The Emperor continued, "I've had to make Huan Qing a low-ranking official of the sixth grade for now. It's a good thing for a young man to gain more experience. Qin'er, are you satisfied?" Li Weiying smiled broadly, "Your subject is extremely satisfied." Huan She was greatly puzzled, "Why is Weiying so happy? Well, I've been promoted three ranks, so it's still a promotion. It's not easy for someone with my insignificant position to be promoted so much at once. Hmm, could it be that 'leading the ox' means leading the ox for Weiying's carriage? Hmm, that's fine then." Thinking this, he became happy again. The Emperor said, "I will also bestow upon you a simple residence in Chongrenfang, but since you've become my 'Thousand Oxen,' I'm afraid you won't be able to stay in the residence for long. I've already had the Imperial Wardrobe send you your ceremonial robes; change into them now." This time, Huan She understood. A house had fallen from the sky—what a great favor! He quickly thanked him.
Li Weiying whispered in the emperor's ear, and the emperor murmured a few words back. She smiled so broadly her eyes seemed to melt. After the emperor left, Huan She followed the head eunuch of the Imperial Wardrobe. After changing into new clothes, the eunuch led him to the East Sea Pond near Xuanwu Gate.
The East Sea Pond was vast and misty, its green waters expansive, pavilions soaring upwards, winding corridors meandering, and sparse grass, spring as if cut clean. Li Weiying stood in a waterside pavilion, facing the wind, wearing a short, tight-fitting white tuxedo and a crimson skirt that fluttered to the ground, like bright snow and cherry blossoms; a bean-green ribbon was tied high under her armpits, and she held a light lotus-colored painted shawl, which swayed long in the wind. When she saw Huan She approaching, her eyes sparkled with affection, "Huan Lang!" Her hair was styled in a cloud-like bun, and the jade hairpin between her brows shone brightly. She always dressed simply, but having only left the Ganlu Palace for a short while, she had suddenly changed into such a splendid and radiant outfit, leaving Huan She stunned. She reached out and beckoned, her gesture as light as the tapping of a jade chime: "Huan Lang!"
Huan She put down the thick stack of clothes he was carrying, strode forward, and embraced her. He looked closely at her face, which was flushed and beautiful. He could smell the faint scent of bird's nest on her skin. His heart fluttered. He lowered his head and kissed her red lips. After a long while, he sighed and said, "You look so beautiful today."
She smiled sweetly, "You look quite handsome in this outfit too." He wore a single-beamed Jinde crown, a dark green right-fastening, narrow-sleeved silk robe, and light blue wide-legged trousers, with a belt around his waist and black leather boots. It was the first time he had worn such a dignified and imposing formal military uniform before Li Weiying; he was truly dashing and spirited, how could she not be captivated and her affections deepen?
Huan She pointed to the clothes placed to the side, "I don't know what this pile is for. I don't dare to ask the officials of the Imperial Wardrobe in front of them, for fear of making a fool of myself." Li Weiying pointed them out one by one: "This is the court dress, also known as the formal dress. The everyday dress is here, which is the banquet dress. What you are wearing is the official dress, or the dress worn by officials from the provincial capital. The others are sacrificial dresses. The bronze fish tally is your pass for entering and leaving the palace."
Huan She was puzzled: "Wei Ying, do I, a mere cowherd, need so many fancy tricks?" She took Huan She's hand and said: "It is 'Thousand Oxen,' meaning 'thousand' in 'ten thousand.' It originally refers to a sharp blade, implying that it is sharp enough to slaughter a thousand oxen. This position was first established in the Later Wei Dynasty, and the 'Thousand Oxen Blade' was used as a metaphor for might." "Then why don't you give me a 'Thousand Oxen Blade'?" Huan She laughed.
"In the future, you will be wielding the imperial sword for His Majesty."
Huan She was so surprised he couldn't close his mouth.
