Book 49 Chapter 13 – Polo Match
‘Jade bridle and thousand-catty-gold horse, engraved-jewel seven-treasure ball;
The bridle flies, startling the lightning to withdraw, falling down, it exerts itself to wake the flowing stars;
Violent wind passed, it became three victories, joyfully passing on the first point [score in a game];
Celebrating the cloud following leisure feet, curling up at the east end of the palace hall.’
After Li Yuan gave an opening remark to celebrate the occasion, saying something like the Great Tang nation and the Persian nation would be in peaceful coexistence forever, mutually supporting each other, and so on, immediately the game started.
The House of Tang’s side sent four men into the arena. Besides Li Yuan, there were Li Yuanji, Li Nantian and Li Shentong. All were important figures of the Li Clan. From this, it could be seen that they attached great importance to this match.
From the four men going down into the arena from the Persian dynasty, the team captain was Prince Hamomei; the others were Kesa, Longsheng and Zhili. The announcer introduced them one by one, all were members of the Persian royal family. The two sides were of equal status.
The men and horses of both sides came to the middle of the field, the referee [lit. the officer calling out the token (for counting) loudly] put the ball in the middle. When the referee exited the field, the sound of drums shook the heavens, under the watchful eyes of thousands and hundred pairs of eyes, the referee declared the match began.
Hamomei and Li Yuan simultaneously urged their horse to charge forward, while leaning over and brandishing their stick to strive for the ball. The other team members galloped over to take their position, ready to provide support. The competition was intense; everybody, Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong included, felt that their breathing stopped.
Two horses brushed past each other, the stick swept and struck at the speed of lightning, so fast that no one could see clearly, the ball flew up at an angle, toward the goalmouth of the House of Tang’s side.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were stunned, they looked at each other. They originally thought that the ball could only roll on the ground, and that the players controlled it with their stick. Who would have thought that unexpectedly they could hit it to the air? Not only it greatly increased the number of different possibilities, the difficulty in controlling the ball also multiplied.
Persian team’s Zhili galloped his horse swiftly from the side of the field along the southern boundary, just in time to catch the ball. Before the ball went out the line, he used the stick to hit it, the ball met the stick and fell to the ground, but with extremely skillful technique, instead of bouncing up, the ball swiftly rolling on the ground, traversing the field toward the north boundary, immediately provoking the cheers and thunderous applause from the spectators.
This move apparently was greatly outside the various men of the Li Clan’s expectation. Li Yuanji desperately urged his horse to intercept, yet he still missed by a hairsbreadth, his stick failed to touch the ball, which bounced back across the middle of the field, rolled over Li Yuan, who pulled the rein to turn around and spurred his horse.
Another Persian polo master from the outfield dashed forward along the northern boundary; with a shout, his stick suddenly swept the polo ball. The way he applied his strength was ingenious, the ball was hit by the stick and shot into the air, it curved and fell toward the east gate of the Li Clan.
At this time the four Persian polo players launched all-around offensive, they all galloped back and forth in the eastern half of the field. At first glance they seemed to be bashing sideways and colliding straight on [idiom], but it was actually a brilliant formation to disturb the enemy, to confuse the enemy. The most formidable part was that they continuously blocked Li Shentong and Li Nantian, who were playing defense, to facilitate their teammates to fight over the ball falling from the air. The situation was intense, it was not inferior to the life and death decisive battle on the battlefield.
Li Yuanji was still pulling the rein to turn around, while Li Yuan was eating dust at the tail of enemy’s horse. Prince Hamomei galloped swiftly to intercept the ball before it fell in front of Li Shentong.
None of the spectators was not as if they were drunk and stupefied, the drummers unconsciously intensified and accelerated their beat.
After the end of the stick caught the ball, unexpectedly it swept around, the ball was sticking to the end of the stick, waiting for the right angle, and then it shot forward; the application of the force was skillful, so that people gasped in amazement.
Up to this moment, Li Yuan’s side still did not have the opportunity to touch the ball, so that watching this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling could only shake their head. If they were moving real saber and real spear, the Persian side would undoubtedly be defeated until they were muddled and completely collapsing [idiom], but a polo game was not only about ball skill and horsemanship, the more important factor was team’s cooperation and strategy. And in either aspect, the Li Clan were a notch inferior; perhaps they were even two or three notches inferior.
Li Nantian rushed over to intercept, and found out that from Prince Hamomei’s stick, the ball bounced forward; while Li Nantian knew in his heart that the turn of events was not too encouraging, Hamomei already rushed toward the east gate, and overtook the ball about thirty paces from the east gate. His stick swept to strike.
