CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: EVERYONE RELYING ON THEIR ABILITIES

Fengyu returned to the riding and archery field, where the scene was lively and bustling. The earlier interlude before the opening had already been set aside, with a group of youths competing fiercely, showcasing their striking presence on horseback.

Fang Lingjun, seeing Fengyu return, pulled her aside to join the spectators. The first round was men’s riding and archery, with the prize being a sweat-blood horse, reddish all over without a single stray hair—a rarity. Li Pengfei, having lost a good horse previously, was determined to win this prize. Each person was allowed ten arrows, and the highest score would win.

The items in the arena were all mobile, assembled on a specially constructed rotating platform. Various objects were haphazardly suspended on the platform: hitting a Copper Coin earned ten points, while hitting an orange earned seven, an apple six, a chrysanthemum five, a Qiangwei flower four, and a watermelon two. The largest target was the watermelon. Each type of item had ten pieces.

The Copper Coin was the most challenging target, as the arrow had to precisely pass through the coin—making it the hardest shot. The watermelon, with its large size, was the simplest target.

Although the children of the prestigious Yanyang Family were generally skilled at riding and archery, it was rare to score over sixty points at the riding and archery banquet. The difficulty lay in the moving targets, which made precision challenging. Compared to shooting static targets, this format was much more entertaining. As for hitting the Copper Coin, only true marksmen—those who never missed—could accomplish such a feat.

"If my brother and Xie Zhang were here, they would undoubtedly hit the mark every time. Whenever they participated in the riding and archery banquets, no one could rival them," Fang Lingjun boasted. "Xie Zhang once hit ten Copper Coins with ten arrows—no one has ever broken his record."

Fengyu had heard of this before. That year, Xie Zhang was thirteen years old and amazed everyone with his skills. Since then, the riding and archery banquets in the capital had stopped inviting him, except on occasions where Fang Chuning was also competing, allowing spectators to witness their head-to-head rivalry.

"What’s the highest number of Copper Coins Xie Xun has hit?" Fengyu instinctively asked. His riding and archery skills were also excellent.

"The Young Marquis?" Fang Lingjun scratched her head. "Apparently, not very good. When he was younger, he followed Marquis Zhenbei and Xie Zhang to manage military affairs and wasn’t interested in playing riding and archery with us. Last year, the only time he participated in a riding and archery banquet, he only hit two big watermelons."

Fang Lingjun held up four fingers. "Four points—not even as good as me."

Fengyu blurted out, "Are you kidding me?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Fang Lingjun proudly patted her chest. "I’m way better than him."

"Wow..." Their conversation was interrupted by the cheers of a group of young girls—the attention was now on Lin Cheng, who had entered the field. With his third arrow, he hit a Copper Coin—the first Copper Coin taken down in the men’s riding and archery, earning the admiration of the young ladies.

Lin Yu Yan accepted the compliments from the noble girls with pride and satisfaction.

"I want that horse. My brother will definitely win it for me," Lin Yu Yan said arrogantly, waiting confidently for Lin Cheng to take first place.

After a striking debut, Lin Cheng played it safe, hitting three oranges in succession. With his fifth arrow, he hit another Copper Coin, brimming with confidence. He aimed for the Copper Coin again, but missed this time. The Copper Coin was extremely difficult, and had it been on a static target, it would have been much simpler. On moving targets, unless absolutely confident, one would never dare to attempt it. On his seventh arrow, he hit another orange.

For the last three arrows, he hit one Copper Sphere and, to ensure his lead, opted for two oranges without taking any risks. He scored seventy-two points, temporarily securing first place.

"Brother, you’re amazing!" Lin Yu Yan proclaimed loudly. Under the envious gazes of the girls, Lin Cheng felt quite pleased with himself and waved charmingly at Lin Yu Yan.

Fang Lingjun clicked her tongue as a sign of contempt, feeling competitive. "Far worse than my brother."

Li Pengfei entered the field next, giving it his all in an attempt to claim victory. He had to hit at least one Copper Coin; otherwise, even if all ten arrows hit oranges, his maximum score would only be seventy. Despite his efforts, he fell short—missing the Copper Coins with three arrows after hitting seven oranges. He ended with forty-nine points and left the field in disappointment. Lin Yu Yan consoled him, saying, "Li Pengfei, you fought well."

