During the fierce horse racing, over 10 steeds had finished one-third of the race among the stirred dust. Ahead of the yellow valiant horse of a palace cavalryman and the jade-dotted horse of a Tang military man was a snow-white steed, which presently was definitely number one.
From its stable, rhythmic nodding and the steady steps of the Snow Horse, one could judge that it still had the energy to spare. It seemed that if the competition continued like this, it would undoubtedly be the first one to run through the finishing line.
However, just at that moment, a burst of yelling with curiosity and astonishment was heard from the starting point of the race track. Numerous people were shouting at something.
Following their shouts, Ning Que and Cat Girl looked in that direction, where they found a pure black steed rushing onto the track as quickly as an arrow shot from its bowstring and chasing the group of horses in front of it at a terrifying speed.
The horse racing had already begun and nobody knew where this Big Black Horse had come from. Nobody was riding on it and nobody was instructing it either. Who knew why it would run onto the track?
Looking at the Big Black Horse, Ning Que slightly opened his mouth, definitely not knowing what to say.
Cat Girl rubbed her eyes with the back of her fingers and said curiously, “It seems that I have seen this horse somewhere before.”
…
…
Maybe the Big Black Horse had been stimulated by the speedy competition of its grassland peers, and after it ran onto the track, it ran ahead faster and faster even without the whiplash and kicking of a reinsman. Its four vigorous hooves quickly galloped on the slightly stiff ground, stirring up blossoms of dust, whose body was actually drawing out a black figure!
Those on-lookers looked at the Big Black Horse running at a terrifying speed and felt dumbfounded and shocked. They thought to themselves that there should be such a speedy horse in this world. The dense mass of the crowd produced waves of shouting when the Big Black Horse passed by them.
Those who attended the Ge Mumu knew more or less the art of riding. The horse would feel lighter without a rider on it. Yet meanwhile, without the instructions of a rider, the horse would have no idea of how to allocate its power, and furthermore, at the last moment of the sprint, it would have no chance to be stimulated by a slash. Therefore, although people were astonished at the speed of the Big Black Horse, they still did not believe that it could catch up with the horses ahead of it. In addition, those horses had covered quite a long distance.
Based on these ideas, those on-lookers along the track were still exclaiming about the surprisingly high speed of the Big Black Horse that had suddenly appeared, yet those who cared more about the final result had reset their focus on the horses in front.
The horse-racing site that was prepared by the palace this time was extremely big. Now that the distance was long and there was a big gap between the strength of those horses, the distance between those horses became larger and larger. The two steeds from the palace and the Tang army were still running with difficulty after the snow-white horse at the very front, yet it could be obviously seen that it was impossible for them to catch up with it.
…
…
It was quite important to enter the Wilderness and carry out the peace talks with the Chanyu of Left-Tent Palace. Therefore, the Tang Empire had specifically sent General Shu Cheng from the Military Ministry to take charge of the event. Now, this general coming from afar stood at the front of the king’s tent and looked at the situation of the horse racing in the Wilderness. He looked somewhat gloomy at the dialogue between the Priest of the Revelation Department of Divine Hall and the Chanyu.
Whether the cavalry is invincible is decided by their ability on the battlefield, not the speed of the horses.
Thinking to himself in this way, General Shu could do nothing but helplessly see that the horse representing the Tang Empire had little hope to win and was even left farther and farther behind by the snow-white horse. And he even could not accept that fact when thinking that the snow-white horse was a gift given to the Divine Hall by the palace.
When the attention of those bigwigs before the tent was all on the three horses at the very front, in the Wilderness the cheers and exclamations really rolled over from the far distance like the waves in a tide, getting closer and closer.
The Chanyu and the Priest of the Revelation Department of Divine Hall, who were ardently chatting, somewhat stiffened. They raised their eyes to see into the far distance, wondering what on earth was happening there. General Shu was no exception. He gradually frowned because previously they had heard the cheers and exclamations yet did not expect that it had something to do with this horse race.
Of course, the tide-like cheers and exclamations had something to do with the Big Black Horse. It was only when it fiercely rushed past those on-lookers like a storm did they have time to burst into cheers. The tides of cheers spread more and more quickly, which indicated that it was running faster and faster and had almost reached the horses in the front!
