The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan

Chapter 63: 063 Keep a low profile and let the latecomers surpass (first update) Chapter 63: 063 Keep a low profile and let the latecomers surpass (first update) The dull sound of the horn resonated, and the group of women tightened their hold on their horses’ backs, launching like arrows released from a bow.

After three laps, the women had spread out, forming several ranks.

Ji Chuchu consistently led at a distance, along with two or three other women in the first rank, while Li Xianyun and a few other women remained in the second rank, trailing the first by only five or six meters, followed by slower runners in two more ranks.

Guli sat in the stands, watching the competition with delight. Li Xianyun’s horsemanship had indeed surprised her, but she was convinced that beating Ji Chuchu was an absolute impossibility.

She turned to the officials’ relatives behind her and said, “A woman from the Han Ethnic Group joining a horse race, truly overestimating her abilities.”

The officials behind her, older and craftier, were adept at playing it safe and echoing sentiments. They concurred, “The Grand Imperial Consort speaks the truth.”

At the back of the stands, Yelu Xuan clenched his chubby little hands into fists, watching Li Xianyun without blinking, anxiously asking, “Mother, can Godmother win?”

Yuchi Qian looked down and gently patted Yelu Xuan’s round head, responding, “Mother believes your godmother can certainly win.”

Yelu Xuan looked up at Yuchi Qian, his voice milky as he said, “Xuanxuan also believes Godmother can win.”

Yuchi Qian replied, “Then, let’s cheer for your godmother in our hearts, shall we?”

Yelu Xuan nodded vigorously.

At that moment, Guli’s gaze seemed to drift unintentionally toward Yuchi Qian, her lips curved in an amused smile, her face full of provocativeness.

Earlier, as Li Xianyun and Yuchi Qian passed by, laughing and talking, Guli watched, feeling irritated.

Yuchi Qian hurriedly lowered her gaze, and only when Guli’s attention shifted away did she stretch her neck out to continue watching the track, silently cheering for Li Xianyun.

Li Xianyun had learned from playing polo in Chang’an that every competition required tactics and not mere brute force.

A horse race was no different. In the beginning, one could not give their all, or there would be no strength left for the final sprint.

However, one’s position could not be too far behind either, as catching up would then be hard if left too far behind.

So she chose to stay steadily in the second rank.

Moreover, as soon as Li Xianyun reached the starting line, she noticed several pairs of malicious eyes. These people were close with Ji Chuchu, and it was inevitable they would try to trip her up.

Thus, she had to be wary of those few women, keeping a low profile in the beginning and then catching them off guard at the end.

By the final lap, all the women were pushing to their limits, and Li Xianyun was no exception.

She rapidly overtook one woman after another, breaking into the first rank.

Yelu Xuan was ecstatic, standing up from Yuchi Qian’s embrace, his hands raised excitedly into fists.

Yuchi Qian’s heart also raced to her throat.

Yelu Xuan saw three women gallop up beside Li Xianyun.

One blocked Li Xianyun’s path, while the other two sandwiched her in between.

These two had all sorts of sneaky moves with their hands and legs.

One even blatantly reached for Li Xianyun’s reins.

Yelu Xuan couldn’t help but exclaim, “They’re cheating! Won’t anyone do something about it?!”

Yuchi Qian quickly grabbed Yelu Xuan to silence him.

Guli turned around discontentedly and said, “Princely Heir, you are too noisy. Didn’t you copy enough scriptures last time?”

Yuchi Qian hurriedly replied, “It’s all my fault, Mother, please don’t be angry.”

Guli spoke indifferently, “The faults of the child are the father’s. Ayu isn’t here, and that’s why you’ve raised such an ill-mannered son.”

Yuchi Qian held Yelu Xuan in her arms, her expression filled with sadness.

Guli gave the mother and son a hard look and turned away.

Yelu Xuan, with tears in his eyes, looked up at Yuchi Qian and said, “Mother, I’m sorry you got scolded because of me.”

Hearing Yelu Xuan say this, Yuchi Qian felt an immense pang of heartache, knowing too well how obedient her Xuanxuan was.

Ayu had been gone for almost a year, and whenever her Xuanxuan thought about his father king, he would secretly shed tears, but he always avoided her, fearing to make her feel sad and upset.

He was only five years old, yet he was so understanding and well-behaved.

But now, the Grand Imperial Consort was using Xuanxuan’s most treasured father king to provoke him, and he, as a mother consort, felt too weak to even utter a word of protest.

Yuchi Qian’s eyes reddened, she raised her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of Yelu Xuan’s eyes and said, “No, Xuanxuan, it’s your mother consort who has let you down.”

Yelu Xuan raised his hand and touched Yuchi Qian’s face, saying, “Mother consort, when Xuanxuan grows up, he will protect mother consort so that you won’t be bullied by others.”

“Truly mother consort’s good Xuanxuan.”

Yelu Xuan said, “Mother consort, let’s cheer for godmother, if we don’t cheer for her, godmother will be very sad.”

Yuchi Qian pursed her lips and nodded.

Li Xianyun watched as three people surrounded and ambushed her, but she remained composed.

She waited for the right moment like a hunter.

Just now, those three women had made subtle moves in secret, not daring to be too overt, but they found that Li Xianyun’s horsemanship was simply too good. No matter how they blocked her path, Li Xianyun always caught up with ease.

With no other choice, the three women became infuriated, and their sneaky actions became much more obvious.

Anyway, even if they went too far, the Grand Imperial Consort wouldn’t care; she disliked Li Xianyun too much to intervene.

Just when the people on both sides were close enough, Li Xianyun slightly lifted her sleeves on both sides, and the powder hidden within scattered out, covering the faces of the two people who were very close by.

The two women felt an intense stinging on their faces and lost all interest in ambushing Li Xianyun.

Soon Li Xianyun had overtaken them and was riding neck and neck with the woman in the lead.

Just as that woman reached out to block her, she suddenly felt an agonizing pain on her face and instinctively reached up to scratch.

With the flick of her sleeves, Li Xianyun had passed the woman.

Now, only Ji Chuchu was left.

Li Xianyun tightened her grip on the horseback, finally able to unleash her full strength with great gratification.

She lowered her body to reduce air resistance and cooperated perfectly with “Xiaoxue”. When there were only two meters left to the finish line, Li Xianyun surpassed Ji Chuchu and crossed the finish line first.

Yelu Xuan couldn’t contain himself and jumped out of Yuchi Qian’s embrace, cheering, “Godmother won, godmother won!! Fantastic!! Fantastic!!!”

Guli turned her head and coldly said to Yelu Xuan, “Noisy.”

Yuchi Qian quickly hugged Yelu Xuan back into her arms, but as soon as Guli turned her head away, Yuchi Qian stretched out her hand.

Yelu Xuan smiled and slapped Yuchi Qian’s stretched-out palm with his little hand.

Even Guli’s unpleasant attitude could not deter the joy of the mother and son.

Guli couldn’t believe her eyes.

Li Xianyun had won just like that?!

Those three useless women should have been able to stop Li Xianyun, so how did they let her win?

Three people couldn’t even stop one; what a waste!!

However, the one most shocked by this outcome was Ji Chuchu.

She felt as if she had been trapped in a nightmare, with victory so close she was about to celebrate when, at the last moment, Li Xianyun burst forth like a specter, seizing the lead and surpassing her with a considerable advantage.

How could this have happened? How could she possibly lose?

She, Ji Chuchu, was regarded as the best horsewoman among the Khitan, something she had always been proud of.

But she had lost, and it was a thorough defeat.

What could she do now? How could she face anyone?