Chongfei Manual pt. 1

112.2

Palace servants struck the leather bass drums with the drumsticks they was holding in their hands three times to publicly declare that the equestrian archery competition was officially starting.

On the viewing platform, an old eunuch shouted out, "First round of the competition, archery."

Right after his announcement, three young warriors came out on both sides. One of them was Wei Luo's third cousin, Wei Chang Xian (Qin-shi’s son). Wei Chan Xian just had his adulthood ceremony this year. Although he was an unruly child, he had grown up to be an excellent young nobleman with an elegant and dignified bearing. He seemed to be well prepared as he rode a horse to the center of the training field and saluted the other person by cupping one fist in the other hand.

Wei Luo knew that Wei Chang Xian had excelled in archery with a high rate of accuracy since he was a child. But, she didn't know how he would compare to these Wu Rong people.

A score of palace servants pushed the targets onto the field. An old eunuch explained the rules of this round. There were a total of ten targets on the field. Each following target was placed farther away from the warriors. Each person would have an opportunity to keep shooting arrows until he failed to reach the target. The team with the arrow that landed on the farthest target would be the winner of this round.

The first person that stepped forward from Da Liang's side was the Minister of Revenue's son. With an idea of what he would do, he took out an arrow from the quiver and placed it against the bow that was decorated with animal horns. His movements were as fluid as flowing water. He quickly shot out three arrows. Each of them landed on the bullseye! On the fourth target, his arrow struck just outside the bullseye. The fifth target was ten meters away from the fourth target. With great difficulty, his arrow struck the fifth target. When he reached the sixth target, his arrow wasn’t close at all and it flew past the target.

As a result, he only shot five targets successfully.

A Wu Rong warrior followed after him. The first Wu Rong person had the same result as the Minister of Revenue's son. He successfully shot five targets.

The second Da Liang person shot six targets.

As for the next two Wu Rong people, one successfully shot seven targets and the other one reached eight targets. This made Da Liang's side tenser.

Wu Rong's emperor laughed, cupped his hands, and politely said to Emperor Chong Zhen, "You let me win."

Emperor Chong Zhen's smile looked slightly forced. He placed all of his hopes onto Wei Chang Xian.

Wei Chang Xiang calmly and unhurriedly rode his horse around the competition area twice to measure the distance from the tenth target. He didn't even try for the first nine targets. He took an arrow out of his quiver, pulled the bowstring, narrowed one eye, and targeted the furthest target.

The onlookers couldn't help gasping. His move was really risky. If he failed this shot, then he wouldn't even have one successfully shot arrow!

Even Emperor Chong Zhen couldn’t help furrowing his eyebrows.

However, Wei Chang Xian didn't show the slightest sign of panic. He steadily stared at the target. Then, he let go of his right hand without any warning and the shadow of the arrow swiftly passed his face.

Bullseye!

There was a burst of loud applause and cheering from the viewing stands. Even their competitors, the Wu Rong people, couldn't help nodding their heads in admiration.

Wei Chang Xian turned his horse's head around. There was a touch of a high-spirited smile on his lips as he followed the other two people to the viewing stands.

There wasn’t any doubt that Da Liang was the winner of this round.

Wu Rong's emperor's expression slightly changed and he said to Emperor Chong Zhen, "As expected, Da Liang has a large number of talented people."

Emperor Chong Zhen laughed and copied his earlier words, "You let me win."

--------

The second round was the riding competition.

Wei Luo returned to her senses from watching the previous round. She turned her head and discovered that Liang Yu Rong had disappeared from her side. She curiously asked, "Where's Yu Rong?"

Zhao Liuli also didn't know when and why she had left. She asked a nearby servant girl. The servant girl explained, "Miss Liang recently said she had something she needed to do and would be leaving first."

At this time, what could she possibly be doing?

Wei Luo was endlessly puzzled. She wasn't too worried originally, but a sudden thought flashed through her mind. She hurriedly looked at the other side of the viewing platform. As expected, the spot where Wei Chang Yin had been sitting was empty! Wei Luo immediately guessed what had happened. She felt both anxious and angry. She scolded Liang Yu Rong in her mind for failing to live up to expectations and not showing any improvement.

After carefully considering, she couldn't continue sitting here. She made up a small excuse and after telling Zhao Liuli, she left the viewing platform.

The training arena's gate wasn't far away from the viewing platform. She walked through the gate and passed a limestone-paved path that was lined on both sides with sequoia trees. There would be a garden up front. Wei Luo continued walking down the path. As expected, she saw two people underneath a sequoia tree.

Liang Yu Rong was wearing a short green top and a long skirt. She was sitting on a stone beneath the tree. Her head was slightly hanging. Wei Luo didn't know what they had already said. Wei Chang was sitting in his beech wheelchair as always and quietly looking at her with a clear and gentle gaze. His lips were opening and closing. As for what he was saying, Wei Luo was too far away and couldn't hear.

Later, seeing Liang Yu Rong's tears, Wei Chang Yin froze for a moment. With a helpless expression, he took out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve and brought it to her for her to wipe her tears. Liang Yu Rong didn't take it. She continued to cry with her head lowered. Fortunately, the place they had selected was relatively hidden and only Wei Luo saw them. If Wei Luo hadn't especially looked for them, she wouldn't have found them here either.

Seeing that she wouldn't accept the handkerchief, Wei Chang Yin helplessly sighed, lifted up the silk handkerchief, and gently wiped her tears for her.

This was the first time that Wei Luo saw her oldest cousin being so attentive and gentle towards another person.

He also liked Liang Yu Rong, right? In her previous life, his only choice was to give her up because of his injured leg.

Since they were given another chance and they had already reached this point, Wei Luo couldn't be like Liang Yu Rong's parents in her past life and try to separate them. She had to think of a way to heal Wei Chang Yin's leg. Even if his leg couldn't be healed, she had to find a way for them to be together.

After making up her mind, Wei Luo didn't walk forward. She turned around and left the area.

After Wei Luo returned to the viewing platform, Zhao Liuli tilted her head and asked, "Ah Luo, where did you go for so long? The second round has already finished."

Wei Luo pursed her lips and explained, "I got lost, so it took me longer to come back..." She looked at the training field and changed the topic by asking, "It ended? Who won?"

Zhao Zhang had participated in the second round against the Wu Rong people.

Zhao Liuli glanced at Emperor Chong Zheng, who was sitting near them, pulled back her shoulders, and whispered, "Something happened with fifth brother. Wu Rong won."