Seeing Laksh trying to dissuade Higuirre, Mengchen’s heart sneered coldly. Since she had accepted the challenge, the other party was not allowed to retreat, "It seems that the chief Laksh is convinced that Princess Higuirre will lose to Princess Chen. Princess Higuirre might as well apologize to Princess Chen in public, and Princess Chen will no longer hold her accountable."
"I will not lose!" Higuirre retorted loudly, then affectionately grabbed Laksh’s arm, "Father, I have been learning archery since I was five years old. By the time I was nine, my arrows never missed their target, not even General Yang could defeat your daughter. Please agree, Father."
Batelgen whispered from the side, "Now that it has come this far, if Father does not agree, not to mention the loss of my sister’s reputation, our tribe will also lose face. But seeing that Princess Chen appears weak and delicate, if we agree, based on my sister’s exquisite archery skills, we might still be able to salvage some reputation."
Full of confidence in his daughter’s archery, Laksh was notably moved by his son’s persuasion, but he wanted to hear Princess Chen’s conditions before making a decision.
"What are Princess Chen’s conditions?"
"Very simple," Mengchen’s eyes flitted with a hint of dark sharpness, too quick to capture, "If Princess Chen loses, she will grant Princess Higuirre one request. If Princess Higuirre loses, she must not only apologize to Princess Chen in public, but the yearly tribute from the Taji Chang Tribe must also be doubled. What say you, Chief Laksh?"
"I will not lose!" Higuirre emphasized once again.
Mengchen said nothing, merely watching Laksh quietly, her expression composed and her eyes profound.
Initially hesitant, especially since a playful bet could double the tribute, Laksh found it hardly worthwhile. But upon noticing a fleeting hint of panic in Mengchen’s eyes, it seemed Princess Chen didn’t know a thing about archery and was merely bluffing. He thus nodded in agreement, "Very well, I agree!"
Mengchen’s lips curled into a sinister smile, a detail sadly missed by the triumphant trio of Laksh.
"Please, Your Majesty, have someone prepare the bows and arrows," Mengchen bowed reverently to the Emperor.
The Emperor had remained silent all along. Although he did not know if his daughter-in-law knew archery, she had always been careful and restrained by nature, never speaking or acting without certainty. With the protection of the Gods, he firmly believed that his daughter-in-law would definitely win and waved his hand accordingly.
Sun Chuanmao left immediately and soon had the bows and arrows ready.
"Princess, please," Mengchen said, smiling at Higuirre.
By rights, Higuirre should have shown respect by bowing to her first, given Mengchen’s status as Princess Chen, but Mengchen simply couldn’t be bothered to quarrel with Higuirre.
With a snort, Higuirre raised her head and strode towards the table where the bows and arrows were laid out.
Mengchen smiled slightly and followed at a leisurely pace.
In a clearing of the Imperial Garden, Mengchen and Higuirre stood beside the table, each inspecting the bows and arrows. Higuirre’s movements were practiced and deft, clearly someone who used arrows often, while Mengchen’s casual way of touching the bow and examining the arrows made the onlookers worry for her.
"Prince, Princess..." Hai Tang looked at Mengchen anxiously. Over the years, she had never seen the Princess touch a bow and arrow. How could she possibly be a match for Princess Higuirre, who had been rigorously training in archery since childhood?
Xuan Mo’s eyes, fixed on his beloved wife, were deep and knowing, "Keep calm." It might be that Ah Jiu had never learned archery, but Ah Jiu was skilled in martial arts and remained calm and collected, especially with the Flying Needle Skill, which she had mastered. He believed that Ah Jiu must have been sure of her success to have accepted the challenge.
Chengning and Chengyou held the same thought, especially since their sister’s Inner Strength far exceeded their own, making defeating Higuirre seem effortless.
"Why would Madame choose to help Princess Chen today, given her usual cool demeanor?" Shao Mingyi quietly asked his wife. freёweɓnovel_com
Looking at the woman who remained calm and composed, Chu Dieyi replied, "I don’t know either. Maybe I just like Princess Chen."
"Does Madame think Princess Chen will lose? Or win?"
"Win!"
"Why?"
"Intuition."
Shao Mingyi ceased to speak. His wife’s intuition was always precise, and several times he had escaped deadly threats by relying on it. It seemed certain that Princess Chen would win.
"Does Ah Yi know Princess Chen’s maiden name?" Dieyi had never known Princess Chen’s full name, despite her fame.
Thinking for a moment, Shao Mingyi replied, "The last time Noble son Luo brought medicine, I was seeking Grand Prince. I heard Luo talking to Grand Prince, saying that the antiseptic medicine and Flying Needle medicament were both developed by Princess Chen and had remarkable effects. Luo mentioned Princess Chen’s name as Yang... Yes, Yang Mengchen."
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