After four months apart, he had several times at night locked the courtyard and had people draft edicts, yet she never had a single chance to see him. Today at the grand archery ceremony, he shone brilliantly, the focus of all eyes, while she felt as insignificant as the yellow earth and dust beneath his mount.

She had tried with all her might, merely wanting to be closer to him, even closer.

Did he know all this?

Suddenly from outside came a high-pitched neigh of a horse, accompanied by a man’s low, harsh urging, traveling to their ears.

He raised his hand, pointing to a soft couch in the corner of the inner hall, “Sit.”

His voice was so low it seemed to reach the ground, hoarse and deep. It was just this one word, yet she heard ten different tones in it. She watched as he strode outside, his light armor gleaming in the light.

She obediently moved over and nestled into the soft couch.

The cushion had the special fragrance of the palace, exactly the same as the scent used on his clothes, gently entering her nose, making her whole body relax involuntarily.

Her gaze explored outside the window, where she saw him walking toward a person and a horse standing in the distance beyond the corridor. The person was Di Nian, and the horse was clearly that small chestnut palace horse that had run wild and thrown her off its back.

He turned a corner, and Di Nian led the horse to follow him to the back, the two men and the horse gradually walking out of her field of vision, as if he knew she would be watching from here and deliberately kept her from seeing.

She sat still for a while, then turned gently, examining the objects in the inner hall.

Earlier, separated by long curtains and light gauze, she couldn’t see clearly from outside, only noticing this soft couch in one corner. She hadn’t realized there were several other items arranged along the wall.

Among them, a large square tray was particularly eye-catching. It was filled with black sand, strangely shaped, about three or four inches deep, with various colored markers inserted here and there in disarray.

She couldn’t help but be curious. Seeing no one outside the window, she struggled to her feet again and walked to the tray to examine it closely.

Outside, the sunlight was no longer as fiery as before, and a breeze passing through the trees was quite cool.

Di Nian had the horse’s reins wrapped around his finger, appearing slightly uneasy. His lips opened several times as if to speak, but he ultimately remained silent, just waiting for Ying Gua to speak.

Ying Gua stood with his hands behind his back, his face frighteningly dark. He stared at the horse for a long while, reaching out to slowly stroke the horse’s red mane a few times before speaking: “Is this horse truly not a gelding?”

Di Nian nodded, “When Your Highness sent Yan Zhi to tell me, I had already secured the horse and verified it. Logically, all palace horses under the care of the palace supervisors and stable officials should be geldings, and the palace horses provided for female officials to play ball games at the archery ceremony should especially be selected for their gentle temperament as geldings. But this horse somehow got mixed in and was coincidentally chosen by Lady Meng.”

The horse raised its neck and shook its mane restlessly under his palm, then forcefully stomped its hooves several times, displaying a genuinely fierce and combative nature.

This coat color, these eyes, this robust build—though not yet fully grown, it was a fine steed, an excellent choice for a military warhorse. How could palace supervisors and stable officials have mistakenly sent it to the grand archery ceremony at the Northern Park?

…But was this truly just a misunderstanding and coincidence?

The selection, feeding, and dispatching of palace horses were extremely strict. How could one casually slip through?

His fingers involuntarily gripped the horse’s mane tightly as he asked coldly, “Has this matter been told to anyone else?”

Di Nian shook his head, “I only said the horse was startled momentarily, and that Your Highness wanted to try riding it, so I brought it here.”

Ying Gua thought for a moment, then frowned and said, “Very well. Keep this horse here, for now, saying that I want it.” He reached out to take the reins and carefully examined the horse again. “It is indeed a good horse. Don’t let this matter spread. You should return to the front of Baojin Tower and tell the military officers that I am tired today and cannot accompany them anymore.”

Di Nian nodded, but as he was about to leave, he stopped, his eyes uncertain. “Your Highness…”

He looked up, “Yes?”

Di Nian hesitated for a moment before saying, “About Your Highness sending Yan Zhi to Qingzhou…”

He remained silent, but his hand slowly released the reins.

Di Nian continued, “If Your Highness has truly made up your mind, why not transfer me to the Qingzhou garrison as well? At least I could look after Yan Zhi.”

Ying Gua lowered his eyes, speaking softly and slowly: “Just sending Yan Zhi to Qingzhou alone has already caused a stir throughout the court. If I were to send you to the Qingzhou garrison as well, wouldn’t those old ministers immediately see what I’m trying to do?”

Di Nian thought for a moment, then smiled bitterly, “But with Yan Zhi’s temperament, if he goes to Qingzhou alone, Your Highness should consider whether he can…”

His gaze sharpened as he looked directly at him, interrupting, “Yet you should consider your position. As long as the Emperor remains on the throne for one day, would she allow you to go to such a place?”