The Dark Moonlight returns to the capital, and the mad prince is accused of forcing love.

The thunderous drumbeats on the polo field resonated in everyone's hearts as Lin Zuoqing and Chu Yunci descended from the platform and mounted their horses.

The two, one cold and the other fierce, entered the venue side by side.

The women's section of the stands was quiet for a moment, then burst into discussion.

"General Chu looks really smart in his riding attire. I heard he has killed three enemy generals in a row."

"In my opinion, Prince Lin is still superior. He topped the imperial examination three years ago and is now the Prefect of Jingzhao! You can't find another person with such talent in the entire capital."

"It's a pity that Young Master Lin is already engaged, and General Chu is a widower..."

"Being a widower isn't the main problem; the real issue is that General Chu is constantly on campaign. If she marries him, wouldn't she become a waiting-for-her-husband statue?"

Xu Qianhui listened to the words, but her gaze was not on the two people below the stage.

In just a few breaths, the one she wanted to see finally appeared.

A lone rider galloped out from the yellow tent at the foot of the sloping mountain, raising clouds of dust.

The newcomer was dressed in a crimson riding outfit with flowing clouds, his ponytail tied high, exuding a truly heroic and dashing air.

It was Princess Fu'an.

She tightened the reins, and the horse's front hooves lifted off the ground, coming to a steady stop opposite Lin Zuoqing.

"If Your Highness goes easy on me today, I will punish you," Princess Fu'an said with a smile.

He tapped the ruby-inlaid riding whip in his hand twice in mid-air.

Lin Zuoqing, seated upright on horseback, bowed and said, "Princess, there's no need for you to show mercy."

"Alright, let's see who's the best on the court!"

After a gong sounded, a red lacquered wooden ball was thrown into the arena.

Chu Yunci rushed out first, his staff sweeping through the air to send the wooden ball flying to the left.

Just as the ball was falling, the chestnut horse made a run into position.

Lin Zuoqing lowered his body, and with a swift motion, scooped up the ball with his staff, keeping it firmly on the tip.

The movements were fluid and graceful.

"Zuo Qing is truly amazing!"

Lin Zhiwei's sharp, high-pitched voice pierced Xu Qianhui's ears.

She quietly shifted her position, her gaze returning to the court.

With Chu Yunci's help, Lin Zuoqing had already bypassed Princess Fu'an and her maids' defenses.

Seeing that she had lost possession of the ball, Princess Fu'an lashed out with her long whip and led her female riders away.

The two teams were locked in a fierce battle, but possession of the ball remained firmly in the hands of Lin Zuoqing and Chu Yunci.

Just as they were about to reach the goal, two figures, one in red and one in green, rushed in from Chu Yunci's side.

Princess Fu'an leaped powerfully from her horse, her whole body assuming an inverted flying swallow posture, her staff aimed directly at the wooden ball at the tip of the staff.

With a crisp impact, the ball was intercepted by the princess and rolled in the opposite direction from Chu Yunci.

Chu Yunci spurred his horse back to defend, knocking the ball out of bounds with a single stroke, and laughed heartily.

"What a brilliant pocket formation! The princess has applied military strategy to the football field, surpassing even her skill!"

Princess Fu'an stopped her horse and raised her chin.

"Young General Chu, you are too kind!"

The stands erupted in thunderous cheers.

Lin Zuo'an leaned half of his body towards Qin Miaoyun.

"Miaoyun, look! Princess played that ball so well just now that even her brother couldn't catch General Chu in time."

He pointed to the field: "Before half an incense stick burns out, the princess will definitely score a point."

Qin Miaoyun held a round fan in her hand and chuckled, "Yes, as members of the imperial family, we are naturally superior in everything."

This statement seemed to come out of nowhere, but Lin Zuo'an was able to pick up on it.

"Our Great Xia only has this one princess, and she is taught by top-notch masters. It would be difficult for her not to excel."

Hearing Lin Zuo'an's praise, Qin Miaoyun fell silent.

Lin Zhiwei listened intently, secretly amused that Qin Miaoyun really treated Lin Zuo'an like a precious gem, even getting jealous of the princess.

She straightened her back, adopting the air of a noblewoman from a prominent family.

