As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 279 Even with all their might, they couldn't defeat it.

"Look, who's that?"

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has also gone to the riding arena!"

"And the Marquis of Jing'an!"

"So handsome..."

"Hey? Isn't the Marquis on General Ling's team?"

"The Marquis is actually with His Majesty?"

……

The sun shines brightly, and the grass is lush and green.

After Xiao Xinyue entered the grand event, everything changed.

As the highest ruler of the country, she rightfully deserves all attention and should be the protagonist of the grand event.

At this moment, to everyone's astonishment...

His Majesty mounted his tall horse, took his polo mallet, and entered the riding arena.

She slightly raised her head, her long hair tied in a ponytail fluttering in the wind, exuding confidence and a heroic air.

It attracted admiring glances from young men, who longed for it but could only dream of it.

Beside her, amidst the admiring and expectant gazes of many young women, a handsome man reluctantly mounted his horse.

Not only did His Majesty appear, but even the unpredictable Marquis Jing'an showed up.

This man and woman can be said to be at the very top of this country.

Mingchen shook his polo mallet, saying with some helplessness, "Your Majesty, I'm not good at kicking!"

Playing basketball or soccer is fine.

He had never played kicking before.

When I first left home to go to the capital for the imperial examination, I didn't even know how to ride a horse.

"real or fake?"

"I do not believe!"

Taking advantage of this rare moment of relaxation, Xiao Xinyue was able to let loose.

With a carefree smile on his face, completely unconcerned about the gazes of others, he watched the lazybones beside him with great interest.

The handsome young man sat casually on his horse, relaxed yet exuding a carefree and dashing air.

Mingchen kicks, unlocked.

The person she liked always amazed her whenever she saw him in a new light.

This person always likes to hold back, pretending to be weak while actually being strong. Xiao Xinyue has never seen Mingchen not know anything he can't do.

Having traversed the grasslands and killed so many people, surely he couldn't be completely inept at this simple game of kicking.

Mingchen: ...

I really don't know how.

However, he agreed to play.

There's really no point in just sitting there.

He considered himself quite clever; after observing the game from afar, he felt that the kicking technique wasn't too difficult and was confident he could learn it quickly.

After another round, Mingchen and his companion entered the arena amidst the tense and anxious gazes of several teams.

"Your Majesty, Mingchen?"

"You guys want to come and join in too?"

Ling Yu rode over and looked at the two of them.

Mingchen really doesn't know anything about it.

On the contrary, his wife is invincible on the racetrack and has just won again.

One person can defeat two, and the other teams can't even lift their heads.

"Hey, come have some fun."

In a sense, Ling Yu can be considered part of the family.

Ling Yu is a brilliant general, and her performance in the court is impeccable. As a loyal minister, she will do whatever is required of her.

Xiao Xinyue's attitude towards her wasn't as close as her attitude towards Mingchen, but it was still very good.

She smiled generously at Ling Yu and said, "Your kicking skills are amazing. You're as good as two people. If I give Mingchen to you, none of us will have a chance to play."

"You usually keep her company, how about I have him today?"

Mingchen raised his hand, complaining incessantly, "Hey, Your Majesty, the person involved is still here!"

"The way you're talking makes it sound like you're treating me like an object."

With harmony in his inner court, and one of his associates being the current emperor, Mingchen was actually quite satisfied.

"Cuckoo~"

General Ling, who usually maintained a cold expression amidst the troops, rarely curled his lips into a faint smile.

She knew her own family's affairs best, and she knew exactly what kind of person this bad person in her family was.

She gave the two of them a mischievous look.

He simply smiled and said, "As Your Majesty requests, Yu naturally has no objection."

The older sister's gaze was somewhat impolite.

Mingchen glared at her fiercely, mouthing, "You just wait."

Ling Yu trembled at his gaze and unconsciously pursed her lips.

Xiao Xinyue watched the two interacting so well and felt a little envious.

……

His Majesty and the Marquis have both entered the arena, and the intensity of this kicking match has increased.

Should we fully showcase ourselves and let His Majesty see our talents?

Should we flatter and pander to His Majesty to help her win?

Apart from Ling Yu, the other teams were all on edge, extremely tense.

