Chapter 158: What Miss Yang Can’t And Can Do
“What’s strange about this? It’s inevitable. I guessed it long ago.”
Mo Zheng listened to Wei Jiao’s words and sat up from the bed, but did not rush out angrily to demand an explanation.
Instead, she let out a light sigh.
“Although I owe it to Senior Brother’s kindness that I could come to the Martial Arts Banquet, in this royal banquet, I’m nothing more than a caged bird. They can do whatever they want to me.”
“Not to mention burning my essay, even burning me to death here wouldn’t be strange.”
“They want me dead, after all.”
As she spoke, she covered her face and sobbed.
Wei Jiao shuddered unexpectedly.
This dog thing’s fake crying was even scarier than her fake smiling.
As he was about to say something, Mo Zheng lowered her hands and looked at him.
“Senior Brother, if the princess burns me to death, will you come save me?”
Her eyes were tearful and her mouth curved in a smile, half-crying half-laughing, extremely eerie in the hazy night.
Wei Jiao couldn’t help but burst out laughing: “Junior Sister, of course not! How could I disobey the princess for your sake!”
Mo Zheng said indignantly: “Senior Brother, I’m a princess too!”
Wei Jiao laughed and said: “Then hurry up and get His Majesty to recognize you!”
“Good.” Mo Zheng got off the bed and rushed right up to him in one step, grabbing his sleeve. “Senior Brother, take me there. Teacher and Senior Brother Ling are weak scholars who want to help but can’t. You’re accomplished in both letters and arms, able to scale walls and walk rooftops, omnipotent. Only you can help me.”
Wei Jiao was once again heartbroken: “Junior Sister, I’m just crazy, not stupid. How could I possibly help you do something like that!”
Mo Zheng released his sleeve and let out a long sigh: “A dead end. I’ll just wait to die in peace.”
As she spoke, she yawned.
“But before dying, I still want to get a good sleep.”
“Captain, thanks for the reminder. I’ll go back to sleep now.”
With that, she really got back on the bed and lay down.
This dog thing always spoke half-truths half-lies. The truth was that she did know the princess would block her and didn’t take it seriously. The lie was that she wasn’t really begging him for help, and certainly wouldn’t really wait to die in peace. Wei Jiao sneered coldly, looking at the woman who lay down.
She would definitely do something.
He’d like to see what madness she would pull.
……
…….
Night passed, and the daylight was clear, but the mountain wind in the first month was chilling to the bone.
Yang Hui rode on horseback, feeling her face freezing stiff, when the next moment, the shouts of the women came to her ears.
“Catch the ball—”
“Block her—”
At the same time, the sound of hooves and fiercer wind surged from all directions.
Yang Hui came back to her senses and saw the polo ball coming straight at her. She hurriedly raised her wooden staff to strike, but whether from panic or frozen hands, the polo ball grazed past her. Jiang Rui suddenly galloped over on a fast horse, leaned down to scoop it up, and the polo ball shot like a meteor toward the goal on the other side.
Accompanied by several women swinging their mallets, the polo ball finally went into the goal. The women with blue ribbons tied on their arms excitedly raised their mallets.
“Yang Hui, what’s wrong with you!”
“It’s all because of you that the princess lost the ball!”
The young ladies with red ribbons tied on their arms all complained about Yang Hui.
Yang Hui’s face flushed red as she looked at Princess Pingcheng riding over on horseback.
Princess Pingcheng wore red hunting attire with a red ribbon wrapped around her arm.
Today they were divided into teams for polo, and Yang Hui had of course eagerly joined Princess Pingcheng’s team, but she hadn’t expected…
It was all the fault of those companion reader ladies who wouldn’t yield to the princess and insisted on winning!
Especially that Jiang Rui!
“Princess, I…” Yang Hui murmured, wanting to apologize.
Princess Pingcheng smiled and waved her hand: “Miss Jiang and the others have superb polo skills. We lost fair and square.”
A smile appeared on Jiang Rui’s usually aloof face: “The princess showed mercy.”
“A Rui truly lives up to being from a general’s family. Such great horsemanship.”
“A Rui doesn’t usually play around, but turns out she’s hiding her talents.”
“The princess should have picked Miss Jiang for her team.”
The praise for Jiang Rui was one thing, but hearing this comment belittling herself, Yang Hui looked over and saw “Yang Luo” who was sitting on the side watching speak up. She was instantly furious.
“Yang Luo, you can’t play polo, so don’t talk big.” She shouted, “If you could, the princess wouldn’t have had to play herself. The princess lost the ball for you.”
Since it was the Martial Arts Banquet, Princess Pingcheng had gathered the companion reader ladies. They couldn’t just stay in the Princess’s Garden writing essays and reading all the time, so today while the emperor and everyone were horseback archery in the hunting ground at the temporary palace, Princess Pingcheng brought the companion reader ladies to the polo field on the other side to play polo.
