Thirty-Nine Loyalty to the Country Two Arrows Piercing the Skull

  Xiao Wu's eyes also opened, and his gaze fell on the bow held up by Han Bin as he made his way through the crowd. It shone brightly like a sunny day after clouds have been swept away. This was an ancient bronze-colored simple large bow with no carvings or decorations. The length and thickness of the bow arms exceeded those of ordinary cow horn hard bows, while the bowstring was thinner instead. He blurted out: "Good bow!"

  "Of course it's a good bow, haven't you heard 'In the army there is a Han, the western thieves hear about it and their hearts are chilled'? This is actually the spoils of war obtained by my great-great-grandfather when he conquered the western thieves. It's said to be able to shoot 400 steps, unfortunately no one has been able to draw it for decades." Han Bin couldn't help but boast, his great-great-grandfather being the three-time prime minister Han Qi of the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty had a habit of having civil officials or even eunuchs lead the army in order to avoid the story of Emperor Taizu of Song Zhao Kuangyin's yellow robe being repeated, and back then Han Qi had led troops to fight against Western Xia.

  "It's the treasure passed down by Duke Wei!" Xiao Wu bowed and received the large bow with great respect, drew the string for a try, and it was as if a thousand-mile horse had been fitted with a golden saddle. With a spirited expression, he said, "Bring me arrows!"

  Earlier, the guard who had taken the bow handed up a bag of carved feather arrows. Xiao Wu took out three, biting two in his mouth and placing one on the string, pointing far into the distance, making a gesture for everyone to scatter.

  The crowd in this direction was busy and suddenly flashed out of an empty space, just opposite a old elm tree in the courtyard, about two hundred steps away. Seeing Xiao Wu raise his arrowhead, he didn't even aim, drew his bow and shot, one arrow had just left the string when another arrow was already on the string, shooting three arrows in one breath.

  The crowd watched with wide eyes and open mouths, not knowing who started it first. They all rushed towards the old elm tree together. When they arrived in front of it, they saw three arrows with carved feathers arranged in a triangular shape nailed to the main trunk, very deep into the wood. A burst of applause erupted, for such archery skills and shooting techniques were truly unprecedented.

  "Good fellow, hurry up!" Han Xiao finally gained confidence and urged

  Xiao Wu stood in front of the big tree, gazing at the target for a moment, nodded, and lightly drew an arrow. He turned around and left. The guard holding the quiver reminded him: "Good fellow, your quiver!"

  "One leg is enough!" Xiaowu shouted this sentence and went up to the watchtower without looking back.

  The master of the silver ingots didn't show up for half a day, only a young man named Zhuang Han kept going back and forth. The thieves below became more and more restless, and their leader, impatiently tapping his horse's hooves, muttered to himself about Han Jiu'er: "Little girl, I've seen many beauties before, but none of them can compare to you... You're not married yet, why don't you marry me, Zhang Chao?"

  Han Jiuer's face turned red as she ignored the bandit leader's teasing, and instead focused her hopeful gaze on the watchtower and the main gate. She deeply believed that her loving father and brother would definitely think of a way to rescue her. As for this unexpected appearance of Zhuang Han, she was also somewhat curious about him. From such a distance, she couldn't see his facial features clearly, but she could tell that he wasn't very old, yet she couldn't have imagined that he would be the one to bring her hope of rescue.

  The young man on the tower, Zhuang Han, suddenly raised a bow and arrow, startling the bandits, thinking that something had changed, and their formation became chaotic. However, they heard him shout: "Good fellow, there is a letter from the yamen, I want to shoot it at you!"

  Instinctively frightened, Zhang Chao hid behind Han Jiu'er's back and looked around, but the Han mansion was quiet, and at such a distance, unless it was a strong crossbow, arrows couldn't reach. He silently cursed himself for being overly cautious, losing the leader's prestige for nothing. He poked his head out again, shouting: "I'm illiterate, what bird letter am I looking at? As long as I see silver, that's all!"

