The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 128 Provocation
On the twelfth day of the third lunar month, the Great Xia imperial family held a birthday banquet in the Fengtian Hall for the empress dowager’s sixtieth birthday.
Inside the hall were members of the Great Xia imperial family, officials of the fourth rank and above, their families, and envoys from various countries. Outside, the hall was set up for officials of the fourth rank and below, as well as their families.
Today marked the first time Empress Dowager Xiao stepped out of the palace after being “under house arrest” for several days.
Upon learning that the Northern Liang delegation had yet to arrive while others had come to offer their congratulations, she felt quite displeased. Was the Northern Liang Emperor looking down on her, the former regent of Great Xia?
Inside the hall, the ceremonial music played as everyone presented their gifts and offered their congratulations to the empress dowager.
Afterward, guests toasted each other, exchanging pleasantries and compliments in a rather superficial atmosphere.
——
At the banquet, Princess Ashina Mingzhu of the Turkic frequently cast her gaze toward the high platform where the Taizi, Feng Zhan, donned a golden crown and a black robe embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons, sat alongside the future Taizifei, Qin Yan.
Ashina Mingzhu’s eyes were filled with admiration and warmth as she looked at Taizi Feng Zhan. Blushing, she turned to her brother, Khan Ashina Qigu, sitting beside her, and whispered something.
The Turkic Khan, Ashina Qigu, thirty years old, stood tall and imposing, with high cheekbones, deep-set eyes, and a light beard framing his strong jaw, exuding the wild beauty of a grassland man.
He glanced at Taizi Feng Zhan, his gaze sharp yet somewhat inscrutable.
“Our Turkic Khanate wishes to unite with Great Xia through marriage, proposing to wed Princess Mingzhu to His Highness Taizi. What does the empress dowager think?”
As his words echoed through the hall, silence fell. Conversations halted, and aside from the palace music, there was no sound.
Taizi Feng Zhan was about to marry Taizifei Qin Yan, who had already undergone the coronation ceremony. The sudden proposal from the Turkic Khan felt like a disruption to the proceedings.
Emperor Hui, along with Taizi Feng Zhan, Qin Yan, and several dignitaries from the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion, wore expressions of cold intensity.
After delivering his proposition, the Turkic Khan raised his cup toward Empress Dowager Xiao, who surprisingly reciprocated, lifting her own cup in acknowledgment. The two then drank deeply from their cups in unison.
This action must be thought-provoking.
The implied meaning was that they only recognized Empress Dowager Xiao, disregarding Emperor Hui, who still sat on the throne, and the reigning Taizi.
It was a blatant affront to both the emperor and the taizi, a deliberate slap in the face.
Empress Dowager Xiao set down her cup, a smile playing on her lips as she spoke, “I actually think it wouldn’t be bad for Princess Mingzhu to serve as a concubine to the Taizi.”
“And what do you say, Taizi?” she added, still smiling as she turned to Feng Zhan and Qin Yan.
At this moment, the empress dowager felt a sense of satisfaction, finally finding an opportunity to prick at Qin Yan’s pride.
The crowd shifted uneasily. Was the empress dowager really suggesting such a thing? Was she trying to stir up trouble?
At that moment, Princess Ashina Mingzhu suddenly exclaimed, “I am a princess of my own nation, how could I be a concubine? I must be the taizifei!”
She raised her chin slightly, looking at Qin Yan, “If I were to be the legitimate wife, then Princess Zhaoren would merely be a concubine, such a position would still be an elevation for her. She shouldn’t be ungrateful.”
Her words caused another shock to ripple through the hall.
How audacious could the Turkic princess be!
Feng Zhan and Qin Yan both felt a surge of anger, their eyes narrowing with murderous intent. The members of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion had to forcefully suppress their urge to rush forward and deal with the audacious Turkic princess.
Emperor Hui furrowed his brow, preparing to speak, but Taizi Feng Zhan was quicker with his icy voice, “If the Khan wishes to form a marriage alliance with Great Xia, it is not impossible. However, let’s see if anyone in the imperial family is willing to take your esteemed princess as a concubine.”
“But Khan, remember that the empress dowager has been in retirement at Shou’an Palace for many years. The current Great Xia cannot be ruled by her alone.”
