flstandardbreds Chapter 177 Frightened Horse
Chapter 177 Frightened Horse
As she was lost in thought, Ning Zhi walked over.
“Miss Guo, she is not good at riding and archery, and her body is not as strong as yours. It would be troublesome if she got injured.”
Guo Qiongfang pursed her lips: "That's true. Miss Jiang is so frail. If something happens to her, my parents will definitely not forgive me." Her eyes darted around, "Then, Young Master Xu, would you be willing to try with me?"
“I…” He was about to agree when Jiang Wan interrupted him, “You two have been going back and forth for so long, I haven’t even answered yet.”
Jiang Wan looked at her and said, "Miss Guo, although I am not as skilled as you, it won't hurt to give it a try."
“Jiang Mian…” Ning Zhi still wanted to persuade her.
But Jiang Mian shook her head, indicating that she was fine.
Guo Qiongfang shoved the bow and arrows at her, her smile radiant: "Miss Jiang is clearly no ordinary young lady; she must know how to use them! Let's not take this too seriously, just have some fun!"
This time, her face showed the undisguised competitive spirit of a young person.
Jiang Mian looked at the tall horse and the heavy bow and arrow, and remained silent for a moment.
She was indeed skilled in riding and archery; she had learned it in her youth and had used it in the palace in her previous life.
But her basic skills are nowhere near as good as Guo Qiongfang's.
Jiang Mian took the bow and looked up to meet Guo Qiongfang's bright and confident eyes.
The two mounted their horses and prepared, when Guo Qiongfang gave a clear shout: "Begin!"
The two horses charged out at the same time, kicking up snow.
Guo Qiongfang's red dress was as fiery as fire, leaving a striking trail on the snow.
She turned to the side, drew her bow, and released the arrow, her movements as fluid as flowing water.
"Whoosh-!"
The red bullseye on the distant target trembled slightly.
She glanced back triumphantly.
Jiang Mian fell halfway down the horse's body, lowered her body, and pursed her lips tightly.
The cold wind whipped against her face, and her fingers, gripping the bow, grew numb with cold.
She strained to draw the bow and aimed at the target.
The arrow left the bowstring but lacked power, grazing the edge of the target at an angle before disappearing into the snow.
Guo Qiongfang had already turned back, passing by her with a gust of cold wind: "Miss Jiang, I've hit the bullseye, you'd better keep it up!"
With the second arrow, Jiang Mian focused her mind and steadied her arm.
The arrow hit the target, but remained on the edge.
Guo Qiongfang moved swiftly and completed her course, with all three arrows hitting near the bullseye.
She reined in her horse and turned it around, stopping at the finish line, watching Jiang Mian's slender figure struggling to draw her bow.
A sense of exhilaration arises from overwhelming the other party.
She tilted her head, looking excitedly at Ning Zhi, subconsciously wanting his approval.
But Ning Zhi's gaze was fixed on the slender figure swaying precariously in the snow, not sparing her even a glance.
Guo Qiongfang gripped the reins tightly, her knuckles turning white.
Just as Jiang Wan gritted her teeth, preparing to shoot the final arrow—
A whistle rang out from the sky.
Suddenly, without warning, the black horse reared up, let out a long, terrified neigh, and galloped wildly into a complex forest.
Caught off guard, Jiang Mian cried out in alarm and pulled on the reins with all her might.
But the horses were terrified and completely out of control.
"Jiang Wan!" Ning Zhi exclaimed in shock, staring at Guo Qiongfang. "What have you done?!"
"I...I..." Guo Qiongfang stammered.
Ning Zhi gritted his teeth: "If anything happens to her, the entire Guo family won't be able to compensate for it!"
He turned and glanced at Lu Fang.
Then all the guards moved at once and rushed towards the woods.
The snowy field instantly descended into chaos.
Guo Qiongfang was stunned; she didn't know what was happening either.
At that whistle, the black horse galloped wildly, as if possessed.
She ran over to check the grain and fodder, and upon closer inspection, she discovered that the smell was strange. She immediately realized that the grain and fodder had been poisoned.
She didn't have time to think about the reasons and rushed forward.
They quickly caught up with Ning Zhi and the guards.
The wind whistled past her ears as she shouted, "Young Master Xu! This has nothing to do with me! If anything happens to Miss Jiang, I'll let you do whatever you want with her!"
"drive!"
She cracked her whip and spurred her horse to gallop.
The surrounding snow scenery flashed by, and Ning Zhi could tell that she had used all her strength.
But the dark horse was extremely fast, leaving a very long gap.
Jiang Mian let go of the reins, the cold wind filled her mouth and nose, and her vision spun around.
She pressed herself tightly against the horse's back, unable to open her eyes at all.
The cold snowflakes slapped against my face, mixed with the fear of countless near-death moments from my past lives.
Ruined.
That was her first thought.
Are you going to die again?
Amid the chaos, there seemed to be shouts of alarm from guards, anxious cries from Guo Qiongfang, and furious roars from Ning Zhi who had lost his composure.
But the sounds were getting farther and farther away.
He was drowned out by the sound of the wind, the sound of horses' hooves, and the thunderous drumbeats of his own heart pounding.
The horses' hooves pounded wildly, and the dry branches of the trees whipped her cheeks, causing a sharp pain.
She suddenly remembered the day Ning Zhi rescued her from the river; Xiao Hengzhi was also galloping wildly on the shore.
So that's how he felt back then?
She didn't know why she suddenly thought of him.
Just like every time she was in danger, he would suddenly appear.
But now he's dead.
She killed him with her own hands.
......
The black horse was still galloping wildly, shaking her so badly that it hurt her internal organs.
She slightly opened her eyes and saw a thick tree branch lying in front of her, with a masked man on it.
not good!
Jiang Wan's gaze sharpened, and just when she thought she couldn't dodge, a shout came from behind.
"Be careful--!"
Immediately afterwards, three arrows shot straight at the masked man, grazing his shoulder.
Out of the corner of her eye, Jiang Mian saw Guo Qiongfang riding up close and leaping off her horse to pounce on her.
With a soft thud, the dead wood sliced through flesh.
Guo Qiongfang groaned and tumbled off her horse with Jiang Mian, falling into the thick snow.
At the same time, the masked man's figure quickly disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.
Jiang Mian was dizzy and had severe pain in her shoulders and back after being hit.
She propped herself up and saw a deep, bone-revealing wound on Guo Qiongfang's arm.
“You…” Jiang Wan’s voice trembled.
"Don't move!" Guo Qiongfang cried out, her face pale with pain. "Look at yourself!"