The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Su Yaoyao looked away and muttered, "Who...who's waiting for him..."

Jiang Jingchen smiled knowingly and lowered his voice: "I saw it when the court session ended. The chief eunuch by the Emperor's side summoned His Highness. Judging from the Emperor's expression... something seemed off, as if something important had happened."

Su Yaoyao's heart tightened slightly.

Something happened? What could have happened that would make the emperor so anxious to find the crown prince at this crucial moment when envoys from various countries are gathered?

As she was pondering, a tall shadow loomed over her.

Ashina Lie had somehow managed to ride up to her other side, his jet-black steed almost touching Ta Xue's body.

He leaned closer, his amber eyes reflecting her image, his smile dazzling: "Miss Su, your riding skills are quite good. That mount you did just now was beautiful."

He was too close, carrying the unique scent of a grassland man, a blend of grass and sunshine.

"You flatter me, Your Highness." She subtly gestured for Taxue to move half a step to the side.

Ashina Lie seemed oblivious to her aloofness, and instead moved closer, probing with a hint of playfulness: "But compared to the girls of our grasslands, you're still a bit lacking. The girls there can flip over on horseback to snatch an eagle and snatch a wolf with a sideways movement."

He blinked. "If Miss Su is interested, this prince can personally teach her, and I guarantee it will be more... interesting than what His Highness the Crown Prince teaches."

The implication in those words was practically written all over his face.

"Ashina Lie!" Xie Yu rode up from behind, forcefully cutting between the two, glaring at him with annoyance. "Why are you standing so close when you're supposed to be talking?"

The young general stood ramrod straight. He seemed to be criticizing Ashina Lie, but his eyes quickly glanced at Su Yaoyao, and his ears turned slightly red.

Ashina Lie raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms, and looked at him: "General Xie, I was speaking with Miss Su, why did you interrupt?"

"I—" Xie Yu stammered, his face flushing even redder, "Yaoyao is my... Chen-ge's sister! Of course I have to keep an eye on her!"

"Oh?" Ashina Lie drawled, his laughter mocking, "Just a younger sister?"

"you!"

"Alright, alright," Jiang Jingchen said, trying to smooth things over with a headache. His cousin was too popular, which wasn't a good thing.

"Weren't you here to race? Why are you just standing here arguing?"

On the other side, Anar had already ridden up to Su Qingrun and was riding alongside him.

She tilted her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the cold profile of the man beside her, making conversation: "Su Qingrun, what do you think of my horse? Its name is 'Crimson Flame,' I raised it from a puppy, it's incredibly fast!"

Su Qingrun kept her eyes straight ahead:

"Um."

"Your horse ranches in the Central Plains are really big, and the grass is so good," Anar continued, "It's not quite as good as our grasslands, but it's still quite beautiful."

"Um."

"You look great in this outfit today; black suits you well."

"Um……"

Su Qingrun finally turned to look at her, her brows furrowing slightly: "Princess, focus on riding your horse."

Anar's heart skipped a beat under his gaze, but she retorted defiantly, "My riding skills are excellent! Want to race? The loser... grants the winner one request!"

Her eyes were bright and sparkling.

Su Qingrun looked at her, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spurred her horse: "Okay."

The dark figure shot out like an arrow released from a bow.

Anar was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, urging her horse to give chase: "Hey! You're cheating! We haven't even said we'd start yet!"

Two horses, one in front of the other, kicked up dust on the grassland.

Meanwhile, Xie Yu and Ashina Lie were still locked in a fierce battle.

"Thank you, young general," Ashina Lie glanced at the two people walking side by side in the distance, a half-smile on his face, "Look at the girls of our Northern Desert, they pursue those they like without hesitation. You Central Plains people are so indecisive."

Xie Yu retorted, "Who, who's being coy! Yao Yao is the future Crown Princess, I'm just observing etiquette!"

"Shouli?" Ashina Lie sneered. "Shouli means just watching helplessly, not daring to utter a single word?"

