Chapter 97: Entering Winter (2)

Finally, someone had asked about the two of them.

Although the two young masters from the concubine-born branch of the family had been brought along by their older brother, they still felt out of place in such a gathering. The sons of the main households were all good friends with each other and spoke freely among themselves without including the two younger brothers. As a result, the two found themselves sitting on the sidelines. If it weren’t for the fact that the eldest son of the Han family was avoiding conversation with his own younger brother, he wouldn’t have bothered to ask them anything.

This rare opportunity to speak should have been welcomed, but for Qi Ning, it was rather awkward. He lowered his head and remained silent. Then, he heard his older brother answer on behalf of both of them: “Jing Kang is preparing for the upcoming exam, while Jing An still needs to pass the provincial examination.”

Qi Ning’s face flushed hot with embarrassment.

Fortunately, he knew that no one at this gathering truly cared about him. It was just a casual question, and as expected, the conversation quickly shifted to Qi Le, with everyone wishing him success in his exams.

Qi Le gave a simple, bashful smile and said, “I’ll do my best, my best.”

The young master from the Fu family took over the conversation, laughing as he added, “Doing your best is one thing, but if you really want to do well, it’s up to your second brother to put in the effort too.”

At these words, everyone exchanged knowing smiles. Then, Qi Ying, who had been silent until now, interjected with a faint smile: “As long as he does his best, I suppose my efforts aren’t entirely necessary.”

Qi Ying rarely spoke, and when he did, his words carried deep meaning, leaving an impression on the minds of the young masters present.

Everyone began to ponder the implications of his statement. Was he merely saying that he wouldn’t help his younger brother cheat during the spring examinations? Or was he also implying that he wouldn’t assist anyone else either?

The Qi family was known for its upright conduct and had never engaged in any underhanded practices. Otherwise, given the Qi family’s influence and status, Qi San would not have failed to even pass the provincial exam. This year, with Qi Ying presiding over the spring examinations, would he continue to uphold this tradition of integrity? That would certainly upset many people. Even though the Qi family was at the height of its power, would they dare to act so boldly?

No one could be certain.

Just as everyone’s thoughts were quietly turning, Qi Yun noticed the shift in tone. Worried that the conversation might veer into territory that would embarrass his younger brother, he quickly intervened, saying, “Have you all rested enough? I’m itching to play; I can’t hold back any longer.”

Everyone present was sharp-eyed and perceptive, and they immediately recognized Qi Yun’s attempt to protect his younger brother. One by one, they refrained from pressing further. Fu Zhuo was the first to respond, picking up his polo mallet and standing up with a laugh, saying, “Who’s afraid of you? Your family is hosting today’s event!”

The men burst into laughter, rising to their feet one after another. The eldest son of the Han family promptly instructed the servants to bring out the horses. Just then, the fourth prince, Xiao Ziteng, chuckled and said, “Hold on, hold on.”

Everyone turned to look at him as the prince lounged casually in his chair, a mischievous grin on his face. “Rong’er and Zi Yu don’t get out much. How about we all play together this time?”

Upon hearing this, everyone glanced at the two ladies and realized that both were dressed in riding attire. The fourth prince continued, “As I see it, there are exactly ten of us here. Let’s divide into two teams of five…”

With just a few words, the fourth prince organized the teams.

He placed himself, his sister, Qi Ying, Han Feichi, and Qi Ning on one team, while Qi Yun, Fu Zhuo, Fu Rong, Han Feiyu, and Qi Le formed the other team. After finishing, he scanned the group and asked nonchalantly, “Does anyone have any objections?”

The fourth prince’s blatant matchmaking left everyone unsure how to react, and for a moment, there was silence. Unperturbed, he stood up, brushed imaginary dust off his fine robes, and said with satisfaction, “No objections? Good, let’s proceed.”

Polo had its intricacies, with two main types of play: single-goal and double-goal matches.

In a single-goal match, a small hole about a foot wide was cut into a wooden board at ground level, with a net behind it to catch the balls. The winner was determined by the number of goals scored. In a double-goal match, goals were set up at both ends of the field, and scoring against the opponent’s goal determined victory.

