Chapter 468: Chapter 170: Assassination Attempt
In the long pavilion at the entrance of the hunting ground, Lu Tong’s expression grew cold as he watched Qi Yutai among the mounted party.
Qi Yutai had also come.
Mounted on a tall and splendid red horse, dressed in a richly embroidered royal blue riding outfit, he appeared amiable and tranquil, smiling and joking with familiar young masters from other families, looking quite the dashing figure.
Lu Tong sneered inwardly.
Qi Yutai, at risk of epileptic fits, ought to avoid overly stimulating activities; a hunting ground such as this was supposed to be avoided, yet he had chosen to come of his own accord.
Truly courting death.
She gripped the strap of her medical box tightly.
The woods and rocks were dense; it was common for accidents to happen in such places. Before leaving, she had filled her medical box with many vials of poison, thinking if she could kill him here...
Her thoughts fluttered, and as her gaze fell on the scene ahead, she couldn’t help but frown.
It wouldn’t do; there were too many people.
Several red-clad guards were following close by Qi Yutai’s side, protecting him tightly. If it had been only one, it would have been manageable, but with so many, it would likely be very difficult to lead them away.
She would have to give up.
Lin Danqing, beside her, curled his lip: "Why did they bring that mad dog again?"
Lu Tong: "Mad dog?"
"Yes." Lin Danqing nodded towards the front, "Look."
Lu Tong focused her attention ahead.
Indeed, trailing behind Qi Yutai’s horse was a grey hunting dog. The dog was large, much bigger than the usual household dogs that guarded homes and patrolled streets, its coat glossy and eyes bloodshot. If not for the gold collar around its neck, it could easily be mistaken for a ferocious, starving wolf, its appearance enough to send chills down one’s spine.
"That’s Qi Yutai’s favorite hound," Lin Danqing explained, "brought to assist in the hunt."
Lu Tong understood.
It was common for the offspring of nobility to bring falcons and hunting dogs to the hunting field to assist in the hunt.
"Qi Yutai certainly treasures that dog. I hear it eats fresh beef spine meat every day, a large basin of fresh cow milk, seasonal fruits, even bird’s nest confections. They say even its kennel is inlaid with gems and attended to by a dedicated...
Lin Danqing’s tone was indignant, "Look at the gold collar on its neck. I’ve never worn anything of that quality. The world has truly gone to the dogs."
Lu Tong asked, "Why call it a mad dog?"
"Isn’t it a mad dog if it bites people all over the place?"
Lin Danqing sneered, "Sometimes when the Qi family takes the dog out, it’s so strong that the servants can’t control it, and it unavoidably injures people. There was a little girl whose face was half eaten by this dog, and her mother, finding no one to plead to, wrote a petition and sewed it onto her back, carrying her child to the door to weep..."
Lu Tong was taken aback, "What happened in the end?"
"In the end?" Lin Danqing gave a scornful laugh, "She cried for just one day, and that was that. They say the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion compensated the girl with a large sum of silver, promising to cover her expenses until she married. There were rumors praising the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion for its generosity, and the family was extremely grateful, not realizing that with such injuries, how could she possibly live to the day of her marriage?"
Once he’d finished speaking, both fell silent.
After a while, Lin Danqing resumed, his tone somewhat milder, "Don’t worry, someone is handling the dog, and this is a hunting ground after all, so there’s no need to fear it biting people. Perhaps Young Master Qi brought it to save face, afraid of returning empty-handed from the hunt."
Lu Tong looked up and saw the grey hound moving forward with Qi Yutai’s horse, shielded by the Dragon Guards trailing behind, and soon it was out of sight.
She withdrew her gaze, giving a light "Mhm" in acknowledgement.
With the Dragon Guard and the princes and nobles already in position, the hunt was about to start soon.
Lu Tong stood in the tent of the Medical Officer Institute, watching the Ceremonial Officer standing on the high platform of the hunting field, blowing the hunting horn.
The woods were empty, and the long sound of the horn echoed, startling countless birds into flight.
The Crown Prince Yuan Zhen spurred his horse to the forefront of the hunting field, and an attendant presented him with a gold-inlaid bow and arrows. Yuan Zhen took the arrows, drew the bow, and with a fierce shot at the red silk ahead—
The hunt had begun!
The Crown Prince led the way, with the Ban Wei following closely behind, rushing into the woods. After him came the Second Imperial Prince, Third Prince, and Fourth Imperial Prince, followed by Prince Ning, various dukes and marquises, and higher-ranking officials...
The initial path into the woods at the hunting ground was narrow, and the parties advanced in single file; however, ahead there were two groups that seemed to have collided, neither willing to give way, a situation reminiscent of a narrow path meeting.
Lu Tong looked at the people who stopped at the entrance of the forest path at the same time as Pei Yunmeng and asked Lin Danqing, "Who is that person?"
Lin Danqing glanced and replied, "That’s Minister Yan Xu, the Commander of the Privy Council."
Yan Xu?
Lu Tong’s mind stirred.
Wasn’t he Pei Yunmeng’s arch-rival?
Under the shade of trees, the young man reined his horse, looking at the man blocking his path.
"Minister Yan," he said with a smile, "the path is narrow, watch out for slippery spots."
The man on the horse, about forty years old, wore a dark gray riding outfit and was lean and lanky. Though his appearance was rather ordinary, with only his sharp and astute eyes standing out, he was looking at the young man with a dark expression.