Chu Ruoyan immediately rushed over with Chu Ruoyin.
The polo field was packed with a sea of spectators.
After much effort, they squeezed their way to the front of the viewing platform, where they saw Chu Ruolan clad in red riding attire, mounted on a chestnut steed, standing in stark contrast to Princess Jiahui’s silver riding outfit and her snow-white horse!
“Didn’t she say she didn’t bring her riding gear or polo mallet?”
“It was given to her by the Zou Family’s young lady!” Chu Ruoyin said bitterly. “After Eldest Sister left, Princess Jiahui somehow found Miss Zou and challenged her to a match. Miss Zou didn’t dare refuse but ran to Third Sister instead. Third Sister, being impulsive, agreed immediately when she saw how aggressive the princess was. Then Miss Zou lent her all the riding gear, the horse, and the mallet!”
“Zou Yue?”
Chu Ruoyan’s expression darkened as she turned to look.
At the far right of the viewing platform, Zou Yue stood beside her aunt, Princess Yongyang, meeting Chu Ruoyan’s gaze with a faint smile—as if victory was already assured.
Chu Ruoyan sneered. “Fool. She’s being used as a pawn and still rushing to fight someone else’s battle!”
“Huh?” Chu Ruoyin looked confused.
Chu Ruoyan clenched her fingers. “Zou Yue’s aunt is Princess Yongyang, and Princess Yongyang is Princess Jiahui’s aunt by marriage. Even if they aren’t close, they wouldn’t compete so fiercely over a mere polo match. This is clearly a setup to force Chu Ruolan into the game!”
As for why—it likely wasn’t even about Chu Ruolan. It was about her!
Princess Yongyang was also the consort of Prince Yu. Back then, because of Wenjing, Chu Ruoyan had offended their daughter, County Princess Kanghe. Later, Yan Zheng had also dealt with Prince Yu. No doubt Princess Yongyang was now settling the score entirely on her head!
“What should we do? Can Third Sister win?”
Chu Ruoyin paled in fright, mirroring the panic on the other side of the platform where Lady Jiang the Younger stood.
She had been chatting with Lady Liu and Lady Pei, just boasting about how refined and virtuous her third daughter was—only to turn and see Chu Ruolan on horseback, mallet raised high, nearly spitting blood in fury!
“H-How did Third Young Lady end up playing?” Lady Liu was equally bewildered.
Beside her, Lady Pei frowned. “It seems she’s competing against Princess Jiahui… This is…”
Everyone in the capital knew Princess Jiahui’s infamous temper—those who obeyed her thrived, those who defied her perished.
If Chu Ruolan lost today, it might still be manageable. But if she won—who knew what would happen?
As they spoke, Princess Jiahui struck first, charging toward the goal behind Chu Ruolan.
Her riding skills were indeed remarkable, maneuvering the ball effortlessly and drawing cheers from the crowd.
“Princess Jiahui’s polo skills might even rival the princes’!”
“For a woman to have such ball control is truly rare!”
By then, Princess Jiahui had reached the goal, smirking arrogantly. “Chu Ruolan, one shot decides it all. You’ve already lost!”
With that, she raised her mallet high and swung down—
But in that split second, Chu Ruolan spurred her horse forward, hooking the ball away just before impact.
Swish!
Princess Jiahui’s strike met empty air—the ball had somehow landed beneath Chu Ruolan’s mallet.
The field fell silent. Chu Ruolan arched a brow at her, then turned and galloped toward the opposite goal.
Enraged, Princess Jiahui slapped her horse’s flank and gave chase!
Her snow-white steed was indeed superior, closing the gap swiftly until they rode side by side.
They clashed several times, but Chu Ruolan’s mallet work was impeccable—Princess Jiahui couldn’t wrest the ball away.
As they neared the goal, Princess Jiahui gritted her teeth and swung her mallet straight at Chu Ruolan’s head—
“Watch out!!”
Gasps erupted around them. Lady Jiang the Younger nearly fainted on the spot.
At the last moment, Chu Ruolan bent low, pressing flat against her horse’s back to evade the blow.
But in doing so, she missed the perfect shot. Just as everyone thought the match would end in a draw—
“Hyah!”
Chu Ruolan yanked the reins hard, forcing her horse to rear up. As she slid backward in the saddle—
She swung.
Thwack!
The ball sailed into the net. The crowd was stunned into silence.
The spectacle left everyone breathless—even Princess Yongyang, who prided herself on her polo skills, gaped in disbelief. How could a girl of fourteen or fifteen pull off such a move?
Only when the chestnut horse’s hooves landed again, the clip-clop breaking the stillness, did the crowd erupt in deafening cheers.
“Incredible! Simply incredible!”
“Her skill with the mallet is matched only by her horsemanship!”
“Whose daughter is she? She’s the star of today’s match!”
“That was absolutely thrilling!”
Praise poured in from all sides. Noblewomen on the platform began inquiring about her background and marital status, some even making their way toward Lady Jiang the Younger.
Lady Jiang, her face finally regaining color after the scare, heard Lady Pei remark sincerely, “Your daughter’s polo skills would earn even His Majesty’s admiration!”
“You flatter her too much…”
As Chu Ruolan lifted her chin, basking in the acclaim, Princess Jiahui stood frozen in place.
This wasn’t right…
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be…
She was the one who always won. Why had it become Chu Ruolan’s triumph?
She turned toward the platform, where Princess Yongyang’s grim expression radiated displeasure.
Princess Jiahui’s heart clenched as if gripped by an invisible hand.
How dare she be dissatisfied?
Scanning the field, every eye was fixed on Chu Ruolan, as if she were the favored daughter of heaven, showered with adoration…
A surge of malice overtook her.
“Hyah!”
She suddenly spurred her horse toward Chu Ruolan.
On the platform, Chu Ruoyan’s face changed. “Behind you!”
But the noise drowned her out. No one noticed as Princess Jiahui closed in, raising her mallet and striking Chu Ruolan’s horse hard on the flank.
The steed whinnied in pain, rearing violently.
Caught off guard, Chu Ruolan nearly toppled off, her superb riding skills the only thing saving her as she clung to the reins.
But the horse was now frenzied, bolting wildly across the field.
“Heavens! Be careful!”
“If she falls, it could be fatal!”
“Hold on tight!”
No one had anticipated this sudden turn. Even the trainers at the edge of the field hesitated—the enraged horse was too dangerous to approach.
Hearts pounded in throats. Lady Jiang the Younger, having just recovered from one scare, now fainted outright.
In that critical moment, a figure in plain robes darted forward like a butterfly weaving through flowers, landing gracefully on the field.
“Young Lady! You mustn’t—!” Nanny Zhou cried in horror, but it was too late.
Chu Ruoyan’s toes barely touched the ground before she leaped, mounting the horse in one fluid motion without even using the stirrups.
The crowd gasped.
There, atop the frantic steed behind Chu Ruolan, the frail Eldest Miss Chu took hold of the reins and commanded firmly, “Relax!”
Trembling and drenched in sweat, Chu Ruolan had been certain death was near. Hearing that voice, she nearly sobbed. “Eldest Sister?”
