Stage Archery Sharpening Its Cutting Edge

d her with varying degrees of pity and glee at her misfortune. The first one to speak was Miss Ye Lin, a concubine-born daughter who had always been close to Madam Wang’s legitimate daughters and woul...211. Archery Challenge, Revealing Sharp Talent

211。 Archery Challenge, Revealing Sharp Talent

The stage was set right across from the Jingxiang Pavilion on the street side. Ye Li walked over and saw a gem-encrusted dagger placed in the center of the stage. If the opponent wasn't truly confident in their archery skills, they must be rich beyond reason but with nowhere to spend it. Without discussing whether this knife was valuable or not, just those various red rubies, blue sapphires, and emeralds encrusted on the dagger's scabbard alone were worth a fortune.

"Qin Feng," Ye Li said softly.

Following behind her, Qin Feng stepped forward and whispered, "Your Excellency, what are your orders" Ye Li glanced at the middle-aged man in North Rong warrior attire on stage and said, "Find out about this person’s background."

"Qin Feng looked at the person on stage and nodded. "Yes, Your Grace."

The three of them stood behind the crowd watching the stage. In front of them, Yun霆had already jumped onto the stage and arrogantly looked at the North Rong man, saying, “Tell me, how do we fight in this challenge” The North Rong man sized him up from head to toe and smiled. "This young master looks so fair-skinned and clean-cut, are you really here for a match Don't end up not even being able to draw the bow." Yun霆snorted coldly and said, “If I'm not here to fight on this stage, then what am I doing here Chatting with you” He walked over to where the bows and arrows were placed and casually picked up a bow and an arrow. Turning his hand around, he shot an arrow at a tree stump about as thick as a bowl beside the stage. The arrow pierced into the wood with a whiz sound, impressing those watching below.

The North Rong man clapped his hands and laughed, "Well done! I didn't expect this young master to be such an expert. Since that's the case, let's begin."

Yun霆sniffed lightly and looked down at the bow in his hand without acknowledging him. The North Rong man wasn’t bothered by it and smiled, "The rules are simple. I've heard there is a term in your Central Plains called 'hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces'. Our people of the North Rong don't care much for such refined things as hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces, so let's skip that. Please look over there." Following his finger’s direction was an imposing tree about eighty to ninety steps away from the stage. At this moment, countless threads hung down from the tree with coins attached at their ends. It was already night, and although street lamps made it seem like broad daylight, nothing could compare to the clarity of actual daytime light. Unless one looked closely, they wouldn't even be able to see the thread suspending the coins. The gentle breeze caused the hanging coins to sway slightly and occasionally produce a crisp sound as they collided with each other. The man said, "There are thirty copper coins above, just shoot them all down within half an incense stick's time using ten arrows."

"Yun霆…" Chen Yun frowned from below. He was not inferior to Yun霆in archery skills, but in his opinion, it was impossible to shoot down these thirty coins with only ten arrows. The hanging coins were at different heights and distances, making it difficult to simultaneously hit multiple ones. Compared to the so-called 'hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces', this difficulty level had increased exponentially. Yun霆stared at the distant tree for a while before snorting coldly and drawing an arrow with his hand. In everyone's attention, the arrow left the bowstring and shot towards the coins in the shade of the tree. Several crisp sounds were heard as one coin was pierced through the middle by the powerful force behind it, causing it to shatter into several pieces that fell onto the ground. The arrow continued its momentum and broke another thread.

The silk thread with another copper coin attached to it was just inserted into the tree trunk.

"Well done!" The spectators below could not help but cheer again. Under such night conditions, he managed to hit two targets in a row; his archery skill is definitely no worse than any so-called "hitting the bullseye from a hundred paces". However, the North Rong man on stage did not show any sign of surprise. Yun霆 and Chen雲 on the platform also remained silent.

Those who understand archery all know that hitting later targets becomes increasingly difficult. Although Yun霆's shooting skills are good, he might still not be able to shoot down all thirty copper coins. As they watched Yun霆 reloading and aiming again, everyone’s eyes were fixed on the remaining copper coins at the base of the tree.

