Chapter 125: Youthful Pursuits

Seeing Liu Huang’s aggrieved expression, Li Yuechen could not help but smile.

To her, this kind of boy experiencing his first stirrings of love seemed somewhat amusing, yet it also brought back nostalgic memories of her own past. Back in the third grade of primary school, because she liked the little girl who sat in front of her, she would always tease her and pull her ponytail. When she accidentally made the girl cry, she would feel guilty. She wanted to apologize, but pride got the better of her, and she stubbornly refused. Naturally, the result was that until she graduated, she never had the chance to voice that secret crush.

Smiling and shaking her head, Li Yuechen stood securely behind the parapet, watching the dragon boats racing frantically along the Luo River below. Amidst the rhythmic beating of drums along the banks and the cheers of the crowd, one of the dragon boats claimed victory. There were many who had placed bets; some cheered in excitement, while others beat their chests and stomped their feet, cursing their bad luck.

Li Zhi awarded the winning team as per tradition, then invited the younger generation who had come for the festivities to a banquet at Tao Guang Garden. Knowing that his presence as Emperor would prevent the youngsters from enjoying themselves, he had deliberately arranged their banquet in a side hall, while he himself stayed in the main hall with his ministers. This way, the young ones would not feel constrained.

They were all young, and after a few exchanges, they soon found common ground. When the youngsters entered the side hall, the fragrant aroma of the food immediately filled their noses and went straight to their brains. Although Li Yuechen had invented stir-frying some time ago, it had not yet spread beyond the imperial kitchen. Thus, the flavor of these stir-fried dishes remained novel and unfamiliar to those outside the royal family. On the tables were fresh, colorful, and aromatic dishes, stimulating their appetites.

At the gesture of Crown Prince Li Hong, they entered the hall and sat down. They gathered in small groups to discuss these dishes they had never seen before. Perhaps because the Emperor was not present, they felt much more relaxed, and their voices grew quite loud.

Li Yuechen sat behind a table next to Crown Prince Li Hong with a smile, occasionally shifting her legs to relieve the discomfort of kneeling.

Crown Prince Li Hong clapped his hands. "Everyone, we are here today to enjoy ourselves. Do not be nervous; please, relax." He raised his wine cup. "Come, let us all drink to this!"

Each table was set with clear wine, *sanlejiang* (a fermented dairy drink), and yogurt. Everyone could choose what they liked, as there was no obligation to drink alcohol. Li Yuechen chose the *sanlejiang*; it was a fruit-based drink that tasted quite good in moderation. Once the first cup was finished, they began to eat. The youngsters had been drooling from the aroma, and they quickly began picking up food with their chopsticks. Naturally, their upbringing was evident, and their manners remained elegant.

Li Hong waved his hand, and Lü Sheng, who was serving nearby, nodded and summoned the musicians. Dancers from the Jiaofang (Imperial Music Bureau) entered the center of the hall to dance to the rhythm. Li Yuechen had little interest in this; she had only had a small bite in the morning and was now quite hungry, so her focus remained entirely on the food. Though she maintained an elegant posture, she ate quickly, and before long, several plates were empty. While others were still savoring their food, the dishes on Li Yuechen’s table had already been replaced.

With the adults away, the men and women began to converse. At first, it was about trivialities—how the food was new and unheard of, or asking about each other’s fathers. As they grew more familiar, the topics shifted. They began to ask for names, ages, and personal interests. The girls gossiped about the latest news in the city. By the time the meal was nearly finished, the atmosphere had become completely harmonious.

Seeing that the time was right, Li Hong stood up, waved for the dancers to exit, and led everyone into the courtyard. The first game for the younger generation was *touhu* (pitch-pot), which involved throwing arrowless shafts into a narrow-necked vase. To Li Yuechen, this was rather dull, but for these young people, who were playing games with strangers of the opposite sex for the first time, the enthusiasm was high.

