Qin Gui was arranged by Empress Wei to stay in Luqin Court northeast of the hunting palace, but she was dispirited the whole trip there.
Du Ruo was hustling about telling the servants to fix up the palace room while talking with Qin Gui about the winter hunt.
“Miss, there is nothing to do tonight so this slave will make you a bowl of calming tea. You should rest early tonight.”
“According to the rules, a formal ceremony will be held early tomorrow morning. I am afraid you will have to get up a down and head up to the hunting platform.”
“Tomorrow’s morning rituals are going to be very tedious. Before you go, you’d better eat something to pad your stomach.”
As soon as she learned that she would have to get up early at dawn, Qin Gui felt even more wilted. That was until the empress’s eunuch, Xiao Kouzi came over, bringing Qin Gui a gentle and beautiful filly.
Even though she couldn’t ride, it didn’t stop her from playing with the mare. She even named her “Taqing”.
After playing with Taqing for a while, Qin Gui had some dinner and went to bed early. She was drained from this trip and fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.
When Du Ruo woke her up the next morning, the sun was already up.
Duruo nimbly helped to serve Qin Gui with her washing up and arranged everything just right. By the time they walked out of Luqin Court, a whistling horn sounded from the hunting platform.
Not only them, all the emperor’s sons, relatives, ministers, and the noble sons participating in the winter hunt were all walking towards the hunting platform, filling the square outside the hunting palace with people.
Very soon, the emperor appeared on the platform and personally presided over the ceremony according to the rules noted down by his ancestors. Qin Gui was kneeling absentmindedly amongst the crowd and wasn’t paying attention to what the emperor was saying at all. When her knees had gotten all numb, the heavenly ritual finally came to an end.
When the trumpets blew again, the emperor got onto his horse and was the first to raise his whip to lead the ministers and noble sons into the hunting grounds of Daming Mountain. The sounds of beating hooves rumbled away, leaving behind a trail of dust.
Empress Wei also rode into the hunting grounds. Qin Gui did not know how to ride a horse, so she just enjoyed a slow stroll around the hunting platform, taking in the scenery.
She was not the only one who did not enter the hunting grounds. Many noblewomen were also around the hunting platform in groups of twos and threes, walking their horses or playing. Things were upbeat as usual.
But the noblewomen had their own cliques and would not take the initiative to call Qin Gui over. Qin Gui was also happy to be alone, not having to socialize with them. To her, it was too much trouble socializing with people she didn’t get along with.
“Du Ruo, go and fetch Taqing over for me,” Qin Gui ordered while musing. She was free now so she could walk the horse around the forest or something.
Maybe she was naturally gifted with the motor skills to be able to learn horseriding in one walk!
Du Ruo agreed vivaciously and added with worry, “Then, please don’t run around Miss. This slave will be right back.”
“Fine, fine.” Qin Gui pointed to a pergola near the hunting platform. “I’ll sit there and wait for you like a good girl. I won’t move a single step.”
“This slave will be right over!”
Du Ruo hurried off. Qin Gui was just about to head to the pergola when a voice called out to her. “Third Young Mistress Qin”.
Qin Gui looked towards the source of the voice.
About seven or eight paces away, a tall girl of fifteen or sixteen was walking towards her. She was a beautiful girl wearing fitted red riding clothes that gave her a heroic look, the golden threads glimmering under the sunlight.
She walked with such confidence that her body was releasing a unique arrogance of a proud daughter of heaven.
Qin Gui recognized her. She was County Princess Ying Luo.
Ying Luo was followed by four or five other noblewomen who surrounded her like stars around a moon.
Qin Gui greeted County Princess Ying Luo and asked, “What do you need of me, Princess?”
Ying Luo looked her up and down. When she first saw her at Yinghua Court, she thought she was a bold and sharp-tongued bumpkin from the countryside.
Unexpectedly, this Qin Gui was quite venomous!
Ying Luo sneered and shot her cold darting eyes at Qin Gui, questioning, “Why did you frame Sister Xin?!”
Qin Xin was supposed to become the Second Princess Consort, but she was reduced to a concubine in an instant. This was not something that could be hidden in the capital, so of course Ying Luo found out about it as well.
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