Chapter 312 No Take-In for Trash
Zhou Congxian's soft laugh seemed to carry an inner force, piercing through Chai Sijiu's wails.
He let go of her hand.
The force can be controlled freely.
Chai Sijiu, however, was like a fish out of water, leaning against his shoulder.
"Zhou Congxian, I'm going to stick with you from now on!"
Zhou Congxian glanced at him lazily and pulled him off him.
"No, I don't take in trash."
His tone was full of disdain.
The people around had already been drawn to the commotion and burst into laughter.
This little farce, seemingly a playful exchange between friends, was in reality like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
Under a pergola not far away, several ladies were chatting together.
Madam Liu, the matriarch of the Chai family, turned her gaze to the noisy scene.
Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Today's polo match, ostensibly for leisure, was actually a chance to find a husband for her two unmarried sons.
She sent invitations to almost all the eligible young ladies in the capital, those of high status and influence.
She had no intention of inviting Meng Shilan from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
A woman who had once been separated from her family and had two children, even if she is now a daughter of a Duke's mansion, is ultimately not respectable in the eyes of someone who prides himself on his noble lineage.
What's more, she also abducted the most outstanding heir of the Duke of England's mansion, making Zhou Congxian willing to marry into the family.
In Madam Liu's eyes, this was utterly absurd and a disgrace to the family.
But unfortunately, the situation has changed.
The Northwest Camp returned in triumph. Although Meng Yushan did not personally go to the front lines, he was in charge of the rear, making great contributions.
Your Majesty relies on these veteran ministers who have made outstanding military achievements.
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is now truly at its zenith.
There was absolutely no reason for the Chai family to offend them at this time.
This post was sent out with a heavy heart.
Seeing her good-for-nothing second son hanging out with Zhou Congxian again, her displeasure welled up again.
Just as I was pondering, a gentle voice sounded beside me.
"Madam Liu, it's been a long time. You look even younger than before."
The slight gloom on Madam Liu's face was instantly replaced by a warm smile.
She warmly took the person's hand.
"Oh, Mrs. Zhang, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting so long!"
Lady Zhang of the Marquis of Wanning's mansion, the mother of the Empress.
Beside her was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, with delicate features and a gentle temperament. She was bowing timidly to Madam Liu.
"Yueru greets Auntie."
"Get up, get up quickly." Madam Liu smiled from ear to ear and hurriedly helped Zhang Yueru up.
This is the daughter-in-law she truly desires.
The Empress's younger sister, the third young lady of Wanning, comes from a noble family and is of dignified appearance.
In every aspect, she is a hundred times better than Meng Shilan.
"Look at our Yue Ru, she's getting more and more beautiful. Standing here, all the spring scenery in the garden can't compare to you." Madam Liu held Zhang Yue Ru's hand and praised her endlessly.
Madam Zhang covered her mouth and chuckled, "Please stop praising her, this child is shy, she's almost embarrassed."
The two ladies exchanged pleasantries warmly. Zhang Yueru blushed with pride at the compliments, but her bright eyes were involuntarily drawn to the intense scene on the polo field in the distance.
The horses galloped, their hooves thundering.
The young men, dressed in various colorful outfits and holding polo sticks, galloped on horseback, displaying their heroic spirit.
Each swing of the club drew gasps from the girls on the sidelines.
Madam Liu immediately noticed that Zhang Yueru was distracted.
She followed the girl's gaze.
On the vast grassland, the red and blue teams were clearly distinguishable.
Her good-for-nothing son, Chai Sijiu, was wearing a bright red team uniform and stood out on the field.
Mrs. Liu's smile deepened.
She gently patted Zhang Yueru's hand, her tone loving.
"Yueru, you young ladies, don't always keep talking to us old women, it's so boring."
"Look how lively it is on the field."
"How about I have your brother Sijiu take you over there to play, ride horses, and relax?"
Zhang Yueru's face flushed even redder, and she glanced shyly at her mother.
Madam Zhang was naturally pleased with the idea and nodded with a smile, saying, "Go ahead."
Having received permission, Zhang Yueru felt as if she had been granted a pardon. Lifting her skirt, she headed towards the polo field accompanied by her maid.
...
On the polo field.
Chai Sijiu was shamelessly pestering Zhou Congxian.
"Brother Congxian, dear brother, you absolutely have to help me this time!"
He lowered his voice and spoke furtively.
"Last time I made a bet with that kid from the Qin family, I lost a full five hundred taels of silver!"
"We must get our revenge today!"
Zhou Congxian sat astride a jet-black steed, and upon hearing this, merely glanced at him indifferently.
Five hundred taels?
“When have you, Young Master Chai, ever been reluctant to part with five hundred taels of silver?”
Chai Sijiu: "Is that a matter of five hundred taels?"
He patted his face. "That's my brother's face!"
He leaned closer. "When it comes to horsemanship, who in the entire capital can compare to you?"
Chai Sijiu chuckled, "Today, let's join forces and wipe them out without leaving a single survivor!"
In polo, the competition is never just about riding skills and ball skills.
More importantly, it requires a mind that understands strategic planning and tactical deployment.
Knowing when to attack, when to defend, how to coordinate with teammates, and how to break up the opponent's formation—the intricacies involved are comparable to a small-scale battle.
Zhou Congxian was undoubtedly a master in this field.
A whistle blew.
Zhou Congxian shot off like an arrow released from a bow.
The horse beneath him seemed to understand his thoughts, running, stopping abruptly, and turning with fluid grace, without the slightest hesitation.
The staff in his hand seemed more like an extension of his arm, precise and ruthless.
Every strike was perfectly timed.
Long pass, short pass, interception.
This created an excellent scoring opportunity for Chai Sijiu.
The entire horse farm seemed to have become his personal stage.
"nice shot!"
Chai Sijiu excitedly waved his golf club, and even provocatively made a throat-slitting gesture towards the Qin family's young master.
"The Red Team has gained another flag!"
As the drums and gongs sounded from the sidelines, another red flag was raised.
Plant a flag for every goal scored.
The red team now has eight flags, while the blue team only has three.
Meng Shilan's riding skills were mediocre, and he didn't know how to play polo either.
So, naturally, she found a quiet corner, sat leisurely in the shade, drank tea, and ate fruit.
The weather is nice today; the autumn sun is warm and comforting.
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the roof, casting dappled shadows.
She has been a young lady of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion for almost two years now.
Yet, in this vast capital city, her social circle remained pitifully small.
You can count on your fingers the number of people you can actually talk to.
The only close friend she had was Sister Huang, the daughter-in-law of the Dong family. Last year, she left Beijing to travel far away with her husband who was transferred to another post.
At the beginning of spring this year, she also received two paintings from Sister Huang, who sent them from Jiangnan.
One is the misty West Lake, the other is the ancient town with its white walls and black tiles.
The freedom and joy of breaking free from the constraints depicted in the painting almost leap off the paper.
She was extremely envious.
What about myself?
From the back courtyard of the Zhou family mansion to the deep courtyard of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Despite their seemingly vastly different identities, they have essentially moved from one exquisite cage to an even more luxurious one.
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