The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became bizarre, even Princess Wanping looked completely bewildered.
She had no idea that the fiancée Lu Yuan had once refused was this Miaojiang heiress. She couldn’t help but wonder—she was neither related nor acquainted with the Miaojiang heiress, so why would she stand up for her?
"I am not someone who cannot accept defeat, Miss Bai, I appreciate your goodwill."
She wasn’t foolish; losing was a fact, and refusing to admit it would only make her look more pathetic.
Moreover, Liu Qingyun was present, and she didn’t want to leave a bad impression on him.
"This is a matter between her and me."
"This is a matter between her and me."
Meng Qianqian and Bai Yuwei spoke in unison.
Bai Yuwei glared at Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian said to Princess Wanping, "Your Highness, the wager between us has already concluded, and the Princess accepts her loss gracefully. Little Nine is impressed. Next, may I borrow your grounds for a bit? If there’s any damage, you can have her compensate for it."
She pointed at Bai Yuwei.
Normally, people would say they’d compensate for the damage themselves, right? What kind of rules is this person playing by?
Bai Yuwei replied, "Fine, I’ll compensate! It’s not like I can’t afford it!"
Princess Wanping had been adorned with figurative laurels by Meng Qianqian, leaving her momentarily unable to retort. "Fine, I’d like to see whether the Twelve Guards are more competent or the esteemed daughter of Miaojiang is stronger."
She delighted in the unfolding drama!
At this moment, Sheep and Hai Pig also fixed their gazes on Meng Qianqian. Clearly, they were eager to see what skills the heir handpicked by Yin Hu truly possessed.
Liu Qingyun frowned slightly, hesitating to speak.
Si Snake broke the silence, "Compete if you must, but no Gu techniques are allowed."
Meng Qianqian paused briefly, realizing she had forgotten this point. Miaojiang was known for its expertise in Gu, and if she wasn’t careful, a victory in the match might cost her life. It would be pointless then.
She looked at Si Snake with gratitude.
Bai Yuwei snorted coldly, "Fine, no Gu! But I’ll compete with you in archery. Do you dare?"
Zhou Nanyan asked in a low voice, "Sister Meng, do you know how to shoot arrows?"
Meng Qianqian thought for a moment, "No idea."
Zhou Nanyan’s face turned pale, "What?"
Ji Li bared his teeth, "Hey, Little Yin Hu, pick something else!"
Meng Qianqian replied, "Let’s stick to archery."
Princess Wanping instructed the servants, "Go prepare the archery targets."
Before the servants could leave, Meng Qianqian turned to Bai Yuwei and said, "Regular archery is too dull. Why don’t we add a twist to it?"
Bai Yuwei smiled boldly, "What kind of twist are you proposing?"
Meng Qianqian untied a ribbon from her hair, "Blindfolded archery."
Ji Li’s expression contorted, and he gritted his teeth, "Little Yin Hu, you can’t even aim properly with your eyes open; now you want to shoot blindfolded? Are you crazy?"
Meng Qianqian, however, paid no heed to Ji Li’s objections, instead locking her gaze squarely on Bai Yuwei, "You and I will each stand in one spot, draw a circle on the ground, and shoot three arrows at each other. Whoever steps out of the circle loses; whoever gets hit loses."
Wei Mingxuan finally spoke, albeit rarely, "Are you two trying to get yourselves killed?"
Xun Yu calmly took a sip of tea.
Their duel, regardless of the outcome, would undoubtedly further sour the already tenuous relations between the Governor Mansion and the Miao King.
Bai Qingchen intervened, "Young Madam Lu, I suggest you retract your earlier proposal. My sister is one of the finest archers in Miaojiang. Even without blindfolding you, you wouldn’t have a chance of winning."
Bai Yuwei raised an eyebrow and smiled brightly, "Fine, I accept your challenge!"
The two of them stood at opposite ends of the open grounds. A servant brought out vermillion paint and marked a small circle just large enough for a single person to stand in.
The bows and arrows were provided by the Princess Mansion; Princess Wanping was impartial, ensuring there was no chance of foul play.
The two women blindfolded themselves and took their bows and arrows.
Meng Qianqian said, "Your Highness, please give the order."
Princess Wanping suddenly felt a wave of nervousness.
What the heck was going on?
That girl had just beaten her. Whether she lived or died, why was she the one feeling tense now?