Zhou Ziqin was stunned. Others hadn’t expected Wang Yun to suddenly say something so dampening either, and they all looked at each other in bewilderment.
Seeing everyone’s reaction, Wang Yun showed a slight smile and said: “It’s not that I mean to make things difficult for this brother. You all know I’m about to transfer to the Imperial Guard. Before leaving, I want to set a standard for the Defense Command—one that can test recruits’ quality without causing ill will. I just haven’t had the chance to discuss it with everyone yet.”
Wang Yun’s move to the Imperial Guard was a lateral transfer, and while prospects there were broader, having multiple superiors above him wouldn’t be as pleasant as being the sole commander of the Capital Defense Command.
Some people in the Capital Defense Command could only ride horses and had gotten in through connections just to serve a few years. Hearing that Wang Yun had a way to screen out the unqualified without offending, everyone eagerly asked about his method.
Wang Yun looked Zhang Xingying up and down, particularly examining his hands, and said: “The reins’ marks are still there—you must know how to ride. Surely you also play polo?”
Polo was the ball game popular among the Tang royal family, and Zhang Xingying naturally knew how to play, so he nodded.
“Someone skilled at polo must be adept both on and off horseback, with excellent control over their mount. Why don’t you gather a few people tomorrow to form a team? We’ll assemble some skilled polo players from the Defense Command. Then we can have a match—it won’t cause ill will and will test Brother Zhang’s abilities. How does that sound?”
When Wang Yun said this, everyone applauded in praise. Of course—when a superior speaks, who dares not agree and cheer? Shameless compliments like “Commander’s wisdom,” “far-sighted,” and “resolving future concerns for the Defense Command” came pouring out.
Wang Yun’s smile remained as gentle as a spring breeze as he turned to look at Zhang Xingying and Huang Zixia: “Since everyone agrees, tomorrow at dawn, we’ll await you all.”
“This is outrageous! That villain Wang Yun, acting all brotherly usually, but sabotaging us at the crucial moment!”
On the way back, Zhou Ziqin took them to see the Defense Command’s polo field. Standing at the edge with hands on his hips, looking at the flat sandy ground, he expressed his frustration.
“Everyone knows he’s being transferred to the Imperial Guard. Wouldn’t it be proper to be lenient before leaving? Instead, he comes up with this crooked idea!”
Zhang Xingying hesitantly said: “But… but I think Commander Wang has a point. The Capital Defense Command has important duties, so strict screening is appropriate…”
“You’re not even in the Defense Command yet, don’t take Commander Wang’s side!” Zhou Ziqin was furious. “Do you know that the Defense Command’s cavalry unit is considered the best at polo in the capital? Every year in the competitions between government offices, the Defense Command wins without question. Tell me, as a common civilian, where will you find people to help you play this match? Isn’t this a certain defeat?”
Certain defeat?
Zhang Xingying looked somewhat dazed.
“It’s not that they won’t take you if you lose, but if we can’t play an impressive game for them to see, they’re more likely to reject you.” Zhou Ziqin counted on his fingers, saying, “A polo team needs at least five people. Chonggu, do you play polo?”
Huang Zixia nodded, saying: “I’ve played.”
“Xingying, can you do it?”
Zhang Xingying nodded: “I’ve played too.”
“Still need two more people…” Zhou Ziqin squatted under a willow tree by the polo field, counting on his fingers with some pain. “Who should we ask… Let me think of the most famous polo players in the capital…”
“Prince Zhao,” Huang Zixia suddenly said.
Zhou Ziqin nodded: “Right, Prince Zhao is indeed formidable at polo, but who could invite him? Forget inviting him—he’s rarely at his residence, it’s hard enough just to see him…”
Before he could finish, Huang Zixia had already gripped the railing beside them and leaped into the polo field before them.
A match had just finished on the field, and the sand hadn’t settled yet, with a layer of dust still floating in the air. She ignored it, running straight through the dust cloud toward the resting area on the opposite side.
