Married Couple Deeply in Love
This entire time, the Hou Yi was was treated like something of a mythical existence.
Before it was given to Feng Yu Heng, people had only heard that Da Shun had this bow. At the time the founder of the country personally stepped onto the battlefield, he used it to shoot a single arrow, and that helped establish Da Shun country.
But the Hou Yi bow was sealed up after that, and it never made an appearance ever again.
The people of the later generations heard of it, but they never saw it. Gradually, they began to feel as though it was just a beautiful legend. Whether or not the Hou Yi bow actually existed was not certain.
Only after the current Emperor giving it to the Feng family’s second young miss, Feng Yu Heng, did the people finally know that the Hou Yi bow was truly real.
Now, Feng Yu Heng held the Hou Yi bow and stood before the group of soldiers. Those soldiers who had engraved military regulations into their hearts knew that whoever possessed the Hou Yi bow, regardless of male or female, could enter and leave any military camp in Da Shun, and they could assist the general in giving out orders to the three armies in order to help preserve the peace!
The soldiers felt goosebumps break out all over their body.
County princess Ji An!
Official Princess Yu!
The daughter of the first wife of the prime minister’s office!
The one in possession of the phoenix hairpin!
The one in possession of the Hou Yi bow!
The soldiers did not know how they should treat the young girl standing before them. Moreover, she was also the benefactor who had saved their lives.
Qian Li led the way and bowed in a salute towards the Hou Yi bow. Before he could get up, he heard Feng Yu Heng bring out that weird thing that could amplify her voice, as she loudly said: “I will definitely teach you how to perform the triple arrow shot at a later time. Today, for the archery test, this county princess will allow you to see what a true tracking arrow is like!”
The soldiers who were already filled with expectation immediately had their excitement boil over upon hearing this.
The tracking arrow had caused them to eat countless losses, yet county princess Ji An actually knew how to do it?
Xuan Tian Ming’s gaze revealed a profound look, as he recalled the night he had been attacked in the mountains of the Northwest, as the arrows shot straight towards him. It was as though the arrows had grown eyes, as they chased him no matter which way he turned. He could not evade it, nor could he escape it. The two legs that had just been mended were pierced, leaving two holes.
Bai Ze and he shared that tribulation, and he too clenched both fists. A sudden feeling of expectation filled his heart. If Feng Yu Heng truly knew about to perform that sort of odd archery, did that not mean his Highness could carry out his revenge?
“Is anyone willing to be the target?” Suddenly, Feng Yu Heng said such a thing.
The soldiers were stunned but immediately understood. A tracking arrow needed a target in front of it for the demonstration, and this target could not be an animal, as an animal’s mind was too simple. It could only run away and could not have the thoughts of dodging that a human could.
These soldiers were all hot-blooded men. When they found out that the Northwest army was about to see a demonstration of a tracking arrow, none of them even thought of their own lives. Hearing Feng Yu Heng request a target, they all scrambled to raise their hands.
Feng Yu Heng secretly nodded and was very satisfied with this outcome. This was a requirement to be a soldier. They must have a self-sacrificing mentality at any given time. Abandon oneself for the greater collective. Only like this would one become a great career soldier.
Qian Li asked her: “How many targets does county princess need?”
Feng Yu Heng said: “More than three, less than ten.”
Qian Li was startled, “At the same time?”
“Yes, at the same time!”
Hearing her say this, nobody was unable to avoid inhaling sharply. They had fought against the divine archery group of Qian Zhou. Although their archery was mystical, they had only seen them shoot two tracking arrows at the same time. Now, county princess Ji An wanted to shoot three to ten at the same time?
Everyone became excited because this meant that county princess Ji An’s archery was superior to that of Qian Zhou’s divine archery team! So long as everyone could learn this, what did it matter if a few of them gave their lives?
Thus Qian Li faced the thirty thousand soldiers for a while, not knowing who to pick.
Feng Yu Heng, however, did not really care, as she reached out and chose ten closest people in the first row, “How about them!”
The ten people were startled then walked over in large stride, with none of them fearing death.
They heard Feng Yu Heng say: “Being able to sacrifice your lives for the country, I admire you.”
The ten soldiers responded in unison: “Thank you county princess for the praise!”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “Don’t worry. I just said that I wanted targets, but I will not ask for your lives. Would deputy general Qian please prepare ten large sweet potatoes and spears to these comrades. You will just need to carry the spears and run around. This county princess will promise to protect your lives.”
Qian Li was joyous, as he ordered for people to get it done.
Very quickly, ten poles with sweet potatoes stuck to them were given to the soldiers.
They had not yet recovered from the pleasant surprise of being able to keep their lives and provide a service for the country, but they heard Feng Yu Heng say: “First, run one hundred paces away before dispersing. Remember, the spear must be kept above your heads.”
“This servant obeys!” The ten responded in unison then began running.
Feng Yu Heng received the arrows from Huang Quan then bundled them together. She then notched this bundle on the Hou Yi bow.
Qian Li was given a fright, as he had heard that the Hou Yi bow weighed nearly 200 jin. This was something that many adults could not even lift, yet county princess Ji An’s small body was actually able to completely lift it, and she was going to shoot a long distance?
He felt that his views of martial arts was about to be toppled. In a daze, he watched Feng Yu Heng draw the bowstring and take aim. The soldiers ahead had already ready the required distance and had begun dispersing.
Suddenly, the arrows in Feng Yu Heng’s hand shot out.
When the ten arrows shot out, they shared one sound; however, after flying a number of meters, the sound of separation could be heard. Some were slower, and some were faster. Some were lighter and some were heavier. The arrows no longer flew in the same direction, instead flying as though they had eyes, chasing the scattered soldiers.
