When Fang Linyuan got closer, he saw how Zhao Chu looked today.

He was wearing the light green spring robe that his sister-in-law had given him, made of delicate gauze bestowed by the palace the previous year. It seemed to envelop him in a faint, ethereal mist.

On Zhao Chu, it looked perfectly harmonious.

Today, he wore an ensemble of jadeite and pearl ornaments, with two blooming jade hairpins adorning his temples. As he turned his head to look at Fang Linyuan, the translucent flower hairpin in his hair shimmered, revealing the finely carved jade dragonfly wings.

The tips of the gently trembling wings were encrusted with tiny pearls, glittering so brilliantly that Fang Linyuan couldn't help but want to reach out and touch them.

Leading his horse, Fang Linyuan soon stopped by Zhao Chu's window, a grateful smile on his face.

Just as he was about to say something, Zhao Chu extended his hand from the carriage. A slender, fair wrist, resembling the bone of a crane, emerged from the soft green sleeve, revealing a pair of pale jade bracelets.

He lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes resembling the dragonfly wings in his hair. With a light sweep, they concealed any emotion in his eyes.

Following his gaze, Fang Linyuan saw the hand gently brush his shoulder, knocking off two pink peony petals.

Oh, he hadn't noticed that.

Patrolling with flowers all over him wasn’t exactly dignified; luckily, Zhao Chu was attentive.

“Are you attending a banquet?” Fang Linyuan asked eagerly, brushing off the remaining petals and reattaching his sword to his waist.

Zhao Chu softly hummed in affirmation, paused, and then asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Patrolling. There are many people today, and with so many travellers, I’m worried something might happen,” Fang Linyuan replied.

Zhao Chu nodded slightly, his eyes falling on Fang Linyuan's face, his lips moving subtly.

But Fang Linyuan's attention was caught by the gently swaying earrings.

They were sparkling and really beautiful.

Then, he heard Zhao Chu say softly, “Take care of yourself.”

This seemed to carry a deeper meaning, as Zhao Chu’s eyes glanced elsewhere. Fang Linyuan, not understanding, followed his gaze and saw the ornately decorated courtesan's carriage nearby. The leading courtesan was watching them with great interest.

Fang Linyuan quickly turned back, as if struck by lightning.

“Yes, I should be careful.” He said seriously. “I’ll stay away from the crowd.”

Having spent so much time in the frontier's harsh sands, he was clueless about dealing with such situations. No wonder the old monks in the stories warned their disciples that passing women was like crossing tigers.

But tigers were easy to slay; these city girls, however, left him at a loss.

Zhao Chu gave him a faint glance, then raised his hand to his hair and removed the gleaming white jade dragonfly hairpin.

“Come closer,” Zhao Chu said.

“What?” Fang Linyuan didn’t react immediately.

Zhao Chu gave him a faint glance, holding the carriage curtain with one hand and delicately pinching the hairpin with three fingers of the other. He extended the hairpin toward Fang Linyuan.

Then, with a single finger, he hooked onto Fang Linyuan's belt, gently pulling him a step closer to the carriage.

It was a completely natural yet inexplicably seductive and ambiguous gesture that startled Fang Linyuan, making him tense up.

It was as if Zhao Chu handed him a strategy as clever as the Monkey King's trick to part the water. How could Zhao Chu be so astute! He overlooked the fact that his relationship with Zhao Chu could spare him a lot of trouble!

(NT: Reference from the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West". In this story, the Monkey King, possesses immense magical powers. One of his famous achievements is when he uses his magical staff to part the waters of the Eastern Sea so that the pilgrims can safely cross. So the jade pin is a kind of magical protection)

Just as he was about to express his gratitude, he heard the sound of horse hooves approaching.

Fang Linyuan turned to see Li Cheng'an.

Li Cheng'an was struggling to hold the reins with one hand, his arms full of flowers and sachets, swaying as he headed toward them.

Raising an eyebrow, Fang Linyuan watched as Li Cheng'an, who was playing acrobatics, readily approached and was about to speak, but then he caught sight of the hairpin at Fang Linyuan's waist.

Li Cheng'an paused, seemingly surprised by the harmonious yet slightly ambiguous scene.

He opened his mouth, looking somewhat silly, while his horse continued to carry him forward.