"Although your position as a Qianniu Beishen is only a lower sixth-rank official, it is still a close bodyguard of the emperor. When ascending the throne, you will be placed right behind the emperor, bearing the heavy responsibility of protecting the emperor. It is a position with a low rank but a heavy responsibility. Historically, only the sons of officials of the third rank or above or the sons of officials of the fourth rank, who are upright in appearance and skilled in martial arts, are selected. My grandfather, Emperor Gaozu, inherited the title of Duke of Tang at the age of seven. Because of his title, he was appointed as a Qianniu Beishen of Emperor Wen of the former Sui Dynasty at the age of fifteen. My uncle-in-law of the Chai family also served as a Qianniu Beishen of Crown Prince Yuande of Emperor Yang of the former Sui Dynasty."
Huan She suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. "So that's how it is!"
"Because this position involves accompanying the emperor, it offers the fastest path to promotion, and many scions of noble families are vying for it."
"Could he rise to the rank of First Grade tomorrow?"
"You're even more arrogant than me. You originally held a low-ranking position, but Father Emperor appointed you to this important post so you could gradually hone your skills and rise through the ranks. No one else can say anything then." Li Weiying suddenly buried her head in his chest again: "Actually, what I'm happy about isn't that Father Emperor gave you such a cushy job, but rather... once I return to the palace, it won't be so convenient for me to see you every day before I'm married... You silly girl, when Father asks you what you want, why don't you say you want me?"
Huan She shouted, "I'll go tell the Emperor right now!" She punched him, saying, "Once that opportunity is gone, it'll be difficult to say anything later. Just go back to being a cowherd, I hate you so much." Huan She didn't resist at all, "I'll never find such a good husband as me again, even if you beat me to death."
She hummed in agreement and called out to the eunuchs. Two young eunuchs came out with smiles. "What are your orders, Your Highness?" Li Weiying pointed to Huan She's ceremonial robes. "Send these messengers to Lord Huan's residence in Chongren Ward first." The two responded and then asked, "The boat is ready. Does Your Highness need it now?" She said, "You two take the boatmen as far as you can. No need for service." She pulled Huan She onto the small boat, and Huan She rowed with both oars (The little boat pushes through the waves, I ask you, my dear companion, who arranged a happy life for us? Do not continue singing) towards the East Sea Pond.
Deep within the azure waves, delicate lotus leaves swayed gently. A strong wind blew, and the water was frigid. Huan She stopped the boat and took off his silk robe, draping it over her shoulders. Li Weiying, still warm from his touch, nestled in the robe and said, “The East Sea Pool is the largest of the four great sea pools within the Taiji Palace. Huan Lang, what do you think of the scenery here?” Huan She replied, “Very good. One word: cold. Two words: truly cold.” She leaned on his shoulder. “It’s early spring now. If it were midsummer, with bright sunshine, the wind carrying the shimmering light, the water would sparkle and ripple. The vast sea would stretch to the horizon, the azure waves supporting countless white lotuses with their thousand petals, glistening with snow-white luster, standing tall and graceful, their fragrance filling the air with every breath. A small boat would drift on the boundless sea, and often a slender yellow swan would soar resolutely into the high clouds.” Huan She drifted off into the distance, lost in reverie, completely captivated.
Li Weiying said, “When I was young, I often saw my grandfather sitting alone by the sea, deep in thought. I sat on his lap and said, ‘Let’s take Qin’er to swim in the sea.’ He said, ‘You can’t just swim in the sea whenever you want. When you grow up, you will understand how much your grandfather regrets losing himself in the coolness of the sea in June.’ I was very unhappy at the time and asked, ‘Then when can we?’ He said, ‘Well, when Qin’er finds someone to entrust her life to and wants to leave the palace, I will accompany you to travel the world. Your grandfather also misses life outside the palace.’ In May of the ninth year of Zhenguan, when the lotus leaves were just beginning to bloom and the height of summer had not yet arrived, my grandfather suddenly fell seriously ill. My father took me to see him at the Chuigong Hall of the Da’an Palace. He said he had to leave, and I said anxiously, ‘Qin’er has not yet found someone to entrust her life to. How can your grandfather abandon me?’ He said, ‘It would be wrong of me to break my promise to Qin’er. Then, in the future, when Qin’er takes the person she has found to the sea and shouts out loud, your grandfather will naturally come to see you.’”
