Across the Water Margin: Officials of Ximen

Seeing the appearance of Ma Kuo and the three of them, Ximen Qing remembered that polo might be popular in Song Dynasty at this time, right?

Ximenqing's predecessor before crossing was just a local tyrant in Yanggu County. After crossing, he was busy fighting wits and bravery with Liangshan bandits. He really didn't pay much attention to the entertainment sports that the Song court loved.So I don't know much about Da Song's current polo situation.So he asked Ma Kuo and others if they could play polo.

Ma Kuo and Hu Yanqing told Ximen Qing that polo was also a sport favored by court officials and the army in the Song Dynasty.Therefore, both Ma Zheng and his son and Hu Yanqing learned to play polo in the army.

Ma Kuo told Ximen Qing that polo has a long history in the Central Plains.

Polo was first introduced to China from Tubo in the early Tang Dynasty, and it was mainly popular in court and noble activities.

Since polo was introduced to China at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, due to its strong entertainment and competitive functions, it soon became a sports and entertainment activity pursued and admired by everyone in the Tang Dynasty. Ordinary Limin people are all eager to play polo and never get tired of it.

It is said that among the 22 emperors of the Tang Dynasty, [-] were polo enthusiasts.It has formed a popular era scene of "the monarch is fond of the superior, and the military minister is especially good at the outside".

Playing polo was very popular in the Tang Dynasty. It not only became a sport for the emperors and nobles to strengthen their bodies, but also played an important role in foreign exchanges.

According to records, neighboring Bohai Sea, Korea, Japan and other countries at that time all had descriptions of polo competitions with the Tang Dynasty.

After Tang Taizong Li Shimin and Turkic Khan Jieli met at the Weishui Bianqiao in the west of Chang'an City in the ninth year of Wude, Tang and Turkic countries had a polo match.

During Tang Zhongzong's time, the later Tang Xuanzong Li Longji loved polo very much.When he was a prince in his early years, he once set up a special golf course in Gaocheng County, Henan Province.

In the third year of Tang Jinglong, Tubo sent envoys to welcome Princess Jincheng to Tibet. Along with them was a polo team from the highlands. Both the capital and Tubo are victorious."

Seeing this scene, Tang Zhongzong, who was watching the game, was very unhappy, so he ordered a four-member team headed by Li Longji to play against the ten-member Tubo enemy.

Among the four players who participated in this match, only Li Longji's skills are the most outstanding. I saw that he "drives east and west, wind returns and electric shocks, he has nowhere to go, and Tubo's merits cannot be applied."

In this competition, due to Li Longji's superb polo skills and heroic combat skills, he was not only highly praised by Tang Zhongzong, but also heartily supported by Habayashi Wanqi.

The following year, after Empress Wei poisoned Tang Zhongzong to death, Li Longji, who was supported by the Habayashi Army, immediately led troops into the palace, quelled the palace coup, and then became emperor again.It can be said that Tang Xuanzong's "Kaiyuan Prosperity" also has a little bit of origin with polo.

In the sixth year of Tianbao, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang issued a special edict ordering polo to be one of the subjects of army training.

In the Five Dynasties period, the popular polo custom in the Central Plains of the Tang Dynasty continued.Liang Taizu Zhu Wen once rewarded Qian Liu, king of Wuyue, with ten royal horses for playing ball.

Back beam In the palace of Luoyang, there are stadium halls, Xing'an stadium, Baoning stadium, etc. used for polo sports.

Li Cunxu, Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, also carried out "ball hitting" sports with princes and nobles in the Juchang in Luoyang many times.

About three years after Liao Muzong Yingli, Liao began to imitate the Central Plains to develop polo.

In the current dynasty, polo gradually evolved from an imported form of sport to an important part of the five court ceremonies, and Emperor Taizong ordered Yousi to specify the ceremonies in detail.

Therefore, in the ceremonial activities of this dynasty, various forms of polo competitions are often held.Zhao Guanjia often watched polo performances in front of the Jinmingchi Baojin Building in Kaifeng Mansion, Bianliang, Tokyo.

When Ma Kuo was taking the martial arts examination in Bianliang, Tokyo, he once saw Zhao Guanjia watching the women's polo performance organized by Taiwei Liang Shicheng in front of Baojin Building in Jinmingchi.

When those beautiful women were sweating and playing hard on the court, there were music workshops on the sidelines to add to the fun.There was a gust of fragrant wind on the field, and the officials and people on the sidelines shared the rewards, which can be described as an unprecedented grand event.

After hearing this, Ximenqing despised Song Huizong's monarchs and ministers who could only have fun.Both the Liao and Jin Dynasties used polo to train soldiers, but Song Huizong turned polo into entertainment. He is worthy of being the king of subjugation!

"Brother Ma Kuo, do you want to participate in the Jurchen polo game tomorrow?" Ximen Qing asked Ma Kuo.

"Exactly. The Ximen Brothers are going to show their talents in the willow shooting competition tomorrow, and we also want to try our skills in the polo match." Ma Kuo replied to Ximen Qing.

"I have also paid a visit to Wanyan Woli in the past few days to pave the way for the future alliance negotiations between the imperial court and the Kingdom of Jin. I will go to see Wanyan Wuli later and tell him that I will wait for you." Please ask him to make arrangements for the three of you to participate in the polo match." Ma Zheng also said confidently.

"Brother Ximen Qing, you are very good at riding, why don't you go for a fight with me?" Hu Yanqing asked Ximen Qing.

