From chapter 27: And at that moment, when Wei Yingwu saw his elder brother’s smile, he couldn’t help but tremble a bit.
It’s not that I want to abuse you, guys. It’s my brother who made me do it!
Juju, or polo, has been favored among kings, princes, and nobility since the preceding dynasty. Hence, tournaments were held on occasion, and the Ministry of Rites prepared speedily. In just two days, the tournament had already been organized.
On the margins of the broad, flat grass field are set-up spectator tents.
Wen Mingyu was a bit bemused when San Xi summoned him up from beneath his cover and did not respond to what he was about to do.
“Play polo, Young master, have you forgotten? This time, children from well-known families will also be present there. Under His Majesty’s tutelage, you will undoubtedly shine on the pitch and become renowned with a single stroke.”
San Xi was even more ecstatic than he was.
It was only then that Wen Mingyu recalled and listened with some mirth. “I’ve only ever fought against His Majesty, and I’ve never played in a tournament, yet you assume I can win.”
“The young master is so strong, naturally.” San Xi held blind faith in him.
Wen Mingyu shook his head and ate breakfast, then switched into his riding attire and headed to the tournament venue.
There are plenty of people, all of whom are sons and daughters of nobility, who have been raised to be elegantly dressed and to swim in luxury, and who are treated with respect and pride. From head to toe, they radiated haughtiness, and their arrogance was not on par with that of commoners.
As quickly as Wen Mingyu made his appearance, a swarm of gauging and questioning eyes swarmed around him. The nobles’ children here today had all been frequently advised by their elders, so they paid close attention to Wen Mingyu.
Wen Mingyu was being watched, and as he tread closer to Mu Zhan, those stares intensified, making him feel uneasy.
Zhao Dequan welcomed him and ushered him to a seat next to Mu Zhan.
With Mu Zhan, the fiendish god, in the picture, those lines of vision instantly weakened and scattered. Out of fear and envy, they all began to feign conversation with each other.
Wen Mingyu exhaled a sigh of relief as he understood there was a bit of an upside to the tyrant being scary and threatening. It wasn’t that he was terrified of being stared at by so many people and being the focus of their attention; it was just that those deliberate eyes made him feel unsettled.
The objective of coming here is to play polo. With Mu Zhan’s temperament and hatred of superfluous words, he went straight to the point of eliminating the leadership-style introductory remarks, which should have been the theme from the start, and came right to the crux of the matter.
The gong rang out.
The inaugural game was a polo match between noble ladies.
Polo has no gender restrictions, therefore many of the ladies have dressed up in nimble riding attire. They are as delicate as water most of the time, yet when they step on the pitch, they are all courageous and heroic in manner, dazzling and no less flamboyant than men.
The heated match attracted cheers from the tents at times.
At the conclusion of this match, it was time for the noble young masters to enter the pitch.
Wen Mingyu is also preparing to head over. He was worried, yet it was difficult for him to mask his thrilled heart. It was most likely due to the human propensity to compete and hunt. His heart was thumping, his blood was surging, and his face was getting warmer. He opened his mouth and breathed gently, his face strained.
Mu Zhan observed his state and found it a little laughable. He reached out and pulled a strand of his long hair that was tied up high, inciting provocation.
Wen Mingyu noticed the jerk and tilted his head to look over.
“Afraid of losing?” Mu Zhan cocked an eyebrow.
Wen Mingyu paused for a time before nodding in agreement. He was certainly a bit worried. It would be rather humiliating to lose face miserably in front of so many people.
“You were taught by this one. It would be a disgrace to lose face.” Mu Zhan didn’t speak much, but with one jab that could dig internal wounds into others, he penetrated the truth.
Wen Mingyu felt like the emoji who covered his precordium and vomited blood. After some deliberation, he decided to give Mu Zhan a precautionary injection first, lest this cranky teacher couldn’t take the excitement and chastise him. “Your Majesty, victories and defeats are typical occurrences in the life of a general. “
Mu Zhan objected, “If you can steal the ball under my hand, it is impossible to lose. Ease your heart and go play.”
That insipid and languid manner of speaking was even more confidence-building than Wen Mingyu had in himself, and to one’s astonishment, the tension in his heart surprisingly melts quite a little after hearing it.
Wen Mingyu grinned at Mu Zhan, his brilliant and dazzling eyes bending into half-moon shapes.
“Your Majesty, I will fight with zeal. Just wait for my good news!”
Mu Zhan nodded, his face expressionless, but his gaze lingered on Wen Mingyu’s figure as he sprinted towards the pitch. His ponytail of long hair lifted with his motions, exuding a flourishing vigor like a ray of light.
The first step, of course, was to split the group into teams. Familiar friends automatically went to each other, and together they created a team. Wen Mingyu didn’t know any of these people, but others wouldn’t leave him awkwardly alone, so some people were already considering joining his team.
It’s just that no one can overtake Wei Yingwu.
As soon as he saw him approaching the pitch, he took the initiative to stand by Wen Mingyu. His size, which resembled a tiny hill, coupled with a fierce and menacing attitude, made everyone who was about to come over halt for a second, before gritting their teeth and walking over with an amicable smile. “Brother Wen, may I join your team?”
