Chapter 495: Before the match, with the calm Madam Chai. [Thanks! Bow again!]

Sitting in the Empress's grand tent,

were the old madams who refused to admit their age and loved to join in the excitement,

but there were even more madams in their prime.

Some were marchionesses in their prime, like Xu Sun Shi and Bai Shi,

while others were like the Madam Li of the Ling Guo Gong Prefecture; her mother-in-law had been invited, but because she was too old to come out, she had sent her daughter-in-law to attend in her stead.

Of course, for someone like Madam Li, the mother of Lu Zezong, her position naturally had to be further back to make room for the older elders.

Just a moment ago, they had been far away.

Many madams had watched Xu Zaijing's group from afar, only feeling that Xu Zaijing was exceptionally outstanding among them, though they could not see his features clearly.

The madams' feelings

were much like when we notice someone in a blurry crowd at a glance, or see a very beautiful or handsome back, and quite want to see that person's face clearly to see if it matches our imagination.

As Xu Zaijing and the others gradually walked closer, they stopped near the Empress's grand tent to wait for the summons.

When the madams saw Xu Zaijing's face clearly, the sound of whispering and chatter suddenly became noisy.

As the capital of Great Zhou, the officials and nobles in Bianjing were constantly moving—some had just been promoted to the capital, some were sent out to external posts, and some were retiring to their hometowns; the turnover was somewhat high.

Therefore, there were madams who nodded in approval, saying: "I had heard of the Xu family's youngest son before, but seeing him today, he is indeed handsome and a man of talent!"

A madam beside her revealed a smile on her face: "I say, sister, why are you only seeing him today? At the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Party hosted by Madam Wu during the Double Ninth Festival last year, you didn't—"

The madam who was speaking stopped halfway through her sentence, shook her head with a smile: "Oh my, I remembered wrong! That was the year before last! The child indeed didn't come last year."

Madam Li, who was sitting closer to the Empress than the few who were speaking, did not open her mouth when she heard this.

Another madam sitting in the second row leaned over and asked: "Wasn't it said that this Fifth Young Master of the Hou Jue Prefecture was studying at home and even passed the provincial examination? Looking at his age, why didn't he come last year?"

"This child even passed the provincial examination? That is very rare for a noble family!" another older lady with a title exclaimed.

The madams around them nodded in agreement.

"Rumor has it that he likes to hit people and fought at Daxiangguo Temple; wasn't it also this child who caused quite a few disasters before?"

A madam in the second row asked again.

Once these words were spoken, the surroundings went quiet.

The madam who had spoken first just now said: "He doesn't look like it!"

Madam Li, the mother of Lu Zezong, glanced at the person who had turned her head to speak, ignored her question about "causing quite a few disasters," and instead turned her head to say to the few she was conversing with:

"The reason Xu family's Jing Ge'er didn't come to attend Madam Wu's Chrysanthemum Appreciation Party last year was because he went to the Northwest to achieve merit."

"Since the Xu family is a noble marquis family, they should contribute their share during such wartime."

"By the way! Last year, when the surrendered King of Bai Gao entered the city before Jinglong Gate, it was Jing Ge'er who held the flag at the front."

Listening to Madam Li's words, a madam said: "I remember now! Was he also the one who beat five surrendered Bai Gao people under Jinglong Gate later?"

Madam Li nodded with a smile.

The older lady who had praised Xu Zaijing just now nodded and said: "This child can go to the Northwest to fight and achieve merit, and can even pass the provincial examination upon returning to the capital; it seems he is both civil and martial."

"Beating people so fiercely, I wonder how violent his temper must be!"

When Madam Li heard this, her eyes widened, but she was somewhat unable to speak.

"This child can hold the flag and enter the city; he must have achieved success in martial arts and achieved merit on the battlefield, otherwise he could not convince the masses! To pass the provincial examination, he must have restrained his heart and studied hard with self-discipline; how could such a person have a violent temper?"

The wife of the Earl of Shoushan, who was sitting behind Madam Li, spoke up.

Hearing this,

the madams around them nodded one after another.

