"Help me with this stirrup ge?" Second asked his First Brother.
First corrected the length for his mounted brother.
"This is your first polo match against the grasslands team didi. Keep in mind they play rough. It won't be like any other match you've played in."
"I know ge, I've watched the last two."
"Follow Second Prince's lead, he's played against them in every match since he was fourteen."
The Second Prince rode up behind First Brother.
"Thank you, Mei Renlong. I'll try to live up to your expectations," he spoke with false humility.
There were few players in the empire who could match the Second Prince.
"Emperor Father's in the audience today," the Prince addressed his team. "Let's make sure he doesn't lose face with Prince Nur. They're trying to secure a marriage with my meimei. A loss might be an excuse to take her away. Or for my Emperor Father to take to the field," he grinned.
The Emperor had been a great player in his day, and remained passionate about the game, putting much store in skilled players.
The red-clad team shook their mallets and cheered the Prince's words.
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.
Second Brother squinted up into the stands. He spotted the Princess, seated next to her father, the Emperor.
She was only a few years younger than Second, and they had played together as children, remaining close. He caught her eye and waved to her, and she waved back.
He wasn't sure how he felt about Princess Lingling marrying a grasslands prince. He had always known her marriage would be a political one, but now that the hypothetical had become real, he decided he didn't like it at all.
The grasslands' Prince Nur led his team out onto the field. Their horses' hooves cracked the light frost as they trotted on.
The grasslands' players wore white. All were bearded with a top knot, and their long hair free.
The young noblewomen were seated behind the Princess. Her best friend, Tan Wentian, leaned forward to gossip.
"You have to admit they're handsome, Princess," giggled the younger sister of Tan Bowen.
"In a scary, wild kind of way," whispered back the Princess.
"Still, how romantic to be married to a Prince of the grasslands. It's like something out of a novel."
Tan Wentian was known to spend far too much of her time reading such nonsense. Her brother, who doted on her, kept her steadily supplied with such books.
"Well you marry him then," snapped the Princess. "I'm sure it's all very romantic until you're living in a yurt, cheek and jowl with livestock!"
"Sorry Princess, I wasn't thinking, forgive me?" Tan Wentian was contrite.
"Of course, Wentian, I'm sorry I snapped at you. I'm just very anxious about Prince Nur."
The Prime Minister's daughter, Li Fengfeng, caught the last of this 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. "You two will make a great match, you're both very attractive, and we all know how bohemian you are at heart, Princess."
Li Fengfeng made fun of the Princess. It was well-known that she was incredibly prim-and-proper, the opposite of bohemian. Li Fengfeng's coterie giggled.
"Yes, 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.
Tan Wentian's heart clenched, and her face dropped. She also adored the Second Prince, with the intensity only a teenage girl can feel.
The Princess turned to face her best friend and patted her hand gently.
Wentian's schoolgirl crush on her brother was not something she tried to hide from her friend the Princess.
"Bai Li has a face to make you swoon," sighed a petite girl with a baby-face, mock-clutching at her heart. "There's something about men in uniform that's sooo manly."
Peals of laughter rang out.
"He'd eat you alive Su Yan," laughed a friend. "A little girl like you."
"He's such a stone-face," a sharp-faced girl with small eyes pouted. "If he smiles, even pigs can fly."
"It's true, it's true," the little miss shook her head ruefully.
"Even the Second Prince struggles to compete with the Mei brothers," said the pointy-faced girl. "Each one's more handsome than the next. I'm not sure who I'd pick if you asked me which brother's the best-looking. Mei Renlong's so manly, Mei Renhu's pretty as a girl. He almost looks Manchu."
The girls tittered, and it was the Princess' turn to look annoyed.
She wasn't sure how she felt about the second Mei brother, but it was definitely proprietary.
"You're close to him aren't you, Princess?" Li Fengfeng asked, deceptively lightly.
"Yes, we were childhood friends," the Princess replied coolly.
"Oooh, green plums and a bamboo horse," squealed baby-face, clapping her hands with glee.
The Princess flushed angrily, but didn't deign to reply.
"Your 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 near the Confucius Temple. The brothel was known to be favoured by the literati and officials.
"Li Fengfeng!" scolded the Princess. "Have some propriety. Please."
"Yes Princess, you're quite right to scold me," the older girl drawled.
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, in a most unseemly manner.
The grasslands Prince inclined his head in greeting, with a small smile. The Princess lowered her eyes modestly, blushing furiously to be caught looking at him so intimately.
Tan Wentian did not miss this exchange, and she wriggled with delight.
What a propitious first meeting!