White tea legend

Chapter 182 Saint and his followers

The game rules for playing polo in the Li Dynasty mainly include playing in teams, setting up goals, scoring when the ball enters the goal, and wearing different colors of clothing to show distinction.

The contestants are divided into two teams, and the number of people in each team is determined according to the number of participants. The players are divided into two parties, A and B, called two "friends".

There are goals on the court, and the forms of the goals may vary, but the goal is to score by scoring the ball into the opponent's goal.

During the game, when the ball is hit into the goal, a red flag will be placed to indicate the score. In the end, whichever side gets more red flags will win.

In order to distinguish different teams during the game, each team needs to wear different colors of clothing.

If the emperor participates in the game, there will also be a kick-off ceremony. When there is no emperor present, the coach will throw the ball in the center of the court to start the game.

The polo is made of light but hard wood, filled with silk cotton inside, and tied with a rope made of fine hemp rope and white silk on the outside. It is as diameter as a fist, hollowed out in the middle, and painted red or painted on the outside.

The polo sport of the Li Dynasty requires players to have superb riding and batting skills, including technical movements such as back-turning, back-up, diving, and left-right hitting, which enhance the competitiveness and enjoyment of polo matches.

Therefore, it is an aristocratic sport.

At this time, the Cuju field was filled with golden drums and colorful flags.

A new competition has begun.

In this scene, King Shou and Princess Shou competed with the saint. Looking at the field from a distance, the two teams are clearly dressed and each looks majestic.

King Shou wears a brocade robe and a jade belt around his waist, riding on a horse with a calm expression. Princess Shou is even more heroic. She wears an embroidered war robe, beaded shoes, and holds a polo stick. She stands on a horse like a heroine, with a pretty face but firm eyes.

Opposite, the emperor's team is also as powerful as a rainbow, with fluttering imperial robes, shining golden crowns, and numerous entourage, demonstrating the royal majesty.

At the kick-off ceremony, the chamberlain held the imperial golden drum. After the three-way bell sounded, the stadium was filled with silence. As the waiters sang, a polo rolled down from the high platform, announcing the official start of the game.

Horse hooves trampled the ground and dust flew into the sky. Players from both sides galloped across the battlefield, each showing their abilities.

The rules of the polo match are simple and direct: points are scored by hitting the ball first, and the first three players to win the game. At this moment, the emperor's team was already as powerful as a rainbow, winning two battles in a row. The red flag was fluttering in the wind, and victory seemed to be within reach.

Although King Shou's team was lagging behind, they didn't panic at all. Princess Shou's eyes shone with an unyielding light.

During the excitement, Princess Shou galloped forward on her horse. She was as graceful as a swimming dragon, and every swing was accurate. Finally, in a melee, she saw the right opportunity and rushed towards the goal desperately. It was like going through layers of fog, looking for the most appropriate angle, and struck hard, and the ball went straight into the net like a meteor.

The audience burst into loud cheers, and Princess Shou instantly pulled back the game and shortened the score gap.

The competition became more and more intense, with both sides going back and forth, showing extraordinary skills in transition between offense and defense.

Princess Shou is even more heroic, with determination and tenacity in every attack.

She spins and jumps on the horse like a dancer, and every stroke is full of power and beauty. Her outstanding performance not only boosted the morale of her team, but also made the saint stare with admiration secretly in his heart.

Finally, after an exquisite cooperation, Shou Wang's team won another victory and turned defeat into victory. The emotions of the audience on the court were extremely high, and they formed a sea of ​​applause and cheers. Princess Shou is undoubtedly the hero of this victory. Her wonderful skills not only won the game, but also won the respect and admiration of everyone present. The saint's eyes showed an unusual light towards Princess Shou. While admiring her, a strange feeling arose deep in his heart.

This game is not just a sports competition, it also silently changes the fate of some people.

When the sun sets and the polo field becomes quiet, the saint's heart turns into a pot of boiling water.

……

At night, the Huaqing Palace is gently brushed by the moonlight and stars, and its outline is looming under the faint moonlight, like a fairyland. The lotus flowers in the pond glowed faintly under the moonlight, like bright pearls. The occasional croaking of frogs broke the silence of the night, but added a sense of vitality.

On the corridor, the maids carrying lanterns walked gently, their dresses rubbing the ground and making a rustling sound. They chatted in low voices and occasionally laughed like silver bells, bringing a bit of vitality to the quiet night.

The lights in the Hall of Eternal Life are brightly lit, illuminating the exquisite murals and magnificent furnishings.

On the huge dragon bed, there are gorgeous embroidered quilts, green smoke is rising from the incense burner, and the air is filled with a faint fragrance.

The saint has not yet settled down to sleep, leaving the dragon bed empty.

He walked up and down the hall with his hands behind his back, seeming to have something very serious on his mind.

"General! General!" He shouted loudly to his trusted eunuch Gao Lishi, but Gao Lishi was not here at the moment.

The supper prepared for the saint in the imperial dining room has not yet been delivered. Gao Lishi was instructing the food doctor who was responsible for the dietary health care of the saint during the summer vacation in Huaqing Palace to go to the imperial dining room and prepare to return to the Palace of Eternal Life when he met Chen Xuanli who was patrolling in the imperial garden. .

"General Gongming!" Gao Lishi called Chen Xuanli enthusiastically.

Compared with the family background of the descendants of Gao Li, Chen Xuanli's family background was mediocre, but because he raised troops to participate in the killing of Empress Wei and Princess Anle, he was promoted from the position of Captain Guo Yi in the Forbidden Army to General Zuo Longwu of the Forbidden Army, and was deeply loved by the saints. Respect and trust. Whenever the saint spent summer in Huaqing Palace, he would take him with him and let him be responsible for security matters.

Gao Lishi's ancestors had been officials for generations. His great-grandfather was appointed to the Shangzhu State at the beginning of the Li Dynasty, and his grandfather served as the governor of Panzhou. However, his father was unable to continue the family's glory. He was involved in the rebellion of the Lingnan people and unfortunately "broken his crown." "Without his family status", Gao Lishi, a descendant of an official, had no choice but to enter the palace and become a eunuch. When serving in front of the sage's grandmother, he failed to put down his pretentiousness as a son of an official. He offended the sage's grandmother and almost lost his life.

Fortunately, he was taken in by the old eunuch Gao Gonggong, and he changed his name and surname. He also changed his temper and became loyal to the saint when he was still the king of Linzi. He accompanied the saint all the way through five passes and killed six generals, and finally ruled the world. Gao Lishi was conferred by the saint. The guard general of the right prison guard knew that the internal servants could save trouble, and from then on he gained power in both the government and the public. Even the princesses respectfully called him "Aweng", the consorts called him "Master", and the saint himself always called him "General".

Both of them are close confidants of the saint, and they are also very strong personal trainers for each other.

Gao Lishi called Chen Xuanli "General Gongming", and Chen Xuanli also followed the saint in calling Gao Lishi "General Gao".

"General Gao, the saint hasn't slept in peace yet?" Chen Xuanli made a cross-hand salute.

Gao Lishi nodded, with a gloomy look on his face: "The saint has been absent-minded since he came down from the polo field. I wonder if he is tired."

"The saint has always been in good health, and a few games of polo won't make him..."

Chen Xuanli hesitated to speak, but Gao Lishi had already thought of the same thing with him: the saint was fine physically, but there was something wrong in his mind.