Shen Lixue shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips, her expression unfathomable: "Her leg wasn't injured in a fall, but rather crippled by the steel nail bed I used. The bones are shattered, and she'll never be able to recover in her lifetime!"
"You..." Lin Yan stared at Shen Lixue in shock. He thought she would either praise Zhuang Kexin highly or criticize her harshly, but he never expected to hear these words from her. His mouth was slightly open, and it took him a long time to finally say, "You have a grudge against her!" It wasn't a question, but a statement of certainty.
Shen Lixue nodded gently. She and Zhuang Kexin had a deep-seated grudge.
Lin Yan smiled and shook his head. There was no blame in his deep eyes, only a gentle warmth. He habitually patted Shen Lixue's head with his large hand: "You little troublemaker, I know what to do now."
"Thank you, cousin!" Zhuang Kexin is beautiful, but her character is wicked. She is not worthy of Lin Yan. Moreover, Shen Lixue can see that Lin Yan has no feelings for Zhuang Kexin, so she tells him the truth and lets him make his own decision. She believes that he will make the right choice.
"We are siblings, sharing both honor and disgrace, no need for thanks!" Lin Yan ruffled Shen Lixue's black hair again, the smooth, silky feel making his large hand linger.
"Grand Commandant Lei, Father, Your Excellencies!" A familiar, cold male voice suddenly rang out. Shen Lixue frowned slightly; she had already guessed who it was.
"Deputy Commander Zhuang."
"Great City!"
The officials greeted Zhuang Weicheng, and Grand Commandant Lei said in a deep voice, "It's getting late, and everyone is here. Let's begin the banquet!"
There weren't many guests. The male and female guests dined in the same banquet hall, separated by a screen. The female guests ate with elegant bows, their curious gazes sweeping back and forth between Shen Lixue and Zhuang Kexin. Their intentions were self-evident.
Shen Lixue frowned slightly. She had chosen her seat randomly, but Zhuang Kexin had deliberately sat next to her. Was it to curry favor, or did she have another purpose...?
"Li Xue, don't just eat vegetables, come on, have some meat!" Zhuang Kexin smiled and put a piece of meat into Chen Li Xue's bowl. Her movements were smooth and natural. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the two were best friends.
"Thank you!" Shen Lixue forced a smile, stared at the braised pork on top, and poked at the rice and vegetables in her bowl with her chopsticks, but she had no appetite anymore.
"General Lin, I would like to offer you a toast." A refined male voice suddenly rang out from behind the screen, clearly belonging to a civil official.
"Thank you, sir!" Lin Yan's voice was indifferent, polite yet tinged with detachment.
"Deputy Commander Zhuang, I'd like to offer you a toast..." The refined male voice changed to toast Zhuang Weicheng.
"Thank you, sir. However, I must go on duty after the meal and cannot drink alcohol. I hope you will understand." Zhuang Weicheng's voice was cold, carrying an overbearing force.
"Hehe, no problem, no problem, business is the priority, business is the priority..." The refined male voice chuckled and flattered, "General Lin is highly skilled in martial arts, and Deputy Commander Zhuang is also this year's martial arts champion, with extraordinary skills. With one of them leading troops to guard the capital, the people can live and work in peace!"
"You flatter me, sir!" Lin Yan replied politely.
Zhuang Weicheng's cold face instantly darkened. Last night, Lin Yan had knocked him back three meters with a single move. Now, when this civil official praised him, he placed Lin Yan before him, clearly mocking him for being inferior to Lin Yan: "I have long heard of General Lin's superb martial arts, but I have never had the chance to witness it. Today, I am honored to meet the General. I wonder if the General could enlighten me?"
"Vice Commander Zhuang still has to go on an inspection tour, so I won't take up any more of your time!" Lin Yan smiled and declined Zhuang Weicheng's suggestion. His martial arts skills were for protecting his home and people, not for fighting.
“Military regulations stipulate that lunch is served within an hour. Half an hour has passed now, and I still have half an hour to ask the general for his advice…” Zhuang Weicheng looked at Lin Yan coldly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Lin Yan lowered his eyelids and remained silent.
"Does the general look down on me and refuse to give me face?" Zhuang Weicheng raised an eyebrow, deliberately provoking Lin Yan.
Lin Yan smiled slightly: "A contest is fine, but we'll stop when it's over!" He wasn't one to fight, but when someone bullied him on his own doorstep, how could he avoid a fight?
