As the Cuju tournament drew to a close, the situation on the field had become clear. The red team, with the eldest daughter of the Prince of Huai as its core player, maintained a more significant lead. Even when the final gong sounded, the blue team failed to reverse their fortunes.
The red team was victorious, and all its members ascended the platform to receive their rewards. Looking upon the youthful and high-spirited members of the red team, Jiang Yuan was in excellent spirits. He promptly granted official posts to two of the young men and bestowed upon the Prince of Huai's eldest daughter the title of Princess Huayun.
Following the Emperor's rewards came the Empress's turn. The Empress smiled and said, "Is there anything you desire? Feel free to speak your wish. This palace will try to fulfill it."
Some requested rare books, others asked for famous paintings and calligraphy. Finally, it was Princess Huayun's turn.
Princess Huayun performed a curtsy and said, "Since childhood, I have admired Your Majesty, the Empress. I once heard that Your Majesty's horsemanship was unparalleled in the capital, but being young at the time, I never witnessed it myself. It is my selfish wish to behold Your Majesty's majestic bearing on horseback!"
Princess Huayun's eyes were filled with hope and earnestness.
The Empress had not expected Princess Huayun to make such a request and did not reply immediately.
Everyone knew the Empress had not practiced riding or archery for many years; it was only natural her skills might have declined. However, with such a large crowd present today, failing to meet expectations could inevitably lead to unfavorable rumors.
Nie Zhiyu stepped forward to help the Empress out of the predicament: "Your Majesty is not dressed for riding today, which might be inconvenient. Perhaps Princess Huayun would consider another wish?"
A flicker of disappointment passed through Princess Huayun's eyes. She knew her request was somewhat abrupt, but her curiosity was genuine. Being skilled in horsemanship herself, she held even greater admiration for those who excelled at it. Among women, the Empress's reputation in riding and archery was the most illustrious. She had always regretted being born too late to witness the Empress's former glory.
"It was presumptuous of me," Princess Huayun apologized.
Gazing at the young and vibrant Princess Huayun, the Empress, for reasons unknown, found her mind drifting back to her own younger self many years ago. Back then, she was just an innocent girl, unburdened by responsibilities, still harboring hopes and aspirations.
In those days, she could ride horses and shoot arrows with abandon, even daring to challenge her grandfather to a drinking contest. In her drunken bravado, she had declared she would follow her grandfather to the frontier to fight the enemy, to become a female general who would strike fear into the hearts of the Northern Li!
But somehow, without her noticing, her aspirations had shifted to becoming a qualified Empress, indispensable to His Majesty and praised by the common people.
The Empress's eyes dimmed slightly. As she lowered her gaze, she happened to meet the eyes of Lingyi, her daughter.
In that gaze, there was curiosity, surprise, and inquiry.
The Empress's heart suddenly trembled. She realized that not only had younger generations like Princess Huayun never seen her ride a horse, but her own daughter hadn't either. That was why Lingyi wore such an astonished expression upon hearing her mother once possessed such renown.
An inexplicable surge of fervor arose within the Empress. She declared, "Since I allowed you to make requests, it would be unreasonable not to grant them." She turned to Jiang Yuan: "Does Your Majesty permit your consort to try?"
Jiang Yuan naturally would not refuse and instructed Quan Fuhai: "I recall the Imperial Stables have a fine horse named Feixue (Flying Snow). Have it brought for the Empress."
Princess Huayun was overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for fulfilling my wish!"
The Eldest Princess also exclaimed happily, "Is Mother going to ride? I've never seen Mother ride a horse before. This is wonderful!"
The Empress smiled. "Your Majesty, I shall go change my attire first."
The Empress was going to ride!
This unexpected turn of events captured everyone's attention. For the moment, discussions about the recent Cuju tournament were set aside as people vied to move closer for a better view.
"I wonder if Her Majesty the Empress's horsemanship still matches her former prowess. I was present that year, and the memory remains vivid to this day."
