Impératrice douairière Xiaoxuan

Chapitre 107

Zhao Yu glanced at him and Xiao Guanyin and said with a faint smile, "It's just a trivial skill from the kitchen. Your Highness is too kind to laugh at it."

Upon hearing this, Mo Yan secretly curled her lips, looked at Zhao Yu, and muttered in her heart with dissatisfaction: "A mere trick, why don't you show me one? It's easy for you to talk when you're not the one suffering."

“Brother Cha Ci,” Xiao Guanyin’s beautiful eyes swept over the Song people below her, “I heard that a famous Song warrior accompanied the princess this time. I wonder who it is?”

Yelü Hongji smiled at Zhan Zhao and said, "Look, even my little sister has heard of you, Zhan Zhao, your reputation is truly impressive."

Zhan Zhao smiled slightly: "Zhan Zhao is ashamed."

"It's him!"

Xiao Guanyin curiously examined Zhan Zhao closely. Just now, she had already felt that this person had a dignified and reserved temperament like a pine tree. However, seeing his handsome and refined appearance, she thought he was a civil official. She never expected that this person was Zhan Zhao, who was known as the Southern Hero.

"You are Zhan Zhao?"

Zhan Zhao stepped forward and bowed, saying in a respectful yet firm manner, "Zhan Zhao greets Princess Ruixiang."

Most of the warriors in the Liao Dynasty were burly and fierce like tigers, but the man before her had a gentle and refined demeanor, like a clear breeze and a bright moon, which she had never seen before in the Liao Dynasty.

"Are you really that good at martial arts?" Xiao Guanyin asked curiously. "I've heard you use a sword, why don't you show me how you wield it?"

Mo Yan almost jumped up when she heard this, her fists clenched so tightly they were practically dripping with sweat: she was just a princess, not the emperor of Liao, yet she wanted her elder brother to perform a sword dance for her, treating him like a juggling performer.

"I regret that I cannot comply," Zhan Zhao said calmly. "The sword is made of cold jade, and it is not suitable for an auspicious day."

Since he said so, Xiao Guanyin naturally couldn't ask for more. If the happy occasion were to change in the future, although it would be her wish, she really couldn't bear the blame.

Yelü Pusa Nu, who hadn't spoken for a long time, slowly raised his eyes to look at Zhan Zhao and said coldly, "Since you've come to my Great Liao, you should naturally abide by the rules of my Great Liao. The people of Liao live by riding and hunting. How could we ever lack swords and arrows? Are you just all talk and no action, afraid of making a fool of yourself?"

Despite the strong provocation in his words, Zhan Zhao simply smiled faintly and did not respond.

"Zhan Zhao, do you dare to compete with me in archery?"

Yelü Pusa Nu had already stood up, staring intently at Zhan Zhao. Yelü Hongji, seated at the head of the table, watched with a slight smile, showing no intention of interfering. Zhan Zhao did not wish to accept the challenge and was about to refuse when he heard Zhao Yu say, "Guard Zhan, when you are a guest, you should follow the host's lead. Why don't you accompany him and give it a try?"

She was displeased to see Yelü Pusa Nu being provocative. She thought that Zhan Zhao was skilled in martial arts and would surely be able to defeat this barbarian. She thought it would be a good opportunity to have a match with him and dampen his arrogance.

Zhan Zhao sighed inwardly, and when he looked up, he met Mo Yan's worried gaze. She knew that Zhan Zhao was of a peaceful nature and disliked fighting or competing with others; he certainly didn't want to spar. Furthermore, she noticed that Yelü Pusa Nu's hands, resting on the table, were large, with prominent knuckles and thick calluses on the base of his thumbs—most likely those of a skilled archer; while Zhan Zhao usually used a sword and rarely used a bow and arrow. In their contest, Zhan Zhao had already fallen behind.

With a gentle smile, Zhan Zhao slowly rose and bowed to Yelü Pusa Nu, saying, "I am not skilled in archery, so please be lenient with me, Vice Envoy."

Yelü Pusa Nu sneered without answering, then turned and ordered someone to bring two sets of bows and arrows, handing one to Zhan Zhao. Mo Yan stared intently at them; the two sets of bows and arrows looked identical, so it seemed fair enough.

"Please, Vice Envoy, choose the target eye as you see fit."

