Chapter 18 Polo Match
The past two weeks have passed in the blink of an eye, and by March, flowers are in full bloom.
This year seems to be full of troubles.
Sure enough, the Lantern Festival had just passed and the snow had just stopped when the carriages and horses of the hostage from Dayue arrived in the capital as scheduled.
However, the emperor ignored him for several days and refused to summon him, which prompted many officials to offer their advice.
Even Princess Mingzhu had a falling out with Grand Princess Yongqing for some reason, and classes at the Grand Princess's private school were suspended for several days and did not resume until before the Spring Banquet.
The spring banquet in the ninth year of the Xuanren reign was held at Lingyuan Garden by the emperor.
Families of officials of the fifth rank or above in Shengjing were required to participate.
Aside from the reason of Princess Leling, the main reason was that the Emperor wanted to meet the hostage from Dayue, who had been in the capital for many days.
Lingyuan is backed by Fragrant Hills, and a little further up is Yuqing Temple.
The park not only has recreational areas for playing polo and marbles, but also boasts a renowned plum grove and peach grove.
Every spring and winter, the fragrant aroma is intoxicating.
Normally, unless a prince or nobleman rents out the entire garden, the plum and peach groves are open to the public, but a fee is still required.
Although Lingyuan was nominally the private garden of the Prince of Xiang, in reality, most of the annual income went to the government.
As spring begins to break, tender buds sprout from the still bare branches in February.
The gentle spring light filters through the gaps in the tender buds, making the pavilions and towers seem draped in a golden veil, creating a hazy and beautiful effect from afar.
Outside the main gate of Lingyuan Garden, carriages and horses were bustling about.
The imperial guards, clad in armor and armed with weapons, stood guard on both sides, unmoving.
The banquet was held at the polo field in Lingyuan.
The Wen family disembarked from the carriage.
Upon entering, Wen Tongwen led his two sons and followed the eunuch to the left seat. Two other palace servants approached Xiang Shi and led everyone to the right.
The Wen sisters and their companions did not sit together with the Xiang family.
There were several small rooms upstairs, where most of the people seated were unmarried young women and children under the age of seven.
Wen Lingyun pulled Wen Lingxiao and Wen Lingdi to sit down next to Xiang Zhining.
"Ah Zheng! Come quick!"
Pei Ning patted the seat that had been deliberately left empty beside her.
She arrived a little earlier than Wen Lingzheng, and besides Xiao Shanghua, there was also a little child sitting upright.
— Pei Jing.
Wen Lingzheng stopped in her tracks.
The sudden heartache made it almost impossible for her to breathe.
Although she was in a bright and beautiful attic, she felt as if she had returned to the dead of winter that year.
Filled with regret.
She desperately wanted to escape from there.
"Sister Wen."
When her clothes were gently tugged, Wen Lingzheng pulled herself out of her reverie. She lowered her head slightly, and Pei Jingzheng was looking up at her.
Pei Jing is the son of Pei Lin's elder brother.
At the end of the third year of Xuanren, Pei Bing, the heir of the Marquis of Xiandingbei, died in the northern border.
When the news reached Shengjing, Lady Song, the wife of the heir apparent who was only seven months pregnant, was so shocked that she suffered a difficult childbirth and passed away, leaving behind a son.
Unlike the deep and bright features of Pei Lin and his two siblings, Pei Jing's eyes and brows were more gentle, resembling his mother's.
Wen Lingzheng slowly squatted down, raised her hand and gently stroked Pei Jing's face, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
"Sister Wen, what's wrong?" Pei Jing didn't understand the sorrow in Wen Lingzheng's eyes, but simply reached out his small hand and hugged her neck.
He was a five-year-old boy, but he was much lighter than other children his age, and even Wen Lingzheng could easily pick him up.
"Hey! That's really strange, Jing-ge'er hasn't let me hold him since he came back!"
"This was only the first time I met Azheng, and I already let her hug me!"
Pei Ning, surprised, pulled Wen Lingzheng to sit down next to her.
Xiao Shanghua found it amusing: "If I had an aunt who forced me to eat all the time, I wouldn't let her hold me either."
Pei Ning glanced at Xiao Shanghua with annoyance, then took a piece of pastry from the table and handed it to Pei Jing.