"Isn't there a rumor that it was precisely her dazzling performance at Prince Sheng's estate that year that led the late Emperor to choose her as the Crown Princess?"
"Really? Is that true?"
"There is such a rumor. People said at the time that the Crown Princess was originally to be Consort Ning, but then it was suddenly changed to the current Empress..." The noblewomen huddled together, whispering, and some couldn't help but glance furtively at Consort Ning.
"Actually, it might not have been bad if Consort Ning had become Empress. In her youth, Consort Ning was famously talented and sought after by many families."
“Hush! Such words must not be spoken carelessly! The late Emperor's selection of a Crown Princess for the Crown Prince would never hinge on a single Cuju match. There were many considerations! Although Consort Ning is outstanding, Her Majesty the Empress is the chosen one by fate. Just look, who among the common people today does not know of the Empress's maternal grace ruling the land? Moreover, with the Empress presiding over the central palace, everyone in the harem respects her without exception. That is the Empress's capability!”
"Exactly! Furthermore, the Empress has given birth to the Eldest Princess and the Second Prince, securing her position. Consort Ning, to this day, has no son..."
Amidst the discussions, the Empress had already changed her clothes and led the horse into the arena below.
Qi Daiyu was fortunate enough to hold Si Yu and stand in the front row. She watched as the Empress leaped up lightly and swung herself onto the horse's back.
"Bravo!" Someone, it's unclear who, led a cheer, and others quickly followed.
Just the agility of her mounting revealed her solid foundation. Although there might be an element of flattery, genuine praise was also plentiful.
Qi Daiyu's admiration was quite sincere. To this day, she still felt apprehensive when mounting a horse. Who knew how many years of practice it would take to achieve the Empress's ease.
No one knew how the Empress intended to demonstrate her horsemanship.
They saw Quan Fuhai, after the Empress mounted, hand her a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a polo mallet.
Was she going to shoot arrows from horseback? A question arose in everyone's minds.
Then they saw the Empress sling the bow and quiver across her back. Holding the mallet in one hand, she flicked the reins with the other, and the horse moved forward.
It started at an ordinary pace, then grew faster and faster. The Empress's body rose and fell with the horse's gallop, dust swirling beneath its hooves.
Suddenly, the horse wheeled around. A guard in the distance struck a Cuju ball towards the Empress's direction. Galloping towards it, the Empress used her mallet to drive the ball towards the goal. When the ball was still about a hundred paces from the target, the Empress suddenly struck it fiercely with her mallet, sending it flying towards the goal.
Everyone held their breath. Then, the Empress abruptly pulled hard on the reins. The horse, reacting to the force, reared up on its hind legs. In an exaggeratedly dramatic pose, the Empress drew the bow from her back, aimed, and released an arrow at the flying ball!
"Boom!"
The Cuju ball, not yet fallen into the goal, exploded mid-air!
On the Mingwu Terrace, all noise seemed to hit a pause button. Many stared dumbfounded at the scene, and some, unable to contain themselves, cried out in shock.
"Heavens!"
What had they just witnessed?
Her Majesty the Empress had shot a rapidly moving Cuju ball from a hundred paces away, all while galloping at high speed on horseback!
This display showcased not only the Empress's superb horsemanship but also her exceptional archery!
"Excellent!" Jiang Yuan shouted his approval, his face beaming with shared pride.
The Emperor's exclamation seemed to open the floodgates for fervent praise of the Empress. Commendations and exclamations of astonishment poured forth incessantly.
Princess Huayun's face was flushed crimson, her whole person trembling with excitement. "Her Majesty the Empress... is truly incredible!"
"The Empress is truly formidable!" Qi Daiyu couldn't help but exclaim. The moment the ball was struck, her heart nearly stopped!
"Amazing!" Si Yu, in her arms, kept clapping and tried to tug at Qi Daiyu's sleeve. "Mother, go!"
Qi Daiyu quickly shook her head. "This is something your mother cannot do!"
This truly was incomparable. Probably no woman present could compare to Her Majesty the Empress.
