227 Big Black and Little Snow I (2/2)

The Ge Mumu festival included various entertainments in the form of competitions. The Palace would also provide delicacies for those who attended the festival. Cat Girl was lured by the wafting scent of barbequed lamb and forgot her questions in a split second. Zhuo Zhihua and the other girls from the Great River Kingdom were all attracted by the scent of milk tea and other foreign delicacies and gradually disappeared into the crowd.

The agreement was a good cause for celebration. The Palace's grassland was no doubt the safest place on earth at that moment. Ning Que looked at the various dishes displayed at the stalls with curiosity. The girls from the Great River Kingdom who sampled the dishes smiled and did not look worried at all.

A sudden commotion sounded in the distant part of the grassland. The volume of chattering and celebration increased and the winter clouds seemed as if they were about to be dispersed by a sudden heat wave.

Cat Girl held on to her barbequed lamb leg and looked around curiously with her large eyes. However, she was unable to see what was happening as she was blocked by the crowd.

”The horse race must have started.”

Ning Que held her lamb leg for her as it looked as if it was about to fall from her small hands. He held out a handkerchief and gestured for her to wipe the grease off her lips. He said, ”The people of the grassland are nomads. Their best skills include riding and archery. Horses are very important to them, which is why the horse race is the most important segment of the Ge Mumu festival.”

Cat Girl said excitedly, ”Senior Brother, I want to see it!”

Ning Que held a glistening lamb leg in one hand and Cat Girl's hand in the other and the two walked towards the crowd.

He did not bring her to the periphery of the horse racing tracks but brought her to a slope on the outskirts of the camp. The grass on the slope had yellowed and was awaiting the arrival of spring. While the wind was strong on it, they had a great view of the tracks.

The Palace placed great importance on the Ge Mumu this year since the Central Plains was participating in it. This was especially so since they were good at horse racing. The tribe had taken down hundreds of tents especially just for this in order to make space for a large piece of empty land in the middle of the grassland.

The victor of the race was decided by speed. It was simple but exhilarating. The race had begun. Ten odd horses cantered on the grassland. Their hooves were like rain, landing on the ground and kicking up a layer of fine dust. Those with sharp eyes could see the trembling muscles of the horses beneath their glistening skin.

They empty patch of land meant for the race was fenced up. Ning Que stood on the slope and looked down on it and could make out that they had already gone through one-third of the track.

It was clear which horses were going to come first as they split into two packs. There were three horses leading the race. According to the costume of the riders, the first three horses belonged to the Palace, the Divine Hall, and the Tang army.

The horse that the Divine Hall rider rode was pure white and had strong legs. When it ran at full speed, its coat glistened like an incoming snow storm.

Ning Que was unlike most army men. He had never loved horses. But after spending years in the frontier of the City of Wei, he knew his horses well. He could not help but exclaim when he looked at the pure white horse, ”That horse is not bad at all, if it had a good rider, it would be second to that dumb one.”

It looked rather funny when he raised the glistening lamb leg in the air as he said that

Cat Girl held up a small knife that she had bought from a nomad earlier and was attempting to carve a slice of meat from the leg. She said unhappily when she heard that, ”How is Big Black dumb? Senior Brother, you make him carry heavy things all day and don't get him good food. Even if he's dumb, you're the one who made him so.”

The Big Black that the young lady defended was the Big Black Horse.

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There was a tent set up before the Palace tent at the horse track in order for the nobles to watch the race. They stood before the tent and watched the intense race and discussed smilingly themselves.

At the corner of the resplendent tent, the Chanyu's consort looked at the quiet girl beside her and said, ”Princess Chen Jia, it seems that this horse will not let you down.”

The leading snow white horse was one that the Chanyu's consort had gifted the young girl with last night. It was being ridden by a rider of the Divine Hall today, which was why its performance was out of the world.

The girl smiled and replied, ”Thank you for your gift, princess.”

The princess looked at the girl's flawless appearance and thought of her past. She smiled warmly at the girl and said, ”Only a horse that is out of the world would be fitting of the other-worldly Flower Addict. Have you thought of what you'd like to name it?”

The girl looked at the white horse which was speeding through the grassland and was filled with joy. She thought of that person never did like complicated descriptions and thought for a moment before saying softly, ”I shall call it Little Snow.”