Three years later, Weiyang Palace.
Huo Tingshan, dressed in a cyan court robe, walked in from outside the hall. He had just returned from the morning assembly.
In the previous dynasty, the morning assembly was set at the hour of Mao, which was between five and seven in the morning. However, Pei Ying felt this was too early. The courtiers had to wake up before dawn, and those officials from humble backgrounds who lived far from the imperial city might even have to get up at three in the morning.
Rushing to court without even having time for breakfast, they would undoubtedly be tired and sleepy during the assembly, lacking the energy to discuss state affairs. Therefore, Pei Ying proposed delaying the start of the morning court.
It wasn't pushed back too much, only to the hour of Chen, a delay of two hours. At the same time, she arranged for the imperial kitchens to open a dining hall in a side palace. Officials who arrived early could fetch their own meals and enjoy hot food.
Many of the reforms took officials from humble backgrounds into consideration, which deeply moved all those who had climbed up from the bottom. They were already of low birth and ostracized by the noble families. After receiving the warm and comforting care of the Emperor and Empress, this group of already staunch royalists stood even firmer.
Since the morning assembly started late, it naturally ended late as well.
Now that Huo Tingshan had finished court and returned to the Weiyang Palace, it was already the hour of Si.
Usually, at this time, Pei Ying would have just woken up.
But Huo Tingshan looked around and even went inside to search, yet he didn't see her. He then asked a maid nearby, "Where is the Empress?"
The maid replied respectfully, "To answer Your Majesty, two quarters of an hour ago, the Crown Princess brought the little Highness to pay her respects. Her Majesty the Empress then went with them to the Imperial Garden."
Huo Tingshan didn't say anything and turned to walk towards the Imperial Garden.
The blooming season for peonies is in April, and the spring weather in Chang'an was pleasant. Spring kept its promise, and the flowers did not fail it; a hundred flowers competed to bloom in this vibrant season.
In the first year of his reign, the current Emperor expanded the size of the Imperial Garden by more than twofold. He also ordered people to collect many rare and exotic flowers and plants to be planted in the palace. Thus, all of Chang'an knew that Empress Pei loved flowers.
Those below will always follow the preferences of those above. In just one year, Chang'an was filled with bouquets of flowers. Once, Zuo Si caused the price of paper in Luoyang to rise with his "Rhapsody on the Three Capitals"; now, the common people all knew that Empress Pei had made the entirety of Chang'an a riot of color.
As the heart of Chang'an, the imperial city possessed a profound heritage accumulated over hundreds of years. After the Imperial Garden was expanded, it became even more dreamlike and illusory.
However, in Huo Tingshan's eyes, those flowers were all pretty much the same, except for their different colors. It was a wonder she could lose herself in them every time she looked.
After walking a short distance, Huo Tingshan heard voices. The tone was very gentle, occasionally mixed with the babbling of a young child.
Huo Tingshan didn't have anyone announce his arrival, but as he drew near, Pei Ying seemed to sense something and turned around. Seeing him, her eyes curved into a smile. "Your Majesty is here."
Saying this, she lifted the little dumpling in her arms a bit higher. "An An can speak now. She just called me Imperial Grandmother. She's so smart, knowing so many words at only two years old."
Then, Pei Ying said to the little dumpling in her arms, "An An, this is your Imperial Grandfather. Call him Imperial Grandfather."
Huo Tingshan looked at the little dumpling in her arms.
Lei Jingque immediately became extremely tense.
Her father-in-law had always held immense authority. Not to mention her, even many military generals in the court were terrified of him, let alone her two-year-old daughter...
Perhaps newborn calves are not afraid of tigers, or perhaps An An felt very safe in the embrace she was currently in. After sucking on her fingers for a moment, the little dumpling called out in a milky voice, "Imperial Grandfather."
Huo Tingshan smiled faintly. "Not bad."
Beside them, a heavy stone fell from Lei Jingque's heart.