The running soldiers turned back to take a look, and all of them opened their mouths wide, as they felt their hands begin to tremble.
The arrows were like snakes that seemed to have grown wings, as they chased and circled after the spears.
Thirty thousand soldiers watched on wide-eyed, completely unwilling to believe the performance that they were seeing. They watched the arrows enter the sweet potatoes with a force so great that the soldiers could not continue to hold up their spears. Once the arrows hit, the soldiers could only let the spears fall to the ground.
After all ten arrows struck their sweet potatoes without any missing, the drill grounds was suddenly filled with a loud cheer. That sound echoed within the valley for a long time without dispersing.
At that very moment, Feng Yu Heng was already like a goddess that had descended from the heavens for these soldiers. She was capable in medicine and saving lives. She could ride horses and break through arrays. She could also hit targets at 100 paces. There was nothing she could not do, and nothing she could not accomplish. There was nothing stopping people from proclaiming her as the peak of perfection.
Qian Li looked at her in an admiring manner and said in a daze: “Would county princess please teach us archery!”
Feng Yu Heng, however, handed the bow to Huang Quan and loudly said “The third test!”
Qian Li calmed his emotions, as he very much wanted to tell her that there was no need for the third test. None of the following tests needed to be done. Just based on her archery, they would recognize her.
But these were still military regulations and traditions of the Northwest army. He could not break them, and he did not have the right to break them.
Thus he nodded and said: “The third test is the fighting test!” But after he said that, there was nothing else for him to say. Turning around, he looked around at the group of men. Who among them could fight with a young girl? She was even a pretty small girl.
Seeing all the soldiers lower their heads, Feng Yu Heng became unhappy. Are you discriminating against me?
She decided to just turn her head, “Xuan Tian Ming, how about you spar with me!”
Qian Li heard this and felt that this was reasonable! Thus he quickly helped and said: “Right, right. General sparring with county princess is best.”
Xuan Tian Ming looked at Feng Yu Heng and laughed, “You can not defeat me.”
“I know.” She spoke truthfully, “But putting on a performance should be fine. I am taking the test, and you can’t just keep sitting there. You need to help out a little. Only like that can we reveal our…. what was it called again?”
Xuan Tian Ming very naturally followed up for her: “Love between a married couple.”
“Who is married to you!” She became unhappy, “I still have not married you! It should be mutual love!”
The soldiers all laughed and joined in to cause a disturbance “It’s love between a married couple! It really is love between a married couple!”
The two were not unhappy, as they continued to smile.
Suddenly, Xuan Tian Ming slapped his wheelchair and soared into the air, his entire person flying towards Feng Yu Heng.
Feng Yu Heng hastily retreated, arriving at the center of the drill ground in just a few steps. At the same time, she raised her voice and repeated an old phrase: “You can not use qing gong!”
The soldiers put aside their jokes and looked towards the drill ground. THey could not help but feel anxious for Feng Yu Heng.
The heights of Xuan Tian Ming’s martial abilities were known by all, but Feng Yu Heng’s abilities had not been shown to anyone. But they knew if they thought about it. Even if Xuan Tian Ming’s legs were injured, and he was seated in a wheelchair, a normal person still could not even approach him.
Fortunately, the two did not fight at full strength. Instead, it was under Xuan Tian Ming’s guidance that Feng Yu Heng demonstrated the techniques that she had learned in the military from her previous life.
The soldiers watched in a daze. This county princess Ji An’s martial abilities were too unique. It was something that they had never seen before. Also, even if it was against an expert like Xuan Tian Ming, when he did not use qing gong, she was able to fight on an even level with him.
Only then did they realize that their earlier worries had been needless. Where did this county princess Ji An need their concern. She had profound knowledge and was unpredictable!
The two sparred for less than an hour before finally stopping.
There was no change in Xuan Tian Ming’s countenance, but Feng Yu Heng was a little out of breath, her face bright red.
Applause once again roared among the troops.
Qian Li went forward excitedly and saluted the two, saying: “County princess has passed the fighting test.”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “What was the next test again?”
Qian Li replied: “Battle tactics.”
“Battle tactics?” She tilted her head and pondered for a while, “Now that we are not on a battlefield, how will this be tested? Reciting military books? The military books from past eras are separated into different subject like battle tactics, military strategy, military formations, military systems, training, weapons, city defense, military geography. Which one do you want to test? Or do you want me to recite the entirety of Sun Tzu’s art of war, Sun Bin’s art of war, the Wuzi, the Six Secret Teachings, the Wei Liaozi, the Methods of Sima, the Taibai Yinjing, the Hu Qian Jing, the Jixiao Xinshu, or the Lianbing Shiji, one of those ten big military training books?” Feng Yu Heng said this while counting on her fingers, “If you want me to recite them, I can; however, it will take many days to recite all of them. There are too many.”
“No need, no need!” Feng Yu Heng’s words caused Qian Li to become dazed. After he, the dignified deputy general of the Northwest army, met Feng Yu Heng, he felt as though he was an idiot. He was clearly proficient with his knowledge, but how come after hearing this county princess speak, he felt that he did not know anything?
What did she mean by big military training books? The odd book names that she had said, what were they? Why did he not understand a word of what she said?
But even if he did not understand, Qian Li knew that Feng Yu Heng had already surpassed the level of many adults on battle tactics. This test, based on the names of the books that she had listed, was considered completed.
“County princess has passed the test.” He wiped away some sweat and said, “Naturally, there is no need to recite military books because the books county princess spoke of, this lowly general has never even heard of.”
TN: All of the books Feng Yu Heng listed are real Chinese military books.