Chapter 641 Confession

Eyes reddened, she raised his head shakily and looked at her, "Grandmother, it must be Third Miss intentionally framing me."

"Framing you?"

"Why would she need to frame you?"

"To her, you're just a countryside girl who annoys her. Is it worth telling lies about me just to deal with you?" Chu Liushi's expression remained calm, but Chu Zhiwen understood her, this was genuine anger, perhaps even disappointment.

His brows furrowed involuntarily. Could it be that there were hidden secrets in this matter that he didn't know about? Did Qingxiang really deceive them?

Chu Zhiwen looked at Chu Qingxiang with a probing gaze.

After listening for a while and observing the reactions on both sides, Chu Lin, who was not foolish also understood.

His gaze fell on Zhang, "Zhang, tell Mother honestly, what really happened."

"Mother, I really don't know." Zhang had no idea why Chu Liushi would say such things and she felt extremely wronged.

"She's so foolish, easily deceived. You don't need to ask her." Chu Lin's expression turned unpleasant as he scolded Zhang, instructing her not to speak.

"Qingxiang, what's going on?" Chu Lin glared at her angrily.

Qingxiang knew she couldn't hide it any longer, so she had to kneel on the ground and cry, "Grandmother, I only said that even if she wants to marry Song Lu, he wouldn't agree. She has been divorced, with a bad temper, and Song Lu doesn't want a man dependent on his wife's family."

"Since you're not honest, I'll just say it directly. Wang family's Third Miss's exact words were, 'If Song Lu refuses to marry you, it means he cares about Third Miss herself. Not being a virgin...' Third Miss suggests giving up. In fact, our Third Uncle knows quite a few young talents. Maybe one of them wouldn't mind Third Miss?" As Chu Liushi calmly recounted Qingxiang's words that day, Zhang and Chu Lin were shocked, staring at Qingxiang with puzzled eyes. Was this their sensible daughter?

Why would she say such outrageous things?

Qingxiang's face turned extremely pale, and she subconsciously tried to defend herself, "Grandmother, I was just angry... talking nonsense..."

"Whether it's nonsense or not, you know best in your heart."

Chu Zhiwen also angrily said, "On that day, didn't your grandmother ask you to see if there was any room for maneuver in this marriage? Did she ask you to mock Wang family's Third Miss?"

"I'm not saying whether what you did was right or wrong. Have you forgotten the plight of Wang Chuan father and son? Just because of some lackeys around Wang family's Third Young Master causing trouble, they had to sell their house and move away from the county to a strange place."

"Now you tell me, where did you get the courage to actively offend Wang family's Third Miss!"

Qingxiang was criticized until she turned pale. There was a sense of grievance in her eyes but she closed them and just cried without saying a word.

Chu Liushi coldly said, "Qingxiang, are you intentionally trying to use your Third Uncle's influence?"

"Do you think that if your Third Uncle doesn't help you, your marriage will encounter obstacles?"

"But what have you done for your Third Uncle? Why does he have to help you get what you want?"

Qingxiang finally raised her head, unwillingly complaining, "I just want to marry Song Lu. In the beginning, it was Mother and Aunt who told me about this marriage."

"I've worked so hard for this marriage. Why can anyone easily ruin the happiness within my reach?"

"Besides, when I marry Song Lu, it will also be beneficial for Third Uncle. He won't lose out."

"Not lose out?" Chu Liushi squinted, "Why did your Third Uncle leave home early to take the exam? Do you think it was just for the exam?"

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 642 After Getting Married, Don't Come Back if There's Nothing to Do

"I may not have made it clear to you just now. Landlord Wang has colluded with bandits and even higher-ups are involved!"

"This time, if it wasn't for General Shen's timely arrival, not to mention Song Lu, our whole family's lives would have been in jeopardy!"

"I won't say you're wrong for trying, but without understanding the background, capabilities, and power of the other party, you're just hitting a rock with an egg and involving your family. Do you recognize that?" Chu Liushi's voice suddenly turned stern.

