Chapter 58 Polo 2: Slowly Getting to Know Each Other

On the massive vermilion pillars that would take several people to encircle, the dragon reliefs with their scales and claws clearly visible support the intricate coffered ceiling.

The blue-green brackets are layered upon each other, and the gold-painted patterns flow in the sunlight shining through the high windows. The air is filled with a faint scent of ambergris, mixed with the calming aroma of old books and ink sticks.

Cui Ying stood frozen in place, forgetting to breathe. Her temples throbbed, and her heart pounded like a drum, making her hands and feet numb.

However, after a short while, nothing happened.

The only sound in the air was the soft scratching of red ink as officials reviewed memorials.

Cui Ying held her breath, her eyelashes trembling slightly, as she secretly glanced behind the imperial desk—

Emperor Jingming ascended the throne at the age of seventeen and is now nearing forty, yet he still looks like a young man. His face is clear and handsome, and his skin is fair and smooth, the result of a life of luxury indoors. Only a few barely visible fine lines appear at the corners of his eyes.

Judging by his appearance alone, one might mistake him for a refined and elegant young scholar, never imagining that he holds the power of life and death over a vast empire.

Cui Ying's heart was pounding, but seeing the emperor intently reviewing the memorials, a sense of hope rose within her. She wondered to herself, "Could it be that His Majesty... didn't see me?"

So she forced herself to calm down, carefully lifted her skirt, and moved stealthily, like a kitten that had just done something naughty and was afraid of being discovered, gently moving her paws, trying to hide herself in the shadow cast by that huge, dragon-shaped pillar.

At that moment, a majestic voice appeared above her head, resounding clearly throughout the hall—

"Come out, I have already seen you."

Cui Ying's hair stood on end. She hissed softly, closed her eyes resignedly, and slowly moved out from behind the pillar.

With a forced, obedient smile, she walked obediently to a spot not too far from the imperial desk, prostrated herself, and said, "Your subject Cui Ying pays her respects to Your Majesty. I have disturbed Your Majesty's presence, and I deserve to die."

The rustling sound of the red brush tracing the memorial abruptly stopped.

Cui Ying's head was throbbing with pain.

She knew that His Majesty was definitely watching her.

"stand up."

Emperor Jingming's voice remained dignified, yet carried a barely perceptible hint of gentleness: "There are no outsiders here, so there's no need for formalities. Just call me your cousin."

Cui Ying felt relieved, knowing that His Majesty had not held a grudge against him.

"Thank you, Uncle." She straightened up, her courage returning a bit, and couldn't help but ask, "Uncle, where have all your palace servants gone? There's not a single one to serve you, inside or out."

If there were anyone who could speak, she would never have so carelessly barged in.

Emperor Jingming listened to the faint noise coming from outside the window, picked up his pen again to review the memorials: "The polo match is held every year, and it is rare for the palace to be so lively. I will let Ma Dequan take the palace servants to watch the fun and relax."

"Then why don't you go see it, Uncle?" Cui Ying blurted out, then realized his rudeness and quickly lowered his face.

"Look at this stack of things, how can I possibly spare a moment for it?"

Emperor Jingming glanced at the stack of memorials on one side of his desk, which was half a foot high. He raised his hand to pinch his brow, his tone weary and solemn: "The banditry in southern Jiangxi is getting worse and worse. The government troops have tried to suppress them several times, but to no avail. Instead, they have suffered heavy losses, which has emboldened the bandits to act recklessly and prey on the people."

"And your father—"

Upon hearing this, Cui Ying's expression immediately became serious, and his ears seemed to sharpen as he listened carefully, afraid of missing a single word.

Emperor Jingming said helplessly, "Suddenly, several censors joined forces and submitted a memorial strongly advising the complete abolition of the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau), stating that all female relatives of disgraced officials would be sent to the Inner Palace as slaves. I simply..."

He shook his head, slammed his pen on the table, and lost all interest in reviewing the memorials. His unfinished words revealed a hint of irritation: "I really don't know what he's thinking this time."

Cui Ying's eyes lit up.

His Majesty may not know what her father is thinking, but how could she not know herself?

The old man said he didn't care, but he was actually willing to stand by her side behind her back.

Sigh, I should try not to upset him in the future.

