Chapter 66

Chapter 66

As the court ladies chatted with eager anticipation, the Emperor of Wei finally led his civil and military officials, along with the Turkic envoys, dismounting their horses and approaching the competition grounds in a grand procession. A high platform had already been erected on the field. Today marked the first day of the hunt, and according to tradition, a warm-up match would be held here before the official hunt commenced, signaling the start of the half-month autumn hunt.

This warm-up match was personally overseen by the Emperor of Wei.

In previous years, it was the men of Great Yu who vied for the vanguard position on this field. But with the Turkic envoys present today, it naturally evolved into a contest between the two nations.

The Turks had suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of Great Yu in the war. To reclaim their prestige and demonstrate their national power, they were eager to redeem themselves in today’s warm-up match. Great Yu, having defeated the Turks largely through its comprehensive national strength, knew that the Turks were a nation of horsemen, renowned since ancient times for their bravery and martial prowess, and not to be underestimated. Though Great Yu had achieved a great victory, they also sought to further quell the Turks’ arrogance, ensuring they would not dare to invade recklessly in the future.

Both sides were holding their breath, ready for the challenge.

No sooner had the two sides taken their seats than someone from the Turkic envoy’s team stepped forward and addressed the Emperor of Wei, who presided over the platform: “Your Majesty, we have heard that the Central Plains dynasty has always valued literature over martial arts. In the recent war between our two nations, Great Yu only narrowly won. I wonder if anyone from Great Yu dares to step forward today to accept my challenge, to demonstrate Great Yu’s might before us and earn our complete conviction!”

With that, the man casually drew his bow and, with a swift motion, shot an arrow that thudded into the bullseye of a target a hundred paces away.

The moment these arrogant words left his mouth, the entire audience was stunned and outraged.

What an audacious and shameless fellow!

Great Yu had clearly achieved a decisive victory over the Turks, routing them completely, yet in his words, it was merely a narrow win.

Although everyone knew the other side was merely seeking to score verbal points, it still made the blood boil of all the civil and military officials present. The Turks’ blatant display of defiance was both irritating and seemingly unavoidable—the only way to vent their anger was to beat them into submission with sheer strength.

Thus, as soon as the man finished speaking, the military officials of Great Yu were instantly eager to step forward. However, the speaker from the Turkic envoy’s team today was Aruna, a fierce Turkic warrior, not an unknown figure. The arrow he had just shot with such ease had already intimidated many. Ordinary military officials were no match for him, so many quickly turned their eyes to Crown Prince Lian, Lian Cheng, hoping he would step forward to face the challenge and beat these defeated foes until they cried for their parents, crushing the arrogance of these northern barbarians once and for all.

Unexpectedly, before Crown Prince Lian could step forward to accept the challenge, the man preemptively seized the initiative, declaring: “However, we have already witnessed Crown Prince Lian’s bravery on the battlefield. His prowess has left me thoroughly convinced. But surely, with such a vast territory, Great Yu can produce someone other than Crown Prince Lian to face me?”

Knowing he was no match for Crown Prince Lian, the man deliberately tried to keep him in his seat. Moreover, he maliciously added, “Or is Great Yu’s empire actually the sole domain of the Lian family?”

The man was eloquent and cunning, using clever rhetoric not only to halt Crown Prince Lian’s advance but also to sow discord and stir up trouble.

Who didn’t know the principle that achievements so great could overshadow the ruler? Since ancient times, the people could support or overthrow a ruler. Though the Lian family enjoyed great prestige for their military achievements, who knew what undercurrents lay beneath the surface of that glory?

Sure enough, as soon as these daring and heart-piercing words were spoken, the atmosphere on the competition grounds fell into an eerie silence. The entire venue grew quiet, and the mood became strangely tense.

The Emperor of Wei, seated in the high position, showed an inscrutable expression.

Meanwhile, Lian Cheng, in his seat, unusually, his face hardened, his eyes turning fierce.

Seeing this, Zhang Wan tightly gripped Shen Anning’s hand, her face paling slightly.

With these words, it was no longer appropriate for Crown Prince Lian to step forward. The opponent’s scheme had succeeded.

Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, a calm voice suddenly broke the silence from outside the field, saying leisurely, “How about I exchange a move or two with this general?”

The voice was clear and slightly cold, yet carried a relaxed tone, as if the speaker felt no tension about facing a fierce warrior. It was as casual as haggling at a market.

As soon as the voice rang out, hundreds of eyes turned toward its source.

A figure, tall and straight like a pine and bamboo, strode leisurely onto the platform. He wore his hair tied up, dressed in black with light armor, his posture erect and imposing. His steps were steady as he ascended the platform, his every movement exuding nobility and grace. His hawk-like eyes commanded authority naturally.

His appearance on the platform immediately sparked surprised discussions among the crowd, for although he looked heroic and dignified, he was clearly a scholar by background.

This man was—

“It’s Big Brother.”

Lu Baozhen’s exclamation from behind snapped Shen Anning out of her dazed gaze, and she recognized the familiar figure on the platform—it was undoubtedly Lu Suian.