"I don't." Chu Qingxiang gritted her teeth. "The Wang family wanted to deal with us because Uncle Zhao himself disabled one of the Wang family's Third Miss's arms. They couldn't endure it, which brought disaster upon themselves."

Chu Liushi chuckled in exasperation. "If it weren't for your words, would the Wang family's Third Miss bother with our Chu family, or go trouble your third aunt?"

"Mother, I was wrong. Please don't be angry. I will discipline Qingxiang properly in the future." Chu Lin and Zhang both knelt down to plead for forgiveness.

Chu Liushi just looked steadily at Chu Qingxiang. "Furthermore, in dealing with the Wang family this time, your uncle also contributed. He dares to offend people because he has the ability to handle the trouble that comes afterwards."

"And you? You're just a selfish person hiding behind others."

Chu Qingxiang's face turned deathly pale, unable to refute Chu Liushi's words no matter what. She sat down on the ground, feeling ashamed and embarrassed, unable to lift her head.

"Think carefully about what I've said today. Is there anything wrong with it?"

"Qingxiang, as an elder, this is my final advice to you today. Some things cannot be forced. If you insist on forcing them, think about the consequences. From now on, don't go to your uncle's place."

This meant cutting off any future involvement between Chu Qingxiang and Chu Heng.

Zhang burst into tears, gasping for breath but dared not plead.

"Your uncle's family hasn't wronged you in any way. No one should be obligated to help you, just like no one can force you to help them."

"Family members support each other for mutual benefit."

"I hope you understand this."

"Before getting married, just stay in your own room and don't come out." This meant being confined.

Chu Qingxiang didn't say anything, but she didn't refute either, accepting this punishment.

"Cough, cough." Chu Liushi coughed lightly, and Chu Zhiwen quickly went forward to support her into the house. "Why do you still get yourself worked up like this?"

"It's not easy being an elder. Keeping grudges only leads to bitterness. If things don't go well, all the good things from the past will be nullified." Chu Liushi slowly left after passing by Chu Qingxiang, and her words fell into Chu Qingxiang's ears without missing a single one.

Chu Qingxiang's tears flowed more and more, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed.

After Chu Liushi entered the house, Chu Lin stood up and looked at Chu Qingxiang with disappointment. "So, just because the marriage didn't go as you wanted, you blame us?"

"In that case, after you get married, don't come back unless necessary. We have your two younger brothers here, after all, they will still have a meal to eat."

After saying this, Chu Lin left in a sorry state.

Zhang slapped her thigh and cried softly, "Qingxiang, how could you do such a thing? Your mother hates those who scheme the most. From now on..."

"Forget it, don't come back too often in the future. After all, your life will mainly be with your husband's family. Your mother's side doesn't need you to worry." Although Zhang was shocked, she was still reluctant to reprimand her daughter, but she couldn't go against the attitude of the family, including her husband.

Chu Qingxiang's face turned pale. "Mother, I only schemed like this to help the Chu family..."

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Go back to your room first."

For once, Zhang didn't comply with her.

Next Chapter ▶▶

Chapter 204: Recognizing Ancestry

"Humiliate?" Bai Siruo asked in surprise.

"Yes. She tricked the Qiao family's heirloom and pawned it at my Feng family's pawnshop. I accidentally discovered it and by following the clues, I uncovered the whole story."

Bai Siruo fell into deep thought. This news was of great significance to the Bai family, but her cousin had been lost for fourteen years. His character and disposition were unknown, and most importantly, his attitude towards the Bai family was a concern.

If he turned out to be a threat, it would be better to stop this effort and pretend not to know.

"Ah Yao, are you telling me this today because you want me to help him?" Bai Siruo asked seriously.

Feng Jinyao shook her head. "No. I want you to be prepared. I intend to have him adopted under Uncle’s name, making him the legitimate eldest son of the Bai family. This way, Uncle’s line will have a future, and most importantly, the Bai family will have someone to support it."

"Are you so sure?"

"Yes!" Feng Jinyao had seen how influential he was in her past life and knew his capabilities. If he could be of help, the Bai family might prosper for generations.

