Chapter 1 — Six Falls From Horses

The Van family emphasizes martial arts, and the ancestors stipulate that the bride must be good at riding horses and archery. Only if you stand twenty meters away and shoot a pear placed on the head of a descendant of the Van family, can you marry into the Van family. Normally I practice very well, but when I come to Van Ky's place, every time something unexpected happens. I fell off my horse six times, each time being seriously injured. The seventh time, I was worried that something was wrong with the horse again, so I went to the horse school to check first. Who would have thought to see Van Ky inserting a needle under the saddle. The person next to him smiled and said: "Because of your appearance, you made Miss Cui fall six times, you are really cruel enough." Van Ky smiled indifferently: "There is no other way. As soon as Huyen Nuong heard that I was about to get married, she immediately started making a scene. I can only let A Anh suffer a little." "This is the last time, next time I will definitely let A Anh shoot." The next day when I shot the arrow, I aimed straight at the spot three inches below his navel. On the horse field, the elder brother and the older sister stood guard on my left and right, the worry in my eyes was almost about to overflow. outside. "Brother Anh, leave." Sister A grabbed my hand that was holding the bow, her voice was tense: "The wound on your body hasn't completely healed yet. If you fall again, do you still need this life?" The elder brother stood on the other side, his face gloomy. "There is no shortage of good men in this world. Brother A will choose for you someone a hundred times better than Van Ky. We won't follow this tattered rule anymore." I bowed my head and did not speak. I know they love me. Six times you fell off a horse, each time didn't you have to lie down for half a month to get out of bed? New scars overlapped old scars, and the doctor sighed more heavily each time. I always thought that if I just tried one more time, Van Ky would be standing on the opposite side waiting for me. But I never thought that those unexpected things were not unexpected. Van Ky came from the other end of the crowd, just happened to hear brother A's words, a trace of unhappiness appeared on his face. "Cui Chieu, A Anh and I have a mutual relationship, how could you want to separate us because of some unexpected things?" Brother A's anger immediately flared up, he clenched his fist. "Van Ky, the thing I regret the most is that I ever brought you home and harmed Anh Anh." Three years ago, Brother A brought his classmate Van Ky. Come to my house as a guest. I was catching butterflies in the garden. The spring sunshine was beautiful. He stood on the porch and looked for a long time. As soon as he met me, he fell in love with me. Van Ky is gentle and elegant, taking care in every sentence. At that time, I was only fourteen years old, and I fell head first into it. After learning about the Van family's wedding rules, I firmly forced someone like me who didn't like riding horses to shoot archery to practice for three years at the horse training arena. His thighs were torn and scabbed, his palms were calloused layer upon layer, and he secretly cried countless times at night. But the moment I thought about being able to marry him, I realized it was all worth it. But I never thought that every time I fell, it was related to him. I lowered my eyes, my fingertips slowly retracted into my palm. Van Ky glanced at the elder brother, his voice indifferent. "You said it doesn't count, Anh Anh is willing to give me another try." The elder brother and sister looked at me at the same time, both pleading in their eyes. I raised my head, curled the corners of my lips at them, like every time before getting on the horse. "It's okay, trust me." Van Ky smiled proudly. Brother A's lips moved slightly, his eyes filled with disappointment with me. He took half a step back, giving way. I walked towards Van Ky, my palms were pressed with pale crescent-shaped marks. This time, I will make him know that there are some debts that must be paid. Van Ky reached out to pull me, I leaned slightly and avoided him. He was stunned for a moment, my face expressionless, looking for an excuse: “Up

