At this moment, no one had the mind to question why he was gambling at such a young age.

Qin Yuan just glanced at him and planned to remember it for the future.

In the field, Gu Jinghui suddenly turned around, facing the stands. Everyone else also looked towards the stands and only then realized that it had been opened at some point.

A large crowd surrounded a bright yellow figure as if the stars surrounding the moon, ascending to a higher place.

Then, the shrill voice of Old Wang rang out.

"The Emperor is here, all lords quickly tidy your attire and greet according to rank, do not be discourteous."

"Even the Emperor is alarmed!" Sixth Master Gu gasped in a whisper.

Qin Siyuan tugged at his robe from the side, and only then did Sixth Master Gu come to his senses, quickly dismounting to perform a kowtow along with the others.

Everyone inside and outside the field prostrated on the ground, and after shouting ’long live’ three times, they were ordered to rise.

The Emperor said, "Everyone knows I love the game of cuju and polo. Upon hearing that the Yelv hostage and the Dingbei Marquis are fiercely competing here, I came immediately to watch. There’s no need for formalities."

Gu Jinghui hastily said, "For the Emperor to bring the Crown Prince and other princes and princesses to watch is our honor. We will definitely give it our all in battle."

Everyone shouted in unison, "We will definitely give it our all in battle!"

Yelv Guza also shouted loudly, "I too will give it my all in battle!"

The Yelv warriors behind him also joined in the cheer. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Emperor was delighted and said, "Seeing that you all are in good spirits, I will add some excitement. Without a prize, it’s not interesting, I’ll make it more enjoyable for you."

"Old Wang, send my order, the leader of the winning team will be awarded a Python Robe and a Jade Belt, and others will be awarded a Qilin Robe."

Upon hearing this, everyone was in an uproar.

The Python Robe was the highest level of awarded clothing, second only to the Dragon Robe.

While the Qilin Robe was the formal attire for marquises and dukes, often awarded by the court to fifth-rank officials as a sign of favor.

This shows that the Emperor has greatly invested this time and also implies that Gu Jinghui must win.

General Jin and others’ eyes were shining with eagerness, wishing they could crush their opponents to win the Qilin Robe as a legacy for their descendants to admire.

Yelv Guza’s gaze darkened, his fingers clenching the reins turned white.

Gu Jinghui said, "With the Emperor’s grand grace, we will do everything possible, using all our skills, striving bravely to win first place, to live up to His Majesty’s benevolence."

Yelv Guza also said, "My thoughts are no different from those of the Dingbei Marquis."

"Good!"

The Emperor clapped his hands and laughed heartily, saying, "Then let’s begin, let me enjoy it quickly."

After three gong strikes, the second match of the polo game officially began.

Previously, General Jin was secretly worried seeing Marquis Gu not riding the Kicking Snow Black Steed, but seeing Marquis Gu charge left and right, as if in a land of no one, he couldn’t help but give a thumbs up in his mind, "The bravery of the Marquis is unmatched."

Even without a thousand-mile steed, Marquis Gu is still Marquis Gu.

They were accustomed to cooperating in the army, knowing how to act with just one movement or glance. And with the Emperor adding stakes, implying that only success would be acceptable, everyone was striving to take the lead.

For a moment, Yelv Guza and others were blocked and unable to move.

Originally planning to trap Marquis Gu, they didn’t expect that after a few charges and retreats, with another whirl, somehow, they ended up in chaos themselves.

In less than an incense stick’s time, General Jin successfully intercepted the ball from the Yelv Team. With just a scoop from his Moon-shaped Head, the ball was scooped up. The small wooden ball seemed glued to his stick, rolling from handle to tip, yet not falling off.

The besieging Yelv clan members were so anxious that they began shouting in confusion.

Gu Jinghui whistled, and General Jin swung his stick like a whirlwind, with a whoosh, it was passed over.

Hearing the wind, Marquis Gu gently tapped the saddle with his tiptoe, extending his stick lightly to strike it, hitting the wooden ball perfectly with elegance and ease.

The wooden ball shot straight towards the goal, accompanied by a loud whooshing sound.

Due to Marquis Gu’s superb placement of the Moon-shaped club head, after the wooden ball entered the goal, it didn’t go straight in but rather veered diagonally past the goalie standing ready, knocking into the hole.

This was truly an incredible angle.

The goalie stood dumbfounded on the ground amidst the mountain-shaking cheers.

The referee shouted loudly, "Daxing scores one point."

After the gong struck, a flag was placed on the flag frame.

"Good!" The Emperor put down the telescope in his hand and called out, "Excellent, truly excellent. One can only imagine how the Dingbei Marquis trains soldiers usually."

Old Wang chimed in, "How else could they chase away the Yelv Clan."

"Hahaha," the Emperor laughed heartily.

Prince Qi, on the side, said, "Galloping with the opportunity, moving the ball in the air, hitting hundreds consecutively, the horse running ceaselessly, as swift as thunder and lightning. Truly excellent."

The Emperor nodded and said, "Training soldiers with this in the army, their craftmanship is skillful, coordination well-done, showing the diligence in the Dingbei Marquis’s military training."

The Crown Prince said listlessly, "If I too could gallop like this, I wouldn’t have lived in vain."

The Emperor stopped smiling and calling his pet name said, "Changsheng, the hermit has read your fate. If you pass these years, your body will gradually get better, and maybe you’ll play polo with Dingbei Marquis. Then, I’ll hand over the empire to you, and you can ensure Daxing’s peace for a hundred years."

"If only that would be the case."

The Crown Prince looked longingly at the training field.

"If that day comes, I will definitely find the best field to challenge the Dingbei Marquis in a match."

The Emperor decisively said, "You will, my son."

The expressions of the people on the viewing platform varied; King Jin and King Qishan exchanged a glance with a secret smile on their lips. Prince Qi’s eyes flashed disdainfully before he lowered his gaze.

On the field, Gu Jinghui scored another goal.

The Yelv clan members started to lose their composure, becoming frantic and frustrated.

Seeing this, Yelv Guza quickly blew the communication whistle, transmitting a message with five short and three long sounds.

General Jin reined in, approached Gu Jinghui, and said in a low voice, "The Yelv hostage is about to change tactics."

Marquis Gu nodded and said, "Later, if they cut this way, pass the ball to Little Tao, and let him make a backhand hit."

General Jin chuckled, "Brilliant, let’s do it."

Indeed, the Yelv clan feared General Jin and Marquis Gu, trying their best to stop General Jin from snatching the ball. But General Jin, though having a bulky body, was very agile.

Even if several people surrounded and blocked him, they couldn’t take the ball from his stick.

In the tussle of horses, General Jin’s Moon-shaped club head swung and swayed, seeming unstable, others hurriedly came to steal the ball, but in the distraction, General Jin shoveled the ball towards a middle-aged Han guarded by few.

General Jin shouted, "Hey!"

This direction was opposite to the goal direction for Daxing to score.

The Yelv clan members became active.

The middle-aged man seemed a bit flustered as he raised his club to strike.

The spectators outside the field felt that things were not going well.

In the stands, the Emperor squinted, as if to exert more effort.

The middle-aged man’s club just slanted and hit the wooden ball.

The loud hitting sound rang out once more.

The ball again hurdled with the loud whistling of breaking wind and flew out.