Mo Zi exhaled deeply. “Luck.”
Wu Yanjie had only one last arrow, but he smiled. “A’Zi, you should know that no matter who wins this bell-shooting, I will definitely take you back to the Great Qiu.”
“Oh? Is it your turn to provoke me?” Mo Zi smiled back, her bright eyes sparkling. “Even if you win and ask the Great Zhou Emperor for me, I don’t plan to obey. I admit, I very much want to win. However, this is truly because I detest you.”
Detest him? Wu Yanjie’s heart suddenly ached. How could she say these three words so casually? Gritting his teeth, he said, “Say what you will.”
“Originally, when I broke with you decisively then, it was only heartbreak, not yet to the degree of detestation. However, you acted both as a great man and a petty person, actually issuing a kill order against me. Now seeing I’m not dead, you put on an act saying you came for me. Wu Yanjie, you were originally just a liar, but now you’ve lost even your character.” Liking the wrong person—there’s no fault but one’s own foolishness. But if one knows it’s wrong and still doesn’t withdraw, that’s beyond salvation. She felt she could be saved, so had no regrets. No regrets, but changes must be made.
“I issued a kill order against you?” Wu Yanjie was very shocked. “Who’s spouting nonsense?”
Seeing his expression didn’t seem false, Mo Zi understood the truth. “Your Palace Guard Junior General Hu Wei repeatedly said he was following imperial decree to send me to the afterlife. Could there be anyone else in the Great Qiu who can issue decrees besides you?”
“Hu Wei? He said he only found the comb…” Wu Yanjie’s face suddenly showed a trace of ferocity. “He dared to deceive me!”
“When the general is abroad, some imperial commands need not be received. General Hu Wei’s throwing daggers were truly excellent—less than an inch from my heart. Fortunately I’ve been wild since childhood with a good constitution, otherwise I would have met my maker long ago.” How long did she need to delay? Wasn’t there some kind of signal?
“I didn’t issue that order,” Wu Yanjie said.
Mo Zi saw some in the audience standing up anxiously and said, “Whether it was you or not no longer matters. Either way, I’m a thorn in the eye and flesh of the Great Qiu’s tribal chiefs. If I can’t be used by the Great Qiu, better to kill me cleanly. Wu Yanjie, don’t you understand even today? You and I are no longer possible. The people you rely on cannot tolerate me, and I cannot tolerate your harem. These two contradictions are like fire and water. Don’t say you have feelings only for me and other women are just decorations. Would decorations roll in bed with you? Would decorations bear your children? You don’t understand what I want, thinking me jealous and petty—that means you and I can never reach consensus. So I’m withdrawing, I’m giving up. Stop pressing me so hard. Whether it’s kingdoms or beauties, I won’t stop you or interfere with you. Now hurry up and finish shooting that last arrow. Otherwise, people will think we’re having a New Year’s tea party, chattering endlessly.”
By the end, using completely modern language, Wu Yanjie was left speechless. “You… how did you… become like this?” Rolling in bed, bearing children—these weren’t words an unmarried maiden should say.
“…” Seeing Wei Jia and Xiao Wei approaching, Mo Zi quickly said, “I’m possessed by a ghost. The original Mo Zi died.”
Though this was the absolute truth, Wu Yanjie naturally couldn’t believe it.
“Why hasn’t the third arrow been shot?” Wei Jia asked.
Wu Yanjie applied force with his hand and the arrow tail snapped.
Mo Zi saw this and said to Wei Jia, “That gentleman’s arrow seems broken. Can this count as the third arrow missing?”
Wu Yanjie’s eyes immediately widened. Was she truly heartless now?
Xiao Wei observed the two, first looking at Mo Zi, then at Wu Yanjie. “Three arrows are exhausted. I’ll go request Lord Wu Yanqie to come see.”
“No need!” Wu Yanjie was no ordinary person. Broken arrow in hand, bow drawn full, teeth clenched. “I’ll shoot with this arrow. Miss, be careful. I won’t give up casually.”
Double meaning. And though that broken arrow had no tail feathers, its momentum seemed unstoppable.