"I'm ashamed! I never played polo when I was in the Song Dynasty, so I won't make a fool of myself. I will be there with Jiao Ting to cheer for the three of you!" Ximen Qing replied.

"Forget it! Brother Ximen, let's prepare for the Willow Shooting Contest! Brother, I wish you a successful start!" Hu Yanqing said.

……

After the discussion between the four of them, Ximen Qing returned to his tent, and while having dinner, he told his maid Alan about the Willow Shooting Conference tomorrow.

"Master, can Alan follow the master to watch tomorrow?" the maid Alan asked Ximen Qing tenderly.Ever since he and Ximen Qing had a night of spring night, after they were lingering to death, this little prairie fox was completely conquered by Ximen Qing, a brave hunter, and could not help showing a coquettish coquettish attitude when talking with Ximen Qing.

"This... I'm afraid it's not suitable. If you look like this, if you are let out by Wanyan Moulianghu and his Jurchen warriors, you will cause a lot of trouble." Ximen Qing said with a frown.

The little maid Alan rolled her eyes, and suddenly she had a plan, and said to Ximen Qing: "Master, Alan has a solution! Tomorrow Alan will still pretend to be the same as before, and follow the master as a slave leading a horse. Doubtful?"

"Well~ If that's the case, you might as well give it a try. However, in order to avoid unnecessary accidents, I will ask Jiao Ting to lead someone to protect you. You must not act without authorization and show your flaws. Alan, you can hear the master's words clearly ?" Ximen Qing asked, looking into Alan's eyes.

"Master, Alan has remembered what the master said. The master is very kind to Alan, and Alan is going to be his slave now..." Alan threw himself into the arms of the official Ximen Qing.

Hey~Master, I haven't finished my meal yet!What do you want my master to eat, you little slave?

Chapter 454 The Unrememberable Wanyan Disciple

When the sun rose from Hukai Mountain and Songpeng Mountain again, the scorched and rough voice woke up Ximen Qing and Alan who were entangled in a pile in Ximen Qing's tent.Last night, the little prairie fox knew its taste by eating its marrow, and fought Ximen Qing for several rounds like glue, and almost turned from a slave to a master.In the end, the master Ximenqing was superior, and the little slave Alan had to bow to his orders again.

The two fought until almost four o'clock, and then they stopped fighting and fell asleep.Now, after hearing Jiao Ting's urging voice, Ximen Qing hurriedly got up from the bed, and ordered the two maids who had been guarding outside the tent to come in to help him wash and change clothes.

Alan also shyly put on his clothes, went out of the tent first, and went to find his three Mongolian women who accompanied him. He wanted to pretend to be the shepherd image of Saiyin's Jin in the past. Today, he followed Ximen Qing to see the Jurchen's sacrifice General Assembly.

"Faceless" Jiao Ting stood outside the tent, watching Alan go to the tents of the Mongolians in the depths of the camp with a blank expression, but in his heart he admired the high official Ximen Qing for his life, and he could have peach blossoms wherever he went. Accompanied by beautiful women.

However, Jiao Ting is also very happy in his heart, because among the three maids accompanying the Mongolian noblewoman Alan, a young and strong woman slipped into Jiao Ting's tent last night, sharing the joy with Jiao Ting.The woman kept praising Jiao Ting for his strength, like a Mongolian man.If it wasn't for something happening today, Jiao Ting would not let her leave his tent easily.

Hehehe~ Traveling north and south with the officials, there will always be some good things that happen to my anxious head!

After Ximen Qing and Alan hurriedly washed and changed their clothes, they had breakfast with Jiao Ting, and then led ten guards and led the horse out of the camp. After reuniting with Ma Kuo and others, they went to the polo field in Huining City .

When they came outside the polo field, many Jurchens had already surrounded them layer by layer, and there were still some Jurchen warriors riding horses outside to maintain order.However, these Jurchen warriors were very leisurely, because the Jurchens were all gathered together according to their respective tribes. Although there were many people outside the polo field, they were in order.

When they came to the polo field, Ximen Qing and Ma Kuo temporarily separated.Ximen Qing took Jiao Ting, Alan after makeup, and his guards to meet him in the crowd of tribes who hadn't drunk.Because it was Wanyannian who was the first to invite Ximen Qing to participate in the Willow Shooting Conference, Ximen Qing was counted as Wanyannian's guest today.

The three of Ma Kuo and Wanyan Wuli agreed to participate in the polo match, so they went there.

When Wanyan Wuye, Wanyan Gushen, Wanyan Moulianghu and others in the crowd saw Ximen Qing coming, they all waved to him.Ximen Qing also saluted the Jurchen nobles he knew one by one.

Ximen Qing didn't know it at this time, but as soon as he came to the polo field, he was stared at by several Jurchen aristocratic women.

"Look, sister, the big white fish is here!"

"It really is him! Do you know his name? I asked the guards next to Mou Lianghu quietly the day before yesterday!"

"Hee hee~ I also went to find people around Gushen to inquire about him. Isn't he Bojin Ximenqing, a tribe from Song Kingdom! I heard that he came to Jin Kingdom to do business by bartering."

"I heard from Nian Wuhao that this Ximen Qing from the Song Dynasty is also a warrior, and Nian Wuhe wants to invite him to participate in today's Willow Shooting Competition."

"Isn't the State of Song in the south of the sea? I heard that there are no horses produced there. Can the people of Song State compare to our Jurchen warriors in riding and archery skills?"

"But his appearance is comparable to my Jurchen warrior, hehe~"

……