Chapter 43: This Little Brother Bows Down in Awe to You

Zhao Ruyan, "!!!"
Everyone, "!!!"

Such a casual offer to take someone as a disciple—truly a phrase with low attack power but maximum psychological insult!

Those two simple words completely shattered Liu Ruyan's mental defenses. Beside herself with rage, she snapped, "You just got lucky and scored one lucky goal! Don't get ahead of yourself acting like a master taking on apprentices!"

[What's wrong with taking a disciple? I've been extremely polite already! When I'm gaming normally, I'd type 'ez', refuse to duo, hard work overcomes clumsiness, highlight reel, matchmaking corner, class is dismissed, the future belongs to you, stop wasting my internet bills, and go figure out the gap yourselves!]
[If I wasn't worried your simple brain wouldn't understand, I would've said it long ago. And yet here you are, still complaining!]

Lin Zhaozhao shrugged. "Luck is also a part of strength. It seems Miss Zhao is lacking not only in strength, but in luck as well!"

"I don't need luck!"

Provoked, Zhao Ruyan said through gritted teeth, "Only the weak rely on luck. What harm is it to let you have one goal? We shall see the real results from here on out."

She cast aside her previous playful attitude and grew completely serious.

Unfortunately for her, while she possessed real technique, Lin Zhaozhao was no slouch either.

Several polo attempts by Zhao Ruyan were intercepted using the exact same trick by Lin Zhaozhao.

Consequently, the flow of the match completely transformed into Lin Zhaozhao's personal showcase.

Once she secured the polo ball, she gave the opposing team zero breathing room. Her movements were swift and precise, handling a ten-meter three-pointer as effortlessly as a fish in water.

Everyone present was dumbfounded!

"Are you fucking kidding me? You told me she knows nothing about equestrianism and archery?! A country bumpoke?!"
"Are you out of your mind? Who on earth spread the rumor that Lin Zhaozhao is a clumsy fool?!"
"Holy crap, look at her posture playing polo! Isn't she just ridiculously cool?"

As the saying goes, true expertise shows at the very first move!

Under Lin Zhaozhao's command, the polo ball behaved like an obedient little pet.
One moment, her mallet would appear to swing the ball away,
Yet in the blink of an eye, the ball would reappear on the opposite side of the horse's legs.

Everyone, "!"
Such incredible visual appeal!

Even Emperor Hui, who had seen countless rare and exotic spectacles, clicked his tongue in appreciation and remarked,
"Yuanzhi, your youngest daughter is remarkably skilled at polo. How come you never mentioned it in ordinary times?"

Lin Yuanzhi, "..."

How should he put it? He had to admit his daughter was fiercely competent, but the crucial problem was that as a father, he had no idea his daughter was capable of such feats! How was he supposed to explain that?!

However, the Great Yong dynasty was an empire founded on horseback, and thus successive emperors deeply favored equestrian and archery competitions and performances.

In short, Zhao Ruyan and her companions were driven into a complete retreat, failing to snatch the polo ball even once, let alone attempt a shot.

Ultimately, the first round turned into a one-sided slaughter by Lin Zhaozhao.

When the referee struck the gong once more, Zhao Ruyan and her entire party were left questioning their existence.

Was this something a human being could possibly do?

Meanwhile, the people from the Marquis of Qingyuan's estate snapped out of their shock and burst into cheers!

"Ahhhhh, Elder Sister, you actually won?!"
"Zhaozhao, your equestrian and archery skills are simply too incredible!"
"Sister, you're a legend!"

Perhaps feeling that after calling her sister once, some barriers weren't so hard to break after all, Lin Qingzhi grew even more exuberant. "Sister, you're such a legend even without studying equestrianism! Your little brother bows down, bows down, bows down to you!"

Lin Zhaozhao, "..."
[Did this kid take the wrong medicine today? Why is he calling me sister and bowing down to me?]
[Could he be harboring some wicked intentions!]

