The following day, the sky was overcast.
There was none of the scorching sunlight of the previous few days, nor was there any rain. A thin veil of gray-white clouds covered the sky, while the mountain breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees as it drifted gently past the eaves of the imperial residence.
Xiangmo, the chief palace maid serving Lady Shen, carried in a cup of tea from the outer room. She glanced at her mistress, puzzled. Her mistress seemed to be in rather good spirits today.
As she wondered about this, her hands continued moving without pause. She carefully placed the cup on the small table beside Lady Shen.
Lady Shen picked up the cup and took a sip. Her mood was indeed excellent. Early that morning, when the eunuch who had gone to the Prince of Guangling’s residence in the capital to deliver the imperial edict departed from the imperial residence, she had already learned the news.
She had known before coming here that the Northern Rong envoys would arrive, and that the First Prince would distinguish himself brilliantly when competing against the Northern Rong Crown Prince. Emperor Pingkang would be delighted and issue an edict on the spot, elevating the Prince of Guangling to the rank of prince.
That was a princely title.
The Great Yong court had always been stingy when conferring titles upon members of the imperial clan. Some unfavored princes might reach their thirties or even forties without ever receiving a princely title.
For the First Prince to be made a prince at such a young age was an exceptional honor. For a time, he became the center of attention, and Consort De in the palace basked in the glory as well.
Had the First Prince not gone on to make two serious mistakes in succession and incurred Emperor Pingkang’s wrath, then after the Crown Prince’s death, it truly would have been difficult to say who would ultimately have inherited the position of heir…
It might not have been the Sixth Prince.
Since she already knew what would happen, there was no way she would allow the First Prince to win again as he had in her previous life.
Before coming to the imperial residence, she had already arranged for someone to tamper with things. The scheme would not endanger anyone’s life or cause any major commotion. It would merely leave the First Prince ill for several days, rendering him unable to take part in the competition.
Emperor Pingkang had wanted the First Prince to compete in place of the Crown Prince. Now that the First Prince could not participate, and the Second Prince was a useless man who could never amount to anything, whom else could Emperor Pingkang send?
Naturally, there was only the Sixth Prince.
At the thought, the corners of Lady Shen’s lips curved upward.
Although she had never heard of the Sixth Prince achieving anything in martial arts or mounted archery, she suspected that he had been concealing his abilities all these years.
He had never revealed his true talents in public. He had gained some renown for his literary ability, but no one had ever mentioned his skill in martial arts or mounted archery.
Yet she knew that the Sixth Prince was absolutely not as frail and scholarly as he appeared on the surface.
In her previous life, her mother often visited her at the temple and had mentioned the Sixth Prince’s achievements after he ascended the throne more than once.
Her mother had said that the new emperor was exceptionally courageous on the hunting grounds. He had once fought a fierce tiger with his bare hands and subdued it. There were also many stories of the new emperor’s skill with horses and bows…
Thus, in her eyes, the Sixth Prince’s martial ability had to be considerable. He simply had never revealed it in public.
If the Sixth Prince took the field tomorrow, he would surely shine before everyone just as the First Prince had in her previous life.
By then, Emperor Pingkang would be overjoyed, and the officials would look upon him with new respect…
The Sixth Prince’s reputation would finally be firmly established.
Even if he suffered some injuries, it would still be worth it.
Lady Shen’s eyes flickered faintly. Afterward, she could tell the Sixth Prince what part she had played in the matter.
Of course, she had also considered another possibility.
If the Sixth Prince failed to take the field, then the Crown Prince… would have no choice but to be forced into competing.
In her previous life, the First Prince had taken the field and rescued the Crown Prince from the predicament.
Although the Crown Prince had studied martial arts at the Duke Fengguo’s residence when he was young, and there had once been stories of him hunting a bear alone in his teens, compared to the tales of the Crown Prince’s bravery, the fact that he was physically frail was far more deeply rooted in people’s minds.