Madam Li looked back at the wife of the Earl of Shoushan, full of gratitude.

Elsewhere in the tent,

some older ladies and madams with broad experience and the ability to judge people whispered:

"The Gu family's Second Young Master beside this Xu family's Fifth Young Master also looks temperamentally outstanding, but he seems somewhat..."

The words were not spoken clearly, but the information conveyed in their eyes was very clear: Gu family's Second Young Master did not have as much spirit as Xu family's Fifth Young Master; as for the reason...

A madam looked very experiencedly toward the distance behind Xu Zaijing and the others, where the maids of the Gu and Xu families were standing.

Moreover, some madams had already beckoned to their own elderly mamas and managing mamas, and after whispering a few words, let them go to look at Qingcao, Qiuniang, and the others.

In the Chai family's tent,

Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and the others had already passed by and were walking toward the Empress amidst the sound of the summons.

Zhang Wu Niang sat beside Chai Zhengzheng, picked up a grape from the fruit plate on the table, looked at Xu Zaijing near the Empress's tent, and said: "It's a pity, Brother Xiao didn't come today! If Brother Xiao had come, he would definitely be more brilliant than Brother Jing!"

Chai Zhengzheng, in a great mood, held a round fan and fanned Wu Niang, nodding in agreement: "What Wu Niang says is true."

Watching Xu Zaijing walk over, Wu Niang supported her cheek with one hand and smiled: "Brother Jing passed the provincial examination and is so brilliant today; after today, it looks like Madam Wu will be busy for a while."

Chai Zhengzheng's smile faded; she looked at Xu Zaijing in front of the Empress's tent and pushed the grapes on the table forward: "Wu Niang, eat some grapes."

Zhang Wu Niang did not take Chai Zhengzheng's words, but instead put down the hand supporting her cheek, stretched her neck, and said: "Look, Brother Jing and the others' movements are really neat, aren't they?"

Chai Zhengzheng nodded.

In front of the Empress's tent,

"I see your three movements are quite nimble and neat; did you practice them on purpose?"

Hearing the Empress's words,

Liang Han pursed his lips and glanced at Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye.

Xu Zaijing smiled and cupped his hands:

"Replying to Your Majesty, we practiced on the way here just now."

The Empress nodded: "Mm, you have heart! Ye Ge'er, are you few going to play polo today?"

Zhao Fang, who rarely left the palace and had not seen Xu Zaijing play polo for a long time, looked at Xu Zaijing with eyes full of hope.

Gu Tingye cupped his hands: "Replying to Your Majesty, the polo teams that won in the several prefectures around Bianjing are having a showdown today. Fifth Young Master and I were thinking of swinging a few clubs in the afternoon."

Hearing this,

Zhao Fang looked at the Empress.

"That's fine! I heard you played against the top-ranked Han family's Fifth Young Master in March and won?"

Gu Tingye turned his head to look at Xu Zaijing and continued: "Replying to Your Majesty, yes! But Zheng family's Second Young Master was there at the time, and there aren't enough people today."

The Empress turned her head to look at Zhao Fang, then looked up at the surroundings.

The Grand Eunuch beside her understood and bowed: "Your Majesty, He family's young master and the young master of the Cao family's third branch have both followed today."

The Empress turned her head and looked at the Grand Eunuch approvingly, nodded, and said: "Call them all over."

"Yes."

The Grand Eunuch bowed and replied.

The Empress turned her head back and said to Xu Zaijing and the others: "Sit here for a while! When people come, you go to the side to warm up and familiarize yourselves, and play a match in the morning!"

"Yes!"

After Xu Zaijing and the others bowed and replied, small eunuchs moved three embroidered stools and placed them under the steps beside the Empress's tent.

After sitting down, Xu Zaijing looked toward the side of the polo field not far away,

where two polo teams were preparing to take the field—one was Great Zhou's, and one was the Jin Kingdom's delegation.

"Begin!"

The Empress's voice came from behind Xu Zaijing and the others.

Subsequently,

the joss stick on the side of the field was lit, and after a gong sounded, the polo ball was thrown out.

