Fairies Are Fierce

Chapter 14: Ordinary Mortals

The warm sun shone brightly.

Zuo Lingquan, led by a minor official, arrived at the stable near the edge of the field.

Nearly two hundred horses were parked in the stable. The minor official called out names and led the horses forward, then went to the edge of the field to wait for the start.

Princess Chang watched from above as everyone waited quietly, and there were no unexpected situations.

But when the name "Zuo Lingquan" was called out in the roster, the minor official in charge of distributing the horses did not bring one nearby for Zuo Lingquan. Instead, he specifically ran to the back of the stable and brought a horse over.

The young noblemen waiting all took a look, and wow!

They saw that this horse was well-proportioned and tall, with a round back and a glossy black coat without a single stray hair. As its hooves kicked up, it seemed to soar into the sky like it was entering the sea.

The young noblemen present all came from extraordinary backgrounds, so how could they lack discerning eyes? Just by looking at this horse, they knew it was an exceptional steed that could travel a thousand miles. In comparison, the horses and mules in their hands seemed no different.

"What does this mean?"

"Why is that?"

...

Outside the stable, whispers filled the air, and their dissatisfaction was evident in their eyes.

The minor official in charge of the horses received orders from above and knew it was unfair, but he could only follow through with a stiff upper lip. He waved his hand, signaling Zuo Lingquan to quickly take the horse away.

Zuo Lingquan was also quite embarrassed. He thought it was his third uncle who had manipulated things behind the scenes, using his "financial power" to bribe the minor official in charge of the horses.

He had real skills and didn't want to become a royal consort. Naturally, he didn't care about taking advantage of such small benefits.

Just as Zuo Lingquan was thinking of changing to a normal horse, a tall young man behind him suddenly spoke up:

"Brother, I'm Zhao Huai'an. I'm too big for an ordinary horse. How about we switch? I'll let you score a goal later."

Zuo Lingquan turned around and saw the young man who called himself Zhao Huai'an. At this moment, he had a cheerful smile on his face as he held an ordinary horse. His gaze kept wandering towards the tall horse.

Seeing this, Zuo Lingquan went along with it and handed the reins to Zhao Huai'an, taking the other person's horse in return.

The minor official in charge of the horses was dumbfounded. He raised his hand, wanting to stop them, but didn't know how to. He couldn't force Zuo Lingquan to ride a good horse. After all, everyone present was from noble families. If they caused a scene, it would surely provoke public anger. He could only turn his gaze towards the terrace above.

Jiang Yi and Leng Zhu on the terrace were also dumbfounded.

Leng Zhu stood up and said, "Hey, hey, hey, something's not right. Why did he give the horse to someone else? Is he stupid? Why wouldn't he ride such a good horse?"

Jiang Yi was equally anxious and wanted to speak up and ask the two to switch horses.

But if she spoke up now and specifically asked Zuo Lingquan to ride the good horse, then there would be no need to choose a royal consort. Everyone would understand the meaning and directly appoint Zuo Lingquan as the royal consort.

So, the master and servant could only watch as the horses they had carefully prepared were joyfully taken away by Zhao Huai'an, while he proudly rode onto the field.

---

Dang!

Everything proceeded in an orderly manner. The sound of a gong rang out from the high tower terrace, and everyone's gaze focused on the old eunuch's hands on the terrace.

On the field below the high tower, forty people rode on swift horses, holding polo sticks, their eyes burning with anticipation, while also being cautious of those around them. Among them, Zhao Huai'an stood at the front, his tall horse and towering figure making him look a head taller than everyone else.

Zuo Lingquan didn't fight for a position and stood at the back while riding his horse. He held the polo stick on his shoulder with one hand, his posture somewhat relaxed, giving the impression that he wasn't putting in much effort.

Third Uncle Zuo Hanchou sat in his seat, seeing this scene and hurriedly slapped his leg. He was about to remind Zuo Lingquan to pay more attention, but the old eunuch on the terrace had already thrown the polo ball into the air.