As for the story of him hunting a bear alone, she felt that it was probably the Crown Prince’s imperial guards who had done the actual hunting, with the credit merely being attributed to him.
Over the years, whenever the Crown Prince attended a hunt, his performance in martial arts and mounted archery had been mediocre at best. He had never distinguished himself in any way, which only further confirmed her suspicions.
If the Crown Prince were to lose then, where would that leave the dignity of Great Yong?
If the heir apparent were defeated by a Northerner in full view of the public, his prestige would surely plummet.
That would naturally benefit the Sixth Prince as well… After all, only once the Crown Prince fell would the other princes have a chance, would they not?
*
The following day, the sky had brightened completely.
There was not a cloud in the endless blue sky. The morning sun sprang over the mountain ridge in the east, spreading golden light across the earth and bathing the entire Western Mountain imperial residence in splendor.
The martial grounds had been set up in an open area outside the imperial residence. It was originally part of the imperial hunting grounds, with flat, spacious terrain. Viewing platforms and tents had been arranged around it. In the center, a winding racetrack stretched into the distance, with several obstacles set along the route. Dark and golden-yellow flags stood at the bends, snapping loudly in the morning breeze.
The Imperial Guards stood solemnly around the grounds in bright armor. Their swords and spears formed a forest, and their presence was imposing.
The civil and military officials sat in order on the viewing platforms to either side, arranged according to rank. They gathered in groups of three or five, speaking in low voices as their gazes occasionally swept over the field.
The Northern Rong envoys had been assigned seats on the viewing platform to the right. The Crown Prince, Agula, had yet to enter the field, while the Fourth Prince, Batu, and the others had already taken their seats.
Batu made no effort to hide the way he scanned the surroundings, studying the formations and banners of the Great Yong Imperial Guards. His eyes held both scrutiny and a measure of solemn awe.
Before long, the imperial carriage slowly arrived.
Emperor Pingkang wore a bright yellow robe of regular court attire. He looked hale and hearty, with a smile on his face. Surrounded by the eunuchs attending him, he ascended the central platform and took his seat upon the imperial throne.
Cui Yu stood below Emperor Pingkang. He wore a crimson robe embroidered with gold designs, with a belt fastened by a golden buckle around his waist. His expression was as calm as ever.
The Empress led the imperial consorts, the noblewomen of the inner and outer court, and Princess Ulan Tuya to their seats on the elevated platform to the left. From there, they had a clear view of the field below.
Shen Yanshui sat among the women, in a relatively forward position.
Today, she wore a moon-white blouse with a light shawl draped over it. Her lower abdomen had already begun to show a slight curve, but she was slender enough that it was not noticeable unless one looked carefully.
Her gaze first turned toward the Crown Prince. Seeing that his expression was normal, she felt slightly relieved before turning her attention back to the martial grounds.
By then, two rows of people were standing in the field.
On one side stood the Northern Rong Crown Prince, Agula. He had changed into a neat set of riding and archery clothes: a short robe with narrow sleeves, a leather belt around his waist, and deerskin boots on his feet. Broad-shouldered and powerfully built, he resembled a small mountain simply by standing there.
On the other side stood the First Prince, the Prince of Guangling, Cui Yang.
Cui Yang wore a stone-blue outfit suited for combat. He was also quite robust. Though not as massive as Agula, he still stood out among the princes.
His complexion was ruddy and his spirits high as he rotated his wrists, appearing to be in excellent condition.
Yet from a distance, Shen Yanshui narrowed her eyes slightly. Was the First Prince’s complexion not… a little too ruddy? It looked somewhat unnatural.
After Emperor Pingkang took his seat, his gaze swept over the field, and he gave a faint nod.
The eunuch beside him immediately called out in a loud voice that the competition was about to begin.
The palace eunuch’s voice echoed outward in waves. A moment later, the gong sounded from the martial grounds, signaling that the competition was about to commence.
An official from the Court of State Ceremonies stepped forward and clearly announced the rules and order of the events.
