Chapter 183 Archery Competition

Lan Yuanfeng finally came to his senses and did not dare to underestimate this aunt who came for free.

He pulled out two arrows from his back, and while riding his horse, he avoided Chen Shiyi's sight and shot them at the bull's eye.

Chen Shiyi drew his bow and shot the arrow, as smooth as flowing water, directly knocking down the arrow that Lan Yuanfeng had shot at the target.

Lan Yuanfeng shot three arrows, but only one hit the bull's eye, while Chen Shiyi shot two arrows, and one of them hit the bull's eye.

Everyone on the field was also extremely anxious. Cui Yongan silently thought that if Lan Yuanfeng lost to his aunt, he would be disgraced for the rest of his life.

Chen Shiyi drew his bow again, but Lan Yuanfeng intercepted the arrow halfway. At the same time, the arrow turned and hit the bull's eye.

Lan Yuanfeng hit two out of four arrows, and Chen Shiyi hit one out of three arrows.

When shooting the fourth arrow, Lan Yuanfeng did not make a move.

Chen Shiyi asked in confusion.

"Why don't you stop it? If you stop it, we'll still be tied."

Lan Yuanfeng replied.

"I like that dagger. I want to beat you with your last arrow."

With the last arrow, both of them shot at the same target. Lan Yuanfeng's arrow hit the bull's eye, while Chen Shiyi's arrow was stuck tightly on the target next to Lan Yuanfeng's arrow.

Chen Shiyi nodded and smiled.

"That's great, you won beautifully."

Lan Qinghe and Cui Yongan looked at each other.

Only those who understand the bow and arrow know that Chen Shiyi's arrow was shot to give Lan Yuanfeng a break based on his strength.

During lunch, Cui Yongan looked at Chen Shiyi in disbelief, his face full of admiration.

"Eleven, when did you learn the bow and arrow?"

Chen Shiyi thought about it.

“It’s probably been several years.”

"Why are you learning this?"

"When you go out, you always need something to protect yourself. I am good at archery, and I have been practicing self-defense with Fu Da recently. As I get older, I am not as agile as before."

During this period, Cui Yongan took Chen Shiyi everywhere, but never mentioned the issue of food.

But Chen Shiyi knew that they could not hold on any longer.

In recent days, their meals have become simpler and simpler. The porridge is clear and can only fill their stomachs, but it is not enough to fill them up.

The winter clothes were thin and many soldiers were shivering from the cold, but they still insisted on training without interruption.

The Lan family army has strict discipline. If Chen Shiyi had not seen the real situation, he would never have believed that there would be no unrest in the barracks due to the lack of food and clothing.

She vaguely heard Yuan Feng mention that the package of gold and silver Cui Yongan had given her was Mrs. Lan's jewelry and dowry, and that jade pendant was Lan Qinghe's heirloom.

The mutton soup served on the first night was never seen again.

In Liangzhou City, the streets were deserted, and Cui Yongan was walking around with Chen Shiyi and his group.

At the end of the street, people were moving around, lazily, or as if they were queuing, but everyone's face showed hardship, yet they were looking forward with anticipation.

When I got closer, I saw that it was a grain stall. A wooden sign above the stall said that rice and flour were sold at two taels of silver per pound.

In the wider alley at the end of the street, rows of ragged children and adults were kneeling, each with yellow grass on their backs.

Their prices are not enough to buy even a pound of rice.

Chen Shiyi looked at all this with moist eyes.

Thinking about how I was much luckier than them when I was sold, even when I was in exile and had no food to eat, it was still much better than those who are waiting desperately for life and death now.

With snow all over the sky and the land barren, how can one find a trace of green or a trace of heat? It is only the bright red vein and warmth in the body that sustains those years.

The food that she had transported at great expense and with great difficulty, through wind and rain, was now covered in human blood.

Huge profits, huge profits, only when there is violence can there be profit...

She had been in business for several years, but she had never understood these things in depth. Relying on her own selfish desires and passion, she only wanted to earn money and go back to celebrate the New Year, hoping to get closer to the amount that would allow her to be awarded the title.

Her tears blurred her vision, and all she could see was the falling snow, pure white.

It’s better to just watch like this and not look back, she warned herself. The hell in the alley is not something a weak woman like her should see.

"Eleven, what's wrong with you?"

In her blurred vision, a man in black clothes approached her, holding a misty fog.

"You must be thirsty. There's a tea vendor over there. Buy a bowl for you to warm your hands. Fu Da and Mo Xunyan are both sitting there."

Chen Shiyi wiped away the tears in her eyes with her sleeves. The cold touch made her eyes red like a rabbit.

She said to Cui Yongan with a smile.

"Brother Cui, I'm leaving tomorrow."

Cui Yongan looked at Chen Shiyi quietly, his face no longer showing that arrogance. His body was stiff for a long time before he managed a forced smile.

"good."

The next day, it was still snowing.

Chen Shiyi's face was wrapped in a red gauze, leaving only her beautiful eyes as if she was about to speak but could not.

Lan Qinghe, Mrs. Lan, Cui Yongan, and Lan Yuanfeng all came to see her off.

"Eleven, be careful on the road and go back to Anzhou as soon as possible. It's not peaceful here."

Lan Qinghe is always so gentle and he respects every decision he makes.

Yuan Feng looked up and said to Chen Shiyi with a smile.

"Aunt, can I go to Anzhou to learn archery from you in the future?"

Chen Shiyi smiled and nodded.

"Of course I can."

Cui Yongan remained silent and just looked at her quietly.

Chen Shiyi stepped onto the carriage and waved to them.

"goodbye."

After saying this, he got into the carriage and slowly left.

There was a lot of charcoal fire in the carriage. Chen Shiyi leaned against the window, thinking quietly.

"Sister Xunyan, do you think I can just leave like this?"

Don't look for smoke and sighs.

"Eleven, will you regret leaving?"

"You are the calm, sober and wise Chen Shiyi. I believe you have considered this decision for a long time, right? You tossed and turned every night, thinking hard, didn't you make the decision to leave?"

"Eleven, you can still make more money, but if you regret it, there's no cure."

Chen Shiyi stared at Mo Xunyan in a daze, and was silent for a long while. He seemed to have made up his mind, and then spoke to Fu Da who was hurrying in front.

"Turn around, let's go back!"

Cui Yongan stared at the carriage going away, clenching his fingers, feeling very unwilling.

"Brother Lan, why don't you persuade Eleven? With her personality, she will soften if you talk to her nicely a few times."

Lan Qinghe shook his head.

"Yong'an, don't treat her like this. The food she brought is not a small amount. It is probably all her assets. The army is facing a food shortage now. That is the court's business. Why drag her into it? It is not easy for her, an orphan, to fight for her life outside."

Mrs. Lan smiled.

"Yes, Qinghe is right. Why should we put the affairs of the court on a little girl? Besides, if we don't give her money but directly ask for food, no one will agree. Besides, we can't rely on the little affection we have in Fangling to ask others to give us their entire fortune. This is not reasonable."