Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Ju Ming asked Bai Qi to pick fifty of the Yunnan horses presented by Dali and bring them back to Hunan to be used as army horses.

The rest is sold directly in Tokyo.

These little guys are so short that they were just fine when the army first started, but now Ju Ming doesn't like them at all.

An open space next to the Tiansi Prison Grassland was designated by Ju Ming as a public stadium for Tokyo residents to play football, polo and the like.

Now these Yunnan horses happen to be sold to the children of the rich and powerful. Because the horse is relatively short, even if it falls while playing ball, it can avoid serious injuries.

The martial spirit must be cultivated slowly.

In fact, polo has always existed in the two Song Dynasties. All emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty were polo enthusiasts, but this sport was only popular among the top elites. It was not until Emperor Xiaozong of the Southern Song Dynasty that he ordered the game to be promoted in the military, hoping to use polo to cultivate a martial culture.

After spending two days with Li Qinglu, Zhu Ming took his wives and concubines and ran to Song Huizong's sporting goods warehouse.

By the way, a sports star was also invited - Cui Xiuyi, the concubine of Song Huizong.

Cui Xiuyi is not yet forty years old this year. The fact that this woman can become a royal concubine is partly related to her good playing skills. She was the captain of the first female court polo team in the Song Dynasty. Every year, she would take her concubines and maids to play polo in Jinmingchi for the people to watch...

Song Huizong hurriedly fled to the southeast, taking Cui Xiuyi with him. Li Bao captured her when he conquered Hangzhou.

There were concubines from the previous dynasty who were still alive, and Zhu Guoxiang let them all go home.

After Cui Xiuyi returned to her natal family, her elder brother asked a matchmaker to arrange a marriage, and she remarried a Kaifeng scholar as a second marriage.

"Your Highness, these more than ten sticks are...his sticks." Cui Xiuyi searched for a while and soon found Song Huizong's polo stick.

Ju Ming glanced at it and saw that the styles of these clubs were at two extremes. One is fresh and elegant, without any unnecessary carvings; the other is luxurious and precious, even inlaid with gold and precious stones.

Next to a row of polo clubs, there are other clubs.

The most eye-catching thing is the ball hammer, which looks like a golf club.

"You choose yourselves," Ju Ming said.

Zhe Yanxiu was the most active. She rushed over and picked up one with gold paint: "I want this one!"

"I don't know how to ride a horse, so I'd better play Chuiwan." Zhang Jinping pointed at the Chuiwan sticks and said.

Then, Prince Zhu's women followed the crown princess one after another, because they couldn't ride a horse, and they were more suitable to play golf.

Zhu Ming asked Li Qinglu: "What about you?"

Li Qinglu replied: "I can also ride a horse, but my riding skills are not good."

"Daughters of the Zhong family are not accustomed to horse calling?" Zhu Ming looked at Zhong Miaoyun.

Zhong Miaoyun replied: "I rarely ride."

On the other hand, sisters Zhao Fujin and Zhao Fujin once played with the palace women's polo team. They each picked up a bow stick, looking at things and thinking about people for no reason, thinking about their missing biological father.

There are too few people to play polo.

Ju Ming asked Cui Xiuyi to lead the way and take everyone to the Chuiwan Field in the palace.

The stadium is an irregular rectangle, more than 200 meters long and about 100 meters wide. The ground is uneven, with even puddles and sandy areas. Many holes are dug everywhere, and small flags are placed next to each hole.

Ju Ming has never played the ancient Chinese version of golf after traveling through time.

The predecessor of this thing is a variant of polo in the Tang Dynasty. It was initially played similar to hockey, and evolved into something similar to golf in the Song Dynasty.

Cui Xiuyi is also an expert in Chuiwan. He first explained the rules to Ju Ming, and then the terrain. Then he pointed to the clubs with different shapes, telling which clubs were suitable for which terrain, and what posture should be used to exert force with each club.

Ju Ming stood there and listened, and the more he listened, the more it sounded like golf.

Before they started fighting, they saw Zhu Guoxiang coming with his wife and children, and Li Qingzhao following behind the concubine.

Zhu Guoxiang asked with a smile: "Why do you come to Chuiwan too?"

Ju Ming pointed to the small flag next to the hole: "I asked why the flag is still bright in color. It turns out that you often come to play while I am out fighting."

"Happy to the official family!"

Ju Ming dared to joke with the emperor, but the others hurriedly saluted.

Zhu Guoxiang nodded in return and asked his son: "There are a lot of people today. How many games can we play together?"

"As you wish." Zhu Ming didn't even understand the rules yet.

The two sides competed in groups, with Zhu Guoxiang, Shen Yourong, Wen Xiaomei, An Niang, and Li Qingzhao in one group; Zhu Ming, Zhang Jinping, Zheng Yuanyi, Zhe Yanxiu, and Zhao Fujin in one group.

Because the number of people exceeded the upper limit, Zhao Fujin, Zhong Miaoyun, Li Qinglu, and Pei Chang'e chose to watch the battle.

Cui Xiuyi serves as the referee.

"What's the lottery?" Li Qingzhao asked suddenly.

Ju Ming said with a playful smile: "We are already broke in the war, so let's bet ten dollars." He turned around and asked his teammates, "Which one of you is better?"

"I often pound balls!" Zhe Yanxiu said.

Ju Ming sighed: "When others say this, I am sure relieved. When you say this, why do I feel more like losing?"

Zhe Yanxiu pouted, and several other women snickered.

Everyone went to the referee to get their chips, and each hit the ball, with the one farthest from the hole hitting first.

A hole in one is worth three points, a hole in two is worth two points, and a hole in three is worth one point.