On the field, horses' hooves were galloping,

and the sounds of the knights playing, controlling their horses, commanding, and shouting were heard continuously.

There were also the rumbling drums cheering them on.

Being able to play polo against the Jin Kingdom delegation in front of the Empress and the Imperial Prince today, the knights of the Great Zhou polo team naturally had some ability and status.

The flags representing the scores on the side of the field were also changing: at first, Great Zhou was still in the lead, but after half a joss stick of time, the Jin Kingdom delegation's score caught up.

Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and Liang Han also whispered to each other from time to time about the situation on the field.

Watching the Great Zhou knight who was scared by the Jin Kingdom knight's fierce momentum and turned his horse to the side, Liang Han complained somewhat angrily: "What are you hiding for! The Jin Kingdom people are just scaring you!"

After complaining, Liang Han said to Xu Zaijing beside him: "When we played polo before, I didn't see the Jin Kingdom knights playing so fiercely!"

Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye looked at each other and said: "Before, Your Majesty and the Imperial Prince were not watching the battle."

Liang Han was stunned and nodded.

At this time,

two Imperial Guard Captains who had removed their armor walked over while looking at the situation on the field, bowed, and cupped their hands:

"Subjects He Guan/Cao Yi have seen the Empress, Your Majesty!"

"Rise! Familiarize yourselves with the three of them, and play a match of polo in a while." The Empress said with a smile.

The two Captains bowed and replied.

When the two were talking to the Empress, Gu Tingye beside Xu Zaijing turned his head to look, and asked suspiciously: "Why does that person look somewhat familiar?"

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look, looked at the Captain beside He Guan, smiled, and whispered: "A tender cucumber that hasn't seen blood..."

Hearing Xu Zaijing's words, Liang Han looked at Xu Zaijing suspiciously, and then scanned Gu Tingye up and down.

Gu Tingye had a sudden realization and said somewhat hatefully: "Oh! I remember now, so it's this guy!"

Then Gu Tingye looked at Liang Han's eyes scanning him, glared, and said: "Sixth Young Master, what are you looking at?"

"Ye Ge'er, you haven't seen a tender cucumber that hasn't seen blood?" As he said this, Liang Han looked suspiciously toward between Gu Tingye's legs.

After looking, Liang Han glanced at Xu Zaijing again, his eyes full of certainty.

According to what Liang Han had heard from a certain young lady beside him before, Gu Tingye's personal maid was... cough cough.

"I... Sixth Young Master, you! Shut up!"

Gu Tingye said somewhat angrily in a low voice.

Xu Zaijing, who had been accidentally injured, took a deep breath and gently patted Liang Han's head: "Sixth Young Master, what are you thinking about every day? What I meant was that Second Young Master hasn't been on the battlefield."

"Oh..."

After Liang Han nodded in understanding, he stood up with Xu Zaijing and cupped his hands to the two who walked over.

The Captain following He Guan was the Western Army cavalry Captain who had been sent to mediate when Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye were being chased and killed by Zhang Shipan outside the city, and who had also strung the strong bow on horseback for himself, making it convenient for Xu Zaijing to shoot arrows for revenge.

"Fifth Young Master!"

He Guan and Cao Yi cupped their hands and smiled.

Xu Zaijing said: "Brother He, Brother Cao!"

Looking at Gu Tingye, whose expression was somewhat unhappy, Xu Zaijing pulled Gu Tingye's sleeve and continued to smile: "Let me introduce you, this is Cao Yi of the Cao family's third branch, Brother Cao! And Brother He Guan, Brother He, who uses a good bow and arrow!"

He Guan smiled: "I wouldn't dare say I use a bow and arrow well in front of you!"

"Gu Tingye, Second Young Master of Ningyuan Hou Jue Prefecture, and Liang Han, Sixth Young Master of Yongchang Hou Jue Prefecture."

Cao Yi cupped his hands and looked at Gu Tingye with a smile, saying: "Yo, Second Young Master is still angry?"

Gu Tingye shook his head with a straight face: "No! I'm not that petty!"