The first event was horse racing.
The second was archery.
The third was jiaodi—that is, close-quarters combat.
The rules had been settled at the banquet that evening: the winner would be the first to claim two victories out of three.
After announcing them, Emperor Pingkang turned toward the Northern Rong envoys with a smile and exchanged a few pleasantries. In essence, he said that the two nations were on friendly terms, and that today’s contest was merely for entertainment and should remain good-natured.
Agula bowed and saluted. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
His gaze then fell upon Prince of Guangling Cui Yang. After looking him up and down, he laughed and said in accented Han speech, “I never expected Prince of Guangling to be so robustly built.”
Cui Yang’s expression grew rather solemn. He merely clasped his hands and said, “The Great Prince flatters me.”
Over the years, he had taken first place at every royal hunt. When it came to archery, horsemanship, and mounted combat, he had complete confidence in his abilities. It was just that…
His heart tightened.
He could not lose.
Nearby, an official from the Court of State Ceremonies had the Imperial Guards lead the racehorses out.
There were two horses. One was pitch-black, with sturdy hooves, a glossy mane, and a defiant gaze. The other was chestnut-red, with a well-proportioned build and an equally intimidating air. It pawed restlessly at the ground, snorting heavily.
The official from the Court of State Ceremonies stepped forward and saluted. “These two are warhorses recently sent from the northern border. They have not yet been broken and are extremely spirited. For today’s race, His Highness and the Great Prince may each choose one.”
Agula’s gaze settled on the two horses. He had grown up on horseback, and horses had been his companions since childhood. There was no horse he could not tame.
Cui Yang also glanced at them, and his brows drew together almost imperceptibly. But they soon relaxed again.
An unbroken warhorse could be troublesome, but it posed no real difficulty for him.
Cui Yang looked at Agula and made an inviting gesture. His tone was notably generous. “The Great Prince is our guest. Please choose first.”
Agula did not stand on ceremony. He smiled and cupped his hands. “Thank you, Prince of Guangling. Then I shall not be polite.”
He strode forward and studied the two horses, moving back and forth between them. He reached out to stroke their necks and patted their backs. Under his hands, the two horses, which had been so agitated moments before, gradually calmed.
After a moment, Agula chose the pitch-black horse. He patted its neck and said with a smile, “This one.”
The remaining chestnut-red horse naturally went to Cui Yang.
Cui Yang walked forward and took the reins. As expected, the horse had a fierce temper. It snorted at him and reared its forelegs high, nearly wrenching itself free.
Cui Yang tightened his grip and held the reins fast. Then he vaulted onto the horse’s back. The horse bucked restlessly several times, but he forced it firmly under control. Before long, it settled down.
On the viewing platform, quite a few civil and military officials nodded at the sight.
“His Highness truly has exceptional horsemanship, just as the rumors say.”
“He managed to hold down an unbroken horse so securely. His riding skills are clearly extraordinary…”
Seated upon the imperial throne, Emperor Pingkang also wore a look of satisfaction.
Cui Yu, however, noticed it and frowned for an instant.
Beside him, the Second Prince’s expression looked somewhat unpleasant for reasons no one could discern. The Sixth Prince, Cui Jin, appeared as composed as ever, giving nothing away.
On the high platform to the left, Shen Yanshui watched the scene in the arena before glancing at Lady Shen nearby. Her expression…
Was that worry—or shock and confusion?
Shen Yanshui withdrew her gaze and looked back toward the practice grounds.
By then, Marquis Xuanyi had walked to the center of the field. He swept his eyes over the two contestants and, seeing that both were ready, announced in a clear voice, “The race will consist of ten laps around the grounds, with obstacles set along the course. The first to cross the finish line wins.”
He looked at them once more, then dispensed with further words and said directly, “Get ready—”
Agula and Cui Yang simultaneously tightened their legs around their horses’ bellies, leaning forward slightly.
“Go!”
The instant the words left his mouth, the two horses shot forward like arrows loosed from a bow!