If you fail to score after three shots, it will be deemed a failure.

Each ball is divided into different colors and must be scored into the hole with the corresponding color flag.

There is no doubt that Ju Ming, who hit the ball for the first time, hit the ball farthest from the hole, so he was the first to hit the first shot.

Just as Zhu Ming took out a pole, Cui Xiuyi quickly stopped him and said, "Your Highness, there is a steep ridge in front of this ball. The ball should fly over the ridge and into the hole. You should use a stick or dipper to hit the ball. The terrain here is difficult to hit." The stick is best, and the stick should be played while standing..."

So, with everyone watching the excitement, Ju Ming began to rummage through the bag to find the corresponding clubs.

Before playing, you have to make a base, that is, make the tee box yourself, and no one else is allowed to come over to help.

"Bang!"

Ju Ming swung hard and the ball flew far away.

Cui Xiuyi saw that he was playing completely randomly and started to talk about how to identify the path of the ball.

Zhe Yanxiu was indeed bragging, Chuiwan was a delicate job, and her skills were not much better than Ju Ming's.

The two of them were embarrassed together, which actually caused bursts of laughter.

Zhu Guoxiang squatted down and hit the ball with the olecranon of his ladle. The second shot landed near the ball socket, and the next third shot would be a sure goal.

"It's okay for officials, but you practice a lot in private, right?" Zhu Ming said with a smile.

Zhu Guoxiang lowered his voice and said at a volume that only the other two could hear: "I only played a few times, and this place is much smaller than golf. Before I traveled through time, I played golf, and I still know how to make a powerful swing."

Ju Ming asked: "Why do you want to come and play ball?"

Zhu Guoxiang said: "The fish in the palace are so stupid that they bite the hook as soon as they are thrown in. Fishing is not interesting, and playing cards and chess is boring. I asked if there were any balls to play with, and Li Qingzhao recommended this ball-pounding sport. When I first came here, the grass on this field was knee-deep."

"You are living a really good life. You take your wife, mistress and Xiaomi to play ball with you every now and then." Zhu Ming started talking nonsense again.

Zhu Guoxiang admitted it generously and said with a smile: "I want to retire early now and indulge in pleasure all day long."

"Stop dreaming, you will have to bear the burden for another two or three years." Zhu Ming said cheerfully.

Zhu Guoxiang suddenly turned around and asked: "We agreed at the beginning that I would only be emperor for a month, and now it has been Hongwu for three years! When will it end? Before I traveled through time, I was looking forward to retiring after removing the subtitle. This How many years have you been back at work?"

"Hey, it's in!"

Ju Ming ignored the emperor and clapped his hands and praised: "Li Daizhao is good at pilling!"

"It's about football skills, not ball skills." Zhu Guoxiang quickly reminded.

Li Qingzhao held the club in his hands and bowed, and said proudly: "Your Highness is so complimentary."

But Jushi Yi An is proficient in playing, and he scored directly after just two shots.

Ju Ming asked: "Can Li Daizhao play polo?"

Li Qingzhao said: "I have only ever ridden a rogue horse."

"Playing polo is more interesting, and you can get some practice." Ju Ming said seductively.

Li Qingzhao was really eager to try it. She liked all kinds of new things.

"It's in, our class (team) is in too!" Zhao Fujin shouted suddenly.

Ju Ming turned around and saw that his first goal scorer was Zhang Jinping, who was quiet and did not like to move.

Seeing her husband's eyes, Zhang Jinping winked playfully.

As a referee, Cui Xiuyi looked at the lively playing scene and naturally thought of the past. She led a group of concubines and maids to gallop in Jinmingchi, and countless people cheered every time she scored a goal.

The palace is still the same palace, and the stadium is still the same stadium, but things and people have changed.

Seeing that she was unhappy, Ju Ming suddenly asked: "How many members of the former palace women's polo team are still alive?"

Cui Xiuyi said: "Three people took advantage of the chaos and fled the palace and disappeared. The rest are still alive. One person remarried and followed his husband to Huainan. Two more married Ming officers and went to Hebei to live with their husbands this spring."

Unable to find concubines from his previous dynasty, Zhu Guoxiang has been using matchmakers to marry unmarried or widowed military officers.

Nowadays, most of them have remarried, and the rest live in collectives and support themselves by spinning and sewing.

Ju Ming said: "I plan to guide more people to play polo. You go and call the former women's polo players. It's all voluntary. There is no need to force it. Choose one day a month to compete and perform at the polo ground in the north of the city. Playing is not in vain, there are Money is the reward.”

"Yes!" Cui Xiuyi said with cupped hands.

Ju Ming added: "I plan to change the kick-off rules. Each side chooses one person to ride across the court and shoot arrows to determine the outcome. The winner will kick off first."

Cui Xiuyi understood and said: "Your Highness wants to develop the style of riding and shooting."

Ju Ming looked to the north: "Destroy the Jin Kingdom and Xixia, and then there will be more horses. It is best for all the children of wealthy families to learn how to ride and shoot."

After talking for a while, Cui Xiuyi reminded: "Your Highness, please strike the third stick."

Ju Ming followed the explanation and changed to another type of club. After one push, the ball is still far from the nest.

Ju Ming curled his lips and thought: This thing is too boring. It is suitable for retired middle-aged and elderly people. Young people still have to play polo.

If not, you can still play football.

Perhaps, the Royal League can also be held. Anyway, there are definitely enough conditions to hold a football league.

During the Song and Ming dynasties, there were big stars who were invited by various cities to play tour exhibition games. Don't underestimate the imagination of the ancients in entertainment.