The act of Treading Snow to Seek Plum kneeling once again plunged the scene into silence.
Lu Meng: "…" She retracted her earlier statement about the horse's low intelligence.
Moreover, as she gazed at the majestic, pitch-black steed, she felt an inexplicable sense of awe—as if a king who ruled unchallenged was kneeling before her.
Yin Linxu's expression showed no surprise. The horses bred by their clan were warhorses, and their ability to coordinate with soldiers on the battlefield was their most remarkable trait.
A truly great horse was one that could bring its master's bones home.
If its chosen master couldn't mount it, it would naturally kneel.
Lu Meng patted the horse's neck again, cautiously moving closer, her mind set on claiming the promised ten thousand gold.
Even if she had to snatch Wu Linxuan's luck, she was determined! This time, the plot had struck first—the horse had knelt, so how could she not mount it?!
Lu Meng stepped onto the horse's bent leg, clumsily climbing up before settling into place and gripping its mane.
The glossy black mane felt rough yet sturdy in her grasp.
Treading Snow to Seek Plum slowly rose to its feet, lifting Lu Meng's perspective from low to high. In that moment, an indescribable surge of exhilaration rushed through her.
Wasn’t this the kind of plot found in female protagonist power fantasies?!
Perhaps she even had the potential to become a battlefield general!
The horse began walking in slow circles, carrying Lu Meng around the field.
From his elevated seat, the Emperor sighed as he heard the cheers of the noble young men.
What was supposed to be a proper horse-taming event had been interrupted by the Princess Consort of Jian'an…
The noblewomen in attendance also buzzed with excitement, their voices rising in admiration.
Though they couldn’t tame a warhorse themselves or steal the spotlight like the Princess Consort, not all of them were puppets tamed by their era.
Some among them had read widely, secretly yearning for freedom, respect, and the vastness of the world—yet they dared not voice such desires, burying themselves alive to fit the mold of proper noble ladies.
But at least in this moment, in this rare occasion where they could cheer without restraint, they felt a quiet pride because of the Princess Consort.
Of course, not everyone was genuinely happy for Lu Meng.
Consort Duan Su, for instance, looked as if her face might twist beyond recognition—unable to scowl in such a setting yet incapable of smiling, leaving her expression strained.
Riding for the first time, Lu Meng found the experience thrilling. The horse was remarkably steady, but she didn’t dare move recklessly, keeping her body slightly hunched.
After two laps, Treading Snow to Seek Plum showed no signs of agitation—it was practically taking a leisurely stroll with Lu Meng, demonstrating what true docility meant.
Gradually, applause and whistles broke out across the field. Not all men raised in feudal society were incapable of appreciating a woman’s triumph.
This time, no one could utter a single word of criticism.
Wu Linxuan lifted his gaze to his consort seated atop the horse, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
Leaning against the railing with the support of his guards, he watched as his consort sat tall on the majestic steed—her posture shifting from tentative to confident, her face breaking into a smile.
Her hair was adorned with jewels, her long, vibrant robes cascading over the horse’s back. Such attire was hardly suited for riding, yet no one who witnessed the sight could call it inappropriate.
This was the first time Wu Linxuan had ever looked up at his consort.
After several laps, Treading Snow to Seek Plum picked up its pace into a rhythmic trot. Lu Meng felt the jostling and grew nervous.
But the horse’s broad back, layered with dense muscle, provided a stable seat—its gait smooth despite the speed.
After a while, she decided she had played the part enough.
Her fantasy of being a battlefield general had run its course, and now she just wanted to dismount.
Her rear wasn’t sore—she wasn’t that delicate—but the real issue was the lack of proper support in ancient undergarments.
Unlike Zhangsun Xianyun, who bound her chest when riding, Lu Meng hadn’t taken such precautions. Now, with every bounce, she wished she could leap straight off the horse.
She patted the horse’s neck, whispering to its flickering ears, "Alright, let me down now."
But Treading Snow to Seek Plum clearly wasn’t ready to stop. Like a newly adopted dog eager to prove its worth, it wanted to show off its strength and speed to its new master.
It refused to slow down, snorting before picking up its pace even more.
