The Eldest Daughter-in-Law [Reborn] - Chapter 73

“What are you afraid of? It’s just horse riding. No one in the Wang family is as timid as you.”

Wang Shuya simply hid behind Wang Shuqin.

Xie Yunchu, wearing a dark blue shirt, had her slender trouser legs tucked into deerskin boots, with a belt of the same color around her waist, looking energetic. She was the tallest of the four, with a slender back and graceful figure, which made the group of girls envious.

She walked over to Wang Shuya and spoke softly, “If you’re scared, just follow me. I haven’t ridden in a while, so I’ll go slow.”

Wang Shuya looked at Xie Yunchu, unsure of what was bothering her, and shyly shook her head, “No need.”

Xie Yunchu felt that Wang Shuya was a little strange. She always seemed to look at her, but would avoid eye contact whenever Xie Yunchu looked back. She couldn’t figure out what troubled Wang Shuya, so she let it go and walked away. She led a tall, slender black horse, took the reins, and instinctively mounted from the left.

Wang Yining and Wang Shuqin looked at her in surprise.

“How did you get on from the left? Aren’t you afraid?”

Xie Yunchu, still feeling uneasy, pulled the reins and slowly turned. “I can’t get on from the right.”

Wang Yining laughed, “I’ll teach you tomorrow.” She cast a disappointed glance at Wang Shuya before shaking her head and riding toward the polo field.

Xie Yunchu, recalling her childhood days of learning to ride, couldn’t help but laugh. “You’d better not teach me. I’m hopeless.” She took a deep breath and tried to catch up with Wang Yining. The horse was agile and suddenly leaped forward, nearly causing Xie Yunchu to lose her balance as she stumbled to keep up.

On a nearby hill, Xiao Huaijin stood with his hands behind his back, watching her quietly, shaking his head.

Still the same bad habit, unchanged.

As the group arrived at the polo field, Wang Yining began instructing the younger generation on how to choose horses, and the game shifted.

She had initially arranged to play polo with her best friend, the eldest daughter of the Dongning Marquis’ Mansion. However, a group of beautiful girls entered the field, led by a young woman in a purple shirt with sharp hems. The girl, with narrow phoenix eyes, pointed at Wang Yining from a distance, insisting on a match.

The young woman was Yang Xiyan, the daughter of Duke Gao’s Mansion.

There were four major Duke’s Mansions in the capital: Duke Wang’s Mansion ranked first, Duke Gao’s Mansion second, followed by Duke Yao’s Mansion and Duke Zhen’s Mansion.

The descendants of Duke Zhen’s Mansion had grown weak, and were not as strong as before, relying on the old man’s past merits.

Duke Yao’s Mansion, still in charge of military discipline, held its own.

Duke Wang’s Mansion excelled in both civil and military matters, remaining the most prestigious family. Duke Gao’s Mansion was deeply involved in military affairs, and was a pillar of the current army.

There was no enmity between the Gao and Wang families. However, the eldest son of Duke Gao had once sought to marry Wang Yining, but the Eldest Princess and the Emperor both refused. The current Princess Consort was from Gao’s family, and the Emperor would not allow the Eldest Princess to marry her daughter into the same family. Nevertheless, Gao Zhan was obsessed with Wang Yining, and his feelings became widely known in the city.

In the end, Gao Zhan was forced to marry Yang Xiyan, but Yang Xiyan always regarded Wang Yining as a thorn in her side.

Wang Yining didn’t want to compete with Yang Xiyan.

“He’s just a man. Is it necessary for me to fight for him all day long?” Wang Yining looked down on Yang Xiyan.

Yang Xiyan was stubborn. “If I don’t beat you, he won’t be able to get over it.”

Wang Yining retorted, “I think it’s you who can’t get over this. Why should women make things difficult for other women? I’m not trying to steal your man, why do you have to make me unhappy?”

“I don’t care, do you want to hit me?” Yang Xiyan raised the whip.

Wang Yining didn’t want to fight and was about to find an excuse to avoid it when she saw another person rushing into the polo field. That person’s voice was loud and clear, “Yang Xiyan, do you want to compete with Wang Yining? That’s great. I can lend you a hand!”

Yang Xiyan looked at the arrogant Princess Fuyuan, her lips curling slightly, as if confident of victory. “Okay, with the Princess’s help, we will defeat Wang Yining today.”

The person who arrived was none other than Princess Fuyuan from Prince Duan’s Mansion.

His Royal Highness Prince Duan was the elder brother of the current Emperor and the Eldest Princess. He committed suicide after being defeated in the treacherous battle for the throne. His son was executed, leaving only his infant daughter. Prince Duan committed suicide in exchange for the Emperor’s promise to spare his wife and daughter’s lives. After the Emperor ascended the throne, in order to win the hearts of the people, he named her Princess Fuyuan, and the Eldest Princess named her personally. The Princess lived in Prince Duan’s Mansion with her mother, and the two depended on each other.

Perhaps in order to erase the bloody storm of that year, no one ever mentioned the truth in front of Fuyuan. She grew up carefree, and was doted on by the Emperor, Empress, and Eldest Princess without restraint. She could roam the capital freely.

Such an ancestor was someone that no one in Beijing wanted to offend, including Wang Yining.

Wang Yining had been trying to find an excuse to refuse, but when she saw Princess Fuyuan, she spread her hands and said, “I won’t compete, so you win.”

Princess Fuyuan was not happy. She sat on her horse with her eyes wide open. “Why? Are you afraid that I can’t win the prize?”

Wang Yining said weakly, “Have you ever lost? If you lose, will you go to the palace to complain? I’ll be scolded by my uncle again. Forget it, I won’t compete anymore.”

Fuyuan jumped off her horse and stood in front of Wang Yining, saying fearlessly, “Cousin, if you don’t compete with me, I’ll tell your embarrassing childhood stories to your nieces.”

Wang Yining’s face darkened. That was intolerable.

“Then you’re not allowed to complain!”

“I’ll admit defeat!”

“What’s the prize?” Wang Yining asked angrily.

Princess Fuyuan’s eyes turned, and she smiled slyly. “How about this handsome young man?”

Wang Yining picked up the whip and was about to hit her, but Princess Fuyuan dodged with a smile. Wang Yining was not stage-shy, so she finally said, “Let’s compete. Let’s settle this today. If I win, you, Yang Xiyan, will kneel down and kowtow to me three times. From now on, you stay away from me. What do you think?”

With Princess Fuyuan’s support, Yang Xiyan’s confidence grew. “Okay, and if I win, you will too.”

Wang Yining was speechless. “How do we compete?”