The last imperial competition of the Jinxin Club has finally come amidst the much-anticipated attention!
The venue for today's competition was different from the previous five events, and it was changed to the racecourse located in the northwest corner of Guozijian.
At this moment, in a gazebo near the racecourse, a white-clothed boy and a red-clothed girl were talking.
"Liu Niang," the young man carefully took out a peace talisman from his pocket, "I begged you for this."
The red-clothed girl in the pavilion is Fu Yunyan. She has no makeup on her face, a simple ponytail, and a neat red riding outfit, making her slender, well-proportioned and heroic.
She happily took the safety talisman, looking at it carefully as if she had received some treasure.
It seems familiar... this is...
She thought about something, blinked her eyes, and asked, "Ah Xin, did you ask for this from Jialan Temple?"
Fu Yunyan also went to Jialan Temple with Nangong Yue and the others before, knowing that Jialan Temple has another name of "Number One Scholar Temple", that is to say, did her Ah Xin go to seek the number one scholar for her
Shangjialan Temple has to walk a whole thousand steps!
Nangong Xin showed a shy smile and nodded.
Fu Yunyan looked at Nangong Xin for a moment, a pair of clear eyes shone like obsidian, and the light on her beautiful face was brighter than the sun.
"A Xin," Fu Yunyan smiled confidently, with high spirits, "I will definitely win!"
Since she was a child, she grew up listening to the stories of her grandmother, and always dreamed of having the opportunity to go to the battlefield to fight for Dayu and fight the enemy bravely; now, although she failed to set foot on the real battlefield, she finally had the opportunity to do something for Dayu What... It can be regarded as fulfilling one of her dreams.
Seeing her confident appearance, Nangong Xin couldn't help but also smiled, and the bright smile made his handsome face a little more childish.
He nodded vigorously, and said with more certainty than her: "Liu Niang, of course you will win!"
Looking at the pair of Bi people in the pavilion, the blue-clothed maid who was waiting outside almost couldn't bear to be disturbed, but as the time approached, she could only cough dryly and reminded: "Miss Fu Liu, it's almost time. You It's time to get ready."
Fu Yunyan has never been a procrastinator, so she waved goodbye to Nangong Xin immediately: "Ah Xin, I'm leaving!"
She smiled, turned around resolutely and left, while Nangong Xin stayed in the pavilion and watched her go away with a smile...
Time passed by little by little, and the imperial competition was approaching little by little. In the Imperial College, both the contestants and the spectators felt more and more nervous and anxious, and this emotion spread outside the arena...
A restaurant outside the Imperial College was already overcrowded, and the shopkeeper laughed so hard that his double chin almost fell off.
Those diners who knew and didn't know all sat together, discussing excitedly about today's upcoming imperial competition.
"Brother Hong, do you think Dayu can win today's royal match?" A skinny middle-aged man asked worriedly.
The one called Brother Hong was a tall and strong man, and he said in a rough voice: "I heard that all the girls who participated in the imperial competition this time are girls from the general family background, and all of them have extraordinary riding skills. They will definitely win!"
"This brother is right," a young man at the next table couldn't help chatting with them, "I asked my friends to find out that girls from the General's Mansion in Zhenbei, Princess Yongyang's Mansion, and Weiyanghou's Mansion all participated. After today's royal match, the Nanman saintess is so delicate, I think she will definitely lose!"
The other diners on the side also agreed and nodded frequently.
At this time, a deep male voice suddenly said in awkward Dayu words: "Little brother, I think you should stop bragging for you Dayu!"
In an instant, all the diners in the restaurant focused their eyes on the owner of the voice. It was a dark-skinned man in his early thirties. His deep eye sockets and exotic facial features made everyone feel uncomfortable. Suddenly realized that this man was not from Dayu.
Judging by his business attire, he is probably a businessman from a foreign land.
It is said that Nanman people are in high temperature all the year round, and dark skin is one of the characteristics of most Nanman people.
The man surnamed Hong said hesitantly: "Are you from Nan... Baiyue?" He unnaturally changed the "Nanman" that he almost blurted out into "Baiyue".
