79 Arc 5.20 Empress of Four Kingdoms
With their current speed that was neither too fast nor too slow, the entourage was already a couple miles away from the capital of Li. However, they were still in Li kingdom, and they'd even passed through two villages already.
Seeing as they were at an open clearing with no other person in sight aside from their own group of Hua emissaries, Long Zheng, and his wife's personal attendants, Hua Shen agreed to Li Feifei's request of riding with him. Hua Shen already knew that she had been silently enduring her boredom all this time.
Telling her to change first, Hua Shen handed her some simple robes that he'd prepared earlier on that would make it easier for her to ride.
Even though he was still in the wedding attire himself. But, as opposed to Li Feifei's wedding gown, his was more flexible and as a man he could remove the overly superfluous pieces whilst still keeping a proper appearance. If Li Feifei had removed any of her clothes—even if she were to still be garbed in over four layers—as a woman in the ancient time period, it would be bad for her reputation.
As he handed the new clothes to her, Hua Shen seemingly considerately asked with a gentle smirk, "Do you need any help removing your clothes and putting these on?"
Li Feifei rolled her eyes and signaled towards her four maidservants that had also been sitting quietly. Obviously, he didn't need to personally attend to her all the time. They could help her put the robes on.
Of course, Hua Shen was just joking around, and didn't think too much about the maidservants. His baby had not put any of them in her eyes, aside from one of them but he didn't consider her as a possible threat as if Li Feifei truly had any interest in her, she'd have acted already.
When she was done, Li Feifei was pulled onto Hua Shen's large black warhorse with considerable ease by the waist. He'd seated her right in front of him, his sturdy chest firmly pressed up against her dainty back and his arms wrapped snuggly around her waist as his hands held onto the reins.
If he lowered his head even slightly, he could fully immerse himself within the sweet smell of his wife's hair that had been personally washed by himself just that morning.
The surrounding guards and attendants lowered their heads, acting as if they were air. How could they watch on as their superiors showed their affections for each other? More so, when the man was their own emperor and the woman, their newly crowned Empress!
Long Zheng watched on in silence, but Hua Shen would never let someone who was obviously coveting his wife go so easily.
"Would General Long like to have a race with Zhen?"
Though he asked, it wasn't really a question. Hua Shen had on a slight smile and only seemed to have carelessly asked, but the hidden meaning and provocation in his words hinted at the young emperor's sharpness.
Knowing that his ambitions had been found out by this emperor who should've been no older than himself yet held even more secrets than himself, Long Zheng suddenly felt some apprehension.
To him, Hua Shen was not only asking if Long Zheng could beat him at horseback riding, but also if he could defeat him in this quest for the throne over the four kingdoms.
But, as a prideful man with sufficient self-confidence added to the fact that they were about the same age, Long Zheng could also see in Hua Shen a worthy rival. So, he did not decline, "How could this General be worthy of Your Majesty's time? However, this offer, this General would like to take it."
Thus, the two rushed towards the front of the slightly large crowd and readied their respective horses as the entourage watched on in interest. After all, it was their own kingdom's ruler racing against the most renown general of the Li Kingdom.
Most of the people around only knew that their emperor was not to be looked down on, but they had yet to see his true strength and capabilities.
With their breaths as their only signal, the two promptly spurred their horses forward.
"Ja!" Long Zheng whipped his reins downwards, urging his white steed to increase its speed.
However, Hua Shen had long since maxed out his horseback riding skill and simply let his black stallion compete on its own. Unwilling to disappoint its master, the steed resolutely increased its own pace and quickly caught up to Long Zheng.
Li Feifei was enjoying this nouveau experience. She'd never rode on the back of a horse before, much less a tall and majestic galloping warhorse. The fact that she could so carefreely indulge herself was certainly thanks to Hua Shen securely holding her in place.
In no time at all, Hua Shen had overtaken Long Zheng, passing him over and widening the gap without even having to lift the reins in his calloused hands.
It wasn't that their horses were of different levels. Rather, as an esteemed general—albeit young—he still had the best horse in the kingdom. So, even though they were of different status and kingdoms, their steeds were of equal standing. Even their builds and experiences in the battlefield were similar, but the black warhorse was slightly lower in terms of the latter as Hua Shen hadn't yet the chance to battle.
Eventually, Hua Shen had reached a speed that Long Zheng could not catch up to so he could only yield in defeat. Bringing his own steed to a moderate trot, Long Zheng considerately consoled it and didn't forget to praise it for its efforts as he brought his fingers through its well-groomed mane.
Hua Shen had stopped his own horse, waiting for the general to catch up to him.
Despite his loss, Long Zheng was composed as he cupped his hands, "Many thanks for the guidance, Your Majesty."
Hua Shen just smirked and remained stationary, allowing the rest of the guards and carriages to catch up to them. Of course he would never lose to anyone, much less some young teenager who only dreamed big but could never attain them.
He had showed Long Zheng that not only would it be impossible to beat him, but that Long Zheng's dream to rule over the four kingdoms would be even more of a pipe dream with him around.
