After a light snowfall in early February, the ground was half-dry, the yellow dust slightly dampened—no longer churned into muddy pits by frequent horse hooves nor kicked up into blinding clouds after just a few laps. It was the perfect time for polo.
Behind the rear wall of the Purple Void Monastery in the forbidden garden lay a large, relatively flat open space originally used by the imperial family for ancestral sacrifices and Taoist rituals. In recent years, as polo gained popularity, the Garrison Guards from the northern gate often came here to gallop and swing their mallets. Chai Yingluo, the Master of the Purple Void Monastery, was also lively and fond of play. She had the ground leveled, sturdy goalposts erected on the east and west sides, and frequently led the Female Taoist Priests onto the field for matches, turning the area into the most readily available polo ground in the forbidden garden.
When Li Yuangui rode up to the edge of the field, the game was still in full swing. Over a dozen riders galloped about, swinging their mallets, shouting, and laughing. He recognized his sixth brother, Prince Zhao Yuan-jing; seventh brother, Prince Lu Yuan-chang; tenth brother, Prince Zheng Yuan-li; and fifteenth brother, Prince Bin Feng, as well as the third imperial son, Prince Shu Ke; fifth imperial son, Prince Yan You; and sixth imperial son, Prince Liang Yin. Seven young princes, along with their entourage of Kuzhen Guards and attendants, thundered across the field like spring thunder.
He had come to speak with his sixth brother, Yuanjing, but it was his seventh brother, Yuanchang, who noticed him first. Prince Lu, clad in soft leather armor, galloped over like a gust of wind, leaning down with a laugh and raising his whip:
"Fourteenth Brother! Perfect timing! We were just lamenting the lack of players to even out the teams. Hurry up—there are fresh horses over there. Do you need armor?"
Li Yuanchang's birth mother was Consort Sun, not of high rank, but he himself was handsome, intelligent, and vivacious, excelling in both scholarly and martial arts—skilled in calligraphy, painting, the pipa, archery, and horsemanship. Among the princes of the Great Peace Palace, he stood out prominently and was said to be highly favored by the Crown Prince, Chengqian, in recent years.
In contrast, Prince Zhao Li Yuanjing, though older by two months and respected as one of the earliest princes born after the Tang dynasty's founding—often regarded as the leader of the Supreme Emperor's younger sons—was honest and unassuming, often overshadowed by his seventh brother and sometimes even appearing clumsy and meek. Nevertheless, Li Yuanjing was well-liked. Seeing his fourteenth brother arrive, he also rode over.
After the three brothers exchanged greetings, Li Yuangui laid out the plan he had been mulling over. Before Yuanjing could respond, Yuanchang clapped his hands and declared with a laugh:
"Brilliant! It must be done! Count me in—I’ll definitely go tomorrow!"
"Ah..." Yuanjing hesitated. "This isn’t quite proper, is it? Shouldn’t we inform the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Clan Court first..."
"In my opinion, just send word to Second Brother-in-law. After all, we’ll need to mobilize quite a few things," Yuangui urged. "If we make too much noise beforehand, word will spread, and the fun will be ruined. And if the Censorate gets involved, or even Wei Zheng..."
At the mention of the formidable Chancellor Wei Zheng, the young princes shuddered. By then, Prince Zheng Yuanli and others had also gathered around, and Yuanchang chimed in:
"I say it’s not excessive! Even if we disregard our late third sister’s memory, the High Truth Master has served the Supreme Emperor diligently all these years. As his sons, how can we not show our appreciation? To be frank, even the Crown Prince’s Palace has praised the High Truth Master..."Li Yuangui glanced at his seventh brother and chuckled inwardly. Li Yuanchang never missed an opportunity to boast about his close relationship with Crown Prince Chengqian, but he clearly had no idea how abruptly the winds had shifted these past few days. Because of that Blood Jade Ring and the incident involving Consort Yin's seventeenth princess, Li Chengqian would certainly harbor no goodwill toward the High Truth Master, the female Daoist Chai Yingluo. Add to that Prince Yue Li Tai's recent confession before the Son of Heaven about his frequent interactions with Chai Yingluo, and His Highness the Crown Prince had likely already labeled the Master of the Purple Void Monastery as part of the "Prince Yue faction."
This was precisely what Li Yuangui was betting on. He wagered that the private news from the Hall of Established Governance would take time to reach Great Peace Palace. For the next day or two, his brothers would remain unaware of the Empress and Crown Prince's growing animosity toward the Chai family, still clinging to their old impression that the High Truth Master enjoyed favor in the Hall of Established Governance. And indeed, his gamble paid off.
With Li Yuanchang enthusiastically drumming up support, several young princes expressed willingness to participate. The three imperial princes—Li Ke and others—were more reserved, saying they needed to consult with their household officials first. It didn't matter. Li Yuangui's plans never included his nephews anyway—the older princes didn't even reside in Great Peace Palace. They had been granted estates within the inner city to establish their own residences, living scattered about, making unified action difficult.