A vine-woven ball with colorful ribbons drew an arc in the sunny sky and landed in the center of the field.

Everyone on the field started to stir, quickly galloping towards the landing spot, vying with each other. Occasionally, they would use their riding skills to block the path of others.

But just as everyone was galloping and competing for the landing spot of the polo ball, a few people in front suddenly saw a swiftly moving figure on the green field, and cries of surprise came from the surroundings.

"Wow..."

"This young master is really..."

The people in front turned their heads and were astonished to see a white figure rising into the sky from behind the group of horses. His robe fluttered like an eagle soaring in the sky, and in mid-air, he intercepted the polo ball.

Bang!

A muffled sound echoed across the field of galloping horses.

They saw the white-clad young man leap into the air, holding the polo stick with both hands at shoulder height, and violently strike.

The polo stick, supported by a waxed pole, was pulled into a crescent shape by tremendous force.

The end of the stick touched the vine ball, and the vine ball instantly turned into a sharp arrow, shooting towards the flower wreath hanging in mid-air on the opposite side of the field.

"Wow!"

The whole field was in an uproar.

The young aristocrats who were still galloping on their horses opened their mouths wide, looking at the elegant figure that fell back onto the horse's back, their eyes filled with shock.

Can it still be played like this?

Isn't this cheating?

"Beautiful! Truly my nephew..." Left Han Chou, the attendant minister, saw that his nephew had indeed made a remarkable achievement and was delighted. If it weren't for his bad legs, he would have jumped onto the table and performed a flamboyant court dance.

Jiang Yi had witnessed Zuo Lingquan's unparalleled explosiveness, so she was shocked but not surprised to see this.

Leng Zhu, on the other hand, had her red lips slightly open, and the brush in her hand fell to the ground. She couldn't believe it and said, "Oh my... I have never seen such a scene in my life. It's too handsome... Oh my..."

Jiang Yi's face darkened, and she raised her hand to give Leng Zhu a knock on the head, saying, "I asked you to handle things, and this is what you've done?"

"I... I..."

"He thinks he can become a prince consort just by showing off his martial arts skills? He's dreaming. Even if I were blind, I wouldn't choose him..."

Below the high tower, Prime Minister Li Jingsi was also taken aback by Zuo Lingquan's soaring figure. He turned to Li Cang and asked, "Cang'er, do you call this an ordinary man?"

Li Cang also looked bewildered and uncertain, saying, "Um... It is rumored that he has no background in cultivation, but I'm not too sure about the specifics."

Li Jingsi was about to advise Li Cang to pay more attention when he suddenly noticed a lone horse standing at the starting point below the high tower.

The onlookers around gradually regained their senses from Zuo Lingquan and gradually noticed the completely different figure at the edge of the arena.

They saw the majestic horse, with its head held high and chest puffed out, standing on the field. Its four hooves were rooted in the ground, as steady as a mountain.

But as a horse, being as steady as a mountain was clearly not a good description.

Zhao Huai'an held a polo stick in his right hand and a horse whip in his left, sitting on the horse like a tower. His face was red and purple, without any movement, but his whole body was soaked in sweat.

Obviously, Zhao Huai'an's horse hadn't moved at all just now.

Seeing that the noble sons and princes on the cloud platform were all looking at him, Zhao Huai'an had to do something to avoid becoming a laughingstock. He quickly put away his polo stick, raised his hand to pat the horse, and cheered, "Young Master Zuo is skilled indeed. I have conceded one goal. I will play for real next. Be careful, young master."

Zuo Lingquan didn't pay attention to Zhao Huai'an just now and actually thought that Zhao Huai'an deliberately let him win. He clasped his fists and said, "Brother Zhao is being modest."

Zhao Huai'an laughed heartily, but his gaze was fixed on the fierce horse he was sitting on. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, clearly praying for the horse not to cause any trouble.