Wen Mingyu didn’t recognize them all since they all looked the same to him. As a result, he accepted, and the team was quickly established. Those who waited too long to propose were motionless and choked up.
A taunting laugh sounded from afar at this moment. It wasn’t loud, but just audible enough to Wen Mingyu.
“Some people have it so easy. Once they attain power, they will have more people fawning over them in anything.”
When he followed the voice, he found himself in the presence of a haughty young man with a pompous air. His gaze skims across Wen Mingyu’s body with implicit disdain.
The man was at the center of numerous people, as if he were the core of a small group of no less importance.
Wen Mingyu squinted, detecting malicious intent. However, the other party did not name him, and it was not beneficial to step forward and start a conflict. Anyway, the match was about to begin, so it was better to play than to start yelling abuse on the pitch.
Thus, he disregarded it and switched to discussing strategy with his teammates, such as who would be in charge of that later, how they would charge, and so on. When the man discovered Wen Mingyu ignoring him, he became even more firm in his assumption that he was a pathetic and useless person, and he chucked scornfully.
During the discussion, Wen Mingyu felt a heavy load on his shoulder and nearly toppled forward. He hurriedly scrambled to stand firm, and as soon as he turned his head, he noticed Wei Yingwu’s hand was stuck in mid-air, like a huge dog that had made a mistake. He wanted to pat Wen Mingyu’s shoulder, but his power was naturally heavy, and he couldn’t manage the force effectively, making Wen Mingyu assume his bones had crumbled to crumbs.
Wen Mingyu expressed regret and apologized. Wen Mingyu stroked his shoulder and said, “It’s alright. What did General Wei wish to say?”
“You can just call me by my name directly. I’d like to remind you that the man in blue is the first son of the second wife in the Prime Minister’s family, who grew up playing polo and has an excellent relationship with the first-born of the Marquis of Guangyang, who was previously stripped of his title. Be cautious of him since he harbors a grudge against you.”
Wen Mingyu was taken aback, not grasping the reason why the general was assisting him. But, in the end, he was sincere. He had meant to keep an eye out, so he smiled and thanked him.
When General Wei stared at him, he felt even more like a fluffy bunny. Very fluffy and adorable, I want to pet it!
The gong was struck and the match began.
Wen Mingyu had long since rolled over and mounted his horse. He straightened his back and sat solidly on the saddle. After more than seven months of training, his appearance now bears little resemblance to the first time he touched a horse.
At the beginning of his first polo game, he was still a bit overcautious, but he quickly adjusted. He was galloping his horse, and as the mallet was in his hand and his arm shaped like a sickle, he went in hot pursuit with the ball rolling on the grass field.
However, an unforeseen scenario developed not long after.
With clear premeditation, the three men on the opposite side raced up to Wen Mingyu and encircled him like a caged beast. It made outrunning the horses impossible, let alone hitting the ball, which was exceedingly infuriating.
Wen Mingyu had not expected them to be so forthright in their honesty.
Although Wen Mingyu’s team briefly discusses the game prior to the match, the opposing team was comprised of numerous well-connected sons of higher-ranking households who frequently played polo together. They cooperated tacitly and had also planned for someone to obstruct Wei Yingwu, who was the toughest of them all. For a while, they were in a passive and beleaguered state.
The opponent scored back-to-back goals.
“A concubine’s son will always be a bastard. A piece of trash.”
The prime minister’s son smirked triumphantly, lowered his mallet, and swung it hard at the hoof of the horse Wen Mingyu was riding.
Wen Mingyu’s pupils narrowed abruptly. He reacted quickly and pulled the reins, allowing the horse to elevate its hooves and leap deftly, as if jumping over a hurdle just in time to evade the stick.
The man clinched his teeth, unwilling to resign, and tried to unleash another attack, but he didn’t suspect Wen Mingyu to have the audacity to gallop straight at him from his horse, as if he was courting death. He would have tumbled down and been trampled by the horse’s hooves if he had hit it, and the broken bones would not have been light.
The man was so terrified that he dove out of the path, just in time for Wen Mingyu to run out of the encirclement.
Wen Mingyu came out with a clear aim and went right for the polo ball. With a swing of his mallet, the ball was hit and made a beautiful arch through the air and crossed over the goal with precision.
The gong rang, and Wen Mingyu’s team scored.
He raced his gallant, snow-white steed between heaven and earth, with his picturesque eyebrows and eyes and tall and sturdy frame. In bright red, the hem of his narrow-sleeved riding attire flapped in the wind, and with black boots on his feet, he was a freshly dressed young man on a raging horse.
The moment the goal was scored, there was a roar of enthusiastic applause in the tents.
Polo is widespread among the nobility, and those who enjoy the sport can’t help but be pleased when they meet individuals who are strong and wish to play a hearty match with them. Wen Mingyu’s crisp and clear succussion of actions influenced the impressions of those who did not know Wen Mingyu but had only heard stories about him. In comparison, the Prime Minister’s son’s tactics were both inferior and repulsive.
