I became auspicious

His appearance brought excitement to the entire venue, and the audience cheered and applauded him.

In a lively atmosphere, the willow shooting competition officially kicked off. The contestants came galloping on their horses, aiming for the willow branches in the distance. Every time a bow and arrow is released, it is accompanied by a whistling sound of the air being cut, as if to declare their determination and strength. General Zhang's figure was particularly strong. His arrows passed through the target accurately as if they had eyes. He spurred his horse and whip, grabbed a willow branch and raised it high. The audience's applause and cheers came like a flood. , even Zhao Chengyang couldn't help but stand up and cheered:"Okay!"

I should have been immersed in this exciting moment, but there was an inexplicable sense of tension in my heart, like the calm before the storm. Zhao Jihuan brought a plate of mung bean cake and motioned for me to taste it. I smiled and nodded, picked up a piece and put it in my mouth. The sweet taste seemed to temporarily dispel the worries in my heart.

When Zhao Chengyang loudly applauded the players' performance, I took the opportunity to pick up the tea cup to hide my nervousness. My eyes fell involuntarily on Duan Jinxu next to Zhao Jihuan. Duan Jinxu sensed my gaze and turned around to look at me with a smile. There was a hint of comfort in that smile, which made my originally tense nerves relax a little..

A new round of competition begins, the audience is enthusiastic and the drums are rumbling. The contestants once again showed their superb skills, and the arrows broke the willow branches in unison. One of the contestants was just one step away from victory. He almost grabbed the willow branch, but missed it in the end. He roared loudly to release his inner frustration, and the audience felt sorry for him.

Zhao Chengyang looked at Eunuch Jinghua with a smile on his face, as if communicating with some kind of tacit understanding. Eunuch Jinghua nodded and then withdrew.

The competition sparked excitement again, and a group of familiar faces appeared in front of me: Jiang Tongzhou, Chang An, Li Hongsu, Zhang Zhenyun, He Huaizhou, Sun Canjing, and Jin Peng. They were dressed in black riding attire, looking neat and chic.

Zhao Jihuan introduced to Zhao Chengyang:"Father, these are the warriors who chose Ling'er's son-in-law." Zhao Chengyang smiled and nodded, with a glint in his eyes.

The drums beat loudly, and the seven warriors shot arrows in unison. Except for Jin Peng and He Huaizhou, the other five hit the target accurately. They were like arrows leaving the string, running towards the willow branches in the distance with all their strength. Time seemed to slow down and every detail was clearly visible.

I couldn't help but stand up and shout loudly:"Come on!" My voice ignited the enthusiasm of the audience. The audience followed my example one after another, and the mountains echoed with cheers one after another.

Zhang Zhenyun failed first, followed by Chang An. My heart beat faster, I clenched my fists, and shouted their names loudly. Immediately afterwards, Sun Canjing failed to catch the willow branch. At this moment, only Jiang Tongzhou and Li Hongsu are left!

The atmosphere in the audience reached a climax, with tension and anticipation intertwined. Jiang Tongzhou and Li Hongsu showed amazing perseverance. They kept their eyes on the target and galloped. Finally, at the last moment, both of them succeeded in grabbing the willow branch!

The audience cheered wildly and applauded thunderously. Zhao Chengyang even said happily:"Okay! Reward!" Jiang Tongzhou and Li Hongsu knelt down and thanked them excitedly, with the joy of victory on their faces.

At this moment, Duan Jinxu shouted loudly:"Your Majesty, I want to try it too!" His voice was full of confidence and enthusiasm.

Duan Xuefu nervously warned:"Xu'er, you have to be careful." Her eyes were full of worry, but more of trust and encouragement.

Zhao Chengyang looked at Duan Jinxu with a smile on his face and said:"Good boy, if you have the courage, go and try."

Duan Jinxu turned his head and said to Zhao Jihuan:"Brother Prince, let's play together and go and try." Zhao Jihuan looked at Song Wanxing, her excitement just now was still on her face, he smiled and nodded.

I also felt a little nervous, so I could only smile and say to them:"You have to be careful."

Zhao Jihuan and Duan Jinxu stepped on the horses and prepared to start the competition. Their movements are vigorous and powerful, as if they are integrated with the horses. My heartbeat was racing and I stared at them nervously. Zhao Jihuan and Duan Jinxu had confident smiles on their faces.