After scoring a goal, according to the rules, the old eunuch on the terrace would immediately throw out the second ball. However, due to Zuo Lingquan's surprise just now, the match was paused for a while.

At this moment, the old eunuch on the terrace, holding the rattan ball, was preparing to throw it again, but before he could do so, he turned his head and listened. It was Princess Chang who was speaking.

Everyone waited quietly, and when the old eunuch turned his head again, Princess Chang spoke gently, "Young Master Zuo's skills are indeed remarkable, but the purpose of polo is to promote physical fitness and encourage everyone to participate. The way you played just now, other young masters would have to watch from the stands. In my opinion, it seems like bullying the weak with your martial arts skills. How about we change the rules? The rattan ball must touch the ground before bouncing up again in order to score a goal. What do you think?"

Everyone on the field and off was stunned to hear this.

Was Princess Chang reproaching Zuo Lingquan for bullying others with his martial arts skills?

This was good news!

The aristocrats who had lost confidence due to Zuo Lingquan's performance were now looking at Princess Chang with fervent eyes, almost in tears of gratitude, loudly praising her for understanding justice and standing up for them.

Zuo Lingquan heard this and breathed a sigh of relief.

He had only shown off earlier to make a good impression on his uncle, who had high expectations of him. He was actually worried that the princess would take notice of him.

Since Princess Chang was dissatisfied with his showy behavior, it meant that she definitely wouldn't choose him. From now on, he just needed to quietly go with the flow.

While everyone was lost in their thoughts, the old eunuch threw the rattan ball again.

The young aristocrats on the field galloped on their horses, rushing towards the landing point of the rattan ball. Zuo Lingquan also joined them, quietly swimming and fishing.

And at the moment when everyone's attention was focused on the flower basket near the end of the field, they completely failed to notice that Zhao Huai'an was still as steady as Mount Tai at the starting line of the second half.

Below the high tower, Zhao Huai'an's face turned ashen, as he had been trying various methods to urge the horse he was sitting on.

Seeing that more than half of the time had passed and the horse still showed no signs of cooperation, Zhao Huai'an couldn't help but feel anxious.

Zhao Huai'an's elders also noticed that something was wrong with him. Taking advantage of the lack of attention here, they ran to the edge of the viewing platform and angrily rebuked:

"Huai'an, what are you doing? Hurry over!"

Zhao Huai'an was sweating profusely and feeling extremely anxious. Despite trying everything he could, he still couldn't control the horse. In desperation, he pulled out a hairpin from his hair and directly stabbed it into the horse's flank.

"Sss--"

The spirited horse lifted its front hooves and let out a mournful neigh.

Under the piercing pain, the already stubborn black horse became furious, thrashing and jumping around in place, trying to throw off the person on its back.

"Oh no, the horse is startled."

The nearby attendants heard the neigh and turned their heads, all feeling shocked.

A startled horse is no small matter. It can easily throw people off or cause harm to innocent bystanders. Only experienced riders can handle such situations.

The high-headed horse in front of them was going crazy, and ordinary people didn't dare to approach, let alone try to stop the horse.

Zhao Huai'an knew that this action would startle the horse, but he only wanted to give himself an excuse. Afterwards, he could say that the horse was startled, and maybe he could even enter the next round of competition. However, he didn't expect the horse to be so fierce.

The black horse was wildly thrashing at the edge of the field, causing Zhao Huai'an to drop his polo stick. He leaned down and hugged the horse's neck, trying to forcibly stop it, but it had no effect. He could only barely ensure that he wouldn't be thrown off.

The black horse kept thrashing and, unexpectedly, rushed out of the field and leaped into the stable where the horses were kept.

The stable was large, with wooden fences and hitching posts. The black horse went crazy, jumping and crashing between the fences, causing some minor injuries. Zhao Huai'an on its back suffered even more, with his skin torn and flesh exposed by the wooden spikes.

