Chapter 27 (This last part is a fragment and doesn't translate directly. It likely refers to a specific martial arts style or technique.)
The noise rose up, and Feng Rongrong was filled with regret. How could she have shot herself in the foot?
Looking flustered, she had to quickly say something to evade the question: "What I mean is, Miss Gu's suggestion is excellent, you can choose for yourself."
"Oh." Gu Qingxu nodded seemingly casually, then ignored her and headed straight for the archery area.
Once the crowd dispersed, no one mentioned what had just happened again; they simply went to their respective venues according to their own preferences.
In the archery area, most of the visitors were men trying their hand at archery. Some women also came, but most of them were there because their favorite young men were there, just to catch a glimpse of their beloved's charm.
Ruan Xingzhu and Gu Qingxu came to the archery range together.
Before long, the archery area was packed with people. Some men, eager to impress their favorite women, had already picked up their bows and arrows.
The first to bear the brunt was Young Master Yuan, who supported Gu Qingxu. The Yuan family had been in business for generations, and Young Master Yuan was very successful and adept in the business world, but when it came to martial arts, he was only interested in joining in the fun and seeking novelty.
In the end, Young Master Yuan's posture was considered standard. He shot three arrows in total. Two arrows missed the target, and the last arrow did hit the target, but it didn't last a second before falling down.
Seeing this, Young Master Yuan said sullenly, "I've made a fool of myself!"
Looking at him like this, Gu Qingxu couldn't help but tease him, "Young Master Yuan's posture is quite standard. With a few more practices, he will definitely be able to win the prize."
Young Master Yuan realized that Gu Qingxu was trying to help him out of a difficult situation, so he went along with her and said, "Then I'll take your kind words, Miss Gu."
Seeing that Young Master Yuan had taken the lead, some others were also eager to try and joined in.
As soon as the archery begins, gasps of surprise ripple through the air whenever someone hits a target.
The poetry recitation was started by Feng Rongrong and was proceeding smoothly. However, some people couldn't contain themselves when they heard the cheers coming from the archery side.
These noble children of the capital, which one wasn't sent to a private school to study the Five Classics from a young age, spending their days at home surrounded by poetry? Now, they've come out to travel, hoping to relax, but instead they're forced to recite poetry here, which really dampens their spirits.
One of the young men couldn't sit still any longer and stood up, saying, "I'll go take a look over there too." With that, he strode towards the archery area.
Immediately afterwards, several young men followed. Although Feng Rongrong was somewhat displeased at the sight, she restrained herself from stopping them in order to maintain her elegant image as a noble lady.
Just as she was about to begin reciting poetry again, some of the women in the family couldn't sit still any longer and got up.
Even the Song family girl, who had always been at odds with her, stood up and said with a laugh, "Rongrong, my legs are numb from sitting, I need to get up and walk around."
As he spoke, he slowly walked towards the archery area, and soon he was attracted by the lively scene of archery.
Seeing everyone drawn to Gu Qingxu, Feng Rongrong was so frustrated she felt like she was about to explode. This was originally her carefully planned stage, intended to humiliate Gu Qingxu, but now not only had she failed to achieve her goal, it seemed like she had only benefited Gu Qingxu.
She suppressed her anger and got up to walk towards the archery area. She wanted to see what was so attractive about Gu Qingxu.
Following the crowd, Feng Rongrong felt somewhat awkward. After all, she had strongly opposed archery earlier, and now, seeing everyone eagerly nocking bows and shooting arrows, she felt a little disdainful. It was just a broken arrow; what was so fun about it?
Filled with dissatisfaction, she suddenly turned her gaze to Gu Qingxu. Gu Qingxu was standing to the side, seemingly not yet participating.
Her brows furrowed. Wasn't Gu Qingxu supposed to enjoy pondering these things? Why hadn't she appeared on stage? Or was she just all show and no substance, completely unsuitable for the stage, which was why she hadn't participated?
A sly glint flashed across Feng Rongrong's face as she looked at Gu Qingxu with a hint of provocation in her eyes and said loudly, "I've heard that Miss Gu is also skilled in archery. Why don't we see Miss Gu taking the field?"
After saying that, she raised her eyebrows high, as if to say that Gu Qingxu was just a name without substance. "Since this was proposed by Miss Gu, shouldn't Miss Gu also participate so that we can learn from her?"
Feng Rongrong's words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples, and all eyes turned to Gu Qingxu.
Everyone felt that Feng Rongrong's words made sense; Gu Qingxu had no reason to stay out of the activity she had proposed.
There have been rumors in the capital that Gu Qingsu dislikes the refined pursuits of young ladies and prefers martial arts, but no one has ever seen him in person, so some people can't help but think that Gu Qingsu is being a bit of a liar.
“Yes, Miss Gu, why don’t you play a game and let us all have a good look?” The surrounding voices echoed, mixed with a few minor doubts.