“What are you doing?” Fang Linyuan tilted his head and asked when he saw Li Cheng'an’s confused gaze flicking back and forth between him and Zhao Chu.

Li Cheng'an snapped back to reality, looking a bit ridiculous with his arms full of flowers.

“Ah! I… I saw the Royal princess had arrived and came to greet her.”

Saying this, he awkwardly raised the flowers in his arms, smiling sheepishly. “Greetings, Princess. Look, these are all the gifts I just received.”

*

Fang Linyuan raised his hand to rub his temple.

What is this kid up to, running over to explain to Zhao Chu and looking all guilty? Is he worried Zhao Chu will get jealous?

Impossible. What kind of relationship do they have? Even Flowing Fire would get jealous before Zhao Chu does.

Fang Linyuan found Li Cheng'an's actions unnecessary. Fortunately, Zhao Chu didn't seem to want to engage with him either. He gave him a brief, indifferent glance, a cold and dismissive smile, and a slight nod before letting down the curtain of the carved carriage, instantly cutting off Li Cheng'an's view.

The coachman at the front urged the horses on, and both Li Cheng'an and Fang Linyuan watched as the carriage departed.

"Why are you still holding that pile of stuff?" Fang Linyuan asked, giving Li Cheng'an a cool glance once the carriage was out of sight.

Li Cheng'an snapped out of his daze and hurriedly discarded the items in his arms. Just then, he remembered that the peony flower from Miss Xiao was among them and quickly fumbled to catch it.

"Forgot," Li Cheng'an said. "I'll go return Miss Xiao's hairpin now. It's not good to just throw away something she took from her hair."

"Go ahead," Fang Linyuan said indifferently.

Li Cheng'an turned his horse towards the fragrant carriage. After a few steps, he reined in and looked back at Fang Linyuan, as if wanting to say something.

"Speak up if you have something to say," Fang Linyuan mentioned impatiently.

"Can you teach me?" Li Cheng'an asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Teach you what?" Fang Linyuan asked, confused.

Li Cheng'an smiled awkwardly and gestured towards the ornate carriage with his chin.

"Being able to handle such an ice-cold divine being takes great skill," Li Cheng'an remarked, giving Fang Linyuan a thumbs-up. "Don't hold back, teach me."

Fang Linyuan expressionlessly gave his horse's rump a whip. The horse immediately galloped towards the fragrant carriage, catching Li Cheng'an off guard. He yelped a couple of times, almost dropping the flowers again.

Barely steadying himself, he turned back to see Fang Linyuan sitting coldly in place, his face stern.

Fine, if you don’t want to teach, you don’t have to be so harsh about it.

Li Cheng'an muttered a few complaints under his breath.

Meanwhile, having sent Li Cheng'an away, Fang Linyuan resumed patrolling with his men.

*

By midday, Qujiang Pond was bustling. A banquet had started on the high platform on the west side. Beside the high platform was an imperial racetrack, situated on elevated ground, offering the best view of Qujiang Pond. It was now adorned with red lacquer and gold carvings, set up as a polo field for the nobles attending the banquet.

Fang Linyuan took advantage of the post-lunch break to ascend the high platform and pay his respects to the Empress.

The banquet was lively. The Empress sat serenely on the high platform, surrounded by grand and melodious music. Princes Zhao Jin and Zhao Jue were seated beside her, while the princesses sat with their husbands nearby.

"Today's grand event at Qujiang Pond is so peaceful and secure, thanks to the efforts of Marquis Anping," the Empress said, smiling warmly as she allowed Fang Linyuan to rise. "You've worked hard. Marquis Anping, please have a seat and enjoy a cup of tea."

Next to him, a palace eunuch had already brought over a golden cup filled with wine. Fang Linyuan accepted it with both hands (NT: using both hands to present and receive things is a sign of respect and politeness) and respectfully offered it to the Empress: "Your Majesty, your praise is undeserved. Today's splendid scene is all thanks to the prosperity brought by the Great Proclamation of Peace. It relies entirely on Your Majesty and His Majesty's sage guidance. I wish Your Majesty a thousand years of peace and happiness, and I extend my distant wishes to His Majesty for eternal prosperity."

The Empress smiled warmly as she raised the cup and drank with Fang Linyuan.