As the absolute protagonists of the event, Xiao Xinyue and Ming Chen's entrance drew the attention of everyone around them.

Surprisingly, Mingchen and Lingyu, who are a married couple, did not team up together, but instead teamed up with His Majesty.

Those present were all officials and their families, all shrewd and calculating individuals.

The subtle details reveal the human heart.

Every move and expression of people like Mingchen and Xiao Xinyue is magnified and scrutinized endlessly by their subordinates.

The two were so close that rumors about the Marquis of Jing'an not attending court and the discord between the ruler and his minister were dispelled.

Another idea, however, was that the close relationship between the Empress and the Marquis of Jing'an was becoming increasingly firm in everyone's minds.

The referee on the sidelines banged the gong and shouted, "Game 4, start!"

"Hey~"

People were shouting, and horses were neighing.

Galloping freely across the grass, waving their polo clubs, chasing after the little polo ball.

"Mingchen! Mingchen! Quick, send it to me!"

Who doesn't have a competitive spirit?
Those who have attained high positions possess an even greater competitive spirit than ordinary people.

Xiao Xinyue came to play, so naturally she was aiming to win.

Riding her horse, she seized the opportunity and kept shouting loudly at Mingchen.

People are always prone to this kind of arrogance.

Watching others do things from afar, seeing how smoothly and effortlessly they do it, makes one confident that they can do just as well when they step onto the stage.

However, when it came to actually taking the field, he found that things were not so simple.

On the other side, Mingchen, who was used to the comfortable White Wolf brand supercar with its intuitive communication, felt a little uncomfortable riding this clumsy horse that couldn't understand human speech.

The other riders around him were somewhat afraid of him and were subtly giving way to him.

Mingchen rode his horse to the ball and, without any awkwardness of missing, swung his club and slammed the ball toward Xiao Xinyue.

but……

This was his first time playing kicking, and he couldn't estimate the power or angle of the ball; he was just going by feel.

"boom!"

The polo ball flew far away, attracting everyone's attention.

It landed right in front of Ling Yu's black horse.

Ling Yu didn't mince words. Seizing the opportunity, she swung her polo mallet and struck the ball precisely into the goal.

"Dang~"

"The yellow flag is one step ahead."

The gong sounds.

A yellow flag representing Ling Yu was raised outside the venue.

Xiao Xinyue: ...

The valiant female general rode her horse in a small circle, drawing everyone's gaze, and raised the polo mallet in her hand.

Turning her gaze towards Mingchen, the naive older sister winked playfully, "Thank you, my husband~"

Regardless of whether they are opponents or teammates, she is happy whenever Mingchen comes on stage to play with her.

And she won, which made her even happier.

"Mingchen, we're teammates!!!"

There's a mole inside; terminate the transaction.

The bright daylight of the ditch.

They're teammates, yet they're passing the ball to his wife.

Xiao Xinyue rode her horse leisurely to Mingchen's side, glaring at him fiercely.

When she was a princess, she also really enjoyed playing football.

My skill level is not bad; I believe I can surpass others.

It's fine to lose fair and square.

But losing because a teammate scored an own goal is incredibly frustrating.

Mingchen: ...

You might not believe it, but I really wanted to call you.

Mingchen chuckled and pointed to the clear sky: "Ahem~ wind direction, wind direction problem. The wind is bad today, which is affecting my feel for the game."

Mingchen would rather let Xiao Xinyue misunderstand that he was helping his wife than admit that he was a novice.

Xiao Xinyue glared at him: "Again!"

……

"when!"

"Xuanqi has the upper hand!"

"Mingchen, where are you going to hit me?! I'm right here!"

"Cough cough, this club is too old, it's not comfortable to use."

"when!"

"The Blue Flag wins!"

"Mingchen!!! You missed?" "There's something wrong with this horse. It's not full and it won't listen to me."

"when!"

"Yellow Flag gains another advantage!"

"Mingchen!!!"

"Um... I think the goal is crooked. Quickly send someone to fix it."

……

The atmosphere at the grand event was somewhat subdued.

"Ahem~ Good shot! Although it didn't go in, Lord Marquis's shot was full of power!"

