The entire military camp was in complete silence.
Even the wind had come to a halt at that moment.
Everyone’s gaze was focused on the center of the eastern square, on that target, that crimson bullseye, which now seemed to have a white dot in the center, like a blood-red eye.
Just as everyone was unsure of what they were seeing, a gust of wind suddenly swept by.
In the sound of the wind, that white dot began to sway slightly. A closer look revealed that the white dot was the feathered end of the arrow, trembling lightly against the wind.
The people in the front row couldn’t even believe their eyes, while the soldiers behind erupted in a gale-like cheer, all shouting excitedly in waves, "Hit!"
The waves of sound almost lifted the ground, and the wind grew stronger, making the flags above flutter and snap. In the midst of this uproar, Shang Ruyi remained quietly like an uncarved piece of ice, only fixedly watching that target.
It was only at this moment that her senses seemed to recover from that brief emptiness, and she heard footsteps beside her. Glancing down, she saw Tushere rushing up with tears streaming, looking up at her, crying and laughing, "Miss! Miss, you’re amazing! The master blesses you! God Buddha blesses you!"
Shang Ruyi stared at her blankly for a moment, then chuckled.
This girl’s appearance, too unsightly.
Before the smile on her face could fade, she saw a tall figure slowly approaching.
His expression remained calm, but his eyes seemed to be stirred by a ripple from the wind at that moment. When he looked up at her, his voice carried a bit of warmth, "You—"
These two words made Shang Ruyi’s heart leap.
But as she relaxed and then tensed again, she felt her strength drain away, her body softening, almost falling off the horse. Yu Wenye leapt up, his broad hands wrapping around Shang Ruyi’s slender waist, lifting her off the horse.
Shang Ruyi’s heartbeat stopped for a moment.
She felt a twisting sensation, and gently landed on the ground, while Yu Wenye’s heated hands tightened slightly around her waist, ensuring she was steady before releasing her.
Shang Ruyi looked at him, unable to speak for a moment.
Yu Wenye also looked down at her and said, "However, you still lost."
For some reason, these words didn’t make her sad. Instead, coming from his mouth, Shang Ruyi felt more at ease.
She smiled faintly and said, "A bet is a bet."
After speaking, she turned to Huang Gongyi and loudly said, "Mr. Huang, I lost."
However, as soon as she said that, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd around her, and all the soldiers waved their arms, shouting, "Young Madam! Young Madam!"
Shang Ruyi was stunned, her eyes widened at those excited faces. These people were actually, actually cheering for her failure?
But that’s exactly what was happening.
Not only them, even Dabo and Mu Xian were smiling broadly, loudly shouting, "Young Madam!"
Shang Ruyi paused for a moment, finally understanding.
These soldiers were straightforward; they admired strength, but also respected those who tried hard. Losing, if it was done with full effort, if it was done openly and honestly, could still earn their admiration.
Thinking of this, she smiled and tightly gripped the strong bow in her hand, raising it high above her head!