Chapter 33: Embarrassing? The Emperor's Backing

Chapter 33: Embarrassing? The Emperor's Backing

The Queen Mother didn't expect that she had started it, and she almost couldn't stop. After the seductive Concubine Wei finished her sword dance, she even outdid her own niece.

She said, "Let's stop here for today's performance."

Li Yuzong glanced at Emperor Wu Su's expression and knew it was his duty to understand the emperor's intentions.

He said with a smile: "Empress Dowager, you still have a niece who has not performed yet."

Ji Qingwu drank a glass of fruit wine, picked up a piece of hibiscus cake, raised it to his lips, and was about to take a bite when he heard Qiao cough lightly.

All eyes in the hall were focused on her. She could only put down the pastry in disappointment and lick her lips.

The Queen Mother felt annoyed when she saw her like this.

The young ladies from other families were all vying to come out and perform, but she was just sitting there with a glass of wine on her left and a piece of cheese on her right, looking very comfortable, as if she was really at a banquet in the palace.

"It's getting late, and I'm tired."

Prince Yong, who was sitting at the table with the royal family, looked towards Ji Qingwu frequently after he took his seat. He clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Mother, let the fifth cousin come on stage as well. It won't take up much time."

Ji Qingyuan knew that Qiao had hired a teacher to teach Ji Qingwu the six arts, so she initially sent people to keep an eye on her. Later, she got news that this fifth sister was a fool who could not dance or understand music.

She was 10% behind Concubine Wei in dancing just now, so she wanted to find someone to contrast with her.

Ji Qingyuan also smiled and said, "Empress Dowager, Fifth Sister has been practicing hard at home recently, please give her a chance."

Ji Qingwu glanced at her fourth sister. If she went on stage and brought shame to the Ji family, would Ji Qingyuan be able to save face?

Prince Yong and Qing Yuan had both advised her in this way, and the Queen Mother couldn't afford to turn down their advice. "Alright, let me see how Qing Wu has improved."

Ji Qingwu could only stand up and walk to the front of the hall.

After paying her respects, she looked straight at the Queen Mother without looking away.

"Your Majesty, I am not good at dancing and music, nor can I write poetry. I have studied hard at home for a while, but I am not talented enough to understand them."

This sentence was incomprehensible and immediately caused everyone in the room to stare in astonishment.

Mrs. Qiao looked at Ji Qingwu's back with helplessness in her eyes. This child is a sincere person.

Although this is the real situation, in front of so many nobles and nobles, it is really...

Qiao let out a long sigh.

Seeing the Queen Mother's unhappy expression, Ji Qingyuan smiled triumphantly.

Emperor Wu Su picked up the wine glass and took a drink. His wide robe sleeves obscured his expression, but from Li Yuzong's perspective, he could clearly see that the corners of the emperor's mouth, which had been tense since he entered the door, finally showed a curve.

Prince Yong laughed out loud: "Fifth cousin, do you really not know the six arts? It's your cousin's fault that you are embarrassed."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Coincidentally, Ji Qingwu was standing in a position where she could see Qiao Menghan if she turned her head slightly. Her grandfather was looking at her with a frown. She shifted her gaze slightly and saw Li Chengxun sitting next to her grandfather.

He did not have a mocking look like everyone else in the room. Instead, he seemed to be laughing. Ji Qingwu took a closer look and saw that he had a pair of affectionate eyes.

Ji Qingwu understood at this moment.

Why can Wei Jie and Pan An be remembered forever just based on their looks? Beauty is a killing weapon that can make people lose their minds regardless of gender.

The eyes seemed to have a mind of their own and would wander to the side if one was not careful.

In the palace, Emperor Wu Su, who had seen everything, put down his wine glass heavily. Li Yuzong's heart, which had just been at ease, was lifted up again. This Miss Ji's eyes could not be calm.

Ji Qingwu actually only looked at him once, twice, three, four times and then turned his head away.