“It’s Crown Prince Lu! I’ve only heard that the second young master of the Lu family is an imperial guard, brave and extraordinary. But Crown Prince Lu rose through the imperial examinations—I’ve never heard of him having martial skills. Why is he stepping forward now? Did he come up by mistake? Is he even capable?”

The crowd below murmured skeptically.

Even Zhang Wan, who had just relaxed, immediately grew tense again, frequently glancing at Shen Anning as if asking, “Is he capable?”

Shen Anning’s heart pounded with anxiety.

She had not attended this hunt in her previous life, so she had no knowledge of what had transpired here then. However, in her past life, Lu Suian had displayed remarkable skills when suppressing rebellions in the south, which had deeply impressed her. Moreover, during the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Lu Suian had briefly crossed hands with Lu Yuantan, revealing that he had been hiding his capabilities all along—he was actually highly skilled in martial arts.

Besides, Lu Suian was not one to seek the spotlight, nor was he impulsive. His decision to step forward must have its reasons. She gave Zhang Wan a reassuring look.

Still, given the scale of the event today, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Aruna had expected someone from the Lian family to step forward on behalf of Crown Prince Lian. To his surprise, the challenger was a young man who exuded scholarly refinement. He dismissed Lu Suian entirely and couldn’t help but laugh as he addressed the Emperor of Wei: “Your Majesty, are you joking? Is there no military general in all of Great Yu, aside from Crown Prince Lian, who can face me?”

Aruna’s eyes were full of arrogant disdain.

As the ruler of a nation, the Emperor of Wei disdained engaging in verbal sparring with a subordinate general from another country. Yet he, too, seemed somewhat doubtful, his gaze sweeping over the talented young official from the Dali Temple. Before he could speak, however, Lu Suian, without even raising an eyebrow, calmly stated, “To spar with the general, Great Yu need only send a civil official.”

Though his tone was devoid of emotion, his casual dismissiveness immediately drew laughter from the Great Yu officials present.

Indeed, to deal with such a brute, it took the sharp tongues of scholars.

It was like killing with a soft blade—no bloodshed, but it thoroughly avenged the earlier arrogance of the opponent.

The crowd below erupted in cheers, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

Aruna’s face turned ashen. He was known as the most skilled debater among the Turks, rarely losing in verbal battles. Yet he found himself speechless before this seemingly frail scholar from Great Yu. He knew that these scholars were twisted and cunning, and he might not be their match in wit. But this competition was not about words—it was about real skill. So he set aside his verbal tricks and glanced sidelong at his opponent, asking, “And you are…?”

Lu Suian still didn’t bother to look at him, replying indifferently, “I am a Judicial Reviewer of the Dali Temple, sixth rank.”

For some reason, the mention of “sixth rank” struck a chord with the crowd, and the entire hall erupted in laughter again, slapping their knees and holding their bellies in amusement.

Sixth rank?

Aruna felt utterly insulted. He was one of the top archers among the Turks, yet here he was on the platform of Great Yu, competing with a mere sixth-rank minor official. Even if he won, it would bring him no glory.

Instantly losing any desire to prolong the exchange, he simply wanted to drive his opponent off the platform as quickly as possible. He cut to the chase: “You seem too weak to even lift a weapon. It would be dishonorable to defeat you in combat. Instead, I’ve long heard of the Central Plains’ legends of shooting a willow leaf from a hundred paces or hitting a halberd at the gate. Let us compete in archery today. Let us emulate Lü Bu and see who can shoot the halberd on Mount Jiuyou. How about that?”

He paused, then added, “They say your Central Plains have the six arts of the gentleman, so this should not be considered unfair to you.”

Aruna spoke casually, expecting his opponent to attempt to negotiate.

To his surprise, Lu Suian remained expressionless and simply said, “Please.”

What a man of few words.

Aruna was infuriated by his opponent’s unresponsive attitude—it was like trying to get a word out of him with eight clubs. He stiffened his face and said nothing more.

Meanwhile, fifty paces away, imperial guards had already set up a halberd in the distance. Without further ado, Aruna took up his bow and aimed squarely at the halberd.

He was a renowned archer among the Turks, never missing his mark. Though he couldn’t match Lü Bu’s feat of hitting a halberd from a hundred and fifty paces, within fifty paces, he could do it effortlessly. Squinting, he drew his bow with a bold sweep, took aim, and released the string. With a swift whoosh, the arrow flew straight and true, passing precisely through the gap of the halberd fifty paces away.

His shot was so powerful that the tremendous force sent the entire halberd flying. Though it was slightly off target, it was still an astonishing shot.

Instantly, cheers erupted from the Turkic side.

Meanwhile, the Great Yu delegation fell silent, their morale visibly weakening.

Just then, someone in the crowd cracked a whip and shouted, "Crown Prince Lu for the win!"

"Crown Prince Lu, take him down!"

The voice was clear and impassioned, bold and domineering—it was clearly a woman’s voice.

In that tense moment, it drew everyone’s attention.

When the crowd instinctively turned to look, they were astonished to see that it was none other than Princess Fuyang, seated beside the Dowager Consort.

Princess Fuyang had leaped to her feet, cheering for Crown Prince Lu on the field.