The merchant replied in a rough voice: "Although I am not from Baiyue, our merchants run all over the world, and I have been to Baiyue several times. All the girls there have learned to ride horses since they can walk. It’s not an exaggeration to grow up on horseback!” There was a trace of contempt in his words, “Didn’t you, Dayu, always claim to be a country of poetry, books and etiquette? Books, paintings, and chess were all lost to the saint of Baiyue. , I’m ashamed to put a lot of words here!”
In fact, the dispute between Dayu and Baiyue had nothing to do with the business, but it was a bit harsh to hear Dayu people left a "Nanman" and right a "Nanman".
He has always known that Dayu people are self-righteous and regard all countries in the four directions as barbarians. In the past, when he came here to do business, he could only swallow his anger.
The young man is full of vigor. Hearing this businessman belittle Dayu so rudely, he really wanted to raise his fist.
At this time, a smiling young man suddenly said: "Uncle, since you have so much confidence in the saintess of Baiyue, how about we make a bet?"
The merchant was stunned for a moment, a little hesitant.
The young man sat down across from him politely, and still smiled, "Don't you dare, uncle?"
The merchant suddenly felt a surge of anger straight to the top of his head, and said in a loud voice: "Bet, bet! If you dare not!" After a pause, he said again, "But if I bet on the saint of Baiyue, you Who are you betting on again? You can't bet on seven Dayu girls at once, can you?" He squinted at the boy, and couldn't hide his mockery.
"My lord never takes advantage of others." The young man smiled, his eyes crooked, and he took out a bank note from his pocket, "Five hundred taels, my lord will bet on Miss Fu Liu from the residence of Princess Yongyang." .” As he spoke, he summoned the shopkeeper and asked him to give a testimony.
The merchant was a little dumbfounded when he saw the five hundred taels of bank notes. He is a small businessman, earning five hundred taels a year is already a good time for his business, but this young man earns five hundred taels a year, which makes him really...
The merchant swallowed his saliva, and retreated again. The boy's smiling eyes suddenly became sharper, and he said provocatively, "Uncle, are you scared? Regret it?"
When the young man said this, the gazes of the wealthy people around him were like arrows piercing the merchant's body, and each hair was full of contempt, as if to say, the barbarians are really barbarians.
Whoosh!
An evil fire suddenly sprang up from his heart, he angrily took out five one-hundred tael silver bills, and said, "Bet, bet!"
The boy suddenly laughed again, and at this moment, a calm male voice urged impatiently outside the door: "Fu Yunhe, what are you doing here! The competition is about to begin!"
"Here we come! We come!" The young man left in a hurry, and gave the shopkeeper a wink, which meant: Witness, everything will be left to you.
And the diners in the restaurant couldn't help but look at each other, after a while, the man surnamed Hong said: "That young master is called Fu Yunhe... I remember that the surname of Princess Yongyang's mansion is Fu?"
"That's right." The skinny middle-aged man nodded affirmatively.
The peddler was already sweating profusely, and thought, "Isn't it? Then, should he win this bet? Or lose?"
It seems that whether he wins or loses, he has already offended the nobles of Dayu!
On the other side, after Fu Yunhe left Yunsheng Restaurant, he heard Tian Lianhe complain angrily: "If you are late, I will blame you! The competition between your sister and my sister, can you serve some snacks!"
Tian Lianhe was chattering on and on, Fu Yunhe was absent-minded, and only thought: what should I do with the extra five hundred taels? The longer the little gray in the eldest brother's house, the more he likes it, or he can get it too Feed an eagle
Until they came to the racecourse of Guozijian, Tian Lianhe finally calmed down.
At this moment, the racecourse has been completely renewed, and several huge tents have been erected temporarily on the side for the emperor and other spectators to sit in.
When they heard that the emperor and empress had arrived, they hurried to the big tent in the middle to salute.
The emperor was preoccupied with the next royal match, and after ordering the seat, he ignored them.
On the other hand, Yun Cheng, who was at the side, gave the two of them a serious look, and his tone seemed to say, your own younger sister came so late for the competition
The two teenagers could only playfully smile and try to get away with it. Fortunately, at this time, the movement at the entrance of the racecourse attracted everyone's attention, which also allowed the two to escape unharmed, and went to seek refuge with their eldest brother Xiao Yi.