Her daughter's pet name was An An, and her formal name was Huo Changle. She was the first child of this generation. Although she wasn't a boy, she held the status of the eldest.
Since ancient times, the eldest legitimate child had always been highly valued. Her daughter was granted the title of Princess of the Commandery right after birth, and rewards flowed into the Eastern Palace like water. However, if one were to say her father-in-law particularly adored his eldest granddaughter, Lei Jingque didn't really feel it.
This man, who had spent half his life on horseback in battle, seemed to have his own set of rules regarding offspring. He provided ample resources as required, and after that, it was a matter of children and grandchildren having their own fortunes.
How far they would go depended entirely on their own efforts and awareness; he would not interfere too much. If there was anything that could make him exhaust his thoughts and worry endlessly, besides state affairs, it was probably only...
Lei Jingque's gaze drifted to the side, sweeping past her mother-in-law holding the milk baby. Unsurprisingly, the man beside her was also looking at her, his eyes filled with a smile.
After teasing An An in her arms for a while, Pei Ying found her a bit too heavy to hold.
A two-year-old girl's weight fluctuated around twenty to thirty jin. An An was Huo Mingji's first child and was deeply doted on by her father at home. Raised with great care, little An An ate until her tummy was round, and her arms looked like tender lotus roots. She was a complete little chubby girl.
"An An is growing so well, your Imperial Grandmother almost can't hold you anymore," Pei Ying laughed.
Hearing this, Lei Jingque wanted to step forward to take the child, but her personal maid, Maidong, stepped up first. "Crown Princess, let this servant do it."
Lei Jingque didn't insist, and Pei Ying noticed that when she withdrew her hand, she subconsciously stroked her lower abdomen.
Pei Ying was slightly startled and suddenly understood something. However, since the other party hadn't said anything, it was probably because the pregnancy was not yet fully stabilized.
Since her eldest daughter-in-law didn't mention it, Pei Ying acted as if she didn't know. After chatting for a few more words, perhaps because Huo Tingshan was present, Lei Jingque soon took An An and took her leave.
After they left, Pei Ying didn't tell Huo Tingshan that their eldest daughter-in-law might be pregnant. Instead, she shifted the topic to something else. "It has been three years since the imperial examination was established. I imagine there will be quite a few new faces in the court this year."
Huo Tingshan did not deny it. "Indeed, and this year there are many more candidates from humble backgrounds who passed compared to the last session."
When the imperial examination was newly established three years ago, not many people from non-noble families actually passed. After all, without prior preparation, the foundation of humble families was far inferior to that of noble families. Therefore, eight or nine out of ten officials selected in the first round were still sons of noble families.
But after three years, another batch of poor scholars who had studied tirelessly finally climbed the ladder to the clouds.
The sunlight was warm, and a gentle spring breeze brushed past. The temperature was pleasant. Pei Ying narrowed her eyes in enjoyment as the wind blew, and then suddenly said, "Your Majesty, let's hold a polo match."
Jiju, that is, polo.
The previous dynasty also had polo matches, and this kind of entertainment was highly favored by the powerful and wealthy; many poems had even been passed down about it.
Huo Tingshan raised his long eyebrows. "Madam wants to watch polo?"
Pei Ying nodded. "Wanting to watch is one aspect, but on the other hand, I also want the officials to exercise more. They can't just sit at their desks all day. Your Majesty has fought battles north and south for many years and founded the country on horseback; you can't have officials under you who don't even have the strength to truss a chicken. Sitting at a desk for too long easily turns one into an invalid. Without a strong physique, how can they eliminate troubles for the people?"
"Madam is right." Huo Tingshan turned his thumb ring. "When the time comes, we will mix the officials from humble and noble backgrounds evenly. Having them too sharply opposed to each other is not conducive to the implementation of certain policies."
The news that the current Emperor was going to hold a polo match flew across the court and the country as if it had grown wings. While the officials felt instantly excited, they were also somewhat apprehensive.