Crown Prince Li Hong took the lead. After aiming for a moment, he flicked his wrist. The arrow traced an arc in the air and landed accurately inside the pot.

"Well thrown!"

The crowd cheered. Li Hong bowed with a smile and gestured for others to try. The rest began to rub their hands, eager to give it a go, and some even suggested a competition between the men and the women. The girls were not intimidated; those from military families immediately put their hands on their hips and shouted, "Challenge accepted!"

The result, however, was a tie between the men and the women. Since this game ended in a draw, the next competition was archery. In this era, especially for women of noble families, knowing how to shoot was nothing unusual; many even went horseback riding and hunting! The two older sisters had not learned only because they had been exiled to the Ye Ting Palace; otherwise, they would have been able to participate as well.

Although women were physically weaker than men, their accuracy was no less impressive. Arrow after arrow struck the target, the shafts vibrating with force. Amidst this rivalry and the competitive spirit, the barriers between the sexes began to shrink. Many girls were even loudly scolding and mocking the boys next to them.

As the two sides argued face-to-face, their faces flushed with excitement, Li Zhi and his ministers watched from the second floor with smiles. The women of the Tang Dynasty were generally quite bold, and when it came to competitiveness, they were not inferior to men. In this era, the line between civil and military officials was not rigid. Most officials were capable of wielding a sword on horseback and writing a fine hand off it, and the children raised in such households were much the same. Some girls shot with such force that their arrows pierced the straw targets entirely, leaving white marks on the arrowheads.

Li Yuechen had never played with the bows of this era, so she did not participate, choosing instead to watch from the sidelines. It felt different from what she had imagined. She had thought they would use their fingers to pull the bowstring, but it turned out they wore a device similar to an archer’s ring on their right thumb. It was not very wide, like a ring, but it had a protrusion on the inside. When drawing the bow, they used this ring to catch the string, pulling it back with the strength of the thumb. Its function was much like the release aid on a modern compound bow, though it was certainly faster in terms of speed.

Li Yuechen observed that unlike the modern method of placing the arrow on the left side of the bow, most people in this period were accustomed to placing the arrow on the right. This was certainly more convenient and allowed for a faster rate of fire. However, in terms of accuracy, she felt the future method—placing the arrow in a groove in the center of the bow—would be better.

After archery, someone suggested polo. The palace had a polo field, and the horses were ready. Li Xian, who had become familiar with many of the guests, turned to his elder brother.

Li Hong smiled. "My health is not great, so I shouldn't ride. You go and play with them."

With the Crown Prince’s permission, a cheer erupted from the crowd. On the second floor, Li Zhi nodded with a smile. "Perfect, we shall watch from here! Someone, bring the *Sushan* (ice-shaved dessert)!"

"Your Majesty, you must not!" Le Yanwei stepped out to stop him. "It is only the fifth month; if we consume a large amount of ice now, the summer heat in the sixth month will be unbearable..."

"It matters not!" Li Zhi waved his hand, cutting off the lecture. "We have plenty of ice stored this year; you need not worry, Minister!"

While the preparations were underway, others had already gone to the polo field. The ground of the palace polo field was made of rammed yellow earth. Although it was packed hard, it was dry summer, and a dozen horses galloping would still kick up a great deal of dust. Lü Sheng directed a dozen young eunuchs to sprinkle soybean oil over the field to dampen the ground and prevent the dust.

Once everything was ready, the *Sushan* prepared by the Emperor’s order was delivered. Not only did the ministers on the second floor have a portion, but every youngster at the polo field was served as well. This gesture left most of them astonished. Even though the palace ice cellars were larger than those of any noble household, to bestow so much at once was incredibly lavish. Seeing their surprise, Li Yuechen exchanged glances with her brothers, smiling without a word.

Eating a bowl of cool *Sushan* in the sweltering heat instantly refreshed their spirits. The representatives chosen by the men and women put on their rattan armor, mounted their horses, and began the match.

