Chapter 87 She was no longer a weak woman to be bullied.
"I'm not going to go anymore." Ye Wanning shook her head, pointing to the moon in the sky, "I want to look at the moon."
“Okay, I’ll watch the moon with you.” Pei Zhi nodded and sat down next to her, looking up at the full moon in the sky.
Under the moonlight, their silhouettes leaning against each other were warm, like a spring breeze. Ye Wanning looked at the man beside her and thought to herself: No matter if we are in Begonia Valley or back in the capital, as long as he is here, these are the best times.
The day Pei Zhi removed the last layer of bandages, the weather was exceptionally fine; even the wind at the border seemed much gentler.
Ye Wanning had just finished removing the last layer of bandages from Pei Zhi when a guard entered carrying a wooden box, bowing and saying, "General, what you requested is ready."
Pei Zhi nodded, instructing his guards to place the wooden box on the table. He smiled at Ye Wanning and said, "This is a gift for you. Open it and take a look."
Ye Wanning was curious, so she walked over and opened the wooden box—inside lay a soft bow, its body a deep brown, inlaid with several red agates, looking both exquisite and heroic. The bow was very light; she could lift it with one hand, clearly made specifically for a woman.
"This...this is for me?" Ye Wanning was somewhat surprised, her fingers gently tracing the texture of the bow.
"Yes, I had it specially made for you." Pei Zhi walked over, took the soft bow from her hand, and tried to draw it. "This bow is made of mulberry wood; it's lightweight yet resilient, suitable for a woman's self-defense. Back in the capital, you had bodyguards protecting you, but at the border, danger can arise at any time. Having a bow by your side makes me feel more at ease."
Ye Wanning felt a warmth in her heart and looked up at Pei Zhi: "But I can't shoot arrows."
Pei Zhi smiled and took her hand: "I'll teach you. Come on, let's go to the training ground."
The drill ground was right behind the military camp, and there was no one around at the moment. Pei Zhi first nocked an arrow to the soft bow and demonstrated: "When drawing the bow, your shoulders should be relaxed and your elbows dropped, your eyes fixed on the bullseye. Release the arrow with a single exhale, and remember, your wrist must not tremble!"
Ye Wanning nodded, picked up the bow and tried to imitate him, but as soon as she drew the bow, her arm felt weak and she couldn't keep the arrow steady. She tried several times but couldn't draw the bow fully, and in the end, her arm was tired and sore.
"Don't rush, take your time." Pei Zhi walked over and gently wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, guiding her bow-drawing hand with one hand to adjust her posture, while supporting the bow with the other. "Look, lower your shoulders like this, yes, just like that."
His chest pressed against her back, his warm body heat seeping through her clothes, carrying a faint sandalwood scent. Ye Wanning felt her heart skip a beat. His breath brushed against her ear, tickling her, making her want to pull away, but her body was firmly held in place, unable to move.
"Aim at the bullseye, don't be afraid, I'm here." Pei Zhi's voice was so gentle it could melt your heart.
Ye Wanning took a deep breath, forcing herself to concentrate, her gaze fixed on the bullseye directly in front of her. Under Pei Zhi's guidance, she slowly drew the bow to its full extent, steadied her wrist, and released her hand.
"Whoosh!" The arrow shot straight out and hit the bullseye!
"I won! I won!" Ye Wanning shouted excitedly, turning her head to share the news with him, but involuntarily bumped into his arms.
Pei Zhi hugged her and chuckled as he ruffled her hair, saying, "You're amazing, you learned it so quickly."
Ye Wanning's face flushed even more, and she quickly jumped out of his arms, turning her head away from him: "It's all thanks to the General's excellent teaching."
“You’re clever.” Pei Zhi took an arrow and handed it to her. “Try again, do it yourself.”
Ye Wanning nodded, took the arrow, nocked it on the bow, and drew the bow and released the arrow according to Pei's instructions. Although she didn't hit the bullseye, she still hit the target, which was a significant improvement over her first attempt.
"Not bad, not bad, you've improved." Pei Zhi clapped his hands with a smile, his eyes full of praise. "From now on, I'll teach you for half an hour every day. Before long, you'll be able to hit the bullseye every time."
Ye Wanning nodded, her heart filled with joy. Holding the soft bow in her hand, she suddenly remembered her past life—back then, she was powerless and unable to protect herself and her mother. But in this life, with Pei teaching her archery and the soft bow for self-defense, she was no longer a weak woman to be bullied.
“Wan Ning,” Pei Zhi suddenly spoke, his tone turning serious, “I know you are strong and capable, but I still have to tell you, from now on I will protect you. No matter what danger we encounter, I will stand in front of you.” He paused, grasped her hand, his eyes incredibly earnest, “But on the battlefield, no one can predict what will happen. If I am not by your side, you must learn to protect yourself and the children. This bow is both a weapon for self-defense and my promise—I will do everything in my power to protect you, but you must also live well for my sake.”
Looking into his earnest eyes, Ye Wanning's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She knew Pei Zhi was worried about her safety, afraid that no one would protect her. She nodded vigorously, gripping the soft bow beside her tightly: "I understand. I will learn archery well, protect myself, and wait for you to come back. You must promise me you'll stay safe and sound."
"Okay, I promise you." Pei Zhi nodded with a smile, reaching out to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "We both need to be safe. After the rebellion is quelled, we'll go to Begonia Valley to plant begonia flowers."
Bathed in sunlight, their silhouettes leaning against each other felt warm, like a spring embrace. Ye Wanning gripped the soft bow inlaid with agate, a sense of confidence rising within her. She knew that with this bow and Pei Zhi's words, she would not be afraid, no matter what dangers she faced in the future.
Ye Wanning herself couldn't say for sure who started the rumor.
Perhaps it was because she frequently visited Pei Zhi's tent, perhaps it was because Pei Zhi always accompanied her to practice archery at the training ground after recovering from his injury, or perhaps it was because the soldiers saw the two playing chess under the moonlight... In short, within just a few days, rumors spread throughout the military camp that "Miss Ye is trying to curry favor with the general."
That day, Ye Wanning went to the kitchen to help the cook prepare porridge for the children. Just as she reached the door, she heard two soldiers whispering in the corner.
"Do you think that Miss Ye is deliberately staying in the military camp? A woman who can neither go to the battlefield nor participate in training, yet spends all her time hovering around the general—what is that if not currying favor?"
"That's right. I heard she's a concubine's daughter who escaped from the Ye family. Maybe she wants to use the general's power to go back and take revenge. And the general, how did he become so infatuated with her?"
"Hey, keep your voice down, don't let the general hear you, or you'll be in big trouble!"
Ye Wanning stood frozen in place, feeling as if something had stabbed her heart, followed by a dense, throbbing pain. She knew it wasn't appropriate for a girl to live in a military camp, but she had come to help Pei Zhi draw defense maps, care for wounded soldiers, and work tirelessly for the children of Ci'an Hall; she had never intended to "climb the social ladder" or "marry into a powerful family."
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