"Hmm... Your Majesty is so gentle and humble, it is truly a blessing for our dynasty!"

"His Majesty and the Marquis must have wanted to share the joy with the people and were afraid that everyone would be too reserved, so they deliberately lost the game. They have a good plan!"

The dignitaries stared blankly at the grassland, speechless for a moment. They twitched their lips, unable to bear to look directly at it.

Since everyone needed to speak, they could only offer dry, unconvincing compliments to the top leader.

At the end of the game, as expected, the yellow flag advanced by four points to win.

General Ling's undefeated record continues.

The Empress and Marquis team, on which people had high hopes, failed to score a single goal.

All the other teams scored, only Xiao Xinyue and Ming Chen failed to score.

Anyone with eyes can see that His Majesty has the skills.

Unfortunately, my teammates... were in a rather pathetic state.

After that, the officials all reached a consensus...

Marquis Jing'an is a renowned hero, exceptionally talented and unparalleled in intelligence. However, he is terrible at football, and anyone who teams up with him loses.

This is just for entertainment, and entertainment is primarily about having fun.

Although they didn't score a single goal or win a single game, it wouldn't diminish Xiao Xinyue and Mingchen's prestige.

Leaders need to be impeccable in serious matters, but they don't necessarily have to be number one in entertainment.

On the contrary, they can accept defeat, do not make things difficult for their subordinates, and do not force others to play games in accordance with their own enjoyment. Instead, they can make people feel close to them, which is a great mindset for a leader.

Even with a terrible teammate like Mingchen by her side, Xiao Xinyue was able to remain calm, which made the courtiers think even more highly of Her Majesty's patience.

"Master! Master!"

"Come on, young master!"

Under Mingchen's tent, a little bird stood on the table, flapping its wings energetically at Mingchen.

She is Mingchen's only and most loyal fan.

The little fox nestled in the child's arms, seemingly a bit sleepy, its eyes half-closed as it watched the people on the horse farm.

……

Time flows slowly by, and the sun sets in the west.

The rider on horseback breathed softly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his fair face.

Xiao Xinyue's face flushed red, her chest heaving violently as she stared intently at the person beside her.

It wasn't out of shame, but out of anger.

She gritted her teeth and forced out a few words: "Mingchen!!!"

It's the third game.

Not a single goal!

Not a single goal!
She had never suffered such injustice since she learned to play polo.

She could score a few goals on her own or with her team.

Mingchen, you're so infuriating!

At least they scored one goal!

"Cough cough~"

Mingchen, on the other hand, wasn't tired at all; he hadn't even broken a sweat.

Facing the furious glares of his teammates, he averted his gaze and coughed lightly, "Just unlucky today..."

Xiao Xinyue: ...

I would never believe a ghost like that!

You scoundrel!
Every time you lose a game, you find an excuse.

It's been all afternoon, even a fool could see that you really don't know how!

Just then, the basketball legend leisurely rode over on his black horse.

Ling Yu looked at Xiao Xinyue with a serious expression and sincere eyes, saying, "Your Majesty, why don't my husband join my team?"

Xiao Xinyue: ...

Mingchen: ...

Mom, she insulted me!

She's insulting me!!!

Sister Dai's words came from the heart and were not sarcastic, but to the two of them they were filled with the pity of a superior for the weak.

Ling Yu was indeed confident; she won two of the three games that afternoon.

The game she lost was because she was substituted.

Mingchen is a bronze-level teammate, Xiao Xinyue is a diamond-level teammate, and she is a supreme king.

Xiao Xinyue can't lead Mingchen, but she can motivate him.

Actually, now that time has passed, she somewhat regrets letting Mingchen and Xiao Xinyue team up.

Ling Yu really enjoyed watching Ming Chen stubbornly make excuses when he did things he wasn't good at.

Even the most capable husband has things he can't do, and he can be just as stubborn as an ordinary person, which is quite endearing.

When Mingchen first started learning to ride a horse, her complaints about the weather and the road were always carefully preserved in her memory, and she would occasionally bring them out to reminisce.

Life is not bound by rules and regulations, nor does it dictate that men must be dignified and women must be gentle.

When a woman loves someone wholeheartedly, she may not look down on him because he is not perfect.

