Chapter 488: Rong Xian is loyal enough! [Thanks! Thanks again! Owed]

"Clang~"

A gong sounded beside the lively polo field.

"The incense has burned out, eleven to nine, the Blue team wins!"

The referee's loud shout came from the side of the field, and the sound of cheering and celebration around the polo field rose another notch.

Outside the walls, on the big trees,

many branches were shaking incessantly because of the excited spectators watching the battle from above.

Rong Xian sat blankly in his tent, the wine cup he was holding stopped at his lips, watching Zhang Shipan, who was riding a horse and leading people around the field to celebrate, and sighed: "This thief... he actually won!"

"Second Young Master, this victory is worth a drink."

A companion on the side said.

Rong Xian hesitated for a moment: "Well... winning is winning anyway! Come, drink!"

After speaking, he drank the wine in his cup in one gulp with hatred.

After putting down the wine cup, Rong Xian looked at the lively audience outside the tent: "I really regret practicing cuju; if I had put my energy into polo, I would definitely have had a place today."

"Second Young Master is right~!"

The companion echoed.

"What is he going to do?"

Rong Xian stood up abruptly, looking at the field outside the tent and asked.

The others in the tent looked out one after another, only to see Zhang Shipan, who was riding a horse in the field, riding toward a tent on the side.

"Second Young Master, it looks like the Chai family's tent! That kid probably wants to go and offer flattery."

As the companion was speaking,

Rong Xian had already stepped out of the tent.

Just as he reached the tent door, the Rong family servant chased after him quickly, grabbed Rong Xian's sleeve and said: "Young Master, the Da Niangzi personally instructed that you are already engaged, so don't get involved in these things."

"Besides, the Dou family of the Duke of Fu is also there!"

Listening to the servant's words, Rong Xian looked toward the other side.

Around them, it wasn't just the Dou family of the Duke of Fu;

many people at the tent doors walked out like him and stood there looking at the Chai family's tent.

Seeing this scene, Rong Xian finally flicked his sleeves with hatred and didn't move forward anymore.

In the field,

the knights of the Northern Liao Kingdom, who were the losing side, dismounted at the side of the field.

Han Honglie, a son of a Northern Liao noble family, was tidying his clothes while looking in the direction of Zhang Shipan in the distance, and asked suspiciously: "Where is this person going after 'winning' against us?"

Liu Jun, the legitimate son of the Changping Liu family—who often produced civil official envoys and was very familiar with Bianjing—said, "That over there is the tent of the Great Zhou Chai family! The Chai family's youngest daughter has also come today!"

Han Honglie was surprised: "Hiss! The Chai family of Great Zhou?! The Chai family whose wealth is like a mountain of gold and whose shops are opened all the way to our Northern Liao?"

Liu Jun nodded: "Yes! Look at those elite guards standing near the tent; the ordinary brave soldiers around us are really no match for them one-on-one!"

Zhao Weigan of Lu Long said: "So rich! If I had known, when I won a few days ago, I would have sent the prize to her! Maybe she would have taken a fancy to me!"

"She didn't even come a few days ago, so what would you have sent?" Liu Jun shook his head and smiled.

As soon as these words were spoken, the people around laughed.

"Jun-ge'er, after Brother Gan said that just now, we went onto the field! What is the background of that guy? Usually, the imperial guards of the Great Zhou Emperor don't have this treatment."

Han Honglie asked, looking at Zhang Shipan in the distance.

"A disciple of the Zhang family of Beizhou!" Liu Jun replied.

"A disciple of the Zhang family of the Duke of Ying? No wonder he dares to go to the Chai family's tent!"

Liu Jun shook his head: "Lie-ge'er, he's not from the Duke of Ying's family! The Zhang family of Beizhou was ranked second grade when the Great Zhou was founded, and they have some influence in the Hebei West Circuit. They even produced a favored concubine before."

"So that's it!"

The people around nodded and walked toward the tent.

Stepping onto the steps and looking at the scene in front of the Chai family's tent, Zhao Weigan smiled: "But it looks like the Chai family young lady doesn't want to accept that guy's things..."

"Oh my! I said so!"

Fifth Da Niangzi Zhang stood up and exclaimed, pointing at the wall not far from the polo field.

Gu Tingyi looked over suspiciously: "Fifth Da Niangzi, what's wrong?"

Chai Zhengzheng looked over there.

"Just now I said that the tree branch wasn't sturdy. If they really won, the people on the branch cheering and shaking like that would probably cause a problem!"

"As a result, someone just celebrated too much and broke the branch!"

Listening to Fifth Da Niangzi's words, Chai Zhengzheng looked over there and said with concern: "I hope no one gets hurt!"

In her field of vision, watching the spectator holding the broken branch slowly disappear behind the wall, the speed of the slide shouldn't cause injury.

Seeing this scene, the three of them continued to talk.

"Zhengzheng, didn't you say just now that this Zhang family brother has old ties with your family? Do you think he will come over to our side?"

Gu Tingyi looked at Zhang Shipan, who was celebrating around the field, and said.

As soon as the words fell,

Zhang Shipan turned his horse's head and walked toward this side.