Bai Siruo trusted Feng Jinyao's judgment. "Since you say so, I understand. Don’t worry. If this cousin is a good person, he will not suffer any humiliation in the Bai family."

Now, as the Anping Princess appointed by the Emperor, Bai Siruo’s position in the household was higher than even her mother, Princess Wen Yi. The status of the unrelated Shen family was far below hers.

With her protection, outsiders would see that the Bai family’s sons were not to be easily bullied.

With her affirmative response, Feng Jinyao felt more at ease. She had come today to inform the Bai family. After this incident, everyone understood the Wei family's audacity. If no one upheld the family, everything would be in vain once they were gone.

In the Bai residence, both the main and fourth branches of the Bai family were present.

When Feng Jinyao disclosed everything about Qiao Shanwei, even Bai Xiang was somewhat taken aback.

"Are you saying that the child is the flesh and blood of the late Chao Ke?"

Feng Jinyao nodded.

"How foolish, how foolish! Since my third brother has a son, why didn’t he let him recognize his roots? I have no sons, and Fourth Brother only has one daughter. We cherish this child, how could we harm him?"

Bai Silang was heartbroken, eager to find the child immediately. However, the second wife, Bai Lin, restrained him.

"Master, don’t be hasty. There might be other factors involved. Let’s hear what Ah Yao has to say."

Bai Xiang was silent for a moment before slowly asking, "But is it because the child’s future was obstructed that we were kept unaware of his existence?"

"The reasons for this are still unclear. I can’t make assumptions about Third son’s private affairs. However, it is certain that he is the biological child of my uncle. If you meet him, you will know that I am not lying."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go to Shuanggui Lane and bring him back!"

"Fourth Uncle, please wait." Feng Jinyao stopped the eager Bai Silang, looking at her grandfather with visible concern.

"Fourth son, sit down. If you go impulsively, the child might not come back with you. He has lived in Dongdu for over ten years without any contact with us. If you were that child, would you want to acknowledge such a family?"

Bai Xiang’s words made everyone fall silent. Indeed, a child who had grown up without parents would find it difficult to accept such a sudden claim of family.

"Moreover, we do not know the child’s character yet. If he is a promising individual, it would be a blessing for the Bai family. But if not, such a stark difference in background might foster negative traits. It’s better to take time and see."

Bai Xiang’s words were harsh. It was painful to delay bringing the lost grandchild back, yet they had to proceed cautiously. The Bai family’s status did not allow for any mistakes, so they had to be meticulous.

After speaking, Bai Lin, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly knelt before Bai Xiang, her eyes clear.

"Father-in-law, if this child truly belongs to the Bai family, he must be brought back. Since marrying into the Bai family, I have not been able to give birth to a son or daughter. I feel deeply ashamed for not fulfilling my duty to the family and our ancestors. Although Master had considered adopting a child from the clan to continue the family line, I was unwilling to raise someone else’s child. Master’s consideration for me delayed this matter. Now, others see the Bai family as lacking successors and bully Siruo and Sihan. As the head of the main house, I must take on this responsibility. I vow to treat this child as my own. If I break this vow, may I suffer from sickness and untimely death!"

"Madam!"

"Big sister-in-law!"

Bai Silang felt pained seeing her in such distress.

They all knew well the struggle of not having children for so many years, but she had taken the burden alone. He held her shoulder tightly, heartbroken seeing her tears.

"My Bai Chaoan was truly blessed to have you as a wife. You need not worry so much about the future. Whether this child joins our main line or not, what matters is your happiness."

"Master…"

Bai Lin wept uncontrollably, while Madam Bai, Princess Wen Yi, and Feng Jinyao also had tears in their eyes.

Suddenly, Bai Xiang burst into hearty laughter, rising from his chair to personally help Bai Lin up. He looked at her with pride, saying, "The best thing I did in my life was to have Silang marry you. You have remained steadfast through poverty and wealth, never wavering. Everything you have done in these years deserves my respect."

He then bowed deeply to Bai Lin, startling both her and Bai Silang, who rushed to support him.

"Father-in-law, please don’t!"

