Huan She wiped the sweat from his face; his chest and back were soaked, and the remaining wine spilled on his lapel by Xiong was also making him feel uncomfortable. He simply took off his upper garment and tossed it to a eunuch. The guards, accustomed to a life of luxury in the capital and rarely experiencing battle, were horrified to see his numerous wounds and couldn't help but feel a deep respect. Two officers from the Imperial Guard, who had only half-undressed, quickly put their garments back on, almost embarrassed to show their delicate skin in front of him. Huan She leaped onto his horse, holding his ceremonial staff high and pointing it straight to the sky: "All officers, follow my lead!"
The Chang'an guards, in high spirits, immediately began their assault upon entering the field, coordinating their attacks so that Huan She could gain the first advantage. The Luoyang defenders, however, were no pushovers. Often, just as the Chang'an troops crossed the middle of the field, the Luoyang soldiers would seize the ball and assign men to guard Huan She, usually two or three riders flanking him. Huan She, in turn, feigned an attack, seemingly striking forward but then suddenly turning his club and swinging the ball backward. Xu Zhi caught the ball with a long strike, gaining another advantage. Seeing that the Chang'an guards were about to equalize, the Luoyang army intensified their attack, forming an arc formation to block the Chang'an troops, while their trusted polo expert, Cui Yan, led the ball directly towards the Chang'an side of the polo hole. Huan She shouted, "Le Yan, Yuan Faran!" The two yelled, "Understood!" Each led a horse and suddenly charged straight at the Luoyang army's arc formation. Anyone who tried to stop them was swept away with a ball. The four tall horses came with momentum and instantly tore apart the enemy's formation. Cui Yan was shocked. Shang Lue took the opportunity to rush to his side and knock the ball back to his side. The two sides then clashed and fought each other.
The Emperor nodded, "The Chang'an Guards' attack had a real feel to it, breaking through enemy lines." Ma Zhou, a Grand Master of the Palace and Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, said, "Your Majesty has gained another talented general." Li Weiying was very proud, "Huan Lang has his own strategic brilliance." The Emperor smiled and said, "The competition is not over yet, you all must wait patiently."
As they spoke, the Luoyang garrison recaptured the polo ball. Cui Yan's polo skills were superb; after launching the ball, he repeatedly swung it high into the air without letting it touch the ground, drawing cheers from the spectators. The Chang'an army had no way to intercept him, but then Huan She suddenly spurred his horse forward, leaping high, his steed's hooves bucking wildly, rider and horse soaring through the air. With a powerful strike of his long staff, even the blazing sun seemed to tremble, forcefully knocking Cui Yan's ball away. The spectators in the palace were moved, rising to their feet to applaud, even the emperor himself clapping in admiration. Yue Yan received the ball and passed it to Shang Lue, and the Chang'an garrison finally forced the Luoyang garrison to a stalemate.
The fierce battle raged on the field, and before long, the hour of Si (9-11 AM) was drawing to a close. Both teams were determined to gain another advantage, locked in a fierce struggle. Their staffs gleamed like crescent moons, their balls like shooting stars, their horses like dragons, their sturdy horseshoes gleaming silver, and billowing yellow dust rose from the ground. The young men leaped from their horses, some crouching low to the ground, creating a scene of overwhelming power and momentum. Yuan Faran had already won the ball, but Cui Yan suddenly appeared and snatched it away. Huan She pursued relentlessly, shoveling the ball with his staff, raising a cloud of yellow dust. Cui Yan vaguely saw a red ball fly up and chased after it to strike, only to realize his mistake. Huan She had already raised his intricately carved staff, hooked the wooden ball away, and with three swift strikes, sent it flying into the opponent's pocket.
The announcer, Yang Shidao, loudly proclaimed, "The game ends at 9 AM; the Chang'an Guards have won!" The guards cheered, tossing their polo sticks high into the air, piercing the blue sky before whistling down and embedding them in the yellow sand. The Luoyang garrison also congratulated them calmly. Everyone entered the arena together, except for Huan She, who dismounted and walked against the flow, missing the flushed, sweat-drenched faces, returning to the spot where he had just fought with Cui Yan. The sandstorm subsided, returning to dust. He bent down and picked up a broken crimson eggshell, still bearing a trace of silver-painted lips. Trying to piece the fragments back together, he only managed to leave powder where his fingers touched it; the midday wind rose, and it vanished in a wisp of smoke. Standing in the wind, a bright red apricot blossom drifted by from outside the arena, gently landing on the tip of his bent polo stick. Huan She remained speechless, lost in thought, while Li Weiying, laughing, ran down to take his hand.
