I

Polo was relatively prosperous in the early Ming Dynasty.

Wang Fu, a member of Zhongshu University, wrote a poem called "A Banquet of Riding and Shooting Balls at the Dragon Boat Festival" while accompanying Zhu Di to watch football.

However, as the number of horses decreased and the martial arts gradually dissipated, polo began to decline in the mid-Ming Dynasty, remaining only as a court ritual and folk festival activity. But no matter what, polo definitely existed until the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Like Cuju, polo disappeared suddenly after the Manchus entered the country.

In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, people were rebelling against the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty, so gatherings of more than 30 Han people were prohibited. It was even forbidden to sworn people with different surnames. At first, those caught doing sworn people were punished with a hundred whips. In the 18th year of Shunzhi, it was changed to direct beheading.

Also disappearing together was Shangsi's outing.

Shangsi Festival is next to Qingming Festival and Cold Food Festival. The spring sun is warm and flowers are blooming. Men and women go out for an outing in the city. The suburbs are full of gentry and common people. It won't work after the ban on gatherings. If you go out for a spring outing, you may be arrested and imprisoned. As a result, the three festivals of Shangsi, Qingming and Hanshi were completely merged in the Qing Dynasty, leaving only the function of visiting ancestors' graves.

At this moment, Zhao Han was sitting in the stands, and the Imperial City guards were "fighting" on horseback.

Compared with polo in the Tang Dynasty, it has changed a lot now. The wood ball was replaced by a leather ball, the clubs became longer, and the scoring rules changed.

A guard named Quartz rode his horse to catch up with the ball. He tilted his body and leaned out. After the wooden stick hit the ball, he did not swing and hit it immediately. Instead, he dragged the ball forward, which is equivalent to dribbling the ball forward in football.

Two enemy cavalrymen intercepted him one after another. There were only two horses in the distance, and Quartz suddenly hit him with his swing.

The ball rolled quickly on the ground, and teammates rushed to catch it, but there were also people from the enemy fighting for it.

"Bang!"

With a muffled sound, the ball was shot into the air.

"nice shot!"

Lu Tianxiang, who was sitting behind the emperor, couldn't help but stand up and cheer.

But the ball was accurately passed, and his teammates stretched out their sticks to release their strength. Then the horse started jogging, dragging the ball straight towards the goal. Someone from the enemy came to intercept it. The person immediately adjusted his posture and swung, and the ball broke into the goal quickly and accurately.

Polo at this time had fewer rules than modern polo.

Of course, head-on and right-angle collisions are also prohibited. Otherwise, it is impossible to play at all, and it is easy to get injured. Usually, they are riding side by side to grab the ball.

"good!"

Zhao Han couldn't help but applaud and said with a smile: "The red side wins this game, and each person will be given an official belt."

The official belt is not very expensive, but it is not shabby either. It is made of silk and inlaid with colored glass and agate. Moreover, this is a gift from the emperor. It will give you face when you wear it, and the winner will immediately smile.

"Your Majesty, I want to play too!" Lu Tianxiang said eagerly.

Zhao Han smiled and said, "Go ahead. You lead the red team, and Xiuying leads the blue team."

Tian Xiuying immediately stood up and began to put on her equipment. Wear wrist pads, knee pads, elbow pads, hats, etc. If you fall down, you won't be seriously injured.

The two concubines got on their horses and each selected team members among the guards.

Suddenly, Lu Tianxiang approached the stand on horseback and said, "Your Majesty, what's the bonus of winning?"

Zhao Han said: "Whoever wins can make a request. As long as you don't go too far, I will definitely help her achieve her wish."

Lu Tianxiang said with a sly look: "Then what is too much and what is not too much? We agreed at the beginning that if I learned 500 Chinese characters, Your Majesty would let me join the army, but this matter was also ignored."

Zhao Han said speechlessly: "I have already told you that I know 500 characters, but I only allow you to enter the palace to see me."

"You are not allowed to go back on your word this time." Lu Tianxiang said.

"Let's play ball first." Zhao Han felt that this girl was playing tricks again.

"drive!"

Lu Tianxiang pulled the reins, turned the horse's head and rushed towards the field.

The referee took out the Datong silver dollar, Tian Xiuying guessed heads and tails, and had the right to bat in the opening, while Lu Tianxiang could choose the venue.

Both women serve as shooters, and their guards are responsible for running the ball.

After a fight, the ball finally reached Tian Xiuying. The players from both sides fought fiercely, sometimes even colliding with each other, but when the ball came into Tian Xiuying's hands, things immediately became peaceful.

Enemy players also came to fight for it, but they did not dare to get too close for fear of causing Concubine Tian to fall off her horse and get injured.

"Quickly intercept it and grab the ball!" Lu Tianxiang shouted anxiously.

Having said that, the guards are timid.

After Lu Tianxiang screamed, his team members did become more active, but their enthusiasm was very limited.

"Bang!"

Tian Xiuying swung the ball and scored accurately.

Lu Tianxiang was almost furious and complained that the team members did not dare to fight. But when she got the ball, she felt happy again, because Tian Xiuying's players did not dare to get too close to her.

To put it bluntly, a group of guards were performing a show with two concubines.

Zhao Han shook his head and laughed. Fortunately, he didn't play. Otherwise, the situation would have been similar, and the guards would not have dared to steal the emperor's ball.

Lu Tianxiang rolled his eyes and decided to take advantage of the situation.

She is no longer a regular shooter. Once the opponent gets the ball, she immediately chases after her, playing from the frontcourt to the midfield.

Sure enough, seeing Lu Fei coming on horseback, the player who got the ball immediately passed the ball out. Charge with the ball alongside the emperor's beloved concubine? This thing is too dangerous, and they don't dare to take risks.

