As soon as the phoenix hairpin was displayed, the eyes of all the male guests and female guests turned red. Flames of jealousy and hatred burned in their eyes, causing them to desire to burn Feng Yu Heng and Bu Ni Shang.
Everyone knew the background of the hairpin. It had been passed down through many generations, and it was something that was worn by six Empresses. Whoever received it, would it not just be like receiving an imperial decree to become the future Empress.
But the two people in this competition…
For a while, the crowd discussed it.
The Feng family’s daughter was engaged to the ninth prince, while the Bu family’s daughter was engaged to the fourth prince. Everyone knew that the ninth prince had been injured in a battle and had no hope of having children. The throne could not be given to such a person.
That was to say…
Oh!
Everyone turned their heads and looked towards the fourth prince, Xuan Tian Yi.
Could it be that the Emperor favored the fourth prince? There was this possibility, otherwise there was no way he would have Princess Bu’s niece engaged to him. Moreover, Bu Ni Shang’s full brother was stationed at the Eastern border and controlled a quarter of Da Shun’s military!
Feng Jin Yuan’s fist was tightly clenched. He did not think that the situation would become like this. The Emperor who had never made his stance clear, could it be that he would use such a method to make clear his intentions? His Feng family had chosen the third prince! If it truly were the case, how should the Feng family proceed from here?
He subconsciously looked towards the third prince, Xuan Tian Ye and saw that he still had his usual angry expression. He did not seem to be bothered by the gifting of the hairpin by the Emperor and Empress. In fact, when he looked over, he nodded slightly and gave a reassuring look.
Feng Jin Yuan’s worries were completely resolved.
That’s right! He had been too anxious. The current Emperor was only in his early fifties. Even if he selected a crown prince, there was a chance of making a come back. Since he had made his decision, the Feng family could no longer retreat. Just like the other wealthy and powerful families, each other their own factions. They could only advance slowly. Even if there was no established road, they had no choice but to try and build one.
Feng Jin Yuan was someone who could think things through. There was, however, someone who was very anxious. This person was the one named by Daoist Zi Yang to have the aspect of the phoenix, Feng Chen Yu.
In her eyes, the phoenix hairpin was something that should be hers. How could it fall into another person’s hands? She was so frustrated that she wanted to throw a tantrum, but her current identity was Qing Le’s servant. How could she have the right to throw a tantrum. Moreover, Bu Ni Shang and Feng Yu Heng were competing in archery and not the zither. Even if she had the qualifications to participate, so what? Whether she could even draw the bow was something that had to be considered, much less shooting an arrow.
Feng Chen Yu was so angry that her eyes could shoot fire, as her face became distorted. Qing Le reminded her in a timely manner: “Pay attention to your identity.” She gritted her teeth and used all of her power to repress this anger. She could only lower her head once more. At this moment, she hated her mother, Chen shi, to death. If it were not for that vile woman, would she be in the situation where she could not enter the palace for five year? Would she be in the situation where she entered the palace but could not stand proudly in the spotlight before everyone? She, Feng Chen Yu, was the prettiest woman under the heavens, yet she had been pushed to the side. How irritating!
The fourth prince, Xuan Tian Yi was originally feeling a little reproachful towards Bu Ni Shang after hearing what Feng Yu Heng had said, but who could have thought that things would turn out like this. Just a regular competition actually ended up having the phoenix hairpin as its focal point. The meaning was now completely different.
Xuan Tian Yi directly thought to cheer on Bu Ni Shang. This girl truly was his lucky star! If Bu Ni Shang really could win the phoenix hairpin, then it would be equivalent to him marrying the future Empress. Although he never felt that the Emperor ever looked upon him with great favor, Xuan Tian Yi now felt as though this were some sort of test his Imperial father had set up for him; otherwise, there was no chance that phoenix hairpin would be awarded for a competition between just two people. The ninth prince was someone who had been injured and had no hope of having children. So it seems that Imperial father was favoring him and had in fact favored him the entire time!
The more Xuan Tian Yi thought, the more touched he was. His eyes sparkled, and his gaze was so passionate that a dragon could practically be summoned! His hopes of attaining the throne had just made great progress. He could not help but look towards Bu Ni Shang and give her a smile of encouragement.
But Bu Ni Shang felt bitter at heart!
She already had no control at forty paces, but Feng Yu Heng extended it to one hundred paces!
Watching the eunuch move the target back to one hundred paces, she could no longer see the target. How was she supposed to shoot for it? How much strength could a girl have? Even if she had trained in archery from a young age, she did not have the martial prowess of a man. Feng Yu Heng, was she making light of her?
She looked sideways and found that Feng Yu Heng actually nodded upon seeing the target being placed by the eunuch. She said with satisfaction: “This is more like it. In the end, this is just a competition, so I will not make any more requests.”
Bu Ni Shang nearly vomited upon hearing those words.
Forget it! She did not believe that Feng Yu Heng could hit something she could not. Could the young miss from a government official’s family be stronger than her? In the end, if neither person hit the target, it would be whoever shot it further that won.
Thinking like this, Bu Ni Shang felt a new surge of confidence. Raising the bow in her hand once more, she said to Feng Yu Heng: “Young miss Feng, we can start now, right?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded: “The older one can go first.”
Pft!
Everyone spat out laughing.
The Empress also raised an eyebrow: “She really is like Ming’er!”
Bu Ni Shang felt that this was nothing more than Feng Yu Heng’s strategy. She wanted to disrupt her mindset and cause her to make a mistake.
She coldly snorted and mentally cursed Feng Yu Heng for being superficial.