Greasy, dirty hands.” He smiled gently: "I don't care." But in the end, I didn't reach out anymore. We went together to the front of the Van family's elders. Van Ky's parents' faces were not very good. Six shots failed to hit, the Van family has never had such a precedent. They were already dissatisfied with this marriage, but Van Ky persistently said that if it weren't for me, he wouldn't get married. Mother Van said in a voice that was neither hot nor cold: "If this time you make a mistake again, I'm afraid you're not suitable to be the wife of the Van family." "Okay." I answered very decisively. When Van Ky took me to choose a horse, the smile on his face faded a bit: "Ah Anh, why did you agree so quickly just now?" I tilted my head and looked at him: “Just a casual answer. What's wrong, do you think I still can't hit this time?" He choked, an unnatural look flashed across his face. "I didn't mean it like that... but there will still be unexpected things." I looked into his eyes: "If all seven unexpected events happen, then it's probably God's will. Even if God says it won't work, I don't want to force it." Van Ky's face turned a little pale: "A Anh, what do you mean by these words?" I smiled: "No offense, I just think this time maybe it will work." "What do you think?" He was silent for a moment, his eyes fell on the black horse that had been moved, then pointed over. "That one, good boy." His voice softened a bit. "I also believe you can do it, it's just Anh Anh..." "Even if something unexpected happened this time, I'm still willing to try for the eighth time." I looked at his gentle, jade-like face. A cold feeling welled up in my heart. He still chose to let me fall from my horse. Since that's the case, whatever I do will be his retribution. 3 After Van Ky and the others left last night, I went to the stables alone. The black horse was still tied in the same place, I reached out and probed under the saddle. His fingertips touched the cold needle. That needle is a bit longer than a normal embroidery needle, and the needle's tip is sharpened to be both bright and small. The rider just needs to run away slightly, the horse's body will heave, the needle will pierce the saddle pad, pinning it to the horse's back. As soon as the horse panics, the person will fall down. I held that needle for a long time, the tip of the needle stuck to my finger tip, the cold air seeped into my bones. I can't think clearly, if he doesn't want to get married, just say it straight. I, Cui Anh, am not the one who leaves and cannot live. Why do we have to waste so much effort to make us fall from our horse time and time again? I tightened that needle and left the horse arena, following the path to the courtyard that Van Ky placed outside. The walls of the courtyard are not high, the lights are bright inside, and from the window paper you can see the silhouettes of two people. "I have already placed the needle, are you at ease this time?" Little jar of vinegar." It was Van Ky's voice, with a hint of laughter and laziness. The woman laughed, prolonging her voice: "Aren't you afraid of ruining the person in your heart?" Van Ky laughed. "She is the person in my heart, and she is the person on top of my heart. I can't let her suffer the pain, so I can only let her suffer a little injury." "This time she falls worse, her body is not well nourished, and it will be difficult for her to give birth in the future. I will go tell her parents again and welcome her into the palace." "She is a mother who cannot give birth to children, so I certainly cannot bully her." The courtyard was quiet for a moment, and then the girl's soft laughter rang out. Van Ky said again: "Who said she was so stupid, easy to fool? like that. Compared to her, she is much more interesting.” The warm yellow light shined on the window paper, the silhouettes of the two people got closer and closer, the whispers gradually turned into vague whispers. I bit my lower lip, the fishy smell spread on the tip of my tongue. Returning to his institute,

I sat for a long time in front of the bronze mirror. The face in the mirror, if you look closely, you can see some haggardness. Having fallen six times, his body was no longer the same as before. But the eyes in the mirror were too bright. I looked in the mirror and slowly curled the corners of my lips. Van Ky, have you forgotten? Cui Anh has always been clear about his love and hatred, if there is hatred, there will be revenge. You made me fall six times. I want it back once, isn't it too much? 4 Just as I was about to turn around and get on the horse, my brother quickly rushed over with the doctor who often examined me. The doctor looked serious: "Come on, miss, your body can't stand another fall. The old wound hasn't healed yet. If it happens again, I'm afraid it will leave you with an illness in the future." The senior brother grabbed my wrist, turned around and shouted at Van Ky: "Van Ky! If you really care about her, you shouldn't let her try again! The Van family's rules are rules, so isn't her life her life?" Before Van Ky could even open his mouth, the young master next to him blurted out a sentence. "It's not like my young master forced her to get on the horse, she was willing." The elder brother's eyes looked over like da.a. "Is it your turn to interrupt? The Van family doesn't know how to teach subordinates, I'll teach you for you!" Van Ky's face darkened, he leaned over to block the little private's face, his voice became three points colder. "My Van family, it's not your turn yet." Master Cui's teachings.” The elder brother was so angry that his hands were shaking. I stared at that little guy. Just now he bowed his head, I didn't look closely. Now he was hiding behind Van Ky, half of his face slightly exposed, his skin was white, his eyebrows were delicate, and the corner of his lips still hung with a hint of smugness that hadn't yet been retracted. It's Huyen Nuong. She wore the clothes of a young monk, mingled next to Van Ky, and came to see me fall from my horse. I thought I would be angry, but inside I was surprisingly calm. It turned out that Van Ky not only wanted to make me fall again, but also wanted her to stand next to me and watch my jokes. The elder brother was still arguing with Van Ky, so I leaned close to his ear and whispered a word. The elder brother was stunned, his expression changed several times. But eventually calmed down. Finally, he snorted: "Then you'll have to see and do it yourself, I'll leave you alone." Van Ky saw his brother leave and asked me what I said just now. I looked at Huyen Nuong behind him and said curiously: "I've never seen this little guy before? Is he new here? What's his name?" A flash of panic flashed across Van Ky's face. "He's the butler's nephew, coming to help for a few days." "Oh." I nodded, as if I suddenly remembered something: "I heard someone set up a betting pool outside, betting on whether or not I'll hit the shot today." "I bet on myself, the bet will definitely succeed. If you believe me, why don't you go and place a bet, consider it lucky for us." Huyen Nuong's eyes moved slightly, a little bit of excitement in the bottom of her eyes. like I can't hide it. I looked at her, knowing clearly in my heart that she was hooked. 5The Van family has a great career, but there are also many descendants. Although Van Ky is a prominent person among his grandchildren, he is not to the extent that the whole clan worships him alone. Raising the house, providing for maids, using gold and silver to cherish Huyen Nuong, his hands were already tight. However, Huyen Nuong was still not satisfied. Hearing me say that there was a bet that could be placed, her eyes immediately lit up. "Haven't you already made all the arrangements?" She whined at Van Ky: "I went over there to see, it's not a small bet. If you bet that Thoi Anh is injured, you'll pay ten times more!" sentence?” Van Ky was shaken by her words, gritted his teeth and took out all the money he had accumulated.