Bai Xiang smiled warmly at them. "Since you know about this, the two brothers should investigate thoroughly, but avoid disturbing the Qiao family’s friends and neighbors. Even if the child cannot become part of the family, do not ruin his current life."

"Yes, Father, rest assured."

Having informed the Bai family, Feng Jinyao felt a bit more at ease. With her grandfather's support, the day for Qiao Shanwei’s return seemed to be near.

As she left the Shou'an Courtyard, she ran into Shen Shi, who had come to pay her respects.

"Jinyao greets Third Aunt."

"Get up, get up. You came to the estate, and no one told me. If I hadn’t gone out today, I wouldn’t have met you."

Shen Shi had seldom spoken to her before. Why this sudden familiarity? What was she aiming for?

Chapter 203: A Visit

Liang Luo sighed, realizing how fortunate her fate was. If she had known that Consort Wei believed in such things, she would have gone to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau earlier to adjust her fortune, ensuring even more prosperity for her future husband. Perhaps she could have secured the position of the main wife. Unfortunately, it was all just wishful thinking.

Now, she faced two choices: either agree to become the Ninth Prince’s concubine or forget the matter entirely and consider other options.

After seeing his valiant appearance on the battlefield, Liang Luo found it hard to let go.

Becoming a concubine was one thing; she could still aim for the main wife position later. Once she was in the prince’s residence and had his child, it was hard to say who would have the upper hand!

Thinking this way made her feel a bit more at ease. The most important thing now was to discuss this matter with her father.

She needed to find a way to present it so that he would agree willingly.

The Liang family’s carriage clattered away from the Bai family’s gate, narrowly missing the carriage of the Feng family.

Since the incident, Feng Jinyao had been recuperating at home. Despite taking medicine from Doctor Zhang, she had been bedridden for several days.

The cold wind from that night had blown for hours, and even a man in good health would struggle to endure it, let alone her.

With the Bai family attacking the Wei family, it would have been counterproductive for the Feng family to get involved at this time. Thus, they waited until the situation calmed down before making their visit.

A servant from the Bai family greeted her cheerfully as she arrived.

Feng Jinyao didn’t waste time and headed straight for Bai Siruo’s courtyard.

As she entered the courtyard, she saw Haitang coming out with a bowl of medicine. Haitang’s face lit up with surprise as she said, “Miss Feng, you’re here.”

Inside, Bai Siruo was struggling with an itchy wound that kept her awake at night. Hearing the voice from outside, she was thrilled and called out, her voice rising, “Is that Ah Yao?”

“It’s me, cousin.”

“Come in, come in!”

Bai Siruo tried to get out of bed to greet her but pulled at her wound, causing her to cry out in pain. Feng Jinyao rushed in to hold her down, frowning, “What’s the rush? I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“Humph, how dare you? It’s been several days since I returned, and you didn’t come to see me. Do you dislike me?”

Cloudy, worried that there might be a rift between her lady and her cousin, quickly explained, “It’s not like that. My lady has been ill these past few days and didn’t want to bring illness to you, so she didn’t visit. She has been feeling better these last two days and came straight over to see you.”

Upon hearing Cloudy’s words, Bai Siruo recalled the events of her rescue and realized that Feng Jinyao had come out of concern for her. She felt both touched and guilty, tears streaming down her face, no longer her usual self but looking troubled.

Feng Jinyao comforted her, “Don’t worry, cousin. I’m fully recovered now, so there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

Bai Siruo tightly grasped her increasingly thin hand, feeling heartache, “Recovered? Look at you. You were already thin, and now you’ve lost even more weight from the illness. It’s all my fault for being so foolish and causing trouble for my family.”

“Cousin…”

Bai Siruo’s regret was palpable, and Feng Jinyao was at a loss for how to comfort her. She could only stay by her side and let her express her emotions.

After so many days of pent-up feelings, Bai Siruo finally had a good cry. While her external injuries could heal, her heart would have remained burdened otherwise.

