Chapter 47: Seeing Red
“One would not have trust if one does not follow what was established. These rules were set by Cai Lin and for you to now object, does it mean that Cai Daren is also like this in the official circles? Once the situation looks wrong, you will immediately change the rules?”
Previously Cai Lin said, “Guang Wen Tang does not prioritise specifically for anyone. It is the case for previous regulations for the challenger to define the rules. Why? A dignified Grand General’s daughter is such a timid younger generation?”
His words were as if it was at one’s ears and now Shen Miao gave them back how they were originally said, slapping Cai Daren’s face directly and made Cai Lin speechless.
“Rules were set by you and now it is you who wants to quit. It all came right from one’s mouth, how could it be set as such? Are Ming Qi’s Darens all like so?” Her words were incisive and merciless as she spoke about the bigger picture of things, making Cai Daren break into a cold sweat.
There were so many colleagues of the official circles in today’s event, his fellow allies and rivals were also present. When Shen Miao’s words falls into one who has the intention, who knows what kind of article would be written and not to mention that the Imperial family members were also present. If it had attracted the Imperial family’s suspicion, let alone Cai Lin, even the entire Cai family would have to suffer along.
“Young Lady Shen’s words are not wrong.” But the one speaking was Prince Yu. He smiled eccentrically at Shen Miao and said, “Cai Daren, Gentleman Cai has set the rules himself and naturally have to see them to the end.”
Since when would Prince Yu helped to rescue anyone from difficulty? Once the words were said, suddenly everyone’s gaze was cast on Shen Miao, filled with various kinds of looks, some understood clearly, some were filled with scorn.
Prince Zhou and Prince Jing looked at one another. Prince Jing sighed, “Even Royal Uncle has spoken.”
“Perhaps we would have another young Royal Sao?” Prince Zhou finished speaking and he himself found it ridiculous, so he shook his head and did not speak.
Since Prince Yu had spoken, even if Cai Daren had some dissatisfactions, he dared not refute. Even though he was frightened in his mind, he could only thicken his skin, “It is… It is this official that did not consider everything.” He glared angrily at Cai Lin before turning around to walk away.
Cai Lin watched as his father left and he felt an urgency. He originally felt that Shen Miao most likely was only good at talking but when he meet Shen Miao’s clear eyes, his heart could not help but felt cold. She was like a beast that does not make any sound. She obviously looks like a little young lady but how could that feeling be so scary?
He suppressed his voice and said, “If you injure me, the Cai family will definitely not spare you.” This was considered threatening. Cai Lin was riding a tiger and it was hard to get off, with Shen Miao archery skills, if she were to shot off a little, his little life would be hard to protect. When he went with his friends during hunting, he had seen times when the arrows were shot slightly off and pierce into the prey’s eyes or ass. Even though it was not a shot that killed, the scene of a prey struggling was really tragic. Could it be that he would be that slaughtered lamb?
He threatened like that to only hope that Shen Miao would behave appropriately a little, pull the bow gently and just put on a show of doing it but not actually doing it. He whispered again, “If you are sensitive this time, in the future… In the future, I would not find trouble with you in Guang Wen Tang.
Shen Miao gently raised her eyebrows and looked at him.
Cai Lin was anxious, fearing that she would not agree to it. Unfortunately for him, she had met too much of such people in her past life. They were bullying the weak and fearing the strong. If one were to let it go today, once the matter has passed, Cai Lin would definitely be like he was in the past and would even find an opportunity to take revenge for losing face today.
Just like a dog that just left its nest in the jungle. It had thought that it had dominated the jungle and when it had met a ferocious wolf, it changed his expression and thought that there would be a chance in the future for this dog to think of ways to try again.
Unfortunately, she was never a wolf. She was a tiger. It was either to make this dog never to come forward again to provoke, or else it would be… To bite and break his neck, so that he would never ever dare to have provocation in his heart.
She gave a slight smile, “Previously I asked you ‘I am here. Do you dare to kill?’ and your archery has answered the question for you.”
“Now that this question is before me, do you want to hear my reply?”
Her little face was as bright as a jade and there was a slight tenderness in it, as if it was the adorable growing young buds in spring, but her words were so savage that they made one’s heart palpitate.
“I dare.”
After saying that sentence, she turned and walked towards the shooting platform.
Cai Lin stood stunned at that very position until the examiner called out his name, making him recover his senses. Only then he discovered that the audience were all looking at him as if they were looking at an interesting play.
His eyes landed on the pink clad young lady that was sitting afar at the female side of the banquet. Shen Yue was talking to the person at her side and was not looking at the stage. He suddenly felt somewhat disappointed and felt that his current actions were more hateful.
It was originally him who had provoked first and how would there be a reason to retreat now. If he were to lose against a female, he feared that the Cai family would become the laughing stock in the capital, not to mention that Shen Yue was looking from the audience. If he made a fool of himself, how would he be able to face Shen Yue in the future?
Just a little female, to speak as if she was that scary, could it be that she really dares to murder? Even if the life and death agreement was established, it was not easy to clear things up if one were to kill another.
Figuring out this point, Cai Lin encouraged himself in his heart and put on a calm pretence before walking to the three Zhang (1 zhang = 10 feet) area and placed the fruit on his head.
Everyone looked at him before looking at Shen Miao and felt a little strange.
From a distant, Xie Jing Xing parted his lips to speak, “Make a guess. Will it hit the target or not?”
“Definitely not hit.” Su Ming Feng stared at him, “Not to say she does not have the guts to injure Cai Lin, even if she dares, does she have the ability? There are only a few unmarried females that practices martial arts and furthermore you should know that in Ding capital, she has no knowledge of anything.”
Xie Jing Xing lowered his head and smiled, “Not necessarily.”
“Could it be that you want to bet another round with me again?”
“Why is there a need to do that, I have already seen the outcome.”
Su Ming Feng was used to how mysterious his good friend speaks and said, “What is the outcome?”
Xie Jing Xing lazily said, “You lose.”
Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao who was on stage and for no reason, her heart started to feel tightened. She softly asked Chen Rou Qiu, “Mother, will she injure Gentleman Cai?”
“Naturally not.” Chen Rou Qiu looked at her own daughter who was also bewitched by Shen Miao today and could not help but sigh. Thinking that she was still young and could not maintain her cool. She said, “How could one so easily hit the target? I heard your Eldest Bo said before that strength is required to pull the bow apart, and your Fifth Younger Sister had never practice on normal days in the Shen residence, so I fear that a lot strength would be used by her to pull the bow. You must not indulge in flights of fancy as your Fifth Younger Sister is just joking.”
Was Shen Miao really joking around?
Naturally not.
She lifted her hands, arranged the arrow and pulled the bow apart. The actions were all completed in one go and it was done so smoothly as if this had been practised for thousands of times. There was no instance of being unable to pull the bow due to her delicate hands nor was there any hesitation on not knowing what needs to be done. Her actions were structured and orderly, making others suspect that she was a skilled archer.
In the next moment, the arrow that left the bow headed towards Cai Lin with murderous intent.
The entire arena quietened down, and in that extreme silence the arrow that fell onto the floor made a clear crisp sound.
And at the tip of the arrow, there was a little red on it.
