Competition

She inherited her mother's good looks. When she and Zhou Weikan were in love, she was always favored and never had to worry about her looks fading or her love waning.

Now, however, she has to go to great lengths to cater to Dou Yanxun's preferences because she has to get close to him.

It's really... getting more and more pathetic as I get older.

Lin Xu curled her lips in self-deprecation and casually placed the colorful silk threads in her hand on the small table next to her.

On a beautifully crafted, intricately carved semi-circular table made of rosewood, several peonies are diagonally inserted into a copper kettle. Each peony is vibrant and beautiful, its delicate pink blossoms just beginning to open.

That's the newly cultivated "Drunken Spring Beauty" variegated flower in the greenhouse, its petals layered upon layered, as radiant as rosy clouds. Among them, delicate buds shyly peek out, exuding a rich fragrance, blooming gracefully amidst the emerald green.

Since Zhiyuan was sent to the flower room, the fresh flowers used in Luoyaju every day have all been different and of the finest quality. The peonies are not in season, but the "Drunken Spring Beauty" cultivated is as precious as gold, and each one is so delicate and lovely that it is hard to look away.

She strolled closer to the double-eared bronze pot and gently poured the morning dew collected from the white jade stemmed bottle beside it onto the petals. The fragrance of the flowers, accompanied by the freshest and most lustrous dewdrops from the lotus leaves, made the scene even more elegant.

With a casual flick of his fingertips, he touched the delicate petals of the double-petaled "Drunken Spring Beauty" flower, which were as tender as jade. Before long, words that were extremely difficult to detect quietly appeared on the petals.

Without making a sound, she picked up the golden scissors and trimmed the flower branches, and the petal quietly fell into her palm.

She clenched her fists.

.

Dust swirled in the air, accompanied by the scorching sun; the dust was so thick that it was impossible to open one's eyes.

Liang Zhengyuan wiped the sweat from his face and picked up his red-tasseled spear to continue practicing. After the martial arts instructors' rest and the once-every-ten-day break ended, he also resumed his daily training routine.

Fortunately, his years of martial arts training gave him a solid foundation. Despite the strictness of the newly appointed supervisor Zhao Qiaxiong, he was able to improve in a short period of time. Not only did his arm strength and physical strength improve, but his stamina when riding a horse also greatly improved.

After the spear practice came the usual archery. The martial arts training ground was teeming with talent, never lacking in skilled archers. From Qin Ziyuan, a third-year student, to Xie Qiao, who had only been there for less than a year, their archery skills were all exceptional. Even Cao Yuan, who had recently dropped out of the training ground, left behind a legendary tale of ten arrows in a row, each hitting its mark perfectly, a story still praised to this day.

Moreover, archery skills were more favored by the sons of officials than ordinary martial arts. The royal family held annual hunts and often selected skilled warriors from the training grounds to accompany them. If one could win first place in the hunt, it would bring good fortune and ensure future wealth and honor.

During the earlier training, many students did not exert their full strength, so as to save their strength for the archery competition later. Seeing that everyone put down their swords and spears and rushed to the archery range, Liang Zhengyuan wiped his red-tasseled spear clean, placed it on the weapon rack behind him, and also walked towards the archery range.

Under the blazing sun, dust filled the air, obscuring everything in a gray haze, except for the gleaming armor worn by the group, which shone brightly in the scorching sun. He walked absentmindedly at the back when he suddenly heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves coming from the entrance of the martial arts arena.

Looking up, one could see a lithe brown horse with a graceful posture and its hooves flying. The person sitting on the horse wore a bright red cloak, his thick black hair was tied up high, and his snow-white face had a pair of thick, sword-like eyebrows that were particularly eye-catching.

His solemn expression couldn't suppress his noble air and arrogance; his dark, deep eyes shone like stars, yet held a coldness as he swept over the standing students.

Yet, a rare and resolute heroic spirit resides on a woman's delicate face. Her gentleness and valor complement each other, making her noble and courageous presence all the more unforgettable.

The woman spurred her horse and galloped around the archery range for a full circle before tightening the reins and stopping in front of Inspector Zhao Qiaxiong. She dismounted, her high-tied hair fluttering in the wind, her pride radiating.

She clasped her hands together and gave Zhao Qiaxion a slight bow. A servant hurriedly stepped forward to offer her a handkerchief, but the woman waved it off with a smile and instead took the quiver from the accompanying guard.

Zhao Qiaxiong, abandoning his usual stern demeanor, smiled and nodded to the woman before turning back to look at the people in the martial arts arena.

"Today, Princess Kunrou has taken the time to come to the martial arts field to watch the students compete and to review the results of your training. Everyone, please give it a try."

Princess Kunrou slowly curved her lips upon hearing this, but her eyes remained cold and devoid of any smile. As she carefully wiped the quiver in her hand with a fine velvet cloth, she looked up at the crowd gathered together. Her heroic face appeared even more sharp when she was silent.

She slung the quiver over her back and strolled forward. With practiced ease, she reached into the quiver and took out an arrow. With one eye slightly closed, the arrow flew with unstoppable force, seemingly capable of piercing through the clouds, straight toward the distant target platform.

Although the arrow was several meters away, it hit the red bullseye perfectly.

Before anyone could react, she reached into the quiver on her back and this time took out three arrows.

