From its tall, stocky stature and its long mane, one could tell it was a feral stallion. Those who recognized this horse broke out in a cold sweat for the fragile princess consort.
This was a feral horse they’d taken in only because it had been injured. When it recovered, attempts were made at taming the stallion, but it took the finest rider of them all three months just to get it to bow its head to him. It had a fiery temper and only recognized the one who tamed him as its master—no one else could even touch him.
Anari had seen the horse in action in the horse race earlier, so she knew all too well how wild it was. She shot Qin Yining a mocking smirk. “This one will be your ride then.”
The man led the horse over to Qin Yining and threw over its reins and a whip. Those in the know held their breaths as the dainty girl walked toward the chestnut.
“Your Highness, you must be careful.” Lu Heng had come with Siqin and joined the crowd without her noticing. He fretted as he watched her approach the chestnut. “If you can’t do it, just admit defeat. There will always be wood to burn so long as the hills remain green—there’s no need to get yourself hurt just to prove yourself.
Blatant worry was written all over his elegant features, having watched from the sidelines for quite some time as the scene unfolded. As a hostage, his life was helplessly grasped in the hands of others; all of his men were already long dead. Qin Yining was the woman he fancied, and they were both of Great Zhou—he couldn’t help calling out to her.
Qin Yining looked back at Lu Heng and nodded with a smile, but deep down, she didn’t agree with his words at all. Admit defeat?
She’d never admitted defeat to anyone from the moment she was born!
When she had encountered wild beasts as a child living in the mountains—especially wolves—showing any sign of fear toward them would’ve meant being devoured until nothing remained.
The best way to deal with a feral animal was to be even more ferocious than it was! She held the whip in one hand and pulled its reins with the other.
Displeased, the chestnut’s nostrils flared as it huffed, stomped its hooves, and defiantly shook its neck hard, refusing to be led by the human.
However, Qin Yining's fighting spirit flared up in full force. Eyes blazing bright like two infernos, she completely forgot about how weak her body was. Yanking its reins hard, she stepped into a stirrup and flipped herself onto its back with a flourish.
The chestnut screamed a long whinny and immediately kicked its hind legs into the air in an attempt to throw off the unwanted rider.
The crowd gasped in horror, the more timid women and children covering their eyes fearfully.
Qin Yining’s hat of red agate beads flew away and landed far away, her raven black hair flying in the wind.
* * *
1. The khan is referencing Cuscuta chinensis, a parasitic flower native to China.
Chapter 477: Conquer
A beautiful woman with skin fair as snow was mounted atop a chestnut steed cantering over rolling green plains. The two were framed beneath an azure sky streaked with white clouds. Clad in the narrow-sleeved robes of the Tatar, her jet-black locks billowed in the wind. Eyes set beneath willow-thin brows burned brightly, her alluring lips pursed with concentration as she tamed her horse...
The portrait painted was so impactful that words such as “beautiful” or “ugly” weren’t enough to describe the scene. The ferocity and tenacity in her bones moved onlookers to their core—though she was too delicate and slender compared with the feral stallion, the power she exuded was no less than the strength of the beast she was wrestling with, hair in disarray.
Lu Heng was long enraptured by her visage.
Siqin also squinted slightly, astonishment coloring his features.
Anari bit her lips—who knew this vixen could bewitch men just by taming a horse! She wanted nothing more for that fox to fall off so that the wild beast would step on her and break her bones.
Alas, the khan wished in vain.
Qin Yining pulled tightly back on the reins, clutching the saddle as she wrapped her entire body around the horse’s back. She held no fear of the chestnut’s viciousness—feral horses were no strangers to her, and she’d even ridden the head stallion of a wild herd once. Even if he had no wish to follow her when Qin Yining left, she genuinely loved and respected these wild, intelligent animals. As such, she had her ways to tame them.