Cui Ying tried hard to keep a straight face and spoke up for his father in a serious tone: "Uncle, please calm down. My father is an upright man who never acts rashly. This time, he joined forces to submit a memorial, which must be for the sake of the country and the people, and he wants to share the burden of His Majesty."

Emperor Jingming frowned and said, "Alright, stop flattering him in front of me. I know your father better than you do what kind of person he is."

He changed the subject, his gaze falling on the small golden cage that Cui Ying was clutching tightly: "What were you chasing just now? Let me see it."

Cui Ying then remembered the culprit, and quickly stepped forward, climbed the steps, and carefully carried the cricket cage to the imperial desk.

Emperor Jingming leaned slightly forward, looked at the cricket still chirping and flapping its wings in the cage, and laughed: "This little thing is quite interesting. I remember when you were young, you came to the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager, and you always liked to look for these little things in the grass of the Imperial Garden."

Cui Ying smiled somewhat embarrassedly: "I later discovered that they have very short lifespans and die as soon as late autumn arrives. I felt sad and never kept them again."

Emperor Jingming nodded, toying with the cricket cage: "Since you're not going to keep it, then this one is mine. I'm lacking someone to keep me company."

Cui Ying immediately panicked and hurriedly said, "Ah? No, Uncle, this is just Xiao Ye's so-called 'Cosmic Mighty General,' which he treasures like the back of his hand. He just entrusted it to me for safekeeping temporarily. I still have to return it to him after he finishes playing ball!"

Emperor Jingming found it amusing to see her face scrunched up in anxiety, but he remained nonchalant on the surface: "Look how scared you are. I was just teasing you. Here you go."

Cui Ying was relieved and said with a smile, "If you like it, I'll find you an even more powerful one with a louder bark and send it over later."

Emperor Jingming waved his hand and handed her the cricket cage: "I am not a child anymore, how could I be addicted to this?"

Cui Ying took the cage, and as she relaxed, her gaze drifted elsewhere. However, she couldn't look at the memorials or the emperor's face, so she focused her attention on a plate of exquisite pastries on the imperial desk.

The pastries are steamed, with a fresh, bright green color. They are pressed into flower shapes by molds and emit a faint jasmine fragrance.

Emperor Jingming noticed her gaze and casually placed the plate in front of her: "Try it."

Cui Ying didn't hesitate and readily picked up a piece, saying politely, "Thank you, Uncle."

She took small bites of the pastry, her mood completely relaxed. Suddenly remembering what the emperor had said earlier, she swallowed the food in her mouth and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Uncle, I just heard you mention something about bandits in southern Jiangxi. What is that? Is it very troublesome?"

Emperor Jingming seemed surprised that she would be interested in this. He glanced at her, pondered for a moment, and then simply said, "A gang of bandits has been entrenched in the mountains and forests of southern Jiangxi. They hold their positions in the mountains and are ruthless. They not only rob and plunder homes, but also raid grain routes in prefectures and counties, and even attack government troops. Their leader is quite cunning, and he has escaped from several encirclements. He has become a menace to the local area. The court is discussing whether to send more troops or select another capable general."

Cui Ying listened, seemingly lost in thought.

Emperor Jingming, not wanting to discuss politics further, changed the subject and said, "Enough of that. You've been married into the Xiao family for some time now. How has Xiao Qilang treated you?"

Upon hearing Xiao Qiyu's name, Cui Ying immediately pouted, her girlish demeanor returning: "Him? We just had a fight on the way here."

Jingming didn't seem surprised by what he heard, and simply said, "Young couples always have their ups and downs. As time goes by, they'll gradually adjust to each other, and their relationship will naturally improve."

Cui Ying lowered her eyelashes, looked at the half-eaten pastry in her hand, mustered her courage, and finally asked, "But Uncle, I still don't understand why the Empress Dowager specifically arranged a marriage between me and Xiao Qiyu?"

She looked up, her eyes clear yet filled with confusion: "I've been at odds with him since childhood, and the Empress Dowager knows that."

Emperor Jingming pondered and said, "When I first heard the news of the marriage decree, I was quite puzzled. But I know the Empress Dowager's temperament. Since she has brought this happy event to fruition, she must have had her own profound considerations. Besides, since it is already a fait accompli, there is no point in thinking about it too much. The right thing to do is to manage your lives well."

Cui Ying immediately wilted like a frostbitten eggplant, obediently said "Oh," and didn't ask any more questions.