Because the Emperor had stated that the team groupings would be entirely arranged by him and the Empress, and they only needed to take the field when the time came. But since they couldn't arrange the groups themselves, wouldn't it be frustrating if they ended up on the same team as someone they disliked?
Amidst the apprehension of certain officials, the roster for the polo match was announced.
They were divided into a total of eight teams. After rounds of matches, the ultimate victors would be decided, and the top three teams would receive rewards.
Among the court officials, there were scions of aristocratic families as well as those from humble backgrounds, with civil officials and military generals split evenly. In the published list, these people were distributed very evenly. If one were a bit more perceptive, it would not be hard to see that those who usually had somewhat poor, but not terribly bad, relationships were grouped together.
"Let's go and call for Minister Liu. The polo match will be held in five days. If we don't practice in advance and end up scoring no points, how will we be able to hold our heads high in front of His Majesty, Empress Pei, and our colleagues?" someone said.
The man's companion obviously hesitated. "But Minister Liu has always been arrogant. When I spoke to him before, he ignored me..."
Towards the end, this person looked around and then lowered his voice, saying, "He looks down on us for coming from humble backgrounds."
The other person fell silent.
The grievances between the humble-born and the aristocratic families could not be resolved in a day. The former believed the latter had simply lucked out in the lottery of reincarnation, while the latter looked down on the former, considering them impoverished and lacking in cultural refinement.
Just then, a guard approached.
The two thought the guard was just passing by, but unexpectedly, he walked straight up to them. "You two, Minister Liu invites you over."
The two looked at each other in dismay but eventually went over. They were led to a training ground within the palace.
After the current Emperor ascended the throne, the harem had only Empress Pei. The palaces specifically expanded for concubines in the previous dynasty were of no use, so a portion of the area was simply sectioned off and converted into a training ground.
The Imperial Feather Forest Guard usually trained here.
When the two arrived at the training ground, they found that quite a few people were already there. Upon closer inspection, they realized that everyone present was a member of their polo team.
Minister Liu was one of the Nine Ministers and held the highest official rank among them. Seeing the two humble-born officials arrive, he put on a smile and went to greet them, as if there had never been any discord between them before.
The two men were quick to take the hint and also put on smiles.
The atmosphere in the training ground was harmonious.
*
A month after the list was published, the polo match opened in the eastern suburbs of Chang'an.
The formerly unremarkable eastern suburbs now featured a U-shaped high platform. In the middle were the exclusive seats for the Emperor, Empress, and other royals, while the sides were for officials and their families. Surprisingly, ladies occupied quite a few seats.
With the current dynasty having Empress Pei, who could influence court politics and hold real power, the status of women had visibly risen significantly.
In the past, women were not allowed to attend school. Now, prosperous places like Chang'an and Luoyang had established women's academies, and female scribes, female teachers, female riders, and female doctors had successively appeared.
Although there were still many areas where they could not compare with men, compared to the previous dynasty, women were no longer confined to a small backyard.
Hearing that the Emperor intended to hold a polo match and that court officials could bring their families to watch, the households of various officials suddenly became bustling with excitement. There wasn't an official's wife who didn't want to go; they not only went themselves but also brought along their unmarried daughters.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this polo match was not just a sporting event, but also a large-scale social gathering.
Currently, there was a group of young officials from humble backgrounds in the court. If their abilities were up to par, it wasn't out of the question to consider marrying the young ladies of the clan to them.
Empress Pei Ying knew somewhat what the noblewomen were thinking, but she had no intention of paying it any mind. For today and tomorrow, she just wanted to properly enjoy watching polo.
The spring morning sun was warm and fuzzy. Pei Ying sat on the high platform, looking down with great interest.
Each team consisted of ten people, divided into eight teams in total.
The beginning adopted an elimination format. Counting the later match for third place, the eight teams would need to play a total of eight matches to determine their rankings.
The polo tournament was held over two days, with four matches each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Taking viewing pleasure into consideration, each match lasted for two hours, and the team with the most goals at the end would win.
