Shen Li looked at He Yimeng, who was smiling at her with eyes full of hope, and nodded gently. "I know a bit."
Hearing this, He Yimeng seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Then she said to Shen Li, "I wonder if Miss Shen would be interested in participating in this horse - racing competition?"
Shen Li agreed almost without hesitation. "Sure!"
"The outcome doesn't matter. I'm really grateful that Miss Shen is willing to help me at this moment," He Yimeng quickly added, fearing that Shen Li might feel pressured.
Shen Li nodded and said nothing more. Then she went to the stable at the back with the groom to choose a horse.
This time, Shen Li chose a very strong black horse. She led it to the starting point of the racecourse. First, she gently patted the horse's head to comfort it, then fed it a mouthful of grass. After that, she swung onto the horse's back.
Shen Li took He Yimeng's original position, next to Wu Qihuan.
"Boom!" The gong sounded, and the race began.
Just as usual, Wu Qihuan took the lead on her horse and galloped out. Princess Heyuan, of course, was not willing to lag behind. She tightly held the second position, determined to catch up.
Compared with the other noble ladies who were scrambling for the lead, Shen Li seemed much calmer. She rode the horse at a trot around the racecourse, looking as if she were just out for a leisurely ride.
At the first turn, Wu Qihuan was still in the lead. When turning, she looked back at Shen Li, who was far behind the others. A sense of pride welled up in her heart. "It seems that this Shen Li is only good at talking. Her horsemanship is just mediocre and not up to the mark."
Princess Heyuan was extremely annoyed by Shen Li, who was riding as if she were on a stroll. "She originally thought that when Shen Li said she knew a bit, it was just a humble way of speaking. But it turns out that's really her true level. It seems that whether she can beat Wu Qihuan in today's race depends on her own performance."
"Giddy - up!" Thinking this way, Princess Heyuan shouted and spurred her horse on, chasing after Wu Qihuan.
When everyone had run about half a lap, they suddenly heard exclamations from the stands around. Curious and puzzled, they all turned around to look back.
The sight made them gasp in surprise just like the others. "This speed is too fast!"
It was Shen Li, who had been half a lap behind. Now she was on her strong black horse, galloping towards them like lightning.
Shen Li sat upright on the horse, holding the reins in both hands. Sometimes she pulled the reins tightly, making the horse leap over an obstacle as high as a horse's leg. Sometimes she leaned forward, clinging to the horse's back, passing under an obstacle only slightly higher than the horse's back.
All her movements were as smooth as flowing clouds and running water, showing great proficiency. This surprised the noble ladies in front.
Two noble ladies were so shocked by looking back at Shen Li that they lost their focus while riding and hit the obstacles, thus being eliminated from the race.
Even though Shen Li had started half a lap behind, as the race neared the end of the first lap, she was gradually catching up with the others.
Wu Qihuan never expected that Shen Li would be able to catch up. Now Shen Li was right behind her, tied for the second position with Princess Heyuan.
Wu Qihuan glared at Shen Li unhappily. Seeing the distance between them getting shorter and shorter, she couldn't help but warn Shen Li, "Miss Shen, is it really worth it? To offend our Huaihua General's Mansion for someone you're not even familiar with?"
Shen Li also showed no good will towards Wu Qihuan. "It seems that Miss Wu has a poor self - awareness. Does Miss Wu think that the entire General's Mansion will side with you? Or do you think you alone can influence General Wu's decision?"
"You..." Wu Qihuan stared at Shen Li angrily and retorted defiantly, "I can't do it, but what about you, Miss Shen? What right do you have to judge me?"
"We are both people who have been forgotten, growing up in the corners, in the shadows. We have similar fates and should sympathize with each other. Why do we have to fight like this today?"
Shen Li didn't react to Wu Qihuan's sarcasm. Instead, she spurred her horse on, tightened the reins, and overtook Wu Qihuan.
The onlookers were shocked. They never expected that Shen Li, who had been quietly and slowly trailing behind at the beginning, could overtake Wu Qihuan, who had been leading all along, and take the first place in such a short time.
During the next lap, Wu Qihuan tried her best to catch up, but she always lagged behind. What annoyed her most was that whenever she spurred her horse on to narrow the distance between her and Shen Li, Shen Li would immediately widen the gap again.
They maintained a distance of about four or five meters until the end of the race.
When there were still about four or five meters from the finish line, Shen Li jumped up from the horse's back. Her toes landed steadily on the bumpy horse's back without any sign of instability. Then, when passing by the wooden frame with the gong hanging on it, she leaped into the air, took the gong, rang it, and then used her light - body skill to return to the horse's back. She pulled the reins tightly and stopped the horse.
"Bravo! Excellent skill!" Emperor Dongling, sitting in the upper seat, was the first to clap his hands. Looking extremely pleased, he said, "As the saying goes, a tiger never gives birth to a dog. Your light - body skill is really no less than your father's!"
Shen Li dismounted and bowed to Emperor Dongling. "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty!"
"Alright, this horse - racing competition has come to an end. Miss Shen has won. Minister He and Minister Wu, do you have any objections?"
"I have no objections, Your Majesty," an old official replied.
"Nor do I, Your Majesty," another official said.
"Good! Then the final winner of today's horse - racing competition is Miss Shen!" Then Emperor Dongling added, "I've watched a wonderful competition today. I didn't expect there to be a woman with such superb horsemanship in our Dongling Kingdom. I must reward her today!"
"Come! Fetch my riding whip!"
The palace servant quickly fetched what Emperor Dongling asked for. That riding whip was only different from others in that it was the bright yellow color that only the emperor could use.
Emperor Dongling picked up the riding whip with great care and stroked it nostalgically. "This riding whip was the one I used when I was learning to ride a horse. It has been with me for decades. Now I'll give it to you."
As he said, he held out the riding whip in front of Shen Li.
Shen Li knelt down to receive it. "Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty!"
After giving the riding whip to Shen Li, Emperor Dongling seemed a bit reluctant. He instructed her, "I didn't even give this riding whip to those princes. You must take good care of it in the future."
As he spoke, he pointed at the Second Prince and the Fourth Prince standing beside him.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"