"Why should I be the one watching him eat? Look how skinny he is!"
“Jiangnan is damp and cold, and his health is poor. He was sick for a month and didn’t get better. Now that he’s back, he needs to be properly nourished.”
Sick for a month?
Wen Lingzheng frowned.
In her memory, it was supposed to be after she and Pei Lin got married that they went to Lin'an together to bring Pei Jing back to the capital! This time it was more than a year earlier?
Pei Jing refused to accept the pastries Pei Ning offered and kept hiding in Wen Lingzheng's arms.
Wen Lingzheng seized the opportunity to snatch the pastry, pulled him into her arms, and covered his ears. "Has such a young child been sick for a month?"
Pei Ning didn't press the matter further, only sighed and lowered her voice.
“When the Marquis’s mansion fell into misfortune, my second brother hurriedly went to war. The cenotaphs of my father and brothers were built in our hometown. Jing’er’s return to our hometown is both to observe mourning and to avoid disaster.”
"Although my third brother was with me, he was only fourteen years old at the time. How could he possibly take care of a child?"
Pei Su, the first Marquis of Dingbei, had two sons.
Pei Shen, the eldest son, inherited the title and married a woman from the An family. He had three children, Pei Lin and his sister.
Pei Ke, the youngest son born out of wedlock, was brave in his youth and married his elder sister, Cheng, who is now the Minister of Justice. However, fate played a cruel trick on him, and he died young, leaving behind only a posthumous child.
—That is, Pei Ning's third brother, Pei Zhun.
Xiao Shanghua asked in confusion, "Even if Third Brother Pei doesn't know how to take care of children, he always has wet nurses and maids!"
Pei Ning sighed repeatedly and then recounted the story in detail.
The wet nurse for Jingge was chosen by his mother when she was alive, and she seemed to be honest and dutiful at the time.
Back home, things were different from Shengjing. The wet nurse assumed that the Marquis's mansion didn't care about Jing-ge'er.
She not only embezzled Jing Ge'er's monthly allowance, but also stole Jing Ge'er's clothes to give to her youngest son, leaving only a few pieces to fool Pei Zhun.
Luckily, Pei Zhun was careless and was fooled by her for five years.
Wen Lingzheng's eyes turned cold: "And then? How was it handled?"
Her voice was low and flat, but Pei Ning inexplicably flinched.
She had never seen Wen Lingzheng like this before, like a whirlpool beneath a calm river, just waiting to erupt.
Pei Ning quickly explained, "My second brother discovered this when he sent Xingyun down to the south of the Yangtze River to collect debts at the estate. Why don't you ask him?"
Wen Lingzheng's expression softened slightly.
Xiao Shanghua laughed out loud: "Ah Ning, Ah Ning, you've finally met your match!"
Pei Ning's face flushed red instantly, and she turned around and started fooling around with Xiao Shanghua.
Pei Jing sat in Wen Lingzheng's lap, turned to look at his aunt, and murmured to himself, "Second Uncle was indeed farsighted."
Pei Ning tugged at her clothes and laughed irritably, "Your second uncle is the most biased!"
Xiao Shanghua was confused and turned around to ask, "What did your second uncle say?"
Pei Jing looked up at Wen Lingzheng, then at Pei Ning, but refused to tell her.
Xiao Shanghua wanted to ask more questions, but Pei Ning pulled her to sit up straight. Even Wen Lingzheng put Jing Ge'er in a seat to the side and let him sit by himself.
She heard Wen Lingzheng's soft voice in her ear.
"The Emperor and Empress have arrived."
In the spring of March, amidst the swaying shadows of the trees, a dark figure suddenly descended upon the long, winding steps. Officials and their families on both sides rose to their feet, and the Emperor and Empress ascended to the high seat hand in hand.
Another eunuch reported, "The envoy from Da Yue has arrived—"
The high-ranking official, Dong, standing beside the emperor, replied, "Summon the Ninth Prince of Great Yue to an audience!"
The melodious sound of string and wind instruments rose on the wind, causing the people who were originally sitting upright to stir slightly.
Upstairs, Xiao Shanghua tried to peek at the delegation whose attire was so different from that of the Great Zhou, but Wen Lingzheng and Pei Ning pulled her back.
