The first time in history

I have ridden horses on vast grasslands and marched on horses in the deserted Gobi Desert. But I have never ridden a horse without a saddle like today. Not only is there no saddle, there are no stirrups.

Every time the horse took a step, Qian Mingduo's body would shake violently, as if he would be thrown off at any time. He had to concentrate and try hard to keep his body balanced. This made him extremely nervous.

He should know that the saddle was not officially introduced until the middle of the Warring States Period. Before that, ordinary people would put a quilt or something like that on the horse's back. The armies of various countries basically had no cavalry, only chariots pulled by horses.

When Jiang Ying suggested that he ride a horse to Shihu, Qian Ming agreed without thinking twice.

"How important it is to remember what you have learned!" Qian Mingduo sighed silently in his heart.

When the common people along the road saw the sedan chair passing by, they would make way for it and stand with their heads bowed on the roadside. Some brave people wanted to catch a glimpse of Xi Shi's beauty, so they quietly raised their eyes to look at the sedan chair.

However, the sedan chair was covered with gauze curtains, so people could only see Xi Shi's hazy figure. But her graceful figure was enough to arouse people's imagination.

Apart from the sedan chair that Xi Shi rode in, Qian Mingduo was the only one riding a horse. The others were walking, which made Qian Mingduo stand out from the crowd.

"I rode a naked horse today." Qian Mingduo cursed inwardly. After going a few miles, Qian Mingduo couldn't stand it anymore. He stepped over the horse's head with his right leg, exerted force on his buttocks, and jumped off the horse.

This shock not only caused severe pain in his shoulder, but also made his buttocks feel like they were on fire, burning with pain.

"Xiao Wuzi." Qian Mingduo called out to the front.

"Sir." Xiao Wuzi hurried over, "What do you want me to do?"

"Please lead this horse for me." Qian Mingduo walked forward. "If you want to ride it, then you can. I won't ride it."

Qian Mingduo followed the marching team, walking slowly. He was only a few steps away from Xi Shi's sedan chair. Looking at the sedan chair approaching Xi Shi's graceful figure, Qian Mingduo recalled what he said to Xi Shi last night.

"Promise yourself!" Qian Mingduo thought to himself, "How the hell can I say such a thing to Xi Shi? If she goes to King Fuchai and denounces me... then I will have to use my gun again."

Qian Mingduo was certain that Xi Shi would never say this to anyone.

"Sir." A maid came to Qian Mingduo and said softly, "Miss Xi Shi asked me to ask you why you don't ride a horse?"

"Please report to Miss Xishi." Qian Mingduo smiled bitterly and said, "This horse has no saddle or stirrups, and it sways from side to side. It hurts my groin and shoulders when I ride it."

"Hook?" It seemed that the maid didn't understand Chang'an dialect either. She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"My butt hurts." Qian Mingduo patted his butt, "It's even blistered."

"Yes." The maid smiled and said, "I will go and report to the young lady."

"Please wait a moment," Qian Mingduo called the maid and asked, "How did Miss Xi Shi know that I didn't ride a horse?"

"Miss Xishi has been..." The maid's voice gradually lowered, as if she was choosing her words carefully. "The girl has been looking back at you, my Lord!" The maid finally mustered up the courage and told Qian Mingduo the truth.

This sentence was like a spring breeze blowing through Qian Mingduo's heart, and a warm feeling surged in his heart. A barely perceptible smile appeared on his face, and his eyes became brighter.

The maid quietly left, leaving Qian Mingduo alone to immerse himself in this joy. He took a deep breath, feeling the warmth flowing in his heart, as if the whole world had become beautiful.

Xi Shi was dressed in gorgeous clothes, with fluttering sleeves, like a fairy descending from the earth. She slowly came to the lakeside, surrounded by her attendants. The Stone Lake was sparkling and the breeze was blowing, as if it was also looking forward to this sacred ceremony.

The altar was filled with rich offerings, including fresh fruits, fine wine, flowers, etc. Xi Shi looked solemn, she raised her hands slightly to pay respect to the lake god.

The priests nearby began to play ancient musical instruments, and the melodious music echoed by the lake, creating a mysterious and solemn atmosphere.

Xi Shi opened her red lips and recited a sacrificial prayer in a clear and melodious voice. The prayer expressed her respect and gratitude to the lake god, and she prayed to the lake god to bless the land with good weather and good health for the people.

Afterwards, Xi Shi personally poured fine wine into the lake, and threw fresh fruits and flowers into the water as gifts to the lake god. The lake water rippled slightly, as if responding to Xi Shi's sacrifice.

After the ceremony, Xi Shi stood quietly by the lake, gazing at the water, with the sunlight shining on her body, outlining a beautiful and sacred picture.

On the way back to the city, the procession slowly passed a hill. Xi Shi lifted the curtain slightly and looked at the hill.

"Please ask Master Xue to come here." Xi Shi ordered.

"What does the queen want?" Xue Siren was the eunuch in charge of the concubines' outings. He walked to the sedan chair and asked in a shrill voice.

Xi Shi coughed lightly and said, "There is an ancient shrine on this hill dedicated to Gonggong, the god of water. Since I'm passing by today, I want to go and pay my respects and pray for another blessing for Gusu City."

"Your Highness." Xue, the eunuch, looked worried. "Your Highness has already worked very hard to offer sacrifices to the gods at Shihu on behalf of the Great King today. If you want to go up this mountain to offer sacrifices to the water god, I am worried that your body will be exhausted!"

Xi Shi frowned slightly and said, "Your Majesty cares about the people of Gusu. This time I am offering sacrifices to the lake god on your behalf for them. Now I am passing by this hill with a shrine, and I will feel uneasy if I don't go and offer sacrifices."

Xue Siren had no choice but to obey. Xi Shi, along with a few trusted maids, slowly walked up the mountain.

On the mountain, there were green trees, birds singing and flowers blooming. Xi Shi walked along a quiet path and came to a secluded pavilion. There was a stone table in the pavilion. A mysterious figure in a black robe and a black veil was sitting on a stone bench, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

Xi Shi told the maid to wait outside the pavilion. She walked forward, bowed slightly, and said, "Sir, I've been waiting for a long time."

The mysterious man smiled and said, "Young lady, you have worked tirelessly for the people of Yue State. This is admirable. But we have an agreement that we don't need to meet unless it is an emergency. Brother Tian will be responsible for delivering the message. But I don't know why you are here today?"

Xi Shi sighed and said, "Sir, Mr. Tian is in prison. It is impossible for him to come to see you for the time being."

"Is there such a thing?" The mysterious man frowned and asked, "Why was he imprisoned?"

"Before Mr. Tian went to prison, he told me something."

"What's the matter?"

"I heard that he suspected that there was a very high-ranking person around the King of Yue, who seemed to be a spy from the State of Wu. However, although he had suspicions, he did not dare to be sure."

"Who is the person that Brother Tian suspects?"

Xi Shi used her fingers as a pen and slowly wrote a person's name on the stone table.