After concluding their serious discussion, Li Yuanchang insisted on dragging his fourteenth brother onto the polo field. Li Yuangui was eager to join. Currently, seven princes were playing against each other—four on one side, three on the other. Though they could even the teams by adding Kuzhen Guards as substitutes, the violent collisions inherent to polo made injuries likely. No guard would dare intercept a prince with full force, rendering such an unbalanced match thoroughly unsatisfying.
"How should we divide teams?" Li Yuangui asked with a laugh as he accepted a Moon Staff, testing its swing through the air. With his addition, it would be five uncles against three nephews—eight players with less than three years between the youngest at fifteen and oldest at eighteen... though the distinction remained obvious.
"Easy! I'll join Sanlang's team!" Li Yuanchang declared excitedly. "Fourteenth Brother, your horsemanship is excellent—stay on this side to break through their formation! Remember to kick Sixth Brother off his horse right at the start—don't give him a chance to accidentally injure our own teammates! Don't forget!"
The youths by the field burst into laughter. Prince Zhao Yuan-jing, the target of his younger brother's teasing, laughed and cursed without taking offense. Prince Wu Li Ke brandished his Moon Staff and called out, "Seventh Uncle, you may have demoted yourself a generation in team assignment, but don't let your polo skills follow suit! That elbow to my mouth earlier still has my front teeth aching! I was planning to aim for Seventh Uncle's mouth next to avenge my teeth, but now we're teammates—what's to be done?"
"Teammates make for better revenge—no one suspects the enemy within!" Li Yuanchang retorted with a laugh. "Unless you'd rather go fetch two more brothers right now—"
"Gladly! Coming right up!"
This voice came from some distance away. Everyone turned in surprise to see an entourage rounding the Purple Void Monastery's rear wall, escorting a figure who had already drawn near enough to overhear their boisterous conversation. The young princes and their attendants had been so absorbed in team assignments and banter that none had noticed the approaching party.
The one who'd called out "Coming right up" was indeed a brother to Li Ke and the other two imperial princes—Crown Prince Li Chengqian.The Crown Prince's status was noble, and the crowd immediately knelt in greeting, including uncles like Li Yuanjing. Li Chengqian dismounted to return the courtesy, bidding everyone to rise. After exchanging pleasantries with Li Yuanjing, he asked, "Are you dividing into teams by generation for polo?"
A flush crossed his face, his eyes gleaming with eagerness—he genuinely wanted to join. Li Yuanjing hesitated before replying with a forced smile, "We’ve already played for a while and are exhausted. We were just planning to ride a few more laps before disbanding. Your Highness has come at an unfortunate time..."
No guard would dare or be willing to compete against a prince, just as no prince would dare or be willing to compete against the Crown Prince. The reasoning was the same.
Hearing his sixth uncle’s words, Li Chengqian swept his gaze over the other uncles and cousins, only to see everyone avoiding his eyes, murmuring in agreement with Li Yuanjing. Even Prince Lu Yuan-chang, who prided himself on his closeness to the Crown Prince, merely offered an awkward smile and intervened:
"It’s truly late today. There isn’t enough time for a proper match. Why doesn’t Your Highness set another date? Gather a few more uncles and cousins, ensure the teams are balanced, and the horses and armor are prepared—then we’ll gladly accompany Your Highness for a few rounds to work up a sweat..."
If rescheduled, most of those present today would likely suddenly find themselves "occupied." Li Chengqian was no fool; he understood. His thin lips curled into a bitter smile as his eyes swept the crowd once more before settling on Li Yuangui.
This was bad. Li Yuangui’s scalp prickled—sure enough, the Crown Prince called out, "Fourteenth Uncle, come here. I have a few words for you."
"I just returned from the Great Peace Hall and didn’t see Seventeenth Aunt."
Li Chengqian led Li Yuangui aside for a private conversation, his first words a cold accusation. Li Yuangui clenched his teeth and remained silent.
Of course, he hadn’t forgotten the Crown Prince’s order from two days prior—to return Seventeenth Sister to the Great Peace Hall within two days. And of course, he had absolutely no intention of obeying such an unreasonable command. After discussing it with Chai Yingluo, both agreed that Li Chengqian wouldn’t dare barge into the Hall of Established Governance to forcibly retrieve the girl and risk alarming the Empress. They could afford to stall and observe.
Still uneasy, Li Yuangui had considered whether to take his younger half-sister out of the palace and find a safe place for her. But after much deliberation, he couldn’t think of anywhere in all of Chang’an more secure or suitable for a princess than the Empress’s rear courtyard. For now, he let it be.
"Cousin Chai has fled, too cowardly to face me, but Fourteenth Uncle, you’re here. Good." Li Chengqian sneered. "Fourteenth Young Master has always been upright and proud, disdaining pretense. Just say it outright—you’re determined to defy my orders as Crown Prince, aren’t you?"
Li Yuangui opened his mouth, swallowed, and heard his own voice escape his lips:
"If Your Highness would honor us, we could arrange a polo match with brothers and cousins. I’d be happy to gather the players and set a date, ensuring Your Highness’s satisfaction..."
Fine, he knew the response was utterly irrelevant, but... what else could he do?