Once Bai Siruo stopped crying, she noticed that the handkerchief Feng Jinyao had brought was soaked with her tears.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” Bai Siruo’s voice was still choked with tears but sweet. Feng Jinyao, though younger, found herself treating her cousin like an older peer, soothing her, “Here is some milk tea, freshly brewed. Drink a bit to soothe your throat.”

Bai Siruo took the tea, holding it warmly in her hands, and the gloom in her heart began to lift. Seeing her mood brighten, Feng Jinyao spoke up.

“After this, don’t trust others too easily. Your status is such that any action can have widespread consequences. If it weren’t for Uncle and Fourth Uncle’s efforts to protect you, the harsh words from outside might have overwhelmed you. Now that you have the title of Anping Princess, no one will dare to speak ill of you.”

“Titles and such are nothing to me. I don’t care for these empty names. What bothers me is that you’ve fallen ill and that Uncle Lin was punished. I feel deeply guilty.”

“Enough. We are family and don’t need to speak of such things. I came today to comfort you and to discuss something.”

Seeing Feng Jinyao’s serious expression, Bai Siruo also stopped her sadness and focused on her.

“The case against the distant relative Feng Yuan has been sentenced to death, and the Lu family has suffered as well. But the Wei family is not in significant trouble. Do you know why they targeted you?”

“Humph, isn’t it because they think the Bai family has no heirs? Now it’s just me and Bai Sihan left. Once we’re married off, the Bai family will be left empty. Even if we adopt a child from the clan now, it wouldn’t be enough to maintain the family’s reputation. The Wei family is taking advantage of this to eliminate me completely.”

Bai Siruo was not foolish. After lying in bed for so many days, she could still grasp this point.

Feng Jinyao nodded, “That’s right. But the Bai family is not truly without heirs. You have a younger brother who has been lost.”

“What? A brother?”

Bai Siruo was shocked, her voice rising. Since her birth, she had never known of such a sibling. How could there be a brother now?

Seeing Feng Jinyao wasn’t joking, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself before asking, “Who is that woman outside? Does Mother know about this?”

Feng Jinyao was momentarily stunned by her question but then realized and replied, “You misunderstood. It’s not Uncle’s child.”

Bai Siruo raised an eyebrow, looking at Feng Jinyao with concern, “Oh no, what about Uncle? How could he have an outside affair?”

Feng Jinyao gently pressed her head, saying calmly, “Listen to me first. The child is not from Uncle or Fourth Uncle but from Third Uncle’s relationship with Qiao Xiu Niang before he was married. The child is now around fourteen years old and has been raised by the Qiao family in Shuanggui Lane. Qiao Xiu Niang had passed away, and only two old servants are left to care for the child.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Siruo’s eyes widened in shock. After a long while, she said, “It must be Third Aunt’s doing. Otherwise, how could we not have known about a Bai family child lost for more than ten years?”

Feng Jinyao nodded, “This is also related to Third Uncle. Otherwise, with his personality, how could he have allowed Third Aunt to mistreat Qiao Shanwei?”

"IF YOU LIKE THE TRANSLATIONS, CONSIDER SUPPORTING US ON PATREON."

  Chapter 96: He's Here

The atmosphere in the arena was tense and chaotic, making everyone watching break into a nervous sweat.

Watching Cui Lang give his all on the field, Cui Tang rarely praised, “It’s the first time I’ve seen my brother put so much effort into something.”

The Qiao family’s young master played polo with an open and honorable air, exuding an aura of confidence and showing his stability and determination. Having him as a teammate was truly a stroke of luck for her younger brother.

As the saying goes, “Being close to cinnabar makes you red,” and her brother was not too far off from it himself.

It seemed that placing someone in the right, positive environment was indeed crucial.

With these thoughts, Cui Tang unconsciously turned her gaze toward that positive influence: Qiao Yubai.

“Yes, it’s rare to see the young master so invested in something,” chuckled the servant standing by Lu shi. “Whether they win or lose, it hardly matters at this point.”

“How does it not matter?”

Cui Tang looked toward her mother, who had voiced her own thoughts.

“If they don’t win, wouldn’t that mean getting bullied for nothing?” Lu shi eyed the yellow team’s players on the field with a hint of disdain. “If those undisciplined brats actually win, it’d be downright infuriating.”

