Chapter 86
As the arrow flew, everyone's attention was riveted on Fu Wei's shot.
In a moment, the arrow reached the five-ring target, but it landed in the third ring.
This position was within reach of any archer.
After inspecting the targets, the guards raised the red flag on Mr. Gu's side.
Seeing this, almost everyone was greatly disappointed.
The Governor, seeing such an unsurprising outcome, immediately lost interest in watching and turned to flirt with his concubine.
Mr. Gu smirked at Fu Wei, teasingly saying, "Mr. Fu might as well admit defeat now, to save yourself from an uglier loss later."
Fu Wei turned to him with a smile, "The competition is about who hits closest to the bullseye the most, and this was just the first arrow. There are four more to go; the outcome is far from decided. Why so hasty, Mr. Gu?"
Mr. Gu let out a slight scoff, not taking Fu Wei seriously, and picked up another arrow from the quiver, raising his bow to draw.
He released the arrow effortlessly. It veered slightly more than the previous one, landing between the bullseye and the fourth ring.
Although not as good as his first shot, Mr. Gu showed no sign of disappointment and looked at Fu Wei with a relaxed expression.
County Magistrate Zhou, watching from the table, frowned deeply.
Fu Wei methodically picked up an arrow and slightly adjusted his angle while holding the longbow.
Just when everyone thought Mr. Gu would win again, Fu Wei’s arrow whistled through the air and hit the bullseye perfectly.
All sounds ceased in an instant.
Even from a distance, it was clear the arrow was lodged right in the center of the target.
Mr. Gu’s pupils contracted slightly, and even the Governor stopped his flirting, pushing away the beauty beside him to watch the thrilling shot with great interest.
A contest with suspense is truly exciting.
When the flag on Fu Wei’s side was raised, the Governor clapped in approval, followed by applause from the audience.
Mr. Gu's face turned dark.
County Magistrate Zhou’s furrowed brow relaxed instantly, his face showing disbelief. He shook his head with a laugh, as if in awe.
Indeed, impressive!
It seemed that not only was Fu Wei’s mind sharp, but he also possessed other remarkable skills!
His fundamental skills were solid; it was just that he had always shot arrows standing, and now, shooting while seated, he hadn't adapted yet, resulting in the initial miss.
Fu Wei looked at Mr. Gu with a gentle expression, "Mr. Gu, please proceed."
Mr. Gu found himself reassessing the seemingly harmless young man before him.
It appeared he had been feigning weakness all along.
Taking a deep breath and dropping his disdainful attitude, Mr. Gu turned to fetch another arrow.
This time, Mr. Gu didn’t release the bowstring immediately but paused to compose himself before shooting.
His arrow was better than the second one, but it was unclear whether it hit the bullseye.
Fu Wei’s third arrow landed in a spot similar to Mr. Gu's.
Unable to distinguish which was closer, a guard closely inspected the targets.
Fu Wei’s turnaround from defeat to victory in the second round had been unexpected, so this round of the competition drew even more intense and silent anticipation from the onlookers.
The brief wait felt exceptionally long.
Moments later, the flag on Fu Wei's side was raised, surprising everyone.
The Governor's face lit up with a broad smile, and he clapped, exclaiming, "Excellent!"
The others, unconcerned with the dignity of a mere clerk, followed the Governor’s lead, applauding and echoing his praises.
Mr. Gu pressed his lips tightly, clenching his teeth to ignore the humiliation.
With two arrows left, he knew he had to win both to avoid defeat.
Until the fourth round, the guards raised flags in both arms, indicating a tie.
If the final arrow also resulted in a tie, they would have to shoot an extra round.
But Mr. Gu was flustered, and his last arrow deviated slightly, while Fu Wei's arrow hit the bullseye once again.
Fu Wei won the archery contest.
Mr. Gu stared blankly at the target, unable to believe he had lost, especially to someone younger and with a disability.
Both County Magistrate Zhou and Mr. Qian tried to conceal their delight, but they couldn't hide the smiles in their eyes and the slight upturn of their lips.
This time, Fu Wei truly brought honor to Yu County!
The Governor, pleased with the contest, continued to increase the prize money for further challenges.
Naturally, no one dared to challenge Fu Wei again, firstly because of his remarkable skill demonstrated in the last four arrows, and secondly, for fear of embarrassment like Mr. Gu’s.
Fortunately, the clerk from Yu County tactfully withdrew, sparing the others from an awkward dilemma.
Despite new contests unfolding, no one forgot the promise Mr. Gu made in his overconfidence.
