He thought Dongfang Heng would avoid suspicion and not participate in the competition, but he didn't expect him to arrive before the competition ended, which surprised him once again.
Suddenly, Shen Lixue appeared in his sight, leaning close to Dongfang Heng and whispering something. Her bright face and dazzling smile were captivating.
Dongfang Zhan frowned slightly. She truly trusted and liked Dongfang Heng, almost regarding him as her everything. Was it because Dongfang Heng was the God of War of Azure Flames?
A thin layer of anger quietly welled up in his gentle eyes as he coldly looked at Dongfang Heng: "The training ground is spacious enough to accommodate two or three people riding horses and shooting arrows at the same time. I have long heard that Prince An is an excellent archer. How about we go together? I would like to take this opportunity to learn from Prince An!"
All eyes immediately fell on Dongfang Heng. He was the God of War of Azure Flame, and his archery skills were unmatched. Everyone had long wanted to see his archery prowess. They had seen him simply riding a horse and shooting arrows many times before, and it was getting a bit boring. If Prince An and Prince Zhan were to have a competition, they would truly be able to feast their eyes.
"I knew things would change!" Nangong Xiao shook his head vigorously, fanning out gusts of cool air. His devilish, mocking gaze swept over Dongfang Heng and Dongfang Zhan. These two were evenly matched; there was going to be a good show.
The emperor's gaze sharpened, and he picked up his teacup to take a sip, not refuting Dongfang Zhan's words, which was tantamount to acquiescing to his suggestion.
Dongfang Hong sat down gracefully, sipping his tea as if he were completely unconcerned about the competition.
Looking at Dongfang Zhan's provocative gaze, Dongfang Heng said coldly, "Since Prince Zhan is so interested, I shall respectfully comply!"
The concubines, who had been watching from the sidelines with little interest and were feeling drowsy, instantly woke up and stared intently at Dongfang Zhan and Dongfang Heng, two of the most outstanding young members of the Qingyan royal family, competing against each other in the arena. They were sure it would be a very exciting match.
"Dongfang Heng, be careful!" Shen Lixue gripped Dongfang Heng's hand tightly. Knowing he was very capable, she still couldn't help but worry and gave him a warning.
Dongfang Heng nodded and strode towards the center of the arena. Directly in front of him, Dongfang Zhan looked at him calmly, with a hint of anger lingering in the depths of his eyes.
"Don't worry, Dongfang Heng will be fine!" Nangong Xiao waved his fan and looked at Dongfang Heng with great interest. Dongfang Zhan, the cunning and ruthless war god of the Azure Flame, what will be the outcome when he faces the scheming Prince Zhan?
"This is the royal training ground. It's just a small competition, not a life-or-death struggle. Of course, Brother Heng will be fine!" Dongfang Yu'er glared at Nangong Xiao, as if to say, "Shut up and stop talking nonsense." She pulled Shen Lixue aside and said arrogantly, "Lixue, let's sit down and have some tea, and watch Brother Heng show off his talents!"
Nangong Xiao abruptly stopped waving his fan, glaring fiercely at Dongfang Yu'er. "You shrew! You don't know anything, all you do is shout nonsense. Dongfang Heng, Dongfang Zhan, was that just a simple competition?"
"Princess Lixue!" A sweet, gentle female voice drifted on the breeze.
Shen Lixue paused slightly as she held the teacup, blinked, and turned around, her bright face beaming with a smile: "Miss Li!"
"Princess Lixue has also come to watch the competition!" Li Youlan said with a charming smile, sitting down a meter away from Shen Lixue.
"Yes, a competition among the royal princes is a once-in-a-lifetime event. It would be such a pity to miss it!" Shen Lixue replied casually.
"Then Princess Lixue, guess who will win this competition?" Li Youlan asked with a bright smile and sparkling eyes.
Li Youlan's words seemed ordinary, but they were actually setting a trap for her. The competition was between royal princes, and by saying that one of them would win, she would inevitably offend the others in the competition, and then she would become the target of everyone's anger.
"Miss Li, who do you think will win?" Li Youlan threw this hot potato at her, and she didn't necessarily have to accept it: "Prince Zhan? He is Miss Li's cousin, and they grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Naturally, you would want him to win, right?"
Li Youlan's smile froze. She neither said yes nor no. Shen Lixue had thrown back the difficult question she had posed with just a few words, and even turned the tables on her. How clever!
"Miss Li, have you been sick lately?" Dongfang Yu'er asked, raising an eyebrow as she held up her teacup.
"No." Li Youlan frowned, not understanding why Dongfang Yu'er would ask such a question.
"If you're not sick, then why haven't you seen me, the princess?" Dongfang Yu'er looked down at Li Youlan with arrogance.
Li Youlan's face flushed red and then turned white, changing more than a dozen colors in an instant. Dongfang Yu'er cursed her inwardly for being arrogant and disrespectful.