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P.S.: I'm so angry! Who said I was going to write a tragedy? It's just a serious drama with a tragic storyline.
Chapter Thirty-Six
36. [Fame and Success]
The Emperor was very pleased with the performance of both players, ordered golden goblets to be filled, and bestowed generous rewards upon them. However, Huan She was nowhere to be seen, and upon hearing that he had declined the rewards, the Emperor ordered a eunuch to bring him to the palace. Huan She stood at the corner of the hall; his right shoulder had been grazed by an opposing player's long stick while playing polo, and his elbow had also been scraped on the sand. Li Weiying was carefully bandaging his wound. Huan She replied to the eunuch, "Your Majesty, my attire is inappropriate." Upon hearing this, the Emperor laughed and said, "There is no need for formalities; you may meet me with your clothes to the naked."
Huan She knelt down in the hall and drank the wine bestowed upon him by the emperor. The eyes of the emperor and his ministers were all fixed on his muscular body, glistening with sweat. They had not been able to see clearly from a distance, but now they could see the scars on his body, some black, some red, uneven, tangled and hideous. The ministers below whispered among themselves, "It seems he couldn't bear the torture and was a fugitive for three years."
Huan She felt a rush of blood to his head. The indelible tattoo on his left cheekbone suddenly burned and burst open, and then he was cut deep into the bone with each stroke. The torture and torment of the past, the cold ridicule and sarcasm that he had deliberately forgotten, all came rushing back in a frenzy. Every inch of his hidden secrets and deep-seated pain was to be ruthlessly exposed, and he was so naked in the face, with nowhere to escape.
Huan She felt a surge of madness, his face convulsing uncontrollably. He abruptly pushed away the robe Li Weiying had draped over him. She gently wiped his burning red, veiny forehead. "Huan Lang, this is not your shame, but the shame of the court." The Emperor rose from his seat and walked to him, picking up the jade pendant around his neck. "Ah, it's Qin'er's jade." He smiled at his daughter and patted his shoulder. "Huan Qing?" Huan She whispered, "Yes, Your Majesty." The Emperor slowly stroked his chest and back. "This wound must be from a saber, this one from an arrow, a spear, a lance. Oh? There are more sword wounds than arrow wounds, all from close-quarters combat. I haven't personally witnessed Huan Qing's battlefield prowess, but I can imagine your ambition and unstoppable courage." The room fell silent.
The Emperor continued, "Huan Qing's performance on the polo field today was also excellent. He lured the enemy with profit and seized the opportunity when they were in disarray. Even in a small polo match, he showed strategic thinking. He is truly worthy of being trained. Just now, Minister Ma praised you as a military talent."
Yang Shidao jokingly said, "Your Majesty, please appoint him as the polo general." Laughter filled the room, the emperor showed slight displeasure, and Li Weiying was even more annoyed, "What nonsense is the Grand Secretary talking about!" Yang Shidao was originally the husband of Princess Changguang, the fifth daughter of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. Li Weiying had always politely addressed him as her uncle, but now she changed her address and shouted angrily. Yang Shidao also realized that he had misspoke.
A fierce glint suddenly flashed in Huan She's eyes.
"Huan Lang, Huan Lang, my great hero!" she whispered in her ear.
*Crack.* Huan She clearly heard the last small fragment of eggshell he held in his hand pierce his palm with a sharp sound, causing a slight stinging pain.
“Dust and sand turn to ashes once they enter, and gold, after being hammered a thousand times, grows ever redder,” recited Sun Fujia, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He had only served as a clerk during the Sui Dynasty, but he became the top scholar in the imperial examination during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. He rose through the ranks and did not shy away from his humble origins. In the first month of the lunar calendar, he personally released Huan She from prison.
