FHJ - 2

Chapter 2: Polo (2)

Lady Pingjing heard such sycophantic words, and her heart was truly uncomfortable.

She had always been a fiery and unyielding character, and she had always loved her niece dearly. Back then, that girl had attempted to slit her throat and hang herself at home because Gu Jihan suddenly decided to marry someone else. Even now, with time having passed, she still couldn’t let it go, and as her aunt, she felt the same pain. She and her brother had originally thought that with their families on good terms, they were somewhat like his elders. In the past, they had addressed him by his courtesy name, Wenruo, indicating some familiarity. When he first married, perhaps he was passionate about that merchant’s daughter and unwilling to accept Yuan’er, but after a few years, when that passion faded, he could have welcomed Yuan’er as a concubine or even a secondary wife. Who would have thought that this merchant’s daughter would be so skillful, still keeping Wenruo wrapped around her finger after five years, refusing to marry Yuan’er? It was truly hateful.

Now, this merchant’s daughter needed her husband to protect her while walking and to help her sit down. Her poor Yuan’er, watching from afar, must feel so heartbroken and hurt. As an aunt, how could she swallow this humiliation?

But she was sharp-eyed and clear-minded, unlike those foolish women who only acted like lapdogs. Earlier, this merchant’s daughter had listened to the romantic story of Qi Yin and Xiao Ziyu and clearly showed signs of sorrow. This indicated that the relationship between her and Gu Jihan might not be as harmonious and loving as it appeared.

With this thought in mind, she intended to mention Qi Yin a few more times. But just as she was about to speak, cheers of “Long Live” erupted outside the polo field, followed by a grand entourage. It was the arrival of the Emperor and Empress.

Emperor Wei Gao Mian had just reached the age of forty, well-preserved and not overweight. However, in recent years, he had developed a fondness for Wushi Powder, which had come from the south. Though elegant and favored by scholars, prolonged use of it was not beneficial to one’s health. Gu Jihan had once ordered a strict ban on soldiers using it, but since the Emperor was not under his command, naturally, he didn’t listen. Perhaps last night he had indulged, causing him to arrive late to the polo match today.

Empress Wei Zou was about the same age as the Emperor. She had been stunningly beautiful in her youth and remained highly favored. The Zou family, her maternal relatives, were not prominent before, but with the Empress gaining favor, the Zou family rose in status. Now, the Empress’s brother held the position of prime minister and accompanied the Emperor today.

Once everyone stood up and looked around, they saw that Princess Daliang had also arrived today. Since she had yet to marry the Emperor, her entourage and protocol still followed the regulations for a princess of Daliang. Everyone took a look and saw that this Xiao Ziyu was indeed well-proportioned, with bright eyes and white teeth, but she couldn’t be considered exceptionally beautiful. Moreover, she was already twenty-six, no longer young, and her complexion was slightly haggard, detracting further from her beauty.

The noblewomen under the pavilion thought to themselves: No wonder this princess looked so haggard! Marrying someone else in front of an old lover, especially one as famous as Qi Jingchen, anyone would have a hard time putting on a good face! But this princess had gotten involved in such a scandalous affair; everyone expected her to be extraordinarily beautiful, enough to rival the Lady of Yan State. Unexpectedly, her looks...were somewhat ordinary.

After pondering over this, the crowd quickly shifted their gaze away, searching the entire field for Qi Jingchen. However, despite seeing many officials from Liang, none matched the distinguished appearance of Qi Yin, leaving them somewhat bewildered.

The Emperor and Empress had already taken their seats on the high platform, and Princess Daliang had also been seated. Gu Juhán approached the imperial presence, paid his respects to Emperor Wei, and asked, “Forgive my boldness, but why is Lord Qi not present today?”

Emperor Wei laughed heartily and replied, “I still remember six years ago when Jingchen came to the capital and played a match of polo with Wenruo here. Who won that time?”

Zou Qian, the Empress’s brother sitting below, clasped his hands and chuckled, “Your Majesty, that match was extremely intense, but unfortunately, no winner was decided.”

The Emperor nodded and jokingly asked Gu Juhán, “Is Wenruo still hoping to settle the score with Jingchen today?”

Gu Juhán smiled humbly and said, “Nothing escapes Your Majesty’s notice.”

The Emperor was highly amused and said, “Then Wenruo will be disappointed. This morning, the envoy from Liang reported that Jingchen has caught a cold and cannot come today.”

Han Feichi, the deputy envoy from Liang, stepped forward, clasped his hands, and smilingly added, “While en route to Wei, the Left Chancellor mentioned his desire to resolve the past match with General Gu. Unfortunately, due to travel fatigue, he caught a cold and will likely miss this appointment.”

Underneath the ornate pavilion, the noblewomen were truly disappointed.

What did it matter about past regrets or polo victories? The most important thing was to see what kind of face such a remarkable person as Qi Yin had! Now that he wasn’t coming, what should they do with the anticipation they had harbored since early morning? What should they do with their stretched necks from constantly looking around?

