Volume II, Big Summer Dynasty Chapter 21: Beating
"Star child girl," said the man with a flattering smile, hiding his worries and embarrassment. An eight-year-old girl stood on the hillside, wearing a small white fox vest. Her shiny eyes, full of charm, made her look lovely and pleasing, like every man's desire.
"Please choose which horse you want."
Chu Qiao looked at the dozen horses in front of her. All of them were ponies, none sure-footed or tractable. Their clean coats revealed they were kept indoors more than outdoors. The child, standing in the snow, drew circles in the ice with her foot, shaking a whip playfully. Pretending to throw a tantrum, she said, "I don't want any of these ponies. I want a real horse!"
Zhu Cheng was flustered. Quickly, Song Lian stepped forward, nodding as he said, "For Star Girl to ride a real horse, that's a small matter. You riders, bring her a real horse. I know a few good ones. And remember, a big horse."
Song Lian emphasized the word "big," and two stable workers quickly realized what he meant. They brought out five tall horses. Chu Qiao made a childish face, clearly showing her disapproval. The horses were too old and wouldn't be able to race. Turning to Song Lian, she said, "These horses look sturdy, but I'm still just a kid and not as good at riding as you. I should practice first. I know your stable has some horses that are perfect for beginners. So, please bring me one of those."
Song Lian frowned deeply, his face darkening as if he wanted to scold her. Zhu Cheng urged, "Come now, these are good horses. Don't you like them? You were rushing to see them earlier."
Song Lian, feeling humiliated and at a loss for words, patted one of the old horse's heads. Carefully, he climbed onto its back, fearful that a small mistake would cause the horse to collapse.
The horse stood still, its strength keeping it from falling. Song Lian smiled, relieved, and said, "The snow is thick today, and you're still young, Star Child. Let's finish for the day and ride again tomorrow."
Zhu Cheng was about to agree with Song Lian when Chu Qiao stepped forward, boldly slapped the horse's rear, and mischievously said, "You talk too much! Run! I'll watch and learn from the first round!"
The horse was startled by the slap but instead of running, it lifted its hoof high, slipping and losing balance. Song Lian, caught off guard, fell into the snow, his body thrown to the ground. The horse's head was buried in the snow, with only its boots sticking out.
The bystanders and horse trainers nearby quickly rushed to the scene. Zhu Cheng, frowning, looked at Song Lian lying in the snow, clearly annoyed. "Is this how you present the best horses to the Fourth Young Master? Are you serious about following the master's orders?"
Song Lian, rolling to get up, quickly said, "A small child like her can't possibly know, but even though she's a Star Child, she's still young. We dare not pull out the elite warrior horses."
Zhu Cheng nodded. "That's true. Star Child, you're still small. For your first ride, let's try a pony, alright?"
"Zhu Cheng, big brother of Star Child, said you will ride a pony." The child looked up, her pink face glowing, eyes twinkling, and appearing very cute.
Zhu Cheng, clever and commanding like his brother, turned to Song Lian, his eyes sharp. "Hurry up and bring the pony!"
Song Lian, limping, pulled the pony over. Zhu Cheng returned his attention to Chu Qiao, who was now on the horse. The child smiled and said, "Big brother, Song Lian won't be able to ride. Let's walk around. Here, hold the reins."
Song Lian nodded quickly. The pony, well-behaved, followed Song Lian slowly. After a while, they were already more than a hundred steps away. Song Lian, looking up, laughed, "Star Child, this horse isn't bad. Just recently, the Seventh Miss told me if anyone wanted to ride this pony, I shouldn't let anyone else but her."
"Oh? This is the favorite pony of the Seventh Miss? How can you let me ride it then?" Chu Qiao asked with a smile.
Song Lian grinned widely and said, "The Seventh Miss, though she's the general's daughter, is not comparable in status to the Fourth Young Master. But you, Star Child, are between heaven and earth, higher than any comparison."
"Is that so?" The child smiled, her expression turning cold. "But earlier, didn't you try to fool me, saying I was done for the day?"