Whether her son won wasn’t the issue, but the mood of the spectators certainly was. On a sweltering day, watching a polo match was already tough enough—getting aggravated on top of it would make it unbearable. And who would they complain to afterward?

The woman sitting behind Lu shi’s face shifted at her words.

“Lu shi…” someone nearby whispered to remind her, “Madam Chang is seated right behind you…”

Realizing this, Lu shi raised her brows and turned around. “The one leading the yellow team is your son, isn’t it?”

Miss Chang could only feign ignorance of Lu shi’s previous remark, nodding with a forced smile. “Indeed.”

Lu shi sighed. “It appears he needs a bit more discipline.”

Miss Chang’s smile froze. “Pardon?”

Was Lu shi worried she hadn’t heard the first time and thus repeated it directly to her?

The woman who had attempted to caution Lu shi looked astonished—who knew one could say such things outright? Lu shi’s demeanor was a masterclass in high-handed disdain: she was neither concealing her thoughts nor mincing her words.

But Miss Chang could only nod, her face changing colors. “Lu shi’s advice is duly noted.”

Lu shi nodded in satisfaction, as if appreciating a well-behaved child.

Once Lu shi turned back around, Madam Chang gritted her teeth—how dare she wield her status to bully her! Obviously, she was just feeling aggrieved watching her no-good son struggling on the field and decided to taunt her under the pretense of “guidance.”

Watching her son, Chang Miao, galloping on the field, Madam Chang felt a touch of satisfaction. 

As long as he won, it would be his skill on display.

The match wasn’t over yet, and the victor was still undecided.

She would love to see if Lu shi could keep her smug air if her son ended up losing to hers.

On the field, the situation changed by the second.

With only moments left in this period, each team had scored one goal.

“Qiao!” Cui Lang shouted, passing the hard-won ball to Qiao Yubai.

In these last moments, they didn’t have the luxury of holding back. They fought tooth and nail for positioning, with Cui Lang even risking getting knocked down to deliver the pass to Qiao Yubai.

Anyone could see the blue team had a high chance of scoring.

Qiao Yubai, fully focused, readied himself to strike.

But just then, a player from the yellow team rushed in from the side, attempting to intercept.

Qiao Yubai didn’t dodge but instead raised his stick, aiming to hit the ball before the player could get in his way. Yet, just as his stick was about to touch the ball, the opponent closed in, causing a collision. Qiao Yubai’s strike missed, and he nearly fell off his horse, his shoulder throbbing in pain.

Cui Lang cursed, “Enough already!”

But there was no time for verbal sparring.

The yellow team seized the chance, passing the ball to Chang Miao. Cui Lang and Xi Zhiyuan moved in from both sides, while Hu was ready to block.

Chang Miao knew the odds of scoring with Yi Hu guarding the goal were slim but didn’t hesitate to strike.

Only, he didn’t aim for the goal—

“Yubai!”

The ball whizzed towards the young man on horseback.

In a split second, before anyone could react, the ball slammed directly into Qiao Yubai’s forehead, sending a ringing through his head and causing him to fall back uncontrollably.

Cui Lang, who had ridden forward in time, caught him just as he was about to fall from the saddle. “Qiao!” he shouted.

Cui Lang roared, “Chang Miao, you coward! You deliberately aimed to hurt him!”

Chang Miao wore an innocent expression. “Cui, don’t slander me. I just missed my shot!”

He glanced at the water clock and gestured to his teammates, “Why are you all standing around?”

“I’m fine…” Qiao Yubai tried to shake off his dizziness and pushed away Cui Lang. “Hold them off—”

Before he could finish, in the ensuing chaos, the ball unexpectedly dropped to the ground, rolling beneath his horse’s hooves.

Still feeling woozy, Qiao instinctively pulled the reins to step back. But Chang Miao, moving faster, bent low to sweep his stick toward the rolling ball—

Though he struck the ball, his stick also hit the front hoof of Qiao’s horse.

The horse cried out in pain, rearing up suddenly.