She’d decided she wouldn't surrender under any circumstances, and the feral stallion was equally stubborn-willed. As neither party was willing to back down, the chestnut realized it wasn’t able to throw her off. With a furious whinny, it began galloping around madly.
The princess consort was caught off guard—eliciting alarmed gasps from her audience—but she reacted quickly and corrected her posture immediately, letting herself go along with the rowdy stallion as it bolted around the arena, fast as lightning.
Hair streaming out behind her, she lowered her center of gravity and focused on keeping herself steady as she attempted to control the horse. They’d already made a circle around the riding range, leaving a storm in their wake. Before the surrounding crowd could get a clear look at the expression on her face, she whizzed straight past them in a flash.
Their speed was much faster than Anari’s when she was racing the others.
After all, that’d been a friendly match with the khan—those men cared not for winning, but for making the khan happy. In contrast, Qin Yining was taming a horse, so her top priority was to let it run to its heart’s content.
There was no question which of the two women was more genuine and possessed greater riding skills. The khan had actually lost the match as soon as she’d chosen a feral horse for Qin Yining, in hopes of the princess consort falling off to her death.
Anari’s grip on her whip tightened as she watched Qin Yining gallop in circles before her, clenching her teeth so hard that they nearly cracked to pieces in her mouth.
Meanwhile, the princess consort sensed the chestnut was submitting to her—not only did it slow down, it was no longer dashing around recklessly. It even accepted her commands.
After taking the chestnut around the range for nearly a dozen laps, Qin Yining attempted to lead it to the crowd and halt it in front of them. To their surprise, it gave another long whinny and stopped.
Her audience cried out in amazement, admiration and adoration filling the eyes of many young men. Sitting primly atop her steed, she dimpled at Anari. “Let us begin our match, khan.”
What was there to compete?
Qin Yining had tamed her own horse in an awe-inspiring display of her superb riding skills. If Anari went up against her and lost, wouldn’t that be a ridiculous embarrassment?
With a scoff, she jerked her chin up and sneered, “I’m not in the mood.” With that, she walked off toward Siqin.
The princess consort blinked a few times with a gentle smile, as if indulging a headstrong child. “Very well, then.” She gracefully unmounted and passed the reins back to the man who had led her the horse.
What they didn’t expect was for the stallion to snort and toss its head over to nudge at Qin Yining’s cheek and nuzzle her neck. No one would have imagined this docile creature was the same tyrant that’d wanted to fling her off its back to her death just moments earlier.
The man was rather straightforward—laughing, he formed the language of Great Zhou in a choppy and thick accent. “Horse, yers.”
Qin Yining dimpled. “Thank you for allowing me to borrow this horse.”
"No no, horse, likes yeh. Yeh tam-med hem, so horse, horse is, yers!”
Those who were more fluent in the language of Great Zhou kindly piped up to help translate. “Miss, what Sangda is trying to say is that the horse is yours. You tamed it, and since it has taken a liking to you, it naturally belongs to you.”
“That won’t do,” Qin Yining replied in a hurry. “I was merely borrowing it.”
“Actually miss, Sangda found this h
orse in the wild. It took three months of training for it to accept him on its back, yet you tamed it in no time at all. We of the grass plains also believe in fate, and you seem to have a greater destined bond with this one.”
The other nomads laughed and nodded with genuine smiles upon their faces, as if they had all forgotten how Anari had tried to embarrass her. That was what was so charming about the common people—they were honest and kind people who didn't regard others with malice and upheld their traditions in a straightforward manner.
Qin Yining did wish to accept their gift.
Without a doubt, she didn't wish to remain here forever—she couldn't become a weakness that others could use to manipulate her father or Pang Xiao. Rather than resigning herself to her fate, she might as well make her move. Having a horse greatly improved her chances of escaping.
Yet even if she did accept, Anari would do anything in her power to take something away from a lowly prisoner. As the khan, she couldn't directly seize possessions by force due to considerations of dignity. Thus, her best option was to have the horse die.
