Huo Qiyan couldn't believe it and looked back at Gu Ying incredulously. She wondered in her heart, "You look quite decent, how could your taste be so bad?"
Fu Xunzhi was so ordinary among all the young masters, and he was a bookworm who knew nothing. How could he hunt? He was probably the waste who couldn't even climb onto a horse's back.
It was alright for a lady to be useless in archery and horse riding, but it would be laughable for a man.
Gu Ying just smiled without saying anything.
She had made up her mind, and she was reluctant to change it without special circumstances.
Seeing some young masters had already been chosen, she was not in a hurry either. She only watched Fu Xunzhi closely to see if any young lady had chosen him.
He was not as outstanding as Zhao Changdu and Su Huanfeng. So far, no young lady had walked up to him.
He looked a little embarrassed among the other young masters. He could only lower his head and stare at the white snow under his feet, not even daring to look in the direction of the young ladies. He looked rather pitiful, like an abandoned big dog.
On the contrary, Zhao Changdu had already rejected many young ladies, even publicly rejecting Princess Yueyan.
Su Huanfeng was even more angry. He scowled with a dark face, refusing all invitations. His crimson peach blossom eyes stared straight at Gu Ying, his face clearly saying "Woman, give you one last chance, come and take this young master away!"
Gu Ying focused all her attention on Fu Xunzhi, thinking about how to choose him later to leave a deeper impression on him.
Jiang Yin stood stiffly in place, raising his eyes to glance at Gu Ying.
Some strange fragmented memories flashed through his mind, all related to her - her shy look, frightened and timid look, her rabbit-like eyes blushing as she walked up to him and extended her hand to him humbly...
He shook his head forcefully again and closed his eyes before opening them blankly.
What were those memories?
Did they really exist or were they just dreams he imagined?
When he recovered some of his senses, he found there were not many young masters left.
He looked around and saw only himself, Fu Xunzhi, Crown Prince Zhao Changdu and the young marquis Su Huanfeng from the Marquisate of Yong'an still here.
And on the girls' side, only Gu Ying, Gu Jia, Princess Yueyan and the arrogant second miss from the Huo family remained.
Somehow, he suddenly felt confident. He knew Gu Ying would definitely choose him, or that she had chosen him before...
...
In the end when only a few were left, those who had already formed their teams looked to the remaining few, even the Emperor and Empress on the high stage were guessing how the remaining few would team up.
Emperor Tianqi's eyes fell on Gu Ying. This girl rarely appeared in public before and seldom attended palace banquets, so he did not have a deep impression of her.
Seeing her today, he realized Gu Ying looked so similar to the peerless beauty Ye Shi back then...
If it were not for Ye Shi and Gu Boqing's relationship back then...
Alas...
He was slightly emotional, feeling some reminiscence, and his gaze became somewhat profound.
"Empress, what do you think?"
The Empress smiled lightly, "This Concubine feels this Second Miss Gu today seems a bit extraordinary. She may choose the young marquis Su."
"But I heard the Su family doesn't really like this girl from the Gu family and wanted to break off the engagement before? This girl can't be silly enough to let the Su boy publicly reject her and humiliate herself in front of everyone right?"
Although there was segregation between men and women in Eastern Li, marriage was not set in stone. For engaged couples, as long as both families annul the engagement, it could be dissolved.
If the groom's side was unwilling to marry the bride, the groom's side could unilaterally withdraw from the marriage.
The bride could also remarry someone else.
However, being withdrawn from and remarried was equivalent to remarrying someone else, which would prevent the bride's family from raising their heads high in her next husband's family.
Therefore, respectable families would absolutely not easily break off a marriage unless there were major changes.
The Empress deliberately left some leeway in her words.
If the Su family didn't want this girl from the Gu family, she could think of ways to welcome the girl into her son's prince residence, even if it was as a concubine. It was still better than marrying someone inferior to the Gu family later.
Emperor Tianqi did not speak further and watched carefully below.
Down on the field, the usually arrogant and pretty face of Huo Qiyan revealed a hint of shyness.
She clutched the jade token in her hand and lowered her eyes bashfully, wanting to walk towards Zhao Changdu.
Gu Ying gently pulled her back.
Huo Qiyan turned her head to look at her.
Gu Ying said gently, "Miss Huo, I want to choose first."
It was not a request, but a statement.
Huo Qiyan was a little unhappy turning her head, "Gu Ying, are you ordering me?"
Gu Ying raised her eyebrows, smiling generously. Her exquisite face looked even more enchanting and compelling against the snow. "If Miss Huo really wants to pair up with the Crown Prince, listen to me. I'll take Master Fu first, then you can directly choose the Prince. The Prince has already rejected Princess Yueyan once, so he wouldn't want to end up paired with her. So the Prince will only accept you."
Huo Qiyan was angry, frowning, "What do you mean, my cousin wouldn't want me?"
Gu Ying smiled slightly, "Miss Huo, Princess Yueyan is after all a princess, the only daughter of the Empress Mother. If she still doesn't choose the young marquis and insists on competing with the Crown Prince..."
Huo Qiyan choked. Her beautiful face revealed anger, but Gu Ying's words made sense. If Princess Yueyan pressured with imperial power, she was just the daughter of an official family, nothing in front of imperial power.
With a word from the Emperor, Cousin Changdu would have no choice even if he was unwilling to take Princess Yueyan.
Thinking of this, she bit her lip and clutched the jade token engraved with her name until it turned white. "Alright, you choose first."
Gu Ying had achieved her goal and walked out calmly.
The three on the other side had different expressions seeing it was Gu Ying who walked out.
Su Huanfeng knitted his brows nervously, his heart thumping. He was afraid those words about cancelling the engagement were real. But thinking further, who else could she choose if not him?
Jiang Yin was vaguely excited, a voice in his heart telling him Gu Ying would definitely choose him.
He raised his long eyes and slowly looked towards the approaching Gu Ying, already prepared to take the jade token from her hand.