Huan She kissed her tearful eyes, stood tall, and declared loudly, "Emperor Gaozu, I am the one Qin'er can entrust her life to. I am Huan She, Huan Zishen, from Xingyang. I have loved her for a long time and vow to go through fire and water for her, to stay with her through life and death, and never leave her. Please, Your Majesty, bless Wei Ying and me." Li Wei Ying hugged his waist, letting Huan She continue to swear loudly. The wind and waves on the East Sea Pond had stopped, and the fish and birds were still. His firm and resolute voice echoed for a long time, and a few lotus stems swayed slightly in approval.
***
Reluctantly parting ways with Li Weiying at the Yongchun Gate of the palace, Huan She sat in the carriage she had given him, unable to resist turning back to look at her. She was still gazing at him from the gate. Huan She said, "Alright, just get through this night, and I'll come to see you first thing tomorrow morning." She nodded, still unwilling to leave. Huan She jumped off the carriage helplessly, "Then I'll just stand here and see you off. Sigh, I still have to go to the Right Office to report for duty." She smiled, "Huan Lang, please come early tomorrow." Huan She watched her enter the palace and disappear from sight before letting out a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that it was fortunate he had become a Qianniu Beishen (a type of imperial guard), so he could accompany the Emperor and Weiying to Luoyang Palace tomorrow; otherwise, who knows how much she would have cried.
Upon entering the imperial city and visiting the Right Palace, Huan She met with the Supreme General, the Grand General, and the General, receiving a few words of advice. An attendant led him to the Chongren Mansion. Huan She saw that the surrounding area was filled with grand mansions and vermilion gates, thinking that this neighborhood was truly opulent. Entering his own residence, he found it to be five courtyards deep, with a garden large enough to ride a horse through. He thought that if this was considered a simple residence, then what truly constituted a mansion? The Ministry of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance sent its subordinate, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Finance, to reimburse him for three years' worth of his seventh-rank salary of 210 shi (a unit of dry measure), his seventh-rank wages, and miscellaneous food allowances of 75 strings of cash and 600 cash. In addition, he was given a monthly salary of 2,000 cash and miscellaneous food allowances according to the sixth-rank standard, and was repeatedly apologized for his sixth-rank annual salary of 100 shi, which would be paid at the end of the year. The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue also sent the land registers for his allotted land of 4 qing (a unit of area) and his permanent estate of 2 qing and 50 mu (a unit of area). It seems that the emperor had prepared the edict well in advance before summoning him, and the Secretariat signed it and the Chancellery approved it, which is why the Ministry of Personnel was able to complete the various reissue matters so quickly.
Huan She had never received such a large salary before. After a rough calculation, he suddenly realized he had become a wealthy man. Just as he was feeling dizzy with joy, fifteen servants all called him "Master," and Huan She almost fell to the ground. The Ministry of Revenue official explained that this was a salary allocated by the court to sixth-rank officials according to the law. After finally seeing off the two Ministry of Revenue officials and the palace eunuchs, Huan She carefully walked around the five-courtyard mansion with only one master. He secretly vowed that if he married someone who was not yet married, he would have to have ten sons to fill all the rooms. But right now, he was all alone and the more he looked around, the more uneasy he felt.
He asked a servant named Xiaoyuan, who said there was still some time before the gates of the neighborhood were closed, enough time to stroll around the market, and besides, he was a little hungry. "Which market would you like to go to, Master? The East Market is closer to the mansion, the West Market is farther, but it's more lively." Huan She said, "Then I'll go to the West Market."
PS:
During the Tang Dynasty, cities implemented a curfew, with separate restrictions on streets and gates. Neighborhoods had set opening and closing times; once the curfew was over, one could not leave the neighborhood and could only wander within its own area.
Thanks to Comrade XF for finding the information, which helped me resolve the doubts of all the readers.
① The Left and Right Guards were originally the Left and Right Guards. ② In the fifth year of the Wude era of Emperor Gaozu of Tang (622 AD), they were renamed the Left and Right Guards. ③ In the fifth year of the Xianqing era of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (660 AD), they were renamed the Left and Right Thousand Ox Guards. ④ In the seventh year of the Xianqing era (662 AD), they were renamed the Left and Right Fengchen Guards. ⑤ In the eighth year of the Xianqing era (663 AD), they were renamed back to the Left and Right Thousand Ox Guards. Huan She became a Thousand Ox Guard in the fifteenth year of the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of Tang (641 AD), so he was under the jurisdiction of the Right Guard.