The latter style was more popular in Jiangzuo.

Today, since there were women present, the men naturally held back to ensure that neither the fourth prince’s wife nor the sixth princess would get hurt.

However, the sixth princess laughed and said, “Don’t hold back on my account, or it’ll be boring. My father praised my polo skills personally, so watch out—I might make you lose face later.”

With that, she mounted her horse gracefully, displaying her excellent horsemanship.

Her words were no exaggeration; she was indeed skilled at polo. Having grown up playing alongside her older brother, she was an excellent rider and ranked among the best female players. Many men who were less experienced at polo couldn’t match her.

By now, the men had all mounted their horses. Han Feiyu chimed in, saying, “How dare we? Everyone knows Your Highness is a remarkable player. Please go easy on us later.”

There was some lighthearted banter on horseback, and then the teams divided, taking their positions on opposite halves of the field. The game was about to begin.

Xiao Ziteng and Qi Yun stepped forward to contest the opening ball. Meanwhile, Xiao Ziyu seized the opportunity to speak with Qi Ying.

She rode closer, glanced at Qi Ying, and called out softly, “Brother Jingchen…”

Hearing her voice, Qi Ying looked down at her. She had intended to say many things to him, but meeting his gaze made her tongue-tied, and she forgot everything she wanted to say. After struggling for a moment, she managed to blurt out, “You know my riding skills have always been good. I won’t hold you back, and I’m sure we’ll win!”

Qi Ying raised an eyebrow, giving a faint smile that quickly faded. He replied indifferently, “Winning or losing isn’t important. Just don’t get hurt, Your Highness.”

Seeing that fleeting smile of his, Xiao Ziyu was overwhelmed with joy. Hearing him tell her to avoid injury made her feel especially cherished by him, and she felt deeply satisfied.

What she didn’t know was that Qi Ying’s smile wasn’t because of her.

When Xiao Ziyu mentioned her excellent riding skills, Qi Ying unconsciously thought of Shen Xiling. He remembered how the young girl had looked adorable yet afraid while riding a horse during their outing to Qixia Mountain a few days ago. The memory brought him unexpected happiness, prompting that faint smile.

Unaware of the true reason, Xiao Ziyu remained elated and was about to say more when a loud thud interrupted her. Her older brother had secured the opening ball, and the match had officially begun.

This friendly gathering was not something Qi Ying intended to take seriously; he had simply come to casually play and stretch his legs. However, his horse, Zhuri, was unusually excited. Perhaps because during their autumn outing with Shen Xiling a few days ago, Qi Ying had restrained Zhuri to accommodate the girl’s poor riding skills, the magnificent steed had been frustrated like a donkey. Now, unleashed on the polo field, Zhuri was ecstatic, galloping wildly and unrestrainedly, even faster than the ball itself.

This display stirred excitement among the men on the field, who became serious about the game.

Han Feichi was particularly thrilled. He and Qi Ying had always been close, and their coordination was seamless. They passed the ball back and forth with precision, moving fluidly like clouds drifting across the sky.

As they approached the opponent’s goal, the ball came to Qi Ying. Instead of taking the shot directly, he noticed Xiao Ziteng not far behind him to his rear flank. With a gentle tug on the reins, he slowed Zhuri’s pace. Sensing the opportunity, Han Feiyu and Fu Zhuo immediately closed in. Qi Ying seized the chance to pass the ball diagonally backward, landing it neatly under Xiao Ziteng’s mallet. The fourth prince, being highly skilled, executed a long-range strike in the heat of the moment, scoring the first goal of the match.

The goal earned thunderous applause, and no one noticed Qi Ying’s subtle maneuver.

He could have easily claimed the first point for himself but deliberately passed it to Xiao Ziteng.

It wasn’t entirely unnoticed, though. Han Feichi, who was closest, saw his second brother subtly pull the reins earlier. He thought to himself how cautious his brother was, even yielding in such matters.

