To showcase their glory, the father - son duo of the Huo family used the very prizes from before—the golden bridles and the seven - treasure jade - inlaid saddles. Under the sunlight, they shone brightly.
The Ferghana horses were naturally proud and loathed overly glaring lights the most.
The glaring bridles and saddles, along with the two gilded and gem - inlaid polo sticks that dazzled with brilliance, were more than enough to greatly stimulate the horses and make them restless.
Moreover, to ensure everything went smoothly, Li Wanming had specifically asked her eldest sister to add a herb called crow - feather grass to the spice at the head of the polo sticks.
This herb, when used alone, could refresh the mind. But at this moment, it would make the already restless horses go completely berserk.
Neither the gilded jewels nor the spices were poisonous. Even if Empress Dowager Kang suspected something later, she would definitely find nothing amiss. The polo sticks were bestowed by the emperor, a gift through Zhao Yanke's hands. Even if someone really wanted to investigate, it would be extremely difficult...
With these three measures combined, it was a flawless plan... The legs of the father - son duo of the Huo family were surely doomed today!
Li Wanming's eyes shifted, and she nodded slightly at the ceremonial official.
Suddenly, the gong sounded and the drums and music blared. The highly anticipated polo game finally began!
In an instant, more than a dozen fine horses dashed out like arrows from a bow. Their hooves fluttered, and dust billowed. The polo sticks clashed, and the wooden ball flew across the field like a shooting star.
Among them, the two gilded and gem - inlaid polo sticks were, of course, the most eye - catching.
The brilliance refracted by the pearls and gems was like two golden dragons tumbling on the field, even more dazzling than the midday sun. The female guests sitting in the stands couldn't help but cover their eyes with their fans.
"Wow, those polo sticks are so dazzling!"
"His Majesty bestowed such precious items. It shows how much he values the Huo family."
"Indeed. Didn't you see that even Princess Chengping is here? Isn't it to show submission to the Huo family?"
"Alas, Marquis Huo is probably going to be promoted again..."
Li Wanming sat upright under the canopy stand. She half - covered her red lips with a bamboo fan, and a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes.
Promoted?
He probably won't be promoted... He's likely to fall hard!
"Is everything arranged?" Xiao Jingnan suddenly rushed to his seat and asked in a low voice.
He had been extremely busy recently. The case of the Kang father - son duo involved him, and he had almost lived in the yamen. He was even late for this grand polo event.
Li Wanming didn't answer. Instead, she withdrew her gaze from the field and sized him up from head to toe with a strange look.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Jingnan felt a bit uneasy under her gaze.
"Didn't you notice anything strange when you came in just now?"
"Hmm... It does seem a bit strange..." Xiao Jingnan looked around and nodded in reply.
As soon as he entered the polo field, he had a strange feeling.
The looks people gave him were like spider webs, sticky, slightly cool, and carrying a trace of indescribable hidden excitement. He was all too familiar with this kind of look. People had looked at him like this when he was courting Li Wanming!
But today was even stranger. When he went to pay respects to Zhao Yanke just now, that young man's eyes were also very strange.
And the look Princess Danyang gave him could almost be described as pity!
What on earth was going on?
Xiao Jingnan's intuition told him that there was probably something else on him that the whole capital's people would find amusing...
Sensing something was wrong, his first reaction was to think that something had gone wrong with the Huo family. So he rushed over in a hurry. Who would have thought that as soon as they met, Li Wanming was also looking at him with this kind of look.
Li Wanming snorted, turned sideways, tilted her head slightly, and jerked her chin towards the back - diagonal direction. She asked, "Look, isn't that young lady beautiful?"
Xiao Jingnan glanced in the direction she was looking. There, he saw a young woman in white.
He stroked his chin and said, "She's okay."
Okay?
What kind of answer was that!
Li Wanming was angry. She snapped her bamboo fan shut with a "pop": "... Aren't you going to tell me who she is?"
"Who?" Xiao Jingnan looked blank. He turned his head and carefully sized up the young lady again. Then he said, "I don't know her. I've never seen her before."
...
Li Wanming stared at him, her mouth half - open, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word.
What was going on?
The so - called "well - matched", "unforgettable old love", "stunning beauty" that others talked about, the "white moonlight" and the "dearest person" that her second aunt had painstakingly brought here... In the end, Xiao Jingnan didn't even recognize her?
She suddenly felt that she had been jealous for nothing just now. Especially that over - confident and imposing speech of hers was simply a joke...
"Hey, Jingnan is here!" Over there, Mrs. Kang had already stood up with a beaming smile and greeted warmly, "Come quickly, come quickly and see who this is?"
Xiao Jingnan stood up to salute. He sized up Shen Qilan again and politely asked, "May I ask the young lady's name?"
"This... Don't you remember?" Mrs. Kang's face froze. She quickly said, "This is Miss Shen. She was once engaged to you..."
"Oh..." Xiao Jingnan suddenly realized.
He reacted very quickly and immediately understood why the people on the polo field were looking at him so strangely and why Li Wanming was looking so pouty.
It turned out that his kind second aunt, in order to annoy Li Wanming at the polo event, had even brought Shen Qilan back.
Xiao Jingnan's eyes turned slightly cold, and a polite but distant smile curved his lips: "Miss Shen, are you fully recovered now?"
Shen Qilan curtsied gracefully: "Thank you, Young Master, for your concern. I'm already fully recovered..."
"Look at you two. You haven't seen each other for so many years. Why are you just standing there?" Mrs. Kang forced a smile on her face and was eager to pull them together. "Quick! Sit down and talk! It's been so long. You must have a lot to say to each other..."
Xiao Jingnan gently brushed off her hand without showing it: "It's good that you're recovered. It's not in vain for you to have spent so many years in Buddhist cultivation."
He turned around and took Li Wanming's hand. In full view of everyone, he wrapped her small hand in his palm, his eyes full of tenderness: "It may seem presumptuous, but I really have to thank Miss Shen for her serious illness back then—"
His voice was clear and every word hit the ground with a thud: "If it weren't for that, how could I have met Wanming? She is the love of my life, and my love for her is unwavering! I, Xiao Jingnan, am truly blessed to have married her!"
These words were like a huge rock thrown into a lake, stirring up waves again.
All around, the gasps of the noble ladies from the aristocratic families came one after another.
Li Wanming's ears turned red, and her face burned.
There was really no need to be like this...
The love of his life, unwavering...
How could he say such cheesy words?
She wanted to pull out her hand, but Xiao Jingnan held it tightly.
But what was most surprising was Shen Qilan's attitude.
Under everyone's gaze, although a faint blush colored her cheeks, her manner was still graceful and generous.
She broke into a smile, and her voice was as clear as a spring: "Back then, due to my serious illness, I had to break off the engagement and cultivate in a Buddhist temple. For so many years, I've always felt guilty towards the Young Master, fearing that I might have delayed his marriage because of my fault. Now that I see the Young Master and the Young Mistress deeply in love and harmonious, I can finally feel at ease."