Qin Yining smiled gracefully, her smile so radiant it made people hold their breath.

“The Khan truly knows how to jest. Persuading others also requires substance, reason, and evidence. If one can’t argue successfully, it only shows they lack reason or clear thinking. The Khan shouldn’t belittle all Tatar women either. Moreover, Great Zhou women following propriety and education is tradition—this is caused by the environment they grow up in. Just as Tatar women learn many praiseworthy skills from following their tribes in nomadic survival from childhood, any woman who can live properly in this world is not inferior to anyone else. It’s just that different environments create different lives—each has their own specialty. The Khan is a heroic woman who doesn’t yield to men, but you shouldn’t underestimate yourself either.”

The reasoning in Qin Yining’s words was too forceful, making A’na Ri’s mind unable to keep up. She only stared at that annoying face, wishing she could cut several marks on it with a knife to relieve her hatred.

In front of her subjects, this kidnapped hostage actually dared to provoke her like this!

A’na Ri coldly scolded: “Stop showing off that bit of learning! This Khan is naturally a heroine who doesn’t yield to men, unlike you—just a dodder flower hiding behind men! If you truly have some ability, bring it out for this Khan to see, so people can be convinced. What’s so impressive about just speaking eloquently?”

Qin Yining smiled gracefully: “Then what does the Khan say? As the legitimate daughter of a current minister, as a princess consort, what ability should I bring out to show you?”

“You! If you have ability, don’t use your father and your man to show off. How about you and I compete fairly?” A’na Ri was determined to make things difficult for Qin Yining. She looked around, then raised her riding whip: “Let’s compete in horsemanship!”

Qin Yining raised her eyebrows, her eyes shifting as she politely declined: “The Khan excels at horsemanship—how could I possibly be the Khan’s opponent? Better not to compete.”

Qin Yining’s words were spoken gently, revealing some of the unique delicacy of southern women. Among the surrounding herders, those who understood the Great Zhou language also translated for those beside them.

Everyone looked at the delicate beauty, feeling her words were quite sincere.

The Khan had grown up on horseback since childhood—how could a Great Zhou young lady compare? They had heard that many officials’ daughters in Great Zhou even bound their feet, turning perfectly good feet into crippled ones while calling that beautiful. Women who couldn’t even stand steadily—how could they ride horses?

Thinking this, some straightforward herders curiously looked at Qin Yining’s feet, but her long robe covered them to the instep, making it unclear.

A’na Ri smiled smugly and mocked: “So you’re just an embroidered pillow who only knows how to move her lips. If you won’t compete, so be it. I’ll just consider all Great Zhou women to be superficial. If ordinary household women don’t know horsemanship, that’s fine, but I never thought the Qin family could raise such a daughter—one who doesn’t even have the courage to accept a challenge.”

A’na Ri shook her head at this point, as if deeply regretful: “I truly feel sorry for Zhǐ Pán’ān. His lifetime reputation will be ruined by you.”

Everyone finally understood.

The Khan fundamentally despised this Great Zhou woman. The reason might be that this beautiful woman had something going on with the Khan’s Prince Consort.

Some married women most despised their own men having entanglements with young, beautiful women, so they particularly understood A’na Ri’s behavior of relentlessly pursuing Qin Yining. They all chimed in support, saying that if Qin Yining didn’t dare accept the challenge, she would shame all Great Zhou women.

Qin Yining originally didn’t want to compete. On someone else’s territory, regardless of winning or losing, the other party could find excuses to slander her. Moreover, she could feel that after being injured and losing blood again, then going through that ordeal in the desert, her body was far inferior to before—she simply didn’t have her former stamina.

But she had never been someone who would easily retreat.

A’na Ri’s provocation successfully aroused her fighting spirit. She’d rather lose the competition than avoid battle! Otherwise, she’d have no face to call herself Zhǐ Pán’ān’s daughter or Prince Zhongshun’s wife!

“Fine.” Qin Yining stepped forward several paces, circling through a gap in the wooden fence to A’na Ri’s front: “But I don’t have a horse.”

A’na Ri raised her hand, and one of the men who had already stopped racing led over a red horse.

This horse had a tall, strong build with rather long mane. Just looking at its appearance, one could tell it was a spirited horse.

People in the tribe who recognized this horse were already beginning to worry for Qin Yining.

This horse was originally wild. Because it was injured and saved by them, they kept it nearby. Once its injuries healed, they wanted to tame it, but even the man with the best horsemanship in the tribe took three full months to barely make this horse submit to him. Moreover, this horse was extremely spirited—after accepting that man as master, it would only let him ride and wouldn’t let anyone else even touch it.

Just before A’na Ri went on the field to race, she had looked at this horse and naturally knew its fierce nature.

She smiled mockingly: “Here, this one’s for you.”

The man led the horse over and tossed both the reins and riding whip to Qin Yining.

Under the breathless, concentrated gaze of the informed spectators, Qin Yining slowly walked toward the red horse.

“Princess Consort, be careful.”

Lu Heng had appeared beside Si Qin at some point.

Seeing Qin Yining approach the red horse, Lu Heng said nervously: “If it doesn’t work out, just admit defeat. Keep the green hills, and you won’t lack firewood. No need to hurt yourself over momentary pride.”

Lu Heng’s handsome, noble face was full of genuine worry. He had been watching from the side for a long time, but unfortunately, as captives, their life and death depended on others’ words. The people around him had all been lost, and he was helpless in such situations. Qin Yining was the woman he admired, and they were both Great Zhou people, so he couldn’t help but speak up in concern.

Qin Yining turned back to nod and smile at Lu Heng, but disagreed in her heart.

Admit defeat?

She had never admitted defeat since birth!

When she was small in the mountains, encountering wild beasts, especially wolves—if she showed fear even once, she might have been eaten until not even bone fragments remained.

When facing fierce wild beasts, the best method was to be even more fierce than them!

Qin Yining held the whip in one hand and pulled the reins with the other.

The red horse snorted in displeasure, stamping its hooves, its powerful neck shaking in dissatisfaction, resisting Qin Yining’s hand pulling the reins.

But Qin Yining’s fighting spirit was now completely ignited. She had cast all physical discomfort to the back of her mind, her eyes bright like two ignited flames. Her hand gripped the reins tightly and pulled forcefully, then nimbly grabbed the saddle and flipped onto the horse.

The red horse neighed loudly and immediately began bucking, kicking its hind legs forcefully, trying to throw Qin Yining off.

The watching crowd cried out in alarm, and timid women and children had already fearfully covered their eyes.

Qin Yining’s hat was immediately thrown off—the hat adorned with red agate tassels fell far away on the ground, and her jet-black long hair flew in the wind.