By that afternoon, it was time for the princes to practice martial arts.
Behind Wenhua Hall was a training ground large enough to run horses on. That day, straw men and archery targets had already been set up on the grounds, creating a practice field for the princes to train their archery.
When Jun Huailang saw the bows and arrows, he immediately felt a headache coming on.
In both his past and present lives, he had learned little more than some martial arts for self-defense and had basically never studied archery. After all, in Chang’an, when scions of noble families learned archery, it was merely for hunting trips and entertainment at banquets. He especially disliked showing off at such things, and had always preferred to keep to himself. Thus, he had never practiced this sort of skill.
But the requirements for the princes were much stricter. Horseback riding and archery were both skills they were required to master.
When they arrived at the training ground, Xue Yunhuan happily dragged Jun Huailang over to choose arrows. He weighed them one after another, insisting on finding the heaviest one. Only after the instructor persuaded him did he reluctantly settle for a bow of half a shi.
“One day, I’ll be able to draw a one-shi bow!” Xue Yunhuan boasted to Jun Huailang, holding his bow. “When that day comes, I’ll ask Father Emperor for an imperial decree and have him send me to the border to fight!”
Jun Huailang had Fuyi find him a lighter bow. Hearing this, he laughed. “You think being able to draw a bow and shoot arrows is enough to become a general? Don’t go provoking His Majesty and make him scold you again.”
Xue Yunhuan unhappily pouted.
The princes and their study companions in the palace had all practiced archery. Jun Huailang alone had never learned it. After giving the princes a brief explanation, the instructor let them practice on their own.
The princes dispersed and stood in their respective positions, each facing a target. Jun Huailang quietly told Xue Yunhuan that he had never learned archery, so Xue Yunhuan deliberately had him stand beside him.
Xue Yunhuan patted his chest and assured him, “I’m really good at archery! Just watch what I do, and you’ll be able to learn almost everything you need to know.”
Jun Huailang reluctantly relaxed.
Once everyone began practicing, he first stood there and watched Xue Yunhuan shoot several arrows. Unlike the other princes, Xue Yunhuan really could hit the target with every arrow, which already put him among the outstanding ones.
After watching several times, Jun Huailang imitated Xue Yunhuan’s movements, drawing the bow and taking aim at the target.
The bow already felt heavy in his hands, but he had not expected drawing the bowstring to require even more strength. The string was tight and resilient, biting into his palm. By the time he had drawn it halfway, he could no longer lift it.
Indeed, watching someone else do it was one thing; doing it himself was another.
Jun Huailang began to feel somewhat vexed, regretting that in his previous life he had preferred peace and quiet and disliked playing around. If only he had learned this before, he would not be in such an awkward situation now.
He reluctantly raised his hand and exerted strength with his arm, intending to fire a few arrows at random and be done with it.
Just then, a hand pressed against his elbow.
Jun Huailang turned his face and saw Xue Yan standing beside him. His amber eyes were lowered slightly, his gaze falling calmly and indifferently on the bow and arrow in Jun Huailang’s hands.
They were standing very close. Jun Huailang could see his long, thick eyelashes. Such deep and refined features were not something an ordinary Central Plains man would possess.
Combined with his pale-colored eyes and indifferent expression, those features gave him a unique masculine presence and a sense of aggression. Moreover, he was somewhat taller and broader than Jun Huailang. With him leaning so close, Jun Huailang could not help wanting to move aside.
But Xue Yan’s hand held him firmly in place.
“Drawing the bow like this will damage your tendons and meridians,” Xue Yan said.
Only then did Jun Huailang notice that Xue Yan was standing on his other side. He had been too busy urgently learning from Xue Yunhuan just now to notice who was standing beside him.
Oh, so he had come to teach him archery…
Before he could say anything, Xue Yan supported his elbow with one hand, straightened his arm, then pulled his hand onto the center line of his body.
With this movement, Jun Huailang was almost being held within Xue Yan’s embrace. Although there was hardly any actual bodily contact, he still felt enveloped by a dangerous presence.
It was like having his territory invaded by another male animal. Jun Huailang felt somewhat short of breath.
“Raise your elbow. Draw the string to the front of your neck.” As Xue Yan spoke, he pressed down on Jun Huailang’s shoulder, turned his body sideways, then grasped his shoulder and made him straighten his back.
Under Xue Yan’s guidance, Jun Huailang barely managed to assume a standard archery stance.
“Draw the bowstring all the way,” Xue Yan said again.
Jun Huailang exerted all his strength, and his arm began to tremble slightly. But for someone who had basically never touched a bow before, fully drawing the string on his first attempt was nearly impossible.
But for Xue Yan, it was different.
He had been trained in the military camp from a young age. Not to mention failing to draw a bow—even having poor accuracy when shooting would earn him a beating from his instructor. Under such high-pressure training, no matter how heavy the bow was, he could draw it.
Yet the Jun Huailang before him had a focused expression, while the half-drawn bowstring remained fixed in place for a long time.
Xue Yan was somewhat puzzled. Had he not heard what he said?
But immediately afterward, he saw that the arm Jun Huailang seemed to have kept perfectly still was already beginning to tremble slightly from exertion.
The corners of Xue Yan’s lips involuntarily curved upward.
Indeed, such a beautiful and delicate little peacock was not like the people he had seen at the border. Leading troops into battle, drawing bows, and shooting arrows had nothing to do with him. There was no need for him to do any of it.
Thinking this, Xue Yan raised his hand. One hand pressed against the bow, while the other grasped Jun Huailang’s drawing hand. With an effortless pull backward, he fully drew the bowstring.
But with this movement, Jun Huailang was completely enclosed in his arms.