"I was so focused on talking to Princess Lixue that I neglected Princess Yu'er. I hope you won't take offense!" Dongfang Yu'er was arrogant and domineering, behaving like a shrew. It's best to avoid provoking such a person.
"Then you'd better open your eyes wider next time. If you can't see me again, I'll get angry!" Dongfang Yu'er smiled gently and waved her little fist in a show of defiance.
"Yes!" Li Youran smiled awkwardly.
"The competition has begun!" Knowing that Dongfang Yu'er was deliberately finding an excuse to punish Li Youlan, Shen Lixue did not stop her, and looked at the center of the arena with her cold gaze.
With the reins in hand, Dongfang Zhan lightly leaped onto his horse, his sapphire blue robes tracing a graceful arc in the air. His movements were swift and decisive, drawing applause from the crowd.
Dongfang Heng's face was cold and stern, his eyes were calm, and he stepped into the stirrups, flipped onto his horse, and moved as smoothly as flowing water, in one go, even more elegant than Dongfang Zhan.
Dongfang Zhan's gaze darkened. He took the bow and arrow handed to him by the guard, flicked the reins, and spurred his horse to gallop. Dongfang Heng also spurred his horse to the other side.
With bows drawn and strings nocked, Dongfang Heng and Dongfang Zhan fired three arrows almost simultaneously!
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" The three arrows, arranged in a small triangle, flew rapidly toward the target with lightning speed, and all three hit the bullseye.
"Amazing!" The crowd exclaimed in admiration. They had thought that the Crown Prince's two arrows in succession was already a miracle, but they never expected that Prince Zhan and Prince An could also fire three arrows in succession.
Shen Lixue's gaze narrowed slightly. It was undeniable that Dongfang Heng, who had long served on the frontier, possessed superb archery skills. However, Dongfang Zhan, who had always lived in the capital, also had such superb archery skills, and he was definitely not to be underestimated.
Dongfang Hong paused, staring intently at the three arrows on the bullseye of the two targets. His gaze was deep; the archery skills of these two were indeed superb.
Dongfang Zhan smiled. He was a prince in the capital, valuing literature, while Dongfang Heng was the Prince of An on the battlefield, valuing martial prowess. Dongfang Heng's archery skills should surpass all others to be considered a victory. Now, he and Dongfang Heng both fired three arrows in succession, all hitting the bullseye, showing equal skill. In fact, he had won by half a point.
Dongfang Heng, with a composed and handsome face, rode his swift horse, his white robes fluttering in the wind. His refined and noble bearing was evident as he raised his jade-like fingers and fired three more arrows in quick succession: "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" These three arrows flew out, hitting the fletchings of the first batch of arrows precisely. The six arrows, arranged in three straight lines, victoriously wobbled near the bullseye of the target…
Everyone was instantly stunned. The scene was eerily quiet. The first three arrows hit the bullseye, and the next three hit the buttocks. This tested not only skill but also strength and eyesight. This archery was incredibly exquisite, and probably no one in the world could match it...
Dongfang Zhan stared intently at Dongfang Heng's bullseye, his face grim. Dongfang Heng's archery skills were truly superb; I underestimated him!
"Prince An's archery skills are truly superb!" Li Youlan couldn't help but exclaim as she looked at the bullseye on the target. She had long witnessed Dongfang Zhan's archery skills and was amazed by them, but she never expected that Dongfang Heng's archery skills were even better than Dongfang Zhan's.
Dongfang Yu'er snorted and said proudly, "Of course, Brother Heng is the God of War of Azure Flames!" During her time at the border, she had personally witnessed the various miracles created by Dongfang Heng. No one in the world could surpass someone like him.
Nangong Xiao lightly waved his folding fan, a playful smile flashing in his charming eyes. He knew that Dongfang Heng would not lose to Dongfang Zhan. The Azure Flame War God was forged on the battlefield and was not just a name. His archery skills were far superior to those of the idle princes in the capital.
No matter how skilled Dongfang Zhan was at archery, he had never fought on the battlefield, so neither his archery skills nor his experience were as good as Dongfang Heng's!
Shen Lixue wasn't as relaxed as Nangong Xiao. She looked at Dongfang Zhan with a cold gaze. He was cunning and had a grudge against Dongfang Heng, so he definitely wouldn't admit defeat easily.
As expected, Dongfang Zhan didn't put down the arrows and walk aside. Instead, he nocked them again, his sharp eyes fixed on the three arrows on the string. Amidst the expectant, puzzled, and confused gazes of the crowd, he smiled and suddenly released the string: "Whoosh!" The three arrows, imbued with boundless power, shot swiftly towards the bullseye of the target. However, unlike before, they didn't stop there; instead, they flew off the target, carrying the entire bullseye and the three arrows with them...
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, it struck the bullseye of another target with deadly force.