This was, in fact, an extreme sport. One had to realize that a horse's strength was far greater than a human's; if one were careless and collided with one, it would likely result in broken bones. The two sides galloped across the field, their golf-like mallets striking the small ball, attacking the opponent's goal.

Among the Tang nobility, this was a highly popular sport. Because it resembled a cavalry charge on the battlefield, it required tactical planning and formation, which could make one’s blood boil with excitement. As the first goal was scored, the crowd cheered loudly, and the applause from the ministers on the second floor could be faintly heard as well.

Li Yuechen looked over with a pitying expression, thinking that if her parents weren't here, she would definitely open a betting pool. She could act as the bookie, calculate the odds, and surely make a fortune. She sighed with regret. But that was fine; the plan could be shelved for now. When the time was right, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the imperial family to lead the way in developing the gambling industry.

Li Yuechen’s regretful expression was caught by Liu Huang, who stood nearby. In his eyes, the Princess’s lowered gaze and profile held an elegant grace. As her long, curled eyelashes fluttered in the breeze, she appeared gentle and ethereal. Compared to the heroic aura she projected in her usual male attire, she looked, at this moment, like a true, delicate golden-branched princess.

"Your Highness, I..."

"Enough, hold your tongue," Li Yuechen suddenly turned and smiled. "Do not think about those useless things. Instead of that, you should think more about how not to disappoint your grandfather!"

As she spoke, she tapped Liu Huang lightly on the shoulder and turned to join her elder brother, Li Hong. That light tap caused Liu Huang to stagger, his knees buckling, almost forcing him to the ground. Feeling the waves of pain from his shoulder, he steadied himself and looked up in shock, only to see a pair of seemingly soft, delicate, white hands, tipped with red nail polish.

"Hiss—" Liu Huang took a sharp breath, rubbing his still-stinging shoulder, and whispered to himself, "Could this be some kind of Taoist technique?"

Li Yuechen walked to Li Hong’s side. "Big Brother, move over, or I shall get tanned."

"Don't worry, Yuechen. We of the royal family don't tan easily!" Despite saying this, Li Hong moved a few steps so his sister could stand under the shade of his umbrella.

Once close to him, Li Yuechen suddenly turned her head, wearing a gossiping expression. "Big Brother, do you have someone you fancy?"

"This... I haven't found anyone yet." Li Hong turned his head away, looking somewhat uncomfortable. Seeing his guilty expression, Li Yuechen narrowed her eyes. Even squinting, she couldn't hide the bright spark in her eyes. "If you are too shy to approach them, why not tell your little sister? I can go and ask their feelings for you. Being a woman myself, it would be much easier."

Hearing this, Li Hong seemed tempted. "This... ahem... never mind."

Li Yuechen grinned. "So you *do* have someone? Who is it?"

Seeing her gossiping look, Li Hong realized he had been tricked and let his eyelids droop. "Yuechen, you’ve grown up to be quite cunning."

"That’s what Father taught me!"

"Don't talk nonsense—ahem..." Li Hong looked around nervously, and only after confirming no one had heard him did he breathe a sigh of relief. "How can you say Father taught you that?"

Li Yuechen smiled. "It’s true, I wouldn't lie to you. Is it the girl in the crimson skirt and the blue short-sleeved jacket?"

"Hmm... ahem! No..." Li Hong nodded first, then quickly denied it.

"No wonder you were sneaking glances at her earlier," Li Yuechen nodded. "So, Brother, you like quiet girls like that?"

Li Hong was truly helpless. He hadn't expected that after half a year in Chang'an, his sister would return with so many tricks. Logically, as the Crown Prince, he shouldn't have been so easily led, but he had never guarded himself against his sister. In a relaxed mood, he had been easily outwitted.

"Yuechen, you really have grown up..." Li Hong sighed helplessly.

"Hehe, don't be sentimental, Brother. I’ll go ask for you now. If she returns your feelings, it will be a wonderful thing!" Li Yuechen said as she walked away. "If I can make my brother happy, I’ll be happy too!"