Hearing her approaching footsteps, the two people selecting mallets turned around.
Zhou Ziqin’s eyes nearly fell out: “Prince Zhao? How… what a coincidence, he’s here with Prince E?”
They saw Huang Zixia bow to Prince Zhao Li Yun. Zhou Ziqin couldn’t hear what they were saying, but saw Prince Zhao nodding with a smile, then handing her his mallet.
Huang Zixia took the mallet in one hand, grabbed a horse’s reins with the other, and mounted with a single flip. Prince Zhao also mounted another horse, and after exchanging a glance, they both galloped toward a lone ball sitting in the center of the field.
Zhou Ziqin quickly ran over from the sideline to approach Prince E Li Run, who was watching with a smile, and asked: “Prince E, what are they… what are they doing?”
Li Run said with a smile: “Eunuch Yang is wagering a match with Prince Zhao, to see who can score first.”
Why would Yang Chonggu suddenly want to wager with Prince Zhao? Zhou Ziqin was bewildered and asked further: “What’s the stake?”
“Haven’t said yet, just that if they win, Prince Zhao must grant them one request.”
Zhou Ziqin laughed: “How does he know he’ll win?”
“If he hadn’t been so brazenly confident, how would Prince Zhao have agreed so quickly? You know Prince Zhao can’t resist a challenge.”
As they spoke, the two horses had charged to either side of the ball on the field. Both riders were incredibly quick, almost equal, arriving simultaneously.
Both mallets struck at once. Prince Zhao’s mallet aimed at the bottom of the ball, while Huang Zixia’s mallet changed course mid-swing to hit his mallet instead.
With a “crack,” the two mallets collided. Huang Zixia couldn’t completely stop Prince Zhao’s momentum but managed to reduce the force of the ball’s strike. In the instant Prince Zhao looked toward the flying ball, she had already spurred her horse toward where the fast-falling ball would land.
The ball landed not far from the goal. Zhou Ziqin silently exclaimed what a close call—Prince Zhao had nearly scored in one strike.
Everyone was waiting to see her take the ball toward Prince Zhao’s goal, while Prince Zhao reined his horse on his side of the field, pointing his mallet at her and laughing: “Eunuch Yang, come on then! I want to see what you can…”
Before he could finish, he saw her smile at him from horseback, then bend down and swing her mallet at the ball.
With a “thwack,” the ball flew into the goal—the goal behind her.
This move left all observers momentarily stunned, not understanding why she would score in her own goal.
But Huang Zixia happily galloped toward Prince Zhao, asking with a smile: “Prince Zhao, we only agreed that whoever scored first would win—did anyone specify which goal belonged to whom?”
Prince Zhao was speechless: “Eunuch Yang, does scoring in your goal count?”
“First, we never said the goal behind me was mine. Second, since I’m not as skilled, to get Prince Zhao’s help, I could only resort to this trick, taking advantage of your oversight.” Her face was full of smiles, she played dirty so charmingly that Prince Zhao felt both annoyed and satisfied. He couldn’t help but raise his mallet to lightly tap the rump of her horse, laughing heartily, “Truly detestable, daring to scheme against this prince.”
With the winner decided and Prince Zhao in good spirits, he turned his horse back to rest outside the field.
“Ziqin is here too? And who’s that young man?” Prince Zhao pointed at Zhang Xingying.
Zhou Ziqin quickly said: “He’s our friend, originally meant to join the Capital Defense Command, but unfortunately ran into some small trouble.”
Prince Zhao turned to look at Huang Zixia with a smile: “So that’s why you wagered a match with me? For him?”
“Please forgive me, Prince Zhao!” Huang Zixia quickly explained everything in detail.
Hearing it was about playing polo against the Defense Command, Prince Zhao immediately became interested: “I like this! This time I must help you defeat the Defense Command’s cavalry unit, let them know who’s the capital’s best polo player! So, who do we have on our side?”
Huang Zixia pointed to herself, Zhang Xingying, and Zhou Ziqin.