Lu Meng nearly wept but had no choice but to hunch forward, pressing herself against the horse’s back. She couldn’t yell for help—what kind of rider couldn’t dismount? If she did, the envious noblemen would surely mock her.
She would claim that ten thousand gold. If all it took was enduring a little jostling, so be it!
No one in the crowd noticed her predicament—she made sure of it. By the standards of this world, if she let herself bounce too visibly in front of so many men, her virtue would be called into question again.
With so many eyes watching, if Wu Linxuan hadn’t been crushed by the horse earlier, he’d be crushed by the weight of imagined green hats now.
As the ride continued, Wu Linxuan’s smile gradually faded.
He grabbed a rope from the railing, swiftly knotting it into a loop before swinging it in his hand. When the horse carried Lu Meng past again—just as she was debating whether to sit upright and prove she wasn’t flagging—he flung the loop around the horse’s neck.
Ignoring the pain in his leg from earlier, he tugged the rope and vaulted onto the horse’s back in one fluid motion.
Treading Snow to Seek Plum froze mid-step, ready to resist, but Lu Meng immediately scolded, "Behave! Don’t move! I’ll give you treats tonight!"
The horse instantly settled, allowing itself to be ridden. Wu Linxuan wrapped an arm around Lu Meng’s waist, leaning close to her ear. "Couldn’t get down, could you? You’ve got nerves of steel, daring to mount a warhorse like this."
Lu Meng was genuinely grateful. At least someone who’s shared my bed knows my measurements—and my struggles!
As the crowd saw Wu Linxuan take control and the horse obediently trot toward the railing, some dispersed to resume archery contests.
Leaning back into Wu Linxuan’s embrace, Lu Meng murmured just loud enough for him to hear, "This isn’t just for me, Your Highness. It’s for you too."
"If all this bouncing damages my assets, what will you feast on at night?"
Wu Linxuan hadn’t expected his consort to be so brazen, even in broad daylight before an audience. His entire body stiffened. Pinching her waist in warning, his ears flushed red as he hissed, "If you dare spout such nonsense in public again, I’ll have your tongue cut out!"
Lu Meng didn’t need to look at his face—his tone alone betrayed his bluster.
She almost retorted with something even more scandalous ("Without my cherries, wouldn’t you be lonely?"), but held back as they reached the railing.
Wu Linxuan reined in his horse. As the horse stood still, he dismounted first and then, with one arm around Lu Meng's waist, lifted her off the horse.
He whispered in her ear, "When the emperor asks what reward you want, don't talk nonsense. And don't let the prince of Fengqu Kingdom do things for you casually."
This involved politics, not something a woman could talk about recklessly.
If today's event was just about taming a wild horse brought by a foreign country during a state visit, the emperor might have wished that anyone could tame it. If it was a woman who tamed it, the emperor would have been overjoyed and given generous rewards to show the grandeur of Wuling Kingdom.
However, most of Wuling Kingdom's war - horses were provided by Fengqu Kingdom. Fengqu Kingdom was not an ordinary foreign country but a vassal state, in other words, a vassal of Wuling.
This opportunity to tame a vassal's horse should have been reserved for the crown prince or at least a potential crown prince to convince the people of Fengqu Kingdom.
But this chance was disrupted by a woman, so Emperor Yan'an was naturally displeased.
Wu Linxuan was protecting her as well as himself.
After Lu Meng stood firmly on the ground, she winked at Wu Linxuan and whispered, "Your Highness, don't worry."
I understand the reason.
I won't snatch your opportunity. Don't worry. I'm a career - oriented fan!
Wu Linxuan was a bit helpless. He himself was in a bit of a mess, with dirt on his face. But he naturally reached out, pulled out a hairpin from Lu Meng's head, tucked a loose strand of her hair back, and then put the hairpin back in place.
He also reached out and gently rubbed a smudge on her cheek with his knuckle, his eyes full of tenderness he himself was unaware of.
His actions were extremely natural, but the expressions of the noble sons and princes who hadn't left yet all became strange.
The smarter ones could see that Princess Consort of Jian'an couldn't get off the horse on her own. Since Prince Jian'an had stepped in to carry her down, no one dared to say anything more.