Lin Qingzhi, "..."
No, can't I just genuinely think you're awesome?

Perhaps because Lin Qingzhi's gaze was too clear and innocent, Lin Zhaozhao had no choice but to say, "My excellence is completely normal. 1v6, absolute domination, high-tier carry, match history is available for inspection!"

He understood absolute domination, but what on earth was a high-tier carry?
Lin Qingzhi didn't understand, and Lin Zhaozhao couldn't be bothered to explain further.

Yet the crowd from the Marquis of Qingyuan's estate was far too excited, and their joyful laughter practically threatened to rupture the eardrums of the group from the Grand Duke's estate.

Breaking all precedents of aristocratic composure, Madam Bai grabbed Lin Zhaozhao's hand and exclaimed,
"The ancestors have truly blessed us! To think you could play such a magnificent game of polo, Zhaozhao!"
"Oh, just mediocre, mediocre—third best in the world!" Lin Zhaozhao waved dismissively.

Over by the spectator stands, Lin Wanyue tightly clutched her handkerchief, gripping it so hard her fingertips turned white.
She felt utterly wretched!

On one hand, Lin Zhaozhao winning the match meant the opposing party would have to apologize to her—which was a good thing. But on the other hand, it also meant Lin Zhaozhao was stealing the absolute spotlight here.

Having been raised in the Marquis of Qingyuan's estate since childhood, her status should naturally have been far more noble than Lin Zhaozhao's.
Just like Zhao Ruyan, she too had been meticulously trained in polo by her family.

Yet now, aside from the fact that everyone knew she hadn't dared to take the field,
Lin Zhaozhao had actually gone out there and defeated Zhao Ruyan.

Lin Wanyue had originally assumed Lin Zhaozhao would humiliate herself under the title of Princess Consort, and at worst, Lin Qingzhi would just have to bark like a dog.
That matter wouldn't have much to do with her anyway.
At most, she would just face some mockery.
But now...

In short, at this moment she would rather Lin Zhaozhao had lost than see her win and have things go so smoothly.

The expressions of those from the Grand Duke's estate had also completely turned sour.

Zhao Ruyan's polo skills were barely inferior to those of grown men.
Yet she had actually suffered defeat at the hands of Lin Zhaozhao, a mere girl from the countryside.
Was this not utterly disgraceful?

Finding the situation deeply humiliating, Zhao Wuwei endured the pain in his leg and sneered with venomous sarcasm, "The Fifth Miss is certainly formidable, relying on some unseen country tricks to win a single small round against my sister. But this is only the first match. Best two out of three, and a full-scale field battle is required to determine the final victor. Isn't it a bit too early to celebrate now?"

A single sentence instantly dampened the joy of Madam Bai and Lin Qingzhi.

That's right, there were still two and a half fields left to play.
Now that the opponents knew Lin Zhaozhao could play, they would keep a tight watch on her.
Especially since Zhao Ruyan was a seasoned expert who played polo constantly; even though Lin Zhaozhao had won through the element of surprise, but...
Everyone still felt the final outcome was unpredictable.

After all, in a polo match, everything depended on the ever-changing dynamics of the field.

The referee struck the gongs once more.

With lightning reflexes, Zhao Ruyan lunged to snatch the polo ball that had been tossed into mid-air.

This spot was right in the dead center of the arena. As long as she could secure the ball and spin around to pass it to the youths behind her, given the distance, the first three-pointer of the second match would be locked in.

However, the exact fraction of a second she raised her mallet to touch the ball, Lin Zhaozhao leveraged her height advantage, spurred her horse forward, and ducked right underneath Zhao Ruyan's arm while bent low over the saddle. Raising her mallet, she aimed directly toward the goalposts belonging to the Grand Duke's estate.

Panic gripped Lin Qingzhi's heart, and he blurted out almost involuntarily, "Wait, Elder Sister, no! The direction—the direction is reversed! Don't shoot the ball that way!"

If she actually scored in their own goal, it would become the laughingstock of the entire capital!