Those people’s initial guess was right. A horse without a rider had no idea how to allocate its strength over a long-distance race. However, it was not difficult to overturn that assumption because it was not necessary for the Big Black Horse to allocate its strength, because its strong body seemed to contain endless power. If so, why bother to save any strength?
Under the sunshine of the Wilderness, the Big Black Horse looked unparalleled, black, and charming. With its crazy sprinting, its muscle tightened and relaxed in turns at a high speed and seemed to be trembling. The shadow of its hooves under its body had almost become invisible because of its horrifying high speed. Then in this way, it easily passed the horse at the back of the racing group.
It must be known that the horses in the front had finished one-third of the race before the Big Black Horse had secretly run onto the track at the starting hurdle. But it managed to catch up with the others even it had not reached the finishing line. The speed was really unbelievable!
The Big Black Horse continued to crazily sprint. It surpassed the second horse, and then the third horse, without a rest and without any hesitation. Its slightly red eyes could not see the other competitors at all—what it wanted was just surpassing and running ahead!
Those people attending the Ge Mumu in the Wilderness were shocked speechless by this scene. What they could do was subconsciously take out their hands to hold their heads and exclaim after being overstimulated. Some herdsmen even began to suspect that maybe the Big Black Horse was the legendary Pegasus, or else it could not run at such a high speed!
Nobody knew where the Big Black Horse had come from and to whom it belonged to. But presently, they were all astonished at the strength and speed it had displayed. Furthermore, when they saw it constantly surpassing others with an indomitable will, they felt their blood was boiling for the black figure and began to crazily cheer for it!
The Big Black Horse surpassed the jade-dotted horse of the Tang army.
The Big Black Horse surpassed the yellow valiant horse of the palace.
When all those present were astonished, including the bigwigs before the king’s tent, the Big Black Horse continued to shock the Wilderness by irresistibly running to the rear of the snow-white steed of Divine Hall!
The snow-white horse that was darting ahead looked like a silver dragon, while the Big Black Horse was like a violent gust of black sandstorm which intended to devour the silver dragon!
At a corner of the tent, the queen of the Chanyu could hardly hide her astonishment, so she covered her mouth with her hand. In order to select a gift for Lu Chenjia, the Flower Addict, the tribes of the palace had spent a long time to finally find such an excellent snow-white horse without any variegated color. But unexpectedly, it was challenged.
Lu Chenjia, the princess of Yuelun Kingdom, was quietly sitting there and looked at the Snow Locus Herb beside her, and then she was attracted by the restlessness outside and the expression of the queen. So she looked at the Wilderness and slightly tilted the end of her slender eyebrows.
When the cavalryman riding the snow-white horse heard the hoofbeats behind him becoming clearer and clearer, based on years of experience he knew that his opponent was approaching, so he turned back only to be startled by the big head of the black horse.
Because the eyes of this strange Big Black Horse were so singular, whose brightness was filled with craziness and testiness, as well as several traces of blood. It seemed eager to bite him to death. Actually… The Big Black Horse really opened its mouth and revealed a mouthful of white teeth, severely and madly biting into the air!
It was too fast after all, so it failed to bite the waving tail of the snow-white horse. It bitterly stared at the crupper of the snow-white horse, its four hooves stamping the ground even more quickly. So in an instant, it surpassed the crupper of the snow-white horse.
Then the bystanders in the Wilderness burst into thunderous cheers.
The cavalryman riding the snow-white horse looked shocked. He bowed his head and tightened his right hand holding the reins. He understood that since the snow-white horse was a gift given by the palace to that noble girl, it was already his great honor to ride the horse on her behalf. If he lost the race, he would not have a good result.
From the beginning of the race until now, the horsewhip held by that cavalryman was only superficially waved two times and never really rested on the snow-white horse, because he did not dare to leave any trace of blood on the horse of the noble girl. However, the situation became tense now and the Big Black Horse that had abruptly appeared seemed to have the ability to surpass him. Therefore, he hardened his heart and was prepared to heavily slash on its crupper with the horsewhip.
Just at the moment, nobody had expected that when the snow-white horse found that the Big Black Horse was beside it, it suddenly sprinted even without any whipping from the cavalryman, as if it was greatly stimulated by something else!
It was only now that those bystanders realized that previously this snow-white horse had not exerted all of its strength at all, that was why it appeared to be so elegant and stable. But now, when it was stimulated by the Big Black Horse, it began to display all of its power and skills and was actually rushing ahead crazily instead of showing its elegance!