It was simply outrageous!

With their spirits dampened, they suddenly felt the morning had been wasted, leaving them parched. The maidservants, noticing their mistresses’ displeasure, tactfully offered fragrant tea to soothe their tempers. Qin Shi personally replaced her sister-in-law’s tea, handing it over. Her sister-in-law, head bowed, only noticed after being called twice and then took the teacup from her hand.

The absence of Qi Jingchen left the women feeling disheartened, and the men felt similarly let down. Qi Yin was often hailed as a paragon of aristocratic virtue and had repeatedly humiliated the Wei army, making its soldiers feel disgraced. Though Liang in Jiangzuo was known for its wealth and civility, its emphasis on scholarly elegance meant it lacked the robust spirit of Wei. It was expected that even someone as formidable as Qi Yin might not excel in polo, so the Wei nobles were eager to challenge him today. Finding out he wouldn’t show up was like punching a cloud; how could it not infuriate them?

Liu Shaotang, the second son of Marquis Juangling and currently the Right Army General of Wei, was 24 years old and had just returned from the battlefield against Liang in February. He was one of Gu Juhán’s generals and hadn’t seen Qi Yin much on the battlefield. He had intended to compete with him on the polo field today, but now, unable to fulfill that wish, he felt dejected. However, seeing Gu Juhán descend from the platform with a worried expression made him seem more carefree by comparison. He pulled Gu Juhán along and teased, “Though I guessed you wanted to compete with Qi Jingchen, I didn’t expect you to care so much. In any case, it’s not urgent. He’ll have to wait until after the Emperor and Princess are married before returning to Liang, so there will be other chances.”

Marquis Juangling and the late Duke were old friends. Gu Juhán was seven years older than Liu Shaotang, and they grew up like brothers, very close to each other. But today, he wasn’t in the mood for jokes. Liu Shaotang noticed that while walking onto the field, Gu Juhán kept glancing back at his wife sitting under the ornate pavilion and couldn’t resist teasing, “We’ve been back from the battlefield for a month. How can your longing not have subsided yet? Brother, always being so attached to your wife isn’t good…”

As he spoke, he had pulled Gu Juhán into the field. The other men, hearing Shaotang’s teasing and seeing the usually decisive General Gu reluctant to leave his wife, burst into laughter and joined in the banter. Gu Juhán, withdrawing his gaze, laughed and said, “Enough, enough. Last time in the military camp, you lost and weren’t satisfied. Let’s play again today.”

Soon, the field was filled with neighing horses and flying dust, marking the beginning of the men’s springtime festivities.

However, though Yan Guogong’s polo skills were impressive and eye-catching, he was already married, with his wife sitting properly under the pavilion, naturally not as intriguing as Qi Yin from Liang. The noblewomen and ladies originally eagerly anticipated a grand event which fell through, leaving them somewhat desolate.

But this melancholy didn’t linger long in the ladies’ hearts. After finishing a cup of tea, they began discussing the real reason for Qi Yin’s absence.

“I say, this matter must have another origin,” one lady who previously revealed secrets between Qi Yin and Xiao Ziyu stated confidently. “Catching a cold is too common an excuse. He probably didn’t want to see the princess and our Emperor chatting happily.”

The ladies were startled and then murmured in agreement.

Another added, “That makes sense. A man who can handle the battlefield shouldn’t catch a cold so easily. It seems love really breaks one’s heart, even someone as formidable as Qi Yin can’t withstand it.”

Again, the ladies murmured in agreement.

Lady Pingjing, hearing these words and observing the merchant’s daughter, saw her staring absentmindedly at the swirling tea leaves in her cup. She felt her earlier suspicions were correct: though the couple appeared affectionate, there might indeed be some underlying discord, stirring sympathy for the ill-fated lovers of Liang.

She intended to stir the pot a bit, but unluckily, every time she tried to start a conversation, she was interrupted. Suddenly, an official from the palace approached the pavilion, greeted the ladies, and addressed the merchant’s daughter, “Madam Yan Guogong, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence for a chat.”

When Shen Xiling ascended the platform to pay her respects to Emperor Wei and Empress Wei, the sound of drums reverberated below, accompanied by continuous cheers—likely signaling that a player had scored the first point.

Though spring in Wei was indeed radiant this year, she still felt a lingering chill. Even when the Empress offered her a seat, she couldn’t shake the cold. She recalled how Gu Juhán had suggested she wear an extra padded jacket over her spring attire before leaving home that morning, but she had refused, thinking it unattractive. Now, she regretted her decision.

The Empress smiled warmly and asked, “You seem to have lost some weight recently. I heard the imperial physician visited your residence early this morning—is there something amiss with your health?”

Shen Xiling bowed respectfully to the Empress and replied, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am quite well; I only had a slight headache this morning. General Gu may have been overly cautious.”

The Empress chuckled, “He adores you deeply. At first, both His Majesty and I worried about his marriage, fearing he might be too picky to find a suitable wife. But it seems our concerns were unwarranted.”

