The Little King

5 | Weird

Draft

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The Barbarians had a vast territory but compared to the fertile land and good climate of the kingdom Xia, the land of the Barbarians was still a little worse. Most of the area was sand, a small part was mountains and snowfields, only a very small part was fertile and plain grassland. And the land where Yudu sat was the best, there was a large grassland to the east of Yudu where animals could graze, as well as another area was restricted by the royal family for only nobles to enjoy.

There weren't many people in the Barbarian country who regularly rode horse-drawn carriages. Their horse-drawn carriages weren't as luxurious or convenient as those in the kingdom of Xia. Almost all, both men and women, could ride horses, even young children could ride on horseback from the age of five or six, there were only a handful of people who couldn't ride horses.

Xia Xi didn't know how to ride a horse.

In fact, he had never really seen a horse before until after he left the Palace. There was only one place in the Imperial city where one could see a horse and it was a horse ranch. Xia Xi was a hidden existence so he naturally couldn't go there. His previous knowledge of 'horses' was only gleaned from books, and it was only during the journey from the border to Yudu did he finally touch a horse's mane for the first time.

He had never learned- or done- anything remotely related to riding a horse.

Chu Lan chose the most beautiful and docile mare for him, even showing it in front of him personally, he looked at Xia Xi with expectant eyes, "Do you like it?"

Xia Xi nodded, "I like it." He reached out and touched the horse's beautiful hair and said with embarrassment: "But I don't know how to ride..." The boy wrinkled his nose when he heard his words, "Don't know? Are Xia all like this? You don't even know how to ride horses, it's no wonder that in the past few years of warfare you're only getting worse and worse." He reared his foot into the stirrups and jumped onto the horse neatly, sitting on the saddle with back ramrod straight. He said: "That's it, you know how to do it now?"

He got off the horse and motioned for Xia Xi to climb up. Xia XI gritted his teeth and raised his foot to fit in the stirrups, it took him several times to climb on the stirrups, climbing onto the horse's back with the same frustrating speed. It was probably because he had been fumbling for too long, even though the mare was very docile, she was starting to get impatient. She lifted her hooves and walked a few steps forward. Xia Xi's face turned pale in fright, his grip on the reins loosened and he actually fell off the horse. Chu Lan was shocked and quickly reached out to help him, his grip made for an uncomfortable angle but at least Xia Xi didn't fall to the ground.

Xia Xi felt even more frightened, he consciously forced himself to stand still and tried his best to not kneel in front of Chu Lan. He whispered in shame: "I'm sorry, I 'm useless."

The impact of Xia XI's fall was too strong, Chu Lan was still young and his arms were faintly aching. He snorted and said, "You really are." He stood in front of Xia Xi again and scrutinized him, "You have to study hard in the future, you have to learn, don't you see? Here, it's shameful not to know how to ride a horse. You're the Queen, you will always have to be more."

Xia Xi bowed his head, "I have erred."

The Barbarians weren't accustomed to an idle life of eating and sleeping and their language was even more robust than them. During the time since the two had been married, unless Chu Lan specifically asked him, Xia Xi never left his room. The Barbarian's diet was monotonous, except for a range of barbecue, roasted meat, or baked potatoes, the only other staple food was naan. Xia Xi still wasn't used to eating it, but he didn't dare to ask to be served something else and instead just tried his best to fill his stomach. He had just found that there was a yard behind his bedroom. Some maids seemed to have raised flowers there, obviously newly planted. The flower seeds weren't suitable for surviving in Yudu and it showed as they reluctantly grew. The maids would come to take care of it at first but they seemed to have gradually forgotten about it and didn't come back for it anymore. Xia Xi had a hobby of planting vegetables back in the Palace, he couldn't help but take a small hoe and began to dig the land again.