A horse-drawn carriage slowly came to a stop near the gate of the polo field.
A gentle breeze stirred the curtains on the carriage, and the golden eagle, bathed in the spring sunshine, seemed to take on a miniature form, spreading its wings.
The slender boy reached out and lifted the curtain, stepping down from the carriage.
He held a scroll of silk in his hand and slowly walked into Lingyuan Garden, followed by the accompanying envoys.
His steps were neither hurried nor slow; even though he had been defeated and held hostage, he still maintained a humble yet dignified demeanor.
"Yi Mingxuan, the Ninth Prince of Da Yue, pays his respects to the Emperor of Da Zhou."
Li Shan: "Ninth Prince, there's no need for such formalities."
Yi Mingxuan: "I have been ordered by the Emperor of Da Yue to deliver this letter of alliance, wishing for peace between our two countries and an end to war."
A faint light filtered into the corridor, and Li Shan's expression remained unreadable.
He took the silk scroll handed to him by Dong Daguan, glanced at it briefly, and said, "The Emperor of Dayue is very kind. Please take a seat!"
Yi Mingxuan slowly bowed.
Surprisingly, he followed the etiquette of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Xiao Shanghua secretly reached out and took a piece of fruit from the plate, stuffing it into her mouth: "This Ninth Prince of Da Yue has actually learned our Great Zhou's etiquette so well?"
Wen Lingzheng stuffed another piece of fruit into Xiao Shanghua's hand, saying helplessly, "This concerns both countries, so we cannot discuss it lightly."
Pei Ning also chimed in, "You're so outspoken. If you keep going like this, you'll get into trouble sooner or later."
Xiao Shanghua pursed her lips, looking aggrieved: "I'm really scared of you two! You're in cahoots. With Mingzhu gone, I'm left to fight alone."
Wen Lingzheng: "Speaking of the princess... why didn't she even come to the spring banquet?"
Pei Ning shook her head: "Of course! Even the Grand Princess has claimed to be unwell and will not be attending this spring banquet!"
Xiao Shanghua: "Although I don't know why, the Grand Princess has always doted on Mingzhu the most, so it will be fine after this period."
As the three chatted, Meng Yuanqi, who was sitting in the front, turned around.
She was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Jian Guo, and the current Empress Dowager was her great-aunt. She was raised in the palace since childhood and was recently betrothed to the third son of the Prince of Jiangxia. She had just left the palace to await her marriage.
She has always been a model of elegance among noble ladies. Even Xiao Shanghua, that little rascal, couldn't help but sit up straight when she glanced at him.
Meng Yuanqi: "If the three of you keep chatting like this, you'll miss the polo match."
Horses were precious in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and good horses were even harder to find.
During the lively banquet, the envoy from Da Yue became interested and said that the Ninth Prince Yi Mingxuan and his attendants were all skilled horsemen and wished to exchange some skills with Da Zhou.
The prize was the Ferghana horse, a specialty of the Great Yue, which the envoy brought with him when he came to the Great Zhou.
—The number is a full hundred.
They clearly came prepared.
Li Shan chuckled lightly, appearing completely unperturbed.
He turned to look at Pei Lin, who was sitting at the table below him: "Since the Ninth Prince wishes to have a friendly match, would Jianwei be willing to accompany him?"
Pei Lin readily agreed.
The bright spring sunshine fell on the field. Pei Lin stood on the left, leading the Snow Steed. Behind him were Luo Xu and Gu Jianchuan, as well as several attendants skilled in riding horses.
Yi Mingxuan also stood opposite him with his attendants. He led a jet-black horse with a thick, black mane.
“This is one of the finest horses in my Great Yue, and I’m sure Lord Dingbei is familiar with it.”
"Today, Mingxuan is honored. I humbly request Your Excellency to bestow your guidance."
Yi Mingxuan's words seemed ordinary, but they were actually provocative.
Luo Xu was easily provoked. Seeing that he was about to rush out in anger, Gu Jianchuan grabbed him from behind.
"Luo Congping, watch carefully and learn well!"
"Didn't you want to join the army? Don't waste the opportunity that your Second Brother Pei fought for you."
