Chapter 595: The Western Parade Ground, All the States Under Heaven (Part 2)

A good book.........

The matter on the polo field was not over, because what had just been resolved was only Gao Baorong's probe, in the form of a marriage proposal, signaling the possibility of submission to the court.

But as for the polo match still in progress, it had not yet reached its end.

In modern football, a malicious foul like Lady Luo the Fourth's would draw a very severe penalty, to say nothing of the polo field.

Because on a football pitch, such a foul at worst breaks a person's leg, and even that is not common.

But on a polo field, it is a completely different matter.

This is a collision of warhorses charging at high speed. For the outcome today to be only Lady Luo the Fourth spraining her foot is actually extremely rare.

Usually, falling with serious injury, or even losing one's life, is the norm.

Therefore Zhang Zhao had to impose a severe penalty. Otherwise, if from now on people kept pulling off American-style tackles and every few days someone ended up dead, that would be intolerable!

Honestly, I've been using Wild Fruit Reading to read books and follow updates lately; it has source switching and many reading voices, and works on both Android and Apple.

So when Lady Luo the Fourth thought the matter was already settled and wanted to withdraw to treat her foot injury, Zhang Zhao signaled Empress Cao Yanxi to stop her.

Zhang Zhao pointed at two equally dust-covered warhorses in the distance, looked at the two dust-covered young girls before him, and asked.

"Fourth Lady, even on the battlefield, such a reckless interception is inadvisable.

Take your elder brother, for example. He excels at cooperating with his comrades to resist the enemy.

In years past by the Yaxartes River, when a thousand Persian bandit cavalry charged straight at Our position, your elder brother Luo Shande and the Marquis of Wucheng, Wang Tongxin, worked together, coordinating infantry and cavalry.

First they loosed volleys from the divine-arm crossbows, then used iron cavalry to strike unexpectedly straight into the flank of the Persian bandit cavalry. With only two hundred men, they routed the thousand Persian bandit cavalry charging in a desperate assault.

Think about it. If they had been as reckless as you and chosen to clash head-on, they would likely have long since become souls beneath the Persians' swords, and We could not still be standing here.

Furthermore, the battlefield has the discipline of the battlefield, and the polo field has the rules of the polo field. Every loyal subject and righteous man, without exception, puts obeying the law and observing the rules first.

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Only when there are rules, and all people obey and uphold them, can the realm enjoy lasting peace and order!"

Of all that was said, only this sentence was Zhang Zhao's core idea.

He wanted the local magnates of Hebei to know that the Shaoming Son of Heaven in the Eastern Capital was a man who followed the rules, and that as long as they followed the rules, everyone could have a prosperous future.

So as soon as Zhang Zhao's words fell, dozens of riders immediately galloped swiftly around the western parade ground, conveying what Zhang Zhao had just said to the crowd. They had even very thoughtfully arranged riders who could speak with Hebei and Hedong accents.

The meaning behind the words was so obvious that even a deaf man could almost hear it.

And Gao Xingzhou, An Shenqi, Fu Yanqing, and the others had long since received notice. They took the lead in the western parade ground, leading the Hebei magnates in shouting, "We are willing to heed the Sage's teaching to obey rules and observe discipline, and to open an era of peace for ten thousand generations."

Did Zhang Zhao not know whether Gao, An, and Fu would obey his rules?

In fact, he did know. Gao, An, and Fu also certainly understood Zhang Zhao's resolve.

But keeping it hidden in the heart and not saying it aloud was surely not as good as shouting it out now before the public.

Once shouted out, it gained moral binding force, and was also the best way to declare one's true intentions.

Corresponding to the Hebei magnates, the members of the missions from Shu, Chu, Tang, Wuyue, Nanping, and other states could not help exchanging glances.

They clearly understood as well that Zhang Zhao had already won the hearts of the people of Hebei.

Gao Baorong sighed inwardly. Many people had been waiting for the outcome of the struggle between Zhang and Liu, between the Hexi group and the Hedong group.

But Sage Zhang had first seized the opportunity of the campaign against the Southern Tang to break Songzhou and force the surrender of Xuzhou. With that, the land of Henan had in fact already been pacified. The small disturbances that remained were no more than a skin ailment.

And in Hebei, after Gao Xingzhou, An Shenqi, and Fu Yanqing arrived, Liu Zhiyuan's so-called occupation of most of Hebei had become a joke.

Because the Gao family had brought with them the representatives of the heroes north of the mountains in Hebei.

These people had originally lived north of the Yan Mountains. After Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan-Yun, most of them migrated south and settled in the Yi, Ding, Mo, and Ying region.