By the time Li Shentong was trying to intercept, he backed one step away, and could only stare blankly as the opponent hit the ball into the goal net.
Three drumbeats in succession indicated a goal.
Amidst the voice of the announcer, the Li Clan’s side pulled out a flag, the Persian’s side put on one flag.
This time it was the House of Tang’s turn to start with the ball.
Kou Zhong said to Xu Ziling, “My Niang! Turns out it is that easy to score a goal. Very soon it will be our turn! What do we do?”
The game restarted. Li Yuan as the emperor led his troops into battle, he carried the ball forward, passed two men in succession, and came face to face with Hamomei, whose stick fought for the ball rolling on the ground. The dragon stick swept, sending the ball flying at an angle toward the southern boundary, passing it toward Li Yuanji, who was rushing to position.
Naturally the spectators wanted their own emperor to win, to redeem their face; they all shouted themselves hoarse, the women were even more crazy than the man, Zhang Jieyu and the other imperial concubines all stood up, waving their arms and shouted tenderly, they were more anxious than the men competing in the arena.
The drumbeats suddenly became more urgent.
The ball fell back onto Li Yuan’s stick; he pressed forward toward the Persian’s side’s west gate.
‘Pop!’
The ball entered the net.
Three drumbeats in succession! Everybody cried, ‘Wansui’ [Long live].
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling sighed inwardly; their sight was brilliant, they were able to see that this time the opponent deliberately gave way, otherwise the ball would not enter the goal that easily.
Xu Ziling said with a wry smile, “If later on we don’t have to put our disgrace on display, I am willing to offer my entire body.”
Kou Zhong’s scalp went numb, he deeply felt the same way.
In the first set the Li Clan scored two goals and received one, so they were ahead by one point. It was clear that as the visitors, the Persians were showing courtesy by letting the host to pull a point ahead.
After a short break, the second set began with Hamomei leading, pressing forward in full offensive mode; they scored two goals in succession, it was not until the third ball that Li Yuanji, relying on a bit of luck plus an ingenious technique, snatching the ball from the comparatively weaker player of the other side, Longsheng’s hand, and then while the other side did not expect it, he hit the ball into the net.
During the short break after the second set, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling sat anxiously facing each other, lamenting their future fate.
Kou Zhong dejectedly said, “If I could go home and train for a month or so, I may be able to beat these his Niang’s Persian princes, but now, I have not even touched the ball yet, later on we have to go out for an exhibition match, others may score a goal at will, will we still have a face to conduct ourselves in the future?”
Xu Ziling was staring fixedly at Li Yuan, who was talking with Li Yuanji; he noticed his grave expression, as if he was blaming Li Nantian and Li Shentong’s performance. Sighing, he said, “Next set Li Yuan will lose even more tragically. When Hamomei has grasped victory in his hands, when he has enough point, he might let Li Yuan win back a ball or two. If victory or defeat is decided in six sets and two games, and it would come to an end soon without us giving demonstration, that would be much better.”
Kou Zhong said, “I wonder if Li Mi is going to talk to Li Yuan during our performance? That might not be the best time, because Li Yuan is surely in a bad mood.”
Xu Ziling cast his gaze toward Shen Luoyan sitting by Zhang Jieyu’s side. Until this moment she still was not aware the two boys’ presence. If they went down the arena, naturally it was another matter; she should be able to see through their disguise.
The drums started again. The last set of the first game was declared to begin. It would be followed by the exhibition match between the two games, also the moment Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling went down the arena to put their disgrace on display. What could they possibly demonstrate for the Persian polo superstar players to see?
In the third set, Li Yuan’s side changed strategy. They used offense against offense. Among the four men, in term of ball skill, really Li Yuanji was at the top, Li Yuan was a notch inferior to him in horsemanship, hence in term of agility he was slightly inferior.
Playing polo has playing polo’s rules; first of all, they were only allowed to touch the ball using the stick, the players could not leave the horseback. These two items alone already made martial art masters of the inner school unable to gain favorable position for the use of their skills, although they were giving it their all; they had to rely on ball skill and horsemanship to strive in the arena.
‘Pow!’ Li Yuanji intercepted the ball, which Zhili hit toward the east gate goal, dangerously closely. When the ball flashed through Kesa, before Longsheng intercepted it, the ball was short-passed across toward Li Shentong. Li Shentong shouted loudly, he controlled the horse to bring the ball charging forward and crashing through the barrier. When Zhili rushed over to intercept, unexpectedly the ball was sent back to Li Nantian, more than three zhang away. The latter shouted, ‘Up!’ and then without the slightest hesitation his stick swept to hit the ball. The ball swiftly shot into the air, passed the midfield, and flew in the direction of the west gate.