"Miaoyun, why are you silent? Do you think the Second Young Master is wrong? Well, although the princess is formidable, I see that Minister Zuo and General Chu are working together very well, so it's not like they have no hope of winning."

As she spoke, she turned her gaze to Xu Qianhui, who was intently watching the game: "Miss Xu, don't you think so?"

Xu Qianhui picked up her teacup, took a slow sip, and then turned her head away.

"Ms. Lin seems to know a lot about football."

"Of course!" Lin Zhiwei said with a sneer. "There are many tricks to the game. Some people sitting here probably wouldn't even understand how to score a point after a game."

"Miss Lin is right." Xu Qianhui nodded. "However, it doesn't matter if you don't understand the game, as long as you understand the overall situation."

She looked back at the court, ignoring Lin Zhiwei's provocations.

This level of mockery is milder than a mosquito bite.

After all, she had been exposed to much dirtier mud and water, so she was no longer afraid of pain.

The second round of fierce fighting has begun.

Princess Fu'an took the lead, her long whip whistling like the wind.

Her playing style was fierce, and after a few rounds, she forced Lin Zuoqing to the edge of the court.

The horse's hooves almost touched the white boundary line.

Taking another step back would mean going out of bounds.

Lin Zuoqing's chestnut horse galloped with all four hooves flying, maneuvering nimbly in the extremely narrow space.

Just as Princess Fu'an's cane was about to fall, his eyes darkened, and he suddenly loosened the reins, falling to the side of the horse.

He slid his cane along the ground, precisely hooked the wooden ball, and flicked it upwards.

The red lacquered wooden ball rose from the ground and steadily headed towards Chu Yunci's direction.

This incredible comeback left everyone stunned.

Even Lady Fu, who was talking to the Lady of Wu'an Marquis in the distance, couldn't help but lean out, her face full of pride.

Amidst the cheers, Xu Qianhui frowned.

Her gaze didn't follow the ball, but instead fell on the chestnut horse under Lin Zuoqing's legs.

The horse's front hooves landed somewhat unsteadily, and its steps were even a little erratic.

The pace of the game was so fast that no one noticed at all.

After receiving the ball, Chu Yunci headed straight for the goal, but was tightly entangled by the female rider.

He could only feint and pass the ball back to Lin Zuoqing, who was receiving it in the middle.

Lin Zuoqing rode forward.

As the cane swung down, the chestnut horse's front hooves suddenly lurched forward, and the entire horse instantly lost its balance, flipping over like a collapsing mountain.

Lin Zuoqing had no time to react at all.

He was thrown out by inertia, crashing heavily onto the grass, rolling several times before finally coming to a stop.

A deafening scream erupted from the stands.

"Ah Qing!"

Chu Yunci's eyes widened, and he turned his horse around and charged forward.

Princess Fu'an's face also turned pale, and she hurriedly pulled on the reins.

"Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"

In the pavilion of the Duke's mansion, Lin Zhiwei subconsciously went to find Madam Fu.

But before Fu could even utter a sound, she collapsed to the ground.

"Mother!"

"aunt!"

Lin Rulan burst into tears in fright and rushed over with Lin Zhiwei to help the person.

In the center of the field, the chestnut horse lay on the ground, neighing in pain.

Lin Zuoqing knelt on one knee, supporting himself on the grass with his right hand, and slowly raised his head.

His face was covered in dust, and a few strands of his once neatly tied hair were loose in front of his forehead, making him look extremely disheveled.

Chu Yunci dismounted and ran to his side in a few steps.

"Ah Qing, how are you?"

"Don't come any closer."

Lin Zuoqing's voice was extremely low, filled with barely suppressed anguish.

He stepped past Chu Yunci in front of him, and past the panicked crowd.

His gaze pierced through dozens of feet and landed precisely on the pavilion in the Duke's mansion.

It fell on Xu Qianhui.

The wind stopped.

The fluttering flags were lowered, and even the distant neighing of horses seemed to have been sucked away.

The surrounding noise was deafening. Xu Qianhui stood still, looking at him from a great distance.

Everyone was panicking, shouting, and surging.

The two of them were alone, so quiet it was as if they had been stripped of their world.

She could clearly see that his left hand, which wasn't supporting him on the ground, was hanging limply at his side in an extremely bizarre and twisted angle.