On top of the high building, Princess Longli also noticed something unusual:

"What's going on? How did this horse go mad? How did you arrange this?"

Leng Zhu was also puzzled. This horse was borrowed specifically from the Hunting and Arrest Bureau. It had chased and killed countless ferocious beasts, obediently following orders and protecting its master. Who could have expected it to suddenly become like this?

"I just told the horse not to move..."

Seeing that things were getting out of hand and someone might get seriously injured, Jiang Yi raised her hand and called for the guards, hoping they could help.

But before the guards could run down the stairs, a rider came galloping towards the field and headed straight for the stable.

Jiang Yi looked up and couldn't help but be stunned:

"Why did this person come running over?"

Zuo Lingquan was loafing around on the field and naturally noticed the commotion at the stables.

In his view, the black steed was prepared for him by his third uncle. If the horse injured someone due to being startled, he would be responsible.

Moreover, in horse polo, it was the horsemanship that was being competed. Falling off the horse or leaving the field naturally meant being eliminated.

Zuo Lingquan didn't want to be a consort in the first place. With a legitimate reason to be eliminated, he naturally didn't hesitate. He flew on his horse to the outside of the stables, dismounted, and ran on foot to the vicinity of the unruly horse. He snatched the horse tether from the hands of a small official, leaped over the fence with an arrow-like step, and threw the tether accurately around the neck of the unruly horse.

The horse had immense strength. Zuo Lingquan held onto the horse tether with both hands, his boots sinking into the muddy ground, leaving two grooves as he was dragged along. His palms were also rubbed raw by the rough hemp rope.

However, Zuo Lingquan was also strong. This action momentarily stopped the unruly horse. Seeing this, he quickly spoke up:

"Get down."

Zhao Huai'an was covered in blood and was almost scared silly. Seeing the situation, he quickly threw himself to the ground, rolled over, and got up to run outside.

The unruly horse was stirred up with ferocity and wanted to trample Zhao Huai'an, but it was pulled off course by the tether. Seeing Zhao Huai'an escape, it turned its head and charged towards Zuo Lingquan, who was holding the rope.

The unruly horse was obviously smaller than the ferocious beasts encountered a few days ago.

Zuo Lingquan didn't dodge or avoid it. When it got close, he raised his hand and delivered a powerful punch to the horse's head, then turned around to avoid the charging horse.

The frenzied horse ran a few steps before fainting under the heavy blow, stumbling and falling to the ground. The chaotic situation in the stables came to an abrupt end.

"Good skill..."

The nearby small officials praised Zuo Lingquan after seeing the unruly horse being stopped.

On the terrace, Jiang Yi saw Zuo Lingquan successfully stopping the horse and furrowed her brows, her expression somewhat complicated.

Leng Zhu sat beside her, also peering over, and when she saw the princess remaining silent for a long time, she spoke up:

"Princess, what happened last time with Zuo Lingquan killing the ferocious beast in Linhe Lane, I'm afraid it's true. He has this ability, this courage, and most importantly, this sense of chivalry. Even if he doesn't compete for the consort position, he still takes risks to save people. He's truly a good person."

Jiang Yi's face showed no expression, but she also felt that it was indeed the case. She fell silent before lightly humming:

"To know someone's face but not their heart, don't let appearances deceive you."

Leng Zhu pursed her lips. "He's already dismounted and left the field, how can he deceive the princess? Look, he's even walking towards the stands. What a pity..."

Jiang Yi pursed her lips and watched Zuo Lingquan's departing figure, her eyes filled with hesitation.

She had always been fair in rewarding and punishing others. Even though she held a grudge against Zuo Lingquan, she shouldn't have deprived him of the opportunity in that situation where he abstained from voting due to saving someone. This had nothing to do with love or hate, but rather with principles of how to handle things.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yi spoke up:

"In consideration of his act of saving someone and having a bit of conscience, let's give him another chance..."

