Consort of a Thousand Faces

Every plant and bush was at the same time familiar and strange. That year, when the civil unrest had just ended in Nanzhao, she had returned to great fanfare. She had been happy and optimistic for Nanzhao’s future at the time, believing that at the end of the bitter struggle were happier days. 

 

All those endless hopes ultimately turned into nothing. They’re really such ‘happy days’.

 

Su Xi-er sarcastically sneered. Yun Ruofeng’s horse carriage was just behind her. Doesn’t he love to ride horses, why is he sitting in a horse carriage the whole way?

 

She hadn't made a move for days, but now… Su Xi-er took out a thin and sharp pine needle from her sleeve. She had secretly picked it up from the road, being sure to meticulously select an extra ‘thick and sturdy’ pine needle. As long as I exert enough force, there shouldn’t be any problem with piercing this into the horse’s leg.

 

Let’s see how he’s going to rest calmly in the horse carriage.

 

A glint flickered across Su Xi-er’s eyes, and she quickly lifted the curtain to glance around. All of the imperial guards on horses were looking straight ahead, with none of them paying attention to their surroundings.

 

If I don’t do it now, I won’t have another opportunity. Su Xi-er’s eyes narrowed slightly; using just enough strength, she flicked her wrist, sending the pine needle straight into the horse’s leg.

 

The horse that was pricked in the leg suddenly neighed and raised its head as if it was provoked by something, crazily running towards the bush on the side of the road.

 

Chaos immediately ensued, with many of Nanzhao’s soldiers calling out to Prince Yun as they urged their horses to chase after his carriage.

 

Su Xi-er knitted her brows. It was just a pine needle. Even if I had used a lot of force, the horse should at most just neigh and kneel down after its leg trembled. It’s impossible for it to have freaked out like it did.

 

In the middle of her thoughts, the sound of galloping horses accompanied the whistle of arrows in flight. Su Xi-er didn’t even have time to open the curtain of her carriage when she heard the thuds of a few arrows harshly striking her carriage.

 

Su Xi-er immediately became alert, dodging to the left as an arrow shot through the carriage and nailed itself to the wall.

 

With the situation outside becoming more and more chaotic, staying inside the carriage would only get more dangerous as time went on. I must get out right away. With this in mind, Su Xi-er lowered her head and got out immediately.

 

As she dismounted the carriage, an arrow suddenly flew in the direction of her head. Su Xi-er immediately moved to evade, but as the arrow grew closer, it was shot down by another.

 

Ding! Both arrows landed on the ground. Su Xi-er looked up and coincidentally saw Pei Qianhao putting his bow down. He was the one who had saved her when she was in danger.

 

“Someone is attempting an assassination!” A loud voice could be heard from the bush. A horse then raced out from the undergrowth-  it was the horse that had pulled Yun Ruofeng’s carriage. The reins had fallen to the ground, and the carriage was separated from the horse.

 

Unruffled, Pei Qianhao urged his horse towards Su Xi-er, grabbing her hand and throwing her onto another horse.

 

“Head down, lie on the back of the horse, and pull the reins.” After that, Pei Qianhao raised his whip and lashed it heavily on the horse’s butt.

 

The horse raced forward towards the capital city.

 

Su Xi-er turned her head to look behind her. Men clad in black rushed in from all directions to fight with the imperial guards of Beimin, and the soldiers of Nanzhao.

 

These people must have been laying in wait since this morning. It was not my pine needle that caused the horse to go crazy, but that these people had drugged the horse.

 

What a coincidence for these people to make their move right when Pei Qianhao is about to enter Nanzhao’s capital.

 

Su Xi-er narrowed her eyes slightly before sitting up straight after the horse had run for some time. Her legs sandwiched the horse while her right hand pulled the reins back, and her left hand patted the horse’s head.

 

The familiarity in her movements showed that not only could she ride a horse, she could also ride it well. Finally, the horse gradually became obedient and stopped under her commands.

Su Xi-er manoeuvred the horse to head towards another direction in the outskirts. Since they’re hiding in the dark, I can do the same. Who’s the culprit behind the attack? Was it Yun Ruofeng who deliberately put on a show, or was it really an assassination?