Once the Eastern Di princess consort had left, no one at this evening banquet had any heart to continue. The gathering broke up hastily.

Xiao Shi and several other noblewomen known for their ability in this sport one by one excused themselves, citing illness or fatigue and taking their leave. Noble Consort Hu kept Li Lihua behind and asked her if she had any suitable candidates to recommend.

Li Lihua looked in the direction where Xiao Shi and the others had just departed, and said coldly: ‘These women in the capital all boast of being experts at polo. Now when they’re actually needed, each and every one turns into a turtle pulling its head in! I only hate myself for being out of practice with this — otherwise, even at the cost of a beating, I would surely lead the team onto the field. Setting aside the question of winning or losing for the moment — our great and magnificent nation, if we cannot produce even a single person brave enough to accept this challenge, will we not be mocked by the barbarians? Furthermore, our dynasty and the Eastern Di are age-old enemies. If word spreads, what will the other foreign nations think?’

Li Lihua’s words were precisely Noble Consort Hu’s own worry.

But there was no need for Li Lihua to say it — everyone already knew these principles.

The trouble this time, though it originated from the Eastern Di princess Baochi’s uncouthness and arrogance, was also inseparably connected to Li Lihua’s covert retaliation after she herself had been insulted.

Noble Consort Hu suppressed her inner dislike: ‘I also understand this reasoning. That is precisely why I wished to hear Princess Imperial’s thoughts. Do you know of anyone among the noblewomen in the escort who could take charge? I hope you might recommend one or two. If no one takes the field tomorrow, we will truly have lost face badly — how am I to account for this to His Majesty?’

Li Lihua frowned and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Noble Consort Hu dismissed the attendants around them, then said: ‘Since we have no suitable person on our side, perhaps we should consider another approach. My thinking is that this woman must be acting out of resentment over the poor hunt today — venting her anger and making this kind of wager on a whim. Though she comes from the Eastern Di, she is now the Princess Consort of Dongluo. As the saying goes, a married woman follows her husband — she cannot be considered an entirely adversarial party. My thought is that since this matter arose from today’s hunt, could I trouble the Princess Imperial to host another banquet, while I quietly find a reliable person tonight to go over and pass a word — if the misunderstanding can be cleared up, then everyone would be happy.’

Hearing that Noble Consort Hu actually wanted her to go and apologize to that Eastern Di woman, Li Lihua was incensed: ‘Is the Consort pushing all the blame onto me? How did this become my fault? The Eastern Di woman was utterly contemptuous, humiliating our great nation of Daxia. The Consort was present yesterday — did you not see it? I merely administered a mild punishment to her today — what was my error? Moreover, everyone present today at the hunting grounds knew what happened. If they knew, how does it single-handedly become my fault?’

Having said her piece, Li Lihua departed in anger, leaving Noble Consort Hu alone with her troubled thoughts.

On this autumn hunt, Noble Consort Hu was in charge of all affairs concerning the escorting noblewomen. When something like this happened, it naturally fell to her to handle.

Matters involving foreign nations were extremely difficult to navigate, especially with a tributary state like Dongluo that needed to be kept appropriately pacified.

Her original plan — since they had no suitable person to respond — was to take the lesser option: swallow the humiliation, prioritize peace, and hope that Li Lihua would set aside her dignity and make amends with the Eastern Di woman. Treating it as a private personal grievance and smoothing things over would be the best outcome.

But Li Lihua had flatly refused.

If Li Lihua wouldn’t back down, and Noble Consort Hu still insisted on sending a mediator, it would no longer be a private matter between Li Lihua and the Eastern Di woman but would become a matter of national relations. Quite apart from whether this had overtones of self-abasement, looking at the outcome: if the other side accepted, fine — but if they refused, it would be even more embarrassing, and the incident would escalate further.

Touching on the court’s dignity and relations between the two nations, Noble Consort Hu dared not act presumptuously on her own. If something went wrong, would Empress Shangguan let slip the opportunity to suppress her?

Noble Consort Hu also dared not immediately inform the Emperor of the matter, fearing too hasty an action. She suppressed her inner agitation and first dispatched someone to probe the situation on the Eastern Di princess’s side, to see if there was any room for the matter to turn around.