I didn't update yesterday because I realized I had some issues with how I used place names, so I reviewed my textbook and corrected them.
Regarding the classification of this book, well, I feel that just the A+B format is really not enough. It should be romance, fantasy, history, legend, military + antique, bickering lovers, one-night stand, soul wandering, proximity, substitution, bewilderment, meteoric rise, alternate history, reconciliation, devoted love, noble birth, favored by heaven, natural disasters and man-made calamities, a match made in heaven, exotic adventures, unexpected twists of fate... So it needs to be changed from time to time for something new and to satisfy the craving.
I really didn't expect that FELICITAS and the phone rang because they usually search by category to find this article. Sorry about that. Next time, you can find my pen name, article title, or main/supporting character name on the homepage. You can also directly enter 22176. in the address bar to see my column.
Chapter Thirty-Five
35. [Luoyang]
Riding beside the emperor's jade chariot, Huan She's heart was far away in the carriage carrying Li Weiying behind him. He was anxious; he had left Chang'an early on the 17th and had been following the emperor closely for over two days, without a single moment to be alone with her. Sometimes he would stand and serve the emperor at his meals, and she would also sit among them, but surrounded by a large group of princes, princesses, and high-ranking officials, she could only watch silently. Huan She thought to himself, "If I had known this would happen, I should have resigned from my position as the emperor's personal attendant and become her ox-driver." The more he thought about it, the angrier he became at the driver who drove her carriage.
On the evening of the 19th (Xin Si day), the Emperor arrived at the Wentang Palace in the southern suburbs of Luoyang. Before even taking his leave, he began reviewing memorials sent from the capital. "Qin'er, the ink is dry." Li Weiying stood beside the Emperor, holding the inkstone, her eyes fixed on Huan She, a guard by the door. Hearing her father speak, she quickly lowered her head to grind more ink. "Alright, alright, Qin'er, go back and rest," the Emperor said softly. Li Weiying became anxious, "Father still has unfinished business; how can I return first?" The Emperor laughed, "Did you come to help your father or to meet your sweetheart? You've been acting like a spoiled child these past two days. Huan She, that's enough for today. It's late; quickly escort the princess back." He then summoned another guard.
Huan She and Li Weiying were overjoyed and hurriedly thanked her. Just as they reached the imperial bedchamber, Huan She embraced her tightly, exclaiming, "I missed you so much, Qingqing!" She groaned softly, "It hurts." Huan She was startled, quickly releasing her and pulling a sweat-dampened bundle from his robes. Inside was a gold-inlaid box. "I bought it at the West Market the day before yesterday. I know you don't care for these things, but I think it suits you very well." Li Weiying picked up a pearl and jade hairpin, twirling it gently in the moonlight, her eyes sparkling. "It's so beautiful," she said. Huan She was delighted. He remembered how she had sold her jewelry to buy medicine for his injuries, and how she had given him gifts after gifts, while he had never given her anything in return. Now that he finally had money, who else would he spend it on if not her?
She tilted her head. "Hurry up." Huan She tucked the jade hairpin into her hair and kissed her cheek again. "What is this?" she asked, pointing to another small, round, gilded box inside. Huan She carefully opened it, and a strange fragrance wafted out. "I saw women on the street painting flowers on their faces, so I asked the shopkeeper for a box. He said it was dyed with the stamens of twenty-two kinds of flowers, and also with crystal, mica, pearl, sandalwood... cough, I can't remember. It won't fade for three days after it's applied." It turned out to be a powder for applying yellow to the forehead or cheeks. Li Weiying always preferred simplicity and elegance and disliked excessive makeup, but seeing how much Huan She liked it, she found the powder quite charming. "Put some on for me."
Huan She dipped his fingertip in the pale yellow liquid, about to press it onto her cheek, when his expression changed. He forcefully pushed her away, leaped forward, caught a long arrow with his left hand, and threw Ruihe with his right. He then drew his gleaming sword and struck the arrows, sending several feathered arrows clattering against the pillars of the courtyard. "Protect the Emperor!" he shouted.