Now the white blizzard had really begun!
The white figure was following it tightly, refusing to be left behind!
The exclamations and cheers in the Wilderness reached their summit at the moment. The winter clouds drifting in the sky gradually became sparse, making it quite clear, so people could see things more clearly.
Now the snow-white horse and the Big Black Horse were almost running neck and neck, while the snow-white horse was faster by half a body length. They sprinted all out and madly beat their hooves and waved their heads, regardless of being elegant or not. Because of the craziness of their running, their relative speed looked extremely slow and even appeared about to stop.
The finishing line was near, just in front of them.
Those bystanders gradually felt that the Big Black Horse would in no way surpass the snow-white one—some of them even felt it a pity and silently made a sigh in their hearts.
The Big Black Horse had no time to sigh. Since it was born, it had been in the Military camp in the North of the Tang Empire and the stud-farm outside Chang’an City. It had bullied countless peers and human beings and was only bullied by one person. But it was the first time to run so madly and pant with such difficulty as it had today.
When all others believed that it could not surpass the snow-white horse, it just could not admit it, accept it, and reconcile it. It pressed all its power out and ignited all its desire. Although it seemed to be impossible for it to win, it still quickened its pace, stamped on the ground, and chased after the snow-white horse inch by inch, like the way darkness covers the ground!
Its hooves broke the black ground and the darkness devoured the blizzard.
Just when they were about to reach the finishing line, it finally surpassed the snow-white horse and won first place!
The Wilderness sank in silence, and then it burst into thunderous cheers!
Those bigwigs before the tent were all silent and then they made numerous sighs.
Some strong ones with sharp eyes even noticed that just before they had reached the finishing line, the Big Black Horse even had the strength to turn back and give a mocking look at the snow-white horse, and meanwhile turned over its thick lips at high speed, showing a contemptuous expression.
General Shu of the big Tang Empire blankly looked at the Big Black Horse, muttering, “That horse looks so familiar.”
The chief figure sent by Divine Hall to negotiate with the palace was the Priest of the Revelation Department. Looking at those horses passing by the finishing line, he frowned and looked indifferently at the commander of the cavalryman of Divine Hall beside him.
The eyes of the Priest of the Revelation Department were cold and frigid.
The commander of the cavalryman of Divine Hall felt cold and frigid too.
He knew what was hidden in the cold eyes of the Priest—The cavalryman of Divine Hall riding that snow-white horse was the excellent one that he had specifically selected from the cavalrymen ahead of time, and he rode the horse of Princess Chen Jia. However, he was defeated by a Big Black Horse that no one knew where it had come from and furthermore, he was defeated in such a way!
The cavalrymen of Divine Hall were in charge of the Judicial Department and were not directly managed by the Revelation Department. But the Priest was of such a high status, and if Princess Chen Jia was unhappy with the result, how would Prince Long Qing deal with him?
Such ideas made the commander even more frightened. He bitterly stared at the Big Black Horse, which was gasping in the Wilderness, and thought to himself,“Where on earth did you bitch come from? I will definitely kill you later!”
“Which tribe does this Big Black Horse belong to?”
The Chanyu of the Left-Tent Palace, standing at the very front, looked at the steed with the bright black skin under the sun and was very fond of it. Then he waved his hand, ordering, “Go and ask them. I want it, I can exchange anything for it!”
…
…
There was some distance between the gentle slope and the grassland, yet how could Ning Que not recognize his dear adorable horse, especially the enchanting glance back before reaching the finishing line and its degrading behavior of crazily turning over the thick lips. Those behaviors were so unique. He thought in silence, “What is wrong with this guy today? He should come to race with others, which was totally different with his usual laziness.”
Cat Girl had already confirmed that the Big Black Horse was the horse of the Senior Brother beside her when it was halfway through the day. Now when she saw that the Big Black Horse had so amazingly won victory, she excitedly applauded on the gentle slope and grasped the sleeve of Ning Que to constantly shake him, excitedly saying, “Senior Brother, you see, Big Black won!”
Ning Que sighed with emotion, “This guy always likes showing off. Why isn’t it like me?”
The excitement of Cat Girl was interrupted by his sigh, so she pursed her mouth and asked, “I can’t understand what’s wrong with showing off? You should know—victory is the greatest honor.”