"I vaguely remember that Miss Ji was quite good at horse riding and archery."

As soon as Emperor Wu Su opened his mouth, the hall immediately became quiet.

Ji Qingwu raised his head with a stiff neck and looked up at the platform, his head buzzing.

How did Emperor Wu Su know that she was good at riding horses and archery?

When did you remember it?

After returning to Lin'an City, she never practiced horse riding and archery in front of outsiders. She only practiced at home for a day and a half.

But when I was in the military...

Ji Qingwu didn't bother to avoid anything and looked straight at the emperor.

Does he already know his identity?

The woman had a pair of watery eyes, which were like the rippling light of a lake when they turned. When she was upset, her eyes were full of ripples, which made people feel pity for her. Today, she was wearing the luxurious Xiangyun gauze, which made her look even more graceful and elegant.

Emperor Wu Su held the wine glass tightly with his long fingers, and no one knew what he was thinking.

He opened his lips and said, "Get a bow and arrow for Miss Ji."

The Jiying Hall is spacious and far enough away from the main hall gate, making it a perfect place for archery.

The young eunuch quickly took the bow and arrow and handed it to Ji Qingwu. A palace servant placed a target at the entrance of the main hall.

This distance, about nine zhang, is the standard distance for men's archery competitions, but women are less strong and usually stand closer.

The young eunuch asked her, "Miss Ji, do you want to move forward a little?"

Ji Qingwu said weakly: "It's okay."

The young eunuch thought that she was not very good at archery, and could not hit the target whether she aimed close or far. He could still find an excuse for the farther target, after all, it was rare for a woman to hit the target at this distance.

Ji Qingwu gently pulled the bow, tested the tension of the bowstring first, then stepped forward and stood firmly.

The sleeves of her gown today were wide, and when she raised her hands high, the fabric would leak out. A kind-hearted girl asked a palace maid to make a sleeve band for her, and Ji Qingwu smiled at the girl.

The arrow is already on the string.

Ji Qingwu tried her best to calm herself down. She closed her right eye, pulled the bow with her arm, and the arrow flew out of the string.

"Did you hit it?"

"It's too far away. I can't see the target clearly. Can she hit it?"

"If she can get caught in a target like this, I'll write my name backwards!"

…

The palace servant at the palace gate shouted loudly: "No!"

There was a noisy chatter in the hall, most of them laughing at her for overestimating her own abilities.

In fact, Ji Qingwu felt whether the arrow would hit the target the moment it left her hand. She knew it wouldn't hit the target, but she used the same posture and strength as usual, so why did it miss by so much?

But somehow, after shooting the first arrow, she turned back to look for Emperor Wu Su.

Because in the northern military camp, when it comes to who has the best archery skills, no one can match General Dingbei.

When their eyes met, Ji Qingwu forgot about his fear and only wanted to know why the arrow missed.

When Concubine Wei saw the emperor beside her, she was still sullen. But after the fifth lady of the Ji family shot the arrow, she looked back at him helplessly, and the emperor's expression softened instantly.

He smiled and shook his head at Miss Ji. She could see clearly that he was not mocking her...

Instead, she was amused, and her star-like eyes were full of smiles.

Ji Qingwu drooped his shoulders dejectedly, and then heard a mellow male voice coming from above.

"Bring me my Xuanyuan bow."

Concubine Wei opened her red lips in surprise, wondering what was wrong with the Emperor today.

The civil officials in the court may not be aware of this, but the military generals all knew that Emperor Wu Su had learned martial arts since he was a child and was good at archery and lance wielding. He held the Xuanyuan bow and shot the enemy generals to death with one arrow, killing as many as half a hundred of them.

Concubine Wei was the sister of Wei Ting and came from a family of military generals.

This handy weapon is even more valuable to those who are on the march and fighting than their wife.

She had never seen the Xuanyuan Bow in anyone else's hands.

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