The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 250 The Archery Challenge Begins (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Yelü Duanqing looked at the fertile fields in the distance and said, "In my opinion, how about we bid for the land twenty miles in front of the army?"

"Twenty li of land ahead of the army?" Zhao Ti asked with a half-smile.

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable..." Zhang Jie and Lü Huiqing both changed color, and the surrounding generals also showed astonished expressions.

"Your Majesty, we are already twenty li from the front of Wulahai City," Zhang Jie hurriedly added.

"That's right, we've already reached the army's outposts," Lü Huiqing added.

Zhao Ti said, "If we reverse this direction, wouldn't we end up at the city of Tagur?"

The two were immediately speechless, sweat beading on their foreheads: "But, Your Majesty..."

"It's only twenty li ahead of the army," Yelü Duanqing said loudly. "It's just a small piece of land; surely His Highness the Prince of Yan can make that decision?"

“Twenty li…” Zhao Ti nodded: “General Yelü actually dares to say whether he can make a decision on such a small area? Doesn’t General Yelü think it’s a bit too small?”

Yelü Duanqing was taken aback: "Is that too little? Does His Highness the Prince of Yan mean..."

Zhao Ti smiled and raised his hand in a gesture of embracing the world: "What's the point of twenty li? I think we should use the Mile River Military Command and the Black Mountain Weifu Military Command as the prize, and the loser should give the entire military command to the other party."

"The entire military command?" Yelü Duanqing exclaimed in shock, "The Prince of Yan actually wants to gamble with the entire military command..."

A flicker of interest crossed his face, but then he shook his head with a complicated expression: "This, the entire military command..."

Zhao Ti laughed loudly, "General Yelü, do you still think it's too small? But a military command is indeed a bit too small. How about we make a big bet using your Liao Kingdom's Southeast Pacification Command's territory and my former Western Xia territory? I wonder if General Yelü can make this decision?"

"Huh?" Yelü Duanqing was stunned upon hearing this, and the Liao generals around him were also dumbfounded, speechless.

This is insane! This is madness! They actually dared to gamble with the territory of an entire country! Western Xia is a country, and the area of ​​the Southeast Pacification Commissioner's Office can also be considered a small country. This... has never been a gamble of this magnitude before. It's practically a divine injustice.

Zhao Ti said leisurely, "I am currently in charge of all affairs in the Northwest and have full authority to handle military and political matters here. I have the power to make decisions independently and am capable of making the decision. I wonder if General Yelü can make the decision?"

Yelü Duanqing's face was pale and numb. He reached up and vigorously wiped his face, taking a deep breath: "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, has such a magnificent spirit, truly unprecedented and unparalleled, surpassing all others throughout history. I admire you..."

Seeing that he remained silent, Zhao Ti gently stroked Black Rose's head, and Black Rose let out a soft, comfortable moan.

“However, I really can’t make the decision. Not to mention the Commandery, I can’t even make the decision for the Miechuan Military Command…” Yelü Duanqing said with a wry smile, “I can only make decisions for a region of twenty li, and that is my limit.”

“Twenty li…” Zhao Ti looked at the generals on both sides. The generals all had complicated expressions. They had almost jumped out of their throats just now. They thought to themselves, “Your Majesty, you have had your fun, but we were almost scared to death.”

"Since that's the case, then twenty li it is. It's better than nothing, and better than having nothing at all." Zhao Ti flicked his whip. "However, this territory is too close. What if we lose and then resort to underhanded tactics, secretly taking it back with our troops?"

Yelü Duanqing said, "This... can be written down. Once a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back."

Zhao Ti looked at him and slowly shook his head: "Isn't a written agreement a bit inappropriate? How can a personal agreement be used to wager territory?"

Yelü Duanqing asked, "What does Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, think?"

Zhao Ti said, "Naturally, the official documents from the prefecture and the state should be the primary authority. General Yelü is the commander-in-chief of the Southwest Route Expeditionary Command, holding the highest position among officials. Does he not even have the authority to handle documents for a mere twenty li of territory?"