"I--"

"Your Highness," Su Yaoyao suddenly spoke, her voice not loud, but it silenced the two of them at the same time.

She sat on her white horse, tilting her head slightly to look at Ashina Lie, a smile on her face, but her eyes were clear and sharp: "We have a saying in the Central Plains, 'Feelings should be expressed, but restrained by propriety.' It's not that I dare not, but that I respect."

Ashina Lie met her eyes, and the burning passion in his heart suddenly cooled.

He understood.

She was reminding him to be mindful of his actions.

"As for Xie Yu," Su Yaoyao turned to the young general, her smile becoming more genuine, "he has always been a very good friend of mine. He was before, and he will be in the future."

Looking at her bright smile, Xie Yu felt a sudden wave of bitterness dissipate, replaced by warmth. He nodded vigorously, "Yes! Friends!"

Ashina Lie narrowed his eyes at the tacit understanding between the two and said nothing more.

Jiang Jingchen watched from the side, sighing inwardly.

Well, one person couldn't be persuaded, and the other got even more involved.

Just then, Anar's clear laughter and Su Qingrun's helpless shout came from afar: "Princess! Be careful!"

The group looked up and saw Anar somehow hanging to the side of the saddle, trying to pick a wildflower from a tree branch by the roadside.

Su Qingrun rode alongside her, his arms slightly outstretched, as if ready to catch her at any moment, a rare hint of tension appearing on his usually cold and hard face.

"Got it!" Anar picked the flower, nimbly flipped back into the saddle, handed the small purple flower to Su Qingrun, and smiled with her eyes crinkling.

"Here, take it!"

Su Qingrun looked at the flower, then at her bright and cheerful face covered in grass clippings, and after a long while, reached out and took it.

He didn't say thank you, but carefully pinned the flowers to his saddle pocket.

Anar's eyes shone even brighter.

Su Yaoyao couldn't help but laugh out loud at the sight.

It seems that even this iceberg of a brother isn't completely unmovable.

Just then, Anar waved at her from a distance: "Little sister! Stop daydreaming! Run!"

Su Yaoyao snapped out of her daze and smiled, "Okay."

She gently spurred the horse, and it began to trot along in the snow.

The sun was shining brightly, the grassland was vast, and the wind was whistling in my ears.

Su Yaoyao was unusually carefree and gradually increased her speed. Ta Xue seemed to sense her mood and ran even faster.

Everything is fine.

Until suddenly, Ta Xue let out a neigh, and then ran faster and faster.

"Treading on Snow?" Su Yaoyao's heart tightened, and she gently pulled on the reins, trying to slow it down.

But instead of slowing down, the snow-covered creature seemed to be stimulated by something and suddenly reared up!

Caught off guard, Su Yaoyao was jolted backward and almost fell off. She quickly ducked down, gripped the reins tightly, and squeezed her legs firmly against the horse's belly.

"Snow! Stop!"

But the snow had already gone out of control.

It ran wildly across the meadow, completely disoriented, and nearly crashed into the fence several times.

Su Yaoyao was jostled so hard that her internal organs felt like they were about to shift, and her vision went black. She could only instinctively hold on to the horse's neck tightly.

"So graceful!"

"younger sister!"

"Miss Su!"

Several exclamations came from different directions.

Su Qingrun, who was closest, suddenly changed her expression and spurred her horse to charge. Xie Yu and Ashina Lie also turned their horses around at the same time and chased after the out-of-control Ta Xue.

Jiang Jingchen couldn't ride a horse, so he could only stand on the sidelines, his face pale: "Quick! Stop it!"

Anar panicked and spurred her horse back: "Ta Xue is usually very docile! How could she suddenly—"

Before she could finish speaking, Ta Xue kicked off again with a fierce hoofbeat. Su Yaoyao finally couldn't hold on any longer, her hand slipped, and she was thrown off!

"Slender and graceful—!"

Several figures simultaneously lunged at the falling red figure.