Jiang Yi paused slightly at this point and continued:

"Let's change the prepared seven-stone bow to be the same as everyone else's, so as to avoid any complications."

Leng Zhu had tampered with both Zuo Lingquan's horsemanship and archery skills, and had even prepared a seven-stone bow that required tremendous strength to draw.

It was within Princess Jiang's expectations for Zuo Lingquan to be called back, as her actions had always been like this and should continue to be so.

However, changing the bow surprised Leng Zhu.

Calling Zuo Lingquan back was an act of fairness, but why change the bow?

Princess Jiang had just been gnashing her teeth to make things difficult for Zuo Lingquan, but after seeing him save someone, she no longer did so. Based on Zuo Lingquan's current performance, if he didn't stumble, he would surely soar. Could it be that the princess...

Leng Zhu's eyes lit up. "The princess truly understands righteousness. If Zuo Lingquan continues to excel in the upcoming events, will you choose him as your husband?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi immediately snapped back to reality.

Choose Zuo Lingquan as her husband?

He was dreaming!

She hadn't even avenged the grudge of being spanked, so how could she let herself be pressed down again...

Jiang Yi blushed suddenly, then her expression turned serious:

"What nonsense are you talking about? With his current state, he still wants to be my husband? He might as well be a eunuch. I called him back just to be fair and give him a chance..."

Being fair, but why did she tamper with the horse and bow yesterday?

Now that she had changed them back to normal, it was clearly because she had some thoughts...

Leng Zhu grew up with the princess and understood her stubborn nature. She sighed inwardly and advised:

"The imperial family can no longer push it aside. By organizing such a grand event and inviting all the suitable young talents, they are forcing the princess to make a decision and choose a husband. If the princess doesn't choose Lord Zuo, does that mean she has other preferences?"

Jiang Yi knew that there were factions in the court that were not on the same page as her. There must be many hidden traps among the candidates.

The husband would be the person Jiang Yi would spend her days and nights with in the future. If she accidentally chose a spy, it would not only affect the court's situation in the future, but also ruin her entire life.

If Jiang Yi didn't want to choose someone with ulterior motives, she could only choose from those noble young men with clean backgrounds, and among them, Zuo Lingquan stood out.

Zuo Lingquan's actions of saving people just now, as well as his help in eliminating the ferocious beast at the Linhe Mansion, all showed that he had good character.

He had great virtue, superior martial arts skills, and a handsome appearance. There were almost no flaws to be found. If Jiang Yi's mind was clear, there was simply no other choice.

But this guy had used despicable means to deceive her just two days ago, and even pressed her down...

Jiang Yi pursed her lips, glared, and said:

"I simply don't want to choose him. He's delusional."

"Oh..."

Leng Zhu felt a bit sorry for Zuo Lingquan, but as a palace maid, she had no right to make decisions when it came to the princess's choice. All she could do was silently lament...

---

Clang...

The fierce horse had just been subdued, and the competition on the field was coming to an end.

Most people's attention was still focused on the field. The Qiyun Pavilion was too large, and most people hadn't noticed the chaos in the stables, or if they did, they didn't pay much attention to it.

As the dismounting ended, the old eunuch announced the names from above.

Zuo Lingquan had already dismounted and thought he had nothing to do with it. He patted his clothes and prepared to return to the stands, but unexpectedly, the old eunuch said from above:

"Zuo Lingquan from Qinghe County scores one goal. Although he has dismounted and left the field, there is a reason behind it, so no further investigation will be conducted..."

Zuo Lingquan's footsteps paused, and he spread his hands, speechless.

Fine, he had to continue acting...

---

This scene is a bit long, so I'll release two chapters together. This chapter combines two chapters, so I've paid back three chapters. Thank you to the leader [Baige Liaoluan] and the numerous readers for their votes and rewards. I will tally them up in a few days and release them together, so that it's not inconvenient for everyone to flip through pages~

(End of this chapter)