Under normal circumstances, Qiao Yubai would have handled it with ease, but his current state was far from normal.

With a loud thud, he fell backward off the horse, landing on the back of his head—a dangerous fall.

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

Under the shade of the awning, Wang Shi finally changed her expression, abruptly standing up.

"Brother…!" The chaotic voices made Qiao Yumi anxious as she reached out to the side: "Ning Ning, what’s wrong with Brother?"

Qiao Yang was also taken aback and urged the old servant beside him, "Quick, go take a look!"

As the crowd stirred in confusion, in the last moment before the end of the current period, Chang Miao struck the ball into the goal.

One of the yellow team students cheered, "We scored! That's two goals for us! We won this round!"

Cui Lang cursed with a dark face, "You're winning your father's coffin money!"

He jumped off his horse and pulled Chang Miao down from the saddle. "You shameless scoundrel, if you dare, come and fight me!"

Chang Miao, being tugged by his collar, shouted to the side, "Referee, Cui Liulang is going to attack!"

A voice shouted, "You can't fall for his tricks, my lord!"

Even if you want to fight, it shouldn't be on the field; otherwise, you'd be penalized!

Chang Miao was clearly trying to provoke Cui Lang deliberately!

Qiao's young master was injured, and if Cui Lang was also penalized, would they still have a chance in the last round?

Cui Lang angrily pushed Chang Miao away and looked at the two referees: "It's clear that they injured someone maliciously first! Why didn’t you stop the game?"

The two referees exchanged glances, and one said, "There is no evidence to prove that the yellow team acted maliciously."

The first time a colored ball hit Qiao Yubai was during an "accident" while hitting the ball.

The second time, when the horse was startled and caused Qiao Yubai to fall, it was also during an opponent's sweeping motion; this could similarly be explained as an accident.

On the field, evidence is required to speak; otherwise, disputes cannot be settled and would lead to more trouble.

"Stop pretending to be blind with me here! If your eyes aren't useful, why don't I have someone dig them out and feed them to the dogs!"

Cui Lang was extremely furious and was about to confront the referees again when his teammate, Dong Luo student Xi Zhi Yuan, grabbed him: "Calm down first, let’s see how Yubai is doing—"

Cui Lang also worried about Qiao Yubai's injuries and, upon hearing this, momentarily forgot to curse.

Qiao Yubai had been helped to sit up, surrounded by many people.

Chang Suining had followed Wang Shi into the arena and now knelt beside Qiao Yubai to check his injuries.

"Bai'er, how do you feel? Did you fall hard?" Wang Shi was extremely anxious, reaching out to touch the bleeding wound on her son's forehead but hesitating to make contact.

She was not one to make a fuss and was well aware that injuries were common in polo, especially in competitions where bumps and bruises were inevitable… but this situation was clearly more than just minor bumps!

Qiao Yubai frowned in pain but still shook his head, "Mother, don’t worry, I’m fine."

He tried to move his right shoulder, and cold sweat broke out from the pain on his forehead.

"Don’t move." Chang Suining raised her hand, pressing it on his shoulder, exploring with her fingers to confirm it was dislocated. Then she used her other hand to support it, applying force; with a loud "crack," Qiao Yubai cried out in pain.

Chang Suining said, "Fortunately, it's just a dislocation; it's been set back in place."

Qiao Yubai tried moving again, and indeed he could move now.

Cui Lang was stunned.

Ignoring the obstruction, Chang Sui'an quickly rushed into the arena and scolded Qiao Yubai angrily, "I told you to be careful, but you wouldn’t listen!"

Qiao Yubai looked up at him, bewildered: "When did you say that?"

Chang Sui'an : "…"

He of course said it in his heart!

Seeing that the situation on the field was not right, he had been shouting in his mind for Qiao Yubai to be careful, until his voice was hoarse!

He pressed down on this and urged, "Let’s go, I’ll carry you to the medical hall to get treated!"

"But there’s still one more match—"

Just now, the referees had declared the yellow team the winners of this period, so each side had won two periods, and a final period was still needed to determine the winner.

