The vast Yanbei Hall was now completely silent.
The young girl’s spine was perfectly straight. Though small in stature, she seemed to contain limitless power, and in her every movement, there was a determination to trample everything beneath her feet.
Cai Lin was momentarily speechless.
Shen Miao was right. In this mutual archery challenge, he should be the one in greater danger. Since Shen Miao had no archery skills, if her shot deviated even slightly, the arrow might pierce his head. But Cai Lin hadn’t thought that far ahead. His thinking was simple—once he shot first, given Shen Miao’s character, she would surely be frightened to the point of weak knees, crying and begging him for mercy. He would then thoroughly humiliate Shen Miao, thus destroying her dignity and naturally avenging Shen Yue.
As for what happened afterward, Cai Lin hadn’t considered it at all. In his mind, after his shot, Shen Miao would be so terrified that she would be incapable of shooting back. Moreover, a girl who had never drawn a bow might not even be able to pull back a large bow—it would all just be a joke.
This was Cai Lin’s thinking, but he hadn’t accounted for Shen Miao’s reaction. She simply looked at him quietly, with a composure beyond her years that suddenly made Cai Lin angry and embarrassed. Shen Miao’s gaze seemed to be watching a child at play—pitiful yet amusing.
Being at an age most prone to impulse, Cai Lin immediately responded: “What would I be afraid of? Life-and-death agreement it is!”
“Ah!” Lord Cai in the men’s section sighed anxiously. He wanted nothing more than to rush forward and give his unfilial son a good thrashing. He had thought Cai Lin was merely mischievous, not imagining he would challenge Shen Miao. Regarding the life-and-death agreement, Lord Cai wasn’t concerned about his son’s safety, but feared Cai Lin would truly humiliate Shen Miao, or miss and injure her. Not everyone could stand against a brute like Shen Xin.
Shen Yue anxiously said, “How could Fifth Sister establish a life-and-death agreement? It’s just an examination, how could it go to such lengths? This won’t do!”
“Indeed, how could Fifth Sister be so inconsiderate?” Ren Wanyun frowned: “How could she say such things on impulse? What if something goes wrong?”
She didn’t mention that it was Cai Lin who forced Shen Miao into this choice, instead attributing everything to Shen Miao’s impulsive behavior. Chen Ruoqiu shook her head, sighing softly: “After all, she’s too competitive.”
While they “concerned” themselves with Shen Miao with such nonchalance, many in the men’s section were also interested in the situation.
Prince Yu stared intently at the purple-clad young girl on stage, his murky eyes radiating interest. It was like a beast eyeing its prey, though his gaze was revolting.
“This Shen family miss is truly brave but foolish,” Prince Zhou commented. “She even signed a life-and-death agreement. Doesn’t she know that this way, if something goes wrong, even Shen Xin can’t speak about it?”
“Perhaps to maintain the Shen family’s reputation,” Fu Xiuyi said, looking at Shen Miao on stage. “After all, no one wants to hear bad things about their family.”
“Unfortunately, even this won’t change the facts,” Prince Jing shook his head. “It’s too impulsive. No wonder they say she’s ignorant and foolish.”
Pei Lang picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. He also felt Shen Miao’s actions were too impulsive. Although he knew Prince Yu’s words earlier were extremely excessive, if Shen Miao truly cared about the Shen family, she should find a way to retreat unscathed. Though she might be temporarily gossiped about, it would be better than being publicly humiliated afterward.
“Father, she will win,” Su Minglang clenched his small fist to show his father his stance.
Old Master Su looked at his younger son, somehow feeling that Su Minglang was particularly attentive to Shen Miao. Old Master Su thought that perhaps she had just caught Su Minglang’s eye. Since the last time Su Minglang’s reminder had allowed the Su family to withdraw from danger, Old Master Su had been much kinder to his younger son. Now, not wanting to dampen his son’s spirits, he vaguely agreed: “Indeed, she will certainly win.”
Su Mingfeng didn’t know about Su Minglang and Old Master Su’s attitudes. If he did, he would certainly sneer, because at that moment, sitting in the pavilion and gazing at the examination stage, he couldn’t help saying: “The Shen family miss is truly bold, even establishing a life-and-death agreement. Could it be that General Shen often tells her about military camp affairs, and she thinks this is a military competition? She’s too thoughtless.”
Su Mingfeng never concealed his thoughts when speaking to his friends, but today he didn’t hear his most critical friend agreeing, and couldn’t help looking back at him.
The purple-clad young man pinched a begonia in his hand, tilting his head in thought. The sunlight was just right, and the breeze gently stirred the tassel on his dagger. His handsome features were full of vigor, and his contemplative appearance made one sigh at his peerless elegance.
“Xie San, what are you thinking about?” Su Mingfeng couldn’t help asking.
Xie Jingxing tucked the begonia into his bosom, suddenly stood up, and smiled: “Interesting, shall we make a bet?”
“What bet?”
“We’ll bet—” Xie Jingxing pointed to the stage, his smile indescribably charming: “Who will win?”
“Naturally, Cai Lin.” Su Mingfeng frowned: “Could you possibly think there’s another candidate?”
“I bet Shen Miao will win,” he said.
On stage, preparations had already begun.
Today’s martial archery challenge was enough to captivate everyone present. This was no examination challenge—it was a life wager.
Guangwen Hall truly had them write a life-and-death agreement, the blood-colored characters starkly visible on the snow-white cloth. Shen Miao took up the brush and wrote her name. She wrote with exceptional grace, as if not burdened at all by this thousand-pound weight.
That was natural—she had written her name countless times before. When writing the surrender letter to the Huns for Fu Xiuyi, when voluntarily becoming a hostage for the Qin state, when Princess Wanyu married, when the Crown Prince was deposed… The name “Shen Miao” represented nothing but blood and tears, the suffering within known to no one.
In comparison, Cai Lin wasn’t so at ease.
Though youth is the time of strongest competitive spirit, it was after all his first time signing such a life-and-death agreement. Cai Lin was just a child too well-protected by his family, not even mature enough. Shen Miao’s composure made him even more afraid.
His brush felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He wrote with difficulty, his characters crooked and twisted, forming a stark contrast with Shen Miao’s name.
After writing, he couldn’t help asking: “Shen Miao, aren’t you afraid I might miss in the first round? If I fear you hitting me in the second round, I could naturally injure you in the first.”
Shen Miao was about to pick up a walnut when she heard this. She turned around and stared at Cai Lin: “Is that what Young Master Cai thinks? I disagree.”
She said: “Everyone knows Young Master Cai’s archery is outstanding. If you miss, it certainly wouldn’t be an accident, but deliberate. Young Master Cai would be intentionally trying to kill me. I, however, am different. Everyone knows I know nothing about this, so if I miss, it’s only natural.”
Cai Lin was stunned, then dumbfounded, as a deep sense of powerlessness surged within him.
Indeed, if he missed, it would be deliberate; if Shen Miao missed, it would be expected. He couldn’t even pretend to miss accidentally because… everyone would see it was intentional!
He had put Shen Miao in a dilemma, and she immediately returned the favor.
Either way was wrong.
“To avoid being shot by me in the second round, Young Master Cai can naturally kill me outright in the first round. We’ve established a life-and-death agreement—if you kill me, it’s merely a competition result. Besides the contempt of the world, you need not bear any responsibility.”
“I’m right here. Do you dare to kill me?”