That person was gone for a long time without returning, and just as Noble Consort Hu was growing impatient, he finally came back — but brought unwelcome news.

That Eastern Di woman had actually organized her people and was training late into the night on a stretch of wild ground near her camp. Beyond that, the news that tomorrow she would lead her team to compete against the court noblewomen’s team had already spread, and all the Eastern Di people in the Dongluo delegation were elated. They were now gathered around the training ground, holding torches to illuminate the proceedings as they cheered the princess on.

Noble Consort Hu was shocked to hear this and instantly understood: this Eastern Di princess’s provocation was likely not entirely her own idea — it had very probably received the support of her husband, the Dongluo prince.

Dongluo had always played both sides, constantly demanding benefits from the court, then turning around under the guise of compulsion to collude with the Eastern Di, and had now taken in an Eastern Di princess as the prince’s consort. This had displeased Emperor Xiaochang. At the New Year’s great court audience this year, Dongluo had sent envoys to the capital as usual, and by custom the court would grant generous rewards — but this time, the rewards were halved and restrictions were placed on border trade in salt and iron.

This was the Emperor’s warning to the Dongluo king. Sure enough, shortly afterward, the Dongluo king sent people bearing tribute to the capital once more to beg pardon, and on this occasion of the autumn hunt, he also dispatched the prince to come pay his respects.

But beneath this show of submission, who could say the Dongluo prince was not harboring resentment, seizing this opportunity to try to cut down the prestige of the Central Plains Li dynasty?

Most infuriating was that they were using this Eastern Di woman to make trouble — which was precisely what made their scheme so cunning. Had it been a men’s polo match, they could have closed their eyes and randomly called out a few men from the imperial guards or Feathered Forest Guards to take the field.

The more Noble Consort Hu thought about it, the more anxious she became. She knew this was beyond her ability to contain and was about to hurry to see the Emperor and report the matter, when Song Changsheng, the Emperor’s personal attendant, arrived. He had come on the Emperor’s behalf to inquire what exactly had happened at tonight’s banquet.

Noble Consort Hu knew that the Eastern Di woman’s activity had caused too great a commotion, and that even the Emperor had quickly gotten wind of it.

Song Changsheng was second-in-command among the Emperor’s personal eunuchs, after Shen Gao.

Noble Consort Hu dared not conceal anything and recounted the cause and the accident at tonight’s banquet in complete detail.

Song Changsheng said in surprise: ‘So that is how it started! But I wonder — what does the Consort plan to do in response? Who does she plan to have lead the team? If I know, I can report back to His Majesty.’

Noble Consort Hu said: ‘I was just about to go to His Majesty to report and ask pardon. I cannot find a suitable person at the moment.’

‘I have heard that Lady Teng is an expert at polo — has the Consort not considered her?’

Noble Consort Hu said coldly: ‘I would indeed welcome her participation. Unfortunately she has already washed her hands of the matter, claiming her leg was injured and she cannot ride! The others are all the same — not a single one willing to stand up!’

Song Changsheng furrowed his brow and sighed: ‘This makes things difficult — one cannot very well force someone onto a horse…’

He hesitated, and was about to take his leave first and go report, when he heard a voice from behind him: ‘I’ve thought of someone!’

Song Changsheng turned around. Princess Imperial Li Lihua had arrived. He turned to bow in greeting.

Li Lihua walked quickly to stand before Noble Consort Hu, who was giving her a cold look, and said: ‘I’ve thought of one person — Prince Duan’s consort!’

Prince Duan’s consort was over forty years old, but had been born into a military family. In her youth she had been skilled at riding, archery, and polo. She had a good relationship with the late Empress Liang, who had once invited her into the palace to instruct the trained female servants. Later, with the change in court politics and the Empress’s suicide, she had reached middle age and no longer engaged in such activities. Prince Duan was a collateral relative of Mingzong and had always been at ease and unconcerned with court affairs. In recent years, with the consort’s children all grown and her parents still living, she was of high seniority and status, and was often invited by relatives and noble families celebrating their children’s weddings to serve as the senior matron of good fortune.

At the wedding of the Prince of Qin and his consort, the senior matron of good fortune invited had been none other than this Princess Consort of Prince Duan — by seniority, she was their imperial aunt.