  The little Wu wanted to achieve was this extremely brief interval of drawing the bow and aiming, lightning-fast stringing of the arrow, pulling it full moon, tail of the arrow raised and released, three movements in one breath, only to hear a "whoosh" sound, the carved feather arrow piercing through the wind straight down, making the men and women of the Han family downstairs look like their hearts were about to jump out, Han Xiaoqiang even held his breath...

  Xiao Wu did not know that the arrow he shot would change not only his own life, but also the life of another person - Han Jiu'er, and even alter the course of a dynasty and the history of an entire nation...

  Only to see that arrow with a sharp whistling sound rushing towards her, Han Jiu'er's small mouth opened wide, before she could even cry out, she felt the bandit leader behind her tremble once, and suddenly he fell head-first onto the horse. She stared at him in shock, an arrow had actually pierced through his skull, those dead fish-like eyes still staring at her with a dazed expression... The little girl's belated scream finally echoed through the sky above the village.

  The bandits had not yet reacted when they saw their leader shot dead by a single arrow, and one by one lost their courage and morale, and the formation was in great disorder.

  Xiao Wu stood like a god on the top of the watchtower, looking down at the leaderless thieves below, with an empty bow and pointing finger, his voice thundering: "You still don't retreat, do you want to end up like this thief?"

  "When we meet a hard nut, let's scatter!" Someone shouted, and the hundreds of thieves gathered suddenly scattered like ants in a frying pan. They came quickly and left quickly, and in an instant, the vast open space outside the Dayu Hall was empty, leaving only one person, one horse, and one corpse.

  Han Jiuer stared blankly at the corpse of the bandit leader who had died with his eyes open, this was the first time in her life she had been so close to death. She thought that if the arrow had deviated by just a few inches, it might have been herself lying on the ground, and she shuddered with fear.

  "Is Ninth Sister all right?" The silver-haired Magistrate Han Zhi hastily returned to his residence under the escort of several yamen runners and constables. As soon as he entered the central hall, without bothering to greet anyone else, he first asked about his frightened granddaughter.

  "Ah, Grandfather, I almost didn't get to see you!" Han Jiuer, who had been carefully taken care of by Lianxiang, finally found an outlet for her emotions and threw herself into her grandfather's arms, wailing loudly.

  "Well, well, as long as nothing's wrong." Governor Han examined his granddaughter from head to toe, relieved that she was unharmed. He then turned to his eldest son, "Xiao Chou, why haven't you invited the brave warrior who repelled the bandits to come in and meet me?"

  At this moment, the mighty warrior Xiao Wu, who was the focus of everyone's attention in the Han Mansion, was using the excuse of going to the toilet to avoid the celebrations of the crowd. He buried his head and squatted over the cesspit, where, without anyone else around, his legs shook violently as the familiar smell of manure gradually relaxed the tension that had been building up inside him.

  It's a lie to say that he wasn't nervous, at the moment when the arrow was shot out, Xiao Wu's whole body sweated so much that his underwear was almost soaked. Although he had confidence in his archery skills, this time he was shooting at a person. Heaven! This was his first time killing someone, even if the bandit deserved to die, it was still a life... Suddenly, he heard someone calling him outside, Xiao Wu hastily wiped his butt with a bamboo stick and pulled up his pants to come out.

  Xiao Wu stepped into the main hall of Huajin Tang with a slightly tense expression. He knew that the central hall was where important family matters were handled, and ordinary people were not allowed to enter. He saw Han Xiao and his daughter standing on either side, while Han Zhizhou sat in the middle, still wearing his official uniform. With a somewhat formal bow, he said: "Your humble servant pays respects to Governor Han!"

  "Never mind, it's not like we're in a temple." Governor Han spoke with a gentle tone, nodding in approval, without taking credit or being arrogant. He was indeed a man who could be taught.

  "Are you my lifesaver? Lift your head!" Han Jiu'er swaggered to Xiao Wu's side, according to the rules, the central hall was not a place for women to speak, but she relied on her grandfather's doting and had no qualms.

