Chapter 87 Part 1

 

The 9^th of Ninth Month was the day of the Grand Archery Ceremony.

Before dawn, Xuanwei General and Yizhou Zhechong Commander, Li Dalu, had already risen early to prepare for the important events of the day. While he was busy, the steward of the county prince mansion came to find him with a report.

Shizi had gone out the previous night, but no one knew where he had been. When he returned very late, the steward happened to see him and saw that his eyes were red and he looked dazed, he then shut himself in his room to sleep. The steward, feeling uneasy, had gone to check on him again earlier. However, upon knocking, there was no response from inside the room, which prompted the steward to report the matter immediately.

Li Dalu quickly went to his nephew’s residence and knocked on the door for a long time before the door opened from the inside. His nephew appeared, looking sluggish and lazy. Li Dalu carefully examined him and saw that, just as the steward described, his complexion was dark and sallow, his eyes lined with bloodshot veins, and his entire demeanor was one of extreme exhaustion, so he asked what was going on.

Yuwen Zhi only said he was fine. When he heard Li Dalu urging him to get up and get ready, he showed an impatient look on his face. He casually said, “I know,” added that it was still early, and then closed the door and bolted it. This time, no matter how much Li Dalu knocked on the door, it would not open.

Li Dalu knew that his nephew had a casual temperament and did things as he pleased, so he felt helpless seeing this. After a moment of hesitation, he said to the inside of the room: “Shizi, are you worried about today’s archery competition? Don’t worry! Uncle will do my best to help you win the championship, so that you can win the princess and return in glory!” After that, he whispered to the steward to take care of this side and not let his nephew be late, then he left in a hurry.

Inside the room, Yuwen Zhi lay flat on his back upon the bed, his eyes closed, motionless.

After returning last night, he had not slept for a moment. Recalling the past events, at times, he felt utterly dejected, thinking to himself that since she had spoken clearly, he might as well fulfill her wish. After all, she was the one in his heart. It would be best if she could get what she wanted. He was a man, why he had to bother himself, weaving a cocoon of misery? Yet, other times, he was filled with overwhelming bitterness, swearing to disrupt today’s affairs. If he didn’t get his wish, then no one else shall either. If he couldn’t get the person he loved, it would be worth it to make her hate him for the rest of her life.

Yuwen Zhi felt his heart alternately surge with uncontrollable affection and boil with seething anger. Tossing and turning in the middle of the night, yet he still couldn’t make a decision. The torment dragged on until he heard the steward outside, cautiously knocking and reminding him that the appointed time was drawing near. He couldn’t help but become more and more irritable. After lying there for another moment, he suddenly gritted his teeth, opened his eyes, and swung himself up off the bed.

Attended by servants, he washed and dressed. Once ready, he came out with a grim expression. Turning past the doorway, he looked up and saw Li Dalu and a family guard who came with him also coming out of a nearby room. The two seemed to have just finished a discussion.

That family guard was a member of the family clan, named Yuwen Ji, and one of his father’s confidants. After walking a few steps, Li Dalu seemed to recall something, glancing around cautiously before pulling Yuwen Ji aside into the shaded corner of the courtyard, hidden beneath the canopy of trees. He whispered a few instructions in a low voice, and once finished, watched as Yuwen Ji hurried away. Only then did he let out a small sigh of relief. Turning his gaze toward Yuwen Zhi’s residence, he shook his head, and was about to walk over when he heard a voice behind him: “What are you discussing?”

Li Dalu turned around and saw that it was Yuwen Zhi who came out from behind a cluster of branches. He was relieved and said a few perfunctory words. He looked at his nephew, who had changed into formal clothes and looked much more composed and polished. With a few remarks praising his nephew’s bearing and talent, he urged him to set out. But Yuwen Zhi stood his ground: “You’re being secretive. Are you hiding something from me?”

Seeing his nephew looking at him coldly, Li Dalu hesitated for a moment, then led him back into the room, closed the door and whispered the plan to him.