The tent went quiet.

Watching the person get closer and closer, and seeing the "you crow's mouth" look of reproach from Fifth Da Niangzi and Zhengzheng, Gu Tingyi said: "I, I was just saying it! I won't say it next time."

As she spoke, Gu Tingyi covered her mouth.

Chai Zhengzheng shook her head and beckoned to Miss Yun Mu.

After whispering a few words to Miss Yun Mu,

the curtains around the Chai family's tent were quickly let down by the maids, and the side facing the polo field was also let down.

When Zhang Shipan arrived in front of the tent with the prize of this polo match, what he saw was the maid Miss Yun Mu standing in front of the closed tent curtains.

There were also several noble officials' families nearby who walked out of their tents and stood to the side to watch this rare excitement at close range.

Someone shouted: "This young master has finally won the prize, Chai family young lady, come out!"

"Yes! This is the prize for defeating Northern Liao!"

Someone echoed from around.

Zhang Shipan, who was standing in front, raised his elbow to wipe the sweat near his forehead band,

and his mount also snorted at the right time.

The other knights who came with Zhang Shipan and played polo together waved their arms and polo sticks on horseback, signaling the surrounding audience to boo.

It had an effect, and the cheering and booing around them grew significantly louder.

After waiting for a while,

Zhang Shipan looked into the quiet Chai family tent, pressed his hands down to signal the surrounding people to lower their voices,

then he smiled, cupped his hands, and said to Miss Yun Mu: "Da Niangzi Miss Yun Mu, this is the prize for this polo match. It's my small token of appreciation! I hope the Chai family sister will accept it for the sake of the old ties between our two families."

"Chai family young lady, don't be shy! Come out and accept it!"

In a tent not far away, someone from an unknown family shouted.

As soon as the words fell, someone else said: "Yes! This match was not easy to win!"

At the doors of other tents beside the polo field,

the noble ladies of Bianjing who came out at the same time as Rong Xian also held round fans to cover their faces or shade themselves, looking at the Chai family's tent.

Some noble ladies whispered to each other, expressing their envy in low voices,

while some young ladies frowned and looked, occasionally saying a few words to each other about how abrupt this person was.

At the side of the field,

regulars of the polo field, disciples from the families of the Duke of Han, the Duke of Ling, and others, were on horseback preparing to enter the field, watching the eyes of the people around them all looking at Zhang Shipan,

Lu Sanlang said with some annoyance: "Fifth Young Master, are we still going up?"

Han Chengyun threw the polo stick in his hand with hatred and said: "Go up my *ss, let's see what this guy wants to do! That thief, how could he win!"

Wei Faqi on the other side said: "Yun-ge'er, I think it's that group of Northern Liao people who didn't give their all!"

Han Chengyun glared at him with a straight face: "What kind of status does he have? Would the Northern Liao people not give their all? That thief, daring to steal our limelight!"

Wei Faqi pointed at the polo field and wanted to speak, but looking at Han Chengyun's appearance, he finally didn't say it.

As he spoke, Han Chengyun turned his horse's head and walked toward the Chai family's tent.

At the door of the Dou family tent of the Duke of Fu,

two young ladies stood there,

and the one who looked shorter said: "Sister, if someone like Pan-ge'er came to send a prize, I don't know how happy I would be."

"Sister? What about you?"

As she spoke, she looked to the side: "Sister?"

The eldest daughter of the Dou family woke up from someone, turned her head, and said in a soft, glutinous voice: "Ah? What did sister say?"

The younger sister of the Dou family repeated the question, and the eldest daughter of the Dou family shook her head: "I don't want it!"

After speaking, she looked at the Rong family tent again.

The younger sister of the Dou family followed her sister's gaze, looked at Rong Xian walking back and forth at the tent door, curled her lips in disgust: "I think he is far worse than Zhang family brother, he can't even play polo."

"He can, he just plays badly."

As soon as the words fell,

Rong Xian, who had drunk some wine, jumped off the platform at the door, stumbled, and walked toward the front of the Chai family tent.

Miss Yun Mu listened to the noise around her, curtsied, and said: "Young Master Zhang, our family accepts your good intentions! But this prize was won by the young master through hard work and sweat, so our family shouldn't take what others love!"

Zhang Shipan paused,

and he, who was on horseback, continued to cup his hands: "To tell you the truth, when I was fighting on the polo field just now, my heart wanted to win this item and give it to..."

Before Zhang Shipan could finish, Miss Yun Mu stopped smiling and shouted in a much louder voice: "Young Master Zhang, please be careful with your words!"

Zhang Shipan gave a bitter smile, lowered his head to look at the prize in his hand, and after raising his head, there was some sadness on his face, and he continued to cup his hands. "Da Niangzi Miss Yun Mu, I really don't have any other intentions, I just want to..."

Originally, this Zhang Shipan was delicate and handsome, and with this expression, he really looked pitiful and made people feel sorry for him.

It was the look of someone who had failed to win favor after falling in love.

It won him quite a bit of sympathy from the people around.

"Chai family young lady, you are too heartless!"

Miss Yun Mu stood in front of the tent, her face becoming increasingly ugly, and said: "Young Master Zhang, please show some self-respect!"