Li Chengqian’s brows shot up, his expression shifting from surprise to fury:
"Are you mocking me, or trying to bribe me with a polo match? I’m speaking of serious matters concerning the Supreme Emperor’s Dragon Body! Li Yuangui, answer me plainly!"The sun had already begun its westward descent, its slanting rays casting sharp contrasts on the face of the Crown Prince, clearly outlining the youthful features of the seventeen-year-old. His brows and eyes still bore traces of childishness, yet his appearance bore a striking resemblance to his father—even his temperament was inherited: impulsive, fiery, arrogant, and proud, coupled with the fickle and playful nature of youth, easily provoked to anger. But Li Yuangui was no stranger to Li Chengqian. In an instant, he made his decision.
Taking half a step back, Li Yuangui knelt on one knee before the heir apparent, raising his face with deference as he reasoned:
"Your Highness rebukes me for acting rashly, and Yuangui dares not argue, willingly accepting the reprimand. However, within the Great Peace Palace, Consort Yin has long been the sole attendant to the Supreme Emperor, wielding unchecked authority. During the WuDe Era, what Yin Shi did to the current Son of Heaven is something Your Highness knows far better than I. Three years ago, when her only son passed away, her mindset underwent a drastic change. What she now desires with single-minded focus is something Your Highness, in your wisdom, surely understands without needing reminders. Now that she has descended into hysteria, determined to destroy my mother, siblings, and me, so be it. But can Your Highness truly be certain that returning Seventeenth Sister to the Great Peace Hall will satisfy Consort Yin and make her cease her schemes?"
Li Chengqian frowned. "Are you suggesting—"
"One side takes an inch and demands a mile; the other invites endless future troubles," Li Yuangui said, each word deliberate. "Since Yin Shi has found success in 'holding the Son of Heaven to command the nobles,' would she willingly stop now? If Your Highness allows her to grow bolder step by step, and once things spiral beyond control, how will the Son of Heaven and the Empress view Your Highness?"
Li Chengqian pondered but still shook his head. "Right now, the fire is at our eyebrows—we must deal with the immediate crisis. If anything happens to the Supreme Emperor’s ailing health, no atonement would suffice!"
His meaning was clear: he still intended to send their young aunt back, temporarily placating Consort Yin. Gritting his teeth, Li Yuangui pressed:
"If Your Highness truly cares for the Supreme Emperor’s Dragon Body and sacred longevity, why not resolve this once and for all? Remove that witch from his side, eliminate any chance for her to harm his sacred person, and appoint loyal, careful attendants instead! Your Highness, indecision now will only bring greater chaos later!"
He could see Li Chengqian visibly wavering. But just then, another rider rounded the Purple Void Monastery, dismounted, and hurried toward them. As he drew closer, it became clear he was a eunuch from the Great Peace Palace, announcing, "The Supreme Emperor’s sacred health has taken a turn. The Crown Prince is urgently requested to return to the Great Peace Hall to attend to him."
Clearly, this eunuch had been sent by Consort Yin. Li Yuangui’s heart sank, and Li Chengqian’s expression darkened with reluctant irritation. Turning to follow the eunuch, he took a few steps before suddenly glancing back at Li Yuangui, who remained kneeling.
"Fourteenth Uncle, don’t forget our polo match!"
"Ah..." Li Yuangui had nearly forgotten. "Your Highness... truly wishes for an uncle-nephew showdown?"
"Why not?" Li Chengqian raised a brow. "Didn’t you challenge me last time to a contest of horsemanship and archery? With the third month approaching, we’ve been practicing polo for the Shangsi Festival performance before the throne. Gather your brothers, and I’ll bring mine—let our two generations compete for victory!"
A thought struck Li Yuangui. Rising, he stepped closer to Li Chengqian.
"Yuangui obeys the Crown Prince’s command and will do his utmost to arrange this match. Your Highness knows that for a true contest, some stakes would make it more thrilling. What does Your Highness wish to wager?"
Li Chengqian rolled his eyes. "Wager what? With status like ours, should we imitate common ruffians, betting for gold, pearls, or silks? How vulgar that would sound if word got out.""Yes, that would indeed be inappropriate." Li Yuangui took a deep breath and proposed, "How about we wager on the proper way to serve the Supreme Emperor at Great Peace Palace?"
"What do you mean?" Li Chengqian didn't understand.
With the palace attendants of Great Peace Palace listening nearby, Li Yuangui dared not speak too plainly: "A single game of polo to decide the outcome. If Your Highness and the other imperial princes win, I shall naturally obey your every command. But if my brothers and I happen to gain the upper hand, I ask that all matters concerning Seventeenth Sister be left to my discretion!"
Now Li Chengqian understood—but his reaction upon grasping the meaning was... to laugh in extreme anger.
After laughing, he turned and walked away, cracking his whip and leaving Li Yuangui with one final remark:
"Fourteenth Uncle, do you truly think me such a fool?"
#####This chapter's footnote discusses the popularity of polo during the Tang Dynasty. For the full note, visit the author's Weibo. Search for the ID "Tang Dynasty Tour Guide Forest Deer" on Sina Weibo. Comments and discussions are welcome.
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