"Did you have fun?" Hua Shen attentively asked his wife in his arms with a doting smile, no longer paying any attention to Long Zheng.
"En," Li Feifei was not greedy with her praise, as that was the most exciting thing she'd been able to do in this world aside from fending off the assassins for Bai Ping earlier on. The thrill of the wind breezing ferociously against her face was still fresh in her mind, and her heart was still racing in exhilaration.
Suddenly, before she could say any more to boost her man's ego, Li Feifei heard the sound of something slicing through the air towards their direction. She closed her mouth due to the change in their situation.
Hua Shen caught the arrow without even lifting his gaze from Li Feifei's figure, but it could be seen from his expression that his good mood had been ruined. He restrained himself from breaking the flimsy arrow in half.
His thin lips were heavily pursed into a tight line and his eyes had lost all of the warmth that it had been formerly overflowing with. The air was laced with a heavy killing intent as opposed to his wooden face.
He was mad that someone interrupted his lovey-dovey time with his wife. Even worse, she was about to praise him!
Li Feifei whistled and shook her head pitying the poor fellows that had angered her devil. She'd actually never seen him genuinely angry before.
""Your Majesty!""
A fair distance away, everyone was astounded by this turn of events. They had been prepared to fend off assassins as the young emperor was definitely not the most favored, not to mention he'd just ascended the throne recently. No matter how greatly he'd cleaned up the matters back at Hua, the other kingdoms would not sit by quietly when one of the other kingdoms were seemingly at their weakest.
It could be said that Shi and Zhao believed Hua reached out to Li for temporary protection. If not that, then the two military kingdoms teaming up was also no good as it was threatening the current tense yet stable relationship between the four kingdoms.
So, even though all of the guards and soldiers knew fully well how big of a target their emperor was, they were still not prepared for their enemies to act so soon and abruptly! Furthermore, on the grounds of the Li kingdom!
If they didn't know any better, this attack could have affected the alliance between the two kingdoms. Fortunately, they were not dumb and did not associate this attack with Li.
The soldiers had reacted rather quickly, but Hua Shen had gone too far ahead during their race. Those who had gone to help the emperor could only ready their own bows and swords as they tried to close the distance. They had sent out their most skilled men to look for their attackers in the forest beside their current position. Only Long Zheng was the closest to the duo.
Long Zheng had promptly rushed towards Hua Shen and Li Feifei, wanting to ensure Li Feifei's safety and not caring much for Hua Shen. But when he felt the cold air that Hua Shen was emitting, as confident as he was Long Zheng couldn't bring himself to go any closer than a few steps away.
In his anger, Hua Shen threw back the arrow with force unmatched in this world, precisely towards its origin. However, he knew that the single archer he'd killed was not alone.
Those that saw his outrageous action stared with eyes wide opened and dropped jaws. The thrown arrow had much more momentum than when the archer had shot it previously ah! Though they couldn't be immediately sure if he'd hit his target, Hua Shen had already gained the respect and admiration of his soldiers and the fear of the lurking enemies.
Long Zheng looked on with complex eyes, as Hua Shen was the rival he'd vowed to defeat in order to rule over the four kingdoms and win over Li Feifei's heart. But, with such prowess that even he didn't think he'd be able to achieve in this lifetime, was it really possible?
When he saw that Li Feifei was not looking at Hua Shen with eyes full of admiration like the soldiers were, he couldn't feel any reassurance. After all, instead of that reverence that should have been there, Li Feifei's face was as calm as placid water as if she'd long since expected such greatness from her man.
Moreover, she could effortlessly remain comfortably seated in Hua Shen's embrace despite that deadly aura emanating from his body.
It was true that Li Feifei expected no less from Hua Shen as the previous winner of the Void Competition. If she could hear the whistle of the arrow piercing through the air, then Hua Shen had probably been aware of their attackers' presence the moment they'd come. He simply didn't put them in his eyes.
It was just unfortunate that passively trying to throw them off with his short race had resulted in those insensitive assassins interrupting their little moment together.
But although Hua Shen was upset with this development, Li Feifei was ecstatic!
After all, her excitement over the thrill of the race had yet to end when assassins had popped out of nowhere! Even if Hua Shen didn't allow her to fend them off, she was already on his horse along with him. This would mean that she at least had a front-row seat for the upcoming show ah!
Sure enough, Hua Shen did not allow her to fight this time as he kept his one arm brimming with lean muscles wound tightly around her waist as he stirred his steed towards the soldiers still a good distance behind them. But it was not for any other reason than those small fry not being worth her time.
When he reached one of the foot soldiers, he wordlessly took the bow that was in the other man's hand along with a few arrows in the quiver on his back. Then, holding the bow horizontally as he pulled the string with three arrows in hand, Hua Shen seamlessly shot them out in three different directions.
The arrows flew out at a speed that would have otherwise been impossible if Hua Shen had not just done so, creating a draft of fierce wind that hacked apart all of the vegetation along the way to follow in their wake.
