Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 153

Chapter 153 Help Others
The chariots and horses had already been prepared, and they were ready to start immediately when Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang arrived. Because Wu Meiniang and a group of other women had arranged four or five carriages with them. The rest of the commoners drove their horses, and a long line of soldiers winded for miles, making it a spectacular sight.

Qin Mubai had traveled to Jin Zhou with Chu Suiliang, so he had to ride a horse because he had to take care of the hundreds of soldiers and civilian workers on his way back. Although the horses of the secretariat’s sect weren’t too bad, they weren’t as comfortable as his Fire Cloud Riders.

A large group of people walked out of Jiangzhou City and flew towards Jishan. Although it was dozens of miles away, there were enough carriages and horses, and they were expected to arrive in the evening.

It was a rare sunny day after winter. Qin Mubai felt comfortable riding his horse and basking in the sun. Wu Meiniang and her two housekeepers sat in the carriage and roasted the fire. They were so bored that they opened the window and shouted to the outside.

“Hey, Mubai!”

Hearing this, Qin Mubai rode over and said, “Is something the matter?”

“I’m bored to death. I also want to ride a horse!” Wu Meiniang laughed.

“Don’t be stupid. Isn’t it good to sit in the carriage and roast the fire? Riding a horse can break the bones. If it wasn’t for my duty, I would still want to ride in the carriage!” Qin Mubai said.

“I won’t!” Wu Meiniang smiled cunningly and said, “Let me ride on the same horse as you, okay?”

“I’m afraid not.” Qin Mubai patted the horse’s neck and smiled. “If my fire cloud is okay, then the horse will break its leg if it carries two people to Jishan for several tens of kilometers.”

“Then get me a horse!” Wu Meiniang said happily.

“You?” Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment before smiling, “You know how to ride a horse?”

“Hmph, you look down on me! I can ride a horse when I’m ten years old, and I can even shoot arrows and bows! My two brothers are no match for me!” Wu Meiniang raised her face and said proudly.

Qin Mubai was really happy to hear Wu Meiniang say this-how could I forget that Wu Meiniang was good at riding and shooting? How could she have been granted the title of genius after entering the palace and even left behind the story of taming the fierce horse lion Cong for Li Shimin?

The nobles of the Great Tang Dynasty who originated from Guanlong were deeply influenced by Hu Feng, and the beauty of women in the Great Tang Dynasty was also rich and healthy, which changed the aesthetic concept of “beauty is beauty when it is small and exquisite” handed down from the Han Dynasty. As for Wu Meiniang, she was the most representative beauty of the Tang Dynasty-she was very tall, and she was not like Lin Daiyu, who was weak and slender. In the martial Great Tang, there were indeed quite a few women who could draw bows and shoot arrows.

Moreover, even though the “geniuses” of the royal family of the Tang court were one of the concubines, not everyone was capable of doing so. Just as in Du Fu’s poems, there was a cloud: “Only a man in front of a carriage carries a bow and arrow, and a white horse gritts its teeth with golden strangulation; it turns and shoots up into the clouds, and an arrow is falling down with two flying wings.” Lu Lun also had a poem that said, “Scourge geniuses fight to fly”–all tales of geniuses shooting arrows.

Every time an emperor travels and hunts, talented people will ride horses and carry arrows with them, and they will also perform archery!

If the historical Wu Meiniang didn’t know how to ride and shoot before entering the palace, and if she could cultivate such skills in the harem, would she become a genius of the Taizong Sect?

“What are you waiting for? Get me a horse!” Wu Meiniang snorted and said, still acting coquettish.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you!” Qin Mubai chuckled and summoned a hundred cavalry follower to dismount from his horse. He told him to ride two horses with the other two and three, and then change horses. He left a horse free for Wu Meiniang.

Wu Meiniang happily got off the carriage and held the reins. She patted the horse’s neck and smiled, “Mubai, I’ll let you experience my riding skills today! Although you are a great general, do you dare to compete with me?”

“Stop teasing me.” Qin Mubai laughed loudly, “I’m afraid you’ll get hurt!”

“Hmph, look down on people!” Wu Meiniang snorted softly and stepped on the horse with all her might. Caiyi danced like a swallow and very nimbly rode on the horse that was taller than her.

Surrounded by exclamations of admiration-such handsome riding!

In a martial country like the Great Tang, riding a good horse and shooting a good arrow was like riding a car in the modern world. Wu Meiniang revealed her hand, and the eyes of many of the cavalrymen present couldn’t help but shine.

“Indeed, it’s not bad!” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “I really underestimate you. However, as an escort officer, I cannot accompany you in the horse-riding competition.”

“If you don’t dare to compete, just say it!” Wu Meiniang giggled as she finished her sentence. Suddenly, a horse whip was thrown onto the horse’s buttocks. That horse was a high-grade horse specially worthy of Baiji. After enduring the pain, it let out a long hiss and galloped wildly like a gust of wind!

“Mother Mei, don’t make a fuss!” Qin Mubai was shocked. If he fell, he would either die or be crippled! The others were also shocked. How could a little girl be able to ride such a fierce horse steadily?

“General, hurry up and catch up to Madam for fear of losing! I can wait here!” Baiji’s attendants hurriedly said.

Before he could finish his sentence, Qin Mubai was like a tornado that had already swept away.

A large group of people were walking on a relatively open field, looking over at a flat river.

The sky was high and cloudy. The clear blue sky and the withered yellow and decaying horizon bordered on the limits of their line of sight. In fact, it was a good place for horse racing.