Mr. Gu, having lost, felt utterly humiliated, enduring both the angry glare of his own county magistrate and the mocking gazes of the audience.
He knew everyone was waiting for him to humbly acknowledge Fu Wei.
Having agreed to the terms, he couldn’t back out and had to muster the courage to approach Fu Wei, bowing stiffly and grudgingly addressing him as "Mr. Fu."
Fu Wei quickly raised his hands in a gesture of false support, saying, "It was just for fun, Mr. Gu, don't take it too seriously."
Mr. Gu took a deep breath, feeling humiliated yet conceding, "There are always bigger mountains and higher heavens. It is I, Gu, who was narrow-minded and arrogantly overconfident."
At that moment, Mr. Qian approached and whispered, "Mr. Fu, the Governor has summoned you."
After speaking, he pushed Fu Wei's wheelchair towards the Governor.
The Governor was already in a good mood today, and the exciting contest further elevated his spirits.
After praising Fu Wei, he instructed the dancer to present the golden hairpin and to attend to Mr. Fu.
The music of strings and bamboo resumed.
Fu Wei, having caught the Governor's eye, attracted others who came to socialize and toast to him.
Glass after glass of wine was poured into Fu Wei's stomach.
Initially, the dancer was displeased with the outcome of the contest favoring a man with a disability. However, upon noticing Fu Wei's handsome features and his impressive archery, she quickly became enamored with his appearance.
But despite her interest, Fu Wei did not spare her a single glance.
The night was cold and deep.
Yu Ying had neatly arranged the copper coins and waited, yawning continuously, but Fu Wei did not return.
At such banquets, she knew there would be many who would try to trouble him. Although confident in his ability to cope, it was inevitable that he would face difficulties.
Thinking about this, Yu Ying couldn't help but worry about Fu Wei.
Not sure how long she had waited, she thought she heard faint sounds of horse hooves in the outer courtyard. Her drowsiness instantly faded. She got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, put on a coat from the clothes rack, and went to check.
After briefly tidying her hair, Yu Ying took an oil lamp and opened her room door.
Outside, only a faint light was visible. She stepped out and looked towards the arched entrance of the courtyard.
Soon, she noticed a weak light spilling onto the ground near the archway.
Moments later, a young attendant holding a lantern and Huo, the guard, pushing a drunken Fu Wei, entered through the archway, crossing the courtyard.
Yu Ying approached and saw Fu Wei, somewhat incoherent, leaning back in his chair.
When Fu Wei raised his eyes to look at Yu Ying, they seemed blurred by a layer of mist from too much alcohol, and there was a hint of redness at the corners.
He smiled at Yu Ying, his teeth bright against his red lips, a strikingly handsome and elegant young man.
Seeing him like this, Yu Ying's heart fluttered wildly.
“Mrs. Yu?”
Huo, the guard, called out to her.
Yu Ying snapped back to reality and then asked, "What happened?"
Huo explained, "Today, a clerk from another county challenged Mr. Fu to an archery contest. Mr. Fu won, earning praise from the Governor. Others came forward to toast and socialize, and Mr. Fu ended up drinking all their offerings."
Hearing this, Yu Ying frowned slightly but quickly said, "Let’s get him inside first."
Huo and the young attendant pushed Fu Wei to the front of the room, then together lifted him and his wheelchair into the house.
Together, they managed to move Fu Wei onto the bed.
Fortunately, Fu Wei didn't become aggressive when drunk; he remained quiet and cooperative throughout.
After settling him down, Huo, the guard, instructed the young attendant to boil water.
Yu Ying said to Huo, "I can take care of him. You should go and rest."
Huo nodded and then left.
After closing the door, Yu Ying took the teapot that was warming on the small stove, poured a cup of hot tea, and hurried to the bedside.
By then, Fu Wei had sat up. He turned to look at Yu Ying approaching, his face breaking into a warm, tender smile, calling softly, "A-Ying."
Yu Ying: ……
Drunken Fu Wei, somewhat disarmingly charming, left her slightly overwhelmed.
Yu Ying coughed lightly, then brought the hot tea to his lips, gently saying, "You're drunk. Have some hot tea to sober up."
Obediently, Fu Wei opened his mouth to sip the tea.
Despite being inebriated, Fu Wei retained a degree of clarity and rationality.
At least he knew not to reveal his unimpaired legs, not to expose Yu Ying's identity in front of others, and especially not to call her "A-Ying" in their presence.
Being close to Fu Wei, Yu Ying smelled the unpleasant odor of alcohol mixed with a faint scent of cosmetics.
