In the crowd, Yun Wan stood dazed in thought.
Though he had memorized the key points of archery and Sui’s posture looked proper, his first arrow still missed entirely.
After his initial frustration, he gathered his resolve and tried again.
This time, Emperor Jingxuan, breaking his usual habit of silently observing without comment, stepped in to correct Sui’s stance.
He moved behind Sui, adjusting his footing with a light tap and pressing his palm to guide his posture, forcing Sui to plant himself more firmly. The boy’s bow-drawing stance became more precise, his small frame now as straight and sturdy as a young poplar.
From a distance, the sight of the tall emperor and the small boy standing side by side was strikingly eye-catching.
Fuling sighed in admiration. "Auntie, His Majesty is so kind to the young master, personally instructing him like this. To my eyes, they look no different from an ordinary father and son."
Yun Wan’s pupils constricted, her expression shifting subtly.
She fixed Fuling with a gaze, her brow furrowing with a gravity that clouded her eyes with an inscrutable complexity.
Fuling shrank under her stare, bewildered. "Auntie?"
Yun Wan’s lips parted, but she only said quietly, "Don’t speak such words again."
Fortunately, they were far enough away that Fuling’s voice had been hushed.
"Focus straight ahead. Clear your mind and fix your eyes only on the bullseye," Emperor Jingxuan instructed, his tone cool and firm as he bent slightly to adjust Sui’s small arm. "Once you feel you’ve aimed true, release without hesitation."
Sui, his round face solemn, followed the guidance meticulously. When the emperor gave a nod of approval, he stepped back, letting the boy take the shot on his own.
Thwack!
This arrow fared far better than the first—it struck the fifth ring!
"Fifth ring! Lu Changsui hit the fifth ring! Two rings higher than before!"
"Who was it that mocked him for only hitting the third ring earlier?"
"......"
Emperor Jingxuan’s thick brows lifted slightly, a glimmer of satisfaction flashing in his narrow, phoenix-like eyes.
Not bad for the kid.
Hearing that he’d hit the fifth ring, Sui froze, his fair little face blank with surprise before he instinctively turned to Yun Wan, his expression blooming into a radiant smile as if to say, Mother, I hit the fifth ring!
Usually, Sui was a serious, precocious little boy—adorable but rarely smiling. Now, with his eyes crinkled and lips stretched wide, his delicate, fair features mirrored Yun Wan’s even more strikingly.
Looking over, Yun Wan’s gaze was fixed solely on her son, her smile as bright as blossoms, oblivious to all else.
Emperor Jingxuan inwardly clicked his tongue.
Regaining his composure, he glanced at Sui and said flatly, "Again."
Three arrows in total—one remained.
He wanted to see just how far this boy could go.
Meeting Sui’s bright, clear eyes, the emperor’s lips quirked. "If you want to make your mother even happier, give it your all."
Sui nodded firmly, his eyes shining with determination. "I will, Your Majesty!"
He truly believed the emperor was an exceptionally good person. Without his guidance earlier, Sui doubted he could have hit the fifth ring at all.
Drawing his bow once more, Sui took a deep breath, his small frame radiating an unspoken nobility and intensity as he locked onto the distant target.
Commander Wei stole a glance at the pair. The resemblance between their stances was uncanny—likely a result of the emperor’s personal instruction.
Thwack!
Sui released the arrow the moment he felt his aim was true.
The shaft cut through the air with lightning speed, striking the target with a resounding impact.
Moments later, a palace attendant raised a flag and announced the result.
"—Eighth ring!"
The archery grounds erupted in uproar.
"Eighth ring! Heavens, an eighth ring!"
"Lu Changsui actually hit the eighth ring!"
"This is his first time shooting, and only his third attempt—how is this possible? Incredible!"
"......"
Sui stood frozen, his flushed little face awash with disbelief.
He—he had actually hit the eighth ring!
Snapping out of his daze, he clutched his black-lacquered bow and hurried to Emperor Jingxuan, his voice brimming with gratitude. "Your Majesty, thank you!"
He had been content just to hit the fifth ring—enough to prove himself to his peers and secure this bow as his own.
The emperor glanced down at him. "If you truly wish to thank me, speak well of me to your mother."
Sui: ?
Adult thoughts were too convoluted. Even with his sharp mind, Sui couldn’t unravel the meaning behind those words.
After a brief struggle, he dismissed the matter entirely and bounded over to Yun Wan.
"Mother, I hit the eighth ring! Did you see?" he exclaimed, bursting with energy.
Yun Wan crouched to his level, cupping his soft cheeks and pinching them gently. "Of course I saw! My precious boy is so amazing—Mother is so proud of you!"
She gasped in exaggerated awe. "How can my darling be this incredible? Whose child is this, so unbelievably talented?"
Sui giggled shyly, burying his face in her embrace. "Yours..."
Pulling back, he proudly brandished his little bow. "Mother, now I can practice archery properly. When I can hit the mark every time, I’ll put on a show just for you!"
Yun Wan’s eyes shimmered with tenderness. "I’ll look forward to that day, my treasure."
Just then, thunderous cheers erupted across the field, punctuated by Pei Qian’s booming voice:
"Uncle is incredible! Show us another round!"
The Third Prince chimed in, starry-eyed. "Father is the best!"
Commander Wei sighed in admiration. "As expected of Your Majesty. Your archery remains peerless, undiminished by time."
Having once campaigned under Emperor Jingxuan, he knew firsthand the emperor’s prowess. That even now, as the realm’s sovereign, he had not neglected his skills filled the commander with both reverence and shame.
Having struck the bullseye with a single shot, the emperor’s gaze swept idly across the distance before he nocked another arrow.
Fuling craned her neck excitedly. "Auntie, it seems His Majesty is shooting again—and he just hit the farthest target’s center!"
That wooden target was a full hundred paces away—most people could barely see the bullseye, let alone hit it!
Sui’s eyes widened. The emperor was that skilled?
Instantly fired up, he tugged at Yun Wan’s sleeve. "Mother, can we go watch His Majesty shoot?"
His eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Yun Wan nodded, taking his hand as they entered the archery range.
The moment mother and son stepped onto the field, Emperor Jingxuan released his arrow.
Whoosh!
The shaft streaked through the air like silver lightning, embedding itself into the distant target with a resonant thud—dead center.
What followed was a relentless volley, the emperor loosing arrows at an inhuman pace.
Draw, release, bullseye—each motion seamless, effortless, yet electrifying to behold.
The crowd roared with every shot, the loudest cheers coming from the children, Pei Qian’s voice rising above the rest in near-hysterical excitement.
With three arrows left in the quiver, Emperor Jingxuan plucked them all at once, fitting them to the bowstring.
Under the breathless scrutiny of onlookers, he let fly—three arrows in unison, each piercing the target’s heart.
A split second later, the wooden frame, unable to withstand the force, collapsed with a resounding crash.
The emperor remained impassive, as though the outcome had never been in doubt—his composure unshaken, his victory absolute.
His slender, well-defined fingers toyed with the bow, his sharp brows slightly raised, his phoenix eyes cold and piercing. His features were strikingly handsome—the high bridge of his nose and the hard, chiseled lines of his face standing out. Under the blazing sun, his broad chest and upright posture exuded an air of unyielding strength. His hair was tied back with a jade crown, his black robes fluttering in the wind. Though dressed in ordinary attire, nothing could dull the fierce, indomitable aura surrounding him.
Suddenly, Yun Wan's breath caught.
