NOVEL NEXT Chapter 149 - 149: Beautiful and Heroic
Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Beautiful and Heroic
Leng Yu Yan seemingly didn’t hear the murmurings of the crowd as she picked up a bow, gave the bowstring a tug, and feeling satisfied, she chose that one.
The chatter from the spectators’ stand grew louder at the sight.
Even the Emperor couldn’t help but say to the Empress Dowager and Consort Xian, “The girl from the Leng Family has it tough.”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “Competing against men, the odds of victory are slim. It’s commendable that she’s made it onto the platform.”
Consort Xian, covering her smirk with a handkerchief, softened her tone and said, “Why hasn’t the Crown Prince come?”
The Emperor retorted, “What’s the use if he came? He can’t see anyway.”
“Emperor, what I meant was that if the Crown Prince were here, the future Crown Princess would have more confidence. Being a woman myself, I naturally hope she secures a good ranking.”
The Emperor’s brows twitched, and as he saw Leng Yu Yan heading towards the practice ground, he gestured with his hand, “Alright, watch now, the Leng girl is about to shoot her arrow.”
In an instant, everyone’s gaze focused on Leng Yu Yan.
Lai Jiajia stood up from the spectators’ stand and shouted, “Leng Yu Yan, I believe in you!”
Leng Yu Yan smiled; that little girl was so informal, not even calling her ‘sister.’
Encouraged by Lai Jiajia, Mi Xinmei and Luo Meng’er also shouted together, “Leng Yu Yan, we believe in you!”
Leng Yu Yan waved at them and then promptly took an arrow from her quiver, nocked it on the bowstring, and pulled it back.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Ɲονɡο.сο
After the string was drawn tight, it released with a ‘thwack,’ and the arrow flew from the bowstring.
All eyes were tightly following the flight of the feathered arrow.
In a moment, the arrow skewedly embedded itself into the target.
Someone laughed loudly, “Hahaha, I thought she was capable of more.”
“It hit the target, but only the outermost ring, and it’s crooked.”
“Hitting the target is already not bad; she can proceed to the second round.”
Leng Yu Yan rotated her wrist, which was sore from where someone had grabbed it the day before.
Then she looked at the target calmly; advancing to the second round was all that mattered; an extra point at this moment wouldn’t make much difference.
The first round passed, eliminating one-third of the students.
After thirty minutes, the second round began.
The requirement for the second round was to hit within the fifth ring to advance to the third round.
According to the list, with the students eliminated in the first round removed, Zheng Likuo and Leng Yu Yan happened to be lined up one after the other.
After glancing at a classmate shooting on the practice ground, Zheng Likuo turned his head toward Leng Yu Yan and said, “You were lucky to hit the target just now. I think you should stop while you’re ahead to save some face. Otherwise, you might not be so lucky this time.”
Leng Yu Yan pinched her wrist but responded with a smile and no words.
Zheng Likuo felt like he had punched into cotton. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, about to say something else when the teacher on the practice ground called his name.
“Zheng Likuo, it’s your turn.”
Zheng Likuo nodded, lifted his foot, and stepped onto the practice ground.
Unsurprisingly, he hit the bullseye again.
The spectators’ stand erupted into warm applause.
As he stepped off the practice ground, Zheng Likuo hummed a soft laugh.
Leng Yu Yan did not glance sideways, turning a deaf ear to his quiet laughter.
Upon hearing her name, Leng Yu Yan stepped up, still choosing the smallest bow, and shot an arrow.
The feathered arrow hit the fifth ring, crookedly, just enough to qualify for the third round.
If her first hit could be attributed to luck, then the second shot, despite being off-angle, proved she had some skill.
The laughing on the spectators’ stand was half as loud as before.
Someone said, “After all, she’s a woman. To do this much is already not easy.”
Different from before, now there were more voices of praise.
—
In the Eastern Palace,
Mo Chen hurriedly reported, “Your Highness, the Crown Princess Consort has passed the first and second rounds, each by the skin of her teeth.”