This area bordered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan-Yun and, in theory, lay in Liu Zhiyuan's heartland.

And the the the Shatuo and Sogdian magnates brought by An Shenqi mostly lived in the Taihang Mountains. Once they arrived, Liu Zhiyuan's Jingxing Pass, Hu Pass, and other routes connecting Hedong and Hebei would all come under threat.

So how could he still talk about contending for Hebei, or even the whole realm? His defeat was all but certain!

Moreover, the arrival of these people signaled that a great war in Hebei was surely imminent.

Because the Hebei magnates' return south to the court was bound to be something Liu Zhiyuan could not tolerate. He would certainly strike hard in the four prefectures of Yi, Ding, and the others, as well as in the Taihang Mountains.

Then the Shaoming Son of Heaven would absolutely not tolerate Liu Zhiyuan persecuting the Hebei magnates who had just submitted to him. I fear that as soon as the ice and snow melt, a great war will break out.

Leaving aside the thoughts of the various envoys under heaven, on Zhang Zhao's side, after his lofty discourse, Lady Luo the Fourth quickly softened.

She looked at Zhang Zhao pitifully. "This slave violated the rules of the polo field, and asks the Sage to mete out punishment."

Zhang Zhao extended his right hand and beckoned to Li Ruoliu, who was likewise dressed in men's clothing. "You are today's referee. Lady Luo the Fourth committed a foul. How should it be handled?"

Li Ruoliu felt like rolling her eyes at Zhang Zhao. So the peacemaking was left to Empress Cao Yanxi, and the offending of people was her job?

However, the little aunt was no pushover either. Even if it was a matter of offending people, she could do it beautifully.

Because in the little aunt's heart, there had never been any thought of papering things over.

Just as in those years when she married into the Zhongyun Kingdom, she felt no joy over King Sanpoba, and she was immediately able to cut herself off from him without the slightest hesitation.

It was the same now. Cao Yanying and Li Zhen'er had long since begun trading barbs.

This was a women's polo team formed by imperial order, and a great deal of effort had been poured into it.

Everyone in the circle of meritorious families understood the benefits that being recognized by the Emperor could bring to oneself, and especially to one's family.

So even if it was only the outcome of a polo match, no one would treat it lightly.

But just as the little aunt was about to make her ruling, her heart stirred, and she caught a glimpse of the faint, careless smile at the corner of Zhang Zhao's mouth.

Li Ruoliu, who knew Zhang Zhao extremely well, immediately understood that Zhang Zhao had deeper meaning in having her make the ruling.

Originally she had indeed intended to lightly rule a minor foul and let Lady Luo the Fourth off, because Lady Luo the Fourth was not only the cheerful favorite of the Yuan Cong faction, but Luo Yu'er was also pursuing Cao Yanying, the leader of the red team.

And although Li Zhen'er was greatly favored, she had little influence in the Yuan Cong faction, and she was also the sister-in-law of Empress Cao Yanxi.

In addition, although Li Ruoliu herself was Li Zhen'er's paternal aunt, the branch Li Ruoliu represented, the descendants of Prince of Wudu Commandery Yuchi Sheng, were the rightful Kings of Khotan, and there had always been some discord between the two royal branches.

Therefore, currying favor with Li Zhen'er was of very limited benefit to the little aunt, while offending her mattered little. It was better than provoking the displeasure of the Yuan Cong faction.

Of course, it was not only Li Ruoliu who thought this way; even Li Zhen'er thought the same.

But beyond everyone's expectations, Li Ruoliu stepped forward and said decisively.

"Luo Siniang used a dangerous method to block Lady Zhe's attack. I rule that Luo Siniang is sent off, and the blue team is awarded one set-piece strike, with Lady Zhe taking a single shot to decide the outcome."

Sent off plus a set-piece strike — in later ages, that would be a red card and a penalty kick.

Except that in polo at this time, when a player was sent off, a substitute was still allowed to come on. But there was no time left now.

At these words, the entire blue team roared with delight. Cao Yanying's face flushed red with fury, while tears welled in Luo Siniang's eyes — and she had not even cried when she fell from her horse.

Zhang Zhao laughed heartily. "The Noble Consort handles matters fairly. This time Hebei has sent two hundred bolts of fine ramie cloth as tribute. I grant you one hundred bolts, to make undergarments for Cun'er and Zhao'er."

Ramie cloth is hemp fabric woven extremely finely. The craft is highly complex, and ordinary people could neither afford it nor easily buy it.

In ancient times, in fact, nobles did not wear silk at all times. Fine ramie cloth absorbs sweat and breathes well, making it an excellent material for undergarments and summer clothing.

