Marriage to the Royal Prince's Uncle

C1. Childhood Sweethearts.

Chapter 1

In the crisp and clear autumn air of mid-September, young and energetic nobles gather to have some fun and engage in physical activity.

Located in the western part of the capital, there is a sprawling polo ground originally built by a polo-obsessed general from the Great Xia Dynasty.

Initially private property, the polo ground was claimed by the Heavenly Family after the general's house was confiscated. Unsatisfied with this arrangement, the Emperors sent eunuchs to manage the polo fields, allowing entrance for those who could afford the fee to race horses and play games.

Over time, the polo ground has become a competitive venue for noble children, with spectators enjoying games of polo while sipping tea.

The polo field is adorned with brocade on three sides, while a row of pavilions sit on the north side. The central, grand star-gazing tower is reserved for royal nobles, while the left pavilions are for male guests and the right for female guests.

Inside the Luoxia Pavilion, which is one of the pavilions, several officials and ladies in colorful skirts are eagerly awaiting the start of the match.

"Is it about to begin?" one lady asked.

"Yes, those little eunuchs are checking the venue and ensuring it's safe. Once they give the all clear, the two teams will enter the field," another lady replied.

"Rumor has it that Imperial Uncle will be coming today," a third lady added.

"Of course, at least half of the ladies attending today's game came to see him," another responded.

Cao Shao, the young imperial prince's maternal uncle, is the younger brother of the current Empress, renowned for his intelligence and military prowess, and is regarded as quite the catch by many ladies in the capital.

A woman dressed in red smiled and confided in her cousin, a recent arrival to the capital, "Imperial Uncle is quite charming, but he is already taken. He is in love with Li Yunzhu from Duke Ningguo's Mansion. They were childhood sweethearts, and their families had already arranged their marriage. Had it not been for Li Yunzhu's grandfather's death and the subsequent two years of mourning by the Li family, they would likely have been wed by now."

As the woman in red spoke, she kept a watchful eye on the surroundings, and suddenly gestured to her cousin, "Look, the girl in the green dress approaching is Li Yunzhu!"

Her cousin slyly hid half her face behind a fan and pretended to reach for her tea, casting a casual glance in Li Yunzhu's direction.

Beyond the Star Observation Tower to the west are four pavilions, each able to host about ten guests. In the middle corridor, there are chairs for beautification. On days with a surplus of guests, the pavilions are reserved for high-ranking individuals, prompting the women to retreat to the corridor.

Fortunately, grand occasions like this are rare, allowing the woman in red – whose father is only a fifth-grade military attache – to secure a seat in the Luoxia Pavilion at the far end.

Ladies from prestigious families are typically seated in the Qingfeng Pavilion and the Guihe Pavilion, which are closest to the Star Observation Tower.

As her cousin reached for her tea, her eyes landed on the corridor leading to the Qingfeng Pavilion. In an unusual twist of fate, she found herself gazing upon Li Yunzhu, despite the customary passage leading her past the other pavilions.

Li Yunzhu, still in mourning attire following a recent funeral at Duke Ningguo's mansion, was adorned in a plain white jacket and a modest jade-green gauze skirt with embroidered lotus patterns. Yet, her natural beauty shone through, captivating all who beheld her.