At the entrance of the racecourse, three servant girls in blue clothes led the eight girls who participated in today's competition into the racecourse. Every girl wore a heroic riding outfit and stepped on neat riding boots.
Although the girls are all dressed in similar attires, the most eye-catching ones are the posing clothes. The exotic style on her body is different from that of Dayu women, making her stand out as if she stands out from the crowd no matter where she stands.
On weekdays, she always wears a white gauze skirt, but today she specially changed into a white riding attire for the imperial race. Her riding attire is slightly different from Dayu's, and she is covered with a knee-length white gauze The dress is tied around the waist with a silver belt. When walking, the light gauze skirt dances in the wind, and the belt flutters, making it look a little more feminine.
"See the emperor!"
"See His Majesty Emperor Dayu!"
Seven Dayu girls bowed their knees to the emperor together with Bai Yi.
The emperor waved his hand, motioning them to excuse themselves.
The incense in the cauldron on the side was about to burn out, which meant that the competition was about to start. The spectators in the other tents were already eagerly waiting, but they didn't dare to make any noise. Today's competition is really too important, if you accidentally offend Longyan, you will be asking for trouble.
The lady offering wine took a deep breath, and began to announce the process and rules of today's competition:
Various roadblocks have been set up in today's arena. The participating horses must leap over the roadblocks. If they make a detour, they will be regarded as abstentions. The first to reach the finish line will be the winner. The eight girls participating in the competition will first be divided into two groups and have a preliminaries each, and then four girls will be selected from the two preliminaries to compete for the leader of the final.
"Why is it so complicated!" The emperor frowned, and said impatiently, "In my opinion, the winner should be determined once and for all."
Listening to the emperor's tone, it seemed that he was just waiting impatiently for the three competitions, but it made the people who heard it commotion, and whispered to each other.
There are actually historical reasons for the complicated design of the Yusai process.
In a Jinxin meeting more than 50 years ago, in the final imperial race, several girls formed a clique for personal gain, and a great conflict occurred in the competition, which finally caused four horses to collide with each other, and one horse was killed. The barrier railing collapsed, three girls were injured and one died, and the Jinxinhui did not hold any royal competitions in the next few years.
Although this matter is not well known to everyone, those Dayu nobles and aristocratic families who are concerned about the Jinxin Association naturally know about it, how could the emperor not know about it!
The emperor's intentions are already obvious, this competition is seven to one, he only needs to sacrifice a few of them to hold the clothes, then no matter who the remaining victors are, Dayu will win.
But to put it bluntly, this method is really disgraceful...
The spectators reacted differently, but no one questioned the emperor's order. Although Bai Yi didn't know the history of Jinxinhui, he understood the disadvantages of the new rules.
She stood there calmly, her blue eyes were clearer than the blue sky above, full of confidence.
Their Baiyue girl grew up on horseback since she was a child, and the so-called daughters of generals like Dayu are not worth mentioning in her eyes. Bai Yi believes that in the face of his overwhelming strength, no matter what tricks Dayu wants to play, it is just a clown's game.
There was a sneer at the corner of her mouth under the veil, and she was about to respond when she saw a girl in red on the left take a step forward from the corner of her eye, and this step immediately attracted countless eyes from all the tents .
The girl in red was Fu Yunyan, she bowed to the emperor heroically, and said loudly: "Your Majesty, forgive me for making a bold statement, the imperial competition is an obstacle course, and it is inherently dangerous, if eight people coax out of it On the road, it is inevitable that some girls have scruples and their hands are tied, so how can they reflect their true riding skills!"
Her tone is sonorous and forceful, her words are precise, and her little oval face is upright and awe-inspiring.
There was a slight surprise in putting on the clothes, but Fu Yunhe wanted to sigh when he heard it, shook his head and said in a low voice: "It's really what my silly sister would say..."
His voice was extremely low, but Nangong Xin who was on the side could hear it, looked at Fu Yunhe for a moment, and said seriously: "Little Hezi, Liu Niang is not stupid!"
Fu Yunhe felt a little ashamed when he saw his pure water eyes.