Song Lian's face turned pale. With lightning speed, Chu Qiao grabbed an arrow and stuck it into the pony's rear. The startled pony jolted in pain, kicking off its chains and running off at full speed.
The child, startled, shouted, "Song Lian! What have you done?"
Zhu Cheng and others, seeing the pony running, quickly ran after it. Zhu Cheng, now on high alert, yelled, "Catch the Star Child!"
More than a dozen horses galloped swiftly as Chu Qiao pretended to panic, looking for a safe foothold.
At that moment, a rider on a brown-yellow to grey-red horse descended from the sky. His handsome face, tense and unfamiliar, had sharp eyes and a trace of shining lips. Dressed in a dark purple embroidered robe, he sped towards the runaway pony like a lightning bolt. With a swift move, he drew his sword, pointing it between the pony's eyes. The horse, caught by surprise, stopped suddenly. The rider, powerful and imposing, gripped the reins tightly.
In an instant, a flying whip wrapped around Chu Qiao's waist, pulling her from the horse.
"Yan Xun," the man said, his flowery robe and pants now dirty from the snow, his handsome face flashing a devious smile. He laughed excitedly and said, "What a rush, you silly colt!"
Meanwhile, Zhuge Yue, from a distance, pulled the arrow from the pony and cast a cold look at Song Lian. Turning to a servant by his side, he ordered, "Drag him down and send him to Seventh Zhu."
Two guards rushed forward, tying Song Lian's hands with ropes. "Fourth Young Master, I didn't…," Song Lian begged, but before he could finish, Yan Xun approached with furious speed and delivered a flying kick to Song Lian. The man vomited blood, his yellow teeth falling to the ground. Zhuge Yue frowned slightly, turning his head to glance at Yan Xun with narrowed eyes.
The crown prince, though full of fury, still showed some restraint. "If this were Yan, this kind of slave would have already had his hands axed off."
Yan Xun smiled sweetly, his tone sarcastic. "The Fourth Young Master is exceedingly patient, perhaps too much so."
Zhuge Yue responded calmly, "It seems I am being too compassionate today. It's becoming awkward to avoid chopping off heads."
Yan Xun waved dismissively, smiling. "I'm just an intruder here, not like the Fourth Young Master, who commands his marshals at such a young age."
Zhuge Yue nodded without emotion, watching as Song Lian, mouth bleeding, was dragged away.
"Yan Shi Zi, thank you for your assistance in returning the runaway horse, but this is a servant's duty. I wouldn't want to trouble the crown prince. If you're free, I would like to invite you for a meal," Yue offered.
Yan Xun, smiling as if unbothered by the invitation, turned to leave with Chu Qiao by his side. Before departing, he whispered to her, "Cruel little girl, you almost made Yue chop a head today." With that, he left with his horse, Blast, marching alongside him.
Chu Qiao, startled, looked up, surprised at Yan Xun's transformation. His posture tall and regal, he no longer seemed like the rascal prince of Yan. She wondered where that bully face of his had gone.
"Star Child," a low voice said behind her. She turned to see Zhuge Yue, his face grim, eyes sharp as a knife. "Come back with me."
Chu Qiao sighed slightly. It had been another both lucky and unlucky day for her. She began to think about how to explain this to her master, just in case the foxy master asked about it.
Afterthoughts – Talking about bromance, thrilling moments, and getting to know more about Zhuge Yue's character and Yan Shi Zi was so much fun. In this chapter, all three of them were portrayed beautifully. The author really tugged at my heartstrings and brought me back to those puppy love days. Zhuge Yue was having his green-eyed monster moments—serious and cold as usual, but much more vocal in this chapter. Meanwhile, Yan Shi Zi played the role of the scampy, rascal, bully, and savior prince, while Chu Qiao was clever and smart as always. Zhuge Yue stole Chu Qiao's attention back from her fascination with Yan Xun, and I was thrilled by the dynamic. The novel even describes Yuwen Yue as throwing a glance at Chu Qiao like a knife—what a funny day for the three of them!