He Yao looked back at Wei Dongling who was about to catch up, a sneering smile appearing on her face.
"Giddyap!" He Yao leaned forward, clamping her thighs tightly around the thin horse's belly and continuously whipping the reins. The fine horse beneath her was light - bodied and extremely agile. Upon receiving the command, it dashed out like lightning, leaving in a gust of wind. In a short while, it widened the gap that Wei Dongling and Xiaohong had painstakingly narrowed.
Wei Dongling stared in disbelief. Weren't they saying that the thin horse had been running for a whole morning and was on the verge of exhaustion? Why did it seem that the horse wasn't the least bit tired? Instead, it was getting more and more energetic?
No! She couldn't let that ten - thousand - tael silver and the peony gold hairpin slip away like this!
"Xiaohong, catch up with her! You're the king here!" Wei Dongling shouted repeatedly, digging her heels into the horse's belly.
Xiaohong's fighting spirit was ignited. Not willing to be outdone, it galloped forward desperately.
On the seventh and eighth laps, He Yao still showed no sign of weakening and remained half a lap ahead. Wei Dongling's forehead was sweating. She whipped Xiaohong's rump continuously. Xiaohong neighed in pain and ran even faster, desperately surging forward.
The thin horse under He Yao finally showed signs of fatigue after running non - stop for a whole morning.
On the ninth lap, the distance between the two was getting quite close. The crowd outside the racetrack stared at the two figures, not daring to blink an eye, shouting and cheering for the horses they had bet on.
He Yao was still in the lead. As she passed by the grandstand, she smiled charmingly and waved to the crowd. The audience below responded with enthusiastic shouts.
Wei Dongling had no time to look around. She focused all her attention on He Yao's figure, trying to overtake her.
At this moment, from the restless crowd in the grandstand, someone secretly shot out several silver needles as thin as hair, flying straight towards Wei Dongling.
The silver needles were so thin that they were hardly noticeable. In an instant, Wei Dongling felt something coming at her but was unable to defend herself. One silver needle pierced into her arm, and the remaining ones all landed on Xiaohong's rump.
Wei Dongling winced in pain. Her face turned deathly pale. The tips of the needles were actually poisoned! The pain made her arm spasm.
Xiaohong neighed painfully and galloped forward. It struggled and bucked, trying to get rid of the stinging pain on its rump. Wei Dongling's hand holding the reins went limp, and she rolled off the horse.
It's over!
Everyone's faces turned ashen.
"Girl!" Luo Xunlong panicked and stood up, about to rush over, but was grabbed by Ruan Niang beside him.
Cuihuan was extremely worried. Xiaohong, frightened, ran forward recklessly. Seeing that it was about to deviate from the track, she couldn't help shouting, "Miss Wei, get up quickly! The horse is running off - course!"
Wei Dongling had been hit in the arm and rolled on the ground for several times. Her body was burning with pain. She heard Cuihuan's shout from afar and looked up at the fiery red horse. She saw Xiaohong running forward desperately in a frightened state. It was running at an astonishing speed but getting farther and farther off - course.
Without hesitation, Wei Dongling forced herself to stand up. With a light tap of her toes, she leaped up. Her figure was as graceful as a swimming dragon. She soared through the air and landed on Xiaohong's back. She reached out and firmly grabbed the reins, adjusting the direction. Then she urged Xiaohong to gallop towards He Yao, who was half a lap ahead.
Wei Dongling's movements were so smooth and fast that the crowd below stood there in a daze.
Mu Rongxuan looked at Wei Dongling's beautiful figure on the racetrack. His eyes were full of disbelief, and he smiled brightly, "Miss Wei really surprises this prince!"
Shangguan Yun glanced at him and snorted, "Someone secretly attacked and injured others on the little prince's territory. You've failed in your duty, my dear brother."
Mu Rongxuan waved over a waiter and instructed, "Go and investigate secretly. Don't let Miss Wei be wronged for nothing."