Yelü Duanqing pondered upon hearing this, then whispered a few words to the surrounding officers and said, "Alright, then let's grant the Prince of Yan's wish and sign this document. The loser shall not be allowed to use troops to seize back the land within one year."

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "Does it mean we shouldn't try to seize those twenty li of land, or that we shouldn't try to seize any land in the Hetao region at all?"

Yelü Duanqing asked, "What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

Zhao Ti slowly said, "We lost twenty li here, and there's a written agreement that we can't renege and go back to steal it. So what if we run off and occupy twenty li elsewhere? Wouldn't that be a case of substituting one thing for another, or grafting one flower onto another tree?"

Yelü Duanqing remained silent for a long time before finally laughing and saying, "Your Majesty is meticulous and insightful. It was my oversight. The loser of the bet should not engage in military operations for a year, so as to maintain peace along the Hetao region, allow the people to recuperate, and cultivate the land to alleviate the suffering caused by war."

As soon as he finished speaking, an old man behind him changed color and whispered, "Commander-in-Chief, this..."

Yelü Duanqing didn't look at him, his voice suddenly turning cold as he snorted, "This commissioner has the authority to handle everything. Do you really think this commissioner will lose?"

The old man immediately lowered his head, speechless.

Seeing this, Zhao Ti seemed to be deep in thought, then heard Yelü Duanqing continue, "But the winner..."

"What about the winner?" Zhao Ti asked.

“The winner is naturally not subject to this restriction and can launch a military campaign at any time,” Yelü Duanqing said.

"So you won't let the people rest and recuperate, and alleviate the suffering of war?" Zhao Ti sighed softly.

"Since we are the winners, we can do whatever we want. If the winners wage war, the losers will no longer be bound by the agreement." Yelü Duanqing laughed. "However, it is the winners' right to be considerate of the people and not to start a war."

This means that if you win, you win the whole game; if you lose, you lose the whole game.

Zhao Ti said, "Since that's the case, it's still acceptable. General Yelü, have you decided on the rules for the competition?"

Yelü Duanqing said, "Such an important matter cannot be handled hastily. We cannot simply hunt for grass as usual and determine the outcome based on the quantity."

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "It's not about quantity. Last time during the autumn hunt, I gained nothing, while General Yelü reaped a great harvest. If we're talking about quantity, then I'd probably lose eight or nine times out of ten."

Yelü Duanqing's expression became slightly awkward upon hearing this, and he said sheepishly, "Your Highness did not come away empty-handed. I remember that Your Highness found that giant eagle, so you were the one who gained the most among us."

“Eagle…” Zhao Ti thought for a moment, then looked up at the sky. The Hetao Plain was lush with grass and water, and rabbits and beasts roamed freely in the fields. Eagles flew overhead from time to time, their wings striking the sky as they swooped down to catch their prey.

“The eagle was disobedient, so after I brought it back to the Song Dynasty, I ordered it to be stewed. I didn’t even finish one pot,” Zhao Ti said.

"Wh-what?" Yelü Duanqing's lips twitched. "Your Highness, I didn't notice the eagle at the time, but later when I went back and looked it up in the catalog, I found it was a rare species. How could Your Highness have stewed it?"

"A different species?" Zhao Ti hadn't really looked up what kind of eagle it was, but it was so big that it was definitely not an ordinary steppe eagle or golden eagle, nor was it a hawk-vulture. Although hawk-vultures are also tall, their appearance is completely different.

"It's a different species!" Yelü Duanqing slapped his thigh on horseback: "Why did Your Highness stew and eat it?" Zhao Ti stroked his chin. The Khitans loved eagles, and some precious species were even worth more than a thousand gold pieces. Every year, the nobles of the capital would offer various rewards on the grasslands in exchange for people to capture and send them over.

At that time, Yelü Hongji promised the giant eagle gold, silver and official position, but he got it himself. He gave the gold to the official position but could not get promoted, so he had to give up.

"Actually, it wasn't very tasty..." Zhao Ti laughed. "What kind of eagle did General Yelü find out it was?"

