After speaking, he turned his horse around, raising his spear forcefully toward the Imperial Guards on the field. The red tassels on the spear tip flew like blood, accompanied by several metallic sounds, and the horsemanship demonstration began.
She remained in place, stunned and at a loss.
Though she had heard his words, she couldn’t comprehend their meaning. Rising through the ranks was her heart’s desire, but how could she dare to hope for soaring to the highest heavens?
In the distance, horses galloped with flying manes, the cold gleam of silver spears reflected against dark armor, overlapping figures with bows curved like crescent moons, light sand kicked up, and arrows suddenly arriving. The cheers from the sidelines grew increasingly louder, stirring the blood in everyone’s heart. These hundred or so men were the elite of the elite among the palace guards. Under his spear’s direction, even a simple palace horsemanship drill became so magnificent.
As she watched intently, she heard someone beside her call “Official Meng” with a laugh. Turning to look, she saw it was Huang Bo, which delighted her. “Guard Huang is here today as well?”
After His Majesty’s ascension to the throne, the Meng residence had remained peaceful, and Huang Bo had been summoned back to the imperial palace for service. She had been away from the capital on imperial orders for several months, and since her return, she hadn’t been summoned to the Ruisi Hall. It had been a long time since she had seen Huang Bo.
Seeing Huang Bo dressed in brown silk armor with nothing in his hands, not appearing as though he would participate in the horsemanship demonstration, she couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Guard Huang’s skills are exceptional, rarely matched among the palace guards. Why aren’t you riding on the field and instead standing here?”
Huang Bo smiled and scratched his head, saying: “His Majesty has ordered this humble official to teach Official Meng horsemanship and archery today.” As he spoke, he dutifully stepped forward, took the horse’s reins, and waited for her to mount.
She was speechless, immediately raising her eyes toward the figure in dark armor in the distant crowd. Just then, she saw the black stallion raising its head and pawing the ground, its rider turning back with graceful ease, smiling at her across the many figures between them.
The numerous Privy Council officials standing with their hands behind their backs also turned to look at her. Seeing that Huang Bo was to teach her horsemanship and archery, they became curious, their gazes examining her and the horse up and down, occasionally bending their heads to whisper a few words.
Fang Kai even walked several steps forward, his scrutinizing gaze filled with amusement.
She suddenly felt slightly indignant.
Yesterday, he had said he wanted her to come to observe the horsemanship drill and practice riding. How had it become learning horsemanship and archery today? She knew how to ride horses and had learned the basics of archery at the women’s school, but to have her release the reins and draw a bow on horseback—wasn’t that asking for her to fall again? He knew she cared about her reputation, yet he made her learn horsemanship and archery in front of so many people, clearly wanting to embarrass her.
But with several senior Privy Council officials watching, she couldn’t show cowardice in public. She had no choice but to grit her teeth, step forward, and reluctantly mount the horse. Gripping the reins tightly, she lowered her head and said to Huang Bo: “I trouble Guard Huang.”
Huang Bo smiled and gently tugged at the horse’s mane. The horse gave a low neigh, arched its neck, and shook vigorously several times, impatiently pawing the ground with its front hooves before finally settling down.
On horseback, she was terrified, both hands gripping the reins tightly, fearing she might accidentally fall off.
She had thought that since he had bestowed this horse upon her, it would have been well-tamed. Who would have thought that the horse’s temperament was even fiercer than two years ago?
Knowing she was afraid, Huang Bo patted the horse’s body and said: “Qingyun is a mare, somewhat wary of strangers. Once Official Meng rides her for a couple of laps and becomes familiar with her temperament, it will be fine.”
The saddle and bridle on the horse were imperial items inlaid with precious jewels, with gilded decorations that were extraordinarily dazzling. Amid her fear, she noticed these items and was stunned. She had thought his bestowing an imperial horse upon her was already a tremendous favor, but the saddle and bridle were equally precious.
Following Huang Bo’s instructions, she slowly rode the horse back and forth along the edge of the field several times. Seeing that Qingyun was gradually adjusting to her control, she returned to Huang Bo’s side. Huang Bo took a long bow handed to him by someone behind and presented it to her with both hands. She freed one hand to accept the bow, finding it slightly heavy, but not daring to release her other hand.
Compared to the heavy, rigid longbows in the hands of the Imperial Guards, this bow appeared extremely exquisite. The bow stave had several areas gilded with gold, shaped like flowing clouds and peaks, looking quite beautiful.
When the Privy Council officials saw this bow, their expressions immediately changed, and they began whispering among themselves.
Fang Kai strode forward with large steps, frowning as he said to Huang Bo: “Who allowed you to bring this bow?”
Huang Bo lowered his head and replied: “His Majesty said that the bows made by the Imperial Armory typically weigh over a hundred jin, which Official Meng certainly couldn’t draw. So he instructed this humble official to bring this bow for Official Meng to use in practicing mounted archery.”
Fang Kai was taken aback. He turned to look at Meng Tinghui, his brows furrowed in thought for a moment, before waving his hand and saying: “Since it’s His Majesty’s idea, then use it!”
