CHAPTER 599: CHAPTER 497: THE REBELLIOUS SON IS QUIET, SURELY UP TO NO GOOD_3

The white horse, as if aware it was receiving treatment, remained still.

Lu Yuan finished applying medicine, then tore a strip of cloth from his own clothing and bandaged its wound.

After completing this task, Lu Yuan turned and began selecting another horse.

Though defeat was certain, he refused to admit it.

He had barely taken two steps.

Suddenly, the white horse charged toward him from behind.

"We agreed—no sneak attacks!"

He was abruptly thrown onto the horse’s back.

To his surprise, this time the white horse didn’t try to throw Lu Yuan off, nor did it rampage recklessly in an attempt to bring harm to both of them.

It carried Lu Yuan, its hooves pounding like thunder amidst clouds, charging straight ahead toward the stables with unstoppable resolve.

"The Imperial Grandson—it’s the Imperial Grandson!"

Having been forcibly pulled down by Prince Fu moments ago, Duke Jiang now leaped onto the table in excitement. "Run! Run! Beat the living hell out of him!"

Prince Fu covered his face and gritted his teeth, "The one you want beaten is His Majesty’s own grandson..."

Duke Jiang let out a pig-slaughter scream: "Do it! Do it!!"

Among the women spectators, Consort Jiang closed her eyes in mortification, unable to endure her younger brother’s increasingly embarrassing hollers.

The white horse surged forward, overtaking one wild horse after another trailing behind the "Horse King."

Three horses.

Four horses.

...

Sixteen, seventeen... twenty...

Lu Yuan caught sight of the back of Lu Qi’s head.

He gripped the white horse’s mane tightly: "A hundred paces... fifty paces... thirty paces..."

Lu Qi knew there was a herd of horses chasing behind him. Hearing one unexpectedly gaining on him, he was momentarily perplexed but dismissed the thought.

After all, he was confident that no one could surpass the "Horse King."

The stables were within reach.

Lu Yuan’s gaze burned with focus: "Fifteen paces."

They were separated from Lu Qi by a full fifteen paces.

Under the awning, the audience held their breath in tension.

For a horse that started so late, it had already achieved a miracle.

But how they wished this miracle could stretch even further...

Lu Qi caught sight of victory.

After Lu Yuan had stolen the spotlight so many times, he could finally savor his moment.

He charged toward the gates.

At this instant, Lu Yuan clenched his legs against the horse’s flank and lifted his body upward: "Rise!"

The white horse lifted its front hooves high, leaping boldly forward.

Lu Qi entered the stables and seized the Commander Flag mounted at the center.

Dong!

The Pasture Supervisor struck the copper gong.

Prince Jin rose in excitement, "Qi’er won!"

King Qi laughed, "Finally, we have victory!"

The Minister of Agriculture sighed, "The Imperial Grandson gave it his all."

The Academy Scholar commented, "Indeed, we all saw it; he was so close to catching up."

Cabinet Minister Meng said, "If we speak of horse-taming skill, today the Imperial Grandson far outshone the Commandery Prince."

Zhang Qufeng dismissed this lightly: "Cabinet Minister, that’s not how the rules work. In horse-taming, the winner is whoever rides back to the stables first and takes the Commander Flag."

At that moment, someone shouted, "Look! The Commandery Prince is returning with the Commander Flag!"

Zhang Qufeng lit up with joy: "Congratulations to the Commandery Prince! Felicitations to the Commandery Prince! Congratu—"

His congratulatory words were cut short.

The one riding the white horse and holding the Commander Flag was not the Commandery Prince—it was the Imperial Grandson!

Lu Yuan rode like a thunderstorm through the wind, commanding all awe as he stopped before the Emperor’s Platform.

He dismounted, knelt on one knee with the Commander Flag in hand, and announced solemnly: "Grandson, mission accomplished!"

Those six words spoke volumes of valor and glory amidst clashing steel.

For a brief moment, Emperor Liang felt dazed, as though this grandson had truly been on battlefields, seen the smoke of war, and lit blazing signal fires.

-

"Damn it!"

King Qi slammed his fist onto the table, "He won again! Father’s gaze toward him is already changing. Brother, we can’t let him continue to behave so arrogantly!"

Prince Rui murmured under his breath, "Indeed, Brother, if no action is taken, the position as the Qilin will no longer be secure."

Prince Jin coldly cast a sharp glare at Lu Yuan, who was being congratulated in the midst of courtiers and tightened his fists silently.

The second trial was archery.

When Lu Yuan drew the three-stone bow, the string snapped.

When the second three-stone bow was brought out, Lu Yuan glanced at it briefly and then abandoned it.

"What’s happening?"

Prince Ming craned his neck in bewilderment.

Lu Zhaoyan paused for a moment, "There’s something wrong with the bow."

Prince Ming slammed his fist onto the table, "Did they tamper with the bow? I’m going to report this to Father!"

"Hold on." Lu Zhaoyan stopped Prince Ming. "Trust Yuan’er; he has his reasons for doing this."

Prince Ming fumed, "What reasons? Does he think that winning too much makes losing a match unimportant? The foundation of the Jin Prince Mansion is far more solid than the Crown Prince Mansion... Lu Qi is already perceived as the Guardian Qilin... He can’t afford to be careless!"

Lu Zhaoyan said calmly, "If even you understand this reasoning, do you think he would fail to grasp it?"

Prince Ming’s face darkened, "I feel insulted somehow."

Lu Zhaoyan watched Lu Yuan silently as he cleaned the bow in serenity, thinking, *This damn kid is up to something.*