Chapter 12: Can You Ride a Horse?

“Do you know how to ride a horse?” As they reached the gates of the estate, Li Rui turned to ask Zhang Xiaolan.

“I don’t, but if you teach me, Brother Li, I’m sure I’ll pick it up quickly.” Her voice brimmed with anticipation. She had never had the chance before, and now that it was finally here, she was determined to seize it. Of all things, riding horses for fun was what she enjoyed most.

“Learning to ride isn’t something you master in just a day or two. If you don’t mind sharing a horse with me…” Li Rui hadn’t finished when Zhang Xiaolan eagerly interrupted.

“That’s fine by me! With you there to look after me, I’m not afraid of falling off at all.”

She meant every word. She’d heard from Xiao Lian that Li Rui was skilled in martial arts. Even though she couldn’t ride yet, with Li Rui’s protection, nothing bad could possibly happen.

With a bashful but earnest smile, Li Rui replied, “I won’t let you get hurt again, Miss Zhang.” But as he finished, he seemed to realize something, and, a bit embarrassed, turned away to mount the horse first.

Zhang Xiaolan, however, paid no mind to these subtleties. The moment Li Rui extended his hand, she grasped it joyfully. With a strong pull, he lifted her up, settling her securely on the saddle behind him. What she didn’t see was the fleeting, complex joy that crossed Li Rui’s face.

With a sharp command, the horse leapt into motion, its hooves pounding the earth as they sped forward.

“Wow! This is so much fun! Brother Li, can you make the horse go even faster?” Zhang Xiaolan exclaimed, exhilarated. This was the first time she’d ridden a horse while fully conscious—the last time, she’d fainted and remembered nothing.

The wind whipped past her ears, tossing her hair without a care, and the sensation was so freeing and delightful that she kept urging Li Rui to ride even faster.

“All right, but you must hold on tight to the saddle,” Li Rui replied, indulging her excitement but warning her to be careful.

His horse was a rare steed, famed for its endurance and speed, earning the name Thousand-Mile Horse. He’d managed to acquire it from the Xianbei after much effort, and it had accompanied him on many campaigns. Li Rui cherished it greatly.

They rode for a long while before finally stopping atop a hillside blanketed with lush grass and wildflowers of every hue, many of which Zhang Xiaolan had never seen before.

Impatient to explore, she tried to dismount on her own, but the horse was too tall. Seeing this, Li Rui grasped her arms and, with a coordinated leap, helped her to the ground with ease.

“Brother Li, that was such a dashing dismount! I’m going to look around over there.” Zhang Xiaolan, genuinely impressed, gave him a cheerful thumbs-up, but her curiosity quickly drew her away and she hurried off to pick and admire the wildflowers.

Li Rui could only smile and shake his head, a sense of familiarity tugging at him. He led the horse to a tree and tied it up, allowing it to graze freely. Much of the grass here was medicinal and highly nourishing for the animal.

“Brother Li, come look! What’s that over there?” Zhang Xiaolan called as she wandered, taking in the scenery. The forested mountains towered all around, the air so much purer than the smog-choked modern world she once knew.

Unknowingly, she had reached the highest point of the hill. Looking into the distance, she noticed a gathering of people nearby. She called for Li Rui, eager to ask him about it.

Li Rui quickly ran over to her side as she pointed toward the far slope, where a crowd was assembled.

“Brother Li, what are those people doing down there? Are they hunting too?” she asked, puzzled at why so many would come to hunt at once. Could it be that, in ancient times, there were no restrictions—weren’t they worried about hunting all the wild animals to extinction?