“Only four including me?” Prince Zhao’s gaze fell on Prince E Li Run.
Li Run smiled wryly: “Well…”
“Stop hesitating, one word—are you in or not!”
“Alright then.”
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Huang Zixia was awakened by birds outside her window.
Thinking about the important day ahead, she quickly jumped up, first tightly binding her chest with cloth strips, then choosing and putting on a narrow-sleeved garment before running to the courtyard to stretch her muscles.
On this summer morning in Prince Kui’s residence, privet flowers bloomed all along the way, white blossoms carpeting the ground, their unripe fragrance quietly spreading.
Passing by the stable, she remembered something and quickly ran to Wang Bo, the stable master: “Uncle Wang, can I borrow Fusha today?”
“Of course, the Prince said that horse is yours now, you can ride it anytime.”
“That’s wonderful! Thank you, Uncle Wang!” She jumped up happily but heard a loud snort from nearby Diye, who stuck its head forward to look at her.
Afraid it would spray snot on her, Huang Zixia quickly raised her hand to cover its nose, then realized something was wrong. In front of her, Diye’s large black eyes reflected the clear sky and white clouds behind her, and also reflected a figure—tall and straight, standing right behind her.
She turned around trembling: “My Lord.”
Li Shubai stood three steps behind her, his expression calm: “Where are you going so early?”
“Going… going to play a polo match against the Capital Defense Command.” She didn’t dare deceive the person before her. Once this match was played today, how could Li Shubai not know everything? She still needed to rely on him to take her to Shu territory—hiding things from him would do her no good.
“Capital Defense Command… Wang Yun?” He raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Yes, Zhou Ziqin brought Prince Zhao and Prince E to form a team with us to play against Wang Yun.” As for Zhang Xingying, better to keep that hidden for now.
Li Shubai had been very busy lately, holding multiple positions with many court affairs to handle—how could he have so much time to mind her business? So he just made a sound of acknowledgment before mounting Diye with a leap.
Huang Zixia breathed a sigh of relief and was just going to untie Fusha when Li Shubai turned his horse back, looking down at her from horseback: “That group of young men in the Defense Command has always been unrestrained—their rough polo play is famous in the capital.”
Huang Zixia nodded, still trying to figure out his meaning, when she heard him say hurriedly in a low voice: “You… be careful and mindful, don’t get yourself hurt.”
“Oh.” She nodded, looking up at him somewhat guiltily.
“Otherwise if you’re injured, our journey will have to be delayed.” He threw down this explanation, then turned his horse and left immediately.
Left behind, Huang Zixia slowly led Fusha along the brick path covered with privet blossoms, suddenly feeling a bit guilty.
When she rode Fusha to the polo field, she found Zhang Xingying already standing alone at the edge.
“Second Brother Zhang.” She dismounted, suddenly realizing she’d overlooked something: “You don’t have a familiar horse?”
“How could my family afford a horse?” Zhang Xingying said embarrassedly. “So actually, I haven’t played much polo before, my skills are very rusty.”
“No worries, we’ve brought Prince Zhao and Prince E this time—the Defense Command people will be cautious no matter what, so our chances of winning aren’t small,” Huang Zixia consoled him.
“Mm, anyway, thank you and Brother Ziqin,” Zhang Xingying said, gazing at her.
Huang Zixia waved her hand: “It’s nothing, we won’t let you go back to be bullied at Duanrui Hall.”
“Exactly, today we must get you into the Defense Command, then go make that old man at Duanrui Hall die of anger.” Zhou Ziqin’s voice came from behind. He was leading his horse, patting its neck: “Xiaoxia, say hello.”
The horse immediately nodded a greeting to them very obediently.
Huang Zixia heard that name and immediately had a bad feeling: “Xiaoxia?”
“Yes, the ‘Xia’ from Huang Zixia.” Zhou Ziqin stroked the horse’s head affectionately.
Huang Zixia and Zhang Xingying silently exchanged glances, both seeing the speechless expression on each other’s faces.