A group of guards rushed over upon hearing the commotion. The emperor was furious: "Who dares to attempt an assassination?" Arrows had been shot towards the emperor's bedchamber, and if Huan She hadn't intervened, the assassin would have retreated, and the emperor would likely have been in danger. There should have been guards outside the courtyard, but for some reason, they hadn't noticed. The emperor roared, "Investigate immediately! It must be a traitor!" Huan She replied, "The traitor was poisoned by my powder." The emperor asked in surprise, "What?" Huan She was somewhat embarrassed, "It's yellow powder. I recognize the assassin's figure; please allow me to take men to investigate." Li Weiying was still sitting on the steps, surrounded by guards. Huan She glanced at her and quickly led his men away.
A search of the entourage revealed a faint yellow stain on the hem of the robe of one of the bodyguards, Cui Qing. Cui Qing confessed to another accomplice, Diao Wenyi, whose physique matched Huan She's description. When questioned about their plot, Diao only replied that he was weary of the arduous journey and hoped to frighten the Emperor to return to the capital. The officials wanted to question him further, but the Emperor waved his hand and said, "Enough. Punish him according to the law." He was immediately executed by flogging for treason. Before their execution, Cui and Diao cursed, "Huan She, you male favorite, you abuse your power because of the princess! Know that we also have powerful backers, Your Majesty…" The Emperor shouted urgently, "Behead them immediately!" Their blood splattered on the spot.
The Emperor, looking weary, said, "Increase the guards and remove Teng Lu from his post as Commander-in-Chief, replacing him with Huan She." Huan She knelt and said, "Your subject dares not." The Emperor said, "You saved me, and handled the situation well just now. If you refuse, do you think my orders were flawed?" Huan She dared not refuse and thanked him profusely. The Emperor then asked, "How is the princess?" Upon hearing this, Huan She realized that his push had injured her ankle again, and he immediately panicked. "Your Majesty!" The Emperor said, "Come with me."
Before even reaching her palace, they heard her scream in pain. The emperor was heartbroken, and Huan She was terrified. He rushed into the palace, where the imperial physician was repositioning her joints. The emperor embraced his daughter, who wept bitterly. He comforted her repeatedly, "My dear, Daddy's here. Don't be afraid, my darling." Turning to Huan She, he said, "You saved me, but you've broken my heart. How should I punish you?" Li Weiying said through her pain, "Father, don't punish him. It was all my fault for falling." The emperor sighed, "Very well, I'll punish him by making him stay here with you. But if I hear you cry again, I will not let him off easily." Seeing that dawn was approaching, he returned to the palace.
Holding Li Weiying tightly, Huan She said, "I hurt you again, Weiying, how are you?" Her lips were pressed together. Huan She said, "Cry, I'm not afraid of the Emperor's punishment." She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Huan She untied the pleats of his robe, revealing his shoulder. "Come on, a bite will make it stop hurting." She lowered her head, her pearly teeth parting, but only leaving a light ring of ink on his firm, taut skin. "From now on, you belong to me alone. You're not allowed to look at other women when you go out," she said, her eyes brimming with tears. Huan She kissed her repeatedly. "Yes, how could I possibly look at anyone else?"
She said, "Why did you throw the powder you gave me at the assassin?" Huan She said, "Ah, there's still a little bit left." Seeing that his fingertip was yellow, he tried to apply it to her cheek, but it wouldn't leave a mark. He could only say, "I'm already yours. Applying it to my finger is like smearing it on you." She chuckled. Huan She suddenly remembered, took off the jade pendant from his neck, and said ingratiatingly, "I changed the ribbon on your pendant, but the knot isn't tied well. You can tie it again." The dark green silk tassel was similar in color to the original pendant ribbon. Huan She thought that this was a replacement for what she had given him. But she cried out, "Where's the chain? Where did you throw it?" She struggled to get up, but Huan She held her down, "Don't move." She said sharply, "Why did you destroy my things so easily? Why didn't you ask me first?" Huan She had never seen her so angry, and quickly said, "It's still here, it's still here. I just threw it in the mansion." She added, "Was that chain also a gift from His Majesty?" She remained silent, stunned. Afraid of angering her further, Huan She gently coaxed her to sleep.