Han Feichi glanced at Qi Ying, and their eyes met. Being so familiar with each other, Qi Ying naturally knew that Han Feichi had seen through his actions. He smiled faintly and shook his head.

Han Feichi understood his brother’s meaning—he was telling him to keep quiet.

Trusting his second brother implicitly, Han Feichi nodded in acknowledgment without uttering a word.

Qi Ying then turned his horse toward Xiao Ziteng, who was surrounded by cheering teammates, and offered his congratulations.

Some things may seem trivial, but just because you don’t care doesn’t mean others won’t. Sometimes, only when you care can others afford to be indifferent.

With the first goal scored, the atmosphere heated up completely. Both sides of men were spurred on by a sense of pride, and the polo field became a whirlwind of dust, neighing horses, and the finely carved wooden ball flying across the field—it was lively and thrilling to watch.

Both teams fought fiercely, exchanging possession back and forth without a clear victor yet. Qi Yun’s team scored another goal, putting them ahead of the fourth prince’s team by one point. The men gathered together, joking and teasing, while the women refrained from joining in, waiting patiently on the sidelines.

During this pause, Fu Rong and Xiao Ziyu exchanged a few casual words.

The elder sister-in-law glanced at her younger sister-in-law and asked lightly, “Well? Did you manage to speak with Master Qi today?”

Three years had passed, and the once-dominant daughter of the Fu family, now the fourth prince’s wife, had changed significantly.

She had always been a graceful and elegant noblewoman, but marriage into the royal family had added an air of dignity and authority to her demeanor. Three years ago, she might have spoken to Xiao Ziyu with deference, but now she commanded respect effortlessly.

Xiao Ziyu, however, refused to acknowledge her sister-in-law’s authority. The conflict between them from three years ago still lingered in her heart, unresolved. Upon hearing the question, she didn’t answer but instead responded with a cold snort, “What business is it of yours, Sister-in-law? Just focus on my fourth brother—you needn’t concern yourself with anything else.”

Such sharp words would provoke anger in anyone, but Fu Rong remained unfazed. She simply smiled and said, “If you keep playing like this until the end of the day, how many more words will you exchange with him? If you don’t think of something soon, Your Highness will have wasted this outing bringing you along.”

Though Xiao Ziyu disliked Fu Rong, her words struck a nerve.

Meeting him was already difficult enough, and she certainly didn’t want to part ways without making the most of it. Despite her reluctance, she couldn’t help but ask derisively, “You’re full of ideas—do you have a plan?”

Fu Rong’s lips curved slightly as she replied, “You need to find a way to be alone with him—perhaps pretend to get injured?”

Xiao Ziyu froze, then snapped out of it, ready to scold her. Even if she faked an injury, it would likely be her fourth brother who tended to her. Would Jingchen, who always avoided impropriety, bypass her brother to care for her alone?

But before she could retort, Fu Rong stopped her with a pointed remark: “If you’re injured because of him, he won’t be able to push you away.”

This statement hit Xiao Ziyu like a revelation.

She found it profoundly reasonable and, the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Yet, instead of gratitude, she sneered, “Sister-in-law is truly talented, scheming with such clever twists.”

Fu Rong remained unperturbed, calm as ever. She smiled faintly and continued, “Your Highness need not mock me. Focus only on yourself and don’t let irrelevant people ruin your good fortune.”

With that, she raised her eyelids and cast a meaningful glance at Xiao Ziyu.

Xiao Ziyu was momentarily stunned.

Irrelevant people? Who? Judging by Fu Rong’s pointed expression, was she referring to that orphan from the Fang family?

Did she know about what happened at Qixia Temple?

Xiao Ziyu furrowed her delicate brows and asked, “How do you know about this?”

Fu Rong smiled again, her expression layered with hidden meaning. After a brief pause, she answered, “If even the Crown Prince knows about it, how could your fourth brother not? He cares about you far more than the Crown Prince does.”

Author’s Note: A sister-in-law is a sister-in-law—there’s no denying it. By the way, I just realized there are about four chapters left until the kiss scene! I’ve been looking forward to writing it for at least two months now… Is it finally happening?!