At this time, Guan Yubai spoke softly, and the voice made people feel like they were soaking in the spring breeze: "Miss Fu Liu is pure in mind and upright, she really has the demeanor of my general's son."
Guan Yubai was once the object that so many young children in the capital looked up to. The elders said that they were children from other people's families. When he said this, Fu Yunhe immediately sat upright, as if what he was facing was not an ordinary generation, but an elder, a gentleman. After thanking the other party for his praise, he thought to himself: When Liu Niang knows that Guan Yu has praised her for nothing, she will be so happy that she won't be able to sleep all night.
Bai Yi also looked at Guan Yubai, his blue eyes rippling like water.
After the Jinxin meeting that day, Baiyi asked someone to inquire about this Marquis of An Yi, and only then did he learn that he is the Guan Yubai who has made great military achievements and has never been defeated on the battlefield! Unexpectedly, that rumored brave and good at fighting Guan Yubai is actually such a refined person. Emperor Dayu had such wisdom and didn't know how to make good use of it. Instead, he punished his family and allowed him to spend his days idle in the capital.
Bai Yi knew that she came to Dayu to make a marriage, and she knew the purpose of the marriage... Bai Yi couldn't help thinking that the marriage does not have to be the prince's clan. If Guan Yubai can be obtained by their Baiyue, then their Baiyue will definitely be even more powerful, and they will take the southern border just around the corner.
Bai Yi bit his lower lip lightly, his heart fluttering. She used to think that it was impossible to have both, since she was prepared to sacrifice for Baiyue, she should not expect anything else... But what if she could really have "both"
Bai Yi is very confident in her appearance and talent, Guan Yubai is also a man, and he is still unmarried, she does not believe that she will not be able to take him down.
The emperor remained silent for a long time, and the people around gradually became nervous following his silence, lest Fu Yunyan's remonstrance would offend Long Yan.
The emperor looked at Fu Yunyan for a moment, his deep eyes narrowed slightly. If ordinary people saw the emperor's face and eyes like this, they would probably kneel down in fright, but Fu Yunyan still looked directly at the emperor without flinching, his eyes were clear magnanimous.
The emperor suddenly turned his face, and said to the lady offering wine who was sweating profusely, "Miss Fu Liu has some truths in what she said, so let's follow the original rules."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Madam Jijiu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and said in her heart: Fortunately, this Jinxin meeting only happens once every three years, otherwise I will die sooner or later.
At this time, the incense on the cauldron on the side had long been burned out, and a cup of tea was late before the competition started, which always made people feel that the start was not going well. Make waves again.
The eight girls quickly drew a group for the first preliminaries, and four of them rode their horses to the starting point first and lined up.
"Boom!"
When the sound of the gong sounded, four horses galloped out at the same time. The one in the lead was Fu Yunyan in red riding attire. Coupled with the red horse under her crotch, each of them looked like a red lightning bolt, dazzling and dazzling.
Until this moment, the emperor's eyes were finally stained with a smile. Fortunately, Liuniang Yi Gao of the little aunt's family was bold and did not disappoint him.
Fu Yunyan galloped his horse for several tens of feet, and a railing two or three feet high stopped in front of her.
The obstacle race tests the tacit cooperation between the rider and the horse, and she and her Hongyun are together every day, and no one can surpass their intimacy and familiarity.
Fu Yunyan smiled confidently, adjusted her posture according to the horse's movements, and then the red horse leaped up and easily jumped over the obstacle...
As if at the snap of a finger, the first group of competitions in the first preliminaries was over, and Fu Yunyan won the first place in this group with an undisputed advantage.
Then the second group came on, and as expected, Bai Yi easily won.
Seeing her skillful and relaxed equestrian skills, the people around felt more and more that it was really not that easy for Dayu to win today's royal competition.
The competition was carried out in an orderly manner under the arrangement of Mrs. Jijiu. After half an hour's rest, the formal final was finally about to begin.
The four girls who participated in the final were Fu Yunyan, Bai Yi, Tian girl from Zhenbei General's Mansion, and Wei girl from Hushi General's Mansion. The four girls and their horses were soon on the starting line.