I turned my head to look at Zhao Chengyang and Duan Xuefu. They both looked extremely nervous.

I was a little worried, so I asked them:"Father, King and Queen, I also want to go down and have a look!" Zhao Chengyang and Duan Xuefu looked at each other, then nodded in agreement.

Hongmei wanted to go with me, but I gently waved my hand to signal her to stay here.

I walked to the fence around the field, found a high ground with a great view, and nervously stared at the playing field. My heartbeat kept accelerating to the rhythm of the drums, as if it was about to jump out of my chest.

Zhao Jihuan and Duan Jinxu raised their bows and arrows, aiming at the willow branches in the distance. Their eyes were firm and sharp, as if they were about to shoot down the willow branches. The arrow flew out, cut through the air, and hit the target accurately!

The audience cheered and applauded. I was also very nervous. Zhao Jihuan and Duan Jinxu galloped on their horses, their figures looking particularly strong in the sun.

However, Duan Jinxu's willow branch had already fallen to the ground, and the scene fell into a brief silence. The audience held their breath and watched nervously the next game.

Zhao Jihuan did not give up, he continued to ride his horse to catch up with Willow Branch. His eyes were firm and resolute, as if he wanted to devote all his strength to chasing the willow branches.

However, it was too late. Zhao Jihuan failed to catch the willow branch, and the audience made a sound of regret. Zhao Jihuan turned around and showed his unique bright smile. At this moment, I seemed to see Xiaoyaozi in the past.

I immediately walked to the entrance, ready to greet them. They came slowly on horseback, and the sound of horse hooves intertwined with the surrounding natural sounds to form a unique movement. However, in this harmonious scene, an accident suddenly happened.

An arrow shot out of the air, piercing the originally calm sky. Its sharp whistling sound rubbed against the air, as if announcing an impending crisis. The arrow came with great force, pointing directly at Zhao Jihuan and Duan Jinxu. At the same time, a cry pierced the sky:"Traitor!" The voice was harsh and sharp, echoing across the valley, making people shudder.

Immediately afterwards, another sharp arrow sounded, and two arrows collided in the air. They fly in the air, as if engaged in a silent contest. However, one of the arrows suddenly turned in the air and shot straight towards me.

At this moment, I felt my heart beat suddenly, and the blood in my body seemed to freeze. I instinctively want to hide, but I can't move

"assassin!"A shout pierced the sky. At this critical moment, a figure flew over from the side, hugged me tightly, and rolled to the ground. When I came back to my senses, I found that I was lying in Zhao Jihuan's arms. Inside. I pushed him away in panic, looked at his back, and found that the arrow did not hit him, but only scratched his right arm, leaving a deep blood mark.

I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Jin Xu also ran over, with an uneasy look on his face. We quickly helped Zhao Jihuan up, and Duan Xuefu also came after hearing the sound. She carefully inspected Zhao Jihuan's wounds and sighed:"Let's go back to the palace."

I looked at the horses that fell to the ground, but my thoughts were hard to calm down. How could this happen? Judging from everyone's expressions, wasn't this planned? The other soldiers present immediately entered a state of high alert. They clenched their weapons and their eyes were alert. He scanned every corner around him. The audience began to evacuate in panic, and the atmosphere of panic spread among the crowd.

Wang Chun, Yin of Shuntian Prefecture, knelt tremblingly in front of Zhao Chengyang. His face was pale, and his voice was filled with endless fear:"Your Majesty, I am guilty!"

A flash of anger flashed in Zhao Chengyang's eyes, and his voice was full of anxiety:"Has the assassin been caught?"

Wang Chun's head lowered even lower, almost buried in the ground. His voice was filled with tears:"My subordinates will find out the truth as soon as possible and will definitely bring the assassin to justice!"

Zhao Chengyang took a deep breath and tried to calm down his emotions. He turned to look at Zhang Xinyu inside the venue and ordered:"Zhang Xinyu, I leave this matter to you!"

Zhang Xinyu knelt down to accept the order. His eyes were firm and decisive:"I obey the order and will do my best to trace the whereabouts of the assassin!"

Zhao Chengyang turned around and walked onto the carriage. His back looked a little heavy. Zhang Xinyu quickly began to take action. He ordered the soldiers to take all the audience back and interrogate them severely. The carriage moved slowly, and the sound of rolling wheels was heard. This quiet space seemed particularly clear. In the carriage, the accompanying imperial doctor was treating Zhao Jihuan's wound and gently applying medicine.

