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Yang Jian remained silent, his expression calm. He did not care about the Consort Crown Prince chosen by the Queen, but he was concerned about the Crown Prince's filial piety, for obedience is a form of respect.
Dugu Qialo spoke coldly, "You favor A-Yun so much that the Consort Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace holds no dignity, treated like a mere dog. She had no illness, yet suddenly passed away; it must be due to the two of you that she met such an untimely end."
Yang Yong was at a loss for words. Seeing this, Dugu Qialo felt even more disappointed and turned to the Emperor, weeping, "While I am still here, after my death, they will surely oppress my brothers. To think that in the Eastern Palace there is no legitimate heir! After our thousand years of legacy, our legitimate sons and grandsons will have to bow before A-Yun's child. What immense suffering this brings!"
Yang Yong repeatedly bowed his head and said, "How could I dare to oppress my brothers? I would never do such a thing. I beg the Empress to retract these words."
...
After leaving the palace, Li Jian Cheng headed straight for Duke of Yue's Residence. The entrance was far more bustling than Duke Tang's Residence, filled with visitors coming to pay their respects to Duke of Yue. The open space from the outer gate to the main entrance was crowded, with some of lower status waiting outside the gates.
Li Jian Cheng waited only a short while before the steward of the Duke's Residence hurried out, instructing the servants to take care of his horse and feed it well. Then he bowed and said, "Rascal has arrived late; I apologize for making Young Master Li wait. Please come inside."
Seeing the usually arrogant steward being so humble made it clear that this Young Master must be of high status. They quietly stepped aside to make way as Li Jian Cheng smiled and thanked them.
Once inside, he saw Yang Jishan approaching quickly. Upon seeing him, Yang Jishan exclaimed, "The lynx you sent over was quite wild; it injured my spotted dog last night."
Li Jian Cheng laughed and replied, "How could you keep them together if they aren't trained yet? Have you lost your mind?"
"Ah, I was too busy last night and instructed my people to feed them properly; who knew they would be so foolish? They've already been sent to the villa to work in the fields."
After dismissing the steward, Yang Jishan said, "I just sent someone to invite you over for a game of polo, but I heard you went into the palace?"
Before Li Jian Cheng could respond, he pulled him towards the side courtyard. "You're just in time; the banquet hasn't started yet. We're playing polo in the side courtyard."
Polo had become popular since the Wei-Jin period and remained a favorite among men today, second only to hunting outside the city.
Duke of Yue's Residence was vast; initially built on par with Duke Tang's estate but expanded generously seven or eight years ago, it now occupied almost half a block. The residence was luxurious and extravagant, resembling a smaller version of a royal palace.
Not only was it large, but there were also numerous servants and maids coming and going. Yang Jishan once mentioned that there were thousands of servants in his household, with countless entertainers and maidens in the back courtyard as well—truly indicative of wealth and nobility.
Moreover, it was said that even in the air, they maintained a low profile, but in various overseas locations, the villas were luxurious and extravagant. They were often demolished in the morning and rebuilt by night, with renovations never ceasing in pursuit of novelty.
The adjacent courtyard was a racetrack, roughly rectangular, with a perimeter of a thousand steps. It was enclosed by low walls on three sides, while the northern side featured a row of elevated platforms with roofs and screens, serving as viewing stands.
This venue was not something an ordinary noble family could afford. The ground was meticulously packed and leveled with yellow earth to ensure that when the horses ran, they would not kick up dust that could obstruct the view. Additionally, oil was repeatedly poured onto the surface to make it as smooth as a whetstone and as shiny as a mirror.
On the field, two teams of knights, each wearing different headbands, held mallets several feet long with crescent-shaped tops. Mounted on their fine steeds, they competed fiercely to strike the ball and score points.
The colorful ball was about the size of an adult's fist, made from lightweight yet durable wood. It was hollowed out in the center, painted on the outside, and adorned with carvings. Today's ball featured a design of "Qilin Stepping on the Pearl."
There were small gates on either side, intricately carved and painted red. Scoring through these gates marked the end of a round.
Flags stood tall around the perimeter; scoring a point earned one a flag, while losing a point meant removing one.
Li Jian Cheng and Yang Jishan arrived at the sidelines. Yang Jishan enthusiastically explained the situation of the match while boasting about how elegantly he had scored his previous goal.
Li Jian Cheng's attention was soon captured by a tall rider clad in a dark narrow-sleeved robe, wearing black riding boots and a turban. He held the reins in his left hand and a crescent-shaped mallet in his right.
Riding a chestnut horse that soared into the air, he turned mid-gallop to strike the ball back with ease, sending it into the goal. Behind him, more than ten riders halted in awe.
The spectators erupted in cheers. The rider scanned the crowd with an indifferent gaze before breaking into a bright smile. Moments later, his eyes landed on Li Jian Cheng as he waved to summon a friend and galloped over.
As they approached, both dismounted and addressed Yang Jishan: "Seventh Brother, go win me the last point."
Yang Jishan laughed heartily and reached for Li Jian Cheng to pull him onto the field but was stopped by him saying, "You go ahead; I want to have a word with Li Dalang, who dares to say that only death is lacking for Duke of Qi."
Upon hearing this, Yang Jishan replied, "Then big brother must not neglect my esteemed guest."
With that, Yang Jishan winked at Li Jian Cheng before leaving. The match continued with renewed excitement and soon became lively once again.
Li Jian Cheng bowed to the man and said, "It has been a long time since I last saw you, elder brother. Why are you teasing me like this?"
Yang Xuangan had always been playful since childhood, and being over ten years older than them, he was considered the big brother. As a result, they often followed him around when they were young, engaging in activities like dog fighting, falconry, and hunting.
Yang Xuangan stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Li Jian Cheng, and shook him lightly. "One day apart feels like three autumns. Jian Cheng, you’ve changed quite a bit; you’ve become quite the lord. Not long ago, the Capital City was still laughing at your misfortunes, but now they must be shocked."
"The one who laughed the hardest must have been you, elder brother," Li Jian Cheng replied with a smile. "A gentleman's worth is recognized after three days apart; why are you so late in noticing my progress?"
Yang Xuangan pretended to be modest for a moment before introducing, "This is Duke of Pushan, Li Mi. He has spent several years governing a province with the former duke and rarely returns to the capital; you probably don’t remember him."
Li Jian Cheng bowed again and said, "I pay my respects to you, elder brother. Although we haven’t met often, I have heard much about your extensive knowledge and exceptional military strategy. It is said that you can recite entire texts without error and excel in theoretical debates."
Li Mi had sharp angular features with clear black-and-white eyes, yet he appeared dark and short, looking somewhat frail next to the robust and handsome Yang Xuangan, resembling more of a servant than a friend.
Li Mi returned the greeting and said, "Discussing theory is of little worth; it pales in comparison to your achievements."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Yang Xuangan asked Li Jian Cheng if he wanted to join in on some games. However, Li Jian Cheng had important matters to attend to that day. Moreover, Yang Yue was known to be rather harsh, so he naturally did not want to make a fool of himself before him.
After receiving an answer, the three of them walked toward the banquet hall. Along the way, Yang Xuangan and Li Mi engaged in lively conversation. It was only at this moment that Li Mi appeared somewhat spirited; however, standing beside Yang Xuangan, he was still firmly overshadowed.
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