latelenovela Chapter 345 Hunting in the Enclosure, Turbulent Times Begin
Chapter 345 Hunting in the Enclosure, Turbulent Times Begin
In autumn, the weather is cool, the grass and trees turn yellow, and animals are very active, making it the peak season for royal hunting.
The powerful and wealthy in the capital city eagerly anticipate the annual large-scale hunting event.
This year's hunting trip is especially important for the Luo family.
In the past, the imperial concubine's family members would go to the hunting grounds, and even when they formed a team, they could never make it into the first echelon, which made Luo Da and Luo Er lose face in front of their group of friends.
This time, they appeared at the hunting grounds as cousins of royal family members. This identity was prestigious enough for the two of them to boast about to their cronies for days and nights.
This hunting expedition was a grand event, with tens of thousands of people accompanying the emperor, creating a magnificent and imposing scene.
Wenwen, Wenchengjian, and Wenchengbin, the three siblings, were prominently featured.
They had been appearing on the streets of the capital from time to time these past few months. The emperor couldn't be unaware of how many of them there were, so he simply informed Zhou Yanzhi to let the Hao family's sons also go to the hunting grounds for a visit.
Weichang is located northwest of Beijing. It covers a vast area and is home to a wide variety of animals.
Officials from the relevant organizations arrived several days in advance to make arrangements around the hunting grounds, so the safety of the hunting grounds was quite guaranteed. In addition, with the Grand General of the State and the guards of the capital accompanying and protecting the palace, the palace was even more secure.
The emperor's palace was located in a beautiful and excellent location.
To the west of the palace, tents were set up, marking the locations of the various powerful figures or officials invited to participate in the hunt.
Wenwen and her two siblings were in the Zhou family's tent at that moment.
This time, the Zhou family was led by Zhou Yanzhi, along with three other young people named Zhou Yizhou, Zhou Yishan, and Zhou Yifan. These young people were about the same age as Wen Chengjian. Since they were all young, they quickly became acquainted by talking about topics that interested them.
Zhou Yizhou looked at Wenwen and asked, "Young Master Hao, I've heard you're quite skilled in martial arts. Is there any hope that our ranking will improve a few places in this hunt?"
Zhou Yishan nudged Hao's younger brother with his elbow and said, "Don't put pressure on him. We're just here to have fun. We're not looking for a ranking; participation is what matters."
Zhou Yifan, standing next to him, agreed, "That's right. We can't put pressure on the Hao brothers. As Chairman Mao said, the most important thing in life is to be happy. When you're out having fun, the most important thing is to have fun."
Uh!
The most important thing in life is to be happy!
Wenwen remembered these words; she had told them to her grandmaster. She never expected that these words would have spread to the younger generation of the Zhou family.
Just as she was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the door.
It was Zhou Yanzhi and the two stewards who returned.
One steward was carrying a pile of dry branches, while the other was holding several food boxes containing food he had brought from home.
Zhou Yanzhi lifted the curtain and came in. Seeing everyone there, he laughed and said, "Have something to eat first. We'll have to gather soon. Remember to bring back at least one rabbit, or our dinner will be a disaster, you know?"
The Zhou family boys laughed heartily, "Don't worry, Grandfather, there will be rabbits and chicken legs too."
Zhou Yanzhi said, "Grandfather, please eat less this meal. I'll wait here. You can't let me go hungry, or I'll complain to your great-grandfather that you're all ignorant and incompetent."
Zhou Yizhou protested, "Grandfather, you can't complain! We can catch a pheasant or a rabbit without any problem. Besides, the Hao brothers are here. They're skilled in martial arts; who knows, they might even win this time?"
Zhou Yanzhi's eyes flickered as he looked at Wenwen and her siblings, his words carrying a hidden meaning, "I don't dare to think about winning first place. Just make sure you all come back safe and sound. Don't fight with others for a worthless ranking. It's not worth it. Remember that."
The teenagers didn't know anything about Wenwen and her siblings, so Zhou Yanzhi didn't say anything more and urged them to eat quickly.
Not long after the meal, horns sounded, signaling the start of the hunt.
Not far in front of the palace, a large area was marked out. The highest position on the viewing platform was the emperor's exclusive seat, surrounded by officials and guards who had accompanied him.
Below, the riders lined up in formations were various echelons, each echelon containing more than a dozen smaller teams. These smaller teams could be formed by family units or by individuals.
The Zhou family has always been in the top tier, and each time it is done on a family-by-family basis.
The top hunting team has always been composed of young talents from the families of royalty and important ministers. Every year, the Zhou family is always among the bottom few, and everyone is used to it.
This year, the Luo family joined the first tier. It's unclear what Luo Da and Luo Er are thinking, whether they are acting as a family unit or teaming up with others. Wenwen and her siblings have no idea.
All they knew was that if the Luo family dared to do evil, then they would let them suffer the consequences. It wasn't that they wouldn't avenge their eldest cousin Ren Jinping, but that the time hadn't come yet. To be honest, they were quite hoping that Luo Da would continue to cause trouble. What a great opportunity for revenge! Falling off a horse in front of everyone, no one could blame anyone else.
Once everyone was present, the emperor gave the order, and the first group set off first.
The young talents from various families, mounted on horseback, shot off into the mountains like arrows released from a bow.
In fact, there are very few large and dangerous beasts left in the mountains and forests, at most only one or two. These few beasts are definitely in the inner perimeter of the mountains and forests, and there may even be guards protecting them!
The first group of people initially stayed on the outskirts, where they mostly encountered small wild animals, such as pheasants and rabbits. If they were lucky, they might occasionally run into a wild boar, wild sheep, or wild deer.
For the first two or three days, everyone stayed in their families and wandered around the perimeter.
Wenwen and her two siblings, along with the three members of the Zhou family, kept a respectful distance from everyone, always following in their footsteps at just the right pace. They hunted plenty of pheasants and rabbits that others didn't care for, and every night when they returned to camp, they could always hear Zhou Yanzhi's laughter.
"Great! You've hunted so many pheasants today. Have your steward send a few back for your great-grandfather to have a taste..."
"Hey, you caught a little wild boar today! Not bad, not bad, you've improved..."
Three days later, the first group was no longer satisfied with small wild animals and began to form gangs to venture into the inner part of the mountains and forests.
That day, Wenwen and her group were still lagging behind the others when, unexpectedly, the young master of the Ning family stopped and asked, "Brother Yizhou, we're forming a team to enter the inner perimeter. Are you going? Are you joining a team?"
Zhou Yizhou, the team leader, replied, "Go to the inner circle. Forget about forming a team. You all know our strength. Don't drag us down."
Young Master Ning thought for a moment and replied with a smile, "Alright, but you need to be careful once you enter the inner area. We'll be going now."
Zhou Yizhou: "Understood, Brother Ning. Please be careful."
The other person waved to them, raised his whip, and darted into the depths of the forest, gradually disappearing from everyone's sight.
Once they could no longer see anyone around them, Zhou Yizhou looked at Wen Chengjian and asked, "Brother Hao, shall we go in too?"
Just as Wen Chengjian was about to speak, a voice rang in his ears.