Prince Duan and his consort had also come on this autumn hunt. Prince Duan had hurt his foot during the day’s hunt and the consort had not attended tonight’s banquet.

Noble Consort Hu was considering this, when Li Lihua added: ‘I have seen Imperial Aunt’s polo skill — in her youth she could compete against men on the same field. Though she is somewhat older now, if she serves as team leader and doesn’t need to charge at the front but simply holds the defensive gate, there should be no problem!’

Noble Consort Hu also felt this made sense, but thinking of how Xiao Shi and the others had made excuses and begged off, she hesitated: ‘The only question is whether Imperial Aunt would be willing…’

Song Changsheng said: ‘This servant will accompany you two ladies over to ask!’

Prince Duan had accidentally fallen from his horse during the day’s hunt. It happened suddenly, with horses running nearby and hooves flying in all directions. Fortunately Li Xuandu had been close by and, with quick eyes and quick hands, leaped from his horse and dragged Prince Duan out from beneath the hooves. Even so, his foot had been tramped on, and the bone had cracked on the spot.

After returning from the banquet, Pu Zhu had gone directly back to the Western Garden. Thinking of the Eastern Di woman’s arrogance at the evening banquet — practically pointing her nose at them and humiliating them — she felt somewhat indignant. She was wondering how Noble Consort Hu would respond: would she find someone to fight back, or resolve it by other means? She was gradually growing lost in thought when Huaiwei came running in.

She had given Huaiwei strict orders not to go out after dark, so in the evenings he roamed around inside the traveling palace, visiting one residence after another. He had just been to Prince Duan and his consort’s quarters, discovered that Prince Duan had injured his leg, and came running back to tell Pu Zhu.

Pu Zhu’s impression of this senior imperial couple was quite good. She remembered that in her previous life, after Li Chengyu was killed, Shen Yang and Li Lihua, in order to stop up the mouths of court officials, had tried to invite Prince Duan — who was of the same generation as Mingzong — to come out and support the puppet infant emperor they were installing. Prince Duan refused, and the couple was placed under house arrest. What happened after that, she had not known.

In this life, the consort had served as the senior matron of good fortune at her wedding with Li Xuandu. Now learning that Prince Duan had injured his leg, and thinking of the wound medicine she had brought with her, she set aside her own concerns, took the medicine, and first went to pay a visit to the couple.

The imperial physician had just come to examine Prince Duan’s leg and left. The injured area was swollen and painful, and Prince Duan was moaning continuously. He was being scolded by his consort: ‘It’s just a minor injury — you’re wailing so loudly, anyone who didn’t know better would think your leg was broken! I told you not to go and join in the commotion — you insisted. Look at this! If it weren’t for your good fortune, with the Prince of Qin happening to be right beside you, I’d like to see how you would have managed!’

Prince Duan immediately fell silent.

The consort seemed to be trying hard to restrain her urge to comfort him, and was just about to say a few soothing words when a maid reported that the Prince of Qin’s consort had arrived. She hurried to welcome her in.

Pu Zhu greeted Prince Duan with a bow, addressed him as Imperial Uncle, and inquired about his injury. After exchanging a few words, the consort thanked Pu Zhu, saying that today it was all thanks to Li Xuandu that Prince Duan had not come to greater harm. She added that in her rush to get Prince Duan back and have his leg examined, she had not had time to thank Li Xuandu, and asked Pu Zhu to convey her thanks when she saw him, saying she would personally thank him as soon as it was convenient.

In truth, from the time they had arrived here — five or six days had passed — and aside from the brief, disagreeable encounter at the water’s edge on that first evening, Pu Zhu had not seen him again at all. But since the consort had said so, she could only nod and agree. After sitting for a little while longer, seeing that it was not early, she was about to take her leave when she suddenly saw Noble Consort Hu, the Princess Imperial, and Song Changsheng arrive. Their opening words were a request for the consort of Prince Duan to lead a polo team the next day to compete against the Eastern Di princess Baochi.