Her eyes narrowed slightly in confusion about the source of the fragrance, but she didn't suspect anything.
After all, she trusted Fu Wei's character and believed he wouldn't behave inappropriately.
After finishing the cup of water, Yu Ying was about to turn and put the cup away, but then her wrist was suddenly grasped.
As she turned back, Yu Ying saw Fu Wei taking out a glittering gold hairpin from his bosom and handing it to her.
……？！
Staring at the hairpin in astonishment, she looked up at Fu Wei, who was smiling, and asked incredulously, "Where did this come from?"
"I won it for you. Others have worn it, so don't wear it. Just exchange it for silver," he replied.
Recalling what Huo had said about Fu Wei's archery contest victory, Yu Ying realized that the hairpin was legitimately acquired and breathed a sigh of relief.
She glanced at the hairpin, tempted but said, "You should keep it for future expenses."
Fu Wei, however, refused to let go of her hand, insisting, "This is for household use. Exchange it for silver, then rent a better house. You and my eldest brother can move to Yu County together."
Seeing that he wouldn't release her hand and realizing it wouldn't be appropriate for him to exchange it, Yu Ying decided to accept the hairpin, planning to give him the silver later.
Weighing the hairpin, she estimated it was just under a tael of gold.
Although a tael of gold was worth ten taels of silver, due to the exquisite design of the hairpin, it could probably fetch between fifteen and twenty taels of silver.
Fu Wei's archery contest had unexpectedly earned a tidy sum.
Yu Ying accepted the hairpin and smiled at him, "I'll keep the hairpin. You can let go of my hand now."
But when Yu Ying relaxed, Fu Wei not only didn't release her hand but suddenly pulled her towards him with force.
Caught off guard, Yu Ying was pulled over and stumbled, falling directly into his arms.
The cup in her hand rolled onto the side of the bed.
Then, Fu Wei wrapped his arms around Yu Ying in his embrace, burying his head into the nape of her neck.
Yu Ying's heartbeat became erratic, and she exclaimed in a slightly alarmed tone, "Fu Wei, what are you doing?!"
Fu Wei tightened his arms around her, whispering softly by her ear, "A-Ying, don't move. Just let me hold you like this for a while."
Chapter 86
As the arrow flew, everyone's attention was riveted on Fu Wei's shot.
In a moment, the arrow reached the five-ring target, but it landed in the third ring.
This position was within reach of any archer.
After inspecting the targets, the guards raised the red flag on Mr. Gu's side.
Seeing this, almost everyone was greatly disappointed.
The Governor, seeing such an unsurprising outcome, immediately lost interest in watching and turned to flirt with his concubine.
Mr. Gu smirked at Fu Wei, teasingly saying, "Mr. Fu might as well admit defeat now, to save yourself from an uglier loss later."
Fu Wei turned to him with a smile, "The competition is about who hits closest to the bullseye the most, and this was just the first arrow. There are four more to go; the outcome is far from decided. Why so hasty, Mr. Gu?"
Mr. Gu let out a slight scoff, not taking Fu Wei seriously, and picked up another arrow from the quiver, raising his bow to draw.
He released the arrow effortlessly. It veered slightly more than the previous one, landing between the bullseye and the fourth ring.
Although not as good as his first shot, Mr. Gu showed no sign of disappointment and looked at Fu Wei with a relaxed expression.
County Magistrate Zhou, watching from the table, frowned deeply.
Fu Wei methodically picked up an arrow and slightly adjusted his angle while holding the longbow.
Just when everyone thought Mr. Gu would win again, Fu Wei’s arrow whistled through the air and hit the bullseye perfectly.
All sounds ceased in an instant.
Even from a distance, it was clear the arrow was lodged right in the center of the target.
Mr. Gu’s pupils contracted slightly, and even the Governor stopped his flirting, pushing away the beauty beside him to watch the thrilling shot with great interest.
A contest with suspense is truly exciting.
When the flag on Fu Wei’s side was raised, the Governor clapped in approval, followed by applause from the audience.
Mr. Gu's face turned dark.
County Magistrate Zhou’s furrowed brow relaxed instantly, his face showing disbelief. He shook his head with a laugh, as if in awe.
Indeed, impressive!
It seemed that not only was Fu Wei’s mind sharp, but he also possessed other remarkable skills!
His fundamental skills were solid; it was just that he had always shot arrows standing, and now, shooting while seated, he hadn't adapted yet, resulting in the initial miss.