She didn’t understand the reason for the exchange, but seeing Fang Kai’s spirited response and his profound respect for His Majesty’s words, she couldn’t help but purse her lips slightly, thinking to herself that these veteran officials who had risen through bloody achievements on the battlefield were indeed different from those in the Government Hall.
Huang Bo turned back, took the reins from her hand, letting her comfortably hold the bow, and led the horse forward, saying softly: “Official Meng may not know, but this bow was the Emperor Emeritus’s imperial bow, specially made by the Imperial Armory’s officials when the Emperor Emeritus personally led troops into battle. Later, after the Great Peace Dynasty was established and the realm became peaceful, this bow was set aside by the Emperor Emeritus and stored in the Imperial Armory, unused for twenty-five years.”
As she listened, she felt the bow handle burning hot in her grip. She had not imagined the bow had such a history, and given her status, how could she dare to use it?
“Official Meng,” Huang Bo called her again, seeing her distracted. “You must have learned to draw a bow at the women’s school. I will steady the horse, so you needn’t be afraid. Just try drawing the bow.”
The horsemanship demonstration had temporarily ended, and many Imperial Guards were looking in their direction, their gazes bold and uninhibited.
Feeling even more exposed, she sat up straight and reluctantly extended her arm to draw the bow. This bow seemed specially designed for women, quite different from the longbows she had tried before. It took surprisingly little effort to draw.
The bowstring quivered, gleaming like silver needles.
Huang Bo smiled happily beside her and said: “Try urging the horse to run lightly.” As he spoke, he released the reins, gave a low command, and Qingyun leaped forward, darting ahead.
Before she could stop it, the horse had already gone more than ten paces, leaving Huang Bo far behind. At first, she was afraid, but Qingyun’s steps were steady, and she found herself quite stable on horseback even without holding the reins. She calmed down and waited for the horse to turn back.
Unexpectedly, several Imperial Guards watching nearby became excited and spurred their horses to join her. When Qingyun saw those armored war horses, she suddenly became wild again, abruptly charging forward, eager to compete with those stallions.
Her heart instantly jumped to her throat. She wanted to release the bow and grip the reins, but she didn’t dare to simply drop such a precious imperial bow. In her moment of hesitation, Qingyun made a sharp turn, nearly throwing her off.
Huang Bo was also alarmed, repeatedly calling out “Official Meng” as he turned to find his own horse, intending to chase after Qingyun, but it was already too late.
From a distance came a sharp whistle. Sand rose with the wind as the black stallion leaped forward angrily. Someone reached out to seize Qingyun’s reins, stopping her advance.
Still shaken, her body went limp, and she slid off the saddle, the hand holding the bow still trembling.
Huang Bo caught up, dismounted, and immediately knelt before the black stallion, saying in a trembling voice: “This subject was careless for a moment. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
She gathered her wits and looked at the horse that had been restrained nearby.
Qingyun snorted softly, lowered her head, and shook her mane. Her large, clear eyes looked completely innocent.
This expression angered her, and she turned toward the black stallion, saying: “May Your Majesty forgive my directness, but this horse is too wild and unsuitable for me. I fear I cannot control it.”
The man on the black stallion, in his gleaming cold armor, remained silent for a long time.
Qingyun’s left front hoof gently bent, slowly pawing at the sand beneath, with a snort.
This made her even angrier, and she continued: “I am lacking in natural talent and cannot learn mounted archery. Your Majesty’s intentions are wasted on me. Besides, as a civil official, I do not need to learn horsemanship and archery!”
“Meng Tinghui,” he finally spoke, tapping his horse’s belly with his heel to bring it closer to her. “Come here.”
Feeling utterly humiliated in front of so many people and not understanding why he insisted on forcing her to learn mounted archery, she stubbornly refused to move, saying: “This bow is the Emperor Emeritus’s imperial bow. Forgive me, but I dare not use it.”
The black stallion gave a sharp neigh as he swiftly dismounted, grabbed her, and pulled her onto the horse’s back. With a loud command, he spurred the horse forward into a gallop.
The nearby Imperial Guards and Privy Council officials watched in astonishment.
The breeze carrying grains of sand blew against their faces. In the saddle, he quickly adjusted her posture, released the reins, drew an arrow, reached around to her front, firmly grasped her hand, drew the long bow, nocked the arrow, and let the black stallion charge forward unrestrained as he said in her ear against the wind:
“My woman may not excel at mounted archery, but she must know what mounted archery is!”
His breath scorched her skin, and her hand ached in his grip. Before her eyes, the bowstring vibrated with golden brilliance. With a resonant sound in her ears, the arrow shot forth, its white feathered tail tracing a beautiful arc through the air, striking the center of a target a hundred paces away.
The blazing sunlight seemed to freeze, and even the gentle breeze felt bone-chillingly sharp. Beneath them, the black stallion’s powerful, undulating movements exuded magnificent strength. The bow stave trembled in her hands, and her heart trembled too, truly feeling his raw power and imposing presence. The force of the released arrow from a galloping horse was so intense, real, and awe-inspiring, far beyond her imagination.
He released the bow and firmly embraced her waist, saying: “Meng Tinghui, this horse must be ridden by you, this bow must be used by you. If you refuse again, you will be spurning my sincere intentions!”