On the contrary, sometimes she likes to see her all-powerful husband show his awkward, vulnerable, or special side in front of her.

"What did you say?!"

Xiao Xinyue tilted her head back, her eyes seeming to blaze with fire.

She turned to look at Mingchen beside her: "No!"

"Mingchen, the whole world looks down on us, but today we're going to prove them wrong!"

"No matter what, I must score this goal!!!"

“Come again!!!”

It's burning up!

Meeting his sister's pitying gaze, Mingchen clenched his fists and said fiercely, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate a young man's potential!!!"

"My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens! I will make those who look down on me pay the price!"

The two bottom-ranked riders at the racetrack exchanged a glance, both seeing a strong fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

Ling Yu: ……

As the sun sets, the clouds, bathed in the afterglow, seem to cast a golden haze, creating a dreamlike scene.

The lively event was gradually coming to an end.

As the final ball was scored, the expressions of the onlookers were somewhat complicated.

The black and gold flag belonging to the supreme ruler was never raised.

Our Emperor is truly an unparalleled and brilliant ruler!
So gentle and kind, not getting angry at all, his heart is truly as broad as the sea.

People have gone from being shocked at first to gradually getting used to it now.

Under the gaze of onlookers, two heartbroken men hunched forward in despair at the racecourse.

On the racetrack, I encountered a superb knight, Da Caibi, who could not defeat me no matter how hard I tried.

Mingchen clenched his fists, glaring fiercely at his domineering older sister: "Sister, I didn't lose to you, I lost to myself. You better remember that!"

Xiao Xinyue, who was standing to the side, also turned to look at her: "General Ling, I didn't lose to you, I lost to Mingchen."

Mingchen: ...

There's no need to be so direct.

Time flies so fast!
Although I was always losing, time seemed to pass a million times faster than when I was dealing with official documents in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Xiao Xinyue looked at the setting sun in the distance and unconsciously lowered her eyes.

"Cuckoo~"

Suddenly, His Majesty, who had been depressed all afternoon after losing, suddenly broke into a smile.

Gradually, his smile became more and more cheerful, more and more unrestrained and wild.

She turned to look at Mingchen, then gazed eastward, towards the more distant future...

She is very happy.

The world is clear and bright, and the future is full of hope.

This grand event will be held again in the future, and it will be even better.

It's not just about making it accessible to high-ranking officials and nobles, but also to ordinary people... so that everyone can share in her happiness.

Ling Yu, Ming Chen, and the other kickers beside him, as well as the high-ranking officials and nobles watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but smile.

This is a pure game, pure fun.

Later on, it seemed that His Majesty and the Marquis were gone too.

They were just a few competitive riders on horseback.

The humble polo ball holds within it the most primal and purest joy of humankind.

The setting sun cast its last rays upon the empress's delicate face. She was not dressed in elegant robes, nor did she wear a noble crown.

But at this moment, she seemed to possess an innate nobility and an indescribable charm that made people unconsciously want to get close to her, respect her, protect her, and help this emperor... until the very end.

Despite losing all afternoon and not scoring a single goal, her dignity remained undiminished.

People unconsciously think that it would probably be a good thing if such a person ruled the world.

Night, the Marquis's residence. The brilliant but unsuccessful goalkeeper, Da Caibi, has finally shown his true colors today.

"Humph!"

The villain grinned menacingly, pressing forward relentlessly, his eyes filled with malice.

"Did you have a lot of fun at the horse farm today, sister?!"

"Are you looking down on me?"

"Mocking me?! Insulting me?!"

The little bird, Ma Zai, transformed into human form and aided and abetted the evildoer by his side.

The Grand Slam champion on the court shuddered and involuntarily took a step back: "I didn't!"

"You're talking nonsense, this is slander!"

"slander?!"

"Humph!"

Unofficial historical records state that a wicked and despicable minister, though not skilled in football, still sought to impress the emperor and coerced him into teaming up with him. Even so, he failed to score a single goal. The petty and vengeful villain, filled with resentment after being defeated by the female general, brutally berated and whipped her on a dark and stormy night. The poor general's cries of agony echoed throughout the capital, lingering for a long time.

(End of this chapter)