apologize

Before he could react, Liao Yan drew her longbow to its full length, and with a whoosh, the arrow flew straight out of her hand.

The arrow, released from the bow, was as swift as lightning. The red feathers at the end of the shaft were as bright as a dazzling red star. In an instant, a sharp whistling sound resounded through the sky. The arrow was as fast as lightning, and in no time, it pierced the sky and struck the red bullseye!

The arrows she used were not ordinary arrows, but rather whistling arrows, which were extremely rare in the Mujing area. These arrows were known for their speed and ruthlessness; each arrow fired was accompanied by a resounding whistle that echoed through the sky. Not only were the arrowheads sharp enough to strike the enemy's vital points, but the whistling sound they produced could also serve as a command horn for generals leading their troops into battle.

Liang Zhengyuan's gaze suddenly sharpened, his previous nonchalant expression replaced by a sharper one, focusing on the two remaining arrows in Princess Kunrou's hand.

Liao Yan smiled meaningfully, her fierce and cold face suddenly softening with a touch of gentleness.

Liang Zhengyuan was momentarily stunned by the sudden smile, and before he could recover, he heard her speak loudly:

Are you ready?

Before she finished speaking, Princess Kunrou suddenly turned around and aimed her bow and arrow at the other side of the martial arts training ground behind them.

Everyone's eyes followed the princess as she looked ahead.

But then they saw sand and dust swirling, banners fluttering, and all the martial arts students gathered in the archery range. The place where they had been training was now empty, with only the weapon racks piled high with the swords, spears, and halberds that everyone had just used for training, gleaming in the gray dust.

Before Liang Zhengyuan could think it through, he heard a double ringing in his ears and suddenly rushed forward!

The archery range and the martial arts training ground were dozens of miles apart. The two arrows lingered in the air for a little longer, and then the sound of tinkling came from afar.

Immediately afterwards, a thick layer of dust was stirred up by the incredibly swift wind of the arrows, and it took a while for it to return to silence. The red feathers at the ends of the two arrows were particularly vibrant amidst the swirling dust.

They resemble two delicate and vibrant red roses.

Meanwhile, the two arrows that had traversed the entire battlefield had now fallen. One of the arrows had pierced through the wooden stake of the weapon rack, almost touching the red tassel on the pommel of a red-tasseled spear, the two red streaks intertwining and reflecting each other.

The other arrow, after striking a suit of armor, fell straight onto the thick sand of the battlefield, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Liao Yan raised her eyebrows slightly and looked back at him with a leisurely air.

One arrow firmly pinned his usual red-tasseled spear to the wooden stake, while the other pointed directly at the heart of a suit of armor he usually wore during drills.

Liang Zhengyuan frowned slightly, cold sweat breaking out on his brow. He had no choice but to steel himself and bow, saying:

“Your Highness’s arrows are as sharp and accurate as those of a hawk. I am ashamed to admit that I am not as good as you, so I will not make a fool of myself. Please punish me, Your Highness.”

With his eyes lowered, he could see the remaining arrows in Liao Yan's quiver, all of which were exquisitely carved and sharpened from sharp animal bones over a hundred times.

He remembered those arrows.

In order to hone exquisite and sharp arrows, Xu'er had pestered him for a long time, even developing thick calluses on her palms. It turned out that he had given away all his knowledge and skills to the princess.

He hunched over, not daring to stand up until he heard Liao Yan's reply. His lower back began to ache from the half-bent posture, and even though he tried his best to control himself, a slight tremor could still be seen in his lower back.

It seemed like a long time had passed, and all around was silent. Then, a cold, frost-like female voice came from above and drifted lightly into the dust.

"Liang Zhengyuan, do you look down on me?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the martial arts arena showed signs of panic. Although Princess Kunrou was far less flamboyant than her mother, she was still of noble status. If they offended her, not only would Liang Zhengyuan be punished today, but all the students in the martial arts arena would also be implicated.

Seeing that Liang Zhengyuan remained silent, the men who were on good terms with him broke out in a cold sweat. Zhang Boyuan stepped forward and also bowed to Liao Yan, apologizing:

“Your Highness, you may not know this, but Brother Liang caught a cold a few days ago and took leave to rest at home for a while. I’m afraid he’s not fully recovered yet. If he has unfortunately disturbed your enjoyment, I will take the blame. Please forgive Brother Liang.”

Liao Yan's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing this, and she glanced at Liang Zhengyuan, who was still bowing, as if in disbelief. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly heard very light footsteps approaching from afar, followed by a clear and calm female voice:

“My cousin is unwell, which may spoil the princess’s enjoyment of riding and archery today. If the princess does not mind, Lin Xu is willing to compete with you on his behalf.”

A woman in a flowing blue-green dress, reminiscent of pine and tea, gracefully approached from afar. A faint smile graced her small, delicate face, her eyes were bright and clear, her expression serene and composed, yet she exuded an aura of tranquility and peace. Her remaining, flowing hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, swaying gently in the breeze with each step she took.

After a few days apart, her makeup became even simpler, consisting of a very simple half-combed slanted bun without any gold or silver hairpins, which made her look even more refined and pure, like a lotus leaf by the water.

After recognizing the person who had arrived, Liao Yan smiled, a rare occurrence, and said, "No need for formalities."