Not far outside the crowd,

Rong Xian, who had drunk wine, walked over with his chest heaving, muttering to himself: "That thief, he's even more shameless than me!"

Watching Zhang Shipan cupping his hands and wanting to speak again,

Rong Xian took a deep breath, put his palms around his mouth to amplify his voice, and shouted with all his might: "Xu Zaijing, why are you here!!"

As soon as the words fell,

Zhang Shipan, who was on horseback in the crowd and was about to speak with cupped hands, was shocked and turned his head abruptly with a panicked face, scanning in the direction of Rong Xian rapidly.

At the same time, Zhang Shipan also reflexively pulled the reins hard, preparing to turn his horse and leave.

"Hee-hee-hee~"

The horse neighed as it was reined in, showing how much force he had used.

It wasn't just Zhang Shipan; Han Chengyun and the others who were closer were also surprised and looked over, with a thought flashing through their minds: Isn't that guy Xu Zaijing taking the exam today?

In Rong Xian's field of vision, he vaguely saw a figure stand up in the Chai family tent.

Not caring about these,

Rong Xian pointed at Zhang Shipan's embarrassed and terrified appearance, slapped his thigh and laughed loudly: "Hahahaha! That thief! A name scared you into this bird-like state! Who are you pretending to be! Hahahaha!"

Hearing this,

Zhang Shipan, who had just recovered from the shock and knew that Xu Zaijing wasn't here and that someone was making trouble, had his expression go out of control for a moment.

Not knowing what expression to put on, Zhang Shipan lost his pitiful look from just now.

Han Chengyun, who was on horseback, looked at Rong Xian, who was laughing so hard he couldn't stand still, and looked at his companion with annoyance.

Wei Faqi said regretfully in a low voice: "Oh my, why didn't I think of shouting that name! I heard that guy was beaten by Xu Zaijing until he didn't dare to leave the palace..."

Han Chengyun looked at Zhang Shipan in the crowd, and after a plan came to mind, he raised his chin at Wei Faqi.

They had been hanging out together for a long time, and just from this action, Wei Faqi understood Han Chengyun's meaning, so he said loudly: "I say Pan-ge'er, has your brain concussion healed?"

Lu Sanlang chuckled and interjected: "I heard it was smashed by Xu Zaijing with a peach?"

Rong Xian, who was standing on the ground, looked at Han, Lu, Wei, and the others who were talking suspiciously, and then looked at Zhang Shipan, whose face was even uglier. After a moment of thought, he understood what was going on, so he continued:

"Eh~ it must not be a peach! If it were a peach, Pan-ge'er wouldn't have recovered so easily."

"Hahahaha~"

Han Chengyun and the others laughed loudly.

Rong Xian continued: "If he was hit in the forehead, I would still respect him as a man, but I heard it was the back of the head. Was that from being hit while running away?"

The laughter grew louder.

Zhang Shipan gripped his horse whip tightly and narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rong Xian.

The people accompanying him wanted to take action, but they were blocked by the followers of Rong Xian's group.

Rong Xian puffed out his chest, pointed at Zhang Shipan with one hand on his hip and said: "What? You don't like me? Then let's have a polo match the day after tomorrow! If I lose, I'll kneel down in public and call you Grandpa!"

"Do you dare?"

Looking at Rong Xian's arrogant appearance,

Wei Faqi said in a voice that wasn't loud but could be heard by the people around: "You were quite impressive shooting people outside the city before, Rong Xian, you are really... dog-like..."

Wei Faqi looked at the look in Rong Xian's eyes: "You are really loyal, really smart!"

Listening to the conversation outside the tent,

Fifth Da Niangzi Zhang on the side whispered: "He changed his words really fast."

Chai Zhengzheng nodded with a straight face.

Gu Tingyi on the other side looked at Chai Zhengzheng's appearance and exchanged a look with Fifth Da Niangzi Zhang. The two had the meaning of "Zhengzheng's expression is a bit scary" in their eyes.

"Do you dare or not!"

Rong Xian asked cheaply.

"You were quite impressive shooting people outside the city before, weren't you?"

When Zhang Shipan didn't know what to say.

Not far from the Chai family tent,

Madam Wu walked over in a hurry with maids and nannies, saying in a low voice as she walked: "I just went to change my clothes, how did things get messed up! Did the Northern Liao polo team really lose? When I went to change clothes, didn't the Northern Liao envoy win a goal!"

Before the polo field manager who came over could speak,

Madam Wu walked to the front of the Chai family tent and said to the crowd nearby: "Disperse, disperse, whose turn is it?"

A moment later,

the crowd dispersed, giving face,

and those who should have entered the field entered the field.

Madam Wu walked up to Zhang Shipan, who had dismounted, looked at him with a serious face and said: "Pan-ge'er, if you are this reckless next time, don't come to my polo field."

In the tribute hall examination room,

"Achoo! Achoo!"

Xu Zaijing, who turned his head and sneezed, rubbed his nose.

After checking his paper to see that it wasn't stained with spit, Xu Zaijing let out a long sigh of relief.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 489 =====