However, such an intimate gesture was too much. Especially considering Wu Linxuan's usual public image of being inscrutable, showing no emotions.
In simple terms, Prince Jian'an had broken his persona.
Of course, there was no such concept as "breaking the persona" in ancient times. But Prince Jian'an's act of arranging his princess consort's hair and putting in a hairpin in public made those princes who were as obsessed with power - grabbing as him can't help but speculate about his intentions.
There were many men who doted on their women. The Fourth Prince, Wu Lincheng, was a prime example. All the women in his harem were whole - heartedly devoted to him, and they all praised him.
But even Wu Lincheng wouldn't show his affection for his women in public like this.
The daughters of Prince Baili and Prince Wenshan were all here. Was Prince Jian'an trying to make people think that he treated his woman extremely well?
This method seemed rather clumsy. The Second Prince, not far from the fence, showed a sneer on his gloomy face.
After Wu Linxuan finished, he also felt that his actions were inappropriate. His expression became a bit stiff, and his face tightened.
Without saying anything more, he turned around and left with a straight face.
Lu Meng didn't think there was anything wrong at all. They had always gotten along like this in private. She didn't know when it started, but it just happened naturally.
She tidied up her clothes a bit and was supported by a maid to the platform below. Instead of going back to her seat on the stage immediately, she waited to receive the reward.
After all, she was the woman who had tamed the king of horses.
Emperor Yan'an seemed to have accepted the situation. His voice was not cold, but there was no warmth either, and the disdain in his tone was hard to hide.
He asked, "Since Princess Consort of Jian'an is fated with this war - horse, the 100,000 taels of gold I promised will naturally be given to you."
Lu Meng was overjoyed. Then Emperor Yan'an asked again, "Besides this, does Princess Consort of Jian'an have any other requests?"
This question clearly showed that he didn't want to give more. He was telling her not to be over - ambitious and to be content with what she had.
Lu Meng couldn't remember what requests "Big Dog Wu" (a nickname for Wu Linxuan) had made to the emperor after taming the horse named "Snow - treading Plum - seeker" in the original plot.
She should indeed follow Wu Linxuan's advice and just express her gratitude and ask for nothing, so as not to anger the emperor.
But...
Lu Meng thought carefully. If she had been just a living target before, after this incident, she was like a flag. On it were written in big red characters, "I'm the female protagonist of a sadomasochistic novel, but I'm good at showing off. Come and bully me if you dare!"
She also wanted to keep a low profile, but her abilities didn't allow it.
So Lu Meng was silent for a while. When the emperor impatiently uttered an "Huh?",
Lu Meng bowed respectfully, then knelt down properly and said, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask for a special favor."
Lu Meng made a very humble gesture, even bowing her head to the ground. By the way, she stretched her stiff back that had been tense all day to maintain good manners.
This was a bit ungrateful. The emperor frowned slightly, and Consort Duan Su, sitting beside him, pursed her lips.
The female guests were good at reading people's expressions. They all knew that Emperor Yan'an was unhappy, and they all fell silent. Only the red - dressed woman before kept staring at Lu Meng with burning eyes. No one expected that she really dared to make a request.
The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "What kind of special favor does Princess Consort of Jian'an want?"
Lu Meng had already thought about what to say, so she spoke smoothly.
According to the international practice, she started by playing the victim.
Lu Meng said, "My mother died early. As an orphan in the mansion, I was naturally not taken seriously. My father is busy with official duties and rarely sees me. He never invited a teacher to educate me, so I'm lacking in etiquette."
"During the wedding, when I went to the palace to pay respects to the empress dowager, I offended the old lady. At the palace banquet in August, due to my meager fortune, I lost my child."
"I'm grateful for Your Majesty's kindness in allowing me to be promoted to Princess Consort of Jian'an. I'm very much in awe."
In other words, she was saying, "I'm uneducated, so don't be fussy about me. If you are, you're being petty. Anyway, you personally approved me to be the princess consort."
By the way, she also secretly complained about Zhangsun Xianyun, who was known for favoring concubines and mistreating the wife.