When Li Ruoliu heard Zhang Zhao say this, she let out a long breath of relief. Fortunately, she had observed carefully and caught the deeper meaning at the corner of Zhang Zhao's mouth.

Granting her the ramie cloth tribute from Hebei alone, and specifying that it was for making undergarments for Zhang Xiancun and Zhang Xianzhao — that meant that after the Fu and Gao women entered the palace, they would most likely be sent to attach themselves to her.

Cao Yanxi's expression did not change, because in her view, what Zhang Zhao was doing was in fact the most normal choice for an emperor.

For at this time, among the four most favored women in Zhang Zhao's rear palace, apart from Li Ruoliu, there were herself, her third sister Cao Yannai, and Cao Yanmian, the former queen of the Karakhanids who had been entered into the Cao family genealogy — all of them could be called direct-line Cao women.

Add to that Li Wenxiu, who came from Shazhou, and the Persian sisters who kept very close to the Cao family, and the result was that in Zhang Zhao's rear palace, the Cao family essentially called the shots.

For an emperor, this was highly abnormal.

The rear palace was entirely Cao family, his trusted confidants were mostly Cao family, and even Li Shengtian could count as half a Cao-family asset. This was not only somewhat dangerous for Zhang Zhao's rear palace, but also very dangerous for the Cao family itself.

Great power brings great disputes, and with the Emperor himself having no blood brothers, the trend of Cao-family dominance grew ever more perilous.

Swelling like this, one could not say when, because of some matter, the contradiction would burst open with a bang.

Back when Cao Yuanshen was cursing heaven and earth in Dunhuang, Cao Yanxi had lain awake night after night, entirely consumed by fear and worry.

Now the new helmsman of the Cao family, Cao Yanjing, served as Defense Commissioner in Tingzhou, where the Beiting Military Governor's office was located.

The sixth son, Cao Yanlu, served as Garrison Suppression Commissioner in Kucha. Even Cao Yuanzhong had always been stationed in the regions, rarely involving himself in central affairs.

This was in fact the tacit understanding between the Cao family and Zhang Zhao — together they were restraining the further expansion of Cao-family power.

It was only that the present generation still had this foresight. Whether their descendants would have it, that was unknown.

Therefore the best course was to divide the Cao family's power within the rear palace.

The young aunt Li Ruoliu was sharp-tongued, handled matters fairly, and could not walk the same path as the Cao family — without doubt, she was the best choice.

A ruling, once made, had to stand. Amid the cheers, the dust-covered Zhe Saihua mounted her horse again. The fist-sized vermilion polo ball was placed thirty paces from her, and likewise twenty-some paces from the goal.

Zhe Saihua spurred her horse from thirty paces out, leaning her body to the left, then suddenly accelerating. The warhorse flew past, and at the most critical moment, she twisted her waist, let out a fierce shout, and struck the polo ball flying with one swing — it shot straight into the goal.

Li Ruoliu's face was all smiles as she shouted, "A score!"

In an instant, the western parade ground erupted in thunderous cheers! The blue team won, four to three.

But amid the sky-filling cheers, Li Jingda, who had come from the Southern Tang, rubbed his neck uncomfortably.

Too formidable! That long-legged young lady's striking motion was extremely similar to the Zhou cavalry's technique of striking men with lances.

Li Jingda had seen that outside Yizheng, which was why he could not help but feel a chill run down his neck.

Not far from Li Jingda, Zhang Lieming and Li Xiaofeng were already somewhat drunk, and the more they talked, the better they got along.

How could they not get along! These two were simply the same kind of person.

Though they were men who knew their limits and could get things done — their abilities not too poor, and neither was an idle good-for-nothing — the two of them had exactly the same bad habits.

They loved fine wine, fine food, and beautiful women — and if forced to choose only two of the three, the two of them would certainly choose fine wine and fine food.

In their daze, the two seemed to see another version of themselves, and they nearly became sworn brothers right there on the polo field.

By now they had already agreed that after the match ended, they would go to the Guiyi Tower for a grand feast.

The polo tournament at the western parade ground lasted a full nine days. On the surface it celebrated the Sage taking new consorts, but in reality it was to display the Great Zhou's military might and the new dynasty's new spirit to the envoys of the various states who had come to pay tribute, and to the local magnates of Hebei.

In the first few days, Zhang Zhao had to spur people on before anyone would go. Later, as the matches grew ever more intense and the level of play ever higher, the polo at the western parade ground became the most popular entertainment in the Eastern Capital — bar none.

By the ninth day, the final was held between the Left Yulin Guard and the Right Jinwu Guard, while the pre-tournament favorites, the Right Yulin Guard, stumbled at the start and did not even make the semifinals.

