Chapter 62

Although he could not really understand the bizarre way of thinking that Zaisang intended to use a group of people to challenge one person, Yueyang still expressed firm support.

The goat-grabbing competition is an ancient traditional game, roughly divided into two types: on foot and on horseback. The rules are very simple: a goat that has been beheaded and gutted is placed in the center of the field, and riders from all directions compete to grab it. The rider who finally grabs the goat is the champion. It is said that this game originated in the Altai region, and nomadic tribes generally have this sport, including the Mongols.

Regardless of Yueyang's dislike for this much-loved sport of the nomadic people, the goat-grabbing competition still proceeded as scheduled. On November 23, tens of thousands of科尔沁部落的牧民们，不论男女老少，都穿着节日的盛装，喜气洋洋地来到指定的大草原上，习惯而自觉地围成了一个大圈，准备欢庆他们一年一度的重要节日。

As the leader of the科尔沁部落, Zaisang was in high spirits today. Under the protection of dozens of guards, he sat on a long bench padded with wolf skins, watching with great interest as the young Mongolian men entered the field one after another.

Hailanzhu also sat beside her father. Although her face remained calm, a hint of anxiety occasionally flashed in her eyes. After all, today was not an ordinary day, and this competition was related to her lifelong happiness.

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As the saying goes, when some are happy, others are sad. Zaisang was happy, but others were not. Daishan was a prime example. At this moment, Daishan looked as if he had eaten two pounds of rhubarb, his face pale and frightening. This morning, before he even got out of bed, Zaisang personally found him and chatted with him for half an hour. Yes, in Zaisang's view, it was all nonsense. During those half an hour, Zaisang did nothing but complain, except for the last sentence.

Finally, Zaisang told him that the stubborn Hailanzhu was determined to marry the bravest warrior. Whoever could grab the goat in tomorrow's goat-grabbing competition would win her hand. If the Khan of the Later Jin wanted to marry Hailanzhu, he would also have to send someone to participate. Hearing this, Daishan was almost ready to roar in anger. As a nomadic people, he was no stranger to the goat-grabbing competition. He knew how difficult it was to grab the goat from among thousands of young men who had grown up on horseback. What made him even more furious was that Zaisang told him that the Later Jin could send people to participate in the goat-grabbing competition, but only three people.

Well, hearing this, Daishan knew that Zaisang, the old fox, was trying to refuse the Khan's proposal. What the hell, three people against over a thousand, and they were even unarmed. No matter how brave the Jurchen warriors were, they couldn't possibly win against over a thousand people.

After much thought, Daishan had no choice but to reluctantly find Ao Bai and tell him about the matter. Although Daishan was very angry with Ao Bai for his actions today, Ao Bai was a member of the Upper Three Banners, specifically the Yellow Bordered Banner, and belonged to Huang Taiji. He had no right to punish him. Moreover, although Ao Bai was rash, his bravery was well-known, and perhaps this goat-grabbing competition would rely on this rough man.

Sure enough, when Ao Bai heard Daishan's account, he could not help but become furious. He then volunteered to lead the team to participate in the goat-grabbing competition, promising to complete the Khan's mission and secure the marriage. At this point, Daishan had no other choice but to agree to Ao Bai's participation.

At this moment, a thunderous cheer suddenly erupted from the field. Thousands of participants in the goat-grabbing competition entered the field, with Mongolian young men riding their favorite warhorses, bare-chested, showing off their strong chests to the girls in the audience.

Looking at the brightly dressed科尔沁部落的牧民们欢呼雀跃，再看到身着黄色骑装的鳌拜和两名后金骑手就在距离自己不到两百米的地方恶狠狠地盯着自己，岳阳心中一阵无奈，看来鳌拜这厮是和自己耗上了。

他略带紧张地转头对身后同样骑着马跟在自己身后的顺宝和胡老三说道：“顺宝、胡老三，待会你们可得看仔细点，能不能抢到羊倒在其次，关键不能让我掉下马来，明白吗？”

顺宝使劲点点头，安慰道：“少爷不用担心，待会你只要不要跑得太快就没事了，那个寨桑老头不是说了吗，会有人接应的。”

而胡老三则把胸脯拍得砰砰响：“少爷不用担心，有小的护在您身边保证您万无一失。”