She wasn't afraid of airing her family's dirty laundry because she was now the Princess Consort of Jian'an.
Moreover, Lu Meng's words hit three targets with one arrow. When she mentioned the incident at the August banquet, Consort Duan Su's face turned pale immediately. She had spent a lot of effort to make the emperor forget about it, but now Princess Consort of Jian'an had brought it up, and she felt extremely embarrassed.
Consort Duan Su clenched her fingers tightly, but who cared about her?
Lu Meng continued, "Therefore, I would like to ask Your Majesty for a special favor. I would like to request an amnesty token."
Lu Meng said, "If I make a mistake in the future and accidentally offend someone important, at least I can rely on Your Majesty's grace to have a chance to correct my mistakes."
Asking for an amnesty token was a bit of an over - the - top request.
But by adding her past experiences of suffering in the palace, which were well - known, it was indeed not a trivial matter. And she also mentioned the child she had lost.
The emperor couldn't easily refuse her by saying that a woman didn't need an amnesty token.
As for whether she would offend the emperor, Lu Meng really didn't care.
Anyway, this old guy would be replaced by Wu Linxuan sooner or later, and it was obvious that Wu Linxuan didn't have any father - son affection for him.
After Lu Meng finished speaking, both those on the stage and those in the audience fell silent, all regarding her as extremely audacious.
Even Wu Linxuan, who had just finished the archery competition and specifically came over to tell her not to speak rashly, frowned.
After a brief silence, the emperor spoke in a deep voice, "Granted."
He didn't want to say a single extra word.
Lu Meng instantly felt a wave of relief. The amnesty token was truly a wonderful thing!
She sincerely kowtowed to express her gratitude. The emperor waved his hand and said, "Rise."
All his good mood had been completely spoiled by this Princess Consort of Jian'an.
After Lu Meng was helped up and was about to return to her seat, Yin Linxu, who was standing not far from her, walked up to her and knelt on one knee, saluting her as he had done before.
"The brave warrior hasn't said what she wants our Fengqu Kingdom to do for her."
All eyes in the arena once again focused on Lu Meng, and she felt a bit embarrassed.
She instinctively wanted to look at Wu Linxuan but managed to control herself.
She couldn't look at Wu Linxuan at this moment. Otherwise, if there was any trouble between Fengqu Kingdom and Wuling Kingdom in the future, it would all be blamed on Wu Linxuan.
Although Wu Linxuan ascending to the throne was greatly assisted by Fengqu Kingdom in the plot, it was up to them to figure out how to build this bridge.
Lu Meng thought for a moment and was about to decline. The emperor was still watching, and she couldn't really push her luck too far.
So Lu Meng opened her mouth, about to refuse.
Yin Linxu took off a necklace from his neck. It was made entirely of teeth, very white teeth that looked a bit creepy, with some gemstones mixed in.
He held out the necklace to Lu Meng and said to her, "If the brave warrior can't think of something right now, she can take her time. Hold this token. Whenever you come to me, I will fulfill my promise."
This was a perfect way out.
Lu Meng didn't hesitate and reached out to take it.
It was okay to just accept a necklace when she couldn't state her request in front of so many people.
As for what kind of deal would be made with this necklace later, these people simply had no say in it.
Even Emperor Yan'an was helpless and could only watch as the Princess Consort of Jian'an accepted the necklace.
"What kind of teeth are these? Horse teeth?" Lu Meng held it in her hand and saw that it was quite clean. Those big front teeth looked just like horse teeth.
"They are the front teeth of the hereditary Horse Kings."
Sure enough, they were big front teeth.
"Rise. This princess is going back to her seat," Lu Meng said and then bypassed Yin Linxu, returning to her seat with a sense of accomplishment.
She could feel Consort Duan Su's very unfriendly gaze, but on the way, Lu Meng also felt another somewhat intense gaze.
Lu Meng turned her head and happened to meet the eyes of the red - clad woman who had been sitting close to her before.
The woman met Lu Meng's gaze without flinching, slightly curled her lips, and raised the cup in her hand as if to toast Lu Meng.
Lu Meng didn't know her and calmly shifted her gaze, sitting upright in her seat. There was no friendship for the female protagonist in a tragic romance.
