Tang Xiaobai stared at the empty throne in a daze and asked Yu Jun, who was sorting mos, "Has Your Majesty gone to the Forbidden Garden again?"
"Yes."
Tang Xiaobai thought for a mont and asked, "Has he been going there every afternoon these days?"
Yu Jun also pondered for a mont, then shook his head, "He didn’t go yesterday."
Tang Xiaobai found it both funny and exasperating.
Of course not. How could he go while there was a county magistrate examination yesterday?
No wonder these past few days when she woke from her nap, Li Mu still hadn’t finished the mos. Turns out he sneaked out.
What exactly was he up to?
His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t seem like soone who would toss aside mos just for horseback riding, does he?
Tang Xiaobai thought about asking him when he returned, but unexpectedly, today His Majesty the Emperor returned half an hour later than usual.
Moreover, he seed a bit off.
He had changed into different clothes, as usual, grood ticulously from head to toe, stood straight and looked normal, but Tang Xiaobai felt there was sothing listless about him.
"What’s wrong?" Tang Xiaobai asked.
"I lost track of ti for a mont and ca back late." He sat down as usual and explained in a faint tone.
After Yu Jun presented the mos and retreated, he pursed his lips, quietly saying, "Got injured accidentally..." His head slightly drooped like a dejected big puppy.
Tang Xiaobai, who should have been concerned about his injury, couldn’t help but laugh out loud, which provoked a resentful glance from His Majesty the Emperor.
"How did you get injured?" Tang Xiaobai asked with a smile, examining him, "Fell off a horse?"
While saying, she glanced at his lower body.
His Majesty the Emperor felt insulted: "How could I possibly fall off a horse!"
Tang Xiaobai, holding back laughter, examined his upper body: "Then where are you hurt?"
From his deanor upon returning, although there seed to be an air of nonchalance about it, it probably wasn’t too serious.
Based on her understanding of His Majesty, along with his subtle hints, Tang Xiaobai quickly focused her gaze on his right arm.
Sure enough, he rolled up his right sleeve, revealing his upper arm.
Tang Xiaobai instinctively gasped.
His entire upper arm was bruised, swollen into a large lump!
"What happened?" Tang Xiaobai asked in shock.
Li Mu had practiced martial arts since childhood and was talented, accompanied by top experts like Mo Ji and Mo Huan.
Other than the dangers of the battlefield, it was almost impossible for him to get injured at other tis.
"Were you attacked?" Tang Xiaobai asked, then shook her head to deny it.
An attack wouldn’t cause bruising without bleeding; it looked more like a blunt force injury, like... a wooden stick?
Tang Xiaobai gave him a glance, "Could it be a brawl?"
"No!" His Majesty the Emperor imdiately denied it sternly.
After denying, he deflated again: "It was..."
"Your Majesty—" The voice from outside interrupted Li Mu’s confession, "Prince Su and Heir of Prince Su request an audience!"
Li Mu’s expression changed instantly: "Not seeing them!"
"Wait!" Tang Xiaobai stopped the ssenger and turned to examine Li Mu curiously, "Why are they here?"
Annoyance flashed in Li Mu’s eyes.
Tang Xiaobai suddenly realized: "Did Li Xiao cause your injury?"
"How could that be?!" To His Majesty, this was even more insulting than falling from a horse, "I accidentally took a blow from him while vying for the ball!"
"Vying for the ball?" Seeing the guilty look in His Majesty’s eyes, Tang Xiaobai understood, "You’ve been playing polo? So you’ve been going to the Forbidden Garden these days to play polo?"
Li Mu nodded with a hint of dejection.
Polo, also known as "kicking field".
This was a noble sport.
While the nobles of the Central Plains also enjoyed it, it wasn’t as popular as in Tibet.
Due to the visit of the Tibetan envoys, both she and Li Mu had looked into the current situation in Tibet.
After learning that many Tibetan nobles were skilled in polo, Li Mu had specially organized a polo match to observe.
She saw the young emperor’s eyes light up with passion back then.
