Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 66

After one circuit, Cang Chuli had already pulled well ahead of Huyan Lie.

Xia Heng and Yanu passed each other in the center of the field.

Xia Heng swept a glance over the other woman’s target. It seemed to hold fewer arrows than hers.

She returned her attention to Cang Chuli.

The drizzle that had briefly stopped began falling again. Fine rain clung to Xia Heng’s hair, ran down her neck, and soaked her collar.

Watching the scene, Xiao Yaqing’s eyes reddened.

“Why is he slowing down?” Mo Qing asked. “And why did he put away his bow?”

The contest was still underway.

Neither Mo Bai nor Chuqing understood Huyan Lie’s reason.

Cang Chuli noticed his movement.

The next instant, he shouted at Xia Heng.

“Move!”

The thunder of hooves drowned out his words, but his expression and movement told Xia Heng something was wrong.

She immediately crouched where she stood.

Swish!

A whip passed over her head and knocked the target from her hands!

Xia Heng looked up in fury.

At some point, Huyan Lie had slung his bow across his back. He now held a whip.

That strike had come from him!

When he saw her looking, he cracked the whip against the ground and gave her a cruel smile.

You dog!

Rage blazed through Xia Heng.

Fine. Fine!

So when he could not win honestly, he resorted to dirty tricks?

He was utterly shameless!

“How can he do that?” Xiao Yaqing shouted. “That’s against the rules!”

“Against what rule?” Pasang shouted back even louder. “Didn’t they say any method was permitted? That Cang fellow of yours can do the same if he wants!”

“You!”

Xiao Yaqing glared at her.

“What about me?” Pasang demanded arrogantly.

Huyan Lie raised the whip and prepared to strike Cang Chuli’s target.

One blow would probably knock every arrow free.

Before the whip could fall, Xia Heng lunged, snatched the target from the ground, hoisted it onto her shoulder, and ran.

Damn it! She would fight him to the end today!

“Run!”

“Well done!”

When Huyan Lie knocked down the target, the spectators found his behavior shameless too.

They had assumed the General of the Northern Pacification would be forced to swallow this unfair loss.

No one expected a lowly maid to show such courage!

The sight of her rising with the target on her shoulder and breaking into a run seemed to ignite the blood in everyone’s veins.

They began cheering her on.

“Run! Excellent!”

Xia Heng struggled across the field with the target on her shoulder.

From time to time, she wiped rain from her face so she could see clearly. Her eyes remained fixed on Cang Chuli, and whenever an opportunity appeared, she adjusted the target.

Thunk! Thunk!

Two arrows struck in succession.

“Excellent!”

“The general is mighty!”

The cheers continued.

“Hyah!”

Cang Chuli urged his horse faster and raced toward Xia Heng.

Swish!

A whip lashed toward her from the front.

Xia Heng raised an arm to block it, and the blow struck her hand.

For a moment, she could not tell whether her hand or her cramping abdomen hurt more.

She ground her teeth.

You wretched bastard! Did he want to win that badly?

Then she would make sure he lost!

She changed direction and began zigzagging wildly across the field.

“Hold on!”

“Run this way!”

“Even the maids of the General’s Mansion of Northern Pacification are as brave as any man!”

“Stop! Xia Heng, don’t run anymore! Waaah!”

Xiao Yaqing could not wipe away her tears fast enough.

“Don’t listen to them! It hurts! Waaah!”

Her voice disappeared beneath everyone else’s encouragement and cheers.

Cang Chuli nocked an arrow and aimed at Huyan Lie’s horse.

Just as he prepared to release it, Huyan Lie looked back as though he had anticipated the move.

He gave Cang Chuli a provocative smile and sent the full length of his whip snaking out.

Xia Heng suddenly felt something tighten around her waist, stopping her in place.

She looked down.

Was that not the whip?

The next instant, she flew into the air and the entire world turned upside down!

Huyan Lie flung Xia Heng across the back of his horse behind him.

Fuck!

Your!

Mother!

Her pad might have leaked!

Cang Chuli lowered his arrow.

A layer of cold fury spread across his eyes as he continued accelerating.

“Quick! Look!”

“That girl! That girl is—”

Shocked cries rose from the stands.

Chuqing covered her mouth with both hands, tears pouring down her face.

Mo Qing gritted his teeth, while Mo Bai punched the empty air.

With great effort, Xia Heng lifted her head from the horse’s back.

Her left hand clutched Huyan Lie’s belt to keep herself from falling. Her right hand trembled as she raised Cang Chuli’s target until it lay parallel to the horse’s rump.

Her abdomen pressed against the horse’s back. Fighting the urge to vomit, she was jolted so badly that she could no longer see anything clearly.

She simply closed her eyes.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.

Cang Chuli fired every remaining arrow. All struck the target.

The distance between the two horses steadily narrowed.

No one present had ever seen a rider accelerate while shooting.

Under normal circumstances, such a display would have overturned the entire training ground with cheers.

Now, not a single person made a sound.

Everyone clenched their fists.

Only one horse length remained…

Xia Heng did not know Cang Chuli had finished shooting.

Her eyes remained closed, and she held her arm rigidly aloft, refusing to lower the target.

Just a little longer!

She only had to endure a little longer!

Her left hand pinched a fold of flesh beneath Huyan Lie’s belt and twisted it counterclockwise.

Let him witness a woman of Huaxia who soared like an eagle!

And let him learn why one should never provoke a woman on her period!

Huyan Lie’s body instantly went rigid.

Cang Chuli’s horse was now only a third of a length behind his.

Xia Heng felt someone tugging at the target in her hand and immediately tightened her grip.

Her eyes flew open.

She met Cang Chuli’s gaze.

It took Xia Heng a moment to process what she saw.

A familiar face!

Only then did she release the target and hand it over.

Three people and two horses thundered onward.

Cang Chuli pressed his lips into a thin line and threw both the target and his bow in front of the scorekeepers.

Then he reached out to Xia Heng.

She hesitated.

What? Was she supposed to transfer between horses?

She did not know how to perform such an advanced maneuver!

“Don’t be afraid. Come here.”

Xia Heng placed her right hand in his.

Before she could move, Cang Chuli seized that hand with one of his and wrapped the other arm around her waist.

He pulled her away.

Xia Heng squeezed her eyes shut in fright.

When she opened them again, she was astride Cang Chuli’s horse, seated in front of him.

At last, the tension in her chest eased.

Thunderous applause exploded around them.

“Excellent!”

“General Cang is mighty!”

“That maid from the Marquis of Northern Pacification’s Mansion—well done!”

“A heroine no less valiant than any man!”

“General Cang is incredible!”

“Xia Heng! Xia Heng! You’re amazing! Waaah!”

Xiao Yaqing abandoned all restraint and sobbed uncontrollably.

Neither Xiao Huan nor Madam Xiao had time to stop her.

They were shouting more enthusiastically than anyone!

After being dragged across a horse’s back, Xia Heng’s head was still buzzing.

She heard Cang Chuli tell her to hold tight.

Unsure what she was supposed to grasp, she clutched the handle on the front of the saddle.

“Lean forward.”

Xia Heng bent low. Cang Chuli lowered his body slightly as well.

“Hyah!”

The horse beneath them accelerated again despite carrying two people.

Rain blinded Xia Heng. All she could hear was the wind.

“Whoa.”

Only after a long while did the horse gradually slow.

Xia Heng opened her eyes.

Everyone in the stands was on their feet, applauding.

“The fourth event, mounted archery, goes to Cang Chuli, General of the Northern Pacification!”