Cao Yi nodded: "I heard that when you played polo against the Han family before, Second Young Master, you deliberately smashed the polo ball onto Lu Sanlang's forehead? That accuracy is quite good!"

"Pfft!"

Liang Han thought of the miserable state of Lu Sanlang being smashed before and couldn't help but laugh.

Gu Tingye glanced at Liang Han and shook his head: "He bumped into it himself, I didn't mean to smash him!"

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look at the Great Zhou polo team that had been scored against again and said: "Let's go, let's bid farewell to Your Majesty and the Imperial Prince, and then go to the side to discuss."

Cao Yi also looked at the field and nodded: "Mm, the momentum has been taken away, it will be very difficult for them to win it back."

The joss stick on the side of the field had already burned more than halfway.

The tents near the Empress had all been opened up,

and the tents used by each family were arranged at a distance from the grand tent.

Xu Zaijing and the others had already gone to the side to familiarize themselves and discuss tactics.

In the Xu family's tent,

"Sister Qingcao!"

Qingcao, who was standing by the table grinding roasted lotus seeds and Job's tears in preparation for making tea, looked up: "Huaxiang, what's the matter?"

Huaxiang didn't speak but gave a wink toward the outside.

Qingcao understood, looked at the tent entrance, put down the pestle, wiped her hands, and walked toward the entrance.

Qingcao walked to the entrance under the scanning gazes of the short distance, and smiled and bowed to a mama outside the tent who was dressed decently and brought two old mamas:

"This mama, I wonder what business you have?"

That managing mama nodded with a smile, her tone somewhat anxious: "Sorry to disturb you, Miss! I am from the Du family of the Duke of Yan. Today, the servants in my family were careless and actually forgot to bring fire! That's why..."

Qingcao nodded with a smile: "Mama, no need to be anxious!"

After finishing, Qingcao looked back and said: "Huaxiang, go to the back of the tent and get some fire!"

"Yes, Sister!"

Watching Huaxiang get up and walk toward the back of the tent,

the shrewd gaze of the Du family mama at the tent entrance scanned Qingcao several times in detail.

When Qingcao turned her head back with a smile, the Du family mama had already withdrawn her gaze, turned her head, and smiled at Qingyun, who was standing at the entrance: "This young master, are you married? This old woman has a daughter..."

Qingyun waved his hands somewhat embarrassedly, and Qingcao smiled: "Mama, Brother Qingyun already has two children."

"Oh my! That was truly abrupt! What about these two young brothers?"

The Du family mama pointed at Alan and Xunshu and asked Qingcao with a smile.

Qingcao turned her head to look at Alan and Xunshu, who were somewhat embarrassed and looking elsewhere, and smiled: "Mama, they haven't discussed marriage yet! But, these two have the military rank of Wu Yilang conferred for military merit!"

The Du family mama's perfunctory smile stalled; she looked at Alan and the other carefully with serious eyes, and said very sincerely: "This old woman's youngest daughter is just sixteen and is of good status! If there is time, perhaps we can meet!"

Qingcao nodded with a smile: "Mama, I will report this to the Madam today and let the Madam decide, how about that?!"

"Good, good, good!"

The Du family mama nodded repeatedly.

When Huaxiang smiled and delivered the fire to the entrance, the Du family mama also took the opportunity to look carefully several times.

"This is really thank you so much, Miss!"

"Mama, you are too polite!"

Smiling as she sent the Du family mama away, Qingcao and Yunxiang turned and entered the tent, saying as they walked: "This Duke's family actually wouldn't bring fire..."

Qingyun at the entrance watched the Du family mama and the old woman talking together after walking far away, and smiled and patted Alan and Xunshu, who were grinning foolishly.

Just as Qingcao and the three maids were about to continue making tea,

"May I ask the three misses, is there any extra sesame in your mansion's lei tea?"

Qingcao turned her head to look, and seeing the decent old woman standing outside the entrance smiling ingratiatingly, holding a fruit basket, she frowned suspiciously and looked at Huaxiang and Yunxiang: "What's going on today?"

Huaxiang and Yunxiang shook their heads repeatedly.