Unfortunately, the bow could not take his force as the wood snapped in half. Even the string was not spared as it was mangled quite badly. This was the main reason he didn't bother trying to nock all of the arrows in his hand at once.
However, Hua Shen was far from done. There were still two other annoying flies hidden behind those trees. So, he spurred his horse onwards to another nearby soldier, who had readily handed over his own bow almost as if giving an offering to a god.
Similar to the first time he shot, Hua Shen quickly fired the last two arrows in his hand to their respective destinations.
Those assassins believed that they'd be safe behind those thick trees, but they had not known Hua Shen's unworldly strength as in his hands such primitive arrows were far more deadly than firearms. The arrows only had wooden shafts, iron arrowheads, and feathered nocks.
How could they have known that the arrows that Hua Shen had sent out would be able to pierce through trees as if they were simply jelly?
Alas, the assassins had died, with their disbelief and horror plastered over their faces.
Seeing as the show was over and her hubby was still emitting a cold and repressing aura, Li Feifei decided it was time to give the poor soldiers a rest. After all, everyone was sweating profusely with pale faces in fear that Hua Shen would kill them all for not doing their jobs properly.
They had no arguments against that accusation as Hua Shen indeed took care of everything on his own. It was just that he was simply too fast ah! They had reacted as quickly as possible, but their emperor only had to break two bows to take care of their unseen threats. Not only that, but he seemed to know exactly where they were.
Li Feifei was not kind enough to relieve these people of their suffering, but she believed that Hua Shen truly deserved her admiration this time, so she wiggled around until she was facing her man.
After all, even if he didn't allow her to take part in disposing the assaulters, he had let her stay in his arms to feel those flexing muscles as they stretched taut while he shot the arrows. Seeing the powerful force of the arrows as they practically tore through the air was also fully commendable.
So, placing her small white hands on his cold cheeks, Li Feifei tilted her head upward and bent forward, smooching the cold man right on his pursed lips with a resounding smack.
The corner of her petal-like lips curled up ever so slightly as she genuinely praised, "Hubby, you're so handsome ah!"
The surrounding attendants and soldiers yet again felt as if they should not watch on, but they felt that this new Empress was indeed daring! To interrupt the Emperor amidst his fury, she was either very brave or very dumb.
Facts told that Li Feifei simply did not care for Hua Shen's rage that was not directed at herself.
Although Hua Shen was upset at those assassins for their terribly god-awful sense of timing, he was not completely out of it. In fact, the way Li Feifei settled his mood was also good because he was only mad in the first place because her initial praise had been interrupted.
Li Feifei wanted to laugh when she saw that the ice in his eyes had completely thawed but this silly devil was still refusing to let up. When she thought about it, she vaguely guessed what he wanted and didn't bother being greedy.
She smilingly whispered into his ear, "You devil, ah. Earlier, you were cool, too."
This finally earned a small smile from said devil as he dropped the broken bow down to the ground and held his cute and precious wife with both arms steadily around her waist. Plopping his head down so that his chin rested dotingly on the top of her head full of long, silky black hair, Hua Shen basked in her familiar scent.
Patting his big arms lightly with her delicate fingers, Li Feifei finally urged him after a few minutes of sitting in the same position, "Let's go, ah. It's boring here. Didn't you want to show me the world?"
"En," Hua Shen looked down at his baby with his red eyes overflowing with warmth and tenderness, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. Then, without another word, he steered his horse forward towards his own country.
The attendants and soldiers all finally heaved a sigh of relief that the display of affection had finally ended. Even the ambassadors inside the carriages looked out of their curtains to see what was holding them up only to regret it, hurriedly lowering the curtains and acting as if they had seen nothing.
Although Zero was no ordinary eunuch, even he was slightly startled by Hua Shen's anger and thus had been frozen until now. It was a first for Zero to have witnessed such a side to his host as well, aside from the panic from when his sister-in-law was abruptly KIA in the werewolf world.
After all, even after 1000 void years had passed, nothing was able to stir up his almighty host. Even when his previous partners gave him a green hat in a fit of jealousy, Hua Shen didn't show even the slightest bit of displeasure—simply moving on was all he did without a care in the world for his face or the women. When he had won the competition, Hua Shen didn't even blink, nor did his heart palpitate in excitement as one would expect.
Furthermore, Hua Shen had never been put in a difficult situation, as nothing had proved to be a threat to him. At some point, Zero had believed his host to be some sort of monster—which he is. However, only after his host had met sister-in-law did Zero realize that his host was human too.
Only with sister-in-law did his host display any expression on his face. Only with her did he lose control of his emotions, acting childishly petty sometimes, pitifully wronged other times, and shamelessly roguish most other times.
But, Zero was different from these NPCs around him in that he did not show fear for his host at his overwhelming fury, but excitement and the urge to tease him—though, he knew not to push him too far lest he'd be no better off than those poor saps lying dead in their own blood behind the thick trees.
With a bright face full of smiles, Zero urged his own horse to follow closely behind his host and sister-in-law, wanting to fully capture the free dog food as a pervert and devout believer in the power of love...