Cui Yang’s riding skills were indeed superb. The chestnut horse accelerated with remarkable speed, seizing the lead almost immediately and racing ahead.
Agula followed close behind. Under his control, the black horse was astonishingly fast as well, yet it remained half a horse’s length behind Cui Yang.
The officials on the viewing platforms watched the scene, and many of them smiled.
“His Highness has splendid horsemanship!”
“At this rate, the first round should be his for the taking…”
Emperor Pingkang was smiling as well.
One lap, two laps, three…
Cui Yang remained in the lead, while Agula followed closely behind, maintaining a steady distance of half a horse’s length—not gaining, but not falling back either.
Cui Yang could feel the increasingly formidable presence of the horse behind him. Gritting his teeth, he urged his mount to accelerate, hoping to widen the gap. Yet no matter how fast he pushed, Agula remained steadily behind him, always half a horse’s length away—neither overtaking him nor falling behind.
By the seventh lap, Cui Yang’s breathing had begun to grow labored.
He had been ill for quite some time. The sickness had repeatedly returned, and he had never fully recovered.
When he received his father’s verbal order yesterday to compete against the Northern Rong Great Prince, he had known that this was a rare opportunity.
Ever since his father had punished him last time, he had remained confined to his residence. If he could win this contest, his father would surely begin to value him more.
He was unwilling to let such a good opportunity slip away, nor did he dare let his father know about his condition. So he had ordered the imperial physicians to prescribe a powerful medicine, suppressing his discomfort for the time being.
But the sudden burst of speed at the start had already consumed much of his strength. Now that they were halfway through the race, his breathing had grown unsteady.
Behind him, Agula continued to follow with perfect composure, his breathing as even as when they had first set out.
Cui Yang began to grow anxious.
The eighth lap. The ninth.
Cui Yang’s breathing grew heavier and heavier. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his complexion changed from its earlier healthy flush to an unnatural crimson.
He looked back. Agula was still half a horse’s length behind him, unhurried and composed, like a patient wolf waiting for its prey to reveal a weakness.
Cui Yang gritted his teeth and urged his horse onward, hoping to pull ahead during the final two laps.
At a bend in the ninth lap, they came upon a low obstacle that the horses had to leap over.
In his anxiety, Cui Yang approached it at a slight angle. When the horse landed, it stumbled, and his body lurched with it. He nearly fell from the saddle!
A wave of startled cries immediately rose from the viewing platforms.
Cui Yang clung desperately to the reins and tightened his legs around the horse’s belly, barely managing to steady himself. But in that instant, Agula seized the opportunity. The black horse flashed past him like a bolt of lightning.
Agula had taken the lead!
Emperor Pingkang’s face darkened at once.
The civil and military officials fell silent for a moment. The lively discussion that had filled the stands abruptly died down.
Seeing Agula pull ahead, Cui Yang grew even more frantic.
The final lap.
Cui Yang’s breathing came in harsh, bellows-like gasps. His chest ached with tightness, and his vision repeatedly went black. Even the hand gripping the reins trembled faintly.
At the finish line, Agula crossed first, leading by a length and a half!
A gong rang out across the practice grounds.
From the viewing platform where the Northern Rong envoys sat, a burst of cheering immediately erupted.
Yet on the Great Yong viewing stand, there was only silence.
The civil and military officials all looked grim, and for a moment, no one said a word.
Emperor Pingkang’s expression darkened.
When Cui Yang crossed the finish line and dismounted, his legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed. The attendants beside him hurried forward to support him.
His face was unnaturally flushed. Beads of sweat rolled heavily down his forehead, and he was breathing so rapidly that he seemed unable to catch his breath.
Marquis Xuanyi said coldly, “The winner of this round is the First Prince of Hu Rong!”
Another wave of excited cheers erupted from the Northern Rong side, making the silence on the Great Yong side seem even more oppressive.
Cui Yu remained calm and spoke in praise. “The First Prince’s horsemanship is superb.”
