Chapter 167 Eagle Eye

Words : 1603 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

The backyard grew quiet, leaving only the sound of the wind. Chu Shun and the others glanced at each other, unsure how to react. Yet the moment Xingxing spoke, even the wind seemed to pause. "You should save up more money," she said. "..." A deathly silence. Xie Jingchen gave a slight cough, breaking the stillness. Prince NanAn looked at Xingxing and said, "After much thought and struggle, I finally gave up and decided to learn how to rob from you. We have been impressed by your Qingyun Mountain." No choice but to be impressed. All the troubles they initiated only resulted in them eating their own fruit of mischief. Su Jin wanted to buy ice from the Duke Chong’s Mansion, and business is a matter of mutual consent. If they refuse to sell, there’s nothing she can do but forcefully take. Indeed. Even these fine young men of the Daqi Dynasty had thoughts of going head-to-head, but the sister-in-law didn’t resort to robbery; she opted for clever tactics. Won’t sell her ice blocks, huh? She made them herself. Not only did she make them herself, but she also sold them, stealing their business. Once the ice shop started, it would definitely infuriate Duke Chong. Xingxing looked at him and asked, "Are you really willing to join our Qingyun Mountain?" "Truer than a pearl," said the Heir of Marquis Beining. Xingxing glanced at Su Jin. Su Jin was at a loss. These clowns were teasing her, yet she believed it. Xingxing truly took their words seriously. She said, "Even though you are good brothers of the master, the Marquis will not easily let anyone join Qingyun Mountain. You must pass the Marquis’ tests, and there are no shortcuts." Chu Shun, "..." Prince NanAn, "..." Heir of Marquis Beining, "..." Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo, "..." They were all stunned. "Do you really need to pass a test to join Qingyun Mountain?" Prince NanAn asked in surprise. "Not just a test, but multiple tests," Xingxing said with a serious expression. "..." "Little maid, how were you tested to join Qingyun Mountain?" Chu Shun asked curiously. "I’m great at eating buns. Madam said that being able to eat is a blessing," Xingxing said proudly. "..." Xingxing’s shining face made it hard to look directly. Chu Shun said, "If it’s only about eating capacity, that won’t be difficult for me." "That’s a breeze for us," Prince NanAn said. "Besides eating, what other tests are there?" asked the Heir of Marquis Beining. Xingxing thought for a moment and said, "I remember once Uncle Lin brought eight people up the mountain. The Marquis made them carry thirty-pound sandbags every day, running from the mountain top to the base and back, for a whole month. Those who couldn’t make it back within two incense sticks on the last day couldn’t join us." Chu Shun, "..." Prince NanAn, "..." Heir of Marquis Beining, "..." Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo, "..." It wasn’t just them; even Su Jin and Xie Jingchen were stunned. Is Qingyun Mountain really recruiting bandits? Chu Shun’s throat was dry, "I heard there are thousands of brothers in Qingyun Mountain. Can everyone run that well?" Xingxing shook her head, "Not everyone is an excellent runner. Some are skilled in archery, able to perform the ’Hundred-step Piercing Willow.’ The Marquis often stands far with an apple on his head for others to shoot." "Isn’t Marquis Dongxiang afraid?" Heir of Marquis Beining sweated visibly on his forehead. This is too ruthless. Xingxing covered her mouth and laughed, "The Marquis fears no one, only fears the lady’s archery. He even lets the eldest young master shoot blindfolded." Xingxing didn’t know how much her words shocked Su Jin and the others. To her, it was just everyday life on Qingyun Mountain. It was how they lived daily. She was immersed in her memories of Su Jin’s archery. That day, Su Chong hit the apple on Marquis Dongxiang’s head with his eyes covered, giving Su Jin a proud glance. That glance made Su Jin unwilling to accept it. She wanted to try too. That day, Marquis Dongxiang was almost scared senseless. If Su Jin stood too far, her arrow wouldn’t even reach Marquis Dongxiang. Su Jin was self-aware; she moved closer step by step before aiming. That day, an arrow flew past Marquis Dongxiang’s ear, nearly scaring him to death. Chu Shun drank some tea before asking, "Is your eldest young master really that skilled?" Xingxing nodded, "Of course he is." Even though the maid was honest, Chu Shun found it hard to believe. They once fought Su Chong, and the four of them working together barely managed to gain the upper hand. Of course, if Su Chong wanted to escape, they couldn’t do a thing. They always felt there wasn’t much of a gap between them and Su