down the cliff, and the extreme frenzy and pain made it froth at the mouth, neighing as it stood upright.
The force of the leap threw Yu Lingxi into the air. Letting go of the reins, she, like a bird with broken wings, plummeted straight towards the bottom of the cliff. Before her heart, thrown into the abyss, could hit the ground, a familiar figure appeared in her field of vision, tightly gripping her falling arm.
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