When Yun霆 shot his seventh arrow and there were fifteen copper coins left hanging from the tree, Qin風 quietly appeared behind Ye璃 and startled Yao姬 who had been following her. Ye璃 glanced sideways at Qin風, and he whispered, "This middle-aged man is indeed a North Rong person but not an ordinary one. He's a capable general under Helian真的 in North Rong, even known as the number-one archer of North Rong. Moreover, that sword he offers as a prize isn't simple either; it was bestowed upon him by the King of North Rong during the time when Helian真 still enjoyed favor."

"Oh" Ye璃 raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "The number-one archer from North Rong has come to You陽 to set up a stall and challenge others" Qin風 smiled and replied, "His coming here is unrelated to the King of North Rong. Ever since Helian真 fell out of favor, although several forces tried to lure him over, he refused them all; even his military position was no longer important to him. So now he's just an ordinary citizen, free to set up a stall wherever he wants as long as he doesn’t break any laws."

When the Crown Prince was born, You陽 City had already announced that they welcomed merchants and travelers from all over the country to do business or sightsee in the northwest. Therefore, there have been quite a few martial arts experts and江湖遊俠，甚至還有一些才子詩人擺擂台什麼的比賽。

當然更多的是各地聞訊而來的商人和遊人。

葉璃回頭看了他一眼，含笑問道：“所以說他是耶律野的人？”

秦風點頭道：“可以這麼說。”葉璃冷笑，“好一個耶律野，還派了一個北戎七王子過來！”耶律野明明知道汝陽駐紮著墨家軍和黑雲騎，卻派人來搗亂。不就是想要讓人知道墨家軍和黑雲騎的箭術也就這樣嗎？見葉璃動怒，秦風低聲問道：“王妃，屬下派幾個人解決他？”

這樣的苛刻要求即使是麒麟能做到也不多，但是還好並非冇有。如今幾百頭麒麟裡麵挑挑選選也能跳出七八個應戰。不過以他之前在北戎的戰績來看，未必還有彆人有眼前這個人的實力，要不然他還當什麼北戎第一神箭手？葉璃搖頭，淡淡道：“這種貨色還不需要麒麟能出手解決，說不定耶律野就是想見識一下麒麟呢？”

麒麟豈是任何人想見就見的？所謂特種部隊，在任何時代都是神秘的代名詞。如果人人都能猜透他們的戰鬥力，那還有什麼秘密王牌可言？

"Commander Yun is about to lose," Qin風 pointed at the already-prepared-for-the-final-arrow Yun霆 and said. There were thirteen copper coins hanging on the tree, and it was impossible for Yun霆 to shoot them all down with one arrow.

Ye璃 smiled indifferently and said, "It's good for a young man to lose his arrogance. Losing to North Rong's number-one archer is not unfair."

Qin風 nodded and agreed, "That's what the Duchess said.

The last arrow from Yun霆 (Yun霆 is a character's name, so it can be left as-is) managed to hit three coins at once, but even this could not change the fact that Yun霆 lost. His young and handsome face was cold like ice, with an unnoticeable hint of disappointment. The northern nomad man smiled and said, "Young master, you've lost. Fifty taels." Yun霆 pulled a fifty-tael silver ingot from his pocket and handed it to the northern nomad before leaping down from the stage.

"I wonder if there's any other expert willing to give it a try" The man collected the ingot with a smile, addressing the crowd below.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Even those from the Mo Army couldn't do it. Who else can win" All eyes turned to Yun霆. The man on stage smiled and said, "Oh So this young fellow is a soldier of the Mo Army My apologies for my ignorance. I heard that all members of the Mo Army are exceptional archers. Is there any other member willing to step forward and challenge them What about you, sir" He looked down at Chen Yun next to Yun霆 with a hint of provocation in his voice. Chen Yun was equally skilled as Yun霆 but was caught between staying or going up on stage. Yun霆's face darkened, realizing that it was his pride that had put Chen Yun in this predicament. Just as he wanted to step forward and speak, Chen Yun pulled him back and thought for a moment before hearing a melodious voice from behind them, "If so, may I give it a try Northern Nomad General Hu Yan"