Huan She's expression had softened considerably. He nodded to the emperor and then said, "Your Majesty, I have a request." The emperor said, "Speak." Huan She gazed at Li Weiying's eager and expectant smile for a long time, his heart filled with conflicting emotions. He said firmly, "Your Majesty, I went to Guazhou with my uncle when I was young, and haven't returned to my hometown of Xingyang for twenty years. Now, I've come east with Your Majesty, and my hometown is so close. With Qingming Festival approaching, I request permission to take two days off to return home and sweep the graves of my parents." The emperor paused for a moment, "Granted. Do you have anything else to ask?" Huan She replied, "This is all I have to ask today." The emperor took his daughter's hand, "Very well, I hereby grant you a carriage." Huan She bowed deeply, his eyes catching the slight trembling of Li Weiying's heavy shoes beneath her light pink dress. He said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. May I go now?" The emperor silently granted his request, and Huan She hurried down the steps.
On the seventh day of the third month (戊辰), the emperor moved to the newly completed Xiangcheng Palace in Ruzhou. That evening, Huan She also rushed back from his hometown of Xingyang and went to the emperor's bedchamber by imperial decree. The emperor was discussing matters with Cen Wenben, the Vice Minister of the Chancellery, and Ma Zhou, the Grand Master of the Palace Attendants and Secretary of the Chancellery. After exchanging greetings with Huan She, Cen, Ma, and Huan She withdrew with the eunuchs. The emperor said meaningfully, "Now that you're back, are you still willing to stay by my side?" Huan She replied, "Your Majesty knows my heart. I once told Princess Xianyang that I wanted everyone in the world to praise her for her accurate and brilliant judgment. I have come here to earnestly request Your Majesty to strip me of my official rank and allow me to return to Guazhou to fight on the battlefield and establish my own merit." The emperor smiled helplessly, "I have been a bit hasty these days, and you have been burdened with many responsibilities." Huan She replied, "I have failed Your Majesty's expectations."
The Emperor said, “When I was still the Prince of Qin, I went hunting in Xianyang. Wei Ying was born then, hence her nickname Qin’er and the title of Princess Xianyang. She is my most beloved daughter. She likes you, and I admire her greatly. Compared to my other sons-in-law, a bunch of纨绔子弟 (spoiled brats) who only rely on their grandfathers' influence, you are far superior. However, you have no family background and come from a poor family. Your sudden rise to such a high position has indeed drawn criticism from some in the court. Furthermore, regarding the assassination attempt at Wentang last time, I suspect it was either Chengqian or Qingque who was behind it, but I have spoiled them so much that I only hope they will repent. I have heard that recently, people from the Crown Prince's residence and the Prince of Wei's residence have been trying to win you over?” Huan She replied, “Your Majesty, I only know to be loyal to you.” The Emperor was very satisfied. “Good. You cannot easily discern the interests involved. I hope you will make some real contributions and not get caught up in the situation.”
Huan She suddenly leaped forward, blocking the emperor's path. His right hand, with its tiger's mouth wide open, precisely clamped down on the vital spot of a green snake in the corner of the wall. His left hand swiftly swept the snake from its neck to its tail, then slammed its body to the ground, throwing it far out of the palace. The emperor was furious: "Yan Lide spent so much money, yet he chose such a damp, miasma-ridden place, teeming with snakes and insects!" His ailment flared up again, and he began to pant.
Huan She hurriedly summoned a palace attendant, and the emperor brought in some medicine. "Huan Qing has repeatedly saved my life. Even if I promote you to general, what good will it do?" Huan She lamented, "Then people will just call me the Snake-Catching General again." The emperor grasped Huan She's hand, and Huan She exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty!" The emperor said, "During the Jin Dynasty, the Huan family produced eleven generals. I hope you can also inherit your ancestors' legacy and assist our Great Tang." Huan She was deeply moved: "I will swear to defend the country to the death." The emperor said, "Going into battle is like having your head hanging from your waist. In my youth, I always led the charge, charging into battle..." He had narrowly escaped death several times. Severe injuries and exhaustion had left him with chronic asthma. "Sending you to war is only because I fear the Qin people will blame me in the future," the emperor said. Huan She firmly replied, "Your Majesty's kindness to me is something Wei Ying and I are deeply grateful for. My trip to Xingyang to offer sacrifices to my parents shows my resolve; I will not return without achieving fame and success. I will go to Guazhou now." The emperor shook his head. "The Western Turks are still wary of my swift destruction of Gaochang and dare not act for the time being. You will go to Bingzhou, follow Li Shiji, and be prepared to respond to any changes." The Duke of Ying, Li Shiji, was renowned for his prestige, and Huan She was greatly encouraged.
