Ling Shan was dressed in a bright red Hu-style garment with turn-down collars and narrow sleeves, adorned with continuous branch and connected bead patterns. Her slender waist, easily grasped with one hand, was accentuated by a xiexie belt inlaid with numerous red agates. Her fair complexion was free of makeup.
Her long, raven - black hair was braided into countless thin plaits by Banchun. The ends of the braids were tied with small, colorful glass beads. On her forehead, there was a tasseled forehead ornament made of red coral and gold, hanging down to her eyebrows. As her eyes flitted about, she looked extremely gorgeous.
Jun Wuyuan was shocked by the wild boar's request and had to come out to get some fresh air to calm down.
Unexpectedly, before he could fully calm down, he turned around and saw such a heart - stirring scene.
Jun Wuyuan was like a silly young man. His legs were stiff and out of his control. His peach - blossom eyes were fixed on Ling Shan, who had just emerged from the inner tent and was smiling slightly with a tilt of her head.
It was the feeling of being smitten...
Jun Wuyuan had never, in his life, so clearly thought that Ling Shan in front of him was so captivating.
So captivating that he... felt an almost obsessive possessiveness towards her.
He didn't want such a gorgeous and charming Ling Shan to be seen by anyone other than himself.
Jun Wuyuan just wanted this dazzling pearl to always stay by his side.
At this moment, Jun Wuyuan suddenly felt a bit regretful.
Regretful that he had brought his Shan Shan to this so - called hunting event.
He might as well have shared a horse with her, wandering through the flower fields and green trees, being intimate with each other...
Ling Shan rolled her eyes mentally. If it weren't for the fact that he had complimented her a few times and showed some taste, she would have...
She couldn't wait for this stupid man to keep daydreaming. With a smile on her face, Ling Shan walked towards Jun Wuyuan.
"Your Majesty, does Shan Shan look good in this outfit?"
Jun Wuyuan suppressed the inexplicably surging emotions and palpitations in his heart. His eyes were fixed on Ling Shan, who had twirled around and looked even more gorgeous and alluring.
"Beautiful."
Among all the people he had seen wearing Hu - style clothes, she was the most beautiful and the most dazzling. The moment she appeared, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
The look in Jun Wuyuan's eyes was as bright as a burning flame, easily making Ling Shan very happy.
Everyone loves beauty.
Ling Shan was praised for her beauty, so naturally her mood became even brighter.
A bright smile bloomed on her face. Without bothering to hold up the skirt, she quickly walked to Jun Wuyuan's side.
"Your Majesty, do you have time to teach Shan Shan how to ride a horse today?"
Ling Shan's eyes sparkled. Wearing this Hu - style outfit, she felt more confident about riding a horse.
Well, there was just something about this outfit that made her look like a skilled horse - rider and archer just by standing there!
"Yes."
Jun Wuyuan's fingers twitched slightly, and he reached out to pinch the tip of her nose.
"Be a good girl and wander around the hunting ground. Don't go into the dense forest. I'll go and preside over the hunting ceremony and come to find you soon."
[She mustn't ride a horse on her own, and she can't go into the dense forest alone. I have to go by myself. Otherwise, I could just bring Shan Shan with me...]
Ling Shan felt a chill down her spine. She waved with a smile.
"Your Majesty, Shan Shan will obediently follow your instructions. I'll go and wait for Your Majesty at the entrance of the hunting ground first."
She didn't want to be a decorative vase or a so - called bewitching concubine in front of those officials.
One should know when to show off. Such a solemn ceremony was not a place for a concubine like her to appear.
Obviously not.
Without the proper status and ability, one should not easily break the rules.
Obviously, the current Great Yan was not a place where she could do as she pleased.
Moreover, it would be so strange to stand stupidly beside Jun Wuyuan and receive the gazes of countless people in such a situation.
It would be better to wander around the hunting ground first. Maybe she could run into Yu Shiwei.
She didn't know how good Yu Shiwei was at horse - riding and archery. If she was good, Ling Shan might not need Jun Wuyuan to teach her.
Don't think she didn't know what was going on in Jun Wuyuan's mind. He definitely had more than just teaching her to ride a horse in mind.
It was broad daylight and in the wild. Ling Shan couldn't encourage Jun Wuyuan's improper thoughts.
[Ungrateful wretch. After winning my heart, she has become a heartless person and doesn't even look at me. This ungrateful wretch...]
Hey!
Hey hey!
Jun Wuyuan was filled with resentment but could only watch helplessly as the young girl, who was as bright as the morning sun on the grassland, turned around without a trace of reluctance.
All that was left was a back that seemed eager to leave and didn't care about anyone, disappearing like a flying bird.
Jun Wuyuan: "..."
Liang Jiusi and the other imperial servants lowered their heads even more, not daring to look at the emperor's face.
They were afraid that if they took one more look, they would be frozen to the bone by the emperor's cold aura.
They couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration in their hearts. Sure enough, Consort Zhao was really something.
She could turn a cold shoulder to the emperor without even a hint of hesitation. She just waved her hand and left calmly, not caring at all.
Poor them, they were so timid that they didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
Fortunately, Jun Wuyuan didn't vent his anger on Liang Jiusi and the others. Instead, he directed it at the eager officials.
First, he criticized them rather unhappily about their appearance, clothing, and mental state.
Then he raised the standards for this hunting event quite a bit. Every person, even the weakest among them, had to bring back some prey. Otherwise...
Jun Wuyuan deliberately elongated the tone but didn't say the rest directly.
But those two words "otherwise" were enough to make the officials shiver all over.
After all, there was no doubt about Jun Wuyuan's ability to torment people.
While the officials were suffering, on the other hand, the concubines and noble ladies were very relaxed. Those who planned to go hunting in the dense forest had changed into Hu - style clothes and looked valiant and heroic.
The concubines and noble ladies who didn't plan to hunt were drinking milk tea and eating snacks in the tents in the hunting ground, watching the bustling scene.
When Ling Shan appeared in her red Hu - style outfit, everyone couldn't help but look over.
This was Ling Shan's first proper appearance in front of the outer noble ladies. As expected, her appearance made everyone understand why she could rise from a small palace maid to Consort Zhao.
This face and this figure were so captivating that even they, as women, couldn't take their eyes off her, let alone the emperor.
Among those whose daughters were in the harem, most of them looked at Ling Shan with jealousy or hatred, but there was also a lot of curiosity and hesitation.
By now, everyone in the capital knew about the battle between the royal orthodoxy, the Langya Wang family, and the Empress Dowager Wang. The aristocratic families outside the Wang faction were still watching.
It was still unknown who would be the final winner. Standing on the wrong side too early might lead to a complete defeat and implicate the whole family.
Therefore, even those noble ladies who wanted to get close to Ling Shan, the emperor's favorite, wouldn't act rashly for the time being.
"Consort Zhao, are you going to participate in the hunt today?"