Everyone was taken aback; they were all watching Yun霆 shoot arrows and because it was night time, Ye Li and Yao Ji stood at the back of the crowd. No one noticed that there were two beautiful ladies among them until Ye Li spoke up suddenly. All eyes turned to Ye Li while some people began sizing up the northern nomad men on stage. It was understandable for the northern nomads to hold a grudge against Great Chu, but everyone ignored the slight provocation towards Chen Yun earlier. However, if it were General Hu Yan, who once gained great fame in Northern Nomad and was known as their top archer, to provoke an unknown young soldier from the Mo Army, it would be inappropriate.

"Greetings, Princess!" More than half of the people on stage were residents of Ruyang City. Seeing Ye Li, they hurriedly bowed and made way for her. The others also followed suit out of respect as guests.

The northern nomad man was taken aback when his identity was exposed. He saw a beautiful woman in green walking towards the center stage with a gentle smile that seemed familiar to every noble lady of Great Chu. However, there was something eerie about her smile that sent shivers down his spine. Smiling at Ye Li, he said, "So you are Princess Consort of Ding Wang (Ding Wang is a title), I don't quite understand what General Hu Yan means." Ye Li smiled lightly and leaped gracefully onto the stage before saying coldly, "Northern Nomad's former top archer, Hu Yan. My subordinates may not be outstanding but it would be an overkill for you to personally instruct them. I'll surely thank Prince of Northern Nomad later." Her words implied that Hu Yan was clearly bullying a young soldier by challenging him in front of everyone.

Hu Yan's heart jolted and he forced a smile, "Since Princess Consort wants to fight on stage, we welcome her warmly. Please take your place then." He planned to pass this off as an innocent challenge. Ye Li was unperturbed by his reaction; she glanced at the gem-encrusted short sword placed in the center of the stage and said with a smile, "The Prince's gift must be something special, so I won't hesitate to take it then." Hu Yan's face darkened as he replied, "Let's wait until you win before we talk about that."

He stepped aside and handed over his bow and arrow. He didn't want to give her a hard time by offering an extremely powerful bow as it would be seen as bullying the Princess Consort's daughter. Instead, he gave her one that was suitable for her abilities so she could lose on her own accord. Hu Yan had complete confidence in his archery skills; he did not believe this refined and frail-looking woman could be a top-notch shooter. He knew about the incident where the former Princess Consort scared Princess Lingyun with an arrow, but to him, she barely managed to shoot back then.

Ye Li calmly accepted Hu Yan's bow and arrow and tested it before smiling lightly, "A good bow."

Hu Yan proudly responded, "Everything we produce in Northern Nomad is top quality."

The coins were hung on a tree about fifty steps away. Hu Yan said, "Princess Consort, you may step closer to shoot." Ye Li smiled gently and replied, "Thank you for your kindness, General Hu." Others might accept his offer but Ye Li knew that being too close didn't necessarily mean better shooting accuracy. In this case, if she stood directly under the tree, even a top-notch archer would struggle to hit all coins.

Under everyone's gaze, Ye Li calmly picked up three arrows, placed them on her shoulder, and drew the bowstring. Everyone was shocked when they saw that she intended to shoot three arrows simultaneously. She skillfully pulled back the arrow, slightly adjusted her position, and released it without hesitation. Three silver lights shot towards a distant tree under the lamplight, followed by the crisp sound of coins hitting the ground. Ye Li did not stop and immediately picked up another set of arrows and fired them.

Another series of sharp sounds echoed as she prepared to shoot again. Before anyone could react, Ye Li spun around while sitting on the ground and shot three more arrows upward.

In just a moment, only one arrow remained in her hand. Looking at the tree, five coins still hung there. Many people were worried for Ye Li's sake but whoever won or lost this battle would not doubt the Mo Army’s archery skills anymore.