Princess Kunrou pursed her lips tightly, her eyes shining brightly. She placed three arrows on the longbow, and after a short while, with a whoosh, the three arrows were released and landed straight on the target platform.

All of them hit the bullseye.

The crowd gasped in surprise, followed by thunderous applause. It had always been said that Princess Kunrou was a woman of extraordinary courage and heroism, a young woman who had proven herself to be a heroine. Now, witnessing her in person, they were completely captivated by her rare composure and unwavering resolve.

Zhao Qiaxiong also showed an approving expression and said loudly:

"I have long heard that the princess is a talented young woman, not only with outstanding literary skills but also with great courage and bravery. I am truly in awe of her."

He glanced at the people standing there and said with a smile, "Everyone, is there anyone willing to come forward and have a match with the princess? Let's not let the princess look down on the martial arts skills of our training ground."

Qin Ziyuan, who was at the head of the crowd, had been praising Princess Kunrou for her perfect aim and was eager to try it himself.

He stepped forward and calmly picked up his bow and arrow from the weapon rack beside him. It was a finely crafted longbow made of black mulberry wood, its body strong and tough, and it had always been a top-quality material for making bows.

Qin Ziyuan drew back his longbow, aimed at the bullseye, and pulled the bowstring taut. In an instant, the taut bowstring propelled the long arrow out. It was incredibly swift, like a meteor streaking across the sky, and the distant target was knocked backward by the powerful arrow.

The arrow not only struck the bullseye but also cleaved the target in two. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Qin Ziyuan crossed his arms, tucked his longbow into his waistband, his face beaming with undisguised pride and delight.

Princess Kunrou smiled slightly, her gaze lingering on Qin Ziyuan's face for a moment. She opened her mouth but did not speak.

Seeing the high spirits of the people, and with the princess and Qin Ziyuan demonstrating their superb archery skills, several more students were eager to try.

Princess Kunrou enjoys a prestigious reputation in Mujing, and her mother, the Eldest Princess, is even more distinguished than anyone else in the capital. Recently, there have been rumors that because the princess's residence is far from the palace, Emperor Su, out of gratitude for his elder sister's daily hard work in the palace, has specially hired 20,000 craftsmen to renovate the princess's residence and expand it several miles northward along the capital, which is enough to show her immense power and enduring imperial favor.

Princess Kunrou was the only child of the eldest princess, and with this connection, she would surely enjoy great honors. Therefore, for a time, the number of people eager to demonstrate their archery skills only increased.

Liang Zhengyuan was pushed to the back of the crowd. He had little interest in things that didn't concern him, so he just leaned against the flagpole and watched others compete. He saw that everyone was putting in their best effort, even more so than when they were practicing earlier.

He chuckled inwardly, watching with amusement as Xie Qiao prepared to unleash his arrow, when a cold female voice suddenly rang out:

"This student, hidden among the crowd, seemed to be in a cheerful mood. Perhaps he also possesses some hidden archery skills that he wishes to demonstrate?"

Princess Kunrou's gaze pierced through the bustling crowd and landed squarely on him.

Liang Zhengyuan raised an eyebrow and looked to his sides. He saw that there was no one else around him, and it seemed that the person the princess was talking about was himself.

Seeing him standing motionless in the distance, Liao Yan's expression changed for the first time, and he raised his hand to signal him to come forward.

Everyone turned to look, only to see Liang Zhengyuan, seemingly bewildered, stepping forward despite his slight hesitation. While people silently grumbled, they all looked on with envy.

...How could this kid be so lucky to win the princess's favor?

Qin Ziyuan's gaze focused on Liang Zhengyuan's figure, and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed.

He had witnessed this man's archery skills before. Not only could his arrows fall precisely when the bowstring was drawn, but what was even more remarkable was his calm and composed demeanor while shooting, as if he hadn't exerted any effort at all, yet possessed a superb skill in wielding the arrow with the speed of the wind. It was truly astonishing.

She had finally managed to showcase some of her skills and win a smile from the princess, but now she was about to pale in comparison.

He unconsciously straightened his body and clenched his fists tighter.

Princess Kunrou glanced indifferently at Liang Zhengyuan, who approached clad in armor and exuded heroic spirit, and spoke coldly:

"I saw you laughing happily in the crowd just now, so you must be very skilled and not take the ordinary archery skills of others seriously. Then please."

Liao Yan's words were sharp and witty, yet he placed Liao Yan on a precarious position. If Liao Yan did not intervene, he would be accused of disrespecting the imperial family; if he did intervene but his archery skills were poor, he would be branded as arrogant and conceited.

Liang Zhengyuan sighed inwardly, but on his face he still smiled kindly and bowed to Liao Yan in apology:

"Your Highness is too kind. I was just blinded by the sand and then I saw all the martial arts students competing on the same stage, each displaying their unique skills, and I was filled with admiration. I dare not be arrogant in the slightest, and I hope Your Highness will not take offense."

He easily deflected the competition with just a few words. Liao Yan knew perfectly well what was going on, and a cold smile curled his lips:

"It's alright, sir. There's no need for you to apologize. Just have a three-arrow contest with me."

Her jet-black hair, soaked in the sand for half a day, was now covered with dust and grit, which made her look even more ruthless than a woman.

She stepped forward, took three arrows from her quiver, held them in her hand, and slowly said:

"If you win, I will immediately reward you with a thousand taels of gold. Conversely, if you lose, it will not be too late for you to apologize to me."