"Follow the Second Prince's lead today," said First to Second. "Keep in mind they play rough."
"Emperor Father's in the audience," the Prince addressed his team. "Let's make sure he doesn't lose face with Prince Nur while they're trying to secure a marriage with my meimei."
The two eldest Mei brothers would take the field today. Having grown up playing polo together, they made a formidable duo. Second Prince would be shadowed by Bai Li.
The grasslands' Prince Nur led his team out onto the field, their horses' hooves cracking the light frost as they trotted on. They wore white, and all were bearded with a top knot, their long hair free.
The young noblewomen in the audience were seated behind the Princess. Her best friend, Tan Wentian, leaned forward to gossip.
"You have to admit they're handsome, Princess," giggled Tan Wentian.
"In a scary, wild kind of way," whispered the Princess to her best friend.
The Prime Minister's daughter, Li Fengfeng, caught the exchange.
"Oh my, are we talking about your upcoming nuptials? I'm sure we're all very envious of you Princess," said Li Fengfeng nastily.
Of course no one was envious of a political marriage to a grasslands' prince.
"He's almost as handsome as your royal second brother, Princess," sighed one, eyes sparkling with adoration as she watched the Second Prince warm-up.
"Bai Li has a face to make you swoon," sighed a petite girl with a baby-face, mock-clutching at her chest.
Peals of laughter rang out.
"He'd eat you alive Su Yan," laughed a friend. "He's such a stone-face. If he smiles, even pigs can fly."
"Your big brother Tan Bowen has all the girls swooning, Tan Wentian," said Li Fengfeng slyly. "Including some at Beautiful Fragrance House we hear."
The group of friends collapsed with laughter. Beautiful Fragrance House was a brothel known to be favoured by the literati and officials.
"Li Fengfeng!" scolded the Princess. "Have some propriety!" the Princess turned angrily back to face the field, staring determinedly ahead.
Unfortunately, this happened just as Prince Nur rode past the Emperor, and she found herself gazing straight at him.
The grasslands Prince inclined his head in greeting, with a small smile. The Princess lowered her eyes, blushing furiously to be caught looking at him.
Tan Wentian did not miss this exchange, and she wriggled with delight; what a propitious first meeting!
The two teams lined up facing one another and the umpire rolled the ball between them.
"Game on!" shouted the Second Prince, as the horses sprang into action.
Bai Li rode a handsome all-black war horse, his coat gleaming in the thin sunlight. "Go Rishi! Faster!" he urged.
Bai Li trapped the ball and leapt ahead towards their goal, streaming to lead the pack of riders. Prince Nur's silver-grey grasslands' pony was at least two hands shorter than Rishi, but the horse more than made up for its height disadvantage with speed.
"Hrrrh Lazar! After him!" Prince Nur spurred his horse and caught-up to Bai Li.
The grasslands Prince grappled with the General's son for the ball. Second Prince galloped in from behind, coming up the inside. With a light flick, Bai Li passed the ball out to him.
The Second Prince stormed off with the ball and smacked it into the goal. The Emperor allowed himself a small smile.
It was forty-five minutes into the match and First Brother was covered in sweat.
"We're one up, let's try and finish the match your highness," he panted.
"Couldn't agree more," grunted the Second Prince, wiping the dripping sweat from his brow.
The ball was rolled in, and Second Brother was the first to get to it. He flew towards the goal. A grasslands player galloped in from his left, stick raised high. The man swung it through with full force, striking the foreleg of Second's mare.
"Second Brother!" First shouted, as his brother's mare buckled, propelling the young man over her head.
Second, with his arms spread like a bird in flight, landed relatively gracefully on his front, sliding a few feet in the icy sludge.
"Thank goodness he imbibed 'Wild Goose Wings Stance'," drawled Li Fengfeng, referring to a famous martial arts posture.
"I'm okay ge," called Second Brother, pushing himself to his feet, and wiping helplessly at the muck on his robes.
He turned to check on his mare. "Lie ma!" Second Brother shouted. She knelt with one foreleg bent unnaturally under her chest. He eased his mare back to her feet and gently lead her from the field. The crowd was silent. Everyone knew what an injury like that meant for a horse.
Tan Bowen, who was first reserve, met Second at the fence line.
"Her fetlock's broken," Second said angrily. "That grassland bastard hit her with his mallet. What a bunch of savages!" he handed over his player number to Tan Bowen, "beat them senseless brother".
"I won't let you down Mei Renhu," Tan Bowen spoke seriously, his usual carefree expression steely.
"Everyone secure the inside position and mark your players tightly," said the Prince. "Clear the field for a match between me and Prince Nur."
The ball was thrown in, and each red player turned his horse to mark his man. Tan Bowen rode neck-and-neck with his opposing man, both men bumping their horses violently. He secured the ball and dribbled it under his horse's neck, using his mount's rump to edge out his opponent.
The two princes raced forward in the hope of a pass; Tan Bowen hit a cracking shot that sent the ball flying towards the Second Prince.
Prince Nur was inches behind, his skill in horsemanship on full display, but he was closed out on the outside. The Second Prince controlled the ball, sending it flying into the goal with a dead eye shot.
"A brilliant goal your majesty", the grasslands' envoy conceded.
The Emperor smiled in satisfaction. He had four sons, and his second son Zhu Yicai was a worthy prince.
"Yes, a great game all-round. It's a pleasure to see such skilled players owning the field like that." He motioned to his Chief Eunuch, "give the players a reward".
"Chief Eunuch Feng's calling us over," Tan Bowen spotted the Eunuch at the gate.
The Emperor completed his diplomatic duties with the grassland envoys, bidding the contingent farewell, before he turned to the red team and accepted their formal greetings.
"Rise, rise. Well-played. Mei Renlong, Mei Renhu, you've grown into strapping young men. When do you finish at Hanlin Academy?"
"Thank you, Lord Emperor," said First. "I finish this year, and Second Brother finishes next year."
"Will you follow your father and grandfather into military strategy?"
"Yes, your majesty, my three younger brothers and I will all be strategists. Our fifth brother is likely to enter the army."
The emperor nodded approvingly, "and how old is your youngest sister now?"
"M... Mei Meili is sixteen now your majesty," First stuttered.
"Has she had her coming-of-age ceremony?"
"Just last month."
"Interesting," the Emperor stroked his beard. "Your father boasts of you all, but of her, he says nothing."
It was not a question, but First's heart quivered. He didn't know what was so interesting about Meili coming of age, but nothing good could come of the emperor taking notice of her.