Lin Ning did not think that she would have been invited to the hunting event, it was quite the place which she did not understand why she would need to go when she was blind. ‘Uggghhh, a blind woman like myself should not have to come to this.’ Wishing that the emperor did not personally summon her family, then she would have been still in bed at this time of day. She did not understand why the emperor wanted her to join along, even her father could not help her avoid coming to the hunt.

“Miss Lin, I did not think that you would come to such an event.” Hearing Qian Qiang (Second Princess Consort), she did not want to deal with a woman like her so early in the morning of the hunting event.

“Second Princess Consort, you are here to watch your husband in the hunting event?” Lin Ning decided to just go with the flow. ‘What a great start of the day.’ She cried deep inside, wishing that she could just be like a bear in hibernation.

(┬┬﹏┬┬)

“En, he is going to hunt me with all the beasts that he can to show his love for me.” Hearing those words from Qian Qiang, Lin Ning sighed inside to see that she was kind of bragging about the second prince loving her so much.

‘I honestly do not care.’ Saying in her head, she felt as though her words echoed in her head. “Isn’t that sweet of him? I may not be able to see, but being able to hear is enough to let me know what is going on.” Lin Ning really did not want to be there, being taken to their seats as they all heard a man come forth.

“The emperor has announced that this year, the women will join in on the hunt.” Everyone was shocked to hear that it was announced that women would be in the hunt this time when no women had ever been able to hunt. “Not all of you will hunt, but we have decided that women will take part in this event just a bit. There has been some talk that women can take part in this even since some women enjoy hunting as well. There will be separate gifts for the man and woman who wins, only if they get the most animals that they hunt down. If you do not know how to hunt, then you will just do the best that you can during that time. It is required that you have one or two guards to help you during this hunt.”

Lin Ning could not believe that she had also forgotten, it was in the novel that the empress had convinced the emperor to allow women to join the hunt so that she would be able to finally get rid of the crown prince if she could, along with some young ladies of the capital that spoke ill of her daughter. ‘Empress… why?!?!?! I curse you!!!!’ Lin Ning wished she was not invited, it was going to be hard for her to even get on a horse when she had no experience whatsoever. Her parents were sitting on the side, they both did not think that the emperor would actually change such a thing.

Being dressed in more appropriate attire for the hunt, Lin Ning did not know how she was going to do this. ‘That emperor and empress are really…’ She let out a heavy sigh, thinking about how Xu Meili managed to go through all of this.

“Ning’er, are you going to be okay?” Her mother was worried about her, they were inside the tents where Lin Ning was all dressed for the occasion.

“If you do not wish to go, then I will try to convince the emperor to have you avoid this.” Viscount Lin was willing to go and beg the emperor on his knees to not allow Lin Ning to take part in the hunt.

“Mother. Father. You both do not need to worry about me. If we give in, then we are basically giving up and allowing the emperor to push us around. I will not allow any of you to be pushed around by the emperor.” Facing the ground, she knew that the emperor and empress were trying to kill two birds with one stone. “Besides, who knows what the emperor could be thinking when he learns that I have given up so soon on the hunt. Think about what he would try to do if we were to go and beg.” Lin Ning wanted both of her parents to think about the possibility of the emperor making her enter his harem. Looking at her two guards, she could only rely on them when she needed it.

“Duan Fa?”

“Hm?” Duan Fa was standing around, seeing how his young miss must be worried about the hunt.

“How do you control a horse?” Lin Ning decided to ask and see if she would be able to learn on her own with the instructions given to her. “I will need all the help that I can take.” Lin Ning did not want to seem like a useless woman in front of all the people. ‘Just because I can’t ride a horse does not mean that I can’t learn how.’

***

“Isn’t this just great?” Qian Qiang held an evil smile, seeing how things were changed for women to now hunt. She knew that Lin Ning would not be able to hunt, but she would also likely not be able to ride a horse. ‘This is just too satisfying.’ She said to herself.

“What’s so great?!” Yi Jiao had been resting for days, but she had finally managed to be able to get herself out of her bed. Her mood and attitude got worse once she found out that she was a barren woman. She could no longer have a future of her own which made her more hateful towards those who could still bear children. The only good thing was that the bandits that she had been associated with were all dead which left no trace of her connected to them.

“Miss Lin has to join the hunt. Do you think she will be able to survive if she happens to come across something dangerous?” Qian Qiang could see Yi Jiao’s expression lighten up a bit to know that the woman was surely going to die at the hunt. Yi Jiao had her men come close, ordering them all to be sure to find a pack of wolves to lead to Lin Ning.

***

Cao Peizhi did not like this the least bit, he found it dangerous for women to hunt and not only that, but Lin Ning had never ridden a horse before. He had heard Lin Ning talk about how she had never ridden a horse in her entire life. It made him worried that she would get harmed during the hunt. Falling off a horse could cause severe physical damage to one’s body if they fell off. Watching Lin Ning arrive, he could see the horse that she was going to ride. 'What are they thinking?!’ Realizing that they had just given a horse that was known to be crazy within the palace stables.

***

“Is she going to be able to ride a horse?”

“Can she even get on a horse?”

“That’s one of the worst horses to ride. Why would they give it to her?”

Hearing people start talking, she knew very clearly that they would start to doubt that she could be in the hunt. Laying her hand onto the horse that she would ride, she felt the soft fur that it had. “Duan Fa, is this horse male or female?” Lin Ning asked, not knowing what gender they were.

“Young miss, the horse is a female.” Duan Fa said.

‘That explains why you are so sad. You must have been separated from your child.’ Lin Ning could feel the horse move away from her, trying to avoid her from getting on her. Lin Ning had gotten close to the horse and faced her feeling the horse’s gaze that observed her, leaning towards the horse, she whispered into the horses' ear while gently petting her neck. No one had heard a single thing that she had just said to the horse, some thought that she must be a crazy woman. Feeling the saddle on the horse, Duan Fa had instructed her that the saddle’s stirrup was a little higher past her hip. Allowing her to know where it would be by using her body as though it was a measuring tape or ruler in a way, putting her foot into the stirrup as she lifted herself onto the horse. Petting the horse, she hoped that she could be of help after the hunt was over.

Everyone had been stunned to see that Lin Ning had managed to get on the mad horse that no one would ever risk getting on. Lightly kicking the horse on the side, it started to walk with her two guards following at her side. ‘I will not let myself be a fool.’ Lin Ning was clearly not going to let anyone put her and her family down just because she was as blind. The only issue was when the horse had to run faster, which she knew would make her fly off immediately if she didn’t know the basics.