Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Going Out to Play
Chapter 212: Going Out to Play
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Upon hearing Xue Qi’s voice, Jiang Peihuan lifted her skirt and took two steps forward.
By this time, Xue Qi had already found a sleigh, a unique ice amusement in the Qi Kingdom.
It had a curved plate at the bottom with a chair mounted on it. When someone sat in the chair, another person in front could pull the sleigh.
As Jiang Peihuan neared, Xue Qi patted the sleigh’s seat, urging, “Huan Er, come and sit. I’ll pull you.”
Observing her surroundings, Jiang Peihuan noted that despite it being the season’s first snowfall, attracting many to the frozen city river’s sights, only a few were on sleighs – mainly children.
Upon hearing Xue Qi’s invitation, she replied with slight incredulity, “Cousin Qi, I’m not a child anymore. How can 1 sit on this sleigh?”
“Why can’t you?”
Before she could react, Xue Qi quickly grasped Jiang Peihuan’s wrist, settling her onto the seat. “Hold tight!”
Without hesitation, Xue Qi took the reins and started running, pulling the sleigh behind. Given his experience with ice sports in Qingzhou, his pace was strikingly swift.
Seated on the sleigh, with the icy wind threading through her long hair and causing her red cloak to billow like flames, Jiang Peihuan instinctively clung to the handrails. From afar, Xiao Nanye watched, his eyes softening at the heartwarming spectacle.
“How is it? Isn’t it fun?” Xue Qi called out as he glanced back at Jiang Peihuan.
While she remained silent in response, her face broke into a subtly contented smile.
In her younger days, military camp duties had occupied her, leaving little time for leisure. Later, due to health concerns, she seldom ventured outdoors, especially during the biting cold of winter.
After running several laps pulling Jiang Peihuan, Xue Qi was panting from exhaustion.
Upon returning to Xiao Nanye, he set down the reins and remarked with a weary voice, “There are too few people on the ice, making it uneven. Pulling you was exhausting.”
“You might want to eat less; you’re rather heavy!”
Even though she knew Xue Qi was joking, Jiang Peihuan still shot him a glare. “Cousin Qi, are you implying I’m fat?”
“Once Grandmother arrives in the capital, I’ll surely complain to her about this.”
“Please don’t, I’m just joking with you,” hearing that Jiang Peihuan was going to complain, Xue Qi hurriedly begged for mercy.
Smiling, Jiang Peihuan looked out over the vast icy plain. “Gliding on this ice is quite enjoyable.”
“Do you wish to see what lies beyond?” Xiao Nanye murmured, following her line of sight.
Before she could reply, Xiao Nanye took the reins. “Let me lead you.”
“Xiao Nanye?” A surprised Jiang Peihuan watched his sudden gesture.
Without hesitation, he propelled them forward, causing the sleigh to glide swiftly. Xiao Nanye purposefully steered towards a less congested area.
Observing their direction, Han Feng felt the urge to tail them, only to be halted by Xue Qi, who chided, “Are you truly that naive? Why on earth would you follow them now?”
“But 1 have to protect my master…”
“You act as if you stand a chance against His Highness King Cheng,” Xue Qi interjected before Han Feng could finish.
Soon, Xiao Nanye and Jiang Peihuan vanished from sight.
Beyond the flat terrain, they encountered a long slope on the ice. Xiao Nanye shifted, standing protectively behind Jiang Peihuan, as the sleigh began its rapid descent.
“Xiao Nanye, look over there!”
As they sped downward, Jiang Peihuan spotted ice sculptures in the distance on the ice surface.
Whoever had carved them had created numerous patterns, and from afar, it looked like a beautiful painting.
Following her gaze, Xiao Nanye also noticed the ice sculptures.
However, he quickly averted his eyes, turning them instead to Jiang Peihuan in front of him.
Seeing the smile on her face, there was nothing but warmth in his eyes.
As the two continued forward, people on the shore instinctively watched those on the ice. Among them were Xiao Junhao and Lin Mengyao.
Because of the first snow, Lin Mengyao specifically invited Xiao Junhao out.
Originally, Lin Mengyao was in a good mood. However, after witnessing the scene on the ice, the smile in her eyes instantly dimmed.
After sliding down the slope, the sleigh could no longer move forward. At this point, Xiao Nanye got off the sleigh and stood in front, pulling Jiang Peihuan along.
From time to time, he would ask Jiang Peihuan about the direction she wanted to go, and then follow the direction Jiang Peihuan pointed at.
Witnessing the scene, Lin Mengyao struggled to maintain her smile, her hands clenched tightly.
Throughout the capital, she was constantly compared to Jiang Peihuan. Since Lin Mengyao lacked prowess in martial arts, she took up the study of medicine, aiming to outshine Jiang Peihuan in this field. However, when Jiang Peihuan recently cured her of a particular poison, Lin Mengyao was confronted with the realization that her much-vaunted medical skills paled in comparison to Jiang Peihuan’s.
While Jiang Peihuan enjoyed the genuine affection of King Cheng, Lin Mengyao’s fate was to be wed to Prince Qing as a mere side consort. In the grand scheme of things, a side consort was essentially a concubine.
From a distance, she observed the scene on the ice. Xiao Nanye, the esteemed brother of the emperor, personally pulled the sleigh, all to bring joy to Jiang Peihuan.
In that moment, Lin Mengyao was not alone in her swirl of emotions; Xiao Junhao, standing beside her, shared her sentiments.
Captured by the brilliant smile on Jiang Peihuan’s face, Xiao Junhao mused on how enchanting she appeared when she beamed. Yet, perplexingly, her expression always seemed to darken whenever her eyes met his.
“Your Highness, you’re here too?”
At this moment, a melodious voice suddenly echoed in Xiao Junhao’s ears.
Turning his head, he saw Jiang Yan, accompanied by her maid, walking towards them.
Dressed in white, Jiang Yan looked ethereal in this winter setting. Already possessing stunning looks and having made an extra effort in her appearance for the outing, she was truly a sight to behold.
Xiao Junhao, being a normal man, couldn’t help but smile a bit when he saw her, even though he didn’t have feelings for her. After all, she was the main consort bestowed upon him by Emperor Qi Ming. “Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Yan approached and upon seeing Lin Mengyao next to Xiao Junhao, she remarked with a smile, “Miss Lin is here too..”