But when dividing teams, “Yang Luo” said she couldn’t play polo, so the teams had uneven numbers, and Princess Pingcheng had to play herself.
Hearing Yang Hui say this, Mo Zheng curtsied to Princess Pingcheng and said sincerely: “Princess, I will learn to play polo as soon as possible and then help the princess win.”
Princess Pingcheng burst out laughing.
Yang Hui was even angrier beside her, forgetting that this person was the best at currying favor with the princess.
Just as she was about to say something, a burst of cheers came on the mountain wind, mostly men’s voices.
“Good—”
“Great archery—”
The companion reader ladies couldn’t help but look toward that side. On the other side of the undulating slopes was the temporary palace’s hunting ground, where the emperor and everyone were now gathered, competing in horseback archery…
Even from this far away, the cheers could be heard, showing how lively the scene was.
Their dozen or so people were truly isolated.
The companion reader ladies didn’t dare say anything, but Princess Wuyang sitting on the side seat couldn’t hold back any longer.
“What’s the fun in just us playing? It’s lively only with more people.” She said.
This domineering Princess Pingcheng insisted on hosting her own banquet, dragging her into this mess too. She was so angry, but didn’t dare not come, which made her even angrier.
Princess Pingcheng looked at her: “Over there we’re just spectators, cheering for others. Here we can play ourselves, cheer for ourselves. Isn’t that better?”
What was wrong with cheering for others? They were princesses; cheering was the glory bestowed on the participants. What was bad about it? Princess Wuyang looked unconvinced and was about to say something when Princess Pingcheng spoke again.
“That’s a piece of calligraphy bestowed by Father Emperor.” She said, pointing with the mallet in her hand.
Among the palace maids standing outside the polo field, one held a tray with a scroll on it. Hearing the princess’s words, two palace maids unrolled the scroll.
On it were the eight characters “Like jade like emerald, virtuous and talented,” sealed with the emperor’s seal.
“Today we’ll also compete in horseback archery. Father Emperor ordered me to award this to the winner—something even those men over there don’t have…”
Before Princess Pingcheng finished speaking, cheers erupted from the companion reader ladies.
Hanging this reward at home, it could be a family heirloom, part of a dowry. With this calligraphy as backing, no one would dare bully them their whole lives.
Only a princess could obtain this reward for them. Getting this was far more worthwhile than watching the men do horseback archery.
“The princess is wonderful!”
“Princess, let’s start the competition.”
Princess Pingcheng was instantly surrounded by the women, with no one showing the slightest regret.
Princess Wuyang angrily wrapped her cloak tighter and said nothing.
Hoofbeats and noisy voices came from not far away as over a dozen women rode over.
The leader was gorgeously dressed in red—it was Chai Wan’er.
“Princess!” She called out, “I heard your prize here includes a treasure bestowed by His Majesty. We’re coming to join the fun too.”
Princess Pingcheng smiled faintly and gestured to the imperial guards outside the polo field to let them pass.
……
…….
Because of the calligraphy bestowed by the emperor, and with Chai Wan’er and over a dozen other women arriving, the originally somewhat deserted polo field became lively.
The goals were removed, and the imperial guards brought over a cage of wild chickens and wild rabbits.
The dozen or so women put down their mallets, gripped the distributed bows and arrows, and mounted their horses excitedly and nervously.
Because it was the Martial Arts Banquet, and the emperor’s side still had hunting, the horseback archery here was no longer straw targets but live prey.
Princess Pingcheng had already returned to her seat. Having offered the reward, she wouldn’t participate and would only act as judge.
Her gaze swept over the women waiting outside the boundary line, spotting Chai Wan’er, dazzling in her attire and demeanor amid the crowd, and beside Chai Wan’er, the unremarkable “Miss Yang” in figure, looks, and clothing.
It wasn’t her who had this Miss Yang participate.
Miss Yang couldn’t even play polo.
It was just that when Chai Wan’er asked her if she dared to compete in hunting archery, “Miss Yang” stood up and said she did.
“Didn’t you say you can’t ride horses or play polo?” Yang Hui demanded angrily beside her.
“But I can do archery. The Six Arts of the Gentleman.” Miss Yang said with a beaming smile. “I get top Grade A for reading and writing essays; the other five arts are all top grade too.”
Top Grade A. Princess Pingcheng withdrew her gaze and smiled faintly.
Then let’s see if this Miss Yang can really get another top Grade A.
Horseback archery is nothing like picking up a brush to write—it’s very dangerous.
Two chapters used in one evening. The daytime of this Martial Arts Banquet needs three chapters. Everyone can save up; come back in three days, and you’ll see the moment you’re waiting for.