Feng Rongrong really knows how to squeeze into any crack, but this time she's really run into a brick wall. With a slight narrowing of her eyes, Gu Qingxu showed no hesitation and walked straight to the center of the field.
Today, she wore an ice-blue flowing dress with ribbons, exuding a cool and aloof aura from afar. Coupled with her slender figure, she naturally radiated an undeniable presence, as if she were the one in charge of the gathering.
Seeing this, Young Master Yuan quickly handed over a bow. This bow was originally prepared for gatherings and entertainment, so its weight was just right. In the hands of other delicate women, it might take some effort to draw it, but in Gu Qingxu's hands, it was not difficult at all.
She stretched out her slender, jade-like fingers, gently grasped the bow, and with a slight exertion of her arm, the bow was steadily drawn open.
Immediately afterwards, she drew an arrow and nocked it. The movement was fluid and natural, clearly something she did often.
He glanced indifferently at the target in the distance, as if judging the distance and direction.
"Judging from Miss Gu's appearance, she seems to really know how." The Song family girl couldn't help but lean closer to Feng Rongrong and whisper in her ear, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
Upon hearing this, Feng Rongrong couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Who shoots arrows like that, posing like that? They're probably just putting on a show and won't even hit the target in the end.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a disdainful smile, as if she was just waiting to see Gu Qingxu make a fool of herself and lose face in front of everyone.
Gu Qingxu drew the bow halfway, turned her body slightly to the side, and then, with a flick of her finger, the arrow shot out like a bowstring with a "whoosh," flying straight toward the bullseye with the force of breaking the wind.
The next moment, with a "thud," the arrow struck the bullseye perfectly, its fletching still trembling slightly.
Those who had participated earlier were surprised, as some of them had fallen without even touching the target. Even those who did hit the target only managed to score eight or nine rings; no one had hit the bullseye yet.
Moreover, Gu Qingxu was a woman, much thinner and weaker than them, yet she hit the bullseye with a single arrow.
Feng Rongrong was stunned, hardly believing her eyes. Her mind was filled with doubt. How could this be? It was one thing for her to be able to do it, but how could she hit the bullseye so precisely?
Blinking rapidly, Feng Rongrong kept reassuring herself that it was just good luck.
Seeing all eyes on her, Gu Qingxu remained unfazed, her expression calm, and skillfully nocked another arrow. If she didn't shoot all three arrows, wouldn't she be criticized, giving Feng Rongrong an opening?
Seeing that Gu Qingxu was about to shoot her second arrow, everyone was even more nervous than she was. They held their breath and stared intently at her, wondering if she could hit the bullseye again.
Gu Qingxu flicked her finger again, and the second arrow shot straight at the first arrow like a meteor.
In the blink of an eye, the second arrow pierced through the first arrow and landed steadily on the bullseye, perfectly overlapping with the first arrow.
Upon seeing this, some people couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Before everyone could recover from their shock, Gu Qingxu didn't stop, quickly nocked another arrow, and shot it out.
The third arrow pierced the second arrow like a sharp arrow, and finally landed steadily on the bullseye.
At this moment, the three arrows overlapped on the bullseye, resembling a blooming flower petal, showcasing Gu Qingsu's superb and precise archery skills. Not only could she hit the bullseye every time, but she could also hit the same spot with every arrow. Such exquisite archery skills were truly astonishing.
"Excellent archery! Miss Gu is truly a hidden talent; her skill is astounding!"
Young Master Yuan sincerely praised her. He wasn't just flattering her; after all, everyone present had witnessed Gu Qingxu's brilliant performance, and indeed, no one else present possessed such exquisite archery skills.
"Yes, Miss Gu's archery skills are truly unparalleled." The people around her echoed, and their initial disdain for Gu Qingxu turned into approval.
In an instant, those who had previously questioned her claims that they were just making up rumors and using empty rhetoric all changed their tune, completely convinced by her three powerful words.
Feng Rongrong stood aside. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have known that Gu Qingxu, a young girl, could have such amazing archery skills.
If she had known this would happen, she shouldn't have acted impulsively yesterday and deliberately provoked Gu Qingxu to come. It was like slapping herself in the face. She bit her lip, her face turning pale and then red, her heart filled with resentment and jealousy.
Gu Qingxu lowered her bow and arrow, a slight smile playing on her lips, a hint of scorn in her eyes as she glanced at Feng Rongrong. To provoke her in her area of expertise, Feng Rongrong was either out of her mind or utterly stupid.
"Miss Feng, did you come here hoping to play a game?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
In Feng Rongrong's eyes, Gu Qingxu's gaze was clearly a blatant provocation. Although she was furious, she still pretended to be calm and said disdainfully in a low voice.
"So what if you're a good archer? Young Master Yi only likes quiet and gentle women." Her voice wasn't loud, just loud enough for Gu Qingxu to hear.
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingxu couldn't help but feel puzzled. What did he mean by saying that Young Master Yi only liked quiet and gentle women?
Young Master Yi, Yi Mingyu?
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