Then, the horse would be rendered completely useless.
With this in mind, Qin Yining smiled and replied, “I accepted the match under the khan’s invitation, so I must respect her wishes. What’s more, I don't have anyone in my service. So if the khan agrees to help look after this fine stallion, I can accept your kind offer then.”
Finished, she fixed a look on Anari.
The khan nearly spat on that hateful face right then and there—the nerve of her! If she agreed, did that not place the horse’s wellbeing under her responsibility? Why did she have to help Qin Yining take care of it?
“What place does a lowly prisoner have to talk terms with me?” Anari smiled coolly, silencing the crowd with a single sentence.
Qin Yining flashed a faint smile and inclined her head. “As you say. I was so moved that the khan was willing to compete with someone below her station that I forgot my place.”
With that, the princess consort made her way to her tent, leaving the crowd with the image of her retreating silhouette.
When Anari watched her go, she gnashed her teeth to the point where she could almost taste blood. She turned her head, only to see Siqin’s gaze fixated on Qin Yining’s back. There was a predatory look of a man’s lust toward a woman in his eyes that had Anari’s heart thumping in her chest.
Her worries weren’t unfounded after all. That was a vixen through and through!
The knuckles of Anari’s clenched fists cracked loudly. This woman was a great threat to her—she had to find a good reason to do away with Qin Yining!
Chapter 478: Unreconciled
As soon as Qin Yining returned to her tent, her limbs gave out from exhaustion and she collapsed onto the cot. After closing her eyes for a lengthy moment, she got up to loosely tie back her hair before lying back down to sleep.
Seeing that she had fallen asleep, her assigned servant girl decided not to disturb her and quietly slipped out. When she lifted the door flap of the tent, the khan consort unexpectedly greeted her. He’d been standing right outside the doorway with his hands behind his back.
She froze at the sight of Siqin, then moved to curtsey. Just as she was about to open her mouth in greeting, the khan consort made a hushing motion and waved a dismissal.
The servant girl felt her heart lurch when she remembered how the khan had attacked the woman earlier in the tent. Judging from the look on the consort’s face, she’d really discovered something incredible!
The lady she waited on was so beautiful that even she couldn’t help stealing a few glances her way, nor could she suppress her desire to offer attentive care. If she found the woman this attractive, what did this mean for the men who laid their eyes on her?
If the khan’s consort was truly attracted to the woman, one misstep could very well mean the maid’s permanent end!
The servant girl lowered her head and hunched over as she made her leave. As she walked away, she wondered whether she should report this to the khan or not.
She blinked, then rejected the notion. Who didn’t know how deep the khan’s infatuation with her consort ran?
If someone with a competitive streak found out that her husband fancied another woman—and learned of it from a servant girl, no less—it was likely the khan would kill her to ensure her silence.
Even if she didn't die by the khan’s hand, the khan consort probably wouldn't show her any mercy once he learned who tattled on him. All she could do now was pray that the khan never discovered this. Well, it was also crucial to think of her testimony in advance if the truth got out and the khan came to question her.
By this point, the servant girl found herself on the verge of tears.
Siqin slowed his gait as he approached Qin Yining’s cot. He lowered his head to stare at her slumbering face and stayed still for a long while. It wasn’t the first time he felt himself irresistibly drawn to her.
He’d always been a highly disciplined person who knew what he wanted and how to get what he wanted. Yet, the sight of Qin Yining abruptly struck him with a fervent desire to possess this woman.
It wasn’t that he’d never seen beautiful women before, but it was the first time he had ever seen someone with her looks. Unlike the women of Tatar, she was like spring water—pliable, yet tenacious. Her every move embodied grace, every scowl and smile a marvel to behold.
Even if he kept her by his side without laying a finger on her, the mere sight of her gave him pleasure. Why had such a person appeared so late to him?
It seemed the Soothsayer had spoken truly. He was fated to squander this life away, and the things he desired wouldn't reveal themselves to him easily—he would have to work hard in order to attain them.