Chong. After all, the four of them were a group, so they didn’t mind winning with numbers. Having more people is a kind of strength too. But when Xingxing said Su Chong could shoot a willow leaf a hundred steps away while blindfolded, Chu Shun refused to believe it. If that’s true, wouldn’t the gap between them be too huge? Unless they saw it with their own eyes, they wouldn’t believe it even if beaten to death. They were impatient people, and Xingxing had piqued their curiosity, making them a bit restless. After discussing the store-opening matters with Su Jin and collecting a silver note of ten thousand taels, they left. Passing through the bustling streets on their way to the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, Chu Shun and the others entered a weapon shop and picked out a good bow. After all, it was their first time visiting the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, and they couldn’t go empty-handed. Not long after leaving the weapon shop, they encountered Su Chong. Chu Shun went over, hooked his arm around his shoulder, and said, "We just came back from the Duke Mansion. That little maid Xingxing said you could shoot a willow leaf a hundred steps away. Could you show us?" "What’s there to see?" Su Chong said casually. "....." "Brother Su, saying that makes us look ignorant," Prince NanAn said, feeling defeated. "Nothing to see in shooting a willow leaf a hundred steps away? Not many people in the Capital can do that, and we’ve never seen it," the Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Manson announced. "I heard that fifteen years ago, the Heir of Duke Chong was highly skilled in archery and was known as ’Eagle Eye,’" said the Heir of Marquis Beining. "....." Su Chong remained silent. Chu Shun said, "Why aren’t you saying anything?" Su Chong glanced at him and said, "Because I realize you all seem truly ignorant." Chu Shun, "....." Prince NanAn, "....." The Heir of Marquis Beining, "....." The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Manson, "....." Almost spat out blood. Chu Shun tossed the bow to Su Chong, saying, "Shoot that eagle above and then talk to me...." Before the words were out. Su Chong had already nocked the arrow onto the bow. An arrow shot out. The unlucky eagle fell from the sky. A blow. A bare-naked blow. Chu Shun silently took back the bow and arrow from Su Chong’s hands and asked, "How did you train?" "How else to train, practice hard whenever possible. I tell you, now I almost throw up looking at a target," Su Chong said. "It was my fault, too, being young and gullible. When I started learning archery at six, my father said, the people outside Qingyun Mountain are highly skilled in archery, and if you can’t shoot a willow leaf a hundred steps away, going down the mountain to compare archery with others is like showing off before an expert and disgraceful to Qingyun Mountain," Su Chong said wistfully. "....." "With the people around me being able to shoot a willow leaf a hundred steps away, and ridiculing me daily, I believed it," Su Chong said. "....." All..... all can? "How many on Qingyun Mountain can shoot a willow leaf a hundred steps away?" Prince NanAn asked. "Haven’t counted, but at least eighty?" Su Chong said. ".....!!!" Chu Shun and the others were petrified on the spot. Finally— The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion struggled to speak, "I remember two years ago when the court dispatched troops to suppress bandits, all the wounded soldiers had arrows in their left legs, except for one with an arrow in the buttock and another with an arrow in the shoulder." "Those two were shot by my dad," Su Chong said. "....." "It was at that time my dad’s mediocre archery skills were exposed." "....." Chu Shun swallowed, "Your dad’s archery is mediocre, yet he trained over eighty archers capable of shooting a willow leaf a hundred steps away?" "How did he teach?" Prince NanAn asked curiously. Su Chong sighed, "My dad just taught the basics and added ’a master leads the way while practice makes perfect,’ then left us alone. When checking our training, he never touched the bow and instead placed a fruit on his forehead." "We couldn’t make a joke out of my dad’s life, so we had to train hard." "My dad used this method to teach us for a whole ten years." "....." Prince NanAn admitted defeat, "Why didn’t he continue to hide it in the end?" Su Chong cleared his throat and said, "He secretly practiced in the background, thinking he was good enough and wanted to show off, only to expose himself." Chu Shun, "....." Prince NanAn, "....." The Heir of Marquis Beining, "....." The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion, "....." Struggling not to laugh.

Chapter 167 Eagle Eye

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