"Ah Zhen!" Several young ladies waved enthusiastically as they saw Gu Shengyin approaching.
Gu Shengyin urged her horse to pick up speed. Sure enough, everyone was dressed similarly to her, clad in practical outdoor attire. Not far away, a group of sturdy horses grazed quietly, their heads bowed as they chewed on the grass.
"I haven't seen you out in a while," remarked the Danyang County Lord, Jiang Lingzhen's close friend and one of the few who knew of her engagement to the Crown Prince.
"I fell last time, and my mother hasn't allowed me to go out since," Gu Shengyin replied with a bright smile. She directed her warm grin at the young woman, someone she had always held in high regard. In the original story, when Jiang Lingzhen faced her darkest days, the Danyang County Lord had been the only person who stood by her side, even helping her escape her dire situation.
Danyang County Lord noted Jiang Lingzhen's cheerful expression and saw no trace of gloom. It seemed she had truly moved on after learning of Jiang Yunshan's appointment as a secondary consort.
"Come on! A few days ago, my father acquired some fine horses from the western regions. Let me show you!" the Danyang County Lord said, her laughter full of excitement.
"Haha, Ah Zhen, forget them. I'll take you somewhere special!" Danyang County Lord added mischievously, her enthusiasm evident.
Intrigued, Gu Shengyin immediately followed her, ignoring the cries of concern from Hu Zhu, her attendant.
As they galloped along, Gu Shengyin suddenly sensed something was wrong. Her horse began to act erratically, showing signs of panic. Alarmed, she shouted, "Danyang! Something's wrong with my horse!"
The Danyang County Lord's expression shifted as she realized the danger. "Ah Zhen, hold on! I'll come closer and help you!" she called, carefully steering her horse toward Gu Shengyin.
However, as Danyang's horse approached, Gu Shengyin's horse lashed out, bucking violently and kicking its hind legs.
"Neigh!" Danyang's horse cried out, rearing back in distress. Despite her efforts to steady it, the animal refused to move any closer to Gu Shengyin.
By the time Danyang County Lord managed to calm her horse, Gu Shengyin had already vanished from sight.
"Ah Zhen!" Danyang's voice quivered with panic. Her heart raced at the thought of what could happen if Gu Shengyin were seriously hurt.
Meanwhile, Gu Shengyin was in dire straits. Her horse bolted uncontrollably, rushing forward with reckless speed. Branches from nearby trees whipped at her, and she struggled to maintain her balance.
"System!" Gu Shengyin called out in her mind. "What's happening with this horse?"
The system's voice was calm but firm. "Traces of a hallucinogenic agent have been detected in your horse."
Gu Shengyin's expression darkened. "Is this sabotage?"
"Yes," the system confirmed. "This event occurred in the original storyline. Has the host forgotten?"
Gu Shengyin quickly searched her memory. She remembered now. In the original story, the woman who had transmigrated into Jiang Yunshan had poisoned Jiang Lingzhen's horse. Lingzhen had fallen during the ride, breaking her left arm and requiring six months of recovery.
"But wasn't this supposed to happen two years from now?" Gu Shengyin asked, confused.
"The host has altered Jiang Lingzhen's fate," the system explained. "As a result, the world's events have adjusted accordingly. For now, I advise the host to focus on the immediate danger."
Ahead, the path abruptly ended in a solid stone wall. The crazed horse showed no sign of slowing down.
Gu Shengyin's heart sank as panic surged through her. "Ah!" she cried out, bracing herself for the worst.
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