Some of the vivacious aristocratic ladies were even flushed with glee, chatting in whispers to their good friends about how handsome and charming the young gentleman was.
On the pitch, Wei Yingwu shrugged off his blocking opponent and wanted to go and give Wen Mingyu a helping hand, but when he spurred his horse over, he watched this wonderful comeback and couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. He had previously noted that Wen Mingyu would surely require assistance due to his thin and delicate arms and legs, but it turned out that he didn’t need to worry at all. If this was a rabbit, it wouldn’t be the meerk sort that gets bullied, but a feisty bunny that can act coquettish, brawl, and bite.
The atmosphere on the pitch was positive, but not everyone experienced that cheerful mood.
The prime minister’s face was particularly unsightly. He was itching to break the leg of this impetuous grandchild of his on the pitch. Although he had no idea when His Majesty would despise and forsake the Wen Family’s bastard son, he was plainly untouchable now that he was in favor. To do such a thing would only be inviting death and misery for the clan.
The Prime Minister was anxious, pondering how to get the man out of sight. The match must be stopped. Something must absolutely be done during the intermission. He raised his gaze to His Majesty, ready to go and confess, but as soon as he spotted Mu Zhan’s countenance, his heart plummeted without warning.
Mu Zhan’s visage was frigid, and he stared at the man who had just made an attempted attack on Wen Mingyu as if he were staring at a dead man.
The Prime Minister tried to advance forward but was prevented by Zhao Dequan.
Halftime break.
Everyone was perspiring after the strenuous activity, and upon dismounting, the pages quickly rushed forth to wipe their sweat and bring them a drink.
The blue-clothed man who had snapped at Wen Mingyu one after the other was irritated by the failure he had just suffered. With a horrible grimace on his face, he brutally kicked the servant aside and charged straight towards Wen Mingyu. In any case, his stance was malicious.
Wen Mingyu had anticipated this possibility and was prepared for it. People around him would not stand by and watch. San Xi stepped in to stop him, and Wei Yingwu moved out with one foot and stood before him almost simultaneously. An enormous shadow loomed down above San Xi’s eyes, completely blocking the light. San Xi was stunned and confused, and in his heart, he felt a pang of pity for the Prime Minister’s grandson across from him.
When Wen Mingyu saw the man who did not have the least reluctance to protect him without fear, he stopped for a second before spreading a smile. In fact, he was not scared of the Prime Minister’s grandson; he had encountered people like this before. He was an orphan who didn’t want to stir any trouble and was also concerned about disclosing his gender, so he chose to exercise restraint.
However, he was no longer going to exhibit his frailty. If he missed this one, there would be another, and he didn’t believe Mu Zhan would allow someone to attempt to harm his possessions. Most importantly, he intended to teach the other party a lesson; after being squeezed earlier on the pitch, he wanted to beat some people.
Wen Mingyu emerged from Wei Yingwu’s back and the others to confront the prime minister’s son. His expression was composed and undaunted.
With half a match played, Wen Mingyu is just as hot-blooded and restless as others, especially when he is still holding his breath. Vengeance is assured, with anger still in his heart.
To be able to make people vomit blood, Wen Mingyu recalled Mu Zhan’s expression. The attitude should be tugging enough, with a smug look and chin elevated, as if he were looking at a piece of dog dropping.
“Speaking of which, I have yet to know your name. You are?”
A perfect expression, a short lighthearted sentence, and a carefree tone of voice.
The blue-clothed man, a three-time critical hit, was so enraged that his blood pressure skyrocketed and the crown of his head was about to erupt. His glare was fixed on Wen Mingyu, almost as if he wished to kill him.
The blue-clothed man obviously didn’t have the temperament to accept his devious style just now. When Wen Mingyu roused his anger, he instantly raced forward, his eyes going red.
Wen Mingyu saw this coming and sidestepped, clenched his fist, landed a solid punch to the other party’s midsection, and swept his feet, toppling the man to the ground.
The blue-clad man collapsed to the ground, his eyes going black with agony.
Wei Yingwu was a bit speechless. He didn’t imagine someone who appeared delicate and frail would be able to fight. San Xi was startled, and then his eyes brightened. He almost laughed out loud with a pig’s squeal as he saw his master beat his bully into a miserable state.
Wen Mingyu was still furious after venting his spleen. He wouldn’t have understood what it was like now if he hadn’t let the horse evade the mallet in time on the pitch a moment earlier. He also planned to seize his opponent’s collar, sit on his abdomen, and beat him up some more.
But the moment he stooped down to make his move, the back of his collar was lifted and yanked backwards, and he was hauled into a familiar bosom. Strong wine pheromones washed over him and swiftly engulfed him in a tight embrace. Wen Mingyu knew at once who was behind him.
For a split second, he was disoriented before turning his head and adjusting his expression. He hugged Mu Zhan’s arm, pointed at the man on the ground, and cried in an aggrieved tone, “Your Majesty, he bullied me.”
Why wouldn’t he depend if he had a backer. He’s not silly, humph.
The others: “…???”
ChiFu: ah ah ah exciting! This is a move of a concubine suffering from injustice! Hahahha early chapters are undergoing editing!