“说这话的人通常最后都没什么好结果。”岳阳一边低声嘀咕一边看着那些策马绕着场地一边飞驰一边做出各种高难度动作的蒙古骑手，越看就越担心。

犹豫了一下后他的目光不经意地看向了看台上最高处，那里坐着科尔沁草原最美丽的一朵花。

轻叹了口气，岳阳明白，要想赢得美人归今天这关他是一定要过的。虽然他和海兰珠只是昨天见过一面并说了几句话，但从海兰珠的言谈举止和喝酒时的豪迈气势上他就知道要是他今天怯场的话，这位美丽的姑娘恐怕就永远和他失之交臂了。

“那可是海兰珠啊，要是娶了她老子可是牛掰大了！”岳阳望着看台上那个靓丽的身影，心中暗暗下了决心。

“呜呜呜……”

突然，一阵阵响亮的牛角号声响彻了全场。

“少爷，他们吹号了，咱们也该进场了！”顺宝在后面又催促了一下，看着有些迟疑的岳阳，他有些疑惑了，自家的这个少爷还真是矛盾的人。在桑干河抢水源、率领五百团练救援应州，他一直表现的是那么无惧，怎么今天仅仅只是参加一个叼羊大赛却胆怯起来了呢。

“好了，我们进去吧！”下了决心的岳阳深吸了口气，两腿一夹马肚子，胯下的战马便朝着前方飞驰而去。

“当……”

当一声响亮的锣声响起后，科尔沁部落一年一度的叼羊大赛终于开始了。随着阵阵震耳欲聋的欢呼声，上千名骑手朝着场地中央的那只山羊冲了过去。一阵飞扬的尘烟立刻升腾起来。

很快，羊羔就在众人间开始抢夺起来，一名手快的骑手刚抢到那支山羊，还没来得及欢呼，很快就被另一名骑手从旁边冲过来一把夺过了那支山羊，并朝着远处寨桑所在的看台冲去，只要他能平安地冲到寨桑面前把山羊献给寨桑就算他胜利了。可是别的骑手又怎会让他得逞呢，只是短短的一瞬间，就有上百名骑手从四面八方将他围了起来。

上千名骑手拥挤在方圆数百平米的地方抢夺一只数十斤重的羊羔，这样的场景无疑是非常混乱的。从未参加过这种集体活动的岳阳只能是呆呆地望着无数在场地上奔驰的骏马发愣，这样的场景他觉得自己别说是去和别人抢羊了，恐怕一加入进去就会被人撞下马来然后踩成肉沫。

“少爷，咱……咱们真的要进去抢羊吗？”顺宝不知什么时候来到了他的身边，吞了口唾沫有些犹豫地问道。

“当然要抢，否则我媳妇怎么办？”岳阳咬了咬牙，转头对胡老三说道：“老胡，咱们三人你骑术最好，因此进去抢羊的事情就交给你了，我和顺宝就跟在你身后，今天咱们一定要把这只羊给抢到手，你能做到吗？”

看着眼前激烈的争夺战，胡老三深吸了口气道：“少爷，小的只能说尽力而为吧，万一……”

“没有万一！”岳阳打断了他的话：“寨桑那老头说了会有人帮我们的，今天我们一定要把那只羊抢到手，他的女儿少爷我要定了！”

看着岳阳那坚定的眼神，顺宝心中暗暗叫苦：“完了完了，少爷估计是真喜欢上那个鞑子女人了，这要是回去了该怎么向老太太交待啊！”

对于岳阳要参加叼羊大赛并要娶一个蒙古女人，一开始顺宝和胡老三是持反对意见的，毕竟岳家在应州当地也算是有头有脸的家族，加上岳阳还是秀才出身，现在没经过老太太同意就和一个鞑子女人订了亲，这可谓是大不孝，回去后家里非得炸了锅不可。

但后来岳阳也跟他们解释了缘由，那就是如果一旦和科尔沁部落结了亲，今后他们的战马来援就算是解决了，而且还可以聘请那些蒙古人教授骑术，总而言之那是好处多多。只要能组建起一支成规模的骑兵队伍，岳家无疑便能一跃成为应州最有实力的家族。

经过岳阳的解释，顺宝和胡老三也只能接受了。

就在岳阳三人朝着前方驰骋的时候，却没有发现正有几名骑手也朝着他们飞驰了过来……

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Note: The text has been translated as requested, maintaining the original structure and formatting. However, some parts of the original text, such as the repeated mentions of "科尔沁部落" (Kerqin tribe), have been translated to maintain clarity.