Friendship would only bring endless troubles.
The hunting competition continued. After the horse - taming incident, the atmosphere of the archery competition in the arena seemed a bit dull after the climax.
Wu Linxuan came in second in the pure archery competition. The first place went to the Second Prince, who was good at mechanics and weapon - making, and the third place was a young master from a noble family whom Lu Meng didn't know.
The three of them stepped forward and listened to Emperor Yan'an's words of praise.
Then Lu Meng stared intently at the arena below. By now, the sun was setting, and Lu Meng's buttocks were completely numb.
She looked at the Second Prince, whom she had been at odds with for a long time but had only heard of by name before. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The genes of the princes were really excellent. The Second Prince was as gorgeous as a patterned poisonous snake.
He looked a bit gloomy, with slender eyes that had a mysterious glint, but there was no doubt that he was good - looking.
This person wasn't a love interest for the female lead. Lu Meng remembered clearly that the Second Prince was just an enemy of the male protagonist in the fight for the throne.
He was the only good - looking man Lu Meng had encountered since she traveled through time who had no romantic entanglement with the female lead.
The first day was just a simple archery competition. In fact, there were two events on the first day: shooting at fixed targets and moving targets. However, after the horse - taming incident, the moving - target archery couldn't continue.
As it was getting dark, the emperor finally left. As soon as the emperor and Consort Duan Su left, the female relatives could also return to their tents.
Half of Lu Meng's body was numb.
She really admired these women. Some of them had sat from morning to night without getting up once. Sitting like that for a long time could easily make one's buttocks flat!
Lu Meng stood up, supported and surrounded by Xin Ya, Xiuyun, and Xiuli, and was also about to head in the direction of the tents.
She was still thinking about the one hundred thousand taels of gold and her amnesty token.
She knew that the emperor couldn't produce one hundred thousand taels of gold in front of so many people, so Lu Meng suppressed her eagerness. She was quite anxious to go back, thinking that these rewards would surely be sent to the tent, right?
But just as she got off the high platform and hadn't taken a few steps, Lu Meng was stopped by a woman.
As the female protagonist of a tragic romance, being stopped by a woman was most likely a bad thing!
Lu Meng's hair stood on end. She had been busy all day, even taking time to tame a horse and save several people in the middle. Her schedule was already so busy, so please don't add more work at night...
Lu Meng was able to stand and walk purely because of the thought of the one hundred thousand taels of gold. Otherwise, she would have wanted to lie down and pretend to faint so that someone could carry her back.
But soon the woman introduced herself, saying, "This commoner girl is Cen Qiushu. I pay my respects to the princess."
When Lu Meng heard the surname Cen, she immediately felt relieved.
She also recognized this young girl as the one who had supported Madam Cen before. Although she couldn't be said to be calm in the face of danger, she was very brave, protecting her mother with her slender body in front of the horses' hooves.
Xin Ya had told her that this young girl was her cousin, from her maternal uncle's family...
Lu Meng hadn't sorted out all the members of the Cen family clearly yet. They might have interactions in the future, after all, she had saved three members of the Cen family with a single act.
Therefore, Lu Meng was very kind to this young girl. She stepped forward with a smile, helped the girl up, and held her arm, saying, "Cousin, how is Auntie? Was she not too frightened? I was just thinking of asking the maids to help me go and see her."
Seeing Lu Meng being so polite, Cen Qiushu immediately smiled.
She had a round face and was not tall, half a head shorter than Lu Meng. Her round eyes made her look like a little hamster.
Before, she had thought that this Princess Consort of Jian'an was very difficult to get along with because she didn't talk to anyone and always turned a cold shoulder and gave brief answers when others spoke to her.
Now hearing Lu Meng speak so kindly and directly call her cousin, although she didn't dare to call Lu Meng cousin without proper etiquette, she was very happy.
She sincerely expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Princess, for your concern. Mother is fine. She was just a bit frightened. After drinking the calming herbal soup, she has fallen asleep."
Lu Meng said, "That's good. I don't want to see people."
Taking advantage of the situation, Lu Meng said, "In that case, I won't disturb you. After we return to the city, I'll definitely find an opportunity to pay a proper visit to my aunt at her mansion."