Emperor Jingming noticed her disappointment and gently reminded her, "The polo match should be at its most exciting moment right now. Instead of going back to watch the game, you've become addicted to staying here with me."

It would have been better if he hadn't brought it up, because once it was, Cui Ying became even more listless and said sullenly, "What's the point of watching polo? Playing polo is what's fun."

At that moment, a brilliant idea flashed into her mind, and an extremely bold thought suddenly popped into her head. Her amber eyes rolled around, and her face instantly put on the sweetest and most obedient smile. She raised her face and said, "Uncle, dear uncle, I dare to ask you for a favor."

Emperor Jingming raised an eyebrow at her, remaining expressionless: "Hmm?"

Cui Ying blinked, her bright almond-shaped eyes wide with anticipation, and said, "Uncle, I also want to play polo."

Emperor Jingming chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Nonsense! Polo has always been an activity for men, involving fierce collisions and is quite dangerous. How can a delicate young lady like you participate? It's simply improper."

Cui Ying was on the verge of tears, pleading desperately. If she had a tail, it would surely be wagging obsequiously behind her: "Uncle, Uncle, I beg you! I really want to try, please let me go!"

She patted her chest confidently and said, "And I think I'll play better than all of them combined, and I'll open everyone's eyes!"

"I have already said that only young men are allowed to participate."

The emperor's tone remained firm. Seeing Cui Ying's face gradually fall, he picked up his teacup, gently skimmed off the foam, and added slowly, seemingly helplessly, "In short, only those dressed in men's clothing can participate. This is my decree."

Just as Cui Ying was about to reluctantly agree, she carefully considered the second half of the sentence in her mind. The next moment, as if struck by a sudden enlightenment, her eyes lit up brighter than stars, and she almost jumped up, her face blooming with an incomparably radiant smile: "Uncle, I understand! I understand what you mean!"

She retreated to the center of the hall, prostrated herself, and said, "Thank you, Uncle... I cannot thank Your Majesty for your great favor! Your Majesty is wise!"

Before the words were even finished, Cui Ying couldn't wait any longer. Like a happy little lark, she disregarded all etiquette, grabbed her cricket cage, turned around and ran towards the outside of the hall, her skirt fluttering, and disappeared into the hall's entrance in the blink of an eye.

...

The viewing platform.

The sound of gongs and drums subsided, signifying a halftime break.

The sun was blazing in the morning, and the air was thick with the scorching heat; tension was palpable.

Exhausted and panting, Xiao Ye found Xiao Qiyu with a flushed face: "Seventh Brother, give me a straight answer, do you want me to take your place or not? If you don't want to, I'll quickly find someone else, it's about to start again."

Xiao Qiyu frowned, his gaze returning to the seat next to Xiao Shu—Cui Ying had been away for a long time and had not yet returned.

Although there is no real danger within the palace, her unconventional nature might cause her to clash with someone.

An inexplicable anxiety swept over him; it was only a brief absence from her, yet it felt as if he had lost something vital.

"Seventh Brother! I won't call you brother anymore, you're my brother! My own brother!" Xiao Ye cried, clinging to Xiao Qiyu's arm. "If I keep hitting him, I'm afraid I'll really go in upright and come out horizontal. Tell me, are you going to stand up for me or not?"

The image of Cui Ying looking at Xiao Lin with an astonishingly bright and adoring gaze flashed uncontrollably through Xiao Qiyu's mind. Without much hesitation, he said in a deep voice, "I'll take her place."

Two words, spoken with resounding force.

Xiao Ye felt as if she had heard celestial music and almost cried with joy. She urged him, "Then hurry up and change your clothes. You can ride my horse; it will definitely listen to you. Don't delay."

Just then, a small commotion suddenly broke out on the sidelines.

A palace attendant jogged into the arena and whispered a few words to the judge.

Immediately afterwards, a white horse galloped into the arena, and the "young man" on horseback was wearing a bright red, narrow-sleeved brocade robe, which was well-tailored and accentuated his tall and slender figure.

Unlike other men, her long, dark hair was not tied up in a crown, but rather tied into a high ponytail, revealing her smooth, jade-like forehead and a graceful, snow-white neck.

It was Cui Ying.

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Author's Note: Get ready for Xiao Bao to steal the show in the next chapter! [doge emoji]