The audience was silent, except for the rustling of the leaves by the summer wind and the occasional cicadas. All eyes were on the four girls, and the graceful figures on the horses were as tight as bowstrings.
Even the servant who was in charge of giving orders was a little nervous, only feeling that the palm of his hand holding the mallet was sweating.
He cleared his throat, yelled first, and then counted down from "three". When the last "one" fell, he beat the gong and drum with a "boom".
The four horses rushed out like arrows off the string, the aggressive momentum was completely different from the previous preliminaries.
The warm summer wind blows head-on on the girls' tender cheeks. As they gallop, the mild summer wind on weekdays scrapes their skin like a knife, making them feel pain on their faces, and their dresses are fluttered by the wind. ring.
After stepping over two obstacle railings in a row, the gap between the girls became apparent. First, Miss Tian was a horse behind, followed by Miss Wei, who was also half a horse behind. Only Fu Yunyan and Bai Yi kept pace.
After halfway through the run, the distance between the front and the back widened. Obviously, the leader must choose between Fu Yunyan and Bai Yi.
But the horses of the two are almost parallel, and that slight difference may become difficult to judge the outcome, and maybe this round will become a draw.
In fact, everyone knew well that Dayu still had the advantage. After all, Dayu is now stronger and weaker, and Dayu is the master of more than one guest. If the emperor and everyone present insisted that it was Fu Yunyan who won by a narrow margin, What can Baiyue do
How can Bai Yi not understand this point!
She knew she had to win by an undisputed margin.
Her eyes flickered slightly, and she quickly made a decision in her heart. She untied the silver belt around her waist with her left hand, and grabbed one end in her hand.
It turned out that the belt was actually a thin silver whip.
She silently waited for the opportunity until the two of them leaped over the last obstacle at the same time. She used Fu Yunyan's body to cover her movements, and suddenly made a move with her left hand.
"Whoosh!"
Like a poisonous snake spitting out a letter, the silver whip slammed a whip towards Fu Yunyan's red horse's right foreleg...
She knows that when the horse suffers from pain, it will raise its two front legs high, then the speed will naturally slow down, even if it is only for a moment, then she is sure to win!
Unexpectedly, the silver whip that broke through the air was grabbed by the backhand without even looking at it.
The pupils of the clothes shrank sharply, she thought that the women of Dayu all practice martial arts with beautiful fists and embroidered legs, and there is such a nimble girl before she arrives!
She immediately noticed that the opponent's right hand grabbed her own silver whip, and the reins fell down...
In the blink of an eye, Bai Yi was ruthless and pulled back violently, trying to pull Fu Yunyan off the horse.
Fu Yunyan's body leaned back slightly, as if she was about to fall down... Her slight movement immediately attracted the attention of Nangong Xin, Fu Yunhe and the others. From their angles, they couldn't see the silver whip, but they could see Fu Yunyan's Thrilled, they all gasped, stood up, and exclaimed in unison: "Liu Niang!"
The next moment, Fu Yunyan had already hooked the stirrup with his feet, and when he lost his breath, he sat down again.
Fu Yunyan thought that she was not a soft persimmon who repays grievances with kindness, and without thinking about it, she pulled back, intending to retaliate with fire. Bai Yi let go of the silver whip as fast as he could, but he didn't want the other party's wrist to twist for some reason, and then changed "pull" to "swing", and the silver whip ruthlessly hit the white horse under Bai Yi's crotch. superior.
The white horse raised its head and neighed in pain, raised its front legs, and the horse's hooves flew into the air. Fortunately, it was skillful in dressing up and riding, holding the rein with one hand and hugging the horse's neck with the other, and finally it did not fall off the horse... At the same time, Fu Yunyan had already Speeding past her like lightning, she was ahead of a horse in an instant.
When a master makes a move, the slightest difference can be a thousand miles away.
The outcome is set!
At this time, the spectators in the tents all stood up and gave warm applause, which lasted for a long time.
Bai Yi quickly stabilized the horse, and continued to ride the horse forward, but the speed slowed down, and his heart was turbulent.
She actually lost!
Bai Yi gritted his teeth in disbelief, and clenched his hands tightly into fists.
For the first time, the beautiful face lost its usual calmness.