Upon hearing this, Agula smiled and cupped his hands. “The Crown Prince is too kind. Prince of Guangling’s horsemanship is also remarkable. I merely won by a narrow stroke of luck.”
On the viewing stand, Minister Liu of the Ministry of Rites frowned and could not help murmuring, “Is His Highness the First Prince… unwell? Why does he look so pale?”
Several civil officials beside him noticed it as well and showed worried expressions.
Emperor Pingkang had seen it too, and his brows drew together slightly.
Just then, the eunuch serving at the First Prince’s side suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud. He kowtowed repeatedly and said through sobs, “Your Majesty, please forgive us! His Highness… has been ill for quite some time. His condition has repeatedly worsened and improved without ever fully recovering. Yesterday, when he received Your Majesty’s verbal command, His Highness did not wish to disappoint you, so he had the imperial physicians administer a strong dose of medicine. That was the only reason his illness was temporarily suppressed…”
Before he could finish, Cui Yang abruptly turned around and shouted angrily, “Silence!”
His voice was hoarse, tinged with embarrassment and indignation.
A loss was a loss. What was the point of making excuses?
His face was flushed bright red, whether from anger or illness, and his chest heaved violently. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.
Losing was humiliating enough. If people found out that he had competed while ill and was now making excuses after losing, then he would truly have disgraced himself in front of the Northern Rong people!
Emperor Pingkang’s brows knitted even more tightly. He said in a deep voice, “Nonsense!”
There was displeasure in his tone, but also concern. “If you were unwell, how could you compete while sick? Why did you not report it to Me sooner?”
He immediately turned and instructed the eunuch beside him, “Summon the imperial physicians!”
Cui Yang lowered his head, his face filled with shame, and knelt down. “This son knows he was wrong. I beg Father Emperor to punish me.”
Seeing this, Agula still wore a smile and said, “Prince of Guangling is truly brave. To put on such a performance while ill is admirable indeed. Had he not been unwell, it would have been difficult to say who would have won this round.”
He paused, then continued with a smile, “However, since Prince of Guangling is unwell and has been competing while sick, I ask that Your Majesty replace him for the remaining two rounds. Otherwise, even if we win in the end, it would hardly be a victory to take pride in.”
The moment his words fell, the viewing stand fell silent.
The civil and military officials exchanged glances, their eyes unconsciously moving back and forth between the Crown Prince, the First Prince, and the Sixth Prince.
Replace him?
Who could take his place?
Emperor Pingkang’s expression darkened slightly. His gaze slowly swept across the field before coming to rest on the Sixth Prince.
The Sixth Prince sensed his father’s eyes on him, and his heart tightened abruptly.
He had never excelled at archery or horsemanship from a young age, nor had he ever been fond of martial arts or mounted archery. Compared with a burly grassland warrior like the First Prince of Northern Rong, going out there would only mean making a fool of himself…
He lowered his eyes, avoiding Emperor Pingkang’s gaze.
However, everything Shen Ronghua had said had come true one thing after another. Had she not said that the First Prince would win this contest? Then why had…
His heart suddenly jolted.
The First Prince had always been in good health and rarely fell ill, yet he had happened to become sick at this particular moment. Worse, his condition had repeatedly failed to improve…
The Sixth Prince’s expression grew markedly more unpleasant.
Just then, a steady and solemn voice rang out.
“Father Emperor, I ask permission to take the field.”
The Sixth Prince abruptly raised his head and saw that the Crown Prince had already stepped forward.
The entire arena suddenly fell silent.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the Crown Prince.
Emperor Pingkang’s gaze slowly shifted to him, his expression complicated.
After a long moment, he finally gave a slight nod and uttered a deep, heavy word:
“Granted.”
Upon hearing this, Agula looked toward the Crown Prince and then smiled. He clasped his fists and said, “I have long heard of the Great Yong Crown Prince. It is my honor to test Your Highness’s archery today.”