“It’s a eagle…” Yelü Duanqing said with a pained expression: “When this kind of eagle grows up, it is extremely large and ferocious. Its claws can tear apart tigers and leopards. It is rare to find one in a hundred years.”

"A hawk?" Zhao Ti raised an eyebrow, having never heard of this name before. However, the hawk catalogues of the Song Dynasty were certainly not as complete as those of the Liao Dynasty, and many species were not included in the Song Dynasty's books, though it was said that this hawk was ferocious...

"I don't see anything fierce about him. On the contrary, he is quite lazy, likes to sunbathe, and doesn't like to fly."

Yelü Duanqing was stunned for a moment, his regret deepening: "Then that's it. These eagles become less fond of flying as they grow older, but even without the inertia of the sky, they can fight wild beasts directly on the ground."

"I see." Zhao Ti nodded. "That is indeed a pity. I should have sold it to Yelü Yanxi, the grandson of the Liao emperor."

Yelü Duanqing said, "Your Highness, I think we should decide the winner by hunting in the sky. We should shoot at whatever is in the sky, and whoever hunts the fiercest thing will be the winner!"

"Hunting the fiercest one..." Zhao Ti pondered for a moment. This must mean shooting eagles or hawks. It seems the other party is still thinking about that big eagle.

“The most ferocious ones, if they are of the same kind, will be divided into groups,” Yelü Duanqing said. “Let’s set a limit of one day, and they shall not leave the Hetao region. What does Your Highness think?”

"Shall we hunt together?" Zhao Ti asked. Since it was a competition, it was best not to separate too much, otherwise there was a possibility of cheating.

“Naturally, we should go together.” After saying that, Yelü Duanqing added, “However, as each side pursues the other, they will inevitably have to leave briefly. I think it would be better if each side sent one person to follow the other’s team to ensure fairness.”

“General Yelü has thought things through very well.” Zhao Ti smiled slightly. “Actually, there’s no need for such trouble. Isn’t it easy to decide who wins and who loses? There’s no need to run around like this. But since General Yelü wants to do things this way, then each of us can send our own people.”

Yelü Duanqing thought to himself, "I'm not afraid that you're faking it. Your literary talent is indeed extraordinary, but I've seen how good your archery and horsemanship are. Even if you're hiding your true abilities, how can they compare to your literary talent?"
"It's getting late. Your Highness, when would be a better day for the hunt?"

Zhao Ti said, "I need to go back and practice my archery. I haven't touched it in a long time, and I'm already rusty. I'll sign the documents at the government office today, and we'll go hunting in three days."

Yelü Duanqing nodded, and then each of them sent people back to the city to retrieve the official documents and seals. They then immediately signed the agreement outside the city, affixed their seals, and led their respective teams back to the city.

Zhang Jie sat on his horse with a somber expression, not uttering a word. The other generals also looked somewhat gloomy. Although it was only twenty li of land, it was still a tough fight to lose.

Moreover, the loser cannot wage war for a year, while the winner can do so at will. Doesn't that mean the winner can prepare to launch a surprise attack at any time, while the loser can only rack their brains to defend themselves?
Zhao Ti glanced at everyone: "The competition hasn't even started yet, why are you all looking so worried, so sure that I'm going to lose?"

Lü Huiqing said, "Your Majesty, how could we officials think such a thing? Hunting is difficult enough, let alone hunting in the air..."

Zhao Ti said, "Scholar Su once wrote a poem that said, 'I will draw my bow like a full moon, look northwest, and shoot down the Heavenly Wolf.' The Heavenly Wolf refers to the Western Xia. The Western Xia have been shot down by our Great Song. How can we not shoot down a few mere aerial prey?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Huiqing couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Scholarly idealism, scholarly idealism indeed!"
Zhang Jie shook his head anxiously and said, "Your Majesty, what does that bearded Su know about drawing a bow like a full moon? In his poem, he mentions leading a yellow dog on the left and holding a falcon on the right, but in the end, he only managed to catch a wild rabbit. Moreover, he didn't hit a vital spot with his arrow; the rabbit didn't die at all and eventually died from exhaustion while chasing it..."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "But it can be considered as having gained something."