Feng Zhan had long been dissatisfied with the empress dowager’s previous soft policies toward neighboring countries. In her time in power, she had yielded many key northern fortresses to the Turkic people in pursuit of temporary peace, not realizing their insatiable ambition, which eventually led to a war over a decade ago.
The verbal sparring between Great Xia and the Turkic Khanate in Fengtian Hall drew the keen eyes of envoys from other nations, who watched closely. With Great Xia and Turkic having enjoyed a ceasefire for many years, any resurgence of conflict would involve them as well, and it was best for them to anticipate the outcome that would be most advantageous.
Empress Dowager Xiao’s expression soured. Did the taizi truly intend to leave her without any face at all?
Princess Ashina Mingzhu glared furiously at Taizi Feng Zhan. A concubine? How dare he humiliate her like this!
Just as Ashina Mingzhu prepared to stand, she was restrained by the hand of Khan Ashina Qigu on her shoulder.
The atmosphere in the grand hall grew tense, with everyone holding their breath, waiting to see how this farce would unfold.
——-
After a moment of silence, Khan Ashina Qigu addressed the high platform again, saying, “The Turkic Khanate indeed has sincere intentions to form a marriage alliance with Great Xia. I have heard that there are still two unmarried princesses in the Great Xia imperial family.”
“I hereby formally propose to marry one of the Great Xia princesses to myself.”
His words sent shockwaves through the assembly once more.
The empress, Imperial Concubine De, Princess Changle Feng Yunchao, and Princess Jingyi Feng Yuyao all turned pale, their expressions reflecting shock and disbelief.
Emperor Hui’s face darkened as he retorted, “The Khan already has a Khatun. It would not be appropriate for our princess to enter into marriage with the Turkic Khanate.”
Khan Ashina Qigu had married the daughter of a powerful tribe leader before ascending to the throne, making her his legitimate wife—his khatun. This union had been a significant factor in his rise to become the most competitive son of the previous Turkic Khan, ultimately earning him the title.
Khan Ashina Qigu laughed heartily, saying, “What’s wrong with that? A Great Xia princess marrying me would become the most esteemed of concubines.”
Everyone: ……
“Concubine?”
The Turkic Khan was suggesting that a Great Xia princess should be a concubine? First, the Turkic Princess Ashina Mingzhu wanted to marry the taizi as the taizifei, and now the Khan proposed that a Great Xia princess become a concubine.
This was not a marriage alliance. It was clearly a provocation and an insult!
The expressions of the imperial family members and the officials in Fengtian Hall darkened. The Turkic people were far too brazen!
——–
At that moment, a clear, cold voice broke through the tension. It was Qin Yan, the taizifei, seated beside Taizi Feng Zhan.
“Khan, you have quite the audacity,” she remarked.
All eyes turned to the taizifei, curious about her boldness.
Qin Yan curled her lips in a smirk, her tone dripping with sarcasm, “If your Turkic princess wishes to serve as a concubine for someone else, that’s your affair. But our Great Xia princess has no interest in such matters.”
Both Khan Ashina Qigu and Princess Ashina Mingzhu’s pupils constricted, their expressions shifting drastically. The empress dowager and Emperor Hui had been diplomatic with the Turkic envoys, yet this future Taizifei Qin Yan seemed unwilling to maintain even a facade of civility.
Qin Yan continued, her voice sharp and cold, “If you expect a Great Xia princess to become a concubine in your Turkic lands, that would depend on whether the Great Xia imperial family agrees, whether my people agree, and whether the millions of soldiers at our borders agree or not!”
Her resolute words stirred the hearts of those present, resonating with a fierce sense of pride that felt like a release of pent-up frustration.
Princess Feng Yuyao watched Qin Yan with stars in her eyes, thinking how powerful and formidable she was. If Qin Yan were a man, she would have been the first to wish to marry her.
As the younger sister of the taizi, Feng Yunchao felt secure in her brother’s protection, but for Feng Yuyao, a lower-ranking princess, the prospect of marriage was precarious. If a marriage alliance were to be proposed, she would likely be the first to be pushed forward.