She then raised her bow and pointed it in the direction of the nearly-unseen target. Taking a few deep breaths, she finally adjusted her mind to the optimal condition. She then notched an arrow and loosed it. The arrow flew from the string and went straight towards the target.
Everyone held their breath, their gazes following the arrow.
Bu Ni Shang silently prayed that the arrow would fly further and further. She had used all of her strength and even ignored aiming. Everything she did was for the sake of increasing the distance on the arrow.
But, the arrow still landed at around the sixty paces range.
Only then did everyone let out their breath. Some imperial guards ran up and took a look. They then reported to the Emperor: “Reporting to your Majesty, the arrow traveled 63 paces and deviated from the target by 31 feet.”
Pft!
Xuan Tian Ming let out a very impolite laugh. Xuan Tian Ling also laughed, but because he looked more honest and kind, his laugh was not as abrasive as Xuan Tian Ming’s.
But regardless of how unabrasive it was, it was still a laugh. Bu Ni Shang’s facial expression was not very good. Xuan Tian Yi’s face also turned black: “Second brother and ninth brother, wait until you have seen the Feng family’s girl shoot. It won’t be too late to laugh then.”
Xuan Tian Ming nodded, “You are right. When my family’s Heng Heng has hit the target, this prince will have time to celebrate.”
Xuan Tian Yi wanted to say that he was insane. For such a long distance, even a man that trained in martial arts would find it hard to hit. If the Feng family’s girl could hit it, it would be strange.
But Xuan Tian Ming maintained his content appearance. In regards to Feng Yu Heng, although he felt this was a risk, that girl never spoke exaggerations. So long as she spoke about it, she had a method of making it a reality.
On this point, Xuan Tian Hua trusted Feng Yu Heng. He also spoke up and advised Xuan Tian Yi: “Fourth brother, let us take a look. Just treat it as a wonderful archery performance.”
Xuan Tian Yi snorted then remained silent. Everyone turned their gazes towards the archery competition area. Feng Yu Heng had already raised the bow in her hand.
She was younger than Bu Ni Shang by two years. In the growing years of a girl, even a single year of difference in age could mean a significant difference in power. When it came to her holding a bow, it seemed as though it was Bu Ni Shang bullying a small child.
Feng Jin Yuan was worried by watching this. He was not worried that Feng Yu Heng could not hit the target. On the contrary, what would he do if Feng Yu Heng hit the target?
His hidden guards had once told him that Feng Yu Heng was capable of martial arts, and she was not weak. Not only was she not weak, she had managed to keep her secrets hidden from the hidden guards.
Although Feng Jin Yuan could not get a grasp on Feng Yu Heng, he was very clear on her in this aspect. Feng Yu Heng was a girl who never exaggerated.
Since Feng Yu Heng had laid out the conditions, he believed that Feng Yu Heng would definitely be able to hit the target. That’s why he was conflicted. If Feng Yu Heng succeeded, then what sort of meaning did the Emperor have? Could it be that he really would give the throne to the ninth prince?
While he was thinking, Feng Yu Heng already began notching arrows.
What actually surprised everyone was that the Feng family’s second young miss not only notched one arrow, she notched three!
What was she doing?
Xuan Tian Ming, however, closed his eyes. He seemed to have some guesses towards what this girl was doing.
Feng Yu Heng smiled and gave Xuan Tian Ming a reassuring gaze. She then fully drew the bow and aimed at the target for a while. In less than five seconds time, three arrows flew out.
The atmosphere was already extremely nervous. Bu Ni Shang simply assumed Feng Yu Heng was expecting to lose, so she might as well shoot three arrows at the same time to see if she got lucky and one flew further.
But the men that understood the art of archery, as well as Ren Xi Feng, who had trained in martial arts from a young age, understood what was happening.
The three arrows flew out together at the beginning, but when they passed the twenty pace point, they suddenly began flying one behind the other. There was only a slight difference in speed when they began separating, but that quickly adjusted itself.
The Emperor’s eyes lit up the instant the three arrows separated, and his entire body began trembling.
The Empress did not understand archery, but she was affected by the Emperor’s trembling, so she also became nervous.
Xuan Tian Yi only felt something seemed to be wrong with this situation. The three arrows the Feng family’s girl shot were too strange. A heavy feeling of desperation rushed forth, and intuition told him that it was likely that Bu Ni Shang would lose.
At this time, Xuan Tian Ming’s voice sounded out. It was the first time it did not sound lazy, instead it was full of interest. Following the departure of the arrows from the bow, he provided commentary and explained the matter of the three arrows “Triple arrow shot. At twenty paces, the three arrows will separate into three parts. The first arrow is swift, the second chases, and the third is fierce. Like this, it continues another twenty paces. At forty paces, the first arrow loses speed, and the second arrow catches up and pushes the first arrow from behind, preserving its momentum.”
Feng Yu Heng’s three arrows seemed to have grown ears, as they actually followed what Xuan Tian Ming had said. At fourty paces, the second arrow bumped the first arrow from behind. The first arrow had already been losing speed, but this restored its momentum. As for the third arrow, in the back, it maintained its uniform speed.
Xuan Tian Ming continued: “60 paces, the first arrow will slow again and be pushed forward another ten paces by the second arrow. At 70 paces, the second arrow will slow, but the third arrow will push it from behind towards the first arrow. The first arrow’s speed will rise once more, while the second and third arrow fall.”
As he said the word fall, the two arrows in the back fell to the ground. The final remaining arrow continued to maintain its initial speed forward.
“80 paces, 90 paces, hit!” Just as Xuan Tian Ming’s call sounded out, the arrow struck the target straight on. Not deviating at all, it struck the middle of the bullseye!