Gripping the reins tightly, Luo Xu frowned and bit his lip.
The anger on his face gradually faded, and Gu Jianchuan heard him say in a low voice, "I won't let Second Brother Pei down."
Pei Lin mounted his horse, his brows furrowing slightly and a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I have long heard that Wucheng is rich in water and grass. Now that I, Ta Xue, am fortunate enough to have food, I would like to ask the Ninth Prince and the envoy to convey my thanks to the Emperor of Dayue."
Yi Mingxuan's face darkened.
From the stands, Li Shan smiled and pretended to reprimand: "Jianwei, guests are guests, you mustn't act like this."
Xiao Shanghua couldn't help but laugh, and the fruit in her mouth almost fell out unceremoniously. She quickly grabbed a handkerchief to cover it up.
Pei Ning secretly kicked her under the table: "Try to tone it down."
Xiao Shanghua retorted, "Why don't you mention A-Zheng? Her eyes are practically popping out of their sockets!"
The sunlight slanted slightly, casting dappled shadows into the attic.
The girl had a refined and elegant appearance. Her perfectly proportioned eyebrows and the bridge of her nose cast dappled shadows on her eyelashes in the dim light.
She stood tall and dignified, but her gaze never left that dark color, as if she were vaguely nostalgic.
Pei Ning shook her fan: "I can't control that. If I do, someone will come looking for trouble with me later!"
On the field, both sides are ready to go.
But then the sound of horses neighing arose, and the young man in black casually picked up the moon staff, swaying it like a flower in bloom.
Black and white horses crisscrossed the road.
Fine dust was kicked up as the horses' hooves flew.
The emerging sunlight shone on the boy's hair, and glistening beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
The round polo ball weaved between the crisscrossing moon sticks. Rosh seized the opportunity, whipped his polo stick forward, and swung it with all his might, narrowly knocking the ball away from under the Viking stick.
Upon seeing the ball, everyone spurred their horses and rode away.
The young man in black robes almost blended into the snow beneath his legs.
He leaned forward, the veins on the back of his hand holding the moon staff bulging, but in the blink of an eye he had already left the person behind him far behind.
Even the rising sun cannot outshine him by more than three points.
Smoke and dust surrounded them, and Wen Lingzheng's heart was in her throat.
When the young man pulled on the reins and turned to counterattack, everyone held their breath. Some even grabbed the arms of the people next to them, causing many to gasp.
The ball grazed the goal, leaped out, and landed on the ground with a thud.
Li Shanlang laughed out loud from the stands.
Officials and concubines echoed the sentiments, and those sitting next to the Dai Viet envoy kept toasting him.
—Completely disregarding the other party's gloomy expression.
"We won!" Xiao Shanghua jumped up from her seat and walked forward.
Pei Ning pressed down on her right hand: "Walk properly, don't jump! We've won!"
Overjoyed, Xiao Shanghua exclaimed, "Second Brother Pei is truly valiant!"
Wen Lingzheng stood up and took two steps forward as well.
With the outcome decided, Yi Mingxuan gripped the Moon Staff tightly in his hand.
Pei Lin smiled at him and rode back to the left side against the Yang Yuma.
He glanced at the attic as if by chance, then looked at Wen Lingzheng through the crowd.
His delicate and sharp eyebrows held a triumphant smile, and his imposing face softened at that moment. A gentle breeze ruffled the slightly damp stray hairs on his forehead, and under the shimmering light, he exuded a rare youthful spirit.
A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star.
The banquet was bustling again, with everyone chatting and laughing as they raised their glasses.
Fearing that the people below would feel uncomfortable, the Emperor and Empress found an excuse to leave the banquet. Pei Lin, Yi Mingxuan, and the others were also led by palace servants to the back room to change their clothes.
People at that time loved wine, and even young ladies in their boudoirs would often warm a couple of cups to drink before bed.
Wen Lingxiao drank a few cups and became somewhat unable to hold her liquor.
She staggered a couple of steps to Wen Lingzheng's side: "Fourth sister, I heard the peach blossoms are in full bloom. I want to go and sober up. Can you come with me?"
A note from the author:
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Since I didn't participate in the rankings this week, the next update will be on Thursday after the rankings change. Thank you for waiting!
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