Upon hearing the Empress mention him, Emperor Wei should have chimed in, but the polo match below was at a critical juncture, and he could not tear his attention away. He merely gave a vague acknowledgment without adding anything further.

The Empress took Shen Xiling’s hand and continued, “Seeing the two of you so devoted brings me joy. However, I feel somewhat guilty for you. Over the years, Wenruo has been constantly occupied with military affairs, causing the two of you to spend little time together.”

Hearing this, Shen Xiling naturally responded with some dutiful remarks about loyalty to family and country. The Empress listened and smiled again, saying, “But things will improve in the future. With the Princess marrying into our Wei, peace between our nations will endure, and Wenruo won’t need to be preoccupied with warfare anymore. You and he can finally reunite. It’s tiresome seeing him unable to leave your side whenever he returns, acting so lovesick.”

The nobles on the platform laughed at this last remark, leaving Shen Xiling somewhat embarrassed. She simply nodded.

At this moment, the Princess of Liang, seated in a position of honor on the platform, turned her gaze toward Shen Xiling, smiled, and said, “I’ve heard rumors in Liang about General Gu’s marriage. They say Lady Shen possesses beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky. Today, I see that the rumors are true.”

Below, the sound of drums intensified, mingling with the murmur of the crowd—not cheers this time. Just then, Emperor Wei couldn’t help but clap his hands and sigh, muttering, “What a pity for Wenruo.” Shen Xiling understood: Gu Juhán must have missed his chance to score.

She steadied herself, rose, and bowed to the Princess of Liang, humbly saying, “Your Highness flatters me.”

The Princess gestured for her to sit, then turned her head slightly to observe the men galloping and wielding mallets below. In a casual tone, she remarked to Shen Xiling, “I’ve also heard that you are originally from Liang. Is this true?”

Shen Xiling’s hands stiffened slightly, but her voice remained soft and calm, her expression unchanged as she replied, “Yes, I am from Langya.”

“Oh?” The Princess raised her eyebrows, smiling faintly, though a flicker of mockery seemed to pass through her eyes. “What a pity. I thought you were from Jiankang.”

The Empress, surprised, asked, “Why do you ask, Your Highness? Could it be that you already knew the Lady of Yan Guogong?”

The drumbeats grew more intense, unsettling to the heart, and Shen Xiling felt the wind grow colder still.

Just then, Han Feichi, the envoy from Liang standing behind the Princess, chuckled and said, “Lady Gu does bear a striking resemblance to someone the Princess once knew. Perhaps Her Highness is reminiscing about that person.”

Shen Xiling looked up at Han Feichi, who stood behind Xiao Ziyu. He was a tall man with a perpetually smiling face, though his expression now hovered ambiguously between amusement and indifference. Not once did his gaze drift toward her.

After a brief silence, the Princess spoke in a subdued tone, “Mm, what Lord Han says is correct.”

The drumming ceased, replaced by cheers from the crowd. Emperor Wei laughed heartily, praising, “Wenruo has excellent skill!” Hearing this, Shen Xiling turned to look and saw Gu Juhán atop his horse, holding his mallet high, surrounded by admirers. From such a distance, she couldn’t make out his face, but she knew he was gazing in her direction.

Shen Xiling smiled softly and waved at him.

The Empress laughed, “Look at him! Our pillar of Wei is utterly smitten. Separated from his wife for just a moment, and he’s like this—In my opinion, the two of you should start thinking about having a child.”

Before Shen Xiling could respond, the Princess of Liang raised her golden goblet slightly in the distance and said, “The affection between you and your husband is truly enviable. I wish you both the joy of a son soon.”

After she finished speaking, Shen Xiling glanced at Han Feichi. His expression remained inscrutable, his gaze still refusing to meet hers.

Shen Xiling lowered her head, thanked the Empress and the Princess, and explained that she might have dressed too lightly that day, as she was now feeling a headache. Upon hearing this, the Empress exclaimed, “Oh, how forgetful of me! You’re frail and can’t withstand the wind. My dear, hurry back and rest.”

Shen Xiling rose, bowed to the Emperor, Empress, and Princess in gratitude, and followed the palace attendant as she departed from the platform.

As she descended, one match had just concluded, and Gu Juhán had emerged victorious. She didn’t know how he had won, but she trusted that if he set his mind to something, he always succeeded. That morning, she had heard that the prize for the first match was a gold hairpin. After seeing its intricate design, she had complimented it as “exquisite,” and he had promised to win it for her. True to his word, he had obtained it.

Shen Xiling watched him dismount and approach her, the hairpin in hand.

When he drew near, however, he forgot to give it to her. Instead, he furrowed his brow and asked, “What’s wrong? Your complexion is so pale.”

She smiled faintly and said, “It’s nothing. Go play with Shaotang and the others. I… I’d like to return home today.”

Gu Juhán sighed and said, “I’ll go with you.”

She wanted to dissuade him, but his expression was resolute. She said nothing further.