Zhang Jie said, "But, but..."

Zhao Ti said, “Everyone need not worry. Since it is difficult to shoot in the air, Yelü Duanqing may not have made any kills. When he went to the capital for the autumn hunt, although he hunted many game, he caught very few birds.”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and at this moment, they could only think the same thing, hoping that the other side would also be unable to shoot anything.

Upon returning to Wulahai City, Zhao Ti spent half a day processing reports in the office. By the time he finished, it was already evening. He put down his pen and, along with Zhou Tong and the others, went to inspect the city before returning to his residence for dinner and rest.

The next day, Zhao Ti ordered Zhang Jie and others to make colorful flags, all of which were inscribed with phrases such as "The King of Yan will surely win," "The precious bow captures the sun and moon," and "The divine arrow shoots in all directions."

Zhang Jie was helpless at this point, so he decided to let Zhao Ti do whatever he wanted and went out to have someone make flags. Zhao Ti then practiced archery in the training ground behind the military headquarters.

There was no one else around at the moment. Zhou Tong handed over his usual carved bow, and he reached out and lightly plucked the bowstring, producing a heavy "humming" sound.

Most bows used by ordinary people are one stone or less, with moderate draw weight, which is sufficient for hunting needs for the average person.

Elite soldiers and generals used bows with a weight between one and three shi (a unit of weight), while some elite archers in the Han Dynasty used powerful bows with a weight of two shi or more, which was extremely rare.

As for bows with a weight of three stones, only famous generals could draw them. Bows heavier than three stones were mostly used for drills and martial arts competitions. Very few bows with a weight of three stones or more were actually used on the battlefield.

Because this kind of heavy bow cannot be used immediately after drawing it. On the battlefield, especially on horseback, even if you manage to draw the bow, it is not easy to find the right aim. Moreover, if you force it, you may not be able to shoot a second or third arrow.

The heaviest bow ever recorded in history weighed ten stones, but such powerful bows were extremely rare. Zhang Hongjing of the Tang Dynasty once made a bow weighing ten stones, but such bows were mainly used to demonstrate strength and to judge arm strength; no one could actually use them in actual combat.

Zhao Ti's bow is made of five stones, which is beyond the power of normal strength. Unless one has superhuman strength or outstanding internal and external skills, it is impossible to wield it.

He took the arrow Zhou Tong handed him, nocked the bowstring, and with a powerful effort from his waist, arms, wrists, and fingers, he heard a "creaking" sound as the bow opened like a full moon. The arrow shot out with a "whoosh," like a streak of fire or a shooting star.

In the blink of an eye, the arrow reached a distance, and with a loud "bang," the distant target was shattered to pieces by the arrow.

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "These arrows are no good. They're meant for hunting wild beasts, but they'll probably shatter in an instant when used against birds of prey. Even eagles can't withstand them. Go and get a different arrow."

Zhou Tong agreed, and then found some steel arrows with pointed tips. These arrows were narrow, without barbs, and could break through wind resistance when pointed upwards, making them suitable for shooting birds.

Zhao Ti fired ten arrows in succession, all hitting the bullseye. The last arrow struck the fletching of the previous arrow, transferring the force and causing it to pierce the bullseye, sending all the arrows flying out together.

He nodded upon seeing this. It seemed that his archery skills hadn't deteriorated too much. Archery wasn't just about having high martial arts skills and being able to draw the bow; accuracy was also important. Having strong internal strength didn't necessarily mean that one could shoot accurately.

Zhao Ti then led a few people away from the training ground and headed to the front hall to continue reviewing reports.

Not long after he left, Liu Zhongwu came over with his bow on his back, intending to practice archery, but he looked puzzled when he saw the target in the distance.

There were originally three targets here, but now one target is missing, one has a bullseye, and only one is intact.

He rushed forward and saw many broken targets on the ground, as well as a piece of red heartwood with ten arrows stuck in it. He was stunned for a moment...

(End of this chapter)