Li Yuan was greatly delighted; if he could break away from Hamomei, the opponent closest to him, he would certainly win this point.
In response, Hamomei reined his horse to turn, he chased after it like a gust of wind, Li Yuan forcefully steered his horse to the outfield on the north side to block. The two men spurred the horse to full speed, striving to be first and fearing to be last, the sound of hoof beats urgently rose up and urgently fell down, ardently refusing to concede to each other, the first time seen since the game began, evidently both sides intended to win, absolutely did not make any concession in the playing field. This was the brilliant aspect of the ballgame that Li Yuan was engrossed in; in normal days, how could he have such delight? Who would dare to contend with him in striving for victory?
Over a thousand spectators and imperial guards standing guard on four sides saw Li Yuan’s side displaying such an outstanding performance, immediately exploded in earth-shaking cheers to boost their morale. The drum music rose up, everybody watching as if they were drunk and stupefied. Zhang Jieyu, Yin De Fei, and the others, various imperial concubines were beside themselves like crazy. The atmosphere inside and outside the arena was intense to the extreme point.
The ball was rolling on the ground. It was only thirty paces or so from the west gate’s goal net. If Li Yuan was able to catch up one step ahead, he certainly could hit the ball into the net, to let everybody have a chance to shout ‘Wansui’.
Changes grew without restraint, Hamomei roared, he raised the bridle to spur on his horse, the horse leaped off the ground, crossing nearly two-zhang empty space, unexpectedly he landed one step ahead and to the right of the ball, and then more than half of his body stretched to the left, his stick extended out, he managed to hook the rolling ball. By the time Li Yuan rushed over, he was just half a step too late. Success was originally in sight, but in the end he ruined the enterprise for the sake of one basketful.
Li Yun rushed straight to the west gate before he could rein the horse and turn around. Hamomei already had the ball under his control as he galloped in the direction of the east gate.
The cheers turned into sighs.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling cried ‘Bad!’ inwardly. Li Yuan regrouped the troop disposition of his rainbow-like momentum, he already accepted that this devastating setback would surely result in utter defeat, four to three were certain that Li Yuan’s side could not guard against this point.
Kou Zhong nearly wanted to close his eyes so he did not need to see it. He sighed and said, “Didn’t someone say that one time we inflicted defeat on Tubo polo masters? If in our performance later we act like juniors who don’t know how to play polo, how would Li Yuan see us?”
Hearing Kou Zhong did not stop expressing this worry, Xu Ziling knew that in his heart he was frighteningly anxious. Even without the terrible consequences of having their identify unmasked, with Kou Zhong’s competitive spirit, it was still difficult for him to endure being disgraced and humiliated in public.
Smiling wryly, he said, “What we need the most right now is confidence. We must use the Moon in the Well xinfa to pay the upcoming game.”
Kou Zhong lamented, “I really regret not taking Thousand-Li Dream and Ten-thousand-Li Spots, two darling colts to come here.”
Three drumbeats rang out. Just as expected, the Persian’s side scored another goal.
This moment an imperial guard came over, telling the two boys to get ready to come down the field. They both had a feeling like condemned criminals being led toward to execution ground; ten-thousand-kind unwilling, yet they had to pick their stick and select their horse.
The imperial guard in charge and the stable hand did not have time to pay them any attention, their attention was fully focused on the battle.
Li Yuan’s side lost another goal.
The two boys held the stick in one hand, and led the horse with the other hand, they stood like a foolish bird on the northeast corner of the field watching the game.
If Li Yuan’s side lost three goals in a row in this set, this battle would undoubtedly be lost, unless in the next three sets they could seize total victory in one set, and snatch one point each on the two other sets. But looking at the strength comparison between the two sides right now, this did not seem to be possible.
Once again Hamomei showed his achievement in controlling the ball from the horseback; one after another he passed Li Yuan and Li Yuanji, and passed the ball on to Zhili, who was at the front line. Zhili waved his stick in sweeping motion, the ball pass through between the weakest-in-ball-skill-among-the-opponent’s-side Li Nantian’s horse’s legs, like a shooting star it flew into the goal.
The drum music rang out again. The first half of the game was finally declared to be over. Both sides got off their horses and saluted before they left the field.