Xue Yan’s original intention had merely been to help him draw the bow, but immediately afterward, an untimely thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
The little peacock’s figure fit perfectly in his arms.
Especially that clear, cool woody scent on him, which brought peace to Xue Yan’s mind. It seemed to have been completely enclosed within his embrace as well, making him somewhat addicted to it.
However, Xue Yan quickly came back to his senses. Feeling a little guilty, he lowered his eyes and glanced at Jun Huailang.
Jun Huailang, however, had not noticed anything at all. He was concentrating on the center of the target, pondering how he could aim properly.
Xue Yan composed himself. Holding Jun Huailang’s arm, he guided him to aim at the bull’s-eye.
“All right.” After they had aimed, Xue Yan released his hands.
Jun Huailang let go and released the arrow. The arrow shot through the air. Although it veered slightly because of Jun Huailang’s lack of strength, it still struck the target with a clang.
Xue Yunhuan, who had been nervously watching from the side, could not help cheering, “It hit!”
Jun Huailang’s eyes also brightened with surprise, and a smile appeared on his face.
He had actually hit it with his very first arrow! Although most of the credit belonged to Xue Yan, the arrow had still been shot from his own hands and embedded itself in the target, giving him a strange sense of accomplishment.
Standing beside him, Xue Yan could see those sparkling eyes whenever he lowered his gaze.
Jun Huailang already possessed exceptionally clear and handsome features, but he had naturally cold-looking features that made him appear distant and aloof. Yet when he smiled at this moment, it was as though flowers had bloomed amid melting snow, making one unable to resist wanting to make him smile again, so that the smile would remain forever.
“Another arrow?” Xue Yan asked.
Jun Huailang, who had always been uninterested in archery, nodded. “Sure!”
Xue Yan raised his hand and drew an arrow from the quiver beside them. With a practiced motion, he traced a clean arc through the air and nocked it onto Jun Huailang’s bow.
Just then, the instructor in the distance frowned.
“That Highness,” he called out. “Why aren’t you at your own position?”
As he spoke, he walked over. The princes and their study companions on the field all stopped what they were doing when they heard his reprimand and looked over.
This instructor had always favored the Fourth Prince. The officials in his family were also close to the Xu family, the family of the Fourth Prince’s maternal consort, Consort Yi. Thus, he had always shown the Fourth Prince some partiality.
As for the Fifth Prince, he was already a feared jinx in everyone’s eyes. On top of that, he had stolen the Fourth Prince’s limelight immediately after arriving. Thus, the instructor had always treated him as though he did not exist and had never put any effort into teaching him.
Now, seeing him teaching someone else archery, the instructor was somewhat displeased.
“Your Highness, it would be better for you to diligently practice on your own.” Standing beside Xue Yan, the instructor spoke respectfully in tone, but without the slightest hint of politeness. “You should know that being overly fond of teaching others is not a virtue. You should simply practice your own skills. As for the other princes, this humble official will teach them. Please return to your position.”
Beside them, Xue Yunsu had already laughed aloud.
“You’re still taking lessons yourself, yet you’ve started teaching someone else?” he said with a laugh. “Looks like even the instructor isn’t qualified to teach you anymore. Why don’t you just stop coming from now on?”
Xue Yan glanced at him, released the bow from Jun Huailang’s hand, and placed the arrow into his hand.
Then he stepped forward and, with a single raised hand, snatched the bow from the instructor.
That bow weighed a full one and a half shi. Its string was extremely tight, and even the instructor found it difficult to draw.
When Xue Yan took the bow, the instructor instinctively tried to pull it back. But Xue Yan’s movement was swift and forceful. By the time the instructor withdrew his hand, the bow was already in Xue Yan’s possession.
Then he met Xue Yan’s cold, sidelong gaze.
In the next moment, Xue Yan drew an arrow from the side and simply stood where he was. He bent the bow and nocked the arrow. With one pull of his arm, he fully drew the bowstring. Without even taking aim, he turned sideways and raised his hand.
The arrow shot out with a whoosh.
With a heavy thud, it struck the exact center of the target.
The position from which he had shot was also extremely off-center; he had not even been facing the target directly.
For a moment, everyone who had been watching the spectacle froze. Xue Yunhuan could not help letting out a gasp, and his gaze toward Xue Yan was filled with admiration.
Immediately afterward, Xue Yan drew another arrow and glanced at the instructor.
The instructor’s face had already become extremely ugly.
From such a tricky angle, without aiming, he had been able to strike the bull’s-eye with incredible speed. And he had done it with such a heavy bow—something even the instructor himself could not accomplish.
Naturally, he did not know that what Xue Yan had learned in Yan Commandery had never been the flashy, superficial techniques practiced in the capital. The enemies he faced were the fierce and unpredictable Turkic armies. Amidst war and a rain of arrows, he had trained himself to shoot through a willow leaf from a hundred paces and take an enemy commander’s head with a single arrow.
Meeting Xue Yan’s gaze, the instructor could read the undisguised mockery in his eyes.
Then, before anyone had recovered from their shock, Xue Yan’s second arrow flew out.
This time, what rang out from the target was the crisp “crack” of wood.
Everyone looked over and saw that the second arrow had pierced through the shaft of the first arrow from its fletching end, splitting the slender wooden shaft in two. The arrowhead pressed against the first arrowhead and shot into the center of the target, actually piercing straight through it. The arrowhead of the first arrow fell to the ground behind the target with a sharp clack.
For a moment, the entire training ground was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Those who had been laughing and watching the spectacle stood there dumbfounded, staring at the arrow split into two on the ground in the distance.
After a moment, Xue Yan gave a soft scoff.
“Instructor,” he said slowly, his voice indifferent and calm. “In that case, am I qualified to teach him?”