The first batch of teams entered the field.
They rode in from the left and right sides facing each other, distinguished by red and blue. The leader of the red team was Chen Yuan, and the leader of the blue team was Huo Zhizhang.
One was a Prince Consort deeply valued by His Majesty, and the other was a highly capable Prince of the Blood. Both were in the prime of their lives, had military backgrounds, and possessed striking appearances. As soon as they took the field, they successfully attracted everyone's attention.
The two teams lined up in a row. Everyone held a polo mallet and rode a tall, majestic horse. Their extraordinary aura caused many young ladies to blush.
"Clang—!" The bronze gong sounded, and the match began.
The two teams moved at the sound. Chen Yuan and Huo Zhizhang spurred their horses toward the ball at the same time. The horses were all arranged by the palace, so there was no such thing as one being particularly faster than the other. Thus, the two arrived beside the polo ball almost simultaneously.
Their polo mallets collided while scooping for the ball, making a light clattering sound.
Polo required controlling the reins with one hand and holding the mallet with the other, which was quite a test of horsemanship. As the two fought for the ball, their horses circled around it.
Chen Yuan suddenly squeezed his horse's belly. While fighting for the ball, he drove his horse to bump Huo Zhizhang's horse slightly. The latter's horse subconsciously stepped back, and it was this step back that allowed Chen Yuan to scoop the ball away with his mallet.
Once he had the ball, Chen Yuan did not drive it himself but without hesitation passed it to a red team member who had secretly circled behind Huo Zhizhang.
Pei Ying at this moment glanced down to the side.
Her daughter's lips were curled in a smile. Opposite them, Shi Shi unconsciously clenched her small fists, as if silently cheering for her husband.
Pei Ying smiled.
"Which team does Madam think will win?" the person beside her suddenly asked.
Pei Ying turned her gaze back to the field.
The man who caught Chen Yuan's pass was very young. He had probably just come of age not long ago, but his movements were extremely agile.
This person was likely from a humble background and could not control the reins and hold the mallet with one hand like the military generals. Since he couldn't do it one-handed, he used both hands, gripping the polo mallet with both hands and then swinging it with precision.
"Swish—"
The polo ball was hit in a clean arc and quickly passed to the next person.
Pei Ying lowered her voice and answered, "It should be the red team. Their coordination seems a bit better than the blue team's. However, the match has just started, so we'll have to see later. It's hard to say, Zhizhang's blue team might get into the groove later on."
This kind of team sport was never decided by one person alone; it was all about the coordination within the team.
Whether Huo Zhizhang got into the groove or not, Pei Ying didn't know. She only knew that half an hour later, the young ladies and noblewomen watching the match completely let loose.
No matter which side scored, they received a round of applause, and the bolder ones even cheered.
Although polo was an equestrian sport, managing to swing the mallet while riding a horse was not easy. As the match entered its second half, many people broke a sweat, whether from anxiety or exhaustion, it was hard to tell.
Spring clothes were thin. The men on the field had the front of their garments soaked with sweat, the fabric clinging to their skin, revealing their lean, burly, or frail physiques.
The sound of discussions was blown over by the wind.
"Administrator Rong is so handsome!"
"I heard he was delayed for a few years previously due to his mourning period, and he still hasn't taken a wife."
The above was the chatter of unmarried young ladies, subtle and innocent.
The married women's side, however, was much more uninhibited.
"I didn't expect that Secretary Ming, who holds a civil post and usually looks weak and scholarly, actually hides such a physique underneath."
"Isn't that the truth? He usually keeps a low profile. If His Majesty hadn't organized this polo match, it would have been hard for us to see his true colors."
"Prince Consort Chen truly lives up to his military background. He is indeed robust and powerful. No wonder every time I see Her Highness Yongning, her cheeks are rosy. One look and you can tell they are extremely harmonious as a couple."
As they spoke, the women covered their lips and chuckled lightly.