"Yes."
In its wild state, Xiaohong's hooves kicked up billowing dust. Its speed was unmatched, making the audience outside the racetrack gasp in admiration.
Wei Dongling held the reins tightly, glaring at He Yao's back in front of her with fiery eyes. This woman had been pushing her around again and again. Did she think Wei Dongling had no temper?
On the tenth lap, He Yao saw Wei Dongling chasing after her relentlessly and with great momentum. She felt a bit flustered. As she passed by the grandstand, she still forced a smile and waved.
The crowd below was in an uproar. The mastermind hiding in the crowd was a middle - aged man. Upon receiving He Yao's instruction, he took out a self - made small crossbow for shooting silver needles from his bosom. He loaded five glinting silver needles onto it and aimed at Wei Dongling, who was about to rush over.
Wei Dongling was completely unaware. She rode Xiaohong and charged forward angrily.
Just as the middle - aged man was about to press the trigger to shoot the silver needles, a strong and powerful hand held him down.
The middle - aged man looked up and saw a big and strong man firmly holding his shoulder, making his arm go numb. The small crossbow in his hand dropped to the ground with a clatter.
Yu Haiming held the man down and sneered, "Playing dirty tricks behind others' backs, huh?"
Without waiting for the man to answer, Yu Haiming slapped him across the face. The middle - aged man fell to the ground on the spot, his face burning with pain. He quickly got up and kowtowed desperately for mercy, wailing, "My lord, spare my life! Spare my life!"
On the racetrack, Wei Dongling didn't even look in this direction. She was burning with anger, glaring at He Yao, who was just within reach.
The fine horse under He Yao was obviously exhausted after running for a whole morning and so many laps. She whipped the horse's rump in panic. This one - in - a - million fine horse was very intelligent. It gritted its teeth and galloped forward with all its might, afraid of being overtaken by the fiery red horse.
The two horses ran side by side for most of a lap. As they were about to reach the finish line, Wei Dongling gritted her teeth and slapped the injured part of Xiaohong's rump. Xiaohong, in pain, became even more frantic, and its speed instantly increased. Just as the two were running neck - and - neck, Wei Dongling yanked the reins hard. Xiaohong, caught off - guard, rammed into He Yao's direction, knocking He Yao and her thin horse to the ground.
The whole stadium erupted in an uproar.
The horse under He Yao was originally small and thin. After being hit by the tall Xiaohong, it was knocked over several times. Along with He Yao on its back, she was thrown out heavily and fell to the ground, unable to get up.
"Yaoyao!" Princess Jiaxin was shocked and quickly rushed down.
Wei Dongling led Xiaohong back to the finish line proudly.
The crowd outside the racetrack was in a heated discussion. The servant who was supposed to announce the result looked at Mu Rongxuan hesitantly. With such an obvious foul on the track, he didn't know how to make the announcement.
Mu Rongxuan waved his hand and said, "The red team wins. Let the people who bet on the horses go and exchange their silver."
The servant then nodded and left.
Cuihuan helped Wei Dongling off the horse. She rolled up Wei Dongling's sleeve to check the injury. Seeing that the needle was still stuck in her arm and the skin around the needle was turning black, it was obvious that she was poisoned. Cuihuan's face changed, and she said angrily, "How insidious!"
Wei Dongling's face was pale, and she felt extremely uncomfortable. But she still forced herself to say to Cuihuan, "You must carefully keep that ten - thousand - tael silver and the gold hairpin." Cuihuan nodded repeatedly.
Everyone helped Wei Dongling sit down on one side. Ruan Niang pulled out the silver needle and examined it carefully. She took out a detoxifying pill from her small white porcelain bottle and gave it to Wei Dongling. Then she used the Nine Needles for Reviving the Soul to draw out the poisoned blood.
Shangguan Yun and Mu Rongxuan stood beside Wei Dongling, their expressions different.