Fu Wei looked at Mr. Gu with a gentle expression, "Mr. Gu, please proceed."
Mr. Gu found himself reassessing the seemingly harmless young man before him.
It appeared he had been feigning weakness all along.
Taking a deep breath and dropping his disdainful attitude, Mr. Gu turned to fetch another arrow.
This time, Mr. Gu didn’t release the bowstring immediately but paused to compose himself before shooting.
His arrow was better than the second one, but it was unclear whether it hit the bullseye.
Fu Wei’s third arrow landed in a spot similar to Mr. Gu's.
Unable to distinguish which was closer, a guard closely inspected the targets.
Fu Wei’s turnaround from defeat to victory in the second round had been unexpected, so this round of the competition drew even more intense and silent anticipation from the onlookers.
The brief wait felt exceptionally long.
Moments later, the flag on Fu Wei's side was raised, surprising everyone.
The Governor's face lit up with a broad smile, and he clapped, exclaiming, "Excellent!"
The others, unconcerned with the dignity of a mere clerk, followed the Governor’s lead, applauding and echoing his praises.
Mr. Gu pressed his lips tightly, clenching his teeth to ignore the humiliation.
With two arrows left, he knew he had to win both to avoid defeat.
Until the fourth round, the guards raised flags in both arms, indicating a tie.
If the final arrow also resulted in a tie, they would have to shoot an extra round.
But Mr. Gu was flustered, and his last arrow deviated slightly, while Fu Wei's arrow hit the bullseye once again.
Fu Wei won the archery contest.
Mr. Gu stared blankly at the target, unable to believe he had lost, especially to someone younger and with a disability.
Both County Magistrate Zhou and Mr. Qian tried to conceal their delight, but they couldn't hide the smiles in their eyes and the slight upturn of their lips.
This time, Fu Wei truly brought honor to Yu County!
The Governor, pleased with the contest, continued to increase the prize money for further challenges.
Naturally, no one dared to challenge Fu Wei again, firstly because of his remarkable skill demonstrated in the last four arrows, and secondly, for fear of embarrassment like Mr. Gu’s.
Fortunately, the clerk from Yu County tactfully withdrew, sparing the others from an awkward dilemma.
Despite new contests unfolding, no one forgot the promise Mr. Gu made in his overconfidence.
Mr. Gu, having lost, felt utterly humiliated, enduring both the angry glare of his own county magistrate and the mocking gazes of the audience.
He knew everyone was waiting for him to humbly acknowledge Fu Wei.
Having agreed to the terms, he couldn’t back out and had to muster the courage to approach Fu Wei, bowing stiffly and grudgingly addressing him as "Mr. Fu."
Fu Wei quickly raised his hands in a gesture of false support, saying, "It was just for fun, Mr. Gu, don't take it too seriously."
Mr. Gu took a deep breath, feeling humiliated yet conceding, "There are always bigger mountains and higher heavens. It is I, Gu, who was narrow-minded and arrogantly overconfident."
At that moment, Mr. Qian approached and whispered, "Mr. Fu, the Governor has summoned you."
After speaking, he pushed Fu Wei's wheelchair towards the Governor.
The Governor was already in a good mood today, and the exciting contest further elevated his spirits.
After praising Fu Wei, he instructed the dancer to present the golden hairpin and to attend to Mr. Fu.
The music of strings and bamboo resumed.
Fu Wei, having caught the Governor's eye, attracted others who came to socialize and toast to him.
Glass after glass of wine was poured into Fu Wei's stomach.
Initially, the dancer was displeased with the outcome of the contest favoring a man with a disability. However, upon noticing Fu Wei's handsome features and his impressive archery, she quickly became enamored with his appearance.
But despite her interest, Fu Wei did not spare her a single glance.
The night was cold and deep.
Yu Ying had neatly arranged the copper coins and waited, yawning continuously, but Fu Wei did not return.
At such banquets, she knew there would be many who would try to trouble him. Although confident in his ability to cope, it was inevitable that he would face difficulties.
Thinking about this, Yu Ying couldn't help but worry about Fu Wei.
Not sure how long she had waited, she thought she heard faint sounds of horse hooves in the outer courtyard. Her drowsiness instantly faded. She got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, put on a coat from the clothes rack, and went to check.
After briefly tidying her hair, Yu Ying took an oil lamp and opened her room door.
Outside, only a faint light was visible. She stepped out and looked towards the arched entrance of the courtyard.
Soon, she noticed a weak light spilling onto the ground near the archway.
