Chapter 124 Backer "I am your backer."
High above the tent, an eagle totem embroidered with gold and silver thread spreads its wings as if about to take flight. Layers of curtains surround the tent, all woven from the finest silk. The ground is covered with thick, soft, and warm animal hides.
Arslan landed silently, raised his eyes to look at the throne carved from a single piece of sandalwood, and knelt down, saying, "Son greets Father!"
Boriged stepped down from the throne, helped Arslan to his feet, patted him on the back, and said, "It's been several months since we last met, and my son has lost a lot of weight!"
Arslan laughed and said, "The cattle and sheep in the Huachao Dynasty are not as fresh as ours in the Sotaha. My son is going to be thin."
"Hahaha!" Boriged laughed, his wrinkled eyes creased together, yet the handsome features of his youth were still visible despite the passage of time. "My son, you have been the bravest man in the world since childhood. You have worked hard for Sotaha!"
Arslan's matter is not yet settled, and his father should not be so relaxed. A thought struck him, and he said, "Son, how can you say it's hard? Sotaha will still have a difficult winter next year. We must find a solution this year!"
Boriged glanced at his attendant Temur, who stepped forward, poured a cup of milk wine, and handed it to Arslan, saying, "Third Prince, have a cup of milk wine to soothe your throat. Your Highness may not know, but our southward migration is now on the horizon."
Milky white liquor dripped down his stubble-covered chin. Arslan casually wiped it away with the back of his hand, then his amber eyes suddenly lit up. "What's going on?" he asked.
Boriged smiled but remained silent, while Temur, being more cautious, tentatively inquired, "Third Prince, what is the identity of the young man who accompanied you back?"
Feng Tan was used to dressing as a man, and her face was too striking, so she continued to wear men's clothing while fleeing north. Arslan pondered the meaning behind Temur's words and cautiously replied, "She is a close friend I made in Huachao...
The only person the Third Prince could call a close friend from childhood to adulthood was Aodeng. The fact that Arslan regarded her as a close friend was enough to prove that she held a significant place in Arslan's heart. As a result, it was somewhat difficult to deal with the Emperor's request.
Temur and Boriged exchanged a glance. After years of being master and servant, they tacitly chose to conceal the reason for Arslan's actions, since Arslan's feelings seemed insignificant in the face of the life-or-death crisis facing the entire Sotaha.
Boriged glanced outside the tent and said, "Judging by the time, the bonfire dinner your two brothers prepared for you is about to start. Call up your good brothers and have a good time. When you get home, relax and unwind!"
Arslan, seeing that the two men were unwilling to say more, knew that he could not get any information from them, so he said, "My brothers have made such a grand preparation, I will certainly not let them down."
“Alright…go ahead,” Boriged said, his fingers tightening as he watched his youngest son about to leave the royal tent. “Arslan…”
Arslan turned around and asked, "Is there anything else, Father?"
Boriged swallowed his words, turned around and sat back on his throne, saying, "That's all, go."
After Arslan left, Boriged slowly spoke, "He grew up without a mother, and now I, his father, am taking away his friend. Temur, I truly have no other choice..."
Temur knew that the Khan favored his youngest son. If Sotaha hadn't been truly desperate, he would never have chosen to deceive Arslan. He comforted him, saying, "The third prince is chivalrous and righteous. He understands which is more important to Sotaha: his people or his friends. By not telling him, you are showing him mercy."
***
As dusk settled and the sky turned as black as ink, tents dotted the grassland, colorful banners fluttering in the breeze. In the center of the camp, firewood was piled up. A soldier, holding a torch, lightly touched the pile, and in an instant, flames leaped up like crimson dragons soaring into the sky, illuminating the entire grassland.
The firelight ignited the joy in the hearts of the boys and girls. They saw Arslan striding towards them from afar, and they stood up and cheered. Their jubilant appearance made the atmosphere even more lively.
"Third brother, you're finally back!" The newcomer wore a pair of deerskin boots, a dress embroidered with intricate grassland patterns, and a crown with a lifelike wolf totem. His face was refined and handsome.
The young man was none other than Prince Sotaha.
"Brother, how have you been?" When Arslan saw the eldest prince, the smile in his eyes faded considerably. He then shifted his gaze slightly and gave a polite nod to the second prince.
The second prince, with his gentle and effeminate nature, always spoke with a hidden barb, saying, "Third brother has lost a lot of weight. He must have suffered a lot on this trip to Huachao. The three of us brothers haven't seen each other for too long. Tonight, we must drink until we drop and have a good time!"
"Arslan!" A girl in red rode up on horseback, landing beside the three of them when she was close enough. She circled Arslan once, then playfully punched his chest, saying, "You've been gone for so long this time!"
Arslan subtly avoided the question, and smiled, "Qiqige."
Qiqige pouted. She was the youngest daughter of a collateral branch of the royal family. She was proud and passionate, but she kept running into obstacles in her pursuit of Arslan. Seeing that he still avoided her, she snorted and found a place to sit down.
The banquet was filled with singing and dancing. The eldest and second princes exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with calculation. The second prince spoke first, saying to Arslan, "It's been a long time since we brothers played polo. Our third brother has just returned today. How about we have a match with our eldest and second brothers?"
Many of those present were their subordinates, and upon hearing this, they all cheered, "Prince Arslan is the bravest son of our Eternal World, how could he fear war!"
