Chapter 127: Ten Arrows, One Hundred Rings

"He must have finished shooting by now, right? After all, this is an examination; if he didn't finish, his score wouldn't be very high, would it?" someone said hesitantly, though they didn't seem to believe it themselves.

"Sigh, he is still too young and impulsive. He should have let that Akhal-Teke horse run slower; otherwise, there really might not be enough time to shoot all the arrows," an old official remarked, shaking his head.

"In my opinion, he’s just here to show off that horse. Such a fine steed should have been presented to His Majesty. How could it be wasted on a brat like this?" another muttered.

Just then, the examiners finished inspecting all the targets. The scores for the group of five were released. Suddenly, a warhorse was seen galloping toward them; everyone recognized it as the junior officer coming to report the results.

"I didn't expect that there would be a martial arts student in this group who hit all ten targets. Do you think it could be Fang Xian, the top scholar?" someone speculated.

"Impossible, surely? His horse was running so fast—it would be a feat just to finish shooting, let alone hit all ten targets," the vast majority of the students dismissed the notion.

"Xia Zhenghong, don't tell me you actually think Fang Xian hit all ten?" Guo Shunsheng asked with a laugh.

"I think he did. How about it? Is the six thousand taels of silver ready?" Xia Zhenghong retorted.

"What silver?" Fang Xian asked, having overheard them nearby.

"This guy is infuriating. At first, he claimed you wouldn't even hit five targets and wanted to bet with me. When I took him up on it, he backed out and changed it to seven, betting three thousand taels. He said for every extra target hit, he’d add a thousand, and if you missed one, I'd pay an extra thousand. If you hit all ten, this jerk owes me six thousand taels!" Xia Zhenghong explained hurriedly.

"Then I congratulate you," Fang Xian said with a calm smile, not at all offended that the two were using him as a wager. He was happy to let Xia Zhenghong win some pocket money for his unwavering faith, though he doubted whether Guo Shunsheng would actually pay up, as the man didn't look like the type to admit defeat.

"Fang Xian, ten arrows on target, total score of one hundred points!" At that moment, the galloping junior officer shouted excitedly. The entire reviewing stand fell into a dead silence, broken only by the sound of long, sharp intakes of breath.

"Did I hear that right? Ten targets hit, ten points each, a total of one hundred?" Xia Zhenghong grabbed Fang Xian’s arm and stared at him.

"Impossible, how could it be? Ten targets, ten points each? Did they misread it?" At this moment, both Guo Shunsheng and Xia Zhenghong were equally incredulous.

"Could there be a mistake? Go check again!" Even the officials on the stand were stunned. Chen Lin, the Minister of War, barked an order at the officer.

"As you command!" The officer immediately turned his horse and galloped back toward the range, while everyone’s gaze followed him, and some turned to stare at Fang Xian.

If hitting all ten targets for a score of eighty made one a master archer, what did a hundred points make someone? It suddenly occurred to some that Fang Xian only scored a hundred because the maximum possible score was one hundred, not because his skill was limited to that.

While many were still reeling, only Princess Wu Qingluan, sitting on the reviewing stand, covered her mouth and smiled. When Fang Xian said he was going to take the martial arts examination, she had believed in him completely.

Seeing his results, her eyes were filled with nothing but awe. Even at her level, with the Akhal-Teke horse moving at such high speed, achieving a perfect score of one hundred was impossible.

"Reporting! After a second verification, Fang Xian’s equestrian archery score is ten hits out of ten, for a total of one hundred points!" Before long, the officer returned and announced loudly at the base of the stand.

"My god, it’s actually true. All ten shots were ten points—every single one a bullseye," someone gasped in shock.

"Have you forgotten? Fang Xian’s Akhal-Teke horse runs twice as fast as an ordinary warhorse. That means he had half the time as everyone else to shoot. This is incredible!" someone else exclaimed.

The realization hit the crowd instantly: Fang Xian’s performance was so outstanding that it proved his skill had transcended that of an ordinary master archer and reached a higher realm. Though it sounded unrealistic, it was the truth.

"Guo Shunsheng, the six thousand taels. Hand it over," Xia Zhenghong said, laughing loudly at Guo Shunsheng. He was so happy he would have jumped if he weren't still on horseback.

"Who carries that much silver on them for an exam? I'll pay you back later," Guo Shunsheng said, his face ashen, looking like he had just lost a parent.

"You have so many friends here; surely none of you came out without a few hundred taels on you. Don't tell me, with your status, you don't have that much. Just pool it together," Xia Zhenghong insisted, shaking his head. He knew that if he didn't collect now, there was no way Guo Shunsheng would honor the bet once they left the grounds.

Under Xia Zhenghong’s mockery, Guo Shunsheng had no choice but to swallow his pride and borrow money from his friends. Some gave generously, but others quietly slipped away. They had mocked Fang Xian along with Guo Shunsheng earlier, but now they realized the man wasn't a novice but a king. Afraid of offending him, they paid their respects to the strong.

"Many thanks," Xia Zhenghong said, waving the stack of silver notes at Guo Shunsheng before handing the majority to Fang Xian. "This is the money won from your exam. A share for everyone who witnessed it."

"You keep it. Just buy me a drink later," Fang Xian said with a smile, refusing the money.

At that moment, Emperor Wu Qingdi stood up on the stand and looked toward Fang Xian. The students around him parted, allowing the Emperor to look him straight in the eye.

"Minister Fang recently won the top scholar title in the civil examinations. If you can win the martial title today as well, it will surely go down in history. Your equestrian archery is masterful; I hope you continue to perform well in the coming trials and do not bring shame to this fine Akhal-Teke horse," Emperor Wu Qingdi said loudly.

"I am grateful for Your Majesty’s favor. I will certainly live up to your expectations," Fang Xian replied, bowing and speaking in a clear voice. His gaze, however, drifted past the Emperor to the Princess behind him. Wu Qingluan quietly touched her lips with her finger and blew him a playful kiss.

The gesture was subtle, noticed only by Fang Xian. He was struck by her boldness—showing such affection in a public place—and felt a surge of adrenaline, determined to win the martial championship.

Shortly after, the equestrian archery test concluded. Fang Xian had earned his first victory, stunning everyone with his remarkable performance—the Emperor, the officials, and the students alike.

"Next, the second test of martial prowess: mounted combat. All candidates will draw lots for elimination matches. Training weapons will be used. Surrender is permitted, but intentional injury is forbidden," the Ministry of War official announced.

"You have fought side-by-side with Fang Xian. How is his martial skill?" Emperor Wu Qingdi asked, turning to Wu Qingluan, his favor for Fang Xian growing by the moment.