The Emperor ordered a eunuch to bring a plate of sweets. "Wen Tang cherries, ripening early due to the changing seasons, taste wonderful. But I can't eat them when my illness flares up. While Qin'er is away, you and I can secretly have a few together." Huan She picked one and chewed it slowly, recalling the times they talked about cherries under the grape tree in the capital of Gaochang. A bittersweet feeling welled up inside him, and he unloaded his satchel. The Emperor glanced at it. "Eh?" Huan She said, "Xingyang persimmon cakes, a specialty of my hometown. Please give them to the princess, Your Majesty." The Emperor also picked one up and ate it. "Will she leave again if she doesn't see it?"
Huan She rolled a cherry between his two fingers—red as the morning glow, glistening with dew, clear as her eyes, and sweet as her face—"Once you see her, you can't walk away."
***
Bingzhou in Hedong Circuit, formerly part of Taiyuan Prefecture during the Sui Dynasty, was the birthplace of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, who swore an oath to raise an army and establish the Tang Dynasty. The current emperor calls it the foundation of the royal enterprise and the root of the country.
Li Shiji, the Grand General of Bingzhou, Grand Master of the Palace, and Duke of Ying, originally named Xu Shiji, courtesy name Maogong, served as Grand General of Bingzhou. During the chaos of the late Sui Dynasty, at the young age of seventeen, he assisted Zhai Rang in building up his army and later served under Li Mi. After surrendering to the Tang Dynasty, he was highly praised by Emperor Gaozu and granted the surname Li. He repeatedly distinguished himself in battles against Wang Shichong, Dou Jiande, Liu Heita, Xu Yuanlang, and Fu Gongshi. In the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, he followed Duke Wei, Li Jing, in a major victory against the Eastern Turks. Li Shiji governed Bingzhou for sixteen years, governing effectively, maintaining internal stability, deterring the northern barbarians, and ensuring the strict enforcement of his orders, winning the hearts and minds of both Han and non-Han peoples.
When Huan She arrived in Bingzhou, Li Shiji, in accordance with the emperor's decree, appointed him as a Zhuangwu General of the fourth rank, but he firmly declined, saying that he had not yet made any contributions, and only accepted the position of Youji General of the fifth rank. Huan She benefited greatly from training troops and lecturing on military strategy under the guidance of Duke Ying, but the thought of his loved one far away caused him great heartache.
On the day of Xiuning, Huan She loved to ride his horse to the Sui Great Wall southeast of Taigu. The previous dynasty was more than 20 years ago, but the Great Wall that Emperor Yang mobilized tens of thousands of conscripts to rebuild was already in ruins.
The cold moon shines as it pleases, the withered grass grows taller than a person, I ask you, but you do not answer, the white poplars rustle in the wind.
I untied the horse, climbed the empty Great Wall, and lay back on the cold, hard battlements.
I removed the jade pendant from my neck and kissed it, then raised it again to the moonlight. The soft jade, suspended by the iron chain, tinkled and jingled in the breeze. My love, are you still angry that I left without saying goodbye? Are you secretly weeping in your dreams again? Every time the Grand Commander submitted his memorial, I would send you a letter via courier, but you never replied. His Majesty always said you were well, but I could feel the sorrow in your heart even from eight hundred miles away.
Look, I've already had my servant deliver this chain to Bingzhou. Although I don't know what's so special about this iron chain, since you care about it, I'll keep it in my heart too, and I'll never throw it away again. Wait for me, my dear Weiying, I'll return after I've achieved fame and success, but tonight, we can only meet in my dreams.
The moon waxes and wanes, the colorful clouds gather and disperse, and the peach blossoms that fell on the black robe are swept away by the wind, turning into golden and fragrant osmanthus petals, which leap down from the city wall, landing where the ice and snow crunch.
"You fucking got promoted while hiding here?" A loud shout suddenly came from behind, pulling Huan She back as he stepped into the gate.
He turned his head and cursed back, "What the hell are you doing here? And you, you, you!" His companions and enemies on the polo field swarmed forward. Shang Lue, Yuan Faran, Le Yan, and Cui Gun tore off their belts, rolled them into a ball, and threw it to the ground as a polo ball. Holding their swords upside down, they pretended to play polo. Huan She fought with them, saying, "Why is everyone here?" Cui Gun snatched the ball away from him, saying, "Zishen stole my reward, and I'm still resentful. Let's go to the battlefield and settle this once and for all." Shang Lue laughed, "Seventeenth Prince abandoned his official post in the capital to join the army in the outer court. How can we act like children again?"
