newbobooks Chapter 529 A Startled Horse? Was it an Accident, or...?
Chapter 529 A Startled Horse? Was it an Accident, or...?
As night deepened, the banquet came to an end.
Gu Junze returned to the camp with the two children.
Xuan-ge'er was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open, so Gu Junze carried him back to his tent to rest.
Lu Ge'er, on the other hand, seemed much more energetic.
"You've had a hard day," Gu Junze said, looking at Lu Ge'er.
Lu Ge'er shook his head: "Uncle, you flatter me."
“You did very well today,” Gu Junze paused, then said, “Remember, never forget your original intentions, no matter what.”
Lu Ge'er's eyes flickered slightly, and he respectfully replied, "Yes."
He understood the meaning behind Gu Junze's words.
Today's glory and adulation are all fleeting; the true foundation lies in one's own abilities, and... the protection of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
"Go and rest." Gu Junze patted his shoulder.
Lu Ge'er bowed and withdrew.
Gu Junze returned to his tent, where Chu Ruohan was sitting on the couch, and Xiao Qingchen was already fast asleep.
"Is everything settled?" Chu Ruohan asked softly.
"Mm." Gu Junze stepped forward, sat down next to her, and pulled her into his arms.
"Are you unhappy today?" He knew about Su Wan's affairs during the day and that she had gone to the Empress's tent.
Chu Ruohan leaned against him and shook her head: "It's alright."
She didn't say much about Su Wan, just glossing over it lightly.
"Did you hunt a silver fox?" she changed the subject, her voice tinged with amusement.
"Mmm," Gu Junze kissed the top of her head, "I'll make you a hand warmer for winter."
"Thank you." Chu Ruohan snuggled against him, feeling incredibly at ease.
This simple and down-to-earth warmth is far more reliable than those illusory honors and romantic love.
Time flies when you're on the hunting grounds, and the third day is already over.
As is customary, a small-scale competition will be held today, mainly for the younger generation to showcase their horsemanship and archery skills.
Master Gu naturally placed high hopes on Brother Lu.
Before the match started, Brother Lü stood on the sidelines, quietly flexing his wrists.
Xuan-ge'er stood on the periphery of the crowd, looking up at him with his little face full of anticipation.
"Go, brother!" Xuan shouted loudly.
When Lu Ge'er heard his voice, he turned to look at him, a gentle smile on his face, and nodded to him.
Master Gu walked over and said in a low voice to Lu Ge'er, "Lu Ge'er, you must perform well today. His Majesty and all the officials are watching!"
Lu Ge'er calmly replied, "Grandson understands."
He took a deep breath and stepped onto the field.
The competition events were simple: target shooting, mounted archery, and simple obstacle courses...
Although Lu Ge'er was not as strong and powerful as those sons of military families, his movements were precise and his skills were superb, especially in archery, where he almost never missed a shot.
After several rounds of competition, he performed exceptionally well and remained firmly in the top ranks.
On the sidelines, Zhao Yunci nodded with a smile, very satisfied with Lu Ge'er's performance.
Gu Junze remained calm, as if all of this was within his expectations.
Master Gu was so pleased with himself that the smile on his face never stopped. He frequently bowed to his colleagues around him, accepting their congratulations.
Just as the competition reached its final stage, when they were about to shoot at a moving target, an accident occurred.
Lu Ge'er spurred his horse and galloped towards the archery spot.
Suddenly, a horse went out of control and rushed onto the track, heading straight for Brother Lü.
The boy on the horse was clearly panicked and unable to control his mount.
The change happened so fast that everyone gasped in surprise.
"Brother Lu!" Master Gu cried out, his face ashen.
On the sidelines, Gu Junze's eyes instantly turned sharp, but he did not make a move immediately.
He believed in Lu Ge'er's abilities.
In the blink of an eye, Brother Lü remained calm in the face of danger.
He yanked the reins sharply, and his horse neighed, its front hooves rearing up high, narrowly avoiding the runaway, frightened horse.
A startled horse brushed past him, but he steadied himself the instant the horse landed, his hand still firmly gripping the bow and arrow.
He did not stop, but continued to ride forward. When he reached the shooting point, he turned to the side, drew his bow, and shot the arrow like a meteor, accurately hitting the moving target.
"it is good!"
The crowd erupted in even louder cheers than before.
This series of reactions, from encountering danger to resolving the crisis and finishing the race, demonstrated Brother Lü's extraordinary courage, composure, and superb riding skills.
A hint of admiration flashed in Zhao Yunci's eyes as she said to Gu Junze beside her, "Your student is truly a promising talent!"
Gu Junze, however, looked at a horse that seemed somewhat familiar...
After the competition ended, Brother Lü unsurprisingly won first place.
Zhao Yunci personally summoned him, praised his bravery and composure once again, and rewarded him with many things.
Lu Ge'er knelt on the ground to receive his reward, but in his heart he was thinking about the runaway horse from earlier.
The hunting trip came to a successful conclusion, and the delegation returned to Beijing in a grand procession.
On the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Xuan-ge'er was very excited, waving his arms and legs.
"Brother is so amazing!" His eyes sparkled.
Lu Ge'er sat beside him, a gentle smile on his face, occasionally responding with a word.
Little Qingchen was fast asleep, nestled in Chu Ruohan's arms.
Gu Junze sat next to Chu Ruohan, looking at the scenery passing by outside the window, and then at the heartwarming scene inside the carriage.
“I will have someone investigate the matter of that runaway horse,” Gu Junze suddenly said.
Lu Ge'er raised his head and looked at Gu Junze.
Gu Junze's gaze pierced through the carriage, as if he could see the undercurrents hidden beneath the calm surface.
“Whether it was an accident or…” Gu Junze didn’t finish his sentence, but Lu Ge’er understood what he meant.
Chu Ruohan understood...
The carriage rumbled forward, and the capital city was now in sight.
The carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion naturally traveled in a prominent position, while the carriage of the third branch of the family followed a little behind.
Inside the carriage, Master Gu's excitement had continued from the hunting grounds until now.
With a ruddy complexion and spittle flying, he recounted to Lü Ge'er how honored he was to be in front of the Emperor and his colleagues that day.
"Brother Lü, you've really made our third branch of the family proud today!"
Master Gu slapped his thigh and said in a loud voice, "You didn't see it, His Majesty's eyes kept glancing at you!"
"And those arrogant old guys who usually look down on everyone, which one of them didn't congratulate me today?"
He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and continued, "His Majesty said personally that you are a calm and quick-witted child with a limitless future!"
"Did you hear that? Limitless potential! These are golden words!"
Lu Ge'er sat quietly, his head slightly bowed, and only during the pauses in Master Gu's speech did he respectfully reply, "Grandson dares not accept such praise; it was all by chance."
"Hey, this isn't just luck!" Master Gu waved his hand. "It's skill! It's your own hard work! Of course, your uncle also deserves credit, haha!"