"Of course!" Zhuang Weicheng replied arrogantly, as if victory was assured. A dark glint flashed in his eyes as he looked at Lin Yan. He was determined to defeat Lin Yan.
The contest between Lin Yan and Zhuang Weicheng was a battle between a border general and the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards of the capital. It was bound to be spectacular, and everyone lost their appetite and came out to watch.
The competition was held next to the garden, and it was also a sword and arrow contest. However, the method of the contest was not to fight with swords or shoot arrows from horseback. Instead, one person would shoot arrows with a bow and arrow, while the other person would use a sword to cut the incoming arrows. The contest was to see whether the archer was faster or the swordsman was faster.
The young ladies from prominent families stood aside, secretly watching the two handsome young men facing each other in the arena. Zhuang Weicheng was dressed in silver armor, looking heroic and extraordinary, while Lin Yan was dressed in blue brocade robes, looking refined and elegant. The girls blushed with embarrassment.
"Guess who will win, General Lin or Deputy Commander Zhuang?"
"General Lin, he's a border general, and he's most skilled at archery and swordsmanship..."
"I'd guess it's Deputy Commander Zhuang. You can tell just by his sharp demeanor. In contrast, General Lin is very refined; he looks like a scholar..."
"Deputy Commander Zhuang is a military man, domineering and rough. I still prefer General Lin, who is gentle and refined, yet possesses a scholarly air..."
"anthomaniac……"
Amidst the girls' whispers, the competition began!
Zhuang Weicheng held a long bow and arrow, nocked the bowstring, and fired the black-feathered arrow fiercely at Lin Yan, who was five meters away.
Lin Yan held his longsword firmly, standing still. Just as the arrow was about to hit her, he suddenly raised his hand and chopped it down. The sturdy arrow was instantly shattered into two neat halves, which fell to the ground...
"Great!" someone exclaimed, and many others joined in the cheering: "General Lin is truly amazing!"
Zhuang Weicheng's expression changed slightly. He nocked another arrow and shot at Lin Yan. Lin Yan did the same, knocking the arrows down one after another. Cheers rose and fell, and the girls looked at Lin Yan with fervent eyes: "General Lin is so amazing!"
"Yes, yes, his swordsmanship is so fast, Vice Commander Zhuang is no match for him at all..."
Sitting in her wheelchair, Zhuang Kexin looked at Lin Yan's tall figure and agile movements, and listened to the exclamations of admiration from the young ladies. Her heart was slightly in turmoil.
Lin Yan moved with effortless grace, causing Zhuang Weicheng to panic. He fired arrow after arrow without stopping, but Lin Yan stood firmly and easily flicked his wrist, shattering each arrow in two. No matter how many arrows there were, they posed no threat to him!
Shen Lixue stood by the garden, watching Zhuang Weicheng and Lin Yan fighting. She smiled slightly. Zhuang Weicheng's speed was far inferior to that of his cousin Yan. Their martial arts skills were two levels apart. He was bound to lose!
"Whoosh!" A feathered arrow flew swiftly with a sharp gust of wind, not aimed at Lin Yan, but at Shen Lixue. Shen Lixue's cold eyes narrowed instantly as she looked coldly at Zhuang Weicheng, only to see him grinning ferociously, his eyes filled with a sinister and bloodthirsty smile.
"Li Xue!" An arrow shot towards Shen Li Xue. Without thinking, Lin Yan flew towards Shen Li Xue with his sword. As the sword tip cut off the arrow, another black arrow was already in front of him. No matter how fast he was, he didn't have time to dodge.
"Clang!" A hairpin flew out, knocking down the black feathered arrow, and a cold light flashed in Shen Lixue's clear eyes.
The evil wind disappeared, and all was quiet. Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at the hairpin on the ground, his eyes flashed, picked it up and handed it to Shen Lixue: "Lixue, thank you."
"My cousin just saved my life, no need to thank me!" Shen Lixue smiled, took the hairpin, and looked at Zhuang Weicheng with a cold gaze: "Vice Commander Zhuang, are you shooting arrows or killing people?"
He first ambushed himself with an arrow, and then, taking advantage of his cousin Yan's preoccupation with saving others, he secretly attacked and wounded him. Zhuang Weicheng is truly despicable and shameless.