The land of Shu was known for its abundance of extraordinary talents and mystics. Among those accompanying him on this trip was a man he had cultivated for years—an expert horse trainer capable of understanding and “speaking” the language of horses. Today, this man had been discreetly brought to the archery field, disguised as one of the attendants, ready to act when the time came.

According to this horse trainer, horses could hear a sound that human ears wasn’t able to, and this person could make this sound to control the horse. If Yuwen Zhi find himself in a disadvantage situation, the horse trainer would perform his craft on the spot, disrupting the opponent’s mount and ensuring that Yuwen Zhi could secure victory at the grand archery ceremony.

After Li Dalu finished speaking, he saw his nephew staring at him and thought that he didn’t believe it.

“Don’t worry, Shizi. That man rarely fails, and he will do it without anyone noticing. Didn’t Uncle tell you this morning that I will definitely help you get what you want and win the princess?”

“Shut up!” Yuwen Zhi’s face suddenly changed and he became furious.

“If I have the ability, I will win by myself. If my skills are not as good as others, then I will admit defeat! Who do you think I am?”

His face turned ashen, and after he finished speaking, he drew his sword and turned away.

Li Dalu knew that he was going to kill the horse trainer. He immediately reacted and shouted, “Stop!”

Yuwen Zhi was furious, how could still listen to him? Li Dalu stepped forward and stood in front of him.

“County Prince is also aware of this matter! Do you dare to disobey?”

Yuwen Zhi was stunned and stopped in his track.

Li Dalu opened the door, looked around, ordered his followers to move away, closed the door again and said, “Your father takes this matter very seriously. Before I set out on this trip, he repeatedly told me to find a way to help you win the princess.”

He paused before continuing: “Do you know why he attaches so much importance to this matter and places high hopes on it?” Seeing Yuwen Zhi staring at him, he lowered his voice even more.

“Nowadays, your father’s family is not the only one in power in Jiannan Road. If you become the imperial favorite and leverage the court’s favor, it will allow your father to establish authority, consolidate power, and win the hearts of the people, this is a tremendous advantage.”

At first, Yuwen Zhi lowered his head and said nothing. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, “If you want me to use this method to win people over, I cannot comply!”

Li Dalu was momentarily speechless with frustration. He hesitated for a moment, then said, “Do you really not know your father’s mind at all? A few years ago, he treated Ye Zhongli courteously, seeking to recruit him, what do you think was his purpose?”

He leaned over and whispered a few words. Seeing Yuwen Zhi suddenly look up at him with a look of surprise, he continued, “He is secretive and will not tell me these things, but how can he truly hide them from me? Of course, not now, the opportunity has not come yet, but when the emperor passes away one day, it’s hard to say.

“Your father has many concubines. You may not know this, but just before I set out here, his favorite concubine gave birth to a son. Shizi! You must plan for your future!

“My Li family is a family of Jiannan Road. Your father begged to marry your mother back then, just because he took fancy to the power of my Li family. Although you still have your mother’s family to rely on, if County Prince becomes powerful in the future and then bewitched by women, it’s possible that he will find an excuse to depose you. There are countless such cases of deposing the eldest son and enthroning the younger son. You must seize this opportunity and use it to expand your power so that your father will have to rely on you. In the future, everything will be yours!

“Uncle will definitely help you with all my strength. You should listen to Uncle and follow the plan. Don’t let your father down.

“The time for Grand Archery Ceremony is almost here. Put away your sword, tidy up, and follow me!”

Li Dalu listened attentively to the sound of a horn coming faintly from the direction of Zhuque Terrace in the distance. He gave an order, opened the door, and walked out.

Yuwen Zhi stared at Li Dalu’s back as he walked out, his eyelids twitching constantly.

Slowly, he raised the hand holding the sword, held the sword in front of him, stared at his eyes clearly reflected on the blade, his face gradually twisted, and suddenly turned his hand and slashed his left arm with the sword. Instantly, the bright red blood flowed down the blade, staining a large area of ​​his sleeves red, dripping and splashing on the ground.

With a “clang” sound, he let go, and the sword stained with his blood fell to the ground.