Chang Sui'an widened his eyes: "Are you out of your mind!"

"Yubai, it’s urgent to treat your injury." Chang Suining said, "Though your arm is just dislocated, it’s better not to exert force for now, and the wound on your head needs rest too; we don’t know if there are any other injuries—"

Wang Shi also said, "Bai'er, listen to Ning Ning and go get treated first."

Qiao Yubai hesitated and looked at Cui Lang and the others.

Though there would be substitutes, if he left due to injury, it would inevitably affect everyone’s morale. Besides, he couldn’t handle the malicious targeting from Chang Miao and others, not to mention the substitutes—this thought wasn’t out of arrogance but a reality.

This polo match wasn't just his game; everyone had fought hard for it, and if he withdrew now, it would be like conceding defeat for everyone.

Xi Zhi Yuan patted his left shoulder gently: "Yubai, just focus on treating your injury; we’ll handle it here."

Cui Lang also said, "Brother Qiao, you can leave it to us! I’ll make sure to avenge you!"

Qiao Yubai: "?"

That sounded strange.

Seeing that he was still hesitant, Chang Suining said seriously, "It’s just a matter of winning or losing a polo match, not worth you risking your safety. If you injure yourself further, the consequences would be unimaginable—don't forget, your hands are meant for holding a brush."

Qiao Yubai looked at his arm upon hearing this.

The rational voice of the girl rang out again: "Besides, if you’re injured, staying will only affect and drag everyone down."

Qiao Yubai: "…"

It was a bit cruel, but it made a lot of sense.

Chang Sui'an wanted to remind his sister several times that Qiao Yubai was her elder brother, not a younger one—but given that Qiao Yubai was injured, he refrained from being too harsh.

The Hu surname youth tried to comfort Qiao Yubai in a light tone: "If we lose, we lose; we can always try again next year!"

Qiao Yubai could only nod, apologetically looking at the three as Chang Sui'an helped him up: "I’m sorry to you all."

"Brother, don’t worry." Chang Suining said, "We won’t lose."

Qiao Yubai took this as comforting words, sighed inwardly, and nodded as he was helped away.

On the opposite side, Chang Miao, who was resting and drinking water, raised his eyebrows upon seeing this.

His teammate chuckled softly, "Qiao Yubai really backed down!"

"Without Qiao Yubai, it’ll be hard for us not to win!"

"Look at those two substitutes…" another teased, "Seeing Qiao Yubai get beaten up like that, they look scared to death, haha!"

Among the two substitutes for the blue team, one was tall and had originally been prepared to replace the Hu surname youth's position.

The other one, who stood behind, was shorter, usually playing the center position in the team, quick and adept at adapting—but he was indeed quite frightened by Chang Miao and the others' ferocity at this moment.

It wasn’t to the extent of wetting his pants, but with Qiao Yubai’s example right in front of him, the pressure was overwhelming.

Before even stepping onto the field, his mind was already in disarray.

At this moment, amidst the noise, someone lightly patted his shoulder from behind.

He was startled and quickly turned around, only to see a youth dressed in near-identical attire—

Under the cover of his tall teammate, no one had noticed his side's movement.

Because a blue team member had been injured and had to withdraw, the halftime break was extended by a quarter of an hour according to regulations, allowing the original and new team members time to discuss and coordinate.

Cui Lang frowned: "Where’s the other person!"

The Hu surname youth looked around: "He was just here."

Cui Lang looked disdainfully: "With those skinny arms and legs, he wouldn’t have run away, would he? Is there anyone else to substitute—"

At this moment, a clear youthful voice sounded from behind him: "I’m here."

The few turned around to look.

The youth wore a similarly pale blue narrow robe, tied with the same blue ribbon at his waist, his thick black hair tied back neatly; as he approached, a clean and brisk aura of youth came rushing in.

The Hu surname youth was taken aback: "You…"

The "youth" interrupted him, looking at the three, and announced, "I’ll take Yubai’s position." 

Thank you, everyone, for the monthly tickets and rewards! 

(End of this chapter)

“Yubai!”

Next Chapter▶▶