"Mama, wait a moment, I will pack some for you."

"Really trouble you, Miss."

After sending the sesame to the outside,

that decent old woman smiled and handed the fruit basket she was holding toward Qingcao: "Miss, please take this to quench your thirst."

"Mama, that won't do!" Qingcao smiled and declined.

A round of pushing and declining naturally involved contact and eye contact, and the fruit basket was also left in the Xu family's tent.

Holding the fruit basket, Qingcao did not walk back directly, but stood at the tent entrance and waited for a while. After distributing the fruit to Qingyun, Alan, and the others, seeing that no one else was coming, she returned to the tent with a head full of question marks.

In front of the grand tent,

although they lost the polo match to the Jin Kingdom delegation,

because it was played in front of the Empress and the Imperial Prince, both sides received some rewards—the Jin Kingdom delegation received more, and the Great Zhou polo team received less.

After both polo teams withdrew,

the Empress drank some tea somewhat helplessly and looked at Zhao Fang beside her: "Fang'er, what do you think of that polo match just now?"

Zhao Fang thought for a while: "Mother, although they lost, I saw that they did their best! I know there is a gap, but I can't see what the gap is."

The Empress smiled with satisfaction: "Then let's watch a few more matches!"

"Mm!"

Zhao Fang nodded while looking toward the direction of Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye, and the others.

The Grand Eunuch took advantage of the gap between mother and son talking and bowed to the Empress's side, whispering: "Your Majesty, just now the Du family went to the Xu family..."

The Empress looked at Zhao Fang, who was leaning over with his ears pricked up, out of the corner of her eye, and reached out to push Zhao Fang outward.

Zhao Fang looked at the palm pushing his cheek and looked at the Empress suspiciously: "Mother? Can't I listen?"

The Grand Eunuch's voice was even lower; the Empress ignored Zhao Fang, and after listening, nodded with a smile: "This child, really... rare!"

"Your Majesty is right!"

The Grand Eunuch echoed.

Zhao Fang's eyes rolled around, and he said:

"Mother, is it Brother Jing's merit? I want to learn it too!"

"Go, go, go! What is there for you to learn!" The Empress said reproachfully.

A polo match ended,

and the next one had not yet begun,

and the madams in the tent began to walk around and chat.

Madam Chai sat beside Princess Pingning.

Princess Pingning's personal mama whispered beside the two: "Just now it was said that the mama of the Du family of the Duke of Yan went to the Xu family tent to borrow fire; this slave thinks she should have gone to see the personal maids of Jing Ge'er."

When Madam Chai heard this, her face showed some regret that the secret she had known before was known by others.

Princess Pingning nodded, waved her hand to signal the mama to stand to the side.

Princess Pingning whispered to Madam Chai: "Such a good young man, can't be hidden..."

Before she finished speaking, she saw the Duchess of Yan walking toward Madam Wu.

When the Duchess of Yan walked over, she even bowed slightly to Princess Pingning and Madam Chai, who had their eyes widened, and smiled.

Princess Pingning turned her head to look at Madam Chai, but saw that there was no anxious look on Madam Chai's face.

"?" The Princess gave a look.

Madam Chai understood and smiled: "I have asked more times than the Du family! And my family's girl can wait; I don't know if the Du family's girl can!"

At Madam Wu's place,

the Duchess of Yan smiled and said: "Sister Wu, my family's girl has just been taught by Kong Mama before; could you please go to the Xu family and say a few words?"

Madam Wu stood up and said embarrassedly: "This Duchess, it's not that the Xu family is putting on airs, it's really that this Jing Ge'er has achieved success in his studies! Many families have entrusted me to ask, and they just say they plan to wait until after the metropolitan examination; why don't... let's wait?"

The Duchess of Yan's smile diminished slightly, and she sighed, thinking of the negligible friendship between her family and the Xu family.

Turning her head to look at Sun Shi, the Duchess of Yan also saw Bai Shi, and a thought occurred to her: "Then could you also ask about the Gu family's Second Young Master?"

Madam Wu nodded with a smile: "I will definitely give you an answer then, Duchess!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 496 =====