This was really something she had to do. She would have to swallow her pride and seize this chance. But before that, Lu Meng had to figure out the situation of the Cen family.
The Cen family was extremely prominent in the imperial city and was known for their loyalty to the emperor. They could be a great backer.
As the saying goes, don't put all your eggs in one basket. No matter how much she trusted Wu Linxuan (nicknamed "Big Dog Wu"), Lu Meng still needed to find a way out for herself.
She had saved three people from the Cen family. Although two of them had almost suffered because of her, she had indeed saved the second young master. It wasn't too much to seek their protection, right?
Moreover, Lu Meng wouldn't ask them to side with the Prince of Jian'an.
Cen Qiushu said, "My mother also said that after we return to the city, she must invite the Princess Consort of Jian'an to our mansion for a chat."
Cen Qiushu then said, "I've come here specifically to thank the princess. "
Saying that, she knelt down gracefully and bowed deeply to Lu Meng.
Then she said, "Thank you, Princess Consort, for saving the lives of three members of my family."
Cen Qiushu continued, "My mother is still in a coma, and my second brother has injuries on both his hands and legs, so it's inconvenient for him to come here to thank you in person. He said that once his injuries improve a bit, he will definitely come to thank you himself."
Lu Meng helped her up and took the opportunity to say, "Get up quickly. Why are you being so formal? I've only been married for a short time and have just left the Minister's Mansion. I've been so busy that I haven't had the time. Otherwise, I would have gone to visit my maternal grandparents' family earlier."
The incident of Lu Meng losing a child was still being gossiped about in the city. No matter how much of a ruckus she caused in the Wenhua Tower, it wouldn't reach anyone's ears.
So, it was quite reasonable for her to say that she was too busy.
"Don't be so polite to me," Lu Meng said. "Your mother can't be left alone while she's sleeping. Go and take care of her quickly. Don't thank me anymore. Otherwise, you'll really hurt my feelings." Cen Qiushu's eyes turned a bit red.
She nodded, bowed to Lu Meng one last time, and then turned around and ran off.
Lu Meng let out a sigh of relief and leaned towards Xin Ya, whispering, "Hurry up, hurry up. Help me go back quickly..."
If she stayed any longer, she didn't know who else would stop her on the way. Lu Meng was already too exhausted to deal with anyone else.
Xin Ya quickly supported her and a faint smile appeared on her face. She was starting to understand her mistress's personality. Lu Meng didn't like to fight for things or socialize.
Compared to before, after Lu Meng had pushed Xin Ya out of harm's way at a critical moment today, Xin Ya's smile was much warmer than before.
At her age and having experienced so many things, Lu Meng was the only mistress who had risked her own life to protect her.
In the past, she was always pushed out to take the blame for her mistress. This time, although she was also pushed out, it was her mistress who was trying to save her life.
Xin Ya had never said the words "I'll serve you even at the cost of my life" to Wu Linxuan.
Finally, a group of maids managed to send Lu Meng back to the tent. Lu Meng took off all her jewelry and clothes, got into the quilt, and even let the maids wipe her face while she was in that position.
"Before the sun shines on my butt tomorrow, no one can pull me out of this bed," Lu Meng said as she lay there with her eyes closed, feeling as if she had finally come back to life...
However, after lying down for a while and regaining some strength, Lu Meng suddenly sat up.
She asked, "Has my reward arrived?"
"Your Highness, not yet," Xin Ya replied. "A gold medal for exemption from death needs to be custom - made by the Internal Affairs Office in the palace."
"As for the one hundred thousand gold, I guess the emperor's attendant will send it over soon," Xin Ya continued.
Lu Meng immediately smiled and leaned against the bedside, saying, "One hundred thousand taels of gold. I can spend it for a long time. How many heavy - iron knives can I buy with it?"
"No, I'm going to install several fire - dragons in my room..."
"Your Highness," just as Lu Meng was daydreaming about her wonderful future, Xin Ya interrupted her, looking a bit hesitant. "One hundred thousand gold doesn't mean one hundred thousand taels of gold."