Qin Mubai rode his horse to chase after Wu Meiniang, feeling rather worried in his heart. However, after running for two to three miles, he saw that Wu Meiniang was still skillfully controlling the horses. She had indeed shown a strong riding skill, so he gradually felt relieved.

This girl really has such a skill!

Wu Meiniang turned around and saw that Qin Mubai was only four or five horses away from her. She giggled happily and waved her whip again, accelerating again!

The two of them ran in front of them, and they were already left behind by a large group of people. On the distant plains, the two riders chased after each other and became a scenery.

“Mubai, hurry up and chase after me. You can’t catch up, can you? Keke!” Wu Meiniang laughed heartily.

“Slow down, be careful.” Qin Mubai shouted.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine!” Wu Meiniang shouted, “This is much happier than sitting in a carriage! Haha!”

The two of them ran four or five miles one after the other. Wu Meiniang finally slowed down her horse and waited for Qin Mubai. The two of them stood side by side. Wu Meiniang turned around and giggled, “How is it? Am I not that bad?”

“Looks like I really underestimated you.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “I can’t see that you actually have such exquisite riding skills.”

“Hmph, I know you let me go.” Wu Meiniang snorted softly, but she still had a proud expression on her face as she said proudly, “However, it’s my honor to be able to compete with Great General Qin once!”

“What are you saying?” Qin Mubai couldn’t help but laugh out loud, “You are my unmarried wife, do you still need to be honored to say that?”

“Hehe!” Wu Meiniang lowered her head and snickered. “Actually, I’ve been traveling all year. Sometimes, I’ve been in a hurry and I ride horses a lot. I’m a bit impatient. I don’t really like riding a carriage. It’s quite refreshing to gallop like this! I just hate why my parents didn’t give birth to me as a man. If I were a man, I wouldn’t lose to you!”

Qin Mubai laughed heartily, “You are also a woman now.”

“Really? Hehe!” Wu Meiniang smiled happily and raised her eyes to look into the distance, saying, “What a beautiful scenery. Thousands of miles of rivers and mountains and clouds, horses stepping on yellow smoke and dust. Mubai, if I remember correctly, this is the first time I’ve traveled with you outside, right?”

“Yes.” Qin Mubai nodded and smiled apologetically, “I’ll accompany you out more in the future. Whether it’s going on a hike or traveling, it’s fine.”

“You must keep your word!” Wu Meiniang immediately said happily, “Not to mention far away, you must accompany me for a few more days when we arrive at Jishan this time!”

“Not just to accompany him more?” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Jishan’s matters have already been taken care of. I only wait for the emperor’s decree to announce my return to the court. Before that, I can accompany you every day. If you want, you can come back to Chang’an with me and follow me along the way.”

“Then it’s settled!” Wu Meiniang giggled and swung her horse whip happily before galloping forward again.

“This girl is really wild!” Qin Mubai shook his head and smiled. He could only ride his horse to catch up.

Along the way, apart from traveling through Zhendian County, Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang galloped past. After running a bit further, they stopped and waited for the convoy behind them. At the same time, they enjoyed the scenery of the mountains and rivers. It was really like they were on a trip.

When did Wu Meiniang feel relaxed and relaxed like this, so her mood was quite joyful. A girl in her first love is always full of energy, as long as she has someone she loves as a companion. After running for dozens of miles, Wu Meiniang was not tired at all and was full of energy.

Qin Mubai had no choice but to accompany him patiently. Speaking of which, his relationship with Wu Meiniang was quite strange-first getting engaged, then falling in love.

For such a long time, he had indeed neglected Wu Meiniang, his unmarried wife. Although the two of them had already been engaged, they didn’t have much communication and interaction with each other. Since she was one of her own sooner or later, why not treat her better?

Treating your wife kindly is treating yourself kindly, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Jishan County has arrived.

Qin Mubai first escorted the convoy to the county government, handed over some cold clothes, blankets, and other items for settlement, and ordered the county government to send the people to the disaster victims. After that, he brought more than two hundred sheep and some wine to the military camp.

Lamb was a delicacy of the Tang Dynasty, and the royal banquets were filled with frequent guests. Thousands of soldiers had obtained these two hundred sheep, which was enough for several meals of tooth sacrifice. This was a great blessing for them, who were finally wrapped in steamed buns and pickled vegetables. Therefore, the soldiers were simply grateful to Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang.

The construction of the embankment was basically complete. The soldiers were already fine, waiting for the Ministry of War to transfer them back to the camp. That night, Qin Mubai ordered the army to hold an all-sheep bonfire feast, and the entire camp was filled with lamb roasted meat to celebrate. The disaster victims in this county were all grateful for Wu Meiniang’s relief. When they learned that the army held a banquet, many disaster victims gathered together and took out only a few chickens, ducks, fish, and eggs to console the army.

Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang naturally became the focus and core of the audience. Sergeants and civilians kept coming to toast them, and some of the poor victims were so grateful that they had to kneel down.

After this banquet, Qin Mubai and Wu Meiniang, a kind couple, became famous in Jishan.

“Everyone knows that businessmen are treacherous. Celebrity Gao Shi treats money like dirt.” Wu Meiniang comfortably said to Qin Mubai, “In my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with being rich. Look, I used the money I earned to comfort the soldiers and help the victims. How happy they are!”

“Help others!” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “The feelings between people are mutual. If you treat others well, others will naturally treat you well. This money is worth it.”