Encouraged by her words, Li Pengfei regained his spirit.

Fang Lingjun whispered to Fengyu, "Li Pengfei is a complete idiot—running after Lin Yu Yan all day while she treats him like a guard dog."

Xie Xun returned to his seat, with King Qi sitting beside him. The king chuckled and asked, "Young Marquis, aren’t you going to show off your skills at the field?"

"Not interested," Xie Xun replied, reclining lazily in his seat and sipping his wine leisurely. His gaze drifted toward the riding and archery arena, where it landed on Fengyu—her entirely red attire making her stand out markedly.

Having finished his competition, Lin Cheng came over to pay his respects to King Qi before joining Xie Xun for a drink. "The Emperor is already wary of the Marquis Mansion. A few days ago, you struck the Third Prince; today, if you shoot the imperial steed granted by His Majesty, aren’t you afraid of punishment at the court?"

"His Majesty is benevolent; he wouldn’t blame me for such trivial matters," Xie Xun replied with a hint of implication as he clinked glasses with Lin Cheng. "But you—manage your household well, or trouble is bound to arise sooner or later."

Lin Cheng, still in high spirits after the competition, replied, "Yu Yan’s nature isn’t bad—just a little spoiled. Perhaps she had a minor disagreement with Feng Family’s Third Miss and decided to play a harmless prank."

Xie Xun sipped his wine with a faint smile. "Good thing you’re not my elder brother."

Relationships require distinctions—those close and those distant, the insiders versus the outsiders. People often magnify the faults of strangers while overlooking the malice of their family, even if it results in someone’s death—after all, the lives of outsiders are often deemed insignificant.

The men’s competition soon concluded, and Lin Cheng secured first place, winning the sweat-blood horse. Lin Yu Yan rode the horse triumphantly, basking in the admiration of others, which Fang Lingjun found obnoxious.

Fengyu advised, "When you shoot later, be sure to stay calm and composed—don’t rush."

Having watched Fang Lingjun shoot several times before, Fengyu knew she was easily distracted. When it came to archery skills, Lin Yu Yan couldn’t compare to Fang Lingjun.

"Don’t worry, I’ll win for sure!"

Riding and archery consisted of three rounds—one for men, one for women, and the final being a team challenge.

The top prize for the women’s competition was a pair of jade bracelets, emerald-green throughout. These jade bracelets were requested by King Qi from the Empress—they were invaluable and carried profound significance. Lin Yu Yan had already announced, "I’m determined to claim those bracelets; no one should even think about competing with me!"

The jade bracelets were presented by Emperor Jianming to the Empress after his ascension—utterly unique. Lin Yu Yan’s domineering attitude left no room for anyone else to challenge her.

Zhang Jingmiao and Wu Changhuan naturally didn’t dare compete with her, though they resented her overbearingness in silence. Lin Yunong wasn’t present at the riding and archery banquet. Princess Xue Lan observed the excitement from a high platform, leaving Lin Yu Yan as the undisputed leader among the noble girls.

Fang Lingjun mocked, "If you want the jade bracelets, let’s rely on our skills. Win against me first before making such claims."

"Do you think I’m afraid of you?"

Lin Yu Yan mounted her horse, getting ready for the field. For each round of archery, the items would be replenished. Lin Yu Yan, brimming with self-confidence, entered the field and circled it once before halting in the designated area. Drawing her bow, she fired her first arrow at an orange, successfully hitting her target. Her second arrow hit an apple. In competition, confidence correlates with stability, and Lin Yu Yan didn’t attempt to challenge the Copper Coins. Missing only two arrows, she scored forty-six points.

Lin Yu Yan’s score was considered exceptionally high for women’s riding and archery. Some participants, despite performing well in archery assessments, completely missed on moving targets.

After her round, Lin Yu Yan rushed over to where Lin Cheng and Xie Xun were drinking and gleefully asked, "Brother, Young Marquis, wasn’t my riding and archery performance excellent? I scored forty-six points!"

"Not bad—it’s reminiscent of your brother’s prowess," Lin Cheng said, smiling indulgently at Lin Yu Yan.