Chapter 200 Night Banquet
Gao Quan stopped Mu Chong, who was about to retort, and deliberately swept his longbow around the mats and food that had not yet been completely cleared away: "Hehe, some of what Chong'er said is quite right. All of you young masters from noble families are on orders to hunt, but we, the Prince of Jin Fang, are here enjoying the cool air. In the end... the Prince is frail and sickly, not even as good as Chong'er. I suppose riding a horse must have been exhausting for you, right? Hahaha... the Prince's previous trip to the southern border was probably all luck. Otherwise, if the pirates were really fierce, with the Prince's physique and the help of a female general, he probably wouldn't have made it back to Moyang."
What does this mean?
Are you spreading rumors and trying to undermine her achievements in the Southern Territory?
Mu Xi's rage, now fully ignited, mingled with icy rationality: "Grand Marshal, you are mistaken. The way of a general lies in strategizing to determine the fate of the world, not necessarily in fighting bravely on the front lines with the courage of ten thousand men. I am the heir of the Jin Fang clan. Even if I am not as good as someone who can fight on horseback, I do not need to do everything myself. Why should I act like a brute who fights for a moment of bloodlust? Managing generals, strategizing, and maintaining peace in the central army depends on intelligence, not brute force."
"Hahaha, that's true..." Gao Quan suddenly burst into laughter, raising his voice even higher, "Your Highness is truly insightful. Did you hear that, Chong'er? What your brother just said means that Your Highness doesn't need to personally handle everything and charge into battle. Therefore, even if your eyesight is poor, it won't hinder you. On the contrary, you are naturally intelligent. As long as you are willing to learn and apply your knowledge, you can still command troops and guard a region."
“XXX…” This was exactly what he wanted.
Mu Xi was speechless for a moment.
Gao Quan's words made it seem as if she and Mu Chong were on the same "starting line," both unable to fight on horseback, but both intelligent, so they were no different.
Mu Xi had suffered a hidden loss, and there was no point in saying anything more.
Just as he was about to turn his horse around and leave with Mu Xun, a loud female voice suddenly came from behind: "Oh dear... are all the men of Dayu so useless? All they do is talk big and have no practical skills?"
As another troop of horses sounded, Princess Qingyang came into view.
Princess Qingyang, dressed in fiery red, stood out vividly against the lush green forest. She rode her horse with effortless grace, remaining calm and unhurried. "This is the first time I've heard such profound words," she said. "Tsk tsk... No wonder men inherit titles. Inherited ranks are so advantageous; you don't have to exert any effort, just rely on your glib tongue and clever schemes. In our East Sea, whether you're a man or a woman, if you can't draw a bow, ride a horse, hunt, or fight, you're considered useless. Useless people only have one fate: expelled from their clan and left to fend for themselves."
These words were a slap in the face to many people present.
Mu Xi was also somewhat embarrassed.
Princess Qingyang continued her indiscriminate barrage: "Heh, you men... you're either incompetent babblers, cowards, or like wooden stakes. You're really... not as useful as they say."
Her gaze and tone didn't seem like she was judging or deliberately belittling anyone; rather, it sounded like she was selecting a plaything.
Mu Xi wasn't the only one who felt bad at the scene.
Many of the young noblemen who had initially come to watch the spectacle were clearly also uncomfortable, but dared not speak out.
Just then, with a "whoosh".
An arrow flew out from beside Mu Xi.
With a "bang," it was embedded in the tree branch three inches above Princess Qingyang's head.
"You..." Princess Qingyang was about to get angry when the tree branch, along with a grayish-brown grass snake and an arrow, fell to the ground.
The arrow pierced through the snake's body and through the tree branch. The snake writhed violently on the arrow shaft a few times before coming to a stop.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye; most of those present hadn't even realized what was happening.
"Princess, you're so arrogant. If you want to test your eyesight again today, you should pay more attention to what's above your head." The snake was shot by Mu Xun, which can be considered as giving all the men present some face back.
When Princess Li Li of Qingyang looked up again, her bright red eyes suddenly widened in amazement. She stared intently at Mu Xun, her eyes changing from round to crescent moon, and finally narrowing into slits, just like the curve of her lips.
Mu Xi instinctively sensed the threat and pulled on the reins of Mu Xun's horse: "Princess Qingyang, haven't you said thank you after you've finished cursing?"
Princess Qingyang's gaze towards her "prey" remained undisguised, but she at least turned to Mu Xi: "Young Master Jin Fang, Second Young Master Jin Fang... um... um..."
He hummed in agreement several times, but in the end he didn't say "thank you." Instead, he suddenly laughed loudly, turned his horse around, and galloped into the depths of the dense forest.
After Princess Qingyang, everyone felt bored and dispersed to continue hunting.
After the last rays of the setting sun disappeared, the royal banquet began.
The huge campfire illuminated the makeshift encampment as bright as day, the burning pine resin crackled, and the fat from the roasting meat dripped onto the embers, filling the air with an enticing aroma.
Mu Xi leaned against a corner of her seat, her plain white robe making her figure appear even thinner and more frail. As usual, she didn't want to participate, but she couldn't disobey the king's order, so she had no choice but to join in the fun.
Such occasions are crowded and complex.
Yu Wang Muji, seated high in the center, had a face as cold as iron, and his deep, gloomy eyes slowly swept across the entire room.
Queen Gao, who rarely attends, was seated in the inner tent beside the main seat. She was said to be accompanying Princess Li Li of Qingyang, but the other guests at the table were the Imperial Preceptor Xian Ling and his disciple Xian Jin.
On the very first night, Princess Qingyang disliked the curtains blocking her view and insisted on having a separate table with the men.
Opposite Qingyang Junzi was Xuanyou Shizi Mu Sheng, silent as a mountain rock. Beside him was the young general, Yingyang General Liu Yang, with a tall and upright figure and an extraordinary handsome face. He looked around with arrogance and occasionally glanced at the women behind the curtain on the side of the queen.
Gao Quan's gaze, gleaming with the cold light of a hawk, would occasionally sweep across her direction as if it were a tangible object, carrying undisguised contempt and calculation. Mu Chong beside him was equally unrestrained.
Among the many officials, Shin Lun was a rare presence at such an occasion, and he was able to chat and laugh with a gentle and refined smile.
The lavish banquet was actually a battleground where wolves lurked around the tables.
Mu Xi couldn't bring herself to like him at all, so she just sat at the same table with Mu Xun, glancing at each other every now and then as a way of comforting one another.
“Good…” Yu Wang Muji suddenly exclaimed in approval.
All the ministers looked over at that direction.
The number of hunted animals has been tallied.
King Yu praised him lavishly: "A divine archer... truly a divine archer... General Yingyang's name is indeed well-deserved, he has won first place for so many consecutive days."
"General Liu is mighty! General Liu is mighty..." People below immediately joined in the cheers.
Liu Yang stepped forward from the crowd, clad in black fine armor, broad-shouldered and with a swift, confident stride: "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. I was fortunate enough to win first place, entirely to celebrate Your Majesty and to add luster to this once-in-a-lifetime grand ceremony. However..."
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