Her uninhibited and brazen shouts drew gasps and meaningful glances from everyone, becoming a remarkable sight of the day’s competition.

Yet Lu Suian remained unfazed, calmly raising his bow. With a sharp gaze, he released the bowstring in an instant, and a swift arrow shot straight through the halberd.

From drawing the bow to releasing the arrow and hitting the target, the entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye—so fast that no one had time to react. After the arrow struck, the halberd remained perfectly still, not shifting an inch. For a moment, everyone was too stunned to respond.

It was Princess Fuyang who broke the silence, jumping up and down with excitement as she screamed, "He hit it! He hit it! Crown Prince Lu is mighty! Crown Prince Lu has won!"

Only then did the crowd snap out of their daze.

Everyone was awestruck by that single arrow.

In an instant, the entire audience erupted into cheers, clapping and shouting, "Victory! Victory!"

"Crown Prince Lu is mighty!"

All the people of Great Yu cheered with joy, and even the Emperor of Wei, watching from the dais, smiled with gratification.

Below the platform, Shen Anning quietly let out a sigh of relief.

At that moment, the entire arena cheered for Lu Suian. With just a slight effort, he had captured all the applause and attention. Lu Suian shone even brighter now than in his previous life.

Just as Shen Anning smiled faintly in admiration, the triumphant expression on Aruna’s face stiffened instantly.

He had never expected to lose. As a renowned archer among the Turks, he had been defeated by an unknown minor official—a frail, obscure scholar.

He stood frozen in place, speechless for a long time.

Could it be that anyone in Great Yu could defeat him so easily?

For a moment, he was so bewildered that he began to doubt himself.

But after a while, he suddenly came to his senses.

He had been tricked.

He had underestimated his opponent.

He, who had always prided himself on his skills, had been blindsided by the opponent’s deliberate concealment of his true abilities and provoked into carelessness.

Seeing the arrow strike its target with such precision and awe, Aruna felt both regret and the realization that he had underestimated his adversary.

Only a fellow archer could understand the sheer skill of that shot—it surpassed his own.

He had to admit defeat.

Yet, a part of him remained unwilling. His earlier underestimation had prevented him from giving his all. Swallowing his pride, he gritted his teeth and glared at the composed figure across from him. But before he could speak, Crown Prince Lian, seated below, cast a sidelong glance and remarked with a half-smile, half-warning, "Aruna, throughout history, the victor is king, and the defeated, a bandit. A loss is a loss—why cling to resentment? If you lost within fifty paces, you would not have won against Crown Prince Lu even at a hundred."

Crown Prince Lian had seen through his desire for a rematch. Aruna’s face flushed, and after a moment of contemplation, he clasped his hands respectfully toward Lu Suian and said, "Lord Lu, you have won!"

This time, he shed all his earlier contempt and arrogance, sincerely extending an invitation: "If the opportunity arises, I hope we may meet again on a real battlefield."

The battlefield is the only true test of skill.

At that moment, Aruna truly acknowledged him as a worthy opponent.

Lu Suian replied, "You honor me."

Great Yu had won the match.

Just as both sides were preparing to leave the stage, a voice suddenly called out, "Crown Prince Lu, please wait—"

Aruna turned back and bowed respectfully, saying, "For the next round, our nation’s mightiest warrior, Suo Da, wishes to seek guidance from Crown Prince Lu. We hope you will grant him the honor."

As he spoke, a series of thunderous, earth-shaking footsteps echoed from nearby. The entire platform trembled as a giant over nine feet tall stepped onto the stage.

The man was bare-chested, wearing only a black cloth wrapped around his waist. His exposed body was covered in dark hair, with arms as thick as a man’s waist and feet like those of a beast. His nostrils flared like bellows, and his mere presence conveyed the meaning of "colossal."

He weighed at least three hundred pounds, his muscular frame gleaming darkly.

The giant’s appearance instantly intimidated everyone present.

He made Lu Suian, standing opposite him, seem petite and delicate in comparison.

After stepping onto the stage, Suo Da stared intently at Lu Suian for a moment before speaking in Turkic, a language few understood. Aruna acted as translator, hesitantly explaining to Lu Suian, "Lord Lu, our esteemed warrior Suo Da says that when he competes, if he wins, he takes something from the loser…"

Aruna’s expression turned awkward, as if struggling to continue. Just then, someone behind him stood up and shouted gleefully, "Our esteemed Suo Da has a particular fondness for women—he is known to have bedded seven women in a single night. Suo Da says all his wives are his trophies. However, he understands the customs of your land—'a friend’s wife is not to be coveted.' Suo Da declares that if Lord Lu agrees to compete and loses, he will not take Lord Lu’s wife. Instead, he only asks that Lady Lu voluntarily bestow a kiss. Of course, if Lord Lu is too afraid to accept the challenge, Suo Da will not force the issue—"

The man spoke with unrestrained arrogance, even surpassing Aruna’s earlier contempt.

His insulting words instantly caused an uproar throughout the arena.

Shock and disbelief swept across the platform and the audience.

In no time, all eyes turned to Lu Suian on the stage and his wife, Shen Anning, below.

Shen Anning felt her mind go blank.