Qi Daiyu instinctively looked at the reactions of the other consorts and concubines. Most were like her, filled with shock and admiration.
There were exceptions. Consort Ning still wore her usual calm expression, though it held a hint of unfathomable depth that wasn't there before.
Concubine Fan was different too. Her face was full of reverence and eagerness, as if she couldn't wait to try it herself immediately.
The Empress rode her horse directly to the foot of the Mingwu Platform, radiating a confident brilliance Qi Daiyu had never witnessed before, so bold and unrestrained.
"Mother!" The Eldest Princess ran down excitedly, with the Second Prince close behind.
The horse was tall, the children small. Looking up at their mother on horseback, they found this perspective both unfamiliar and immensely proud.
"Mother, you are incredible! Your daughter wishes to practice archery and horsemanship, to someday ride and shoot arrows as skillfully as you, hitting the target from a hundred paces!" the Eldest Princess declared loudly.
The Empress dismounted and stroked her daughter's head, smiling. "Good."
At that moment, Jiang Yuan descended from the Mingwu Platform, followed by the others.
As the Empress was about to curtsey, Jiang Yuan took her hand and said in a voice only the two could hear, "Nvying, seeing you win, it was as if I saw the you from our first meeting."
No one knew that the rumor circulating among the common folk—about the Crown Princess being decided during a polo match at the Prince Sheng's estate—held a grain of truth.
That day, Jiang Yuan, in plain clothes watching the match, witnessed Jiang Nvying's heroic bearing on the polo field, so bright and dashing, and his heart was captivated.
Afterwards, when his father, the Emperor, was to decide his Crown Princess between the Jiang and Yang families' daughters, Jiang Yuan chose Jiang Nvying without hesitation.
Even the Empress did not know she was the Crown Princess he had personally chosen.
It was just a pity that after many years of marriage, too many factors had seeped into their relationship, and both had changed far too much.
Sometimes Jiang Yuan would miss the Empress of old, but he also knew she could not return to the past, just as he was no longer the man he once was.
Hearing the Emperor's words, the Empress's eyelashes fluttered, her heart a tumult of mixed feelings. She wanted to say something, but now was not the time.
The Empress Dowager and the others had already gathered around.
Princess Yanqing stated bluntly, "Earlier you claimed your skills had declined, but it seems you were deceiving us!"
The Empress laughed. "They truly had grown rusty. But somehow, once on horseback, the familiar feeling returned." She herself hadn't expected that after years without practicing archery and horsemanship, she could still achieve that.
Perhaps it was because the children were watching her. She didn't want to disappoint Lingyi.
The Empress Dowager said, "This shows your foundation is solid. Old Marshal Jiang taught you well!"
For a woman to possess such skill in archery and horsemanship was truly rare, and even more precious was that this woman was the current Empress. The Empress Dowager knew the Emperor was currently promoting the military examinations. Today's event, once spread, would surely inspire the sons and daughters of Zhao to practice martial arts with greater fervor.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager did not hold back her praise, and the others followed suit, their words of admiration never repeating.
Finally, the Empress excused herself to change her attire and asked Qi Daiyu to accompany her.
"Quick, support me." As soon as Qi Daiyu reached the Empress's side, she heard these words.
Qi Daiyu instinctively complied, taking the Empress's hand, only to find it trembling violently. She paused for a moment, then carefully supported the Empress as they slowly walked out.
Only when they were out of sight did the Empress let out a bitter laugh. "After all, I am not what I used to be."
Years without practice had made it difficult for her to even draw the bow. Though that single arrow hit its mark, her hand was now utterly weak from the strain. Moreover, unaccustomed to riding, her legs were also shaking, making it hard to walk. She had no choice but to let Qi Daiyu help her leave, lest she make a spectacle of herself.
The sight of the Empress forcing herself to persevere made Qi Daiyu's heart ache.
Qi Daiyu said earnestly, "Your Majesty, you are the most remarkable woman I have ever met."
Her admiration came from the heart.
The Empress looked at Qi Daiyu and suddenly smiled.