Zhan Zhao didn't look at the bow and arrow much. He casually took one from the quiver, nocked it on the bow, and waited for Yelü Pusa Nu to tell him what he had shot.

Yelü Pusa Nu turned to Yelü Hongji and said, "Please choose the item, Your Highness."

Yelü Hongji thought for a moment and then laughed, "We usually use candlelight as target holes at night, but let's try something new today, shall we?"

"Your Highness is in high spirits. What would you like to use?"

Yelü Hongji summoned his personal attendant and whispered a few words in his ear. The attendant hurriedly left, and Yelü Pusa Nu and Zhan Zhao turned to him with a smile and said, "Wait a moment, you will know soon enough."

After waiting for a while, everyone suddenly saw more than a dozen Kongming lanterns slowly rising in the distance, floating like ghosts against the dark blue night sky...

"There are sixteen Kongming lanterns in total. Each of you will shoot eight arrows, and the one who shoots the most arrows wins," Yelü Hongji announced the competition rules with a smile.

Zhan Zhao nodded and gestured for him to go first, saying, "Vice Envoy, please go first."

Yelü Pusa Nu coldly said, "I don't want to take advantage of you. Let's go at the same time." At this time, the Kongming lantern was still low, and the one who shot first would naturally have the advantage. He was determined to compete with Zhan Zhao and was unwilling to take even the slightest advantage.

The two men stepped outside the banquet hall, each drawing their bows and nocking arrows. A hush fell over the room as everyone watched them intently. Shooting a Kongming lantern was far more difficult than shooting an incense stick. While incense sticks were thin, they weren't too far away and remained stationary. Shooting a Kongming lantern, however, didn't mean breaking the flame, but rather severing the wick to extinguish it. The lantern floated in the air, far away and unpredictable, with the flame still inside, casting flickering shadows—making it extremely difficult. Many of the Liao people present were skilled archers and horsemen, but even they, in their own minds, lacked the confidence to shoot down the lantern.

Mo Yan kept her eyes on Zhan Zhao. Although his body was tense, he held the bow steadily and his breathing was slow and long, as if he was waiting for something. Clearly, he was not nervous, which made her feel a little relieved.

With a soft "whoosh," Yelü Pusa Nu's arrow flew away from the bowstring.

With another "whoosh," Zhan Zhao's arrow followed closely behind, catching up like a shooting star.

In the night sky, two Kongming lanterns floated at the highest point, their lights flickering before going out and slowly sinking down.

"Excellent archery!"

For a moment, both the Liao and Song people clapped and praised, unable to tell whether they were praising Yelü Pusa Nu, Zhan Zhao, or both. Yelü Hongji nodded approvingly and smiled at Zhao Yu, saying, "This Zhan Zhao truly lives up to his reputation."

Zhao Yu still had to maintain a reserved smile, while Mo Yan behind her was beaming with joy.

The two archers remained unfazed, seemingly oblivious to the applause and praise around them, and simply took out more arrows and nocked them on their bows.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two men shot five more arrows, and ten Kongming lanterns fell to the ground, leaving only four lanterns in the air. Each of them still had two arrows to shoot. The guests at the banquet were all in high spirits, because judging from the situation, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it seemed the contest would end in a draw.

He took another arrow from the quiver, and Yelü Pusa Nu turned his head very slowly, giving Zhan Zhao a complicated look before turning back...

Two Kongming lanterns went out, one after the other. The candle inside the other lantern next to it flickered but didn't go out, and the lantern itself swayed violently. The crowd gasped, not understanding what was happening.

Zhan Zhao knew what was going on, and turned to Yelü Pusa Nu with a smile: "Vice Envoy, you shot through two lamps with one arrow. You are truly a divine archer. I, Zhan, am completely humbled."

Yelü Pusa Nu stared intently at the swaying Kongming lantern for a long while before turning to ask, "How come you missed?"

Zhan Zhao smiled but did not answer: "The outcome is already decided. I am completely convinced of the Vice Envoy's archery skills. I think there is no need to compete again."

Yelü Pusa glanced at the two remaining Kongming lanterns in the sky, put down his bow, and although he did not say a word and his face was cold, he clearly agreed that there was no need to continue the contest.

Chapter 41

After a while, the banquet ended and everyone dispersed.