The consort of Prince Duan initially shook her head repeatedly and made excuses, saying she was old and had long since given up polo, and asking them to invite younger noblewomen to lead the team. But when she heard that no one had accepted, and that the Eastern Di princess had already begun stirring up the situation, with a suggestion of humiliating the great Daxia nation, the spirit of a military general’s daughter immediately blazed to life. She grew furious on the spot and agreed without hesitation: ‘As long as you need me, never mind a mere polo ground — even if you sent me to a battlefield, I would have no second thoughts! Though these old bones of mine are no longer what they once were, riding a horse and hitting a few balls is still no problem!’

Noble Consort Hu breathed a sigh of relief. Prince Duan, however, was full of worry.

Generations of border wars had led Mingzong, even in his youth, to recognize the brutality of warfare and the importance of cavalry. Polo, a physical sport that had been introduced from beyond the borders, had been brought into the military to help train soldiers’ horsemanship and combat skills. Large-scale competitions were frequently held in the army. Later, as national strength grew, this spread from top to bottom: from the imperial family down to the streets, this sport of riding and wielding a mallet — originally a military game for nobles — became universally admired.

Prince Duan knew that his consort had been an expert at polo in her youth, but now she was middle-aged and at most occasionally played casually at home. Even if she could still play, in a situation like this, where everyone else was frantically trying to avoid involvement, she had spoken up and agreed without hesitation. He worried both that her skill was not what it once was and that she might be injured, and that if the result went against them, how she would bear the responsibility. So he coughed meaningfully and kept giving her significant looks, gesturing for her not to accept.

The consort said angrily: ‘What are you coughing for? I only regret being a woman, unable to lead troops into battle! This Eastern Di woman is so brazen and contemptuous, humiliating our great Daxia! Even if we lose on the polo field, it is no disgrace — we can win it back next time! How is it now that you won’t go, I won’t go, and in the end we simply don’t fight and admit defeat without a contest? Sending men onto the field to have the barbarians mock Han women for being too cowardly to even dare accept a challenge — is that what we should do?’

Prince Duan was scolded into silence, giving a helpless bitter smile, and lowered his head in resignation.

On the other side, the consort of Prince Duan was already discussing with Noble Consort Hu the urgent matter of immediately assembling a polo team of trained female servants overnight.

Noble Consort Hu had her people summon the skilled female servants they had brought for entertainment. Including a training instructor, there were originally ten of them — just enough to form a team. But when the count was made, one was missing. She was told that one of the female polo servants had fallen ill in the past two days with severe vomiting and diarrhea and could not get out of bed.

Noble Consort Hu hurriedly ordered people to bring several substitutes.

The consort of Prince Duan led the people to an open space outside the traveling palace, had temporary polo goals erected, mounted up and struck the ball with her mallet, and watched for a while, frowning and shaking her head repeatedly.

Pu Zhu watched, and gradually felt her blood start to stir. When she heard the consort of Prince Duan ask if there was anyone else available, she couldn’t help stepping forward: ‘Imperial Aunt, I can give it a try.’

The consort of Prince Duan and Noble Consort Hu both turned at the sound and looked at Pu Zhu in surprise.

The consort of Prince Duan’s expression was hesitant, and she seemed to hold back what she wanted to say.

Pu Zhu understood what she was thinking. She had grown up in the He Xi region and had only been in the capital a few months. How could she possibly know polo — a game requiring trained skill in horsemanship and technique before one could even take the field?

She said: ‘Though He Xi is a remote area, the people there also love polo. There’s no horse there, but there’s donkey polo and walking polo. I’ve enjoyed it since I was small — I should be able to give it a try.’

The consort of Prince Duan looked at her and nodded: ‘If that’s the case, ride a lap and receive a few balls — let me have a look!’

Pu Zhu picked up a crescent-shaped polo mallet, vaulted onto a horse, galloped a lap, and struck a few balls. When she had found her feel, she signaled to the consort of Prince Duan that she was ready. Bracing herself, she faced a lacquer-red polo ball the size of a fist hurled toward her, leaned sideways, twisted her arm, and swung the mallet.

With a thud, the ball flew straight toward the goal set several zhang away and passed clean through the center.

The consort of Prince Duan was overjoyed and clapped her hands: ‘Magnificent! You’re the one! Tomorrow you’ll take the field with me and show that Eastern Di woman once and for all whether Han women are to be trifled with!’