In a room of the Fragrant Pavilion not far away, an open window faced the arena below. Two men sat opposite each other with complex expressions as they watched the scene unfold below. "Prince Li, what do you think… about Princess Consort Ding's last arrow" Mo Jingli raised his cup to his lips and downed it in one swallow before saying coldly, "Does it matter whether Ye Li wins or loses The reputation of the Black Family Army is not mine, nor is the Howling Moon Blade." Upon hearing this, Yelü Ye could not help but shake his head with a sigh. "Princess Consort Ding truly has good fortune to have such a woman as her husband; it’s indeed the greatest blessing in life."

Clunk! Mo Jingli placed his wine cup heavily on the table, causing the alcohol jug and plates on top of it to tremble.

Seeing Mo Jingli's gloomy expression like dark clouds gathering overhead, Yelü Ye smiled. "To think that Princess Consort Ding was originally chosen as Prince Li’s bride by Emperor Shunzhi; what a pity…"

Crack… The wine cup in Mo Jingli’s hand shattered into pieces.

In another room, Lei Tengfeng and Prince Zhennan were also observing the arena opposite them. Lei Tengfeng smiled as he complimented her, "I never expected Princess Consort Ding to make such rapid progress; I still remember two years ago when she could barely handle a bow properly. Father, who do you think will win" Prince Zhennan seemed not to hear him and merely focused intently on the green-robed woman on stage, his eyes gleaming with an odd light. Lei Tengfeng did not comment further, but lowered his head in silence, lost in thought.

Onstage, Hu Yulan stared at the green-clad woman before him, hiding his shock. "Princess Consort Ding, this is your last arrow."

Ye Li smiled and calmly picked up her feathered arrow. This time she did not hurry; instead, she slowly nocked it onto the bowstring and aimed carefully. Everyone held their breath as they watched the few copper plates left hanging on the tree above.

Suddenly, Ye Li sprang into action with a quick step forward, landing briefly on a table behind her before leaping up. In mid-air, she swiftly drew her bow and fired an arrow. *Swoosh—*

The feathered arrow pierced the tree trunk. Everyone was stunned as they saw only an empty space where the tree had been; the copper plates hanging from its branches were nowhere to be seen, though sharp-eyed observers could spot a few identical strings still hanging from the tree. How could Princess Consort Ding’s last shot have broken such slender strings with no roots Such archery skills and eyesight must leave everyone in awe! Ye Li turned back to Hu Yulan, whose face had paled, and said coolly, "By the same rules, if you can match this feat, I will admit defeat!"

The crowd was stunned. Previously, it had been Hu Yulan who challenged others by setting up an arena; now, Princess Consort Ding was openly challenging the Northern Rong’s number one expert! The audience below buzzed with chatter, and Yun Ting, who had previously looked cold, suddenly became excited. "What do you think, General Hu Surely you're not afraid to accept our princess consort's challenge"

Hu Yulan's face was ashen; he really dared not take up the challenge. He was indeed known as Northern Rong’s number one expert and might have been able to match Ye Li if given time, but now he could do nothing about it. While he could shoot arrows one by one in under ten shots to hit all the coins, he couldn’t control three at once to hit seven or more coins simultaneously. And Ye Li clearly knew this was his weakness.

"General Hu" Ye Li smiled and prompted him.

"I admit defeat!" Hu Yulan gritted his teeth as everyone immediately started booing. Ye Li walked to the center of the arena, picked up a short sword adorned with jewels from the stand, and unsheathed it; an icy chill swept over her. The blade was sharp and gleaming, reflecting even the sharpest edge that had seen countless lives spilled in its wake. With a casual wave of her hand, the table where the sword lay shattered into pieces. She sheathed the sword and praised it: "Truly a fine weapon. Thank you for this, General Hu."

Seeing his prized sword being tucked away inside Ye Li’s sleeve, Hu Yulan was speechless with rage but could only watch helplessly as she left the arena with his treasured blade.ok Jian’s position. Jian hesitated but didn’t immediately let go. Mo Xiuyao raised his hand, "Jian, you can step down." The young man looked at Ye Li with surprise, then added a touch of respect as he...