Mo Zi didn’t move. Though there was intent, the arrow was damaged, lacking follow-through power. Not giving up was futile.
The arrow indeed went wide. Very wide, burying itself head-first in the mud.
Wei Jia waved his fists, not sparing a loud cheer. Xiao Wei breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face.
The Great Zhou viewing seats received definite news, and cheers rose high.
Because no matter Mo Zi’s archery skill, at least a tie was secured.
Mo Zi walked before Wu Yanjie and handed over the bell hat. “My turn.”
Wu Yanjie took it, staring straight at her.
So long that even Wei Jia noticed something wrong, he deliberately coughed twice. “Has the honored envoy been staring at our Great Zhou noble lady’s beauty until his soul flew away?”
Only then did Wu Yanjie reach out to take the hat. “Is she your Great Zhou’s noble lady?”
Mo Zi frowned. If he revealed her background, don’t blame her for being rude and exposing his identity.
“She’s not only generous and beautiful, but also quick-minded and agile, truly unlike your Great Zhou’s pampered and delicate daughter demeanor—far surpassing our Great Qiu women.” Wu Yanjie walked into the circle. “If I hadn’t failed to shoot down her bells, I would wish to request her in marriage for my King.”
Wei Jia was startled. He turned to look at Mo Zi and said quietly to Xiao Wei, “Though I admit she’s good-looking, she doesn’t seem very attractive. Women should be like Xiao Mingrou—delicate, pitiable, and lovable, relying on husbands as their heaven, staying in the inner chambers managing household affairs. One so clever and cunning, and so good at running and jumping—how would she attract men’s tender affection?”
Under Great Zhou teachings, most men were like this. In the southwest, bound feet were even beginning, unable even to walk, yet attracting mad winds and frivolous butterflies.
“Is tender affection the same as liking?”
“Would tender affection make you worried sick, unable to eat or sleep, feeling she’s irreplaceable?”
After Xiao Wei asked two questions in succession, he himself regretted his slip of tongue.
Wei Jia patted Xiao Wei’s shoulder. “Baiyu, you’re dreaming. They’re just women. With talents like us brothers, we can have them at our fingertips. Why must we seek unhappiness, picking those thorny flowers that are hard to pluck?” Though he advised, he didn’t connect Xiao Wei and Mo Zi together in his imagination.
Xiao Wei echoed a few times.
Mo Zi didn’t hear what those two were whispering about. She took the bow a palace maid handed over, fastened the arrow quiver at her waist, and plucked the string a few times. How long had it been since she’d played bell-shooting? Five years, perhaps longer.
The one who taught her archery was Wu Yanjie. Now, was this like a teacher appreciation gift?
Drawing the bow, releasing empty. Drawing the bow again, releasing empty again.
Only after her arms warmed up and adapted to that tension did she take out a small arrow, carefully sensing the wind’s patterns. Wu Yanjie’s gaze—she didn’t see it. Wei Jia and Xiao Wei’s silence—she didn’t notice. How many figures were approaching behind her—she knew even less. Her extraordinarily exceptional focus, whether it was this body’s natural gift or cultivated in the military, was truly inexhaustible. That bell trembling slightly on the hat brim gradually became everything in her vision. And her only advantage was that Wu Yanjie couldn’t move.
Arrow on string, lips pressed, experiencing that heartbeat beginning to race, northwest wind steady direction, pine resin sent out.
Holding breath. The arrow struck the hat mere centimeters from the bell, ringing continuously.
There seemed to be sounds of regret, and seemed to be sounds of schadenfreude, but she didn’t leak a breath of air. Taking an arrow and drawing the bow, this time the windless interval was slightly longer.
Wei Jia was the best archer. Watching all her movements, he said to Xiao Wei, “Beautiful posture.” This “beautiful” didn’t mean ordinary beauty, but precise and seasoned.
Xiao Wei smiled bitterly. “I truly don’t know what she can’t do.” Smuggling, swimming, shipbuilding—now add archery.
This time it was Wei Jia who didn’t hear. His eyes glowing, he stared at Mo Zi’s profile, making a fist for her.