Imperial Concubine De had worried that today might unfold in this manner, leading her to urge Emperor Hui to finalize Feng Yuyao’s marriage arrangement. Yet, with the emperor preoccupied with alchemy, he had ignored her concerns.
At this moment, Feng Yuyao and her mother, Imperial Concubine De, both breathed a sigh of relief. They understood that Qin Yan’s words carried significant weight in front of the emperor and the Taizi. With Qin Yan speaking out, the prospects of the marriage alliance were likely to be aborted.
A warm feeling surged within the empress and Feng Yunchao, their eyes misting over. As members of the imperial family, they had long accepted that their marriages might be sacrificed for various reasons.
Even though Feng Yunchao was a legitimate princess, she was not exempt from this reality.
Qin Yan, as the taizifei and a sister-in-law to Feng Yunchao, had never been particularly close to her or the empress. Yet, her defense of them now struck a chord, leaving them deeply moved.
Princess Ashina Mingzhu, feeling both humiliated and enraged, glared at Qin Yan and began to speak.
“Zhaoren—” but her words were cut off by the cold voice of Taizi Feng Zhan.
“Khan, you should manage your own people.”
Khan Ashina Qigu met Feng Zhan’s icy gaze, both men exchanging sharp looks, neither willing to back down.
After a moment, Ashina Qigu finally averted his eyes and signaled to the Ninth Princess.
Their initial plan to propose a marriage alliance at this banquet had never intended to succeed. It was simply meant to humiliate the Great Xia imperial family.
At the banquet, their plan to propose a marriage alliance was never meant to succeed; it was simply a way to humiliate the Daxia royal family.
The Turkic Ninth Princess swallowed the words she was about to say, then turned to Qin Yan and shifted her tone, “I’ve heard that the Taizifei is skilled in horseback riding and would like to ask her for guidance.”
“Does the Taizifei dare to compete in a polo match against me?”
The Great Xia officials inside and outside the Fengtian Hall were furious at the words of the Turkic Ninth Princess.
The Turkic nation was built on horseback, and its people valued martial prowess. They were clearly trying to use the polo match to trample on Great Xia’s dignity.
However, those who had seen Taizifei Qin Yan’s exceptional horsemanship, as well as those who had witnessed her effortlessly twist a horse’s neck during the autumn hunting event, couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the overly confident Turkic Ninth Princess.
“Princess, do you realize you’re asking for trouble?”
Young Master Wang Jingyu from the Left Prime Minister Mansion was already itching to start a betting game. If there was to be a polo match, he would wager all his wealth on the Taizifei. He had never lost before, and he wasn’t about to start now.
Qin Yan smiled slightly and said, “As guests from afar, we should always oblige. I, Qin Yan, will join you.”
“How refreshing!” The Turkic Ninth Princess clapped her hands and added, “However, in Turkic, we don’t adhere to your Great Xia’s rigid rules. May I set the rules for the polo match?”
Qin Yan replied calmly, “Feel free to do so.”
The Ninth Princess slowly stood up, fixing her gaze on Qin Yan’s face, and smiled as she said, “According to our Turkic rules, in the arena, everyone relies on their own skills, and life or death is not a concern.”
At her words, the faces of everyone in the hall changed dramatically.
The Turkic Ninth Princess was clearly targeting the Taizifei’s life!
Taizi Feng Zhan’s eyes turned icy, a killing intent radiating from him.
Qin Yan reached out and gently squeezed Feng Zhan’s left hand resting on the table. He turned to her, and she nodded slightly, then looked back at Ashina Mingzhu.
“Alright.”
The crowd was astonished by Qin Yan’s response. This polo match could very well end in tragedy!
Having received the answer she wanted, the Turkic Ninth Princess turned and asked, “Are there any envoys from other countries interested in joining me to spar with the host, Great Xia?”
Wang Jiang Quyi of Western Rong exchanged glances with his eldest son, Jiang Shang, and they both nodded.
Then, Jiang Shang addressed Qin Yan, saying, “I will join as well.”
The Princess of Nanjing, Princess Shiyue, had been silent until now, showing no intention to act. Her trusted attendant was about to speak up, but Shiyue raised her hand to stop him.
She looked at Taizi Qin Yan, whose expression remained unreadable, her eyes narrowing slightly.