At the banquet earlier, he had already wanted to compete with the Crown Prince, but Emperor Pingkang had declined on the grounds that the Crown Prince was frail. Agula had been somewhat disappointed by that.
Still, this Crown Prince of Great Yong was not the least bit timid. He had taken the initiative to accept the challenge several times in succession…
Agula was eager to see just how much true ability this Crown Prince actually possessed.
On the high platform where the women were seated, whispers soon arose all around.
“Why has the First Prince left the field?”
“Is that… the Crown Prince? The Crown Prince is competing in the second round?”
“Isn’t the Crown Prince frail? How can he possibly manage this?”
“Shh, keep your voice down!”
Many of the women cast worried and astonished looks, their gazes moving back and forth between the Crown Prince and Agula.
With Agula’s build, he looked like an iron tower simply standing there. Although the Crown Prince was tall and slender, standing beside Agula, he appeared…
It was truly difficult not to worry.
The moment Shen Yanshui saw the Crown Prince step forward, she froze briefly. Then a smile appeared on her face.
The Empress beside her also frowned. Her gaze swept heavily over the women whispering around them. “Enough. Watch carefully.”
The high platform immediately fell silent.
Princess Ulan Tuya remained impassive, her expression growing increasingly intent.
Shen Yanshui shifted her gaze away from the Crown Prince and glanced toward Lady Shen in the distance.
Lady Shen’s expression revealed nothing. She lowered her head and took a sip of tea, appearing completely composed. There even seemed to be a hint of a smile at the corners of her eyes and brows…
Shen Yanshui looked at her twice before withdrawing her gaze and focusing on the field.
On the martial arena, Marquis Xuanyi stepped forward and bowed to the Crown Prince. Then he turned to Agula and asked in a solemn voice, “For the second round, an archery contest, how do the two princes wish to compete?”
Agula laughed heartily. His gaze swept over the Crown Prince, and he waved his large hand. “Let’s not bother with anything fancy. One arrow decides the winner. What does the Crown Prince think?”
Cui Yu’s expression remained calm, and his voice was steady. “Agreed.”
Marquis Xuanyi nodded and raised his hand to signal the attendants.
Before long, a target had been set up in the middle of the arena.
It was not an ordinary stationary target. Instead, forty zhang away stood an old willow tree. A jade pendant, tied with a red cord, hung from one of its branches, swaying back and forth in the wind, now to the left, now to the right.
The willow branches rustled continuously in the breeze, and the jade pendant swung along with them. The difficulty of striking it under such conditions was obvious.
Marquis Xuanyi then ordered the bows and arrows to be brought forward.
A wide variety of bows was laid out in a row, ranging from one-stone bows to two-stone and three-stone heavy bows. They varied in weight and material.
Agula’s gaze swept over the bows. He strode forward and stopped directly before the three-stone heavy bow.
He reached out and picked it up, weighing it in his hand before drawing the bowstring back and forth. The string gave off a deep, humming twang that made people’s eardrums tremble.
From the stands, quite a few civil and military officials witnessed the scene and immediately sucked in a breath of cold air.
“A three-stone heavy bow… The First Prince lifted it with such ease?”
“The Northern Rong truly are raised on horseback. That arm strength… astonishing.”
For a moment, everyone’s hearts rose and fell, filled with anxious uncertainty.
They had already lost the first round. If they lost this one as well, Great Yong’s dignity would truly be thrown to the ground and trampled beneath the feet of others.
Everyone turned to the Crown Prince, their hearts filled with both anticipation and unease.
Then they saw His Highness the Crown Prince walk over to the row of bows. After sweeping his gaze across them, he reached out and picked up another three-stone heavy bow.
Quite a few civil officials’ brows twitched violently.
A three-stone heavy bow was something even ordinary military commanders might not be able to draw. His Highness the Crown Prince…
Yet in the next moment, they saw the Crown Prince holding the bow in his hand, weighing it, then testing the string. His movements were smooth and natural, without the slightest hint of strain.