As a result, wherever Lu Tianxiang rushed, there was chaos.

In the flurry of passing the ball, mistakes were inevitable, and the ball was quickly regained by Lu Tianxiang's teammates. Then, Lu Tianxiang took the initiative to ask for the ball and dribbled the ball from the midfield to the goal. The enemy players along the way did not dare to block it.

Tian Xiuying looked at this goal from a distance and immediately couldn't laugh or cry.

She is much older than Lu Tianxiang, and she has experienced the fall of the Ming Dynasty, so she has already put away her competitive spirit. Since Lu Tianxiang wants to win, let the little sister win. It's just a polo match.

Forty minutes later, the game finally ended, and Lu Tianxiang won by a big score.

Riding horse to the stand again, Lu Tianxiang said: "Your Majesty, I win!"

Zhao Han said amusedly: "You cheated."

Lu Tianxiang asked: "Where did I violate the rules?"

Hmm...it seems like there was no foul play.

Zhao Han could only say: "What do you want?"

Lu Tianxiang said: "It is definitely impossible to join the army, but I still want to lead the army. I heard that His Majesty is going to send the guards to the sea. Why not let me command these guards and send some female officers from the Royal Horse Prison to follow."

This request was beyond Zhao Han's expectation.

Zhao Han asked: "How do you know about the imperial guards going to sea?"

Lu Tianxiang said: "In the past two days at the racecourse, the guards have been competing for places to go to sea. They competed in archery and polo. The one who wins can be ordered to go to sea."

"That's it." Zhao Han suddenly realized.

Traveling to Europe is very dangerous, and once you've been there for three or four years, it's obviously a chore.

But Zhao Han's imperial guards were all elites selected from various armies. They had long been impatient while staying in the capital. When they heard that there was an opportunity to go out to fight, they immediately jumped at the chance to leave the capital to stretch their muscles and legs, and they also had the opportunity to kill the enemy and perform meritorious deeds.

Zhao Han did not agree or refuse, but asked: "Do you know how long it takes to make a round trip?"

Lu Tianxiang shook his head: "I don't know."

Zhao Han said: "A round trip will take at least three years, and it must go smoothly without delay. If there is a little trouble, it will take at least four years to come back. You have to visit various countries along the way, and the time to return to Beijing again may be extended to five years." Years, six years. Do you still want to go to sea?"

"this……"

After hearing that the round trip took five or six years, Lu Tianxiang finally hesitated.

After being silent there for a long time, Lu Tianxiang suddenly raised his head and gritted his teeth and said: "I will go there in five or six years. I will stay in the palace for the rest of my life. I will be suffocated to death!"

These words were so irritating that if it had been any other emperor, Long Yan would have been furious.

What do you mean you will die of suffocation if you stay in the palace?

Does being a concubine make you so uncomfortable?

Zhao Han was also a little unhappy, but there was no need to vent his anger on the woman. He immediately said angrily: "Concubine leaving the palace is already a bad rule. I usually allow you to go out of the city to ride horses and play ball. I think it is quite generous. You are going to sea. A trip that lasts several years, what kind of words will spread out?"

Everyone present did not dare to speak.

Lu Tianxiang straightened her back and said: "You are not joking, your Majesty has promised. Besides, let the female officers of the Imperial Horse Guard follow you. They will stay with you every day. How can I... I can still not be a woman..."

Zhao Han was so angry that he laughed, and saw Lu Tianxiang clenching his fists again, looking like he was waiting to die after offending the emperor.

This wild girl, if she is not allowed to lead the army once, I am afraid that she will not be able to live in peace for the rest of her life.

The harem is not allowed to interfere in politics, and the harem is not allowed to touch the army, but it is not necessarily impossible to go to sea.

Zhao Han thought about it again and again, then turned to Yu Julian, the palm of the Royal Horse Prison, and said: "Da Jian You, select twenty female Royal Horse Prison officers who are proficient in martial arts to protect her personally. She is not allowed to leave even half a step after going to sea."

"According to the order!" You Julian said with cupped hands.

Zhao Han looked at Lu Tianxiang again: "After going to sea, you will only lead the army in name. The civilian officials will be fully responsible for negotiating with Fan Bang. The military general will be fully responsible for fighting against Fan Bang."

Lu Tianxiang was immediately overjoyed, dismounted and knelt down and said, "Thank you for your permission!"

"Go ahead and sit down properly." Zhao Han was still angry and didn't want to pay attention to the concubine.

In fact, Zhao Han is not that resistant. This is due to the special psychology of time travellers. Sending a concubine to lead an army out to sea will definitely be remembered in the history books, and various stories will probably be derived from it in later generations. The reason why he was reluctant was simply because he didn't want to break the rules. What would it look like to show off in the harem?

After repeated considerations, Zhao Han decided to screw the rules, I am the founding emperor.

With twenty female imperial guards watching closely, could Lu Tianxiang be able to steal a man?

The polo match was still going on. Tian Xiuying sat next to Lu Tianxiang and whispered: "My sister is so courageous, aren't you afraid of being thrown into the cold palace by His Majesty?"

Lu Tianxiang said: "I have learned martial arts, and I always have to lead troops to display my skills. No matter how risky I am, I have to give it a try. Doesn't your Majesty agree to this?"

"Your Majesty, which emperor would agree?" Tian Xiuying muttered a few words, feeling quite envious in her heart.

What Zhao Han was thinking about was that he still had a few months to go to sea, so he could go to Lu Tianxiang's place to sleep more often, so that he wouldn't have to go if he got pregnant.

But think about it carefully, two or three months before going to sea, you can't sleep around. What if you find out you are pregnant after boarding the ship?