Chapter 118 A bittersweet feeling, but with a beginning and an end.
Ji Qingwu didn't even glance at what Consort Wei did or her expression.
Since reaching this new level of understanding, the noise around me seems to have stopped bothering me.
The arrow shot towards the target, and all the pressure on his body was shot into the target along with it. Ji Qingwu liked this feeling very much.
She didn't pay any attention to what was happening, nor did she notice the commotion at the scene.
Through this, Wei Liru also saw the embroidery on Ji Qingwu's clothes.
She wore a magnificent turquoise robe, the brocade rippling in the breeze, creating a scene reminiscent of the sky and water merging into one.
A golden sun was shining on her chest, radiating a warm glow.
There is an ancient legend about Hou Yi shooting down the sun.
Ji Qingwu wore the Golden Crow on his body during the archery competition, which shows how proud and arrogant he was!
Wei Liru suddenly felt that the sun on the azure background was even more dazzling than the one hanging in the sky, making her eyes hurt.
She also found Ji Qingwu, that person, quite annoying.
Wei Liru wiped the smile from her lips, her gaze turning cold and stern. With this final arrow, she would give it her all, for herself and for the sake of the Wei family's reputation. She absolutely could not lose to this unknown Ji Wu.
The two exuded different auras, and this change in atmosphere excited the onlookers even more.
As Qiao watched Xiao Wu's performance from the stands, amidst the compliments of a group of noblewomen, she couldn't hide her smile.
To be proficient in even one of the Six Arts is already beyond the reach of ordinary people, and Xiao Wu's arrows have already surpassed the skills of many men.
Old Master Qiao did not come to watch; he was still in the study supervising the young prince's studies. However, Old Madam Qiao and Qiao Qiqi were both present.
Every time Ji Qingwu hit the target with an arrow, Grandma Qiao would cheer excitedly and loudly proclaim, "This is my little granddaughter!"
Moreover, regardless of whether it's a positive result or not.
When Ji Qingwu shot the first arrow, she missed. Old Madam Qiao paused and said to the noblewoman beside her that her granddaughter was really strong and had the same strength as her in her younger days.
The ladies around them suppressed their laughter, and when Mrs. Qiao heard this, she helplessly advised them not to exaggerate.
But now, Mrs. Qiao felt that she had been too modest in her praise. She stared intently at the scene with great excitement, silently cheering for Xiao Wu in her heart.
The last arrow—as long as we don't give up, there's still hope.
Who wouldn't love a victory achieved through a comeback from a desperate situation?
Everyone's attention was already on edge, but Ji Qingwu remained unchanged, showing no signs of being affected.
She looked down at her palm, having shot several arrows in quick succession, leaving new marks on her hand that throbbed with pain, but she felt increasingly relieved.
The final whistle blew.
This time, Wei Liru took much longer to prepare for drawing her bow and arrow, and she was no longer as at ease as before. Her heart began to beat faster.
Ji Qingwu remained at that slow pace, gently smoothing her bowed body with her hand.
Huo Shaofang knew he couldn't win and was just about to casually shoot an arrow to end the game.
But the emperor, who was far away on the high platform, suddenly waved his hand. Li Yuzong stepped forward, listened to a few instructions, and then jogged to the shooting range.
"Please wait a moment, Your Highness and ladies!"
The men who were about to shoot arrows all put down their bows and arrows, looking at him with puzzlement.
Li Yuzong exclaimed in a shrill voice, "His Majesty has decreed that prizes be added to the women's archery and horsemanship competition." Behind him, a young eunuch carried a gift box and placed it on the dragon-carved stand in the center.
Then, waving his whisk, he called out in a drawn-out voice, "The winner will be rewarded with a Suihou Pearl!"
As soon as the reward was announced, everyone's eyes were drawn to the brocade box.
This is the Suihou Pearl!
Legend has it that thousands of years ago, the monarch of the Sui Kingdom saw a large, injured snake suffering greatly by the roadside during a trip. Feeling compassion, he ordered his men to apply medicine and bandage the snake before releasing it back into the grass.
The Suihou Pearl is the treasure that this giant serpent transformed into after it died. This pearl is about an inch in diameter, pure white, and glows in the night, enough to illuminate a room.
It is not only precious, but also carries extraordinary meaning.
Women generally appreciate its dazzling brilliance, while men are more drawn to the auspicious meaning it symbolizes, suggesting the potential for high office and great wealth.
At this moment, Wei Liru rode up to Ji Qingwu's side, her face beaming with a wide smile.
She asked, "Miss Ji, do you know what the prize for winning this time is?"
Ji Qingwu looked at the person blocking her view, put down the bow in her hand, and said calmly, "Your Majesty, didn't Eunuch Li just say that it was Marquis Sui Zhu?"
Seeing her calm expression, Wei Liru chuckled and asked, "Do you know the origin of this bead?"
Ji Qingwu shook her head. Judging from the name, she only knew that it was a rare and precious treasure.
Do you know my brother, Wei Ting?
Ji Qingwu paused awkwardly as she stroked the horse's mane. She stared at Consort Wei and asked, "General Wei, do you have a relationship with Marquis Sui Zhu?"
Wei Liru proudly said, "It was originally a treasure of Xijin. My brother captured the prince of the enemy country, and in order to make peace, the other side specially presented it to Beili as a gesture of goodwill."
Sui Houzhu was originally a prisoner captured by Wei Ting.
Ji Qingwu hadn't heard that name in so long that he thought he had forgotten that past locked away in his memory.
As the initial target of her conquest, she poured too much effort into Wei Ting.
She could give him anything he wanted.
She would do anything to please him, anything he wanted or liked.
She knew that Wei Ting had a younger sister he cherished dearly. Every time he received a letter from Wei Liru, Wei Ting would smile warmly, a smile quite different from his usual faint one.
At that time, Ji Qingwu was envious that Wei Ting's sister was so valued in his heart. Unlike herself, who had done so much but still couldn't understand his thoughts.
Wei Ting didn't seem to treat her anything special.
After more than a year of courtship, she only gained the right to freely enter and leave his tent to deliver things. He was only slightly more familiar with her than with any other female military doctor.
Seeing Ji Qingwu's dazed expression, Wei Liru's eyes gleamed with a hint of smugness.
She continued, "This was sent back by my brother. His Majesty could have simply bestowed it upon me, but he brought it out today to add to the occasion. Do you know why?"
Without thinking, Ji Qingwu asked, "What do you mean?"
Wei Liru's eyes flickered, and she leaned closer to her, speaking in a voice loud enough for the two of them to hear: "It's just that the Emperor favors me and wants to find a more legitimate way to give it to me, a way that will make me feel more at ease."
Ji Qingwu felt a pang of sadness; she couldn't tell if it was for Wei Ting or something else.
She looked up and stared directly into Consort Wei's alluring phoenix eyes, and said, "Is Your Highness so certain that you will win?"
Wei Liru looked at her, her red lips parted: "In this palace, everything is divided into two categories: what I want and what I don't want."
She spurred her horse a few steps away and looked at the emperor on the high platform again.
Then she turned around and said with a determined look, "My riding and archery skills were personally taught by my brother. I'm determined to have this Suihou Pearl!"
After returning to the designated area, Wei Liru first predicted the direction of the target. Because of her bold statement, she was fully focused this time.
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