Leng Han entered the arena, his aura instantly overshadowing Yu Meng.
The man was handsome, the woman, dashing. Zhao Jiaqi, watching from below, found the pair quite pleasing to the eye.
However, as soon as they clashed, she felt the young man's attacks were sharp and unreserved, showing no leniency towards the woman. Her initial good impression dwindled to a mere sliver, this last bit maintained only because he was from the Yun Kingdom.
She couldn't help but sigh, yet she knew that on this stage, there was only victory and defeat, no distinction between male and female.
"Husband, who do you think will win between them!"
She gazed at the two figures on the stage, their back-and-forth combat, each move surpassing the last, dazzling her eyes. Still, she could broadly tell that her daughter was not at an advantage.
Feeling uncertain, she asked the man beside her, partly to divert her attention, and partly to seek encouragement.
After a brief analysis, Fan Zehao gave his answer: "Our daughter has a greater chance of winning."
He then took on the role of commentator, analyzing the events on stage for her: "In terms of strength, Yu Meng can't match that boy, but when it comes to agility and intelligence, that boy can't compare to our daughter. Don't think Yu Meng is just evading; she's looking for Leng Han's weaknesses. As soon as she gets an opportunity, Leng Han will surely be defeated."
After a period of observation, he added: "However, this Leng Han is also smart. He's been fighting for so long and hasn't given Yu Meng any openings. Otherwise, this martial duel would have ended long ago."
After another round of fighting, the winner was finally decided: Yu Meng.
On the stage, the two panting figures looked at each other for a moment. Leng Han, accepting his defeat wholeheartedly, said, "You are more formidable than I imagined. You won this time, but don't celebrate too soon. There are still two more rounds!"
Yu Meng flicked her chin at him, proudly stating, "The next two rounds are my specialties. You'd best be careful. I won't hold back."
Leng Han did not dispute this, giving her a thumbs-up without reservation before gracefully exiting the arena.
The cheers from below were loudest for the soldiers from the inner city, followed by the soldiers from the Yun Kingdom. The most displeased were Wu Yi and his men.
He walked to Yu Meng, his face grim, and said something. Zhao Jiaqi wanted to go over, but Fan Zehao held her back.
"No need to worry. Wu Yi lost face and substance right from the start. Him approaching Yu Meng now is just to vent his anger. Give him ten times the courage, and he wouldn't dare to harm our daughter."
"They are discussing private matters now. If you were to get involved, it would become a matter of state."
Zhao Jiaqi pondered his words for a moment, finding them reasonable. She nodded and said softly, "As a mother, I just don't want our daughter to be bullied. No matter how old or capable a child is, a mother's heart will always worry."
Fan Zehao smiled without speaking, merely tightening his arm around her shoulder.
Children were the apple of their parents' eyes. Concern was unavoidable, but they had to let their children forge their own paths. As parents, they should focus on providing a stable rear for their children, ensuring they had no worries.
After a fifteen-minute rest, the second event, a volley of arrows, commenced. This competition involved three participants simultaneously. Ten targets were placed on the field, and each person shot arrows of different colors. The one who hit the most targets would win.
The spirited soldiers formed a tight circle, impassable. Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao observed the situation on the field, watching the arrows whiz past, the targets becoming riddled like hedgehogs.
In the end, all three hit all ten targets. The result was a draw.
Zhao Jiaqi felt it was a pity, but Fan Zehao was not surprised. "Archery on horseback is the simplest skill, and a necessary one for every general. In this round, whether there's an extra shot or a hundred-pace shot, the result would be the same."
After explaining to his wife, Fan Zehao called out to the arena, "This round is a draw. No re-shoot. Proceed to the next round."
Currently, on the field, Yu Meng had two points, while Wu Yi and Leng Han each had one. However, Shi Haoming seemed a little displeased with this outcome.
He whispered to Fan Zehao, "Your Highness, if there were a re-shoot for the hundred-pace shot, my disciple could absolutely hit it from over 120 paces."
Fan Zehao's lips curved into a slight smile. He looked at Shi Haoming and said earnestly, "You only see your disciple's strengths, but you mustn't disregard the faces of the other two."
He knew his own daughter's strengths better than anyone.
Moreover, he had personally taught Yu Meng her archery on horseback. Besides, his daughter's bloodline carried genes for this skill. He was an expert hunter; how could his daughter be lacking?
Shi Haoming chuckled, stroking his beard and looking at the field. He understood that the Prince was giving the other two some consideration, so they wouldn't return with a score of zero. While it was easy to say, it wasn't pleasant to hear.
However, it didn't matter if his disciple lost the last round. For a thirteen-year-old girl to bravely duel with two grown men was commendable enough.
Shi Haoming smiled and said, "Your Highness, troop deployment and formation are your specialty. This humble general wonders if you've held anything back from my beloved disciple in this area."
Hearing the hesitation in his words, Fan Zehao's happy expression immediately darkened. "What are you implying? Would I hold back from my own child?"
Zhao Jiaqi, standing nearby, covered her mouth and chuckled. She said to him, "General Shi, you should have more confidence. His Highness has definitely held something back."
If he hadn't held back, Fan Zehao wouldn't have protested so loudly. She knew him so well that she could tell what he was up to from a mere fart.
His true intentions exposed by his wife, Fan Zehao chuckled sheepishly. "I teach my disciples to outdo me, so as a master, I must keep something back, lest this girl becomes uncontrollable in the future."
Zhao Jiaqi squinted and smiled at him. "That's just your pride at work. You're afraid that if your child learns everything, no one will admire you anymore."
His carefully guarded secrets were all revealed, and he couldn't argue further. He raised three fingers and swore, "I truly only held back one technique, and that's for bragging rights. It absolutely won't hinder her performance on the battlefield."
The conversation between the two left Shi Haoming somewhat stunned. So, even their father had held something back from their child.
He usually saw the Prince doting on his children immensely, willing to give them the moon and stars. It was hard to imagine him doing this.
But he understood. Even five fingers were not of the same length.
However, he had completely misunderstood Fan Zehao. His feelings towards his children were consistent from beginning to end. If there was any favoritism, it was slightly more towards his daughter.
The technique he withheld was merely a tactic that was not commonly used. In life-or-death situations, he would never be careless, especially since it was his daughter.
The last round took a very long time. It wasn't until dusk, as the moon began to rise, that the competition concluded.
Without a doubt, Yu Meng won this round decisively. Her victory against superior numbers once again reenacted Fan Zehao's legendary feat from years past.
The name of Princess Fan Yu Meng finally spread far and wide at this moment.