Tang Xiaobai didn’t understand: "If you wanted to go, why sneak around?"
Li Mu discerned sothing from her expression: "You don’t disapprove of playing polo?"
Looking at the undisguised excitent and anticipation in his eyes, Tang Xiaobai smiled: "Why would I disapprove?"
The charm of competitive sports, what hot-blooded youth could resist?
Besides, her emperor had always been too calm and composed since childhood, seeing him passionate about a sport like this, how could she possibly object?
"You said that day playing polo was too dangerous." Li Mu said quietly.
At his ntion of it, Tang Xiaobai recalled.
That day, when they watched the match together, she did indeed say that.
Polo demanded high riding skills, with its competitive nature, it indeed was dangerous.
"Is it more dangerous than going to battle?" Tang Xiaobai laughed, "Polo is indeed dangerous, which is why we should take precautions, such as proper venue, equipnt, trained mounts, and having a doctor on standby to prevent accidents. There’s no reason to ban it due to fear of danger."
His Majesty the Emperor listened intently, eyes shining: "Ah Jiao is right!"
"Then let them in first, Prince Su and his son?"
...
Prince Su Li Qing was of high rank and was Li Mu’s great uncle.
But Prince Su had been especially favored by the forr emperor; with a change of ruler, he’s more cautious before Li Mu.
Unfortunately, his only son clearly did not agree with his cautious approach.
Li Xiao was almost dragged in by Prince Su, entering Liangyi Palace while still putting on airs, chin raised—
His raised chin t eyes with Tang Xiaobai’s, causing so inexplicable contraction of the gaze, followed by a slight withdrawal of his chin.
Tang Xiaobai hadn’t thought much of it when His Majesty next to her snorted, beginning to exude cold air.
Seeing the emperor’s displeasure, Prince Su pulled Li Xiao down to kneel, repeatedly acknowledging guilt.
Li Xiao sneered in defiance: "If you can’t bear getting a minor injury on the polo field, why play at all? If Your Majesty is that fragile, just say so, and I’ll personally escort the ball into the net for you!"
Tang Xiaobai’s temple twitched, she rose sharply and commanded: "Soone, arrest the rebellious Li Xiao!"
The Xuan Yi Guard swiftly entered, seizing Li Xiao.
Prince Su was stunned by the turn of events, quickly groveled and shouted, "rcy, Your Majesty! rcy, Your Grace!"
Li Xiao made a loud protest: "Li Mu! If you can’t afford to lose, don’t play polo! If you’re capable, arrest all the world’s polo players!"
Li Mu acted as if he hadn’t heard, calmly watching his formidable yet adorable Empress.
Hmm... Ah Jiao is standing up for him...
Tang Xiaobai hadn’t noticed his gleeful thoughts.
Giving a nod, she signaled for them to gag Li Xiao, then addressed Prince Su’s pale face in a more lenient tone: "No need to be alard, Prince Su, your act of righteousness in disciplining and bringing the rebellious to justice will surely earn you recognition from His Majesty!"
Prince Su quickly kowtowed: "Your Grace sees clearly! Li Xiao only accidentally injured His Majesty, not an assault! Not an assault!"
Tang Xiaobai frowned imdiately: "Not an assault?"
"Not an assault! Not an assault! Please, Your Majesty and Your Grace, ascertain the truth!"
Tang Xiaobai’s expression darkened, and her tone instantly grew cold: "If not a deliberate attack, then what cri did you co to confess in the Palace?"
Before Prince Su could answer, she smirked coldly: "His Majesty returned from playing polo without ntioning the origin of his injury, I thought it happened accidentally on the field, seeing you confess at court made think His Majesty and I overlooked it, and thanks to Prince Su’s loyalty, you acted in justice. Now what? Was Prince Su deliberately provoking His Majesty and I?"
Prince Su was speechless for a while.
The Empress’s aggressiveness gave him the illusion, amidst his panic—
That the overly composed His Majesty seed sowhat kinder, promptly turning his head to beseech: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I had no such intention! Your Majesty sees clearly!"
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