She glanced lightly at Lin Xu, who had walked up to the crowd, then turned back to give Liang Zhengyuan a brief look before raising her hand to signal him to stand up.

"We've been classmates for months, yet I never knew you were skilled in archery."

"Lin Xu only had some free time on weekdays and was fortunate to receive instruction from my cousin. However, my knowledge is still very limited and cannot compare to the princess's heroic demeanor. Please do not take offense, princess."

After speaking, she gently rolled up her sleeves, revealing half of her slender, fair arms. She had come alone and without any equipment, so she casually picked up a bow and arrows placed on the ground and randomly chose three arrows.

Although everyone had seen Lin Xu bring Liang Zhengyuan iced drinks at the martial arts training ground before, they had never known that this delicate and slender woman could also shoot arrows, and they were all immediately drawn to her.

She placed three arrows on the bowstring at the same time, gently closed her right eye, and aimed her left eye with a determined gaze. In no time, the three arrows flew toward the distant target as she rotated her body from left to right.

The first arrow whistled and landed firmly in the bullseye, right below the red-feathered arrow that Liao Yan had just shot. Then the second and third arrows also landed in the bullseye in succession!

Each arrow landed precisely beneath the target, perfectly aligned with its own position.

Lin Xu lowered the longbow, his face bearing the marks of the taut bowstring. His eyes were bright, and he smiled, saying:

"I, Lin Xu, am not skilled enough to match the Princess's superb archery. I concede defeat."

Liao Yan's eyes darkened slightly, and under the blazing sun, a faint hint of approval seemed to flicker in them, but it vanished in an instant.

She removed the quiver from behind her back and said with a bright and clear expression:

"Very well, then I will punish you by making one hundred new whistling arrows for me, starting today. Three days later, you shall personally deliver them to my residence."

Liao Yan patted the dust off his hands, then, as if remembering something, a rare mischievous expression appeared on his face, and he added in a low voice:

"No one is allowed to help."

.

Three days later, Lin Xu delivered the promised three heavy quiver containing a full hundred arrows to the Princess's residence.

When I last visited, the imposing and magnificent mansion was visible from afar, its glazed tile roof shining brightly, truly a place of wealth and splendor. Now, the entire mansion is undergoing renovation and restoration.

From a distance, one can see several craftsmen standing on wooden ladders, carefully repainting the vermilion walls stroke by stroke.

She alighted from the sedan chair, with Zhu Ling holding a quiver of arrows, following closely behind Lin Xu. After explaining her purpose to the guards at the gate, she carefully handed the three quivers to them and turned to leave.

The guard behind her stepped forward and said loudly, "Miss Lin, the princess has specifically instructed that you be invited to come into the mansion for a short visit when you arrive."

As they were talking, a kind-faced old woman who had been waiting nearby walked towards her with a smile. After greeting her, she led her across the threshold and into the mansion.

Historically, only the most distinguished members of the imperial family were allowed to build mansions in Yong'anfang with the emperor's permission. These mansions were not only magnificent and luxurious, but also extremely elegant in every aspect.

When I first entered the Duke's mansion, all I saw was luxury. But now, as I move through the Princess's mansion, I can clearly feel the elegance beyond the extravagance.

She followed the old woman along the covered walkway, the stone bricks covered with a thick carpet, her footsteps making no sound. On both sides of the walkway were lush bamboo groves, rustling in the wind, and through the green shadows, she could vaguely see jade steps and red courtyards hidden behind them.

The corridor meandered, and with her eyes downcast, she lost track of how long she had walked before she heard bursts of silvery laughter coming from behind the bamboo forest.

The laughter was unfamiliar.

The old woman who had been walking beside her turned around and explained to her gently, "It just so happens that the princess also has guests visiting today, and she is currently having tea with the princess."

She understood, and her eyes showed more gratitude as she looked at the old woman. As they left the corridor, they saw a bright and open space where a dark green pavilion with four upturned eaves was hidden deep in the bamboo forest. Inside, several young girls dressed in brocade and fine clothes were smiling as if they were talking about something interesting.

The old woman bowed and whispered, "Princess, Miss Lin has come to see you."

Several girls leaned over upon hearing this, scrutinizing Lin Xu as he bowed. Liao Yan, who was sitting at the far end of the pavilion, only revealed half of her figure as the others turned and passed by. She raised her hand to gesture for Lin Xu to stand up, her gaze unusually gentle, "Come here."

Lin Xu then stood up and looked at the people sitting in the pavilion one by one. Every face was unfamiliar, but it was not hard to tell that they were all noble ladies of Mu Jingyu and Zhu Yezi.

As she approached, the woman who had been sitting in the corner moved aside, smiled, and gestured for her to sit down.

That was the only face she recognized besides Liao Yan.

In her past life, she was the only person who offered her help when she was in her most desperate situation.

Dou Zhen wore a light blue silk blouse, a long gold openwork hairpin tucked diagonally into her flying fairy bun, and a plum blossom ornament lightly adorned her forehead, making her charming yet gentle. Her cherry-red lips were slightly curved, and her delicate and graceful face resembled a begonia in its first bloom after the rain.

Seeing her sit down beside her, Dou Zhen glanced at her with a smile in her eyes.