"I'll be turning 15 this year, and Consort Li is going to choose a young lady from a prestigious family in Shengjing for me. What if I accidentally pick a girl that you like? Don't blame me then," the eldest prince said with a sneer.
Yi Chenqi's face was gloomy. The eldest prince was a womanizer. Although he had not officially married, he already had more than ten concubines in the palace, of all shapes and sizes.
The Tiansheng Kingdom values the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Before a wife is brought into the household, concubines are not allowed to give birth prematurely. However, the eldest prince is someone who cannot control his lust. Last year, one of his concubines gave birth to his eldest son. When the news reached the emperor's ears, the eldest prince was severely reprimanded and punished with confinement and a long period of reflection.
Ultimately, considering that the concubine was carrying royal blood, the Emperor granted permission for the child to be born. Once the First Princess Consort officially married into the family, the child was raised under her name, and the matter was concealed.
How could Yi Chenqi allow his beloved Xiao Yuan'er to become the stepmother of such a promiscuous prince?
He gritted his teeth and said, "You dare?"
The eldest prince saw Yi Chenqi's trembling grip on the arrow due to anger and felt smug, thinking his scheme was about to succeed.
So he added fuel to the fire, saying, "I am the eldest prince of the dignified Tiansheng Kingdom, of noble status. What? Does my royal brother think I am unworthy of the girl in your heart?"
Without a second thought, Yi Chenqi replied, "Of course you're not good enough for her. She's the best girl."
"My brother is indeed very affectionate."
In the brief pause between their conversations, Yi Chenqi had not yet fired his final arrow.
The eunuch glanced at the incense; the incense in the incense burner was almost burned out. He urged, "Please shoot from target number 1. Once the time is up, it will be considered a forfeit."
Yi Chenqi's emotions were fluctuating greatly, and he did not ejaculate for a long time.
The Empress, who had been quite calm, couldn't help but stand up when she saw that her son hadn't shot an arrow yet. She muttered, "Qi'er, don't disappoint your mother."
Consort Li smiled and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry too much. The Fifth Prince shot nine arrows, which is already a good result of third place. It is already very good."
The Empress's face twitched slightly. She glanced coldly at Consort Li, pursed her lips, and remained silent.
She was the empress, so naturally her son had to be the most outstanding; how could the third-ranked son possibly be enough?
Standing at the archery range, Yi Chenqi took a deep breath and adjusted his mindset.
Over the years, he has become less emotional than he was when he was a child, but just now, when it came to Xiao Yuan'er, he couldn't calm down for a moment.
The most urgent task right now is to hit the target 100 meters away.
The target is 100 meters away. When you look at it, it's so small that it's just a dot. You can't let your hand shake. There's no room for even the slightest mistake.
Yi Chenqi drew his bow, maintained his balance, and shot an arrow.
As expected of a master, his skill was evident from the first shot. Even though his emotions had been slightly affected, Yi Chenqi still managed to hit the bullseye.
The guards shouted from afar: "The first group of people who have all passed are the First Prince, the Fifth Prince, and Kong Bin, a guard from the Divine Martial Gate."
The Empress finally breathed a sigh of relief and then said, "Qi'er is just too playful; he insisted on shooting at the very end."
Consort Li and the Empress exchanged a glance, sparks flying.
Now, both the eldest prince and the fifth prince have entered the second round, making the competition even fiercer.
The Emperor was aware of the undercurrents beneath the surface of harmony between the Empress and Consort Li, but he was most skilled at maintaining a balance.
"Xuan'er and Qi'er are indeed worthy of being my sons. I am very pleased."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com