The civil officials stared at one another, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.
Was this really their Crown Prince, who had been frail and sickly since childhood, refined and scholarly in appearance?
Among the military commanders, Qi Mingchuan sat beside the Duke Fengguo. His expression remained impassive, but inwardly, his brows drew together ever so slightly.
He knew that the Crown Prince’s archery was not weak. In the past, when His Highness had visited the Duke Fengguo’s residence, his father had personally instructed him. Though the Crown Prince was younger than Qi Mingchuan and weaker than him in physical strength, their archery skills had been evenly matched.
But that had been several years ago.
Over the past few years, the Crown Prince had constantly maneuvered through the court, burdened with affairs of state. His martial skills had surely grown rusty.
And now, he had chosen a three-stone heavy bow right from the start…
Qi Mingchuan subconsciously glanced at the father beside him.
The old Duke Fengguo sat there upright, his expression as calm as usual, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Qi Mingchuan withdrew his gaze and looked back toward the field.
He sighed inwardly.
If the Crown Prince had taken the field in the first round, with His Highness’s horsemanship, he might not have lost. Whether he had won or drawn, there would have been no need to fight for momentum in the second round; he could have used a somewhat lighter bow without issue.
But now that the first round had already been lost, the Northern Rong’s momentum was at its peak. If His Highness the Crown Prince chose a light bow at this moment, he would already have lost a step in terms of presence.
As the heir to an entire nation, he could not retreat in a situation like this.
Fortunately… there was only one arrow.
Qi Mingchuan’s gaze locked tightly onto the field.
On the field, Agula and Cui Yu stood facing one another, each holding a bow, separated by several paces.
The wind swept across the training grounds, sending the banners snapping and flapping. The branches of the old willow swayed without pause, while the hanging gourd ladle swung back and forth, its red cord appearing and disappearing beneath the sunlight.
Agula turned his head to glance at the Crown Prince and smiled.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, please.”
Cui Yu’s expression remained calm. His gaze fell upon the swaying gourd ladle forty zhang away. Without a word, he slowly raised the bow in his hand.
Agula did not waste any more words and likewise raised his bow and nocked an arrow.
The two of them drew their bowstrings almost simultaneously.
A three-stone heavy bow required tremendous strength to draw. As the strings tightened, they gave off a deep, muffled creak. The limbs of the bows curved into full moons, as though they might snap at any moment.
On the stands, everyone’s eyes were fixed on this instant.
The civil officials held their breath, while the military commanders clenched their fists. Even Emperor Pingkang could not help leaning forward slightly.
When Agula drew his bowstring, the muscles in his arm bulged and the veins stood out. Clearly, even for him, the three-stone heavy bow was no light burden.
And Cui Yu—
Everyone looked toward the Crown Prince. His Highness’s face showed no expression at all. The arrow pointed straight ahead, his arm steady and firm, without the slightest sign of strain…
Quite a few military commanders were shaken to the core, while the civil officials were so shocked that their eyes nearly fell out of their sockets!
His Highness the Crown Prince’s arm strength… was actually this astonishing?!
Agula and Cui Yu, two heavy bows and two keen arrows.
The next moment—
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The two arrows left their strings almost at the same time, slicing through the air. Their sharp whistles tore across the silence above the training grounds!
High above the training grounds, the two arrows shot through the air, their shrill cries breaking the stillness.
Everyone’s eyes followed those two arrows intently, their breathing seemingly coming to a halt at that very moment.
Forty zhang away, the branches of the old willow swayed in the wind. The gourd tied with a red cord hung from one of them, swinging back and forth with the wind.
Crack!
A crisp sound rang out.
The arrow Agula had fired struck the gourd dead center. With a force fierce enough to shatter stone, it exploded on impact, sending fragments flying in every direction. Broken pieces scattered across the ground.
A burst of cheers immediately erupted from the Northern Rong envoys’ side of the stands.
But before those cheers had even died away, the sight on the other side brought them to an abrupt halt!
