Feng Qi, Teach Me Archery
“Aunt was hitting you, why didn’t you run?” Zhao Jiayu’s face was flushed with anger. When she arrived, Xiao Bingying was kneeling on the ground, letting Madam Chen whip her body. Fortunately, the whip hadn’t struck her face. If her face had been struck and her looks ruined, how would she ever marry in the future?
Lin Xizhao was cleaning Xiao Bingying’s wounds. Xiao Bingying’s brows were knitted together, but she didn’t say a single word.
“You don’t have to endure it. There are no outsiders here,” Lin Xizhao said as she took the ointment from Zhao Jiayu and applied it to Xiao Bingying’s wounds.
“I’m fine.” Back when she was at the Zhao Manor, Xiao Bingying had practiced martial arts and was quite accomplished. She hadn’t let her skills fall behind after arriving at the Xiao Manor; General Xiao had even found a martial instructor to teach her diligently. They were both from families of military commanders; none of the children, whether sons or daughters, could be too weak.
Every time Zhao Jiayu heard Xiao Bingying say she was fine, she grew even angrier. How could this be called fine? She was bleeding.
After Lin Xizhao finished treating Xiao Bingying’s wounds, she saw that her younger cousin was still angry and coaxed her in a soft voice, “It was just a few lashes. Once Mother’s anger has subsided, she naturally won’t hit her anymore.” If she had run, the punishment upon her return would have been even more severe.
Hearing Xiao Bingying’s words, Zhao Jiayu’s heart ached terribly. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she stopped being fierce with her. “You don’t have to go back to your manor tonight,” she said. “Come back with me. I’ve already had someone inform my mother that you’ll be coming to take care of me for a few days.”
Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Bingying’s face. “Alright,” she said.
Watching the two cousins, Lin Xizhao felt both heartache and helplessness regarding Xiao Bingying’s predicament. When Xiao Bingying was brought to the Xiao Manor, her name was officially entered into their ancestral hall1. The Zhao Manor had tried several times to get her back, but the Xiao Manor refused to let her go, even claiming that Xiao Bingying could ward off disaster for their son, without whom he would not live long.
Madam Chen of the Xiao family had also raised a huge fuss for a while, and the Zhao Manor, having no other recourse, had been unable to bring Xiao Bingying back.
The three of them stayed in the room for a while before returning to the schoolroom. Lin Xizhao walked in the front, with Xiao Bingying supporting Zhao Jiayu. When they entered, they saw the teacher instructing Qu Sheng in writing something.
The three took their seats, and after a moment, the teacher raised his head to look at them.
“You’re all back?”
The three of them were already a little late, but the old teacher didn’t seem to mind.
Lin Xizhao and Xiao Bingying didn’t reply; only Zhao Jiayu gave a dry laugh. The teacher remained seated behind Qu Sheng and simply said, “Read your books.”
Hearing this, Lin Xizhao glanced sideways. The old teacher was holding Qu Sheng’s small hand, seemingly drawing a picture on the paper, and Qu Sheng’s hand was moving back and forth across the paper, following the teacher’s lead.
After school let out in the afternoon, Qu Sheng was picked up by Feng Qi. Lin Xizhao looked at the drawing on Qu Sheng’s desk. It was undoubtedly the teacher’s work, but he had been drawing for so long, yet Qu Sheng hadn’t shown the slightest bit of impatience. Her tiny arm had been held up for so long, yet it showed no sign of fatigue.
Just as Feng Qi picked Qu Sheng up, who was still holding a pastry, Lin Xizhao stood up and helped pack away the things on Qu Sheng’s desk. “I’ll see you out,” she said.
Hearing this, Qu Sheng stuffed the pastry into her mouth and, when Lin Xizhao wasn’t looking, stole a few more glances at her.
Lin Xizhao was the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister. It was said that her mother was greatly favored by the Empress. Zhao Jiayu had suggested she come here to study, and on the very next day, Lin Xizhao had come to extend a personal invitation, bringing her mother’s words with her. If the Empress hadn’t deliberately arranged it, how could the Lin family have agreed so quickly just based on a single sentence from Zhao Jiayu?
Qu Sheng’s three older brothers stood in a row outside the Prime Minister’s manor, waiting to welcome Qu Sheng home after her first day of school. While the display wasn’t grand, the fact that her three brothers valued her so much made it clear to outsiders that Qu Sheng was considered a treasure of the Qu family.
Zhao Jiayu’s eyes widened as she looked at the three handsome sons of the Qu family. Qu Ming was the first to take Qu Sheng and hold her in his arms, while Qu Ting and Qu Yu bowed to Lin Xizhao, thanking her for looking after Qu Sheng.
Lin Xizhao also curtsied in return. After the Qu family had left, Zhao Jiayu slowly walked up to Lin Xizhao and asked, “The one holding Sheng’er, who is he?”
