Shoutout to Tachibanaswife for the commission!
Left Guard General He Bingze, that’s right, the one I crashed into was you!
He Bingze, people say he was “brave and sharp from youth, skilled in bow and horse.” His father, He Liangchen, once rose through military merit to the rank of Supreme Pillar of State and now serves as Vice Minister of the Secretariat.
A genuine high-official’s son, a true second-generation official!
He Bingze knelt on one knee on the ground, both arms spread at my sides. He wanted to protect me but didn’t dare touch me, only looking at me nervously and asking, “Niang Niang, are you injured anywhere?”
My shoulder had hit the ground first, and it hurt badly, but I forced myself to endure it and said with a pained expression, “It’s fine, just bumped my arm a bit.”
Hearing this, He Bingze looked even more nervous and repeatedly apologized.
I was just about to open my mouth to deliver the long speech I had rehearsed a thousand times in my stomach, when Qi Sheng had already ridden back, leaping down from his horse nearby. He bent to look at me twice, didn’t even extend a hand to help, and only raised his voice: “Someone, carry the Crown Princess away!”
The emergency attendants who had been waiting at the edge of the field finally had their moment. Several eunuchs quickly carried over a brocade sling and, with great professionalism, lifted me onto it before sending me straight off the field.
The words in my mouth still hadn’t come out. Unwilling, I turned my head to look back and heard Qi Sheng comforting He Bingze: “This is the Crown Princess’s responsibility, it has nothing to do with Bingze…”
Ah! Why does this man always have to steal my lines?
By the time I was carried off the field, the crowd had already gathered around. The imperial physician came trotting over with a small medicine box, squeezed through the crowd, first looked at my expression, then lowered his head to take my pulse while asking: “Niang Niang, where are you injured?”
“My shoulder,” I replied.
The imperial physician narrowed his eyes halfway, twisting a few strands of beard on his chin and putting on an air of authority: “Niang Niang has deficiency of qi and blood, along with blood stasis. It would be best to take Bazhen Yimu pills to replenish qi, nourish blood, and regulate menstruation.”
I tilted my head, not understanding for a moment.
I saw the people around me wearing all sorts of expressions, all silent, while only Lord Tree-Climber, standing behind to watch the excitement, suddenly burst out laughing.
I leaned my head back and glanced at him from the corner of my eye. Seeing my expression, Lord Tree-Climber laughed even harder.
Beside him, Lord Toilet lightly clenched a fist and coughed twice behind it before saying softly: “Physician Song, the Crown Princess injured her shoulder.”
Physician Song’s eyes suddenly widened. He repeatedly apologized: “Forgive me, Niang Niang! Forgive me! The Surgical Physician Qiu is on leave, and I was temporarily called to substitute. I accidentally followed my usual diagnostic habits.”
At last I roughly understood, no wonder what he said didn’t match the situation at all. Turns out he was just a substitute.
But that annoying Lord Tree-Climber added another line: “Which department does Physician Song belong to?”
Physician Song lowered his head slightly, embarrassed.
“I… specialize in gynecology.”
Everyone immediately pressed their lips tight and casually turned their heads away, no longer looking at me.
For a moment… I really wanted to kill someone.
Qi Sheng came down from the field to see me. With a cold face, he looked me up and down before turning to ask Physician Song: “Is her shoulder serious?”
Physician Song quickly turned to me and discussed: “Niang Niang, how about moving your arm to see if it affects anything?”
D*mn, is this really an imperial physician? He’s worse than those street vendors selling fake medicine! I cursed inwardly while shaking my arm. It hurt quite a bit, but I could still move it. So I briskly stood up from the ground and said: “It’s fine. Just a slight sprain. The bone is fine. Everyone disperse.”
Some palace maids and eunuchs hurried off to report to the Empress Dowager and the Empress at Baojin Tower. The rest dispersed as well. Qi Sheng, Lord Toilet, and the others mounted their horses again, and the paused match resumed.
Physician Song wiped his sweat. Before leaving, he turned back to me again, speaking earnestly: “Niang Niang, you really should take some Bazhen Yimu pills to adjust your condition.”
I lifted my foot but restrained myself from kicking him. I only brushed the dust off my boot and ignored him.
***
Since I had withdrawn from the match due to injury, I happily climbed up to Baojin Tower to watch the game alongside a group of beauties of all ages.
On the field, the match was in full intensity. Qi Sheng, dressed in yellow, galloped back and forth with the bearing of a king, while Lord Toilet in green was like a strong willow in the wind, free and graceful. The rivalry between the two was already obvious.
Just as things grew tense, a delicate cry suddenly sounded, another rider had fallen.
Being curious, I immediately stood up and leaned over to look down, only to see that this time it was the delicate Zhao Wangfei, Lady Jiang.