All his old friends from the Guazhou army had died fighting on the banks of the Hulu River. Now, he suddenly had several more friends who were fearless and heroic. Huan She was deeply moved. "Good brothers, I will stand with you all." Le Yan put his arm around his shoulder. "The imperial envoy from Luoyang has arrived. Does Zi Shen want to see him?"
"Emperor Yang of Sui burdened the people with hardship, building the Great Wall to defend against the Turks, but to no avail. I only placed Li Shiji in Jinyang, and the borders remained undisturbed. His actions served as a Great Wall, how magnificent!" Cao Ling handed the imperial edict to Li Shiji, "I sincerely congratulate Your Excellency on your promotion to Minister of War." Li Shiji smiled modestly and thanked her.
Cao Ling waved to Huan She, "General Huan, how have you been?" Huan She smiled, "Vice Minister Cao, you've returned from Tibet?" Cao Ling said, "Come, come, I have a few private words to say to General Huan." The two left the governor's mansion and went to Huan She's room. Cao Ling, who had been smiling the whole time, suddenly turned her hand and slapped Huan She across the face. Huan She grabbed Cao Ling's wrist, "Why did you hit me?" Cao Ling felt pain from being pulled on her right hand, but continued to slap with her left.
Huan She dodged in a flash. "Has Vice Minister Cao lost his mind?" Cao Ling sneered. "I wonder who's more insane. You've caused Qin'er so much suffering!" Huan She said sadly, "I had no choice but to leave her." Cao Ling said hatefully, "No choice but to leave? You went north overnight, and Qin'er, knowing this, rode her horse all the way to Luoyang. By the time she reached Baiya, she had covered more than two hundred li. Her foot injury had just healed, and she wasn't firmly in the stirrups. When she fell, do you think she survived?" Huan She was thunderstruck. Cao Ling's eyes blazed with fire. "When I returned to my hometown of Luoyang from Tibet, I wanted to take advantage of my reinstatement to sneak into the palace and catch a glimpse of her, to see how happy she was. But until I was ordered to go to Bingzhou, she was still bedridden and often unconscious." Huan She roared and ran out of the room. Cao Ling smashed all the wine pots, cups, and plates on the table against his back. "If I had known this would happen, I should have had you beaten to death in Guazhou!"
Huan She had just led his horse and was about to mount it when he heard the sound of drums beating loudly in the distance. Looking over, he saw Yuan Faran jump up and shout excitedly, "Seventeenth Prince, the Xueyantuo have crossed the desert and marched south! The battle has begun!"
★★★
Well, since I can't log in to JJ, I'll just make some reading notes instead. Please don't mind.
I forgot to mention in the previous chapter: Tangbing is a type of noodle, so the locust leaf cold noodles that Huan She ate were cold noodles made by kneading dough with locust leaf juice, not flatbread. There was also a type of steamed cake at that time, which was pretty much a steamed bun.
Polo existed as early as the Han Dynasty, and Cao Zhi even wrote a poem about it during the Wei Dynasty. It's strange that some people say it originated from Persia or Tibet. By the way, it seems the Cao brothers were both skilled poets and swordsmen. Our Cao Ling was a descendant of the Cao Wei imperial family, so he also…
Polo was incredibly popular during the Tang Dynasty. Reading historical records and looking at related ancient paintings is exhilarating! For example, during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, the Tibetan Empire sent envoys to welcome Princess Jincheng for a marriage alliance, bringing with them a ten-man polo team. The Tang imperial palace and the Shence Army polo teams both lost their matches. Then, Prince Linzi, Li Longji, Prince Siguo, Li Yong, and their two sons-in-law, Yang Shenjiao and Wu Yanxiu, jumped onto the field and, with only four men against ten Tibetans, achieved a resounding victory. Prince Linzi later became Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and was only 24 years old at the time. Sigh, although I don't like him, this was truly impressive. Two young princes and two sons-in-law battling the Tibetans—it's mouthwatering just thinking about it!
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Chen, could ride a horse and hit the ball hundreds of times in a row with a polo stick; Emperor Xizong of Tang, Li Xuan, boasted to his attendants that if the court established a polo-playing examination for scholars, he could become the top scholar.