"The late king decreed that polo was a military game, used to train cavalry and strengthen their martial prowess. The descendant who could win would be the heir chosen by the Eternal Heaven. The third prince has been brave and skilled in battle since childhood, and has never lost to his two older brothers in any match!"
"......"
The surrounding area was in chaos, with shouts of jeers rising and falling. Faced with public opinion, Arslan was caught in a dilemma. He lightly stroked the curved sword at his waist with his fingers, his eyelashes lowered, concealing the thoughts in his eyes.
How did the eldest and second eldest brothers know that he had lost all his internal energy?
Having only physical strength but lacking internal energy, he was no match for the eldest and second eldest brothers.
They were determined to embarrass him tonight and to show everyone present that the late king's words were ineffective, and that Sotaha's successor could not be a useless person with no inner strength.
Seeing Arslan's displeasure, Qiqige stood up abruptly from his seat, walked to Arslan's side, and raised his chin slightly to say to the eldest prince, "Arslan has just returned, why rush the polo match?"
The eldest prince smiled without saying a word, while the second prince remained expressionless.
Looking at the two of them, Qiqige suddenly remembered how they had plotted to kill Arslan's favorite pony when they were young, and how Arslan had the same expression as when he was holding the pony and crying.
Anger surged within her, and as she took a step forward, Arslan grabbed her arm, saying, "Fine, the rules."
The eldest prince said, "Let's pair up and decide the winner in one round."
The second prince then said, "We'll only play one round, so it won't tire anyone out. It'll allow our third brother to get some rest! As usual, my eldest brother and I will be in one team, and our third brother and Ao Deng will be in another. However, Ao Deng has recently injured his leg, so we don't know if he can still play."
Ao Deng stepped forward, his thick eyebrows bristling, and declared loudly, "I can!"
Arslan glanced at the bandages on his leg and said, "No need, I..."
"I'll team up with you!" Qiqige retorted, her voice sharp. "I'm always number one in the women's polo team, I won't embarrass you!"
With a crisp whistle, the match officially began. In an instant, the horses galloped, their hooves thundering, and the eldest prince wielded his polo mallet like a tiger descending a mountain. The polo ball weaved back and forth between the four mallets, a breathtaking spectacle.
The second prince knew that Arslan had lost all his inner strength in Huachao, but he did not expect that he would still be so brave with just his strength. He rushed over like lightning, swinging his club to intercept the polo ball that was about to enter the goal. In an instant, the two clubs clashed, sparks flew, and a crisp sound echoed across the grassland.
Their eyes met on horseback, blazing with hatred. Their shared bloodline brought not warmth, but long-simmering resentment. Meanwhile, the eldest prince seized his opportunity, using the rebounding polo ball to deliver a powerful strike. Caught off guard, Qiqige was caught off guard; the ball hit the horse's leg, sending its forelegs flying and throwing her violently backward!
The scene was breathtaking. In the midst of the crisis, someone from the crowd appeared like an arrow released from a bow, so fast that everyone only had time to see a fleeting afterimage.
Ao Deng exclaimed in admiration, "What incredible lightness skill!"
A warm, soft hand grasped Qiqige's wrist, skillfully preventing her from falling onto the grass as she landed. Then, it mounted its horse and said to the eldest and second princes, "I'll fight you!"
Arslan's eyes lit up as he watched her sleek and stylish outfit flutter in the wind as she rode her horse at full gallop. Only then did he realize what the dashing young man who had once overturned the Great Chao Dynasty looked like.
She is skilled at taming animals, so riding horses should be a piece of cake for her.
Arslan felt a little relieved.
Feng Tan squeezed her legs tightly against the horse's belly, and the horse neighed loudly, galloping away like lightning. She skillfully avoided the interception, her figure as graceful as a startled swan, and swung her club again, sending the ball flying like an arrow towards the opponent's goal.
The eldest prince spurred his horse to intercept, but the ball seemed to have eyes, striking him precisely on the forehead.
The onlookers couldn't help but burst into laughter. The eldest prince was furious, and the second prince, standing beside him, swung his polo mallet with all his might. Arslan blocked the shot with his arm, and Feng Tan used the momentum to deliver a powerful blow, this time hitting the second prince in the face.
The second prince's calm expression quickly changed; this kid was blatantly humiliating them! This arrogant, cocky, dark-faced brat!
On the field, dust billowed as the polo ball came flying again. Feng Tan shouted, "Arslan, get back!"
Arslan, following her command, blocked the ball outside the penalty area, and then Feng Tan shouted, "Pass the ball!"
The polo ball moved with exceptional agility under the blows of the polo stick; her horsemanship was superb, and her stance was steady.
He unexpectedly broke into the opponent's penalty area alone, then swung his mallet and the polo ball went into the net.
The crowd of onlookers was like clouds, some sitting and some standing, their cheers and shouts echoing across the grassland.
Someone declared definitively: "The Third Prince will win! The Third Prince has never lost!"
"The Third Prince!"
"The Third Prince!"
......
The eldest and second princes looked extremely grim, but Arslan's gaze was fixed on Feng Tan.
He spurred his horse closer, his amber eyes gleaming under the starry sky above, and said, "So this is what it feels like to have a powerful backer."
He used all his inner strength to clear her meridians, so she should be his support. Feng Tan wiped the thin layer of sweat from her forehead and smiled, "I am your backer."
Author's Note: A-Tan is a heartthrob! [cat emoji]
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