CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 46: RED RABBIT

The processing of the hides takes time, and for the moment, no one knows how the Emperor plans to handle his spoils of war.

That night, the eunuch brought the plaque inside.

Xie Zhixing glanced at it: "Has Attendant Lady Xi’s Jade Token not been hung back yet?"

"In reply to the Emperor, the Empress said that Attendant Lady Xi has not properly learned the rules yet. She has already sent Nanny Mao to re-educate her; before she masters the rules, her Jade Token has been removed."

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhixing remembered the matter.

After pondering for a moment, he still decided to give the Empress this face: "Hmm, you may go."

Even though he gave face, Xie Zhixing did not intend to be manipulated. Since they didn’t want him to visit Attendant Lady Xi, he might as well handle state affairs. The expansion of Yan Chi’s territory by his ancestors has provided him with more matters to deal with, which he finds more interesting than summoning concubines.

Thus, during the subsequent Qiu Lie journey, the Emperor only summoned the Lady to dine with him twice and visited Concubine Jiang, as a gesture to give face to the Empress Dowager.

The rest of the time was all spent on official duties!

The imperially decreed record was empty, yet the diligent Emperor remained among the people.

In contrast, Yun Jiao was practically on a paid vacation; every day, she completed her respects and then took a nap while listening to white noise for two hours at Nanny Mao’s, making her well-rested enough to wander around. Everyone knew Attendant Lady Xi was favored, so despite her low status, she was warmly received by the Princess Consort wherever she went, and she even got to try horse riding at the women’s stable.

Unfortunately, Yun Jiao was not skilled at horse riding and had no talent for controlling horses.

In the end, she could only ride a small, gentle mare. The eunuch in charge of the stables smiled and spoke kindly: "This horse seems fated to meet you, my lady. You can name it, and it will be considered your adopted horse. Even if it never runs fast, it can enjoy a good life until old age."

This horse was born smaller in stature than the others, and riding it through the hunting grounds would lack impressiveness. If not for the potential interest of a Princess, it would have been treated as defective by the hunting grounds.

Its fur was smooth, and its mane was reddish-brown.

"Let me think," Yun Jiao pondered, "let’s call it Red Rabbit."

The stable eunuch: ?

Red Rabbit: ?

The little horse raised its head and neighed.

...

While others were scheming to encounter the Emperor by chance, Yun Jiao was strolling around the stable on her beloved Little Red Rabbit.

Until the day before they were to return to the palace, she hadn’t sought out the Emperor.

Xie Zhixing patiently waited and waited.

Finally, time reversed!

Couldn’t seize the opportunity to come to me the first time, hoping for another chance?

These days, he deliberately refrained from inquiring about Attendant Lady Xi to avoid expending too much energy on her, which would hinder his work.

"Go check on what Attendant Lady Xi is doing."

Xie Zhixing ordered.

Before long, Ying Lu returned to report Yun Jiao’s daily routine—visiting others’ tents to eat and drink, while even the female nobility of Kesha appreciated her unaffected demeanor and greeted her warmly. After filling her stomach, she would ride Red Rabbit around the stable to aid digestion.

"Red Rabbit?"

Xie Zhixing was puzzled, "I didn’t expect her to manage a horse with her slight build."

He purposely did not bring others, only a few eunuchs proficient in riding and archery, strolling where Attendant Lady Xi might go. The next day, he released word, letting everyone know he was riding alone in the woods near the hunting grounds, giving her an opportunity to encounter him by chance.

Leaving the camp, he steadily rode north.

His horse, used to running hundreds of miles, wished to speed up a little but was reined in. It raised its head, seemingly confused as to why its master wanted to move so slowly. Xie Zhixing was very patient with his steed, patting its cheek: "Be good and keep me company while I wait for someone."

His horse seemed to understand, no longer restless to speed up, even lowering its head to nibble on grass.

"Your Majesty, there’s someone over there."

The sharp-eyed eunuch whispered a reminder.

Xie Zhixing lifted his eyelids and saw a slow-moving, small figure out of the corner of his eye.

At first, he couldn’t believe his eyes. When the person got closer, he realized it was Yun Jiao—her horse was a head shorter than his own, standing next to it looking like an underdeveloped pony, hardly deserving of the name Red Rabbit.

"Concubine greets the Emperor."

Yun Jiao dismounted to pay her respects.

"Come here."

Xie Zhixing extended his hand, and immediately, a eunuch knelt on the ground, offering his back as a step to mount the horse.

Yun Jiao found it hard to accept using a person as a stool, but when she tiptoed, she realized it was indeed impossible to mount the tall horse without stepping on something. She reluctantly apologized in her mind, trying to be as light as possible as she stepped up in a swift motion.

"I was just out with Red Rabbit for a walk and didn’t expect to meet the Emperor."

"Hmm, it seems fated."

Xie Zhixing didn’t expose her fib, instead, he quite enjoyed her little tricks towards him.

He had set the stage with sweet words already.

Come on, say a few more pleasant words for me to hear.

"Yes, the concubine too thinks Red Rabbit and the Emperor are destined!"

The next second, Yun Jiao raised her face excitedly within his embrace and said.

A question mark slowly rose in the Emperor’s mind.

How did he come to be so fated with this horse?

Yun Jiao continued to spin her narrative: "The concubine usually only strolls around the stable, but Red Rabbit kept wanting to head towards the nearby woods today. The concubine found it strange, but upon seeing the Emperor, everything became clear; Red Rabbit is indeed fated with the Emperor! It’s said the Emperor is also a horse lover, this is truly a case of a fine horse meeting its discerning owner."

Xie Zhixing gave the short and stout little horse an appraising look: "It can travel a thousand miles? I doubt it."

The Little Red Rabbit, though small in build, had a good temperament. It didn’t run wild even though there was no rider on its back. It nibbled on the fresh grass, but after only a couple of bites, it got nudged aside by the Emperor’s steed, shrinking back bewilderedly, looking utterly ineffective.

This useless thing, fated with me?

"You named it Red Rabbit..."

Xie Zhixing felt his own horse-riding skills were underestimated: "Besides its red color, why is it connected to Red Rabbit? If you ride it, you might as well find a small donkey."

"How can the Emperor speak ill of it, it will feel sad."

Yun Jiao became anxious, reaching out to cover Red Rabbit’s ears.

Xie Zhixing looked around, only feeling that the horse looked dumb, not at all like an intelligent creature: "Continue speaking."

"It is so fated with the Emperor, why not take it back to the Imperial Palace?"

Finally revealing her true intent.

In that fleeting moment, Xie Zhixing understood.

The time reversal was because Yun Jiao couldn’t bear to leave the horse she adopted at the hunting grounds.

An intentional encounter was to take the horse back to the palace.

For this thing!?

Without it, she would have completely forgotten about him!

Xie Zhixing’s feelings had a subtle change.

He held her tighter and asked: "I am fated with it, what about you?"

Are you also fated with me?

Yun Jiao giggled:

"I instantly picked it out in the stable, our fate is surely predestined!"