A roar then followed.
"Ah!"
Everyone's gaze instantly turned towards the polo field.
The horses, as if out of control, galloped wildly across the field, scaring everyone present into abandoning their mounts and fleeing.
On horseback, Ling Muzhu's face was panicked. She gripped the reins with all her might, afraid to let go, desperately trying to control the horse, but the effect was minimal.
"Muzhu, let go quickly and find a way to jump off," Gu Beichen said anxiously from behind.
"This is bad!" Feng Jin suddenly exclaimed, "Ling Wan, stay here and don't run around."
With that, Feng Jin jogged towards the polo field. The horse must have been frightened and couldn't calm down. If it wasn't subdued quickly, Ling Muzhu could be thrown off and break an arm or leg.
Feng Jin rolled up her sleeves, revealing a small, exquisite wrist crossbow on her wrist, and aimed it at the horse.
"Gu Beichen, get out of the way quickly!" Feng Jin shouted angrily. With Gu Beichen flitting around behind her, she couldn't aim properly and might easily injure others.
Hearing the voice, Gu Beichen was startled for a moment. He scanned his surroundings, found Feng Jin, and as soon as he realized what was happening, he quickly dodged and retreated to a safe distance.
"Ling Muzhu, try your best to control the horse."
Feng Jin shouted loudly in Ling Muzhu's direction, her crossbow aimed at the horse. Finding her moment, Feng Jin decisively pulled the trigger.
Needles, like goose feathers, were shot out one after another. These needles were soaked in anesthetic. They pierced the horse's body, and the previously frenzied horse instantly lost all strength. Its legs buckled, and it collapsed to the ground. Ling Muzhu seized the opportunity and jumped off, fortunately without injury.
Only after the horse fell did Feng Jin retract her crossbow and breathe a sigh of relief. She walked directly towards Ling Muzhu.
"Are you injured?"
Ling Muzhu, still shaken, sweat trickled down her forehead. Her lips trembled slightly as she said, "I... I'm fine..."
"Get up first."
Feng Jin reached out and pulled her up. After confirming Ling Muzhu was unharmed, she went to check on the horse.
A horse would not suddenly go mad without reason; it must have been provoked by something.
Feng Jin ran her hands all over the horse and found a wound on its leg, still bleeding. This seemed to be the real reason for the horse's sudden frenzy.
"Young Master Gu, please have your men surround the entire polo field and allow no one to leave."
Although Gu Beichen didn't understand Feng Jin's intentions, he followed her instructions, immediately ordering the entire polo field to be sealed off, not even a sparrow allowed to fly out.
"After all, those present are from noble families. Young Madam Ling and Young Master Gu, your actions are somewhat inappropriate."
Lady Ye, the wife of Marquis Wenchang, the host of the polo match, lost face and stepped forward to express her displeasure.
After all, the ladies and gentlemen present were all family members of princes and ministers. Now, at a polo match held at her Marquis Wenchang residence, others were being held captive. If this got out, her Marquis Wenchang residence would truly have no face left.
"Madam, please forgive me. The incident of the horse being startled earlier was not an accident, but deliberate. Someone dared to target our Ling family, so we must demand justice for the Ling family. I also want to see what kind of hatred it is that led them to such a cruel act!"
Feng Jin's voice was filled with intense anger. If she hadn't subdued the frenzied horse in time, Ling Muzhu would have been half-dead even if she hadn't died.
After all, Ling Muzhu was a member of the Ling family, and Feng Jin could not stand idly by while Ling Muzhu was bullied. Today, she was determined to seek justice.
"With just your few words, you want to detain all of us here. Aren't you going too far? Do you really think we are common folk, to be bullied by your Ling family?"
"I want to leave, let me out, or I will report this to His Majesty and seek justice."
The crowd instantly erupted like a pot of boiling water, arguing and clamoring to leave. Some of the accompanying servants had already clashed with Gu Beichen's men.
Suddenly, a troop of soldiers poured in, their long spears flashing coldly. The entire venue fell silent, and no one dared to move rashly.
Feng Jin, however, recognized the approaching soldiers as Ling Mohan's personal guards. As Feng Jin had expected, Ling Mohan, dressed in black, rode in on horseback. He looked down at everyone, his expression grim and imposing.
The noble young ladies and gentlemen present, accustomed to a life of comfort, had never witnessed such a scene. Some of the timid ones were already trembling, their earlier bravado gone.
Ling Mohan slowly approached Feng Jin. Just standing there without speaking, he exuded an invisible aura of pressure.
With Ling Mohan standing beside her, Feng Jin's confidence surged. "I only want to find out who secretly attacked. I will not intentionally make things difficult for you. Once it is confirmed that you are not involved, I will let you leave."
"Lu Shi, separate everyone one by one and let the young madam investigate thoroughly," Ling Mohan said in a deep voice.
"Your subordinate obeys." Lu Shi led a group of men and separated everyone.
Lady Ye, seeing the situation, was initially frightened. However, she was a woman who had weathered many storms and quickly regained her composure, maintaining her elegant and dignified demeanor. Her gaze met Ling Mohan's without a trace of fear.
"General Ling, today is the polo match hosted by my Marquis Wenchang residence. All the guests here are family members of princes and ministers. You bring your soldiers with swords to detain our guests one by one. Is this trying to make my Marquis Wenchang residence unable to show its face? I implore the young general, for the sake of my Marquis, to resolve this matter peacefully. Your young master is also unharmed. I will visit him tomorrow with my Marquis."
Lady Ye clearly intended to gloss over the matter. After all, everyone present had a distinguished background and could not be easily offended. Lady Ye's approach was indeed the best.
If it were someone else, they might have agreed. But today, Lady Ye encountered Feng Jin, and it was destined that this matter would not be easily brushed aside.
"Then, according to Madam Marquis, today's incident was just us overreacting? Or does Madam Marquis believe that only when a life is lost is it a major issue, and our Ling family deserves to be bullied and suffer in silence!"
Feng Jin pressed on aggressively, her words leaving Lady Ye speechless.
Lady Ye had never encountered someone like Feng Jin before and was momentarily at a loss for how to respond, resorting to quoting sage words to suppress Feng Jin.
"How can you be so unreasonable? I am considered your elder, and you are so disrespectful..."