Chapter 484: Not even a bow has been drawn?
Next, the ladies showed off their talents like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea. Some sang, some danced, and some painted on the spot. The atmosphere was very lively.
Taking advantage of the lively atmosphere, Yu Mingzhu suddenly asked Xingxing: "Xiangjun, why don't you perform something? We are the only ones here, you can just perform something for fun, it's nothing, we are all sisters."
This is actually a very appropriate statement, but it just puts Xingxing on the spot.
Nie Yuke smiled slightly, as if she didn't hear the embarrassment in Yu Mingzhu's words. She didn't say anything to smooth things over, but just drank her tea leisurely.
"Yes, Mr. Xiang, don't be shy."
Several ladies began to persuade him.
Xing Xing thought for a moment and smiled generously: "If that's the case, then I have no choice but to show my ugliness."
Yu Mingzhu said "Oh" and chuckled, "I wonder what you are going to prepare? Will you compose a poem, sing a song, or dance?"
Xing Xing smiled and said, "I didn't know that everyone had this custom of preparing talents, so I didn't prepare anything. After thinking about it, I decided to show you some archery skills."
Among the six arts of a gentleman, there is also riding and archery, which is naturally a serious talent.
Xing Xing added: "But I don't have a bow and arrow either. I wonder if Miss Nie has one here?"
She spread her hands. "If not, there's nothing we can do."
Nie Yuke smiled and said, "Just because you said that, I have to find you a bow even if you don't have one."
Nie Yuke turned around and said to Shuilu: "Fifth brother has a lot of bows and arrows. Go and borrow one that is suitable for a little girl."
Shulu took the order and went. When she came back a while later, a young man in brocade clothes followed her. He was the fifth son of the eldest branch of the Duke of Enguo's Mansion and Nie Yuke's fifth brother, Nie Luming.
Everyone was an acquaintance in the circle of the powerful and wealthy, and the ladies were not shy. They stood up and greeted Nie Luming with a smile.
Nie Luming returned the gift seriously.
Nie Yuke said, "Eh?" "Fifth brother, why are you here?"
Nie Luming said very positively: "I heard you say there is a little girl here who wants to borrow a bow and arrow, but I don't know how much weight she can pull. I brought a lot of bows."
Nie Luming particularly likes bows and arrows, and his eyes light up whenever he mentions them.
Nie Yuke was shocked and speechless: "How many stones? ... Fifth brother, are you crazy? The little girl in our school is not a muscular man."
"Oh, so I brought a lot of bows for you to choose from." Nie Luming muttered, "What if she is a strong and muscular young lady?"
He looked around and asked, "Come to think of it, which sister wants to use a bow and arrow?"
Xing Xing raised her hand: "It's me, it's me."
Nie Luming looked over and saw a little girl with red lips, white teeth and two small pear-shaped cheeks raising her hands.
The sound is a bit sweet!
This is so far from the strong and sturdy figure he imagined!
Nie Luming suddenly felt a little embarrassed, coughed, and asked several followers behind him to bring up the bows: "...I don't know what kind of bow you can use, so I brought a few extra. You can choose one."
But in his heart he was thinking, such petite girls, he could knock down three of them with one punch, could he really pull a bow?
Xingxing didn't know that Nie Luming was thinking of beating up three of her with one punch, so she walked forward and started to choose.
Nie Luming recommended it to her enthusiastically: "This bow is newly acquired by me. It is the masterpiece of the bow-making master Master Liu. It is made of green willow wood grown by the Tianchi Lake..."
Xingxing picked it up and pulled it out of courtesy.
...didn't pull.
Xingxing felt a little embarrassed holding the bow that was almost taller than her shoulders.
Nie Luming scratched his head and blurted out: "Your strength is so weak?"
Xingxing blushed.
A noblewoman couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up for Xing Xing: "Master Nie Wu! Lady Fusui is still a little girl! Your bow is almost taller than hers, how can she pull it!"
Nie Luming apologized repeatedly: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I made a mistake. Can you try this bow again?"
He enthusiastically recommended another bow.
Xing Xing followed his advice and tried again...
Very good, it didn’t open.
Xing Xing: “…”
Nie Luming frowned, and refused to believe it, and recommended two lighter ones in succession.
Xingxing tried but still couldn't pull it open.
Xing Xing: “…”
It's a good recommendation, don't recommend it next time.
Nie Luming now began to doubt Xing Xing: "Little sister, can you do it?"
Xingxing's little face turned red.
Nie Yuke looked very considerate and said angrily: "Fifth brother, how can you say that? My aunt even told me to take good care of Fusui Xiangjun..."
This sounds fine.
But in this situation, it's like Xing Xing is saying yes even though she can't do it, and Nie Yuke smooths things over for her for the sake of the Empress.
Xing Xing thought that if it really didn't work, she could just go and pick some willow branches to make a simple bow herself!
But before she opened her mouth, she heard a voice with a hint of laughter coming over: "A Ming, what are you doing here?"
A young man in brocade robes walked over, surrounded by several people.
When the noble ladies saw him, they were all shocked and stood up and bowed to him.
"I have met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Nie Yuke blushed slightly, and after bowing in surprise and joy, she was the first to stand up: "My cousin, why are you here?"
The person who came was none other than the crown prince of the current dynasty, Wei Shiqing.
It was also the first time that Xingxing met the crown prince, and she followed the other girls in paying her respects.
The prince's voice was very attractive, and he smiled and said, "Everyone, get up. I just got a small bow and came to ask Ah Ming to appreciate it. I just came here and heard that Ah Ming was here, so I came to take a look."
Nie Luming bowed and stood up: "Cousin, I'm helping someone choose a bow."
Wei Shiqing said "Oh", his eyes paused for a moment, then he smiled and asked, "What bow do you want to choose?"
Nie Luming pointed at Xing Xing and said, "It's this little girl. She said she wanted to show her archery skills. I brought a lot of bows, but this little girl couldn't even pull a bow..."
The scene was slightly quiet, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince remained silent for a while.
Nie Yuke just felt strange, she called in a low voice: "Cousin?"
The Crown Prince finally came back to his senses and asked with a smile, "...You didn't even draw the bow?"
Nie Yuke's heart skipped a beat when he heard Wei Shiqing's words.
Is she overthinking it?
Why did she feel that there was a certain... familiarity and intimacy in the words of her cousin the Crown Prince?
Xing Xing couldn't help but blush as she defended herself: "...These bows are a bit heavy. I'm not strong enough."
As she defended herself, she looked up at Wei Shiqing, and was slightly startled by just one glance.
There is no other reason, there is a bit of Wei Shiyan's feeling between the Empress's eyebrows and eyes. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is the Empress's eldest son, and his eyebrows and eyes are also somewhat similar to Wei Shiyan.
Xingxing couldn't help but look a little inquiring.
Wei Shiqing smiled at her: "Is that so."
Nie Yuke's eyes were always on Wei Shiqing. Seeing Wei Shiqing smiling happily, her heart was beating fast.
Nie Luming didn't notice his sister's little girl's thoughts. He said to Wei Shiqing excitedly, "Cousin, you said you brought a bow for me to appraise? Where is it? Let's go?"
"Wait a minute. Most of the bows in your collection are for men. It's normal that a little girl can't pull them." Wei Shiqing smiled and called his followers to take out an exquisite little bow. "I found this for the Crown Princess so that she can play with it every day. It's very suitable for women. Fusui Xiangjun, do you want to try it?"