Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

There is a spring on Fengming Mountain in the suburbs of Beijing. On the first and fifteenth day of every month, the spring flows out with a whistling sound, like the cry of a phoenix, hence the name Fengming Spring, and the mountain is also called Fengming Mountain.

The terrain at the foot of the mountain is flat and open, so many officials in the capital have farms here.

The Shen family's farm was given to them by the late emperor when the girl from the Shen family was crowned as queen in the year he ascended the throne.

The Shen family's farm was the largest in the area, covering over 300 mu (approximately 1,000 acres). Craftsmen had dug a small lake in the center, drawing water from Fengming Spring on the mountain. The sides of the farms facing Fengming Mountain were unwalled, providing easy access to the mountain.

The young masters of the Shen family like to come to this farm to ride horses and hunt in their spare time.

Shen Chuning raised a snow-white pony on the farm. It was a birthday gift given to her by Master Shen on her fifth birthday.

Upon hearing that Shen Chuning was coming to the manor to relax, the Shen family school specially gave him a day off. Except for Shen Chenglu, Shen Chengluo and Shen Chengshan who were already on duty, the other five young masters all came to the manor.

Shen Chengwu asked the head of the village to kill a sheep early in the morning and prepare to roast it for lunch. The children wanted to go hunting in the mountains, so they begged Shen Chengluo to take them.

Shen Chengluo is the only one of the two sons of the Shen family who did not study in the Shen family school. Instead, he and his second brother followed his grandfather, General Zhou, in the military camp since childhood.

In the early spring on Fengming Mountain, hibernating animals woke up and came out to look for food. Shen Chengluo was afraid of danger, so he took a few people up the mountain.

Only the youngest Shen Chengbai was left in the manor to accompany Shen Chuning.

Shen Chengbai is the youngest son of the Shen family's eldest wife, born only three months earlier than Shen Chuning.

Perhaps because of the family genes of military generals, Shen Chengbai grew tall and strong, more than a head taller than Shen Chuning.

Shen Chuning rode her own pony and drooled in envy at the tall horse ridden by Shen Chengbai.

"Myna, you are so good at riding a horse. Who taught you?"

Shen Chengbai scratched his head. "Does this thing even need to be taught? Isn't it just a matter of sitting on it, pulling the reins, and running?"

As Shen Chengbai spoke, he squeezed his legs against the horse's belly, and the horse's hooves were raised as it galloped out. Shen Chuning fanned the dust that was raised from behind.

She also imitated Shen Chengbai and squeezed the horse's belly with her legs, but her pony kept pacing slowly.

It's not good for this horse to be too docile. This pony is not even as good as the one she rode in riding lessons at the palace.

Although the horse was also docile, it could at least trot a few steps. Her pony could only walk gracefully and was completely unable to lift all four feet off the ground.

Shen Chuning pouted and combed the mane on the pony's back with her fingers. Shen Chengbai rode back after a circle, raised the horse's front hooves high, and stopped precisely beside Shen Chuning.

"Xiaojiu, why do you look unhappy?"

Shen Chuning's little feet swayed, "It's not fun, not fun at all. They said they were here to relax with me, but now they're gone."

"Isn't this mynah bird here?"

Shen Chuning glared at Shen Chengbai, "Humph, Big Brother is so majestic when he rides a horse, and he doesn't care whether Aning can keep up or not."

"You come along too." Shen Chengbai said, then he saw the pony under Shen Chuning and fell silent. "Hehe...hehehe...this horse is pretty good. It's safe for girls to ride."

"Myna, have you ever ridden this kind of pony?" Shen Chuning asked.

Shen Chengbai looked at the pony with disdain, "How is that possible? Myna is a man. He will be laughed at if he rides a horse like this."

"Myna, myna, can Aning ride your Lightning?" Shen Chuning showed a hopeful look.

"That won't do. Lightning is a fierce Turkic horse. People who ride it for the first time can easily hurt themselves. Don't hurt Starling. Your brothers have entrusted you to me. If you get hurt, do you think Starling can eat the roasted lamb for lunch today or see the sunset today?" Shen Chengbai refused righteously.

"Okay, you said you loved An Ning the most, but it turns out An Ning is not as important as a meal of roasted lamb. If Sixth Brother were here, he would definitely not let An Ning be unhappy just because of a meal of roasted lamb."

Shen Chuning muttered softly, just loud enough for Shen Chengbai beside her to hear.

When Shen Chengbai heard Shen Chuning compare her with Shen Chengliu, and the key point was that in her sister's words, she was not as good as Shen Chengliu, she instantly got angry.

But at least he still had some rationality left, "Then I'll take you to the stable to choose a docile mare."

Shen Chuning's eyes lit up instantly and she nodded happily.

But when Shen Chengbai saw the empty stable, he was dumbfounded.

He stopped the boy who was cleaning the stable and asked, "Where are the horses?"

The servant bowed to the two men and replied respectfully, "In reply to the Eighth Young Master, several of the young masters have gone up the mountain on horseback to hunt."

Shen Chengbai waved his hand impatiently, "I know they at least went up the mountain. I'm asking you about the other horses."

"Oh, Master Chen has taken the other horses to get their shoes replaced. They'll probably be back around noon."

Hearing the servant say this, Shen Chengbai turned around and asked Shen Chuning: "Xiaojiu, after lunch, would it be okay for my brother to come ride again?"

Shen Chuning pouted and lightly kicked the dust on the ground with her toes. "Ah, if Sixth Brother were here, he wouldn't have let An Ning wait until the afternoon."

Shen Chengbai simply turned his head away, not looking at Shen Chuning's expression, "No, no, no, no matter how hard you try, my dear starling's life is more important."

Shen Chuning pulled Shen Chengbai's sleeve and said, "Myna, that pony was what An Ning rode when she was five years old. Now An Ning is eleven years old. When she sits on the pony, her feet can almost touch the ground."

Shen Chengbai looked at Shen Chuning, who was a head shorter than him, then looked at the pony, which was also a head shorter than Shen Chuning, and nodded, "This horse is a bit small."

Shen Chuning saw that Shen Chengbai's tone was showing signs of softening. "Myna, you know that Aning has riding lessons in the palace, right? Aning rides a big horse in the palace, and the riding instructor even praises her riding skills."

In fact, in the riding lessons in the palace, there were servants watching beside each horse, and they trotted around the field. But Shen Chuning had ridden a big horse in her previous life, and she really liked the feeling of galloping at lightning speed.

Shen Chengbai looked at Shen Chuning suspiciously, "You didn't lie to my dear?"

Shen Chuning nodded firmly.

She was indeed a good horse rider in her previous life, so this shouldn't be a lie.

Shen Chengbai thought for a moment, "So that's why Big Brother said he would find you a docile mare. It's just a coincidence that the horses are not here. Big Brother promises to take you riding after lunch."

Shen Chuning's shoulders slumped. "After lunch, I won't bother you, Big Brother. Sixth Brother will definitely take Aning for a horseback ride."

After Shen Chuning finished speaking, she turned around and walked out.

Shen Chengbai gritted his teeth and shouted behind Shen Chuning, "Come back, come back. I'll let you ride Lightning."

A victorious smile appeared on Shen Chuning's face.