  "Good girl!" Little Wu respectfully raised his head, and his nose caught a whiff of the unique fragrance of a young girl, just like the scent of his new bride on their wedding night three months ago. Thinking of his lovely wife at home, his eyes softened.

  "What's your name? Stand up and answer!" Han Jiu'er showed a hint of disappointment. This lifesaver was as unimpressive as his rough clothing, which was in stark contrast to the refined education she had received at home. Unlike her family's emphasis on literature over martial arts, little Han Jiu'er had always admired the great heroes who had fought bravely in battle - Xiang Yu, Han Xin, and Zhou Yu. The heroes in her mind were all dashing and heroic, but this lifesaver was far from it.

  "My surname is Yue, and I'm the fifth in line. You can just call me Yue Wu." Little Five stood up, clasped his hands together in front of his chest, and bowed slightly in response.

  "What's your name?" Han Jiu'er stomped her foot, she didn't like his humble appearance, the fierce look he had on the watchtower just now was what she called impressive.

  "The little one has only a single surname and a flying word, without any formal name." Xiao Wu's forehead was secretly sweating, feeling that talking to this Ninth Maiden was more exhausting than killing bandits.

  According to ancient customs, men were capped at the age of 20 to show adulthood and took their style name at that time. In the Song Dynasty, men could be capped between the ages of 12 and 20, and capping meant wrapping one's head. Xiao Wu had already married, but poor families worried about making a living, who had the leisure to take a style name?

  "Brave young man, you're already of age, how can you not have a name? Yue Fei, Peng Fei spreads his wings, with lofty aspirations. I'll give you a name, Peng Ju, what do you think?" Han Zhizhou felt increasingly fond of this humble and courteous youth, and intervened to relieve his embarrassment.

  "Excellent, thank you for the inscription!" Xiao Wu bowed again, unaware that this name would be engraved on the temple of a nation, worshipped by countless descendants including those with the surname Han.

  "Right! Yue Wu, Han Mou said in public that whoever can rescue my daughter will grant him any request. What do you want, just speak up." Han Xiao Qu asked with some difficulty, he had been thinking about this for a long time and was secretly regretful, what if Yue Wu made an excessive demand?

  Han Jiuer's face showed disdain upon hearing this, and in his heart, he looked down on the person who had saved his life even more. It turned out that he had only acted to save him because of the reward for his father.

  "The little man mustered up the courage to borrow a small amount of millet, about one stone, from the yamen runner, promising to repay it by the beginning of autumn!" Xiao Wu didn't have any intention of repaying the kindness and had just walked out of the successful feeling of hitting two birds with one arrow, back into the reality of his predicament. He had just spent half a day grinding away at the storehouse head, but only managed to borrow one dou, in a poor household, no matter how much they economized or mixed in wild vegetables, they could barely hold on for half a month."

  "This... okay, okay!" Han Xiaoqu was taken aback, not expecting Yue Wu's request to be so low, and hastily agreed, as if afraid he would change his mind.

  "I'll be the host, Peng Ju, I'll lend you as much as your strength can carry." Han Zhizhou knew well that a man with backbone would not accept food from others without working for it, so he went along with it.

  "Thank you, Master!" Xiao Wu was overjoyed and knocked his head to the ground. With his strength that could draw a three-stone bow, carrying three or four stones of millet would be no problem. This way, the entire spring and summer's food supply was solved.

  "I won't agree!" A voice cut in from the side, and it was Jiuniang who had been ignored earlier. She pouted her small mouth and leaned on her grandfather's body, "Ah-yong, is your most beloved grandson only worth a few stones of millet? The majestic Dayu Hall used only a few stones of millet to send away the good man who saved the young lady from the mansion, if this gets out, won't people laugh their teeth off... Xiang Wu, you're too bullying!"

  "Little, little person...... Not this, that meaning......" Seeing Jiu Niang suddenly turn the spearhead towards herself, Xiao Wu was embarrassed and at a loss for what to do, and even began to stutter.

  "Jiǔ Piāo Tóu, don't be naughty..." Han Xiao Chu also felt that her daughter was right, but she was being too playful in front of a tenant and her grandfather, which was somewhat unbecoming. She turned to her father, "I'll wrap up some more gold and silver and send them to Yue Wu."