I’m thick-skinned, falling once is nothing, but someone as tender as Lady Jiang falling like that, wouldn’t she end up planted headfirst like a scallion? My heart jolted, and my first reaction was actually to search instinctively for Qi Sheng.
But there were more than ten people wearing yellow on the field, it wasn’t easy to spot him at a glance.
Just as I was getting anxious, I saw a yellow-clad rider indeed charging toward Lady Jiang. Unable to bear watching, I quickly turned my head and covered my eyes.
Zhao Wang’s voice came from the field, distant yet hoarse: “Yingyue! Yingyue! What’s wrong? Don’t scare me, what’s wrong?…”
I froze, lowered my hand, and looked again. Zhao Wang was holding Lady Jiang’s shoulders and shaking her. Lady Jiang looked even more like a weak willow swaying in the wind.
Only… the wind was a bit too strong.
Zhao Wang was shaking her rather wildly…
I watched in alarm….
Then I saw Qi Sheng also arrive at full speed. Somewhat flustered, he rolled off his horse, strode over to Zhao Wang and Lady Jiang, snatched Lady Jiang from Zhao Wang’s arms, scooped her up horizontally, and hurried off the field…
Baojin Tower instantly fell silent. The beauties all turned their heads toward me at the same time.
I froze for two or three seconds, then had no choice but to turn my head away again and cover my eyes.
Qi Sheng, Qi Sheng… could you be any more foolish?
Then I heard the Empress urgently calling from her high seat: “Go check what’s happening today! One after another they’re falling off horses, the horses were fine just now, so why are they suddenly startled?”
A eunuch hurried off to carry out the order.
Under the watchful eyes of the assembled beauties, I calmly lifted my teacup, took a sip, and set it down. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Beauty Shen still staring at me eagerly. After hesitating for a moment, I extended my teacup toward her and asked: “Would you like a sip?”
Beauty Shen blushed and quickly shook her head, then covered her embarrassment by lifting her own cup to drink. I reached out and, under her astonished gaze, picked a tea leaf from the corner of her mouth, casually brushing my fingers across her tofu-smooth cheek before showing her the leaf and smiling: “Beauty Shen, were you that thirsty? Drinking so fast.”
Beauty Shen’s face turned even redder. She was so embarrassed she didn’t even dare raise her head.
I turned to look downstairs as if nothing had happened, but inside I was delighted, teasing beauties really was more interesting.
***
Lady Jiang was too far away to see clearly from the tower. I only saw people in yellow and green gathered around her. Physician Song again squeezed through the crowd carrying his medicine box and knelt beside her to take her pulse.
I suddenly felt like asking Physician Song: Is Zhao Wangfei’s yin and yang balanced? Is her married life harmonious?
Luli stood beside me, eyes lowered, expression devout, hands clasped in silent prayer. I leaned closer and heard only words like “Bodhisattva bless…” Unable to resist, I whispered: “What are you praying for?”
Luli widened her eyes, cautiously checked her surroundings, then leaned to my ear:
“I’m praying the Bodhisattva makes Lady Jiang fall so badly she can’t take care of herself!”
I was startled and looked at her.
Luli smiled proudly at me, then immediately turned serious again and lowered her head to continue praying.
This girl! I… I… I was speechless.
The eunuch sent by the Empress soon returned and reported: “Zhao Wangfei’s life is not in danger, but her arm is broken in two places, and her leg is broken in one…”
I was shocked. We both fell at the same time, how did Lady Jiang end up so unlucky? Could it be because she had too little flesh on her body?
The Empress asked again, “Do they know why she fell?”
The eunuch replied: “It has been found that someone secretly placed steel needles beneath the saddle. When Zhao Wangfei leaned forward to strike the ball, the needles pricked the horse, startling it and causing it to throw her off.”
My heart jumped again. That meant someone had deliberately harmed Lady Jiang. But why did she fall right after I fell?
D*mn, who the h*ll is trying to harm me?
The Empress continued questioning with the imposing manner of a judge: “How could someone place steel needles under the saddle of a royal horse?”
The eunuch was about to answer when the silent Empress Dowager suddenly spoke: “If even their master’s horse cannot be properly watched, the Zhao residence’s stable servant is useless. What’s the point of keeping him? Execute him by beating. Go tell them to send Lady Jiang back to the Zhao residence to recuperate, and Zhao Wang may leave after the match ends.”
The eunuch cautiously glanced at the Empress, then quickly bowed and ran off.
I sat there stunned, my mind not yet fully processing everything, when the kindly Empress Dowager, like a living Bodhisattva, called to me from the high seat: “Pengpeng, come sit here and let Grandmother take a look. Were you badly hurt just now? You truly frightened me.”
I felt a bit awkward.
Pengpeng, yes, that was Zhang’s personal name: Zhang Pengpeng.
And then listen to Lady Jiang’s, Jiang Yingyue.
Really, how can those even be compared?