On that day, the western parade ground and even the entire area outside Xinzheng Gate were seas of people. At least three-tenths of the population of the Eastern Capital and Luoyang had come to the vicinity.

It did not matter if one could not see the live action. Clever folk had long since set up platforms in various places, using paper cutouts of men and horses to stage a "live animation broadcast."

Ma Xiguang, special envoy of King Ma Xifan of Chu and Vice Military Commissioner of Wuning, exclaimed in wonder to the attendants beside him: "Has the Central Plains grown so prosperous as this? A single polo match draws a hundred thousand people gathering from all directions?"

The attendant did not know how to answer, because the Hunan region where Ma Chu lay had not yet been developed to the extent of later ages, and its population was far smaller than that of the other states under heaven.

Such a lively scene was rare even in Yuezhou and Changsha.

The attendant was likewise stunned, and could only think for a moment before replying: "Perhaps it is because the matches are simply too splendid!"

Ma Xiguang nodded, feeling that the attendant had spoken well.

For this fourth-generation King of Chu — who in history was known as a Duke Xiang of Song figure, a kindred spirit with Zhu Yunwen across the ages, famed for the line "do not let me bear the name of a brother-killer" — had indeed, over these past days, fallen utterly in love with polo, and therefore assumed others must be just as fanatical.

He sighed again and said, not without envy: "If one could encounter such splendor every day, and watch polo this fine, then even remaining in the Eastern Capital would be no bad thing!"

Perhaps Ma Xiguang's inner wish was heard, for after this peak duel that left everyone intoxicated ended, with the Left Yulin Guard taking first place,

Zhang Zhao, while bestowing a great banner embroidered with the words "Champion" upon the Left Yulin Guard, also began urging the envoys of the various states to stay.

For in ten days' time would be the great ceremony of the Son of Heaven Zhang taking his consorts, and the envoys of the various states ought to remain here to observe the rites.

None of the envoys dared refuse him this face, and one after another they agreed to stay another ten-odd days.

Zhang Zhao then had several dozen horses led over. "These are fine horses bred at my Shandan army horse farm. For use as polo mounts, nothing could be more suitable.

I now bestow these warhorses upon you. When you return, report to your rulers: polo is the bold spirit of the Han and Tang, and it well displays a man's mettle.

I intend to hold an even grander polo tournament one year from now. At that time, whether from the Two Chuan, Jingnan, Hunan, or the Jiangnan regions — if all could send teams to participate, it would surely be the greatest gathering under heaven."

This proposal was excellent! Everyone's eyes lit up.

Ma Xiguang, who loved polo to the point of madness, was the first to step forward and declare: "How would I dare not obey! If the fine sons of Great Chu could display their prowess on the western parade ground, this life would not have been lived in vain."

Gao Baorong came out second to express his stance: "After I return, I will personally oversee the Jingnan lads' training. My father, upon learning of this, will surely be overjoyed."

Li Jingda had been somewhat reserved, but seeing that everyone had spoken, and being a lover of amusement himself, he hastily agreed as well.

He even felt that he should come and participate in person, for Li Jingda was an expert at this game, and these past days of being unable to take the field had nearly suffocated him.

Of course, among the various countries' retinues there were also clear-sighted men who knew Zhang Zhao intended to make this annual pilgrimage of all the states into a fixed custom, but they were powerless to stop it.

Just look at the three who came!

Gao Baorong was historically called weak-willed; the thing he did most was write letters to the Southern Tang, to Meng Shu, and to Zhou Xingfeng, the Military Governor of the Wuping Army who had driven the Southern Tang out of Hunan and carved it up for himself, urging them to follow him in submitting as vassals to the Central Plains.

Li Jingda in history was likewise known for doing nothing of note in order to protect himself. When it came to pleasure and literary talent, none of Li Bian's sons were lacking, but as for everything else, it is not worth mentioning.

Ma Xiguang was even less connected to being the lord of a state in these respects; he was a somewhat timid, kind, honest child.

Historically, he had nearly captured his rebellious elder brother Ma Xi'e, yet he stubbornly refused to order the whole army out to kill Ma Xi'e, because he did not want to kill his own elder brother.

In the end, Ma Xi'e caught his breath, succeeded in dealing with him, and then mercilessly ordered him to take his own life.

If even these successors to their respective states did not care, what would the people below them care about?

The retinues had seen the strength of the Central Plains; unless they were especially loyal or had ulterior motives, none of them would urge Gao Baorong and the others to resist.

Because even if the realm were unified, they would still have official posts, would they not?