FHJ - 1

Chapter 1: Polo (1)

When Shen Xiling saw Qi Ying again, it was an unusually warm March in the Northern Wei dynasty.

In previous years, at this time, the capital city of Shangjing would be bitterly cold. But this year, for some unknown reason, spring arrived early, and even the polo fields outside the city opened earlier than usual.

Polo originally gained popularity in military camps as a game played on horseback using mallets to hit a ball. Since the previous dynasty, it had gradually become popular among the nobility and wealthy families. The Northern Wei people were known for their strong character and martial prowess, making polo especially prevalent compared to its practice in Jiangzuo's Great Liang. Thus, every spring when the frost melted, the polo field became a particularly favored venue. Men loved to gallop with mallets in hand, competing to hit the ball and stretching their limbs that had been dormant all winter. Women, dressed in vibrant spring attire, enjoyed tea and conversation under the pavilions by the field. This was an essential event of the Northern Wei spring.

This year was particularly different.

In recent years, the states of Wei and Liang had frequently engaged in battles without decisive victories. Though major wars were few, minor skirmishes were constant, only subsiding in February. This latest conflict also ended inconclusively. After years of entanglement, neither side had the strength to annex or unify the other, leading both to grow weary and seek peace. Consequently, they decided to intermarry to form a harmonious alliance.

Emperor Xiao Ziheng of the Great Liang was a relatively new ruler, having ascended the throne just five years ago. He had a full-sibling sister, Princess Xiao Ziyu, who was now the most prestigious princess of the Great Liang. It was she who was to marry the emperor of the Great Wei.

“As far as I'm concerned,” said the Lady of Pingjing Marquis on a breezy early March day, casually picking up a grape while chatting idly with the noblewomen beside her under the shaded pavilion, “it doesn't matter much who the princess sent for marriage is. What's more noteworthy is the envoy accompanying her.”

The women around her giggled behind their hands. Lady Zhong, wife of the Deputy Chief of the Censorate, chimed in with a laugh, “It’s only because your Marquis has a gentle temperament. Any other person wouldn’t tolerate their wife gossiping about another man.”

Lady of Pingjing Marquis, with her bold eyebrows and large eyes, exuded a fiery and feisty charm. She laughed heartily and addressed those around her, “What’s wrong with me talking about him? Which woman in the world hasn’t secretly discussed Qi Ying of the Great Liang? You’re just gossiping in secret, yet you dare to criticize me?”

Qi Ying, styled Jingchen, was from the main lineage of the first family of Jiangzuo, the Qi clan. His father, Qi Zhang, held one of the three highest positions in the Great Liang and was rumored to be retiring, leaving the Qi clan under Qi Ying’s leadership. This young master gained fame at an early age; he was personally selected as the second-place winner by the former emperor of the Great Liang at the age of thirteen and rose to the position of Vice Envoy of the Great Liang’s Privy Council by twenty-one, earning the nickname “Little Privy Chancellor.” In recent years, due to frequent conflicts between Wei and Liang, Qi Ying solely managed the Privy Council. Three years ago, he personally led troops in the Battle of Jiuling, causing a significant defeat for Wei and shocking the world. He was a legendary figure capable of both military and civil leadership.

Though Lady of Pingjing Marquis's words might not be elegant, they rang true. Which woman hadn’t secretly talked about this esteemed official? Even in their Great Wei, it was no different.

Another lady at the table joked, “That esteemed gentleman has long enjoyed a great reputation. Now that he’s come to our Wei, we should indeed take a good look.”

“Indeed,” Lady of Pingjing Marquis picked another grape, “I heard he visited our Shangjing six years ago. Unfortunately, I was recuperating in Jizhou at the time and missed seeing him in person. Today, I hear he will play polo, so I must observe carefully.”

These remarks naturally elicited laughter again. Lady Zhong shook her head with a smile and said, “You and your Marquis are so harmoniously matched and loving. No matter how closely you observe him, what can it do? Instead, your niece Yuan’er is of marriageable age now. It would be proper to look for her. Why isn’t Yuan’er here today?”

“How could she not be here?” Lady of Pingjing Marquis pointed to another ornate pavilion in the distance, “She’s sitting there with the other girls.”

She waved her hand dismissively, adding, “You know my niece well. She’s single-mindedly trying to get into the Yan Duke’s household. Frankly, I’m embarrassed for her.”

Lady Zhong covered her lips and chuckled, glancing at another gentle and quiet lady beside her, teasing Lady of Pingjing Marquis, “The third sister-in-law of the Yan Duke is sitting right here. What nonsense are you speaking?”