Li Dalu was startled by the strange noise behind him and hurriedly turned back. He walked to the door, witnessed this scene, stepped over the threshold and came to support Yuwen Zhi.

“Shizi! What are you doing?”

He was horrified and hurriedly pressed down the bleeding wound on his nephew’s arm.

Yuwen Zhi’s face turned pale with pain, and beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

“Thank you, Uncle, for helping me make up my mind. I was originally thinking of making a decision after I got there…”

He whispered.

“Shizi, what did you say?” Li Dalu didn’t hear clearly.

Yuwen Zhi closed his eyes.

“As a son, I naturally should follow my father’s wishes. Only on this matter, forgive me for being unfilial, I’m afraid I have to disappoint him.”

His body slowly fell to the ground, but a twisted smile appeared on his lips. He looked at the horrified and confused Li Dalu in front of him, and spoke slowly, word by word.

The much-anticipated grand archery ceremony finally arrived as scheduled.

The venue for the grand archery ceremony was set up in front of the Zhuque Terrace, where the emperor once held a military review and announced the princess’s return to the court.

On the grand square, according to the rites of Zhou, various ceremonial items were arranged: targets, calculation rods, rods for penalizing those who violated decorum, and three bronze beast-shaped vessels—tiger, bear, and leopard—used to hold the calculation rods. According to the rules, they could only be used by the ruler in the grand archery ceremony. The three bronze beasts, all in a crouching posture, were aligned in a row facing the Zhuque Terrace. Under the sunlight, their imposing presence radiated an aura of majesty and solemnity.

The person who presides over today’s grand archery ceremony should be a person of high moral character and reputation. With Prince Ning taking on this role, it was naturally sufficient to command respect and ensure order among all participants.

At the exact time of Si (9-11 am), nearly ten thousand people from various guards had lined up around the arena.

Accompanied by melodious and solemn music, the emperor, the princess, court officials, envoys from the vassal states, and many famous scholars who were invited as guests, appeared in a line one after another.

The emperor took the princess to Zhuque Terrace, while the others to their designated seats. The soldiers kowtowed in unison.

With the preliminary rites concluded, officials, attendants, and ritual supervisors ascended to their respective positions under the guidance of ceremonial ushers. After the emperor led the crowd to offer sacrifices to the Five Emperors and the Three Kings Yu, Tang, and Wu, Prince Ning ascended the Archery Master’s Platform and proclaimed in a clear voice: The Grand Archery Ceremony had its origins in the Village Archery Rites. Its purpose was to teach the people propriety and cultivate customs of virtue. In ancient times, the Son of Heaven frequently used archery to select feudal lords, ministers, and officials at various ranks.

Archery rites not only tests archery skills and encourages bravery, but also promote courage and valor. More importantly, they embody the principles of propriety within the act of archery, making it a contest befitting gentlemen. Today, the emperor follows the ancient etiquette to select talents and set up this grand archery ceremony.

The whole audience shouted Long Live again. When the cheers died down, Prince Ning signaled the attendant to announce the rules of the grand archery ceremony.

Today’s grand archery ceremony was divided into two parts.

The first part was designed to imitate ancient rituals. It consisted of three rounds of shooting, called “Sanban”, and in each round, the contestants shoot four arrows.

In the first round, the score was not counted, but the archer’s posture and manner when shooting were observed, as well as whether he follows etiquette.

In the second round, the scores of the archers would be counted.

During the third round, the archer should shoot arrows in time with the music. If he failed to keep the beat, even if he hit the target, it would not be counted.

After the ancient ritual of three rounds of twelve arrows, which was more performance-oriented, the eight people with the best results entered the second part of the special competition.

This was the highlight of today’s grand archery ceremony. Eight people were divided into four groups of two to compete, and there are not so many rules to follow. It imitates actual military combat, with archers riding and shooting in a free competition. After four and two people were decided in turn, the last two people would compete for the main prize.

The winner would become the Qilin Warrior of today’s grand archery ceremony.

After the attendant announced the rules, Prince Ning held the bow and arrows and presented them to the emperor. Then, the grand archery ceremony began.

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