In the carriage on the way back, Li Wanming propped her head up with one hand.
The carriage curtain fluttered gently in the wind, and the flickering light and shadow swept across her tense profile.
It wouldn't be easy to take action against Marquis Huo and his son during the polo match.
The drinks and food were all arranged by the Prince Ning's Mansion. If there was the slightest mistake, she would be the first to be held accountable.
The horses and their forage were guarded more preciously than life by the Imperial Horse Bureau. It was likely that not even a single straw could be slipped in.
The polo equipment was under the jurisdiction of the Palace Service Department, leaving no room for her to interfere.
After much thought, only the golden bridles and the jade-inlaid seven-treasure saddles with hunting patterns remained...
Both the bridles and saddles were gifts from the Empress Dowager and were the prizes of previous polo matches. The Huo father and son would surely take them out to show off and use them in the match.
However, how could she tamper with the imperial gifts under the strict guard of the Huo Mansion?
After much deliberation, a cold sneer slowly curled up on Li Wanming's lips.
"Princess Consort..." Qing Lan presented a cup of tea and asked worriedly, "Are we really going to invite the princess?"
"Of course we are." Li Wanming raised her head and suddenly broke into a smile, as if the spring ice had just cracked. "You go to the princess's mansion early tomorrow morning to deliver the visiting card. Say that I have something to discuss with her."
The corners of her lips lifted slightly. "Since I've set up the stage, I surely have to invite Auntie over to watch a good show."
Outside the carriage window, the twilight was deepening.
The last ray of the setting sun swept across the corner of her smiling eye, reflecting a glint of cold light.
...
On the sixth day of August, the sky was high and the clouds were pale. The royal polo field on the east side of Liuyuan was already fluttering with flags and colorful curtains.
At dawn, the Imperial Guards had lined up outside the field. Their golden armors glistened in the sun, and their long halberds were like a forest.
Three hundred fine Ferghana horses brought by the Imperial Horse Bureau were led to the side of the field. Their hooves trampled on the fine sand, making a dull sound. Their manes were shiny, their tails were high up, and the gilded copper ornaments on the saddles sparkled in the sun.
In the middle of the north stood a tall painted pavilion with carved railings. Zhao Yanke, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, was sitting inside happily.
On his right were Princess Danyang and the Duke of Qing, and on his left were Prince Ning and his princess, as well as the newly appointed Duke Protector of the Nation, an old nobleman.
The rest of the royal relatives, noble families, and powerful clans were seated on both sides. Under the gorgeous tents, everyone was dressed in magnificent clothes and adorned with dazzling pearls and jewels.
Li Wanming, Fang Zhi, Feng Xiao and other younger generations naturally couldn't get the seats in the middle. And because Li Wanming had to prepare for the polo match, she was sitting on the far right of the second row. Lady Kang said she would help her keep an eye on things, so she also sat with her.
Li Wanming had something on her mind and was too lazy to care about Lady Kang's schemes. Anyway, she would just face whatever came her way.
When Princess Chengping entered the arena, there was quite a stir on the scene.
"No way? Is that Princess Chengping?"
"The princess never participates in the polo match. Why is she here this time?"
"You don't know. I heard that the Prince Ning's Mansion offended Marquis Huo before, and Marquis Huo is now in favor with the Empress Dowager. The princess is here to plead for the Prince Ning's Mansion!"
"What about her late husband..."
"Shh! Don't talk nonsense!"
...
Hearing these words and looking at Princess Chengping walking gracefully towards the pavilion, Li Wanming couldn't help but feel her eyelids twitch. Auntie, I invited you here to watch the show, not to perform! Why are you dressed so ostentatiously? What on earth are you up to?
Princess Chengping held her head high haughtily. She had a towering startle-swan coiffure, with a phoenix hairpin inlaid with gold threads holding a three-inch-long tassel of oriental pearls. There was a cinnabar flower adornment between her eyebrows, which made her skin look like snow and her lips like red dan.
She was wearing a bright red dress embroidered with golden phoenixes that trailed on the ground. Every step she took exuded a faint fragrance. A gold-woven cloud shoulder was draped over her shoulders, studded with pearls the size of rice grains. When she moved, it sparkled like a galaxy pouring down.
Princess Danyang's face instantly turned green. She stared at Princess Chengping fixedly, almost spitting fire from her eyes.
This was the first time Li Wanming had seen the two of them in the same occasion. Her heart skipped a beat, and she could hardly bear to open her eyes...
After staring for a while, Princess Danyang suddenly hooked the corner of her lips into a smile. "The princess is dressed so gorgeously today. Is there something happy going on? Tell me. Which young man have you taken a fancy to? I can help you arrange a marriage."
"Your Highness is joking."
Princess Chengping didn't even lift her eyelids. She sat down in her seat casually. "I'm just here to watch the polo match. After all..." She stroked her cloud shoulder slowly. "I'm not like some people who can't live without a man by their side."
"You..." Princess Danyang suddenly stood up.
But Princess Chengping remained unmoved. She calmly added another knife. "Moreover, I don't take a fancy to those mediocre women around you."
Zhao Yanke's head buzzed. He quickly tried to smooth things over. "Princess, you rarely participate in such activities. What wind has blown you here today?"
Princess Chengping's eyes flickered slightly. As if she was trying hard to hold back something, she squeezed out a sentence through her teeth. "I've heard that there are always heroes on the polo field. I've never seen them before, so I came to take a look today..."
Hearing her say this, Li Wanming finally let out a sigh of relief.
When she went to the princess's mansion to discuss with Princess Chengping yesterday, it took her a lot of effort to get her to agree to say the word "heroes". She had to say it. If she didn't say something nice, how could she lure Marquis Huo and his son into the trap? She had to make them relax their vigilance so that she could operate more easily later...
Li Wanming's gaze passed over the crowd and landed on the west side of the tent. Sure enough, she saw that both Marquis Huo and his son looked delighted, thinking that they had achieved some great victory.
"Heroes? Although our Great Sheng has countless brave soldiers and fierce generals, there are actually people that the princess can take a fancy to?"
Zhao Yanke knew exactly what was going to happen today, but he still deliberately exaggerated. Anyway, since he had to flatter, he might as well do it more thoroughly.
Before Princess Chengping could answer, Princess Danyang beside her snorted coldly.
"I thought you were so high and mighty. It turns out that after a scolding from the Empress Dowager, you came here to apologize? Hmph, the matter of separating the mansion was so sensational back then. How come you finally remember whose daughter-in-law you are now?"
"Your Highness keeps saying 'daughter-in-law'..."
Princess Chengping gently flicked the bright red nail polish on her hand and said calmly, "If you like being a daughter-in-law so much, you should hurry up and chase the Guo family to Liuzhou. Maybe the eldest son of the Guo family will still let you be a co-wife out of old affection."
These words were extremely venomous. Princess Danyang flew into a rage.
After Guo Weiyi went to Liuzhou, he quickly arranged marriages for his two children, clearly indicating that he had no intention of competing in the capital anymore. You big shots should stop thinking about me...
Princess Danyang was really angry because the Guo family, her chess piece, was out of control. Now that Princess Chengping had brought this matter out in the open, it was like stabbing her in the heart.
"You—!"
Princess Danyang suddenly slapped the table. Most of the water in the teacup splashed out.
Her fingers tightly clasped the edge of the cup, and her knuckles turned white. If it weren't for Zhao Yanke sitting in the middle, the teacup would probably have been thrown at Princess Chengping's face long ago.