  "Father, are you going to give a thousand taels of gold to Yue Wu?" Han Jiu'er raised another objection, and immediately her face turned red. Her original intention was to compare her own body worth a thousand taels of gold, but when heard by others, it sounded like she was offering herself to Yue Wu. Luckily, the little girl reacted quickly, "Our family has an even better proposal..."

  Han Jiuer whispered a few words in his grandfather's ear, and Han Zhizhou burst out laughing: "Peng Ju, are you married? Jiuer wants to marry her maid Lianxiang to you."

  Lotus fragrance, who was attending the young master at the side, heard this and twisted and turned, neither walking nor staying, until her face turned bright red.

  "Ah?" Xiao Wu looked at Han Jiuer in surprise, seeing her pink face slightly red, wondering what she was thinking. He bowed again, "Thank you, Master and Miss for your kindness. I have been taught by my parents since childhood not to take external wealth, so I must decline the gold and silver. Moreover, I am already married to Liu Shi, and I dare not hope for another woman."

  You stinky Wu Xiong, not loving gold and silver, not greedy for female charm, a mere peddler's apprentice like you, can't have any great ambitions, right? Han Jiu'er looked at Xiao Wu's square face full of vegetable colors with a pair of sparkling eyes, and really couldn't understand him.

  "Indeed, you're a good fellow! However, if I don't reward you, others will laugh at the Han family. Let me take charge again and gift you this great bow that can shoot down thieves with one arrow!" Hanzhou's eyes were filled with admiration for Yuewu, never expecting to find such a person among the rural villagers, and he made a mental note to promote him when the opportunity arose.

  "Ah……this?" Xiao Wu couldn't help but reveal his delight, yet hesitated for a moment. In the eyes of a martial artist, a good weapon was worth more than gold and silver. He thought about declining again, but couldn't bear to part with it. Moreover, the other family had treated him with great courtesy for three generations. He was also a decisive person, so he chose to accept with gratitude. Fourth bow, "This is really killing me."

  "We, the descendants of the Han family, have been scholars for generations. The large bow is also just a decoration, and giving it to you would be putting it to good use. Peng Ju's archery skills are astonishing, I wonder who his teacher was?" Talented people are hard to come by, and Governor Han asked with interest.

  "He was apprenticed to Zhou Cong, who passed away two years ago due to illness." Xiaowu's expression turned gloomy, and as he thought of his master's teachings from back then, his nose turned sour, and he almost shed tears.

  His true feelings moved the grandfather and grandson sitting opposite him, but Han Xiaoqian was unmoved, thinking that there was no need to be so courteous to a tenant who had saved his life.

  After the sun had passed its peak, the cooking smoke from the village houses gradually dissipated. The willow trees by the side of the road faintly sprouted green buds. This familiar scene looked particularly beautiful in Xiao Wu's eyes. He carried a large bronze bow on his back and two big bags on his shoulders, making his already large head look even smaller. Despite being heavily loaded, Xiao Wu walked with ease, eager to get home quickly and tell his family about the good things that had happened today.

  In the distance, a low thatched cottage surrounded by a fence appeared, which was the tenant house allocated to Xiao Wu and his wife by the Han family. There were three rooms in total, two of which were living quarters and one was a cowshed. Xiao Wu seemed to see the smiling face of his mother-in-law welcoming him home, so he quickened his pace.

  Pushing open the creaky gate, a woman wearing a grey cloth headscarf and a loose-fitting blouse with a gathered skirt was bent over at the well in the courtyard, drawing water. Although her attire was simple, it couldn't conceal her slender figure. Xiao Wu quietly set down the grain and crept up behind the woman, suddenly sweeping his arm around her waist and lifting her off the ground.

  "Ah! What kind of person? In broad daylight, you dare to bully a good woman?" A soft and melodious cry came from Xiao Wu's arms as he turned his face around. It was a delicate and beautiful face with a dignified appearance, her pale skin not showing any rