Chapter 497: He is pretending again! The wonderful journey of the three maids [Thanks! Bow!]

Above the polo field,

the sky was azure,

and the autumn light was bright.

On the wooden platform on the side of the polo field opposite the grand tent, the two rows of flag stands used for scoring were empty.

Not far from the two sides below the wooden platform,

the flags prepared for scoring were inserted at intervals, their texture light and excellent, fluttering quite freely in the autumn wind.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The slow rhythm of drum sounds rang out in the noisy polo field.

On the side of the grand tent,

the sound of war drums coming from the opposite side

made the mounts of He Guan and Cao Yi, just like Xu Zaijing's mount, the little Xiao Li Ju, all excitedly and restlessly paw the ground with their iron hooves.

The mounts of Northern Liao's Zhao Weiguan, Liu Jun, and others had the same reaction.

The polo field referee, dressed in decent new clothes, stood between the two teams with cupped hands.

"My Northern Liao honors black."

"The cavalry is in vermilion uniforms, so let's choose vermilion."

Hearing these few sentences spoken by Xu Zaijing and Zhao Weiguan, the referee shouted loudly: "Left side, black flag! Right side, vermilion flag!"

After shouting, the referee fumbled in his bosom and stretched out his clenched right hand.

Xu Zaijing turned his head to look, lifted his chin toward the Northern Liao side, stretched out his hand, and said: "No need to guess odd or even to decide who kicks off! The Northern Liao delegation has come from afar as guests and is challenging us, so they should kick off!"

The referee looked at the Northern Liao people.

After the five Northern Liao knights looked at each other, Zhao Weiguan, who was close to the referee, held his polo club, smiled, and cupped his hands, saying: "Fifth Young Master is particular!"

"Northern Liao! Kick off!"

The referee shouted loudly.

The drummers who heard the shout on the opposite side of the field accelerated the rhythm of the drumming.

Xu Zaijing and the others tapped their horses' bellies lightly, and the horses stepped into the polo field with light steps.

Both sides stood firm,

"Pa!"

The crisp sound of hitting the ball came,

and the polo ball thrown by the referee was hit by a Northern Liao knight and flew toward the field: the ball game began!

Beside the Empress,

Zhao Fang stretched his head and clapped his hands lightly, obviously very expectant about this ball game that was about to begin.

Whether there is a team or person you care about on the field, the mood of the audience watching the ball is completely different.

Just now, Chai Zhengzheng and Gu Tingyi's mood for watching polo was very relaxed, just watching casually.

And at this moment...

Chai Zhengzheng gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly, while Gu Tingyi looked outward from time to time, looking much more nervous than Zhang Wu Niang just now.

"It's starting, it's starting!"

Wu Niang shouted with great interest.

As soon as the words fell,

horses' hooves flew and hooves rumbled on the field,

and at the same time,

Rong Feiyan, who was sitting behind the table, reached out to the side, and after being helped to stand up, walked quickly to the tent entrance.

In the first moment of the opening, the scene was extremely intense, and everyone was forcing a confrontation.

Cao Yi and He Guan rushed toward Liu Jun of Changping, who was holding the ball, after the kick-off, and the momentum was quite astonishing.

And Zhao Weiguan, who had finished the kick-off,

also galloped his horse quickly, running toward the goal direction of Xu Zaijing's side.

Xu Zaijing, who was defending in his own half, also followed up in the first time.

Seeing Xu Zaijing, who had been very prominent before the opening, follow, Zhao Weiguan revealed a successful look in his eyes: suppressing someone like Xu Zaijing, who was prominent and watched by many, could take away the opponent's momentum!

Subsequently, Zhao Weiguan, who was galloping, raised his polo club toward the Northern Liao side.

"Pa!"

Liu Jun passed the polo ball out,

and Han Honglie of the Yutian Han family, who received the ball,

looked at He Guan, who was turning his horse and continuing to defend him, with the corners of his mouth raised,

and then he turned his body on the galloping horse, used a clever force to bring the polo ball into the air, and when the polo ball fell, Han Honglie had already swung his arm vigorously and used his polo club to hit the polo ball out with all his might.

"Wow!"

Watching the polo ball hit high,

the audience around the polo ball all let out exclamations.

Being able to hit a polo ball rolling on the ground so high was not an easy thing.

"Brother Jing, you can't catch up, I'll come!"

Liang Han, who was thin, shouted near the goal.

"Go back!"

Xu Zaijing shouted loudly, and then continued to gallop while looking back at the flying polo ball.

On the side of the field,

"It's over! It's over! Brother Xu Fifth can't catch up!"

On the side of the field, Zhang Wu Niang, who had the same thought, shouted while chanting, estimating the landing point of the polo ball.

It wasn't just Zhang Wu Niang who had the same thought;

on the side of the Empress's grand tent, Madam Wu, who had played a lot of polo, sat on her chair and slapped her thigh: "Tsk! Oh my! This pass... Jing Ge'er, this child, is still too focused on studying! He hasn't played much polo!"

"This is eight out of ten going to be taken by them first." As she said this, Madam Wu frowned and shook her head.

On the field,

Zhao Weiguan looked up at the polo ball and Xu Zaijing's position, and there was already a smile on the corners of his mouth.

After adjusting the direction of his mount's gallop, he had already rushed to the best position to receive the ball and swing the club with force.

On the other side,

watching the situation on the field and listening to the shouts of Xu Zaijing and Liang Han, Han Chengyun and Lu Sanlang, Wei Faqi, and others beside him looked at each other: "Pfft! Blind command!"

Xu Zaijing naturally couldn't hear those sounds on the side of the field,

he just stared at the flying polo ball,

and at a distance from Zhao Weiguan, who was looking back with a face full of joy,

Xu Zaijing pulled the reins, clamped the saddle with both knees, and patted the little Xiao Li Ju's neck with his empty hand,

and the little Xiao Li Ju immediately stomped its four hooves with extreme frequency to slow down,

and then around the saddle cloth, mud turned up and grass leaves flew.

After the little Xiao Li Ju lowered its speed, it used its front hooves to stand up immediately.

Xu Zaijing, who was stepping on the stirrups, also stood straight on the saddle when the little Xiao Li Ju stood up; he held the little Xiao Li Ju's neck with one hand and raised his polo club high with the other.

"Pa!"

The high-flying polo ball hit the front end of Xu Zaijing's polo club just right, and then fell straight to the ground on the right side of Xu Zaijing's raised right hand.

The polo ball was still in mid-air,

and the little Xiao Li Ju's front hooves had not yet landed,

at this time, Xu Zaijing had already turned his head to look quickly, and then his right hand holding the polo club swung downward along the trend.

"Woo!"

The sound of the club breaking through the air came.

"Pa!"

A hitting sound much louder than just now rang out,

and the polo ball falling in mid-air hit Xu Zaijing's polo club, and then the polo ball flew toward the goal of the Northern Liao polo team faster than just now.

In front of Xu Zaijing,

Zhao Weiguan, who was holding his polo club and preparing to receive the ball, had his smile disappear, leaving only a face of dumbfoundedness.

Zhao Weiguan had played many polo matches, and Han Honglie on the field was the same!

The height of this ball passed by Han Honglie could only be intercepted if the knight stood straight on the horse's back and raised his polo club.

But standing on the back of a galloping horse, just maintaining balance took a lot of spirit from the knight, let alone predicting the interception.

Even if the man and horse cooperated tacitly, it took time to stand on the saddle, and by this time, the polo ball had already flown past.

And,

when Zhao Weiguan saw Xu Zaijing's successful interception, he had already reacted quickly and rode his horse forward to prepare for a fight!

But... the polo ball didn't land, not giving him a chance to get close!

On the side of the grand tent,

Zhao Fang sat beside the Empress,

his little head turned from left to right first,

and then, Zhao Fang stood up abruptly!

Seeing Xu Zaijing hit the ball back,

his gaze chased after the polo ball and turned back.

The Empress's grand tent was in the middle of the field, and the madams and ladies sitting nearby had their hair combed properly; as they turned their heads to chase the polo ball, the tassels of the ornaments on their hair buns swayed gently.

Madam Wu, who had the most polo experience, stood up directly and looked at Xu Zaijing on the field in disbelief.

Chai Zhengzheng, Gu Tingyi, and Wu Niang, who were further away from the grand tent, were more convenient,

they could just look by moving their eyes,

but at this time they were also dumbfounded.

On the field,

following Han Honglie, who was holding the ball, passing the polo ball beautifully,

He Guan, who was aggressive in the front court, and others, like everyone else, rode their horses to prepare to return to the Great Zhou half.

But He Guan needed to turn his mount's direction, while Liu Jun, Han Honglie, and others did not, and the mounts of the Northern Liao crowd were rare spirited horses, so between one up and one down, He Guan's position fell to the last.

Therefore,

He Guan saw Xu Zaijing's wonderful interception, and before he could shout in surprise, he saw the polo ball fly toward this side.

At this time, the advantage of his position being behind was revealed,

he hurriedly turned his horse again, looking at the polo ball in the air while running toward the Northern Liao goal.

But, the speed of the polo ball was too fast,

before He Guan could gallop to the middle of the Northern Liao half, the polo ball had already fallen toward the goal.

"Heaven... no way!"

He Guan on horseback looked at the landing point of the polo ball and said softly.

"Pfft~"

The polo ball fell to the ground, smashed a pit, and bounced up. After bouncing three times, it continued to roll toward the goal in front...

Then

the polo ball brushed the wooden edge on the inside of the goal, changed direction slightly, and rolled in.

The servant behind the goal saw this scene and waved the flag in his hand quickly.

"Dang!!!"

A gong sounded,

and the referee, who was holding a gong hammer wrapped in red cloth on the side of the field, shouted loudly with a hoarse voice: "In! One goal!"

"Dong dong dong!"

When the intense drum sounds rang out, on the wooden platform opposite the grand tent, a servant holding a vermilion flag fluttering freely ran over, preparing to insert it into the flag stand.

Only then did the sound of exclamation come from around the grand tent:

"How did he intercept it?"

"This can go in? Coincidence!"

"Flying so far, how much strength must that take!"

At this time, in the middle of the grand tent, applause came from the Empress and the Imperial Prince's position,

and subsequently, a burst of applause rang out around the grand tent, and there was a burst of cheers around the polo field; no matter the result, this goal was really uplifting!

Madam Wu shook her head and clapped while leaning over to look at Sun Shi: "I say, sister, does Jing Ge'er practice polo at home often?"

Sun Shi felt the gazes of the madams and ladies around her, nodded with a smile from time to time, and after hearing Madam Wu's words, she leaned over to look at Madam Wu and said somewhat uncertainly:

"Sister, Jing Ge'er exercises his martial arts early every morning, but I haven't heard that he has practiced polo for long..."

Madam Wu looked at Sun Shi with disbelief, holding her handkerchief and pointing at Sun Shi in the air with a smile.

Sun Shi smiled helplessly; she really hadn't heard that her youngest son had the habit of practicing polo in the morning!

"If sister doesn't believe me, I will call Jing Ge'er's maid over to ask."

Sun Shi continued.

"Call, call, call, call her over quickly for me to ask!" Madam Wu smiled.

In the Rong family tent,

Rong Feiyan stood at the entrance with her eyes curved into smiles,

covering her mouth with the hand holding the handkerchief, and holding Seeing Xi Bu's palm with the other hand, her feet jumping non-stop on the ground: "Really amazing! His movement is so dashing!"

Fortunately, the ornaments on her head today were very simple, so she wasn't afraid of them falling off.

Rong Feiyan looked at Xu Zaijing with shining eyes and continued to whisper: "He... how did he do it!"

"Miss, isn't it said that the Xu family's young master exercises early every morning? Perhaps he practiced it out!" Seeing Xi Bu replied with a smile.

Ningxiang on the side nodded affirmatively.

Rong Feiyan bit her lip lightly behind the handkerchief and nodded: "Mm!"

In the field of vision,

Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye, who were celebrating the goal, walked over from afar while walking their horses,

listening to the chattering, crisp cheers and discussions coming from the tents of other families,

Rong Feiyan looked at Xu Zaijing and wrinkled her nose: "Hmph!"

After humming, Rong Feiyan sighed with a diminished smile.

At this time,

Zhang Wu Niang's happy voice came from outside the tent: "Brother Xu Fifth, this goal is too beautiful."

Xu Zaijing smiled and cupped his hands.

Rong Feiyan stretched her head to look,

and seeing the noble ladies walking toward Zhang Wu Niang's side, where Gu Tingyi and Chai Zhengzheng were still standing, she walked up with a smile.

Then Rong Feiyan hid beside Gu Tingyi, looking at the back of Xu Zaijing, who was riding away with Gu Tingye to prepare for the field, echoed Wu Niang's shout, and shouted "Score another goal."

Liang Han, who remained at the very back, cupped his hands with a full face of smiles: "Don't worry, sisters, just watch Little Brother perform."

Listening to the laughter of the noble ladies, Liang Han became even more smug.

"Let's go! Drink!"

The cheers in the distance made the tent of Han Chengyun and the others even quieter,

Lu Sanlang and Wei Faqi looked at each other, but Wei Faqi said thoughtfully: "Sanlang, you say this Xu Zaijing, when he played polo with us, has he always not used his full strength?"

"Such ability should be able to win against the Northern Liao delegation! That one from the Zhang family has nothing outstanding..."

Lu Sanlang glared and whispered: "Shut up!"

As he said this, he glanced at Han Chengyun.

Just that one movement of Xu Zaijing just now quite meant that he had beaten them into submission.

Galloping and stopping, standing up immediately, intercepting in the air, scoring from a super long distance—they had all done these three movements, but with Xu Zaijing's one-go-through, they knew how high the difficulty was.

On the polo field,

hooves were galloping, people were coming and horses were going, and the polo match was intense.

Watching the maids Miss Yun Mu, Rong family's Seeing Xi Bu, and the maids of the Zhang and Gu families standing near the Chai family tent entrance,

the three maids including Qingcao and Huaxiang, who passed by the tent, hurriedly nodded with a smile and bowed in unison.

Zhang Wu Niang looked at the three maids including Qingcao and smiled: "Qingcao, what are you doing?"

Qingcao saw the noble ladies of the Chai, Rong, and Gu families looking over when they heard the sound, and after bowing again with a smile, she said: "Replying to Wu Niang, the Madam called us over, saying she had something to ask."

"Go, go!"

Wu Niang waved her hand with a smile.

The three maids bowed again and walked forward.

Near the position of the Chai family tent close to the Empress,

the people who heard the conversation also looked at Qingcao and the others one after another.

Qingcao walked in front of Yunxiang and Huaxiang, saying without moving her lips: "Smile, just nod!"

Then, the three maids walked along, smiling and bowing to a certain tent from time to time,

and after passing a certain tent, people often whispered to each other, the content naturally being about the beauty of the three maids.

Near one side of the Empress's grand tent,

Madam Wu beckoned to Qingcao, looked at Qingcao who had bowed, and said: "Qingcao, the three of you tell the truth! Does your young master practice polo early in the morning?"

The three maids looked at each other and shook their heads in unison. Qingcao said: "Replying to Madam, the young master only practices martial arts early in the morning, but he doesn't practice polo."

Madam Wu looked at Sun Shi and the surprised Bai Shi, and continued to ask a few questions.

In the middle of the grand tent,

watching Xu Zaijing score again, Zhao Fang beside the Empress clapped with a smile.

The Empress, after listening to the Grand Eunuch's report, turned her head to look at Madam Wu's direction.

Zhao Fang followed and looked over.

The Empress turned her head back, looked at Zhao Fang's curious eyes, smiled, and said to the Grand Eunuch beside her: "Go, call the maid beside Jing Ge'er over for me to see."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After the Grand Eunuch replied,

not long after,

Qingcao, Huaxiang, and Yunxiang sisters were led over by a female official with their heads lowered.

"Slaves Qingcao/Huaxiang/Yunxiang, pay respects to the Empress, Your Majesty!"

Watching the three maids kneeling and kowtowing,

the Empress raised her hand with a smile,

"Rise!" The Grand Eunuch smiled.

The three maids stood up but just lowered their heads, not daring to look up.

"You are Jing Ge'er's personal maids, raise your heads for me to see." The Empress smiled.

After the three raised their heads,

"They are indeed good-looking, you two come from the Xiangyang Marquis Prefecture?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Listening to the Empress's words, Zhao Fang kept nodding with a smile, looking at Xu Zaijing on the polo field from time to time.

"Go."

The three maids kowtowed to bid farewell again.

Along the way, maids from other families looked at Qingcao and the three with envy from time to time.

After returning to the Xu family tent,

the three maids felt somewhat limp and sat on the embroidered stools.

"Sister Qingcao, did we meet the Empress and the Imperial Prince face to face?"

Qingcao nodded woodenly, thinking in her mind, how did she, a girl from a small Liangshan background, meet the Empress and the Imperial Prince?

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 498 =====