Lu Meng was stunned. "Ah? If it's not one hundred thousand taels of gold, then how much is it?"
"Your Highness, one hundred thousand gold specifically refers to the gold rewarded by the emperor. One hundred taels of gold with the words 'ten thousand gold' engraved on the bottom. It sounds more grand when announcing the reward."
Lu Meng was completely speechless.
After being confused for a while, Lu Meng finally sorted it out and asked, "So, it's only one thousand taels of gold?"
Xin Ya nodded.
Lu Meng was at a loss for words. Isn't this just as deceptive as a wife - cake not having a wife in it, or bamboo - shoot stir - fry not having bamboo shoots but the cook's name being Bamboo Shoot in modern times?
Lu Meng's enthusiasm was instantly dampened.
She thought Emperor Yan'an was going to give her the start - up funds for a rebellion. It turned out to be just this little bit of money!
She didn't even realize that she was getting more and more unrealistic because of her lack of understanding of this world.
Lu Meng slowly lay back down. After a while, she said, "Alright... A mosquito is still meat, no matter how small it is."
"I'll take a little nap. Wake me up when the eunuch comes to deliver the reward."
"It's almost time for dinner, Your Highness," Xin Ya said. "Why don't you have dinner before going to sleep?"
Lu Meng shook her head. "I ate too much today. I'm not hungry at all now. You can go out first."
Xin Ya responded and went out. Lu Meng lay in bed, feeling drowsy, and took a short nap.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Meng woke up when she heard a commotion outside.
But she didn't get up immediately. Instead, she asked in a daze, "Is it the reward being delivered?"
After all, it was a reward from the emperor, and she still had to get up to express her gratitude.
After waiting for a while and no maid came in to help her get dressed, Lu Meng turned over, thinking that she would get up and go to see for herself. But then she was so drowsy that she accidentally fell asleep again.
When she woke up again, she felt someone hugging her.
A cold nose rubbed against her face. Without even opening her eyes, Lu Meng knew it was Wu Linxuan.
He had a cool and damp feeling on him. He must have taken a bath. What a silly boy, taking a cold bath in this season. It was like the saying goes, "A silly boy sleeps on a cold kang, relying entirely on his strong constitution."
"Your Highness is so cold," Lu Meng shrank into the quilt. "Don't come in yet. You'll give me a cold..."
"Do you dislike me?" Wu Linxuan's voice was right next to Lu Meng's ear, with a hint of accusation. "You don't even ask me if I was hurt by the horse today. Instead, you dislike me for being cold and won't let me into the quilt."
"Are you really my princess? What kind of wife dislikes her husband..."
"I'm not," Lu Meng didn't even open her eyes and stuffed her head into the quilt, trying to avoid Wu Linxuan's cold hands.
"Your princess has been possessed by a ghost. I'm a ghost now."
Lu Meng was telling the truth.
If she had died in modern times, wouldn't she be a ghost now?
But usually, when Lu Meng told the truth, Wu Linxuan didn't believe her.
Especially in this situation, who would believe it?
Wu Linxuan was so amused that he burst out laughing. "A ghost? " Wu Linxuan hugged Lu Meng through the quilt, half - lying on top of her, and whispered in her ear, "A charming ghost?"
Lu Meng also laughed. She turned her face towards Wu Linxuan, and the tips of their noses touched. Lu Meng said, "You're wrong."
"I'm a lascivious devil. Are you afraid, Your Highness?"
Wu Linxuan replied, "What should this prince be afraid of?"
Lu Meng let out an "oh" and said, "Then let's start tonight, shall we?"
Wu Linxuan was left speechless.
"What? Is it difficult?" Lu Meng continued. "Your Highness used to be measured by the whole night, not by the number of times. Are you already... um."
"Can you act more like a woman?" Wu Linxuan covered her mouth, not knowing what expression to put on.
Lu Meng squinted and smiled. Wu Linxuan repeated, "You don't even care that my leg is injured. You only care about whether I can do it or not?"
"How on earth do you act as a wife?"
After Lu Meng's mouth was released, she argued, "Isn't it the duty of a wife to care about whether her husband has good stamina and whether he needs to drink tonics? Otherwise, what can I show off when comparing with other ladies?"