That lady was Madam Qin from the second house of the Yan Duke’s residence. She simply smiled and did not respond. Another lady commented, “In my opinion, though Qi Jingchen is excellent, he is not a suitable match for our Yuan’er.”

The others, not understanding the situation, asked, “Why is that?”

The lady took a sip of wine, smiling with her lips closed, and whispered, “How do you still not know? This princess from Liang, already twenty-six this year, has remained unmarried until now precisely because she has been infatuated with Qi Jingchen since her youth. They have been entangled in love and grievances for many years. It is only now that the Emperor of Liang wants his sister to marry our Emperor, which has forcefully separated them. Qi Jingchen, being deeply affectionate, has even requested to personally escort the bride—given such ambiguous affairs, how could we push Yuan’er into that fire pit?”

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked. One lady said, “Are there really such strange events?”

At first, she didn’t believe it, but after pondering for a while, she gradually did and added, “But thinking about it, it makes sense. Qi Ying is renowned and successful, yet nearly thirty and still unmarried. It turns out he has had some entanglements with the princess...”

The customs of the Great Wei were open, even among high-ranking noble families, they did not consider premarital romantic feelings of young girls as scandalous. Even though the princess was marrying their Emperor, her past with Qi Ying was not seen as inappropriate. However, with this secret revealed, people couldn't help but feel ripples in their hearts. On one hand, they sympathized with the princess who was about to marry their Emperor, and on the other hand, they felt sorry for Qi Ying, who had come to another country to personally escort his beloved to her wedding. The noblewomen became melancholic, making the atmosphere at the table somewhat subdued.

It was Lady of Pingjing Marquis who broke the silence, saying sharply, “I’ve heard that Qi Ying is considered the epitome of Jiangzuo noble families. Today I will look closely and see what this famed person looks like. As for any romantic affairs with others, it has nothing to do with me.”

Everyone laughed again, finding her words reasonable, and their sighs immediately faded.

Seeing this, Lady of Pingjing Marquis was quite satisfied. She craned her neck to look around and saw that the young nobles of their Wei were already warming up on horseback, but there was still no sign of anyone from Liang. Impatiently, she asked, “What time is it now? Why are they still not here?”

Lady Zhong handed her a cup of tea, smiling, and said, “The seats of honor on the high platform are still empty; His Majesty and the Empress have not arrived yet. Presumably, the envoys from Liang should be with the Emperor, so they should be coming soon.”

Lady of Pingjing Marquis took the tea to soothe her throat, looked around, then glanced at Lady Qin, and rather stiffly asked, “Why hasn’t the Lady of Yan arrived yet?”

Her tone was so harsh, but Lady Qin wasn’t offended. She smiled gently and said, “My elder brother always dotes on my sister-in-law. This morning, she had a headache, so the family called a royal physician to check on her, delaying her departure.”

Lady of Pingjing Marquis snorted coldly and sneered, “She comes from a merchant family, yet she has all sorts of luxurious ailments.”

These words were clearly provocative, causing everyone to feel somewhat awkward.

Two years ago, the old Duke passed away, and the eldest son, Gu Juhan, inherited the title. Gu Juhan was also a famous minister of the time, the Supreme General of Northern Wei. His ancestors were founding heroes and pillars of the state, leading the armies of Wei against those of Liang in the south. He and Qi Ying both held high positions at a young age and were renowned ministers of turbulent times, often referred to as 'Qi of the South and Gu of the North.'

However, unlike the Chancellor of Liang, their Supreme General had no complicated romantic entanglements. Five years ago, he married a woman from a humble merchant family, dashing the hopes of many noble daughters of Wei. After marriage, they were deeply in love, and despite his high status, he kept no concubines, truly showcasing the capabilities of that merchant’s daughter.

Lady Xue Yuan, the only daughter of An Ding Marquis and niece of Lady of Pingjing Marquis, had admired this newly titled Duke Yan since childhood. Their families had always been close, and everyone in Shangjing's noble circles believed this marriage was set in stone. Unexpectedly, five years ago, the Supreme General suddenly brought home a woman from a merchant family, shocking the nobility of Shangjing. Xue Yuan, unable to bear such sorrow, almost shaved her head to become a nun. Though stopped by her parents, she remained steadfast in her devotion, vowing to marry no one but General Gu, becoming a notorious tale of unrequited love in Shangjing.

Because of this, Lady of Pingjing Marquis and the Lady of Yan particularly disliked each other. Whether at tea parties or poetry gatherings, she never favored her, and whenever the Lady of Yan was absent, she would mock and ridicule her relentlessly.

No sooner had these words left her mouth than before Lady Qin could respond, the crowd became noisy. In the distance, they saw a man and a woman walking together, surrounded by people.