Smiling bitterly, Kou Zhong said, “The ugly woman finally must see her father-in-law; even more unlucky, we have over a thousand people as our father-in-law. His Niang’s! It’s all Lei Jiuzhi, that fellow’s fault, he firmly set on having us impersonate his granny’s some Taihang Shuang Jie. Just look! How are we going to get out of this?”
Hamomei and the others returned to their clansmen and received congratulations.
Surprisingly Li Yuan did not return to his bunch of imperial concubines to be consoled; standing on the sideline, he summoned Wei Gonggong and Cheng Mo, two men to come over to speak.
Laughing in spite of himself, Xu Ziling said, “You, this kid, only knows how to complain; why would you involve Lei Dage in this? Just remember man-and-horse-as-one and Long-Life Qi, two major consummate skill to play polo and you will be all right; other things you must never, ever think.”
Kou Zhong said, “Disaster! We are going down into the arena! Did you see Li Yuan repeatedly look at us?”
Xu Ziling was paying close attention to Li Mi, to see if he would take this opportunity to talk to Li Yuan, but Li Mi was still sitting on the west spectator’s grandstand, having a repeated secret talk with Huang Gongcuo sitting beside him. Hearing Kou Zhong, he turned his eyes to look at Li Yuan’s direction, only to see that while he was listening to Wei Gonggong, Li Yuan was looking closely at the two boys.
Astonished, Xu Ziling said, “Could it be as simple as he does not want us to go down the arena?”
Shocked, Kou Zhong said, “Are you saying that he discovered something is not right with us?”
This moment Li Yuanji’s men, the two polo masters, with a stick in their hands, led their horses toward the southwest corner of the field, ready to enter the field for the performance. Seeing this, the two boys’ heart was scared and upset even more.
The esteemed guests on the two spectator’s grandstands returned to the previous bustling-with-noise-and-excitement situation, they talked, laughed, and discussed the game; it was very noisy.
Surrounding Li Yuan, Li Yuanji, Li Nantian and Li Shentong all looked at Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong, evidently, these representatives of the Li Clan’s Great Tang leadership figures were talking about these two men.
“That’s it!” Kou Zhong said, “If there is even the least bit of sign that something is wrong, we will immediately force our way out of the encirclement.”
Cheng Mo came straight toward the two; arriving in front of them, he said, “Come with me! Huangshang wants to talk to you.”
Looking at his solemn and respectful expression, the two cried, ‘Not good!’ inwardly, but if they slip away just like that, killing their way out of the heavy siege, this moment, where good or bad luck had not been seen, it would appear too unreasonable. Without any better option, they led their horses to move forward.
Cheng Mo stopped them, saying, “Leave the horse and the stick.” Promptly someone came over to take the horses and the sticks away.
Their heads in the fog, the two boys followed him straight toward Li Yuan. They were about to kneel down to salute, Li Yuan shouted, “In the playing field, no need to stick to common etiquette; you have seen the game, what do you think?”
Li Yuanji, Li Nantian, Li Shentong and Wei Gonggong, four men’s burning gaze looked at them up and down, so that in their hearts, they could only pray to God and beseech Buddha, while unceasingly calling for their Niang.
Kou Zhong forced himself to calm down, hanging his head low, he respectfully assumed the air of an expert and said, “Huangshang please note clearly, the Persian people’s way in playing polo is not limited to one style. With Prince Hamomei showing his best, the entire team work together like seamless heavenly clothes. The only weak point is Longsheng, his agility in controlling the horse is not on par with his teammates, but his skill in hitting the ball is not inferior in any respect.”
Prompting them a little, Wei Gonggong said, “Huangshang meant to ask if there is any way to break their horse formation?”
The two boys knew that the Li Clan side did not see through them, they were humbly seeking advice, hence their heart calmed down considerably.
But another anxiety grew up; supposing right now they put a deluge of heavenly flowers [idiom: adding extravagant embellishments] in their remark, while later on their performance did not match their speech, wouldn’t it be even more suspicious?
Xu Ziling replied, “As long as in term of horsemanship we can restrain Prince Hamomei, we can pull the initiative to move the whole body to break their coordination. This is the only way to win.”
Li Yuan looked at Li Yuanji, and then he looked at Li Nantian and Li Shentong, and then he spoke the earth-shattering words in heavy voice, “If we change the team formation and have you two play, how much is our chance of winning?”
These two sentences were like a thunder from a clear sky, shaking the two boys that their soul lost their spirit failed. They had never touched a polo ball in all their life, while the opponents were super polo masters. How were they going to answer Li Yuan?