She has always been very confident, and she is almost 99% sure that she can win! But halfway through, Fu Yunyan, Cheng Yaojin...
A look of unwillingness flashed in Bai Yi's eyes, but he could only hold back.
After Fu Yunyan rode past the finish line, he did not dismount in a hurry, but rode his horse to the emperor's tent, and then jumped off neatly.
Nangong Xin, Fu Yunhe and the others hurriedly surrounded him, but Fu Yunhe scolded as soon as he spoke: "Liu Niang, you really scared me to death!"
Fu Yunyan raised her head and chin, and looked at Bai Yi with a little pride, her fighting eyes seemed to say: No matter how many tricks you play, don't try to succeed in front of me!
Bai Yi understood the meaning in her gaze, and clenched his fists hidden in his sleeves tightly.
The crowd laughed at Yan Yan, and they all came to congratulate Fu Yunyan one by one.
The Emperor Longyan was overjoyed, and he didn't care about the rules and etiquette anymore. He looked at Fu Yunyan with a smile on his face, and thought: The blood of the Han family is really extraordinary! The granddaughter taught by Aunt Yongyang is even more outstanding, quite similar to that of my little aunt when she was young. style ah!
The emperor loved Fu Yunyan, his cousin, on weekdays. Now that she is winning glory for Dayu and making a face for the royal family, it is natural to see her becoming more and more cordial. Uncle, why don't you just give her a title as a dowry? My little aunt will be happy.
After a while, Bai Yi also dismounted and walked to the tent. The veil covered most of her face, but it couldn't hide the frustration in her eyes.
Han Lingfu looked at Bai Yi complicatedly, a trace of pity flashed in his heart. A woman like her is already unparalleled in the world. However, it is not an easy task to win the four chiefs in Jinxinhui!
The emperor was in a good mood, and even looked at the clothes with a warmer gaze. After clearing his throat, he said in a loud voice: "The saint really opened my eyes. Books, paintings, chess, poems, and royals, there is no one. It doesn't make sense, but I have a bit of the demeanor of Mrs. Qing, the fifth leader of the Jinxin Society nine years ago in Dayu."
The emperor named "Mrs. Qing" on purpose, just telling her that she was not the only one who won several top prizes at the Jinxinhui.
Bai Yi secretly hated, she was taught by Dayu's famous teacher since she was a child, and of course she had heard of "Mrs. Qing". , Naturally small is nothing. Bai Yi originally thought that he would be able to show off his style at the Jinxin Meeting, but unexpectedly, he ended up in such a state.
It's fine if you lose, but what should the First Prince do
If His Royal Highness the First Prince knows that he has lost, he will definitely not spare him, and when the time comes...
Bai Yi couldn't help shivering, feeling fear in his heart, and the delicate face under the veil couldn't help turning pale.
She has to find a way to make up for her mistakes!
After he put his clothes together, he took a step forward as if nothing had happened, and saluted with Dayu's etiquette: "The emperor is absurd. Today's clothes are so convincing to lose! Yangyang Dayu is indeed full of talents. Zhennan Wang Shizi concubine Bai Yi, Miss Bai, and Miss Fu all make Bai Yi feel ashamed and hopeless." While speaking, her thoughts moved quickly, and the corners of her lips curled slightly, and she said to the emperor, "However, Bai Yi admires you the most. It’s the Guan Hou Ye who broke the way of life in the endgame that day, and he has been obsessed with chess since he was a child, can His Majesty Emperor Dayu allow Guan Hou Ye to point out the way of playing chess?”
The emperor didn't think too much about it. Liu Niang's victory today made him feel very good. He greeted Guan Yubai and said, "Marquis An Yi, would you like to give me some advice?"
Guan Yubai took a few steps forward, with a habitual smile on the corner of his lips, and said: "There is a game of Go in the world, or it is like a military strategist. For those who are good at Go, it is "art, quality, and reason." However, as far as I am concerned, it is connected with the art of war. Although the saint is good at chess, she is just a woman, and it is inconvenient for me to point out the way of art of war."
Bai Yi's face froze, she thought that Guan Yubai would follow the trend, but unexpectedly... he refused