The liquor was clear and sweet on his tongue. As the wine flowed past his palate, Fang Linyuan was momentarily stunned, then caught a scent of peach blossom lingering in the air.

Usually, floral wine was served at palace banquets, but today it seemed they had switched to peach blossom wine?

Then, the Empress smiled and said, "How does Marquis Anping find this wine?"

"It's clear and sweet, reminiscent of peach blossom wine?" Fang Linyuan replied. "To drink peach blossom in spring, Your Majesty truly has a unique touch."

The Empress chuckled lightly, covering her mouth with her handkerchief. "How could this be my idea? I've always been lazy; it's Zhirou's clever idea. Thanks to her childlike innocence, she gathered palace peach blossoms herself and brewed this wine. Marquis Anping, I hope you don't find it too crude."

Fang Linyuan then turned his head and saw the sixth Princess Liu, also known as Princess Zhirou Zhao Pei, sitting beside him.

She had married recently and was dressed in a light red gown today, complementing the spring scenery perfectly. She smiled shyly, her eyes downcast.

However, her beauty did not compare to others', and Fang Linyuan's gaze was soon drawn to someone sitting nearby.

The banquet on the high platform was outdoors, but each seat was surrounded by gauzy curtains, making it difficult to see the adjacent seating. Yet amidst the fluttering veils, the figure in light green beside him shone brightly, like a goddess descended.

Fang Linyuan turned his head and saw Zhao Chu sitting there, holding a white jade teacup. When their eyes met, he smiled at Zhao Chu, silently praising him in his heart.

His sister-in-law's taste in clothes had always been excellent, and the green attire was even more eye-catching than the red dress.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. The people around him noticed him exchanging glances with Princess Huining. Zhao Pei, who had been gentle and modest, also noticed, her smile freezing slightly as she returned the handkerchief to her lap.

But Fang Linyuan wasn't really flirting with Zhao Chu.

With just a simple exchange of glances, he turned back and praised the Empress, "Your Highness the Sixth Princess had such a clever idea; this wine is truly excellent."

The Empress lowered her eyes and smiled.

As they were conversing, suddenly a gong sounded from the polo field.

Everyone turned to look.

They saw a palace eunuch on the platform raise a bronze gong, and the flags representing the number of goals scored by each side fluttered vigorously.

"Prince Wang Chang of Qin scored seven goals first, winning!"

Fang Linyuan turned his head and saw on one side Prince Wang Chang of Qin, accompanied by a group of young nobles, cheering with their polo mallets held high. At the other end, leading the group was a young nobleman, looking a bit thin but with handsome features. He was sweating profusely, looking quite unfamiliar.

The last hint of smile faded from Zhao Pei's face.

On the fluttering flags on the field, Wang Chang's side displayed seven, while the young nobleman's side showed only three. In that moment, even those behind him appeared dejected.

"Prince Li Fuma (NT: fù mǎ驸马 meaning emperor’s son in law) is born of common origins, to play this well is already commendable."

"Yeah, but Prince Wang Chang of Qin is too ignorant, not even allowing Prince Li to have a two-goal lead."

"Why would he allow that? He's always been like this..."

The atmosphere on the field was lively with music and applause, and the surrounding discussions grew louder, even reaching Fang Linyuan's ears.

Li? A Marquis with the surname Li, Zhao Pei's new husband, the newly appointed Marquis Li Zhe from last year.

Fang Linyuan turned his head and saw Li Zhe nodding slightly towards Wang Chang in congratulations. However, Wang Chang seemed not to notice him at all and walked briskly towards the raised platform, bowing before the Empress.

"I have won the polo match and come to receive my reward!" he proclaimed loudly, with an air of arrogance.

He was known in the palace for his audacity, but the Emperor always emphasized filial piety and respect for the Empress Dowager, thus indulging him greatly.

The Empress also smiled and said gently, "Chang'er's polo skills have always been among the best in the capital. The prize today should rightfully go into your pocket."

With that, she raised her hand, and a palace eunuch beside her held out the prize of the polo match, presenting it to Wang Chang.

However, when Wang Chang grasped the trophy with both hands, he didn't miss the chance to turn around and cast a haughty smile toward Li Zhe.

"Li Fuma may have come from humble beginnings in Lingnan, but even simple games like polo and archery should be learned well."

This remark was rather cutting.