After some treatment by the imperial doctor, it was confirmed that it was only a flesh injury and no injuries to the muscles and bones. Although I pretended to be calm on the surface, but I was still a little scared inside.

Zhao Jihuan looked at my frown and comforted me softly:"I'm fine, really."

As time passed, I gradually calmed down and began to think about the whole thing seriously. I realized that Zhao Jihuan did not hesitate to stand in front of the arrow in order to save me. In fact, I have always doubted his emotions. , but after knowing this, I didn’t know how to face it!

I looked at Zhao Jihuan with some embarrassment and said,"Thank you. I owe you one."

When Zhao Jihuan heard my answer, a smile flashed in his eyes:"Okay, I'll note it down."

I raised my head and looked at Zhao Jihuan carefully. There was a kind of firmness and calmness in his eyes. His smile was as warm as the spring breeze, making people feel comfortable and reassuring.

However, I still couldn't help the doubts in my heart and asked:"That Why do people who shoot arrows call them traitors? Is it because of Duan Jinxu?

He sighed and spoke slowly:"After a country surrenders, not everyone will accept this fact." There was a group of people in the Chu State at that time who believed that fighting to the end was the only honor. However, Grandpa chose to surrender. They were very angry about this and did not even understand why the monarch would make such a decision. They feel betrayed. After their grandfather died, they had nowhere to vent their anger and disappointment, so they set fire to their uncle's mansion.

He paused and continued:"Uncle must have guessed all this and left a letter to Xu'er." The letter said not to take revenge on those who burned down the mansion, it was the Duan family that felt sorry for them."

I sighed endlessly and lamented how time flies:"Ten years have passed in a flash!"I couldn't help but be moved by the firm stance of those soldiers. However, as a king, the first priority is to protect the people's happiness. Although

Zhao Jihuan's voice was calm, I could feel the excitement in his heart. His body was shaking slightly, and he seemed to still be Soaking in the situation:"The perseverance of those people was truly amazing. Some of them are not ordinary soldiers, there are also many captains, and many of them have prominent family backgrounds. In that war-torn era, their families may no longer be around, and the country has become their only sustenance. They chose to fight to the death and would rather die on the battlefield than surrender! He took a deep breath and continued:"When I led the army into the city and went to visit the warriors in their cells, I was shocked by their condition. They were bound tightly, with cloth strips stuffed in their mouths, unable to speak. I knew that nothing I could say would change their resolve. So, I had to let Xuer go and deal with it."

Zhao Jihuan's words revealed deep sorrow and regret:"Those warriors, their loyalty and perseverance are admirable. But as a king, I must put the overall situation first. I hope they can understand that I am not a heartless person, I just have to do what I am in my position."

I asked curiously:"Axu, what did he do? Solve it?"

Zhao Jihuan's eyes showed admiration and pride, and he said slowly:"Although Xu'er usually gives people a cynical feeling, he has an extremely intelligent and kind side deep in his heart. That day he stood in front of those warriors and said firmly and sincerely:"I heard that loyal ministers are not afraid of death. What do you think?" You will not surrender until you die, and you are truly a strong man. However, when I hear about the peace and happiness in my hometown, wouldn’t that be your wish? However, today's situation is a dead one. Why not think of alternative ways to protect the safety of our hometown and the peace of our neighbors? I know that you are brave and righteous, but you also need to judge the situation. May you think deeply and sacrifice your life for the sake of eternal peace.’"

Zhao Jihuan's words were full of appreciation and respect for A Xu. He went on to say:"A Xu's words made those warriors fall into deep thought. They may have firmly believed that dying on the battlefield is the only way out, but under A Xu's In the words, they saw another possibility and hope. In the end, if they live a stable life, they will also choose to let go of their obsession."

He changed the subject, with a hint of confusion in his tone:"In the past ten years, , they seem to be living a stable life in Peiling, occasionally writing articles, and there is little movement. This rare visit to the imperial capital is indeed strange. Perhaps, there is some deep meaning behind this that we have not yet noticed."

I He comforted:"Don't think so much, my father will find out the truth."

Zhao Jihuan nodded slightly, with a hint of determination in his eyes:"You are right. We just need to wait for the result. Perhaps, there is something hidden behind this. A bigger conspiracy requires us to deal with it carefully."