Ning Que did not answer her but helplessly thought to himself, “Big Black behaved so arrogant publicly, what if it was recognized by others? I am still hesitating about when to show my identity, and shall I be guided by a horse? Anyway, isn’t it right for a man to guide the horse?”
The tense and fierce horse race had quickened the heartbeat of all those participants in the Ge Mumu, who thus neglected their surroundings. Cat Girl, who knew the background of the Big Black Horse, was even more nervous and it was unknown where she had left the gigot handed previously by Ning Que with only gradually condensed mutton fat and fragrance in her hand.
After she wiped her hand clean with the handkerchief, she thought it over and then said to Ning Que, “Senior Brother, the handkerchief is dirty now. How about I wash it and then return it to you?”
Ning Que smiled and directly took the handkerchief, answering, “I can do it myself.”
All the things that he wore and in his package were prepared by Sangsang before his departure, so he was always careful. If the handkerchief was left in the Wilderness, he was afraid that he could not explain it to Sangsang when he got back to Chang’an.
Cat Girl had no other intentions by saying that and was unaware of what Ning Que was thinking about at the moment. Looking at the Big Black Horse in the Wilderness, she happily waved her hand to it and said with a delightful smile, “Senior Brother, although you never give Big Black enough food to eat, and enslave it every day, it still shows its talent when it is necessary. If you continue to treat it in such a way, you should be careful that when it is selected by others and taken away that it doesn’t miss you. Then you should not feel regretful and distressed.”
Hearing those words, Ning Que recalled a busy and thin figure, as well as that dark face, then his heart somewhat contracted. Following Cat Girl’s eyes, Ning Que looked downward and his heart uncontrollably contracted in a more fierce way. Under such a shock, he held Cat Girl into his arms at the quickest speed and took out his hand to cover her eyes.
…
…
In the Wilderness, those steeds that had successively passed the finishing line were all heavily gasping. They were sometimes slightly kicking their front hooves to resume their strength following the methods they were familiar with. And there were specially assigned persons to help the riders off the horse to take a rest.
The Big Black Horse gathered its strength at an unparalleled speed. After only a short moment did it restore its power and spirit. Over 10 people from the palace standing around it curiously looked at it up and down, and meanwhile inquired from the surrounding people about its master.
It seemed that the Big Black Horse quite enjoyed the feeling of being focused on by millions of people. It slightly waved its tail, appearing to be very proud, and sometimes it stretched out its red and long tongue to lick at its thick lips.
A few paces off, the snow-white steed was heavily gasping while being led by the cavalryman of the Divine Hall to slowly walk to the side. When seeing the degrading behavior of the Big Black Horse to roll its tongue and lick at its lips, it showed an expression of hatred in its eyes.
The Big Black Horse happened to see it and was suddenly stimulated like when it had been threatened by Ning Que previously. So it madly squeezed those people off to the side and rushed at the snow-white horse at full speed.
The snow-white horse was also a rare steed with gifted talents, who had never yet seen such a silly peer with a rough body and abnormal energy as the Big Black Horse. When it intended to kick back to defend itself, it failed to do so because of its extreme weakness.
The Big Black Horse severely bit at the neck of the snow-white horse. Although no blood was seen, it really bit in a bitter way.
The snow-white horse wailed out in pain.
Biting at the horsehair of the snow-white horse, the Big Black Horse put its front hoof on the white horse, with its strong body unreasonably pressing on its opponent, from which everybody could figure out what it would do next.
Then laughter burst out from all directions.
The queen looked embarrassed, who then stood up to severely order her subordinate to quickly separate the two horses.
Looking silently in that direction, Lu Chenjia still remained as tranquil as a newly-bloomed orchid, yet her hands inside her sleeves gradually clenched.
All of sudden, a sharp whistle was heard from the distance.
The Big Black Horse suddenly shivered as if it had heard the spirit-inducing bell ring. It got off of the snow-white horse and knocked away those who wanted to rein it. It began to crazily run ahead again to the outside of the campsite as quickly as black lightning.
During the crazy rushing, it proudly thought, “I just scrambled a supper from your trough last night, yet you, white hag, should ask for so many sisters to deal with me? So you really think I have no way to tackle you?”
The chilly wind was as biting as knives and the Big Black Horse was as energetic as fire, whose paces were like dancing steps.