Fang Linyuan had already heard about this young man's modest background, with his family owning just two acres of poor land, yet he managed to secure a position in the Son of Heaven's court.

Polo and archery were traditionally enjoyed by noble families; common folk couldn't even afford to keep horses. Li Zhe's achievement of scoring three points was commendable.

Wang Chang's demeanour was certainly unyielding.

Fang Linyuan, who had stepped back to the sidelines, glanced at Wang Chang out of the corner of his eye, choosing to remain silent.

As Wang Chang turned around, trophy in hand, he inadvertently collided head-on with Fang Linyuan.

Wang Chang was momentarily stunned, then scanned Fang Linyuan up and down, slowly revealing a smile that was confident yet malicious.

"Is it you?" Wang Chang asked. "I heard about it before—Marquis Anping, right?"

Fang Linyuan couldn't be bothered to respond to him.

He gave Wang Chang a casual bow and intended to turn back to take his leave from the Empress. This person relied on his family background to act recklessly and insult others at will, and Fang Linyuan found him not worth another glance.

But in the next moment, Wang Chang blocked his way.

"They say Marquis Anping is skilled in horsemanship. How about it? Dare to compete with me?"

Fang Linyuan knew nothing about playing polo, only the rules he had learned as a youth during palace banquets.

He calmly met Wang Chang's gaze and said lightly, "Even Hulao Pass is a remote place. I too have never learned to play polo."

This remark was a retort to Wang Chang's earlier sarcasm.

There was a slight hush in the banquet hall, and even Li Zhe beside him glanced at Fang Linyuan with some surprise, seemingly not expecting him to speak up for himself.

No one present had anticipated someone daring to speak to Wang Chang in such a manner.

Who would dare provoke this tyrant of the capital?

Fang Linyuan remained composed.

Wang Chang narrowed his eyes slightly, then sneered at him and turned to bow before the Empress, saying, "Your Majesty, I request a match with Marquis Anping. Just the two of us, the first to three goals wins."

This guy was truly arrogant, directly seeking permission from the Empress.

The Empress showed a troubled expression and said, "But Marquis Anping has said he does not play polo."

"Marquis Anping can spear down the leader of the Turkic thieves at a moment's notice, yet he can't play polo?" Wang Chang turned his head, mocking Fang Linyuan.

"This..." The Empress looked at him with difficulty.

Fang Linyuan glanced at Wang Chang.

Why was this man so confident, as if he were certain he would win? It seemed his mind wasn't quite right; his attempt at provocation had backfired on himself.

At that moment, a soft laughter sounded from the banquet.

It was Zhao Chu's voice.

Fang Linyuan turned his head and saw Zhao Chu still seated in his original place. He held a tea cup in his hand, his eyes lifting lightly to look at Wang Chang.

"General, those you have speared down, are they limited to just the leader of the Turkic thieves?"

Everyone present was stunned, silent as they looked towards Zhao Chu, whereupon Wang Chang was unable to maintain his stern countenance, his arrogance diminished.

"Are you implying something?" Wang Chang questioned.

But Zhao Chu smiled and raised his eyebrows, his face displaying amusement while his expression was cold enough that Wang Chang soon went pale.

"Weren't you the one thrown from the horse by the general in the market recently? Isn't that true, Crown Prince?" Zhao Chu lightly set down his teacup, causing Wang Chang's face to immediately darken.

"You wouldn't still be holding a grudge, would you, Crown Prince? Is that why you're challenging openly?" His words were sharp and hit home, leaving Wang Chang visibly pale and unable to retort.

Fang Linyuan immediately regained his composure.

Zhao Chu was speaking up for him!

Turning his head, he saw Zhao Chu sitting calmly amidst the varied gazes, resembling a divine statue calmly observing them, the swirling tea smoke before him akin to incense at a temple.

And at that moment, Zhao Jin's voice echoed from the platform.

"How do you mean, Fifth Princess?" he said. "It's just a polo match, a game. Why press the matter, Your Highness?"

Zhao Chu glanced faintly in the direction of the courtiers.

Immediately, Li Fu, Minister of War, stood up and bowed to the Empress, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Our unworthy son has been stationed at the Sixteenth Garrison for training. He was attacked by the Turkic barbarians some days ago. If not for Marquis Anping blocking the blade with his bare hands, our unworthy son's life might not have lasted until today."