Wu Linxuan was again left speechless.
His expression changed, but he didn't say a word. Lu Meng laughed a few times. After suppressing her smile, she got up and asked him, "Where is your injury, Your Highness?"
Wu Linxuan sighed and changed his posture. One of his legs indeed moved rather unnaturally.
He pointed to his leg and said, "Here."
"Here? Take off your pants and let me have a look."
Wu Linxuan glanced at the entrance of the tent. Without any hesitation, he quickly took off his pants. When Lu Meng saw it, she was immediately shocked.
"So serious?!"
"It's all bruised in such a large area. You've been acting like nothing happened all day?"
"This... this is too serious. Have you seen the imperial physician?"
Lu Meng thought to herself that there was no way to continue the hunting like this. If they didn't hunt, how could she win the first place? And if she didn't win the first place, how could she show her kingly aura?
However, Lu Meng couldn't say that. She leaned closer, holding Wu Linxuan's leg, and said anxiously, "This needs to be treated quickly. Did it hurt the bone? Look at this big horseshoe print..."
"This horse is so ungrateful. How could it step on such a place!"
Lu Meng's genuine look of worry for Wu Linxuan finally dispelled the slight annoyance on his face.
"Don't be nervous. It's not serious. This prince isn't disabled, and the bone isn't injured."
Wu Linxuan reached out and stroked Lu Meng's head, saying gently, "I've already got the ointment from the imperial physician. It'll be fine after the bruise is rubbed away."
As if she didn't hear him, Lu Meng still held onto his leg and said, "This isn't serious? It was almost a hit on the balls!"
Wu Linxuan's movements froze for a moment. When he realized what she meant by "balls", he immediately exploded.
"Do you only care about whether I can do it or not?!"
"My leg is injured, my leg!" Wu Linxuan roared in a low voice at Lu Meng, not daring to be too loud for fear of being heard by the maids outside and losing face.
"Am I only good for that in your eyes? Do you even have me as your husband in your eyes?"
Lu Meng immediately put on an injured look and pretended to be heart - broken as she said, "How could Your Highness say such a thing? How could I not care about Your Highness?"
Lu Meng said, "When I heard that Your Highness was trapped by the horse today, I ran towards there like a madwoman. Wasn't I scared?
"That tall and fierce horse. I was still afraid that Your Highness would get hurt. I just wanted to win the emperor's reward for Your Highness, so I dared to approach such a terrifying behemoth.
"Your Highness actually says such things about me! What's the meaning of my living?!"
After Lu Meng finished speaking, she saw that Wu Linxuan's expression indeed changed a bit. When she pretended to get out of the bed, Wu Linxuan hugged her from behind.
"Where are you going?" Wu Linxuan's tone was a bit stiff and a bit at a loss.
But before he could figure out how to comfort her.
Lu Meng pretended to struggle and said, "Anyway, Your Highness doesn't believe me. I'll go find a block of tofu and smash myself to death!"
Wu Linxuan was left speechless again.
Lu Meng looked back at Wu Linxuan and said, "But considering that Your Highness is injured, I can not argue with you.
"Let's reduce it to four times tonight. It's just right to check if the balls were actually stepped on..."
"I might as well strangle you!"
Wu Linxuan got up, grabbed Lu Meng's neck and pinned her to the bed. His expression was ferocious, looking like he really wanted to strangle her, but there was no strength in his hands at all. Instead, it tickled her.
"Stop joking, stop joking..." Lu Meng laughed a few times and then said, "Don't bump your leg again. Let me rub the bruise away for you."
Wu Linxuan propped his hands on the sides of her face, lowered his head, and his lips touched the tip of her nose.
"You don't have the strength," Wu Linxuan was about to say, "I'll ask the imperial physician to rub it for me."
But then Lu Meng immediately grabbed his shoulders and said, "I don't have the strength? You want someone else to rub the injury in that place?
"Did you forget what I told you last time? Why don't you know how to behave properly?
"As such a handsome man, how can you let others casually touch your thigh? It's so straight and white, and it's the inner side!
"Tell me, who do you want to seduce?!"