After serving as a Qianniu Beishen for only three days, he was promoted to the rank of Lower Fourth Grade Lang Jiang, rising eight ranks in a row. Adding to the three ranks he had previously been promoted, he rose a total of eleven ranks. Despite the open and covert mockery, Huan She couldn't be happy about his promotion and could only work even harder. Before he knew it, it was March, and the emperor had moved into Luoyang Palace. Li Weiying's foot injury had healed, but Huan She couldn't help feeling lingering fear when he recalled Fei Heng's words. On this Cold Food Festival, he had just finished his night duty and was about to visit her when an imperial edict ordered everyone to go to Cuiwei Palace to receive their meal.
Traveling southeast along the Longlin Canal to the edge of Cuiwei Pond, a gentle breeze parted the rippling water, carrying the sounds of women's laughter. Several swings rose and fell, and Huan She couldn't help but stop to watch. "Huan Lang!" A bright and cheerful voice suddenly floated down from the sky. Huan She looked in the direction of the voice and saw a swing already seven or eight zhang high, with a beautiful woman riding the wind, her frost-colored narrow sleeves revealing her fair wrists, and her light pink long skirt fluttering as a white falcon unexpectedly approached. Huan She happily admired her joy, then suddenly shouted, "Come down!" He rushed to Li Weiying's swing, forcibly ordering the palace servants to stop. Before she could land, he leaped up and carried her back to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Li Weiying was furious. Huan She felt relieved as he held her close. "You're not allowed to play such dangerous games again. Your foot injury has just healed; it would be terrible if you fell." "Who did this to me?" she pouted. Only then did Huan She notice the two small yellow flowers painted on her face, swaying adorably. He reached out to pick the flowers, but she turned her head away, her bright green hairpins glittering in his eyes.
"Huan Lang, Huan Lang!" A group of princesses and noblewomen surrounded Huan She, chattering like Li Weiying. "Come and see! So this is the man Qin'er is bewitched by!" "Oh, he's a court official." "Look at what's tattooed on his face. Is it a sign of unwavering love until death?" Huan She was greatly embarrassed. Li Weiying couldn't stop her sisters' chatter and suddenly scolded, "Huan Zishen, you are here on imperial orders. Why are you still lingering?" Huan She quickly left the laughter behind and ran away.
Having received the imperial gift of cold food in front of Cuiwei Palace, Huan She, having just finished a night's duty, was starving. He squatted down under a pillar with his bowl and began to eat heartily. The barley porridge with maltose and the snow-white almond milk were sweet and cool, but they didn't satisfy his hunger. He then ate a sweet and oily jujube pancake, but felt even more unsatisfied. A colleague from the Right Office came to call him, and Huan She responded, picked up his empty bowl, and stood up. He saw one of Princess Xianyang's close attendants run over, take the empty bowl from his hand, and hand him a food basket.
Huan She opened the basket and found a bowl of cold noodles made with locust leaves. The noodles, made from the juice of fresh locust leaves, lay in a thick, flavorful broth, topped with savory and refreshing salted bracken. Last year, when he and Li Weiying traveled back to Longyou, they had chatted about how soldiers on the frontier cooled off in the summer heat; she must have remembered his preference. Huan She ate as he walked, his smile widening with each bite. He noticed a bright red, openwork egg in the basket, its silver powder depicting his smiling face. Huan She laughed, realizing that aside from the wanted poster he'd once worn, this egg was practically the second official portrait of his life. The egg was netted within a red silk net, which Huan She then hung at his waist.
The emperor, accompanied by civil and military officials and members of the imperial family, watched polo matches at the polo field in front of the palace. The imperial guards from Chang'an and the garrison from Luoyang were divided into two teams to compete in polo. The polo field, a thousand paces wide, was surrounded on three sides by colorful brocade barriers. The yellow earth was level and smooth. War drums thundered, red flags fluttered, and twenty strong men, wearing turbans and black boots, stood beside their horses, each holding a crescent-shaped polo mallet. The horses were adorned with long, bright red tassels and golden bridles, their tails neatly braided. The announcer stood in the center and tossed a hollow, crimson wooden ball into the air. The two teams raced side-by-side, vying for the ball.