"Was Marquis Anping injured?" the Empress asked upon hearing this.

Beside her, Li Zhe also looked at his hands. After a moment's pause, he smiled faintly at Wang Chang and said, "The Crown Prince's equestrian skills are superb. It would be better to wait until Marquis Anping's injury is healed before competing. My riding skills are not refined, and I am seeking guidance from the Crown Prince. How about..."

"Do you have a say in this?" Wang Chang's face darkened, cutting him off directly.

This time, even the Empress's expression turned unfavourable. Zhao Pei on the side lowered her head, covering her lips with a handkerchief, lost in thought.

On such a festive occasion, there was no need for such unpleasantness, especially not allowing Wang Chang to display his authority here.

Fang Linyuan stepped forward, standing respectfully before the Empress.

"It's just a hand injury," he said. "Since the Crown Prince insists, I can't refuse."

He then slightly turned his head and met Zhao Chu's slightly furrowed gaze.

He winked at Zhao Chu, reassuring him.

Then, he turned his head, looked at Wang Chang coldly and provocatively, stood tall and announced loudly,

"I accept the challenge."

*

Marquis Anping was going to compete in polo against the Crown Prince of Qin!

One was Marquis Anping, who recently pacified the western frontier and currently dominated the capital, and the other was the notorious dandy of the capital, Crown Prince of Qin, undefeated in polo for years.

The news immediately spread throughout Qujiang Pool from the platform. Various betting houses immediately opened betting windows, with people wagering on who would win or lose.

The common people rarely had such an exciting spectacle to watch.

The polo field was elevated, and from the banks of Qujiang Pool, one could see the situation on the field. Marquis Anping, dressed in fiery red, had already mounted his dark red steed, while the Crown Prince of Qin, in an indigo blue robe, also mounted the spirited horse brought by his attendants.

It was just after lunchtime, with the sun shining brightly.

Under the shade of willows, the common people looked up, and the betting houses were packed with spectators.

"Did you find out?" Li Cheng'an and several others were waiting outside the betting house, and it took them half a day to wait for the guards to bring back the news.

"We found out!" the guard said. "It's extremely lively! You wouldn't believe it, many of the merchants and wealthy individuals who came to Qujiang Pool today have placed bets! There are also several scholars and famous courtesans from the capital who have placed bets! According to the betting register, all the recognizable names from the capital have placed their bets!"

"Who did they bet on to win?" Lou Shuo asked beside him.

"... They all bet on the Crown Prince of Qin," the guard said unhappily. "Now the odds are ten to one against our General."

"Are they blind?" Li Cheng'an gritted his teeth.

"There's no way... Everyone knows that the Crown Prince of Qin has never lost once he stepped onto the polo field."

Another guard hurriedly said, "But the few of us have all bet on the General! We've put in a month's salary, all to boost our General's morale!"

Seeing Li Cheng'an glare inside, another guard was about to hand over his purse. However, he couldn't help but look unhappy, so he even took off his own jade ring and put it in the purse before handing it to the guard.

"Here, bet on the General!"

The others also took off their purses one after another. For a while, the guard's arms were full.

"... Should we leave some money for dinner tonight?" someone asked weakly from the side.

But when Li Cheng'an turned his head and glared at him, he dared not speak again.

Just then, there was a burst of exclamations from inside.

"What's going on?" they all craned their necks to see.

Many people nearby also stretched their necks and asked, "How much was bet inside?"

"Ten thousand taels!"

A loud exclamation immediately followed.

The surrounding people exploded.

"What? Ten thousand taels?" Li Cheng'an asked. "Has the total bet on Wang Chang reached ten thousand taels?"

Lou Shuo was still cursing beside him, "Even Guan Yunchang lost a battle, and they treat him like a god!"

(NT: Guan Yu, courtesy name Yunchang, was a famous general who played a major role in the civil war that led to the collapse of Han Dynasty & the establishment of Shu Han of the 3 Kingdoms. His achievements were glorified to such an extent after his death that he was deified during the Sui dynasty.)

But then, they heard a clear and loud voice.

"An unknown Mr. Zhu, bet ten thousand taels on Marquis Anping!"

 

--

The author has something to say:

Fang Linyuan: Undefeated, huh? Just wait, your winning rate won't be 100% today

 

Translator : DarNan