After being thoroughly violated, he ran away with the enemy emperor's child.

The bow and arrows were handed to Chu Junci. He stepped down from the platform, his movements revealing a jade pendant at his waist.

Standing still on the field, he raised his bow and aimed the arrow at the moving target in the distance.

With a "whoosh," the arrow struck the bullseye, but he didn't stop and drew three more arrows.

Each of the three arrows had one side of its fletching removed. Chu Junci aimed, spun the arrows, and fired them simultaneously. The arrows flew out, but instead of heading towards the target, they…

Countless eyes followed the arrows as they circled several obstacles, bypassed the moving target, made a turn, and finally struck the target to the side.

"..."

The crowd had fallen silent.

After an unknown amount of time, the crowd erupted in a frenzied exclamation: "Your Majesty is mighty!"

"Long live Your Majesty!"

Chu Li's eyes lit up as she approached him, exclaiming, "Brother is amazing! Even more amazing than A-Jin!"

"Yeah yeah."

Yuan Jin appeared alongside Chu Li, saying, "Your Majesty's archery skills are beyond my reach."

He considered himself to be one of the best archers among his peers, but now it seems he is still far inferior to His Majesty!

The two of them chatted back and forth, their conversation seemingly full of praise.

"...Alright, you two, stop flattering me."

Chu Junci spoke in a low voice, his tone seemingly somewhat helpless.

"A-Li wasn't flattering me, A-Li was just telling the truth, A-Jin, aren't you right?"

"Yes, I also think A-Li is right," Yuan Jin echoed.

Suddenly remembering something, Yuan Jin asked, "Your Majesty, you previously said you wanted to take this opportunity to announce the new crossbow. Should we announce it now?"

"Can."

Nodding slightly, Chu Junci added, "Tell them that one version was built based on the blueprints sent by Zhao State, while the other version was a product of the Ministry of Works modifying the blueprints."

"Although Yong is not as good as Zhao in terms of weapons manufacturing, I believe that Yong will be able to manufacture new types of weapons on its own one day."

"At that time, we will no longer need to rely on others."

Chu Junci always believed that "what you hold in your hands is what you own." Although they had new crossbows this time, if they could only imitate and not create, they would fall behind again sooner or later.

"Yes."

After receiving the order, Yuan Jin turned and left. Chu Li supported him, saying, "Brother, shall we go back and sit down?"

"it is good."

Holding a longbow, Chu Junci returned to the high platform.

He sat down and his gaze swept across the floor below, where he saw that familiar figure again.

The other person was also looking at him, their eyes holding an unreadable expression.

After a while, Chu Junci looked away, as if nothing had happened.

He looked away, but Mo Yan in the crowd was still watching him. Just now, he was standing behind Aci and could only see his back, not his archery skills.

But his archery skills were still quite impressive.

At that moment, the eight characters "Emperor Yong, Chu Ling, is skilled in riding and archery" were deeply imprinted in Mo Yan's mind.

He also fully understood—

His words were those of a dragon soaring freely in the vast sky, a phoenix flying in the heavens, and should never be those of a so-called "queen" trapped in the harem of the Zhao Kingdom.

"Aci, perhaps I really was wrong," he murmured silently.

Half an hour later, he saw Yuan Jin holding two crossbows. His heart skipped a beat as he suddenly remembered an order he had given earlier.

Before the envoy delivered the crossbow blueprints to Yong, he had several crucial details modified to ensure that the people of Yong could not detect anything amiss, yet still could not produce a physical object.

But now...

Yongguo made it.

In other words, they knew there was a problem with the drawings he sent and made the correct modifications.

Looking at the crossbow in Yuan Jin's hand, Mo Yan thought to himself: Aci, did you modify the blueprint?

After all, his son, Aci, is intelligent, has a strong comprehension ability, and a good memory; he can be described as having a photographic memory.

Once again, Mo Yan pursed his lips in frustration, feeling that he had shot himself in the foot. He had done so much, but had gained nothing except angering Aci!

Mo Yan, you're such a big idiot!

He cursed himself inwardly.

When they looked up again, Yuan Jin had already gone down with his crossbows. The place was bustling with noise, and everyone's face was beaming with excitement and anticipation for the future.

Although their Yong Kingdom is now somewhat behind the Zhao Kingdom, it is not an insurmountable barrier.

Moreover, a hundred years ago, Zhao State was a vassal state of Yong State.

At that time, their Yong Kingdom was the true number one power, but unfortunately, the Yong emperor at that time was incompetent and only had the desire to attain immortality.

Under his rule, the Yong Kingdom deteriorated day by day, plagued by internal strife, and gradually, the title of the greatest power slipped away from them.

While they were preoccupied with their own problems, the Zhao Kingdom recuperated and rose to prominence, gradually growing into a nation that could rival them.

Decades later, the Zhao Kingdom completely surpassed them. If it weren't for the efforts of Lord Gu Chuan and General Xie Yun to turn the tide, they would probably have become vassals of Zhao long ago...

Recalling the past, the smiles on their faces faded a little. Even now, that period of history is still essential knowledge for children when they are in school. After all, the late emperor and the regent said: "Never forget the humiliation, only then can we endure."

Thus, the annual equestrian archery competition came to a close, and the participants and onlookers left in an orderly manner, gradually returning to tranquility.

Another quarter of an hour later, apart from Chu Junci, Chu Li and others on the high platform, only one "commoner" remained in the arena.

He stood not far away, gazing at the high platform.

With an expressionless face, Mo Yan looked at the high platform, at the figure he had longed for for so long.

He was all alone now, but no one chased him away. He smiled to himself, thinking: Ah Ci is indeed clever.

He probably knew he was coming the moment he entered the city, not to mention his two night raids on the palace.

In other words, Aci's appearance today might really be a "trap".

A trap set specifically for him, but Mo Yan...

Sweet as sweet.

Thinking of this, he took a few steps forward and stopped below the platform.

At the same time, the soldiers hidden in the shadows finally appeared, surrounded him, and pointed their spears at him without hesitation.

"Take another step forward, and kill without mercy."

"You can't stop me."

Mo Yan looked up and called out, "Aci."

The call drifted into Chu Junci's ears, and he suddenly felt a little dazed, as if he had vaguely returned to the State of Zhao, until—

"Pah! You audacious commoner, how dare you call my brother by his name?"

"..."

Chu Junci snapped out of his daze and saw A Li standing in front of him, shielding him from Mo Yan's burning gaze.

He fumed, "You ugly, pathetic man, why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror? Do you even deserve to be called one?"

"Trying to eat swan meat like a toad, huh!"

"Ah Jin, go up there and kill him!"

"Don't be angry, A-Li, I'll go and kill him right now."

Yuan Jin coaxed in a low voice, then drew his sword from his waist in the next instant: "Ugly man! Take this!"

He jumped off the platform and rushed into the encirclement to fight Mo Yan. Mo Yan was unarmed and could only dodge.