Before long, the Luoyang army had gained a three-point advantage. The emperor was greatly displeased. "I besieged Luoyang for nearly a year before finally defeating the enemy. I never expected the Chang'an garrison to be so incompetent today. If we don't gain another point, how can I save face?" He ordered the athletes to stop playing and rest, and gave each of them a cup of fine wine. The emperor suddenly remembered, "Huan Qing, you must have often played polo in Guazhou." Huan She replied, "Yes, we often used it to simulate battle formations and attacks during winter military drills." "Your Majesty has such a talented person, why not let him participate?" said Cen Wenben, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery. The emperor nodded. "What do you think?" Huan She readily agreed.
Li Weiying said, "Father, Huan Lang is a fourth-rank general. To have him play with ordinary soldiers would be to slight him." The emperor laughed and said, "Father has forgotten. In that case, replace them all with officers of the fifth rank or above. I want to see what the commanders are really capable of." Upon hearing this, some were surprised, and some whispered among themselves, "Indeed, it's because of the princess's connections that even the Emperor favors him so much."
Both factions had now replaced their officers with higher-ranking ones. General You Xiong of the Left Palace was a cousin of Teng Lu, the former Commander of the Right Palace, and had long harbored resentment towards Huan She for replacing Teng Lu. When toasting his fellow generals, he feigned an accident and spilled all the wine on Huan She's lapel, saying, "Oh dear, Lord Huan, this will offend the princess! Lord Huan, please persuade Her Highness not to be angry." Huan She stood silently for a moment, then left the stage. Grand Secretary Yang Shidao personally took on the role of announcer, restarting the game.
Upon entering the arena, Huan She immediately sensed the dire situation. It seemed that his fellow generals had all been instructed by You Xiong and were not cooperating with him in passing and sending the ball, causing him to lose two points in the process. The emperor, watching with growing anxiety, ordered an eunuch to convey the decree: "The first to advance the ball and the one with the most points will be rewarded with one hundred ingots of gold." The competition among the officers on the field intensified, with riders weaving and overlapping, their tracks intertwined. Huan She swung his staff, intending to strike the ball into the hole, when You Xiong galloped in and managed to break his staff in two.
Li Weiying, watching from the palace tower, was furious. "Father, they've gone too far in bullying Huan Lang!" The Emperor shrugged slightly. "It's alright. If he can't even handle this much, how can he maintain his position in court?" Then Huan She suddenly signaled to the chief announcer, Yang Shidao, to stop, dismounted, and walked into the palace. "Your Majesty," he said, "I have a request. Please grant me the power to control my own troops." The Emperor said, "Oh? Do you know that this means even a third-rank general would have to obey your orders?" Huan She replied, "The training ground is like a battlefield. Right now, the guards are only focused on fighting for their own advantage, in complete chaos, with no order in their advance or retreat. Now that I'm on the field, I don't want to be defeated. I beg Your Majesty's permission." The Emperor granted his request.
Huan She summoned his friends and generals, first expelling Xiong and replacing him with another general from the Left Valiant Cavalry Office to discuss the matter. You Xiongda was furious: "I am a third-rank general of the Left Army, how dare you expel me?" Huan She coldly replied: "Lord You, once on the field, you are clueless about command and only bully your subordinates. What kind of superior demeanor does a defeated general have? Further words are useless. Leave the ball and get off the field." He said to the other nine: "His Majesty issued the reward, originally intended as encouragement, but if everyone only thinks about getting into the field and receiving the reward, then we will definitely not win. I hereby declare that we will not accept any reward. Moreover, whoever gets into the field will share the reward equally, but we will not share it with him. Anyone who dares to steal credit for himself and disobey my orders will be expelled from the field without any regard for feelings." Huan She's superior, General Xu Zhi of the Right Army, shouted: "Zishen came by imperial decree. Anyone who disobeys is disobeying the imperial order. I will obey Zishen's orders wholeheartedly." Huan She nodded to him and then analyzed the enemy and friendly situation with everyone, outlining the duties of each person.