The man was none other than Gu Juhan, the Duke of Yan. He was a famously handsome man in Wei, once the dream lover of every maiden in Shangjing before his marriage. Even after five years of marriage, when he rode through the city, women still waved from their windows. Now, as he walked with his wife across the polo field towards the pavilion, bold noblewomen still flirted with him. His figure was as upright as a pine tree. Being from a military family and having joined the army since childhood, he naturally appeared more valiant than ordinary noble sons. Today, dressed casually for polo, he exuded a gentler charm compared to his usual demeanor in court or on the battlefield.

The woman beside him was Lady Shen Xiling, the Duchess of Yan. Her sudden appearance years ago had caused quite a stir in Shangjing, dashing the hopes of noble daughters and drawing criticism. Regardless of the negative talk about her, no one could deny her beauty. Her eyes were bright and lively, her demeanor graceful like pearls and jade. A red mole between her eyebrows made her resemble a celestial maiden accidentally fallen into the mortal world. Today, she wore a spring dress of indigo color, draped with a light-colored satin cloak, revealing an extremely elegant figure that was simply mesmerizing.

Together, they appeared like a pair of figures from a painting. It was rumored that Gu Juhan deeply cherished his wife, and even after five years of marriage, he remained affectionate. True to the rumors, he was indeed walking alongside his wife, carefully tending to her steps, half a pace behind her, showing utmost care and consideration.

Lady Qin glanced up and, seeing the couple approaching, politely smiled at Lady of Pingjing Marquis and said lightly: “It just so happens that my brother and sister-in-law have arrived. If you have anything to say, Lady, feel free to speak directly with them.”

Upon hearing this, Lady of Pingjing Marquis furrowed her delicate brows and snorted coldly but refrained from further comment.

In that brief moment, the Duke and Duchess of Yan had already reached the pavilion. Lady Qin had risen to greet them, and the other noblewomen, not daring to be remiss, quickly followed suit. Although reluctant, Lady of Pingjing Marquis remembered that her husband still had to work under the Supreme General and thus rose as well.

Lady Qin took a half-step forward, greeted the Duke of Yan, and then turned to her stunningly beautiful sister-in-law: “Sister-in-law, are you feeling better? You had such a severe headache this morning; can you tolerate being out in the wind?”

Shen Xiling had exchanged greetings with all the ladies and replied to her sister-in-law: “Thank you for always thinking of me. I'm much better now; it's nothing serious.”

Her voice was clear and soft, pleasing to the ear. Lady of Pingjing Marquis inwardly cursed her as a little harlot but heard the flattery from the other ladies: “We heard that today’s polo match will see the General himself take the field to compete with the envoy from Liang. Such deep affection between you both, how could the Duchess miss it? Though the weather is warm this spring, it is still early and chilly. Please take care of your esteemed health.”

By this time, Shen Xiling had been helped by her husband to sit in the honored seat at the center of the pavilion. After thanking the ladies, she said to the Duke of Yan: “I am fine here. This place is filled with womenfolk; it's inconvenient for you to stay—go to the field. I just heard Shaotang calling for you.”

The noblewomen kept their eyes downcast, but their ears were sharp. They heard the powerful Supreme General respond gently: “Alright, I'll go now—don't overexert yourself. If you're uncomfortable, send someone to fetch me.”

His wife responded with a few “mm-hmms” and urged him to leave. He seemed quite helpless but entrusted Lady Qin to look after his wife before finally rising to depart. On the field, young nobles who were friends with the Supreme General greeted him, and his generals saluted him. Servants brought his horse, and the young Duke of Yan mounted gracefully, already galloping with the men on the field.

This scene stirred the hearts of the noble maidens under the polo pavilion, and even the married ladies felt a pang of envy, silently cursing the merchant woman’s unparalleled luck. However, given the circumstances, they had no choice but to put on smiles and praise the Duke of Yan’s attentiveness.

The merchant woman, however, didn’t seem particularly grateful. She responded with a smile and then asked: “I see everyone was chatting lively earlier. Have I come at an inopportune time? What were the ladies discussing? Can you include me?”

“Where would you get such an idea, Duchess?” Lady Zhong laughed. “Just some trivial family matters, and we casually mentioned the envoy from Liang.”

“Oh?” Shen Xiling took a cup of hot tea from Lady Qin and held it in her palms, responding nonchalantly, seemingly offhandedly asking, “Qi Ying? What about him?”

With this question, the lady who had previously revealed the secret was invigorated and vividly recounted the story of him and the Princess of Liang, ending with a compliment: “Though the entanglements between Qi Jingchen and the Princess of Liang are indeed remarkable, they pale compared to the deep affection between you and the General. Even the Princess of Liang would be envious.”