Ye Yiheng replied indifferently with a “Hmm.”
Mo Chen, not understanding the meaning behind His Highness’s reaction, shifted his gaze towards Song Guo.
Song Guo gestured to him, and they both stepped out of the study.
“Keep someone on watch. His Highness says he doesn’t care, but he’s actually more anxious than anyone.”
Mo Chen nodded, “Understood.”
At the Imperial College’s practice field, a cup of tea’s time later, the second round ended, and the third round officially began.
The third round required hitting the bullseye to advance to the fourth round.
In the main stand, the Empress Dowager asked, “Emperor, do you think she can hit it?”
The Emperor smiled and said, “Empress Dowager, don’t underestimate this girl. Ever since she entered Xinya Academy, and now at the Imperial College, she has never lost.”
The Empress Dowager nodded her head and sat up straight, her gaze fixed intently on Leng Yu Yan on the practice platform.
Zheng Liqi felt rather uncomfortable seeing how the Empress Dowager was so concerned about Leng Yu Yan.
What’s so good about a woman who plays with swords and shoots arrows?
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Leng Yu Yan still managed to skew the arrow into the target—this time hitting the bullseye!
The Mountain Master led the applause, which thundered around the field.
Zheng Likuo’s inquisitive gaze followed Leng Yu Yan as she stepped down from the platform. Could this person truly have some skill?
Three times she had hit the mark, all askew, yet each fulfilling the requirements to proceed to the next round.
Soon, the third round ended, and the fourth round began.
The fourth round was a critical match.
The top three scorers would move on to the final round.
The Sacrificial Officer stepped onto the platform to announce the rules for the fourth round.
“In this round, each student has three feathered arrows. These three arrows need to be shot together, and the students with the top three scores will advance to the final match.”
There were not many students left who had made it to the fourth round, only a little over ten.
Though few in number, these individuals were all exceptionally skilled.
Moreover, the thunderous applause from the stands as they took to the platform was proof of their capabilities.
Leng Yu Yan braced herself for the challenge.
When it was her turn, the female students of Xinya Academy, following Lai Jiajia’s lead, unusually stood up together.
Under the Mountain Master’s direction, the female students shouted in unison, “Leng Yu Yan, we are rooting for you!”
Leng Yu Yan hadn’t expected this group to cheer her on together; she smiled and nodded her head in thanks.
She then composed herself, removing her overcoat to reveal a form-fitting combat outfit.
A gust of wind blew, lifting her high ponytail and flapping her robe.
At that moment, people noticed the girl on stage exuded a heroic spirit, both beautiful and awe-inspiring.
On the main stand, the Seventh Prince said, “She has chosen an inopportune time to take the stage—the wind has picked up, and with her previous arrows’ performance, securing a good rank will be difficult.”
The Fifth Prince nodded in agreement, “The wind will have a significant impact.”
Lai Jiajia’s palms sweated profusely; she understood the implications of the wind, too.
But at that moment, she could do nothing other than stare unblinkingly at the practice field.
Leng Yu Yan closed her eyes briefly, gauging the wind speed, and then, in quick succession, drew three feathered arrows from her arrow bag.
Almost no one saw how she drew her bow; they only heard the crisp sound of the arrows slicing through the air.
“Whoosh—”
The three arrows resounded as one.
With a “ding,” they all hit the bullseye.
The arrows were perfectly straight, embedded dead center in the bullseye!
Thunderous applause erupted around her.
The Emperor proclaimed loudly, “This Lady Lai truly exemplifies ‘women can match men’!”
On a secondary stand beside the main stand, Old Madam Lai’s eyes narrowed.
This girl had indeed kept her depths hidden.
Leng Zongfa laughed and said, “A daughter of my house should indeed be so.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Lai’s face turned ashen.
The fourth round ended rather swiftly.
Based on the results, the Sacrificial Officer announced the three students who would advance to the final round of the competition.
Among them were Leng Yu Yan and Zheng Likuo.