Pursing his lips, Siqin gently took a seat along the edge of her cot. He knew Qin Yining had keen senses, so he elected to visit when she was tired. He withdrew his aura as much as possible and refrained from continuously staring at her to make himself less noticeable.
Gazing upon her delicate features, he was overcome with the urge to touch her. He gently reached out with his right index and middle finger to stroke her cheek.
The princess consort seemed to sense something—her eyes snapped open, hastily batting away the outstretched hand that came into view.
As soon as she struck Siqin with a crisp slap, he withdrew his hand, brows furrowed.
Qin Yining leapt to her feet at once. Though her vision went black from getting up so suddenly, she showed no sign of weakness as she fixed the khan consort with a sharp glare. She slept fitfully to begin with—she was in enemy territory, after all. No matter how tired she was, she forced herself to stay vigilant. If she hadn’t wasted so much energy on taming the stallion, she would’ve noticed Siqin long before he reached out.
Siqin slowly stood and stared into her guarded eyes. He rubbed his fingers together as he strode forward. “A very good idea suddenly occurred to me.”
“None of your ideas are good in my eyes.” Qin Yining stared coldly at him. “The khan’s consort would be wise to treasure the life he has now. Even if your khan is not the brightest woman, her love for you is genuine. Do you not fear retribution if you betray her?”
“Retribution?” Siqin looked as if he had just heard an absurd joke. “Yes, yes, you are correct. Look at your man—his punishment for killing countless people is losing his woman to me!”
He raised his voice, his deep voice radiating with fury strong enough to make people tremble.
Qin Yining’s heart lurched, but she wasn’t afraid. She stared back at him with ice in her eyes.
She was half cloaked in shadow in the dim light of the tent. Faint light radiated off her tousled hair in a pale golden halo, her shining eyes reminding Siqin of the packs of wolves that hunted the grasslands.
Bespelled, he reached out with a tut, “Why does a woman of your looks have such eyes? You...”
“What are the two of you doing?!”
; Siqin’s murmurs were interrupted by an angry roar from the doorway.
Anari furiously stomped forward and dragged Siqin two steps backward by the collar, then flung her hands away. “Didn’t you say you had something important to attend to?! So that ‘something important’ was coming to this vixen’s tent??”
Siqin took in the sight of Anari’s ruddy face and eyes of blazing fury. With great effort, he managed to suppress how much his heart dropped from disappointment. “My khan, you misunderstand.”
“Misunderstand? The two of you are alone in a room and you won’t let anyone serve you. You expect anyone to believe you haven’t been entranced by this temptress’ good looks in the slightest?!” Anari screeched, enraged.
“My khan, you are overthinking the situation,” Siqin beseeched. “I came to ask her about the Faithful Prince of the First Rank. She still refuses to talk, but we might still be able to glean some clues about him, no? Even if the khan does not trust her, surely you trust me? What kind of person do you take me for?”
Hearing this, Anari looked back suspiciously at Qin Yining. It was true she trusted Siqin very much. In all the years she’d known him, she’d never seen him show interest in any other woman. He complied with everything she asked of him.
She’d always held herself in high esteem. Not only was she royalty, her horse-riding skills and way with a bow were second to none. As a khan that had the trust of her people, everyone who knew her had nothing but respect and admiration for her. It went without saying that Siqin treated her as his only mistress. And he’d always done so, which only had Anari enjoying the feeling of relying on him more and more.
Yet here he was, actively pursuing a beautiful woman!
How she dearly wished to tear Qin Yining into pieces and feed the remains to the dogs!
Anari had always loved Siqin. Though she would yell at him from time to time whenever she grew impatient, she couldn't lift a hand against her own husband. It wasn’t just because she didn’t have the heart to—it had taken so much effort to help Siqin build his reputation. If they didn't present a united front, outsiders would jump at the opportunity to worm their way into the power vacuum they left behind.
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