Chapter 166: Chapter 165: Good Calculation_1
Xiao Ruohai lowered his gaze to look at Bai Jinzhi, who was shorter than Bai Qingyan. Seeing the little girl’s red-rimd eyes, he softly assured her, “The Eldest Young Lady knows what she’s doing. Fourth Young Lady, don’t worry.”
Bai Jinzhi was not unfamiliar with the iron sandbags. All the Bai family children had used them during martial arts training. But she had never used such heavy iron sandbags.
With Eldest Sister’s frail body, could she handle it?!
·
Late in the fourth watch.
The cold wind howled as a few scattered snowflakes began to fall in Baiwo City.
In the training ground, the flas roared fiercely inside the high-raised fire bowls, swaying vigorously in the wind.
Amidst the silence of the night, the sound of arrows tearing through the air kept ringing, falling, then rising again, striking the straw targets, and falling once more.
Sweat dripped from Bai Qingyan’s chin. Her clothes in the front and back were soaked through, making her look as if she had been fished out of the water, steam rising from her body in the bitter cold of the night.
She regulated her breathing, her calm gaze fixed intently on the red dot of the straw target under the firelight. She pulled the bow to its full draw again, straining, biting her teeth, drawing the bowstring to its limit. The bow made a subtle creaking sound.
Her father had taught her archery personally. Her father… he was an unmatched marksman in the Jin Kingdom, and so was she!
Lonely snowflakes landed on her long eyelashes. She let go…
“Whoosh—”
Unable to hold back his excitent, Xiao Ruohai clenched his fist and said in a restrained but thrilled voice, “Mr. Bai, it’s a hit!”
Right on the mark!
Accuracy was sothing Bai Qingyan always had confidence in. However, her strength was still lacking since Xiao Ruohai had moved the straw target closer.
Bai Qingyan caught her breath for a mont and drew another arrow from the quiver. Just as she placed it on the bowstring, her eyes darkened. She turned abruptly, putting all her force into drawing the arrow on the bowstring to its limit, aiming at the newcor.
Not ten paces away, Xiao Rongyan stood in the wind and snow, accompanied by only one guard. His dark, calm eyes watched the slender figure with the elegant and swift posture of drawing the bow and nocking the arrow.
The fiercely shaking firelight made her sharp eyes appear with an intimidating killing intent at that mont, the arrow’s cold shine becoming apparent.
“Mr. Bai…” Xiao Rongyan bowed to Bai Qingyan from afar.
She lowered the bow, “Mr. Xiao, you’re up early.”
Xiao Rongyan, unperturbed, walked softly towards her, watching the sweat trickle down her smooth, long neck into her collar. He averted his eyes and smiled gently, “May I have a look at the Sun-shooting Bow in Mr. Bai’s hands?”
She handed the Sun-shooting Bow to Xiao Rongyan.
Xiao Rongyan examined the bow carefully by the firelight and remarked, “This Sun-shooting Bow was crafted by the now-deceased Grand Marshal Tang Yi of Yan Kingdom. It was once a gift for the Crown Prince on his fifteenth birthday from the Great General Tang Yi to Empress Ji’s firstborn son. The Crown Prince had discarded it. Who would have thought the Sun-shooting Bow would gain fa in Mr. Bai’s hands? If General Tang Yi knew, he would surely be gratified.”
Bai Qingyan, who had earned the title of Young General Bai after following her grandfather to war, was well-known for three things: her swift white horse, her red tassel spear, and her flawless archery with the Sun-shooting Bow.
However, her protective horse had died, and both the red tassel spear and the Sun-shooting Bow had been put away when Bai Qingyan was injured.
Xiao Rongyan handed back the Sun-shooting Bow with both hands. She took it and passed it to Xiao Ruohai, “Mr. Xiao, did you co here because of what Fourth Young Master said yesterday?”
“Fourth Young Master is far smarter than I expected,” Xiao Rongyan’s eyes held a warm smile. When he ntioned the Fourth Young Master, it was with a touch of elder-like fondness.
“Mr. Xiao has done a great favor for the Bai family. The Fourth Young Master knows his limits.”
Xiao Rongyan glanced at the guard behind him, who bowed and retreated.
Seeing this, Bai Qingyan also nodded towards Xiao Ruohai, who bowed as well and left.
“Mr. Xiao, you may speak directly.” She said.
Xiao Rongyan’s gaze softened as he took off his cloak and placed it on Bai Qingyan’s shoulders, tying it carefully. His slightly calloused fingers brushed against her chin. She instinctively drew back but saw Xiao Rongyan, with lowered eyes, was extrely focused, gentle and soft in his movents.
“Mr. Xiao…”
She raised her hand to stop him but was instinctively grasped by Xiao Rongyan.
The cold wind howled around, snowflakes scattered about, and the firelight flickered brightly. With only the sound of flags whipping around the training ground surrounding them, she was suddenly enveloped by the unfamiliar scent of a man. The elegant, subdued masculine scent similar to agarwood incense filled her nose.
She wanted to withdraw her hand, but her fingers didn’t budge in Xiao Rongyan’s grasp.
Their eyes t. The man’s chiseled, ruggedly handso features, deep-set eyelids, and prominent brow ridges added depth to his gaze, making him seemingly irresistible in the flickering firelight.
Her ears burned, her breathing halted montarily, and she realized her arm was covered in goosebumps.
If it wasn’t for the intense archery practice making her face hot red already, she would have definitely shown her embarrassnt.
Xiao Rongyan quietly watched her. The firelight reflected in his dark pupils showed no hint of frivolity or mockery, only gentleness and earnestness.
“Afraid of ?”
Xiao Rongyan’s raspy voice held a latent emotion ready to burst forth. Yet, rembering the dire state of Yan Kingdom, it seed to be doused with cold water, causing the heat in his eyes to drop.
Rather than saying she feared him, it was more accurate to say she was wary of him.
In her previous life, this Yan Kingdom Regent Prince had left a deep impression on her. His thods were ruthless. To Bai Qingyan… if he were an adversary, he would be her most dreaded one, more threatening than ten Du Zhiweis combined.
She steadied herself and replied frankly, “n and won are different.”
Only then did Xiao Rongyan slowly release her fingers, his warm and calm voice confessing, “The goods I transport are not spices but dicinal herbs, salt, and iron weapons.”
“Are they part of the supplies Yan borrowed from Daliang at high interest before the year began?” She reacted quickly.
At the beginning of the year, Yan was beset by floods and droughts, worsening the already impoverished Yan. Yan had sought aid from various nations… only Daliang, whose lands didn’t border Yan, was willing to lend at high interest.
Xiao Rongyan did not hide the truth, nodding, “The supplies were originally sent to Yan via six routes. One route carrying grain, money, and weapons was intercepted by the Rong. Currently, Yan is too weak to contend with the Rong. With each nation eyeing us covetously, all wishing Yan’s demise for their gain, I had no choice but to consolidate the six routes into one and take the risk of traveling through the Jin Kingdom’s territory alone.”
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be a problem. But now, with the war in the southern border escalating, grain and cereals were easier to handle. Weapons, salt, and iron—officially prohibited items for private sale by governnt edict—would face stringent inspections, especially near the southern border. Passage would be extrely difficult.
Xiao Rongyan sought to leverage the Crown Prince’s influence to transport the supplies with the advancing army to Pingyang City, which bordered Yan.
What a plan!
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