The second arrow left the string. Whoosh—almost grazing past the bell.
Wei Jia hit his mouth with his fist, groaning.
“I thought you said women should stay at home.” Xiao Wei, seeing him contrary to his usual calm and wise appearance, forgot he was also his type and spoke to mock him.
Wei Jia shushed him. “Quiet! Two arrows not hitting—it’s not that she didn’t aim, but that she’s testing wind speed. That is to say, both her arrows hit, hit the positions she intended.”
Xiao Wei didn’t doubt the Great Zhou’s premier archer’s words at all, nor did he doubt Mo Zi could reach the level Wei Jia described. Looking down on her was only self-humiliation. This point, after many dealings, after she left the Prince’s Mansion, he finally understood.
You respect her, she respects you. Such a simple truth—Yuan Cheng understood it, Zhong An understood it. Only he was blinded and arrogant, slow to grasp it, deceived by the identity of a smuggler, the identity of a maid.
Mo Zi picked up the last arrow. She had mastered the wind speed. Though her heart beat fast, her hand was very steady. The tail feathers brushed her lips. Drawing the bow and facing forward, wind blew making flames dance wildly. From the corner of her eye she glimpsed the yellow flag that had forgotten to be withdrawn, fluttering.
Northwest wind!
Now! Mo Zi thought.
“Now!” Wei Jia tensely called out softly.
Before victory, there’s no distinction between men and women.
The arrow flew out.
One long ding, several short jingles.
The hat brim was empty of objects.
Wei Jia couldn’t help but shout loudly in approval. Unable to embrace Mo Zi as brothers would, he hugged Xiao Wei beside him. As teammates, it was truly too proud and too thrilling.
But Mo Zi was still embraced by someone—Yang Qiao, so happy she didn’t know what to do, saying “We won” dozens of times in one breath.
Mo Zi smiled while looking toward Wu Yanjie.
He stood there, head lowered, gazing at the bell hat in his hands.
Mo Zi guessed he was very surprised, because when in the Great Qiu, her archery was truly mediocre. But what he didn’t know was that she had worked extremely hard to practice, though she hadn’t been able to put it to use.
But Lord Wu Yanqie stood up and came over, his figure covering Wu Yanjie’s, saying tonight he was grateful for His Majesty’s generous hospitality. The Great Zhou truly had abundant talent and occupied advantageous timing and terrain. The Great Qiu lost willingly and with conviction. This was originally just entertainment to add to the festivities, not affecting the friendship between the two nations. After saying many pleasant words, he said it was already late today and they wanted to return to the embassy to rest.
Those Nande people, seeing there was no more show to watch, also followed suit saying they wanted to leave.
Returning to the main hall, with more than half the people gone, the place seemed empty and desolate.
Yang Qiao pouted and said, “Sore losers.” This was just heard by the Emperor, who laughed heartily, saying exactly right, then called Mo Zi. “Good girl, a woman no less heroic than a man. I indeed didn’t misjudge you.”
Mo Zi quickly said she didn’t dare.
“Where is the court historian today?” The Emperor summoned.
A white-bearded old official holding a record book and wielding a brush came forward.
“Record this,” the Emperor said. “The daughter of the Song family’s merit lies not only in victory. Her character is firm and pure, decisive and admirably brave. She doesn’t show cowardice or weakness because of her female body and should be a model for Great Zhou women.”
The old historian finished writing rapidly.
The Emperor also called for the Central Secretariat to draft an edict. “The daughter of the Song family has rendered merit to the state and court. Both her civil and martial accomplishments are excellent, and she’s skilled in the art of shipbuilding. Confer upon her the position of Female Official Inspector of the Ministry of Works’ Shipbuilding Bureau, register her name, permit her movement, and allow her to advise the Emperor directly. The daughter of the Yang family, accepting orders in crisis, her courage praiseworthy—confer upon her the position of Female Official of the Ceremonial Bureau of the Ministry of Rites, register her name. These two women are extraordinary and may choose their own marriages. Everything shall follow the protocols of Imperial Princesses.”
Mo Zi and Yang Qiao kowtowed in gratitude.