So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

The racecourse is crisscrossed by waterways that stretch for hundreds of miles. Even from a distance, Ning Yu could feel Princess Huayang's unwavering gaze fixed on her. She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and gave a slight twitch of her lips.

To be honest, she didn't expect to run into Princess Huayang here, but it's alright to see her. Isn't Xie Xun going to marry her? How would he explain himself to all the officials if he married his deceased sister-in-law?

"I wonder if I should address you as the Crown Princess or as Madam?"

Just as Ning Yu was riding her horse slowly towards Xibailin, she heard the sound of hooves behind her, mixed with a girl's questioning voice.

Ning Yu knew that it was Princess Huayang who had chased after her, but she didn't turn her head and said, "Princess, please do as you please."

Seeing that slut's languid figure, she rode off to catch up.

"Is there anything else, Princess?"

"When did you become involved with His Majesty? Does the Crown Prince know?"

A fleeting amusement crossed Ning Yu's beautiful face as she glanced at her. "Why does the princess think I would tell you?"

Princess Huayang wanted to tear her face apart just by looking at it; she had the face of a seductive, cheap woman.

"Aren't you afraid that if word gets out, you'll be in deep trouble?"

"I'm not afraid, are you?"

If this news gets out, the Xie family will kill her, and she won't be able to enter the palace. Of course, Princess Huayang wouldn't dare let the Xie family know it was her.

Seeing this shameless woman's arrogant attitude, she was so angry that she blurted out, "A shameless woman like you is not worthy of the prince at all. His Majesty will not like you for long. You will die in the cold palace sooner or later."

Perhaps, Ning Yu said calmly, gazing at the lush green forest in the distance.

The silent forest seemed deathly still. Princess Huayang took the reins from Ning Yu's horse and said, "There are too many people around here. I'll take you to a quiet place so we can talk in detail."

Ning Yu snatched the reins from her hand and turned to leave.

"Whoosh!" An arrow shot out from the hidden bushes.

Her eyes turned cold, and she quickly dodged to the side. The spirited horse beneath her seemed to have stepped on something, suddenly raised its head and neighed, then started running uncontrollably.

Princess Huayang, who was holding her reins, was suddenly pulled forward and screamed in terror.

The frenzied, out-of-control horse throbbed violently. Ning Yu tightened the reins, trying to control it. Princess Huayang beside her was terrified. "What's going on? Help! Help me---"

Ning Yu found her annoying and kicked her back onto her horse.

"Pull the reins tight, lean forward, and shut your mouth."

"No! I'm about to be thrown out! Help me, please help me---"

The horse galloped forward madly, its hind legs twitching as if it were about to lose its strength. The sound of the wind was indistinguishable from the rustling of the leaves, as if there were other movements hidden within.

Ning Yu's sharp eyes swept across the surroundings. After an unknown amount of time, a rustling sound suddenly came from the branches. She quickly looked up and heard the woman beside her scream in fright.

"Cliff! There's a cliff ahead! Help!"

The horse lost its balance on its forelegs, and before Ning Yu could tighten the reins and jump off, her eyes narrowed instantly. She flipped over and leaped off the horse, kicking Princess Huayang off as well.

The horse, with its head raised and neighing, galloped towards the cliff.

Princess Huayang, who was rolling on the grass, was covered in mud from being kicked. She glanced at Ning Yu, who had stood up from the edge of the cliff, and clenched her fists in anger. "You bitch, how dare you kick me!"

Remembering that her husband had been taken away by her, she acted impulsively and pushed the person in the back.

Ning Yu's body instantly plunged into the boundless sea of ​​clouds. In the instant she fell, she reached back and grabbed the hand that had attacked her.

Before Princess Huayang could even scream, she too plummeted to the ground.

No one noticed that a figure hiding in the woods not far away strolled away leisurely after seeing the two fall.

"What did you say?" Inside the tent, Xie Xun, sitting on a high chair, had slightly white knuckles. His casual expression vanished instantly, replaced by a sinister aura.

The eunuch kneeling on the ground was so frightened that he dared not breathe. He quickly recounted what had just happened in detail.

The emperor's icy aura instantly plunged the tent into a chilling atmosphere. Wei Rongxuan squinted, "Can't find him. How can a living person be missing? Did he ride off to some remote place?"

The young eunuch replied respectfully, "This servant ordered people to search, and they only found scattered horse hooves and a lot of blood on the cliff to the north."

"It might not be the lady. Send some more people to search carefully."

As soon as Wei Rongxuan finished speaking, the man stepped down from the platform, put on his cloak, and strode outside.

The guards who rushed over had already searched the entire area. Seeing the emperor raise his whip and gallop towards the other side of the cliff, they quickly led the way and explained the situation clearly.

The cliff edge was steep and covered with broken rocks, many of which were covered in blood. The guards kneeling on the ground were all pale-faced, and the leader of the guards lowered his body even further when he saw His Majesty approaching.

A kick landed on his head, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. The commander didn't dare wipe it away, quickly got up, and continued, "I have already sent men down the cliff to search. It seems the horse lost control and fell down with the lady."

Ma Zheng immediately noticed the Emperor's gaze and broke out in a cold sweat. He was terrified. If something happened to this lady, the entire Imperial Stud Temple would be held accountable.

"Your Majesty, I deserve to die a thousand deaths."

Xie Xun walked to the edge of the cliff and glanced at the not-so-high cliff and sea. His cold face was like that of a jade-faced demon. "Fine, if you can't find her, you'll kneel here and die for me."

Ma Zheng's face turned ashen, but he still knelt upright to thank the emperor for his grace.

Damn it, who's on duty today? How could they let the lady ride such a wild horse from the stables without anyone following her? A bunch of idiots are trying to get her killed!

Xie Xun lifted his gloomy eyes and said, "Drag all those incompetent servants here to kneel and be tortured with steel whips."

"Yes." A general hurried off.

As Xie Xun descended the cliff, he gave Qingfeng a wink, and the latter immediately understood what he meant and turned to leave.

Even if the lady's martial arts skills are not high, she wouldn't fall off a cliff just because the horse was startled. Something must have happened. Anyone who dares to harm the lady at the Royal Horse Ranch must be tired of living.

A trickling stream flowed past the bottom of the cliff. Two fine horses had fallen to their deaths by the riverbank. Xie Xun dismounted and walked along the river for a while, where he discovered bloodstains in the westward direction.

An official standing nearby immediately said, "Your Majesty, the lady must still be alive. She may have encountered something—"

Before he could utter the word "beast," the commander beside him immediately pulled him back and whispered, "Shut up."

"Send down another three thousand Imperial Guards to search the entire bottom of the cliff for me."