Moments later, a young attendant holding a lantern and Huo, the guard, pushing a drunken Fu Wei, entered through the archway, crossing the courtyard.
Yu Ying approached and saw Fu Wei, somewhat incoherent, leaning back in his chair.
When Fu Wei raised his eyes to look at Yu Ying, they seemed blurred by a layer of mist from too much alcohol, and there was a hint of redness at the corners.
He smiled at Yu Ying, his teeth bright against his red lips, a strikingly handsome and elegant young man.
Seeing him like this, Yu Ying's heart fluttered wildly.
“Mrs. Yu?”
Huo, the guard, called out to her.
Yu Ying snapped back to reality and then asked, "What happened?"
Huo explained, "Today, a clerk from another county challenged Mr. Fu to an archery contest. Mr. Fu won, earning praise from the Governor. Others came forward to toast and socialize, and Mr. Fu ended up drinking all their offerings."
Hearing this, Yu Ying frowned slightly but quickly said, "Let’s get him inside first."
Huo and the young attendant pushed Fu Wei to the front of the room, then together lifted him and his wheelchair into the house.
Together, they managed to move Fu Wei onto the bed.
Fortunately, Fu Wei didn't become aggressive when drunk; he remained quiet and cooperative throughout.
After settling him down, Huo, the guard, instructed the young attendant to boil water.
Yu Ying said to Huo, "I can take care of him. You should go and rest."
Huo nodded and then left.
After closing the door, Yu Ying took the teapot that was warming on the small stove, poured a cup of hot tea, and hurried to the bedside.
By then, Fu Wei had sat up. He turned to look at Yu Ying approaching, his face breaking into a warm, tender smile, calling softly, "A-Ying."
Yu Ying: ……
Drunken Fu Wei, somewhat disarmingly charming, left her slightly overwhelmed.
Yu Ying coughed lightly, then brought the hot tea to his lips, gently saying, "You're drunk. Have some hot tea to sober up."
Obediently, Fu Wei opened his mouth to sip the tea.
Despite being inebriated, Fu Wei retained a degree of clarity and rationality.
At least he knew not to reveal his unimpaired legs, not to expose Yu Ying's identity in front of others, and especially not to call her "A-Ying" in their presence.
Being close to Fu Wei, Yu Ying smelled the unpleasant odor of alcohol mixed with a faint scent of cosmetics.
Her eyes narrowed slightly in confusion about the source of the fragrance, but she didn't suspect anything.
After all, she trusted Fu Wei's character and believed he wouldn't behave inappropriately.
After finishing the cup of water, Yu Ying was about to turn and put the cup away, but then her wrist was suddenly grasped.
As she turned back, Yu Ying saw Fu Wei taking out a glittering gold hairpin from his bosom and handing it to her.
……？！
Staring at the hairpin in astonishment, she looked up at Fu Wei, who was smiling, and asked incredulously, "Where did this come from?"
"I won it for you. Others have worn it, so don't wear it. Just exchange it for silver," he replied.
Recalling what Huo had said about Fu Wei's archery contest victory, Yu Ying realized that the hairpin was legitimately acquired and breathed a sigh of relief.
She glanced at the hairpin, tempted but said, "You should keep it for future expenses."
Fu Wei, however, refused to let go of her hand, insisting, "This is for household use. Exchange it for silver, then rent a better house. You and my eldest brother can move to Yu County together."
Seeing that he wouldn't release her hand and realizing it wouldn't be appropriate for him to exchange it, Yu Ying decided to accept the hairpin, planning to give him the silver later.
Weighing the hairpin, she estimated it was just under a tael of gold.
Although a tael of gold was worth ten taels of silver, due to the exquisite design of the hairpin, it could probably fetch between fifteen and twenty taels of silver.
Fu Wei's archery contest had unexpectedly earned a tidy sum.
Yu Ying accepted the hairpin and smiled at him, "I'll keep the hairpin. You can let go of my hand now."
But when Yu Ying relaxed, Fu Wei not only didn't release her hand but suddenly pulled her towards him with force.
Caught off guard, Yu Ying was pulled over and stumbled, falling directly into his arms.
The cup in her hand rolled onto the side of the bed.
Then, Fu Wei wrapped his arms around Yu Ying in his embrace, burying his head into the nape of her neck.
Yu Ying's heartbeat became erratic, and she exclaimed in a slightly alarmed tone, "Fu Wei, what are you doing?!"
Fu Wei tightened his arms around her, whispering softly by her ear, "A-Ying, don't move. Just let me hold you like this for a while."