Snatches of their conversation drifted onto the field, spurring the young men to exert themselves even more. The match gradually reached a fever pitch, becoming ever more thrilling.
Pei Ying sat in the seat of honor, her gaze still fixed on the field.
"Madam," the person beside her suddenly spoke.
Pei Ying murmured an agreement in response, but didn't turn her head.
Huo Tingshan glanced over the field, his eyes completely unruffled.
It was just a few men. She had already seen the best of the best countless times; why were her eyes practically glued to them?
Could it be because they were young?
"Empress," he called out again.
This time, Pei Ying turned to him, her eyes silently asking what was the matter. Seeing that he didn't speak, she shifted her gaze back to the match.
Huo Tingshan: "..."
The match entered its final few minutes, and the two teams were locked in a stalemate.
The Red Team held a narrow lead of a single goal, but the Blue Team currently had possession of the ball. If the Blue Team managed to score now, the game would be tied, pushing the match into the overtime period that Pei Ying had established.
The Blue Team player with the ball kept looking toward Huo Zhizhang, but Huo Zhizhang was tightly marked by two Red Team officials, leaving him completely boxed in.
"Don't pass it to me! The distance is good, you can score it yourself!" Huo Zhizhang shouted directly.
The Blue Team player quickly scanned the field. Seeing that all his teammates were blocked and that he could only rely on himself, he clenched his jaw and swung his mallet.
The accuracy of the strike was surprisingly good. The polo ball whizzed through the air, transforming into a streak of light as it flew toward the Red Team's goal.
Everyone present couldn't help but hold their breath. Just as the crowd thought it was a sure goal, an object suddenly flew in from the side, unexpectedly intercepting the ball right as it was about to cross the threshold.
It was a polo mallet.
Looking toward the source, it turned out that a young Blue Team official had thrown his mallet in a moment of desperation, and it had coincidentally struck the polo ball.
The entire crowd burst into an uproar.
The rules established at the beginning were: neither the mallets nor the participants were allowed to attack people or horses; and participants could only strike the ball with their mallets.
Beyond that, there were no other rules.
Strictly speaking, this didn't count as a foul.
"Clang!" The brass gong sounded, bringing this match to a close.
The Red Team emerged victorious, and thunderous applause erupted across the field.
Pei Ying was also clapping. After a couple of claps, noticing no movement beside her, she turned to look at Huo Tingshan. Now that the match was over, she finally had the mind to address what had happened earlier. "Why did Your Majesty call for me just now?"
Huo Tingshan remained expressionless. "Was it good to watch?"
Pei Ying nodded instinctively. Seeing that he still wore that same expression, her clapping slowly came to a halt.
He had now reached the pinnacle of power, holding firm control over the military, and was a dominant force in his own right. This meant that Huo Tingshan would never be like those emperors who, wary of noble families or powerful ministers, had to deeply bury their emotions.
Moreover, having been married to him for many years, Pei Ying felt she understood him quite well by now. His current demeanor clearly meant he was feeling rather displeased.
Pei Ying recalled what had just happened, especially the first time he called out to her. Suddenly, realization dawned on her, and she couldn't help but laugh softly. "I was just watching the thrilling match; I didn't pay attention to anything else."
His expression softened slightly, but he still didn't say a word.
Pei Ying picked up a pear from the table and handed it to him. "In this vast world, no one can compare to Your Majesty, neither now nor in the future."
Huo Tingshan lowered his eyes to look at the pear in his hand. "We met a bit too late."
When he met her, he was already thirty-six. He had not been there for her coming-of-age ceremony, nor had he been by her side when she first became a mother.
Pei Ying smiled. "Actually, I think it was just right. In your youth, you had no free time, busy as you were building your legacy and establishing your career. Even if you had met me back then, we wouldn't have ended up where we are today. Right now is wonderful."
Even the right people need to meet at the right time.
Huo Tingshan also smiled. "The gentle spring breeze cannot compare to a single word from my wife."