According to the information she had received, both Taizi Feng Zhan and Taizifei Qin Yan were deep and inscrutable, and it was best not to provoke them.
Meanwhile, the envoys from the smaller nations were simply spectating. Neither Turkic nor Great Xia were powers they could afford to offend, and they all averted their eyes from the Turkic Ninth Princess, keeping silent.
———
The Turkic Ninth Princess observed the cowardice of these smaller nations with a mocking smile.
Ashina Mingzhu turned to Qin Yan again, saying, “Taizifei is free to find helpers, but… Great Xia wouldn’t be out of options, would it? Hahaha…”
“Hahaha…”
Laughter from the Turkic and Western Rong envoys echoed mockingly in the hall, further inflaming the anger of the Great Xia officials.
At this moment, a cold male voice rang out from the back of the hall, “I, Lu Chen of the Longwu Army, volunteer to compete!”
Everyone turned to see Lu Chen, the commander of the Southern Yamen Imperial Army, standing tall in the hall, cupping his fists in salute to the throne.
“I, Xie Changyuan of the Northern Yamen Imperial Army, volunteer to compete!” It was the Shizi of Duke of Yongding, Xie Changyuan!
“I, Xie Zhao of the Southern Yamen Imperial Army, volunteer to compete!” announced Xie Zhao, the deputy commander of the Southern Yamen Imperial Army.
Xie Changyuan and Xie Zhao exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away, both wearing serious expressions.
“I, … volunteer to compete!”
“I, … volunteer to compete!”
“I, … volunteer to compete!”
……
One by one, resolute figures rose from both inside and outside the hall, each cupping their fists in salute. Their voices echoed throughout the grand hall, igniting the blood of the Great Xia officials, and stirring their spirits.
These were the soldiers of Great Xia, the brave men of their nation!
At that moment, the civil officials felt a surge of admiration, wishing they could ride skillfully into battle to bring glory to Great Xia.
In the past, many had looked down upon military generals and the sport of polo, but now this experience has completely changed their perception of these rugged warriors.
Seeing this scene, the envoys from various countries were greatly shocked.
This was the unity of Great Xia. With such strength, why would they fear invasions from other nations?
A clear and resonant female voice rang out in the hall, “I, Han Shuangling of the Left Prime Minister Mansion, volunteer to compete.”
Everyone turned in surprise to the source of the voice.
It was Han Shuangling, the only daughter of the Marquis of Guannei and the eldest daughter-in-law of the Left Prime Minister Mansion!
Wang Xian, the Left Prime Minister, looked displeased. The Turks and the Western Rong were targeting the taizifei, and this polo match could very well turn deadly. They could easily stay out of it, so why was Han Shuangling trying to stir up trouble? It might land her in serious danger.
Wang Jingheng glanced at Han Shuangling as she stood up, his eyes filled with worry and disapproval.
Han Shuangling noticed her husband’s expression and couldn’t help but smirk coldly to herself.
At this moment, she was utterly convinced that she and Wang Jingheng were simply not on the same wavelength.
On the other hand, Han Shiyan, her father, the Marquis of Guannei, felt a swell of pride for his daughter’s actions. If it weren’t for the fact that the proposal for the polo match had come from the younger generation, he would have been the first to request permission to compete, showing the Turks and the Western Rong that Great Xia men were no cowards!
The Third Prince, Feng Yi, lounged back, watching the spectacle unfold. He couldn’t understand if these people were out of their minds, it was just a game of polo. Winning would be glory for Great Xia, but losing would be the concern of Taizifei Qin Yan.
The Second Prince, Feng Xian, could hardly sit still. From the moment he was born, he had only known himself as a prince who could compete for the throne alongside the taizi. At this moment, he felt a different identity rising within him, he was also a Great Xia man.
Just as Feng Xian was about to stand up, he was stopped by someone sent by his mother, Imperial Concubine Shu. Seeing his mother shake her head repeatedly, filled with worry, he finally settled back down in his seat.
Princess Feng Yuyao was also eager to join but knew her own abilities well enough to refrain from causing trouble for Yan Yan.
Emperor Hui was quite pleased with the situation in the hall. He hadn’t felt this relaxed during his reign in a long time.
“Good, good, good!” Emperor Hui raised his hand, signaling for the soldiers to return to their seats.
Qin Yan addressed the Turkic Ninth Princess, “Ninth Princess, I’ll give you a day to prepare. The competition will take place the day after tomorrow. How does that sound?”
Ashina Mingzhu replied cheerfully, “It’s a deal.”
Taizi Feng Zhan spoke in a deep voice, “Have the Hanlin Academy, the Ministry of Rites, and the Honglu Temple draft a life-and-death contract with the participating delegations by tomorrow. Each participant must sign it before the match, and it should be witnessed and stamped by the envoys of the other nations.”
The delegations from various countries exchanged shocked glances.
A life-and-death contract! This was serious. When large nations clashed, what did small players like them have to do with it? Now they were all implicated in the spectacle!
As the birthday banquet came to an end, emotions ran high, some were excited, some were anxious, and others were simply waiting to watch the drama unfold.
The polo match was set to take place in the imperial garden at Shanglin Garden two days later.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the imperial city, the East Garden polo field was temporarily being used for the Turkic and Western Rong teams to train and coordinate.
——
At the Western Suburb racing grounds, Taizifei Qin Yan stood in the stands, observing the performances of the participants on the field.
The upcoming polo match would consist of ten players per team, with a maximum of twenty including substitutes.
Today, dozens of ranked soldiers signed up for the match in the grand hall. Not to mention the two elite military units that later heard the news. Overall, the number of applicants had swelled to over ten thousand.
Qin Yan carefully selected fifty for training, including Lu Chen and Xie Zhao from the Southern Yamen Imperial Army, Xie Changyuan from the Northern Yamen Imperial Army, Han Shuangling, the only daughter of the Marquis of Guannei, and other soldiers. She also included Jiang Mu, who rushed over from the Western Suburb racing grounds.
Jiang Mu had endured humiliation for too long. He had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.
“Qin Yan, you must give me this chance,” he insisted.
Qin Yan replied seriously, “Do you realize that this polo match could result in fatalities? You might be one of them.”
Jiang Mu’s eyes were fierce, “Jiang Quyi and Jiang Shang, the father and son duo, killed my father, mother, brother, and sister. I wish I could eat their bones and flesh.”
Qin Yan finally nodded, “Okay, I’ll give you this chance.”
“But keep your life for me, I have something else to do.”
———–
In the evening at the Western Suburb Hunting Ground, the remnants of red in the sky looked like blood. Qin Yan stood on a high platform, below her were the twenty selected soldiers for the competition and their substitutes, including Han Shuangling and Jiang Mu.
Qin Yan spoke, her voice cold but powerful, “The polo match the day after tomorrow is akin to a battlefield. Its brutality may rival that of actual war.”
“Some of you may sustain serious injuries, become disabled, or even lose your lives.”
“If anyone wishes to withdraw, I will give them one last chance.”
The twenty soldiers below shouted in unison, “Not retreating! Not retreating! Not retreating!”
Qin Yan raised her hand and continued, “The Western Rong and Turkic tribes have repeatedly violated our borders and slaughtered our people.”
“You are not fighting for me, Qin Yan, but for the Great Xia!”
“Since the other side wants to kill us on the field, then we don’t have to show mercy, and they can’t leave alive.”
“Do you dare!”
The soldiers below shouted in unison, “Dare! Dare! Dare!”
Han Shuangling’s gaze was resolute and that woman on the stage had helped her rediscover her sense of purpose.
What suited her best was the military and the battlefield, not being trapped in the confines of the inner courtyard.
Xie Zhao followed the figure of that woman on the stage, thinking of Qin Yan, the woman who was no less than any man.
Xie Changyuan’s chest rose and fell as he watched Qin Yan, the current taizifei and his former fiancée, feeling a surreal sense of disbelief.
Were they really going to fight side by side?
Taizi Feng Zhan and Song Zhi had just arrived at the edge of the field and stopped in their tracks at the sight.
Song Zhi said, “Your Highness, are we just going to let Taizifei do as she pleases? This…”
Feng Zhan’s gaze remained fixed on the fierce beauty on the stage.
“My woman does things her way, and I will bear the consequences for her. She deserves it.”