In the afternoon, after Axi Wang finished his duties and left, he came to visit the Princess Consort. Seeing that her complexion was ruddy and not as pale as it had been yesterday, the worry in his heart lessened.
"Our land has a lot of sandstorms. Princess Consort, having lived in the beautiful and picturesque Yun Country, must find it difficult to adjust here," Axi Wang said, his words full of sincerity, yet every sentence praised Yun Country.
Zhao Jiaqi understood the implication in his words and smiled, "The discomfort is only temporary. I feel better after resting for a day. Although the sandstorms here are a bit more severe, the land is vast, and the grasslands are fertile, making it very suitable for raising cattle, sheep, and horses. Moreover, the livestock are all plump and strong. Thus, it is said that the land nourishes its people."
Upon hearing this, Axi Wang's smile widened. "It is truly not easy for the Princess Consort to appreciate this place so much. How about this afternoon, I take the Prince and the Princess Consort out for a stroll, to see the scenery?"
Although he spoke to Zhao Jiaqi, his gaze was fixed on Fan Zehao, the jealous one. He had long known that although this Prince appeared to make decisions, in reality, everything still required the nod of the woman beside him.
"That would be troublesome for you," Fan Zehao said slowly, his deep voice tinged with slight displeasure.
Axi Wang did not notice it, but Zhao Jiaqi picked up on the subtle undertones.
After Axi left to prepare things, and before Zhao Jiaqi could ask him why he was upset, he preempted her. He put his arm around her shoulder and accused her, "You don't like me anymore. You've been staring at that guy for so long."
Zhao Jiaqi: "......"
What on earth was he talking about!
"Alright, I've borne you three children. What other thoughts could I have? Besides, if I like handsome men, it's just a longer look. I'm not a celestial beauty, nor am I a walking treasure trove, so not everyone who sees me will like me. Not all men are like Pan An, who would make my heart ache. Having one husband is enough for me to handle, and I have to be careful about maintaining a safe distance even when speaking a few words. How could I dare to stare at handsome men?" Zhao Jiaqi playfully punched his chest, gave him a roll of her eyes, and pushed his embrace away.
He was jealous for no reason every day.
Fan Zehao pouted sulkily, "But he started talking to you as soon as he arrived, and he didn't even glance at me."
"Brother, he only spoke two complete sentences in total. One was to me, and the other was to you."
Hearing his wife say this, he furrowed his brow and thought. It seemed to be the case. The slight displeasure in his heart gradually faded, and a playful grin returned to his face. He acted solicitously, "It's cold here. You must wear a cloak when we go out later, be careful not to catch a chill."
With that, he took his black cloak and draped it over his wife's shoulders. Although it was a bit long, it was warm. He then casually pulled the hood of the cloak up over her head.
Looking at her, all bundled up, he nodded with satisfaction, a smile on his face. "This way, you won't be afraid of the wind when we ride."
They hadn't even left the room yet, and she was already so heavily bundled up. He was treating her like a delicate doll.
She took off the cloak and placed it on her arm. She tilted her head to meet his displeased gaze and coaxed him, "When we get to the grasslands, I'll put it on."
Fan Zehao remained silent, merely staring at her with a pair of aggrieved eyes.
Zhao Jiaqi sighed softly and explained, "If I wear it now, I'll sweat. When we're riding and the wind picks up, it'll be easier to catch a chill. The contrast between heat and cold will make me more prone to catching a cold. It's better to put it on outside; it's not too late."
After her explanation, Fan Zehao nodded. "You talk a lot, and you're right. But please be careful not to catch a cold. We didn't bring a doctor with us this time, and I'm not sure about the skills of the doctors here."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and patted his cheek, nodding at him twice. Only then did he seem to relax. He cupped her hand on his cheek and led her out of the room together.
As they walked out of the courtyard, they ran into Axi Wang. The group set out in a grand procession. Leaving the palace attracted the attention of many herdsmen.
After walking for about half an hour, they reached the vast, boundless grasslands. Cattle and horses roamed in herds, galloping freely across the plains.
Zhao Jiaqi watched Xiao Ce, Huangfu Xian, and Huangfu Xu race their horses across the grasslands, their uninhibited joy and loud shouts making it look incredibly exhilarating.
She looked at her husband behind her. "Why don't you go for a few rides too, to relieve some stress? I'll wait for you here."
Fan Zehao was tempted, but quickly suppressed it and shook his head. "I'll stay with you. Let them play."
Upon hearing the Prince's words, Axi also smiled and persuaded, "Regent, on my territory, no one dares to harm the Princess Consort. Please, go for a couple of rides. I will also find a gentle horse for the Princess Consort, and have a horse trainer take her for a tour."
Zhao Jiaqi also wished to gallop across the grasslands, enjoying the whistling wind in her ears. Unfortunately, she didn't dare, but that didn't stop her from learning to ride.
"Go ahead. I won't go far, I'll just play around here."
At this moment, Prince Xiaoyao rode back first, stopping in front of Fan Zehao. He smiled and patted the horse beneath him. "Brother, this horse is truly excellent. I wouldn't say it can cover a thousand li in a day, but it can certainly cover eight hundred li."
Huangfu Xu's words made Fan Zehao disbelieve him. The horse beneath him was neither a divine steed nor a Red Hare; how could it possibly cover eight hundred li in a day?
Seeing the disbelief on his brother's face, Huangfu Xu challenged him, "How about we have a race? Ten thousand taels of gold as a wager, what do you say?"
Fan Zehao grinned. "Then prepare your gold. I will absolutely not lose."
Prince Xiaoyao scoffed. He spoke so confidently, wasn't he afraid of his tongue being cut by the strong wind?
The two, witnessed by everyone, mounted the horses prepared by Axi Wang. At the signal, they shot off like lightning. In a moment, their figures became smaller and smaller.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi also felt that the horses were indeed exceptional.
Axi Wang led a white horse to her. "Princess Consort, this Little White is the gentlest mare here. She will absolutely not buck. Princess Consort, please ride her with confidence."
Gentle, mare. She was attracted by these two words. She looked at the mare, pure white, standing obediently there as if waiting for her.
Zhao Jiaqi stepped forward and stroked Little White for a while. Seeing that it was very obedient and didn't move, letting her pet it, she became even more fond of the horse.
Su Ya helped her onto the horse. As soon as she held the reins, Little White automatically started walking slowly. Just as she was getting used to it, Little White began to run. Although it was slow, it quickly left Su Ya far behind, gradually disappearing from everyone's sight.
Su Ya chased after her, shouting loudly for the Princess Consort to pull the reins. But Zhao Jiaqi did pull them, yet the horse beneath her seemed disobedient and continued to run in one direction.