Lin Xizhao glanced at her and replied, “The eldest young master of the Qu family’s second branch, Qu Ming.”
When Qu Sheng returned to her manor, Jin Yunfei told her something: the person appointed by the Empress was not Lin Xizhao, but Cheng Mianrong.
The Qu family had already discovered that Cheng Mianrong, who had been chasing after Qu Sheng to attend the school at the Prime Minister’s manor, had been sent under the Empress’s directive. But it didn’t matter. Regardless of who it was, Qu Sheng still had to pretend to be a foolish child.
“Mother, you needn’t worry excessively. Your child will handle it,” Qu Sheng said. She had eaten a lot today and hadn’t gone to dinner. Worried, Jin Yunfei had brought a bowl of congee and was now holding up a spoonful, wanting to feed her.
Qu Sheng looked at the congee before her, then at her mother’s worried face, and opened her small, rosy lips.
With half a bowl of congee in her stomach, Qu Sheng felt a little full. After Jin Yunfei left, she summoned her personal guard.
“Feng Qi, teach me archery.” When Qu Sheng was at the Southeast Marquis Manor, she had dabbled in it, but because her arm strength was too weak, she could only wait until she was older to learn properly.
Now that she suddenly wanted to learn again, Feng Qi brought out the small bow and arrows he had prepared long ago.
Feng Qi took Qu Sheng to the courtyard in the manor where the Qu family practiced martial arts. Targets were already set up there. Qu Sheng’s bow and arrows were short and small. Because her every move was watched by the people in the manor, the three young masters of the Qu family all came over after Qu Sheng had shot three consecutive arrows.
Qu Ming saw that Qu Sheng was struggling greatly with her archery practice, but he didn’t ask her why she wanted to practice. Qu Ting and Qu Yu watched from the side, offering a word of guidance from time to time.
As Qu Ming was leaving the courtyard, he saw his Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle standing not far away. After bowing, he was about to approach when his Third Uncle, Qu Jiqin, called out to him.
“Ming’er.”
Qu Ming, who had been turning away, turned back and bowed. “Third Uncle.”
“Stop investigating your eldest brother’s matter.”
Aside from his daily duties at the government office, Qu Ming rarely had a moment’s rest. He had been constantly investigating the cause of death of the Qu family’s eldest son, Qu Ce2.
Qu Ming didn’t reply, merely lowering his head. After a moment, the Qu family’s Fourth Uncle, Qu Ji’an3, asked, “Where are you off to now?”
Hearing this, Qu Ming finally spoke. “To make a bow and arrow for Sheng-meimei4.”
“Then hurry up and go,” Fourth Uncle Qu Ji’an said, giving Qu Ming a meaningful look. Qu Ming understood, nodded, and left.
The next morning, Qu Sheng had a tiny bow and quiver slung across her back. Although its range wasn’t far, it could still hit a target at close range.
Qu Sheng entered the schoolroom, sat in her seat, and began aiming the bow here and there. Zhao Jiayu was also curious. Seeing such an exquisite little bow, she asked, “Sheng-meimei, where did you get this bow?”
Qu Sheng looked at her upon hearing the question and spoke her first words to Zhao Jiayu in a tender and crisp little voice, “Gege.”
Qu Ming had given it to her.
“Our Second Young Master made it for her,” Feng Qi explained from the side.
Zhao Jiayu leaned sideways in her seat, craned her neck to look at Xiao Bingying, and sighed deliberately, “Aiya, look at other people’s older brothers…”
“When I have time, I’ll make one for you too,” Xiao Bingying said, her face full of smiles as she glanced over at Zhao Jiayu’s words.
Hearing that Xiao Bingying would make one for her, Zhao Jiayu grinned, stood up, and returned to her own seat. But she had barely sat down for a moment when she heard a commotion behind her.
Zhao Jiayu turned her head to look. Cheng Mianrong, followed by a male servant and a maidservant, was walking towards Xiao Bingying’s seat.
“You, get up.” Cheng Mianrong stopped at Xiao Bingying’s desk and ordered her to move without any courtesy.
“On what grounds?” Zhao Jiayu had heard from Lin Xizhao that Cheng Mianrong would be coming to class today. She couldn’t stand her tyrannical and unreasonable behavior.
“It seems you’re looking for another beating.”
Cheng Mianrong’s words provoked Zhao Jiayu, who was about to stand up but was held down by Xiao Bingying. “It’s alright.” After Xiao Bingying stood up, Lin Xizhao came over.
Xiao Bingying’s seat had been on the same row as Lin Xizhao’s, with Zhao Jiayu behind them. With this change, Xiao Bingying could only sit behind Zhao Jiayu, while Qu Sheng was on Lin Xizhao’s other side.
Cheng Mianrong had wanted to sit in Lin Xizhao’s seat, but Lin Xizhao was the host and she was the guest. Furthermore, due to Lin Xizhao’s status as the Prime Minister’s legitimate daughter, she didn’t dare to be presumptuous. She could only bully Xiao Bingying, the adopted daughter of the General Xiao Manor.
After Xiao Bingying moved to the back seat, Zhao Jiayu glared fiercely at Cheng Mianrong in front of her. Cheng Mianrong sat down with a clear conscience, first glancing sideways at Lin Xizhao, who was still attending to Qu Sheng.
“Be good, Sheng-meimei. You can’t play with these things in here, you might hurt someone,” Lin Xizhao said in a gentle tone, persuading Qu Sheng to put away the small bow and arrow in her hand.
Qu Sheng seemed to ponder this. Feng Qi walked over and said, “Miss, give it to me for now.”
Feng Qi reached out and took the bow from Qu Sheng’s hands. Qu Sheng’s gaze then shifted to the snacks beside her. Today, Lin Xizhao had swapped them for some fruit pastries that weren’t too sweet and wouldn’t be eaten too quickly; they were just a bit difficult to chew.
Aside from Zhao Jiayu’s indignation, no one else seemed to show any particular reaction to Cheng Mianrong’s arrival. The teacher didn’t say much about the new, older student joining the class. During the lesson, they studied literature and practiced calligraphy. When he had time, the teacher would go to teach Qu Sheng one-on-one.
Yesterday it was drawing, and today it was drawing again. Qu Sheng held a snack in one hand while the teacher guided her other hand to draw. Everything proceeded as usual.
Two months later.
Qu Sheng walked with a slight wobble, the small bow and quiver on her back, and had become much more lively. When Zhao Jiayu teased her, she would get flustered and even say a word or two back. Lin Xizhao still looked after her as usual.
Zhao Jiayu would occasionally bicker with Cheng Mianrong, but it rarely escalated into real anger. However, the moment Xiao Bingying was involved, Zhao Jiayu would become like a lion with its fur standing on end5.
After class today, Lin Xizhao was summoned away by her mother, and Xiao Bingying was kept at her manor and couldn’t attend class. Cheng Mianrong, having heard a rumor from somewhere, saw Zhao Jiayu’s gloomy expression and said with a mocking smile, “I heard your dear cousin is having an affair with your uncle, and your aunt ate a lot of vinegar6 and beat her half to death last night. Is it true?”
“What reckless talk in eight directions7 is this?!” Zhao Jiayu glared, her eyes wide with fury. She had never heard such a thing. It was true that her uncle treated Xiao Bingying well, but they were like father and daughter, and Xiao Bingying was only eight years old. How could someone say such things?
“Tch, only a fool like you would be kept in the dark. Who doesn’t know your uncle likes young girls? Your cousin—”
Before Cheng Mianrong could finish her sentence, a fist landed on her face. It was Zhao Jiayu.
Being slapped in the face in public by Zhao Jiayu was not only painful but also a complete loss of face. Cheng Mianrong shrieked in a shrill voice, “You dare hit me?”
“I’m hitting you, so what!” Zhao Jiayu didn’t indulge her. After landing one punch, she immediately moved to strike again but was quickly pulled aside by people who rushed in.
They were the male servants Cheng Mianrong had brought with her; there were three of them.
Although Zhao Jiayu practiced martial arts, she was still a girl with a slender frame. After being restrained by several people, she was given a sound beating.
The two sons of a concubine from the Lin family had long since shrunk back in fear at the scene. Qu Sheng, however, continued to eat the snack in her hand, her dark eyes blinking as she looked towards Feng Qi.
Understanding her meaning, Feng Qi walked over, intending to pull the three men away. But these were no ordinary servants; they were guards. Relying on their connection to the family of the Imperial Brother-in-Law, they paid Feng Qi no mind. The moment he approached, they directed their fists and feet at him as well.
Struck with pain, the gentle expression Feng Qi wore when he tried to mediate was gone. He grabbed one man with each hand and threw them directly out of the schoolroom. The last one was not bad; he chased after Feng Qi as soon as he was outside.
Zhao Jiayu lay on the floor, her face pale. Cheng Mianrong glanced out the window. Her three guards had Feng Qi surrounded; she figured they wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Seizing the opportunity, she walked over to Zhao Jiayu, looked down at her with a vicious expression, and raised her foot to kick her in the face.
But before her foot could land, an arrow with a sharp tip shot past and embedded itself in the wooden floor next to her foot.
When a panicked Cheng Mianrong looked up, she saw a small, childish figure holding a bow, aiming it straight at her head.
The author has something to say:
Qu Sheng: “I’ve been waiting for this day, practiced for two months for it.”
Zhao Jiayu: “I declare, from now on you are my good sister! We are friends of life and death8.”
Lin Xizhao: “…”
Don’t worry, they’ll grow up soon.
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