Chapter 42 Taking a Disciple

"Pfft—" Someone in the crowd laughed aloud.

"No way, she struggled so much just getting onto her horse, and yet she's still putting on an act like she knows how to play polo?"

"I'd say the only thing hardened about her is that mouth of hers. Just wait until she loses, she'll have plenty of time to cry!"

"Besides, if she doesn't pretend she knows how now, she'll have to take the field in a moment anyway. Once she gets beaten to a pulp, she won't be able to keep up the charade!"

"…Yet somehow she looks so confident. Who knows, maybe she really does have some extraordinary skills?"

"..."

Extraordinary skills?

Zhao Ruyan sneered; she certainly hadn't seen any. Sitting atop her horse, she called out, "Fifth Miss, I've always taken first place in the polo matches here in the capital, and I've never once fallen behind! Are you sure you want to play against me?"

"I've already mounted my horse, and you're telling me all this now?"

Lin Zhaozhao's riding attire fluttered and snapped in the wind.

The members of the Marquis Qingyuan's estate grew tense once again.

By this point, victory or defeat was no longer important. What mattered was what they should do if Lin Zhaozhao were also knocked off her horse and severely injured.

Seeing Lin Zhaozhao's persistence, Zhao Ruyan sneered, "A futile struggle."

She then turned around to brief her team on tactics. "Lin Zhaozhao is from the countryside. I imagine she has no real talent for riding and archery. The person you need to focus on and keep your eyes glued to is that skinny, tall young boy. There's only half an incense stick of time left in the second half, so let's make it quick and decisive. Show her what true professionalism looks like."

Zhao Ruyan extended her polo mallet. The five young men beneath her placed their mallets on top of hers one by one, shook them up and down three times, and then pulled back together. "Success is the only option, failure is forbidden!"

Their shout nearly shook the heavens.

"The Zhao family miss is playing for real this time!"

"To be honest, there's was no need for her to get serious. After all, her opponent is just a country bumpkin!"

"Why isn't Lin Wanyue playing against her instead? If it were Lin Wanyue, there actually would have been a decent chance of winning!"

"..."

Thud!

The referee struck the gong.

Zhao Ruyan and the others, who were temporarily leading in the second half, received the polo first. Both sides immediately tightened their reins and spurred their horses to chase the ball across the lawn, the sound of thudding hooves deafening.

"Ruyan, go—! Miss, go! End this game already!" The cheers of the maids, servants, and close female companions of the Duke Zhenguo's estate rang out uninhibitedly, dripping with contempt for the foolish Lin Zhaozhao.

Since they were already in the lead during the second half, all they needed to do going forward was prevent the opposing team from scoring to secure the victory.

Besides, since Lin Zhaozhao didn't even know how to play, it would be effortless for Zhao Ruyan to rack up wild scores in the second half.

Not a single person present favored Lin Zhaozhao.

Yet amidst the gloomy atmosphere, a full-bodied, resonant voice suddenly rang out: "Go, Lin Zhaozhao!"

It was Lin Qingci.

Oh, great. His own leg was broken, yet he was still over here acting all smug.

Seeing this, Zhao Wuyan had no desire to lose either and immediately shouted, "Go, Ruyan! Go, Sister!"

His voice was so loud!

And it sounded so affectionate, even tossing a provocative glance at Lin Qingci right after he finished shouting.

"Sister, charge! Go for it!"

Anyone listening who didn't know better would think Zhao Ruyan was the most popular person in the world!

Lin Qingci pondered for a moment, wanting to copy the other side's format.

But alas!

Two tiny figures—one black and one white—suddenly materialized above his head.

The black one said, "Are you for real? You're going to call this she-tiger 'elder sister'? Don't forget, you said with your own mouth that Lin Wanyue is your only sister! If you call Lin Zhaozhao sister now, isn't that a betrayal of your past vow?"

The white one said, "But Sister Zhaozhao helped you! She stopped them from making you bark like a dog! No one is cheering for her, she's so pitiful!"

The black figure looked fierce. "She's a vicious woman, what's so pitiful about her?!"

"But she's very young too!"

Oh dear, watching the black and white figures start to brawl, Lin Qingci debated with himself for a long time. He bit his lower lip and finally couldn't help shouting, "Lin... *cough, cough*, Fifth Sister, go! Sister, Sister, go! Winning or losing doesn't matter, anyway you've never learned riding and archery, so even if you lose, you're still the most amazing one!"

Lin Qingci's leg hurt, and his stomach hurt too.

However, figuring that the white figure was right, a whole crowd over at the Duke Zhenguo's estate was cheering for Zhao Ruyan, whereas on this sister's side, not a single person was cheering for her.

He felt that wasn't quite right.

Don't let Lin Qingci's small stature fool you; his lungs were massive. Although he wasn't as noisy as a whole mob from the Duke Zhenguo's estate, if he really started yakking away, he was no quieter than a few hundred ducks!

At this moment, he raised both hands high, waving them vigorously toward Lin Zhaozhao on the field.

It actually shifted the onlookers' mood of mere spectating just a little bit.

After all, what Lin Qingci said made sense.

"This Lin Zhaozhao has never learned the zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting, let alone riding and archery. Even if Zhao Ruyan wins against her, what glory is there in that?"

"Still, Lin Zhaozhao only stepped up because of her younger brother. Come to think of it, this young girl has decent character!"

"..."

Their whispering wasn't quiet at all, and it fell right into Lin Wanyue's ears.

What did it mean when they said Lin Zhaozhao had good character? Didn't that imply her own character was bad?

Especially when she saw Lin Qingci looking like he was cheering wholeheartedly for Lin Zhaozhao, Lin Wanyue felt as though something was slipping out of her grasp.

After all, in the past, Lin Qingci wouldn't even acknowledge Lin Zhaozhao as his sister!

Right now, Lin Qingci had no time to worry about Lin Wanyue's inner turmoil. He tried to egg Bai Shi on: "Mother, hurry, you cheer for Zhaozhao too! We can't lose our momentum!"

Bai Shi, "..."

Was having a booming voice like yours and throwing away all dignity considered having momentum?

"Look, everyone, Miss Zhao is about to shoot!"

The reason Zhao Ruyan had a place of her own in capital polo matches was largely related to her precise shooting.

As long as the ball reached her hands and the distance was right, it was rare for her not to score.

Right now, on the polo field.

The ball happened to be driven right under Zhao Ruyan's mallet. She quickly rode past Lin Zhaozhao.

The five teammates beside Lin Zhaozhao were all being closely marked by opponents.

Twenty meters.

Ten meters.

Getting closer and closer.

Zhao Ruyan gripped her mallet tightly, brushed past Lin Zhaozhao, and swung hard forward.

"It's in, it's in!" Zhao Wuyan clapped his hands happily.

At this distance, there was no way his sister could miss!

Yet the very next moment, a fast horse leapt past Zhao Ruyan.

It was Lin Zhaozhao!

"What is she doing?"

Zhao Ruyan was momentarily stunned, then realized something and burst out laughing, "Does she actually think she can catch up to this polo ball and intercept it?"

With a polo ball spinning at such high speed, and at this distance and height.

Even if Lin Zhaozhao caught up, given her height, there was no way she could block it!

Such a foolish thing to do, leave it to her to actually pull it off!

Zhao Wuyan and the others nearly laughed themselves to death!

"She's as stupid as a pig, isn't she just asking to humiliate herself?"

"..."

Lin Wanyue sneered inwardly, looking forward to Lin Zhaozhao making a complete fool of herself.

Jun Wuchen glanced at Lin Zhaozhao, who was chasing after the ball, and frowned slightly. "Fifth Miss Lin was just bestowed the title of Commandery Princess, yet she goes and pulls off a joke like this. Isn't that—"

Before Emperor Hui could speak,

Lin Yuanzhi suddenly blurted out, "Holy shit!"

This gave Emperor Hui such a start that he jerked back and looked up.

And there he saw Lin Zhaozhao—the one everyone had expected to be a laughingstock—not only spur her horse to catch up to the polo ball, but seize the moment to kick her feet out of the stirrups, twist her narrow waist, flip sideways onto the horse, and execute an aerial somersault leap.

At the same time, she swung her mallet, accurately targeted the polo ball, and struck it with a backhand shot.

The polo ball reversed its direction and flew straight into Lin Zhaozhao's goal.

Zhao Ruyan stared in disbelief, her eyes wide.

Lin Qingci gasped, "Shit!"—a botanical reference!

All these drastic changes had actually taken place in the span of just a few blinks.

"It went in! It went in! And it's a three-pointer!" Lin Qingci instinctively provided commentary for Bai Shi, suddenly feeling that his leg didn't hurt anymore, his legs weren't sore, and even the lingering pain in his stomach was no big deal. "She's too awesome! To block the ball from such a long distance and then pitch it in, she's seriously too awesome! Awesome!"

Indeed!

Several people nodded in agreement.

Scoring wasn't that impressive; the crucial part was daring to stand on the horse and leap to intercept the ball!

How much courage and skill did that take!

Zhao Ruyan was completely dumbfounded.

She had thought the person playing polo against her was a total layman, yet Lin Zhaozhao had actually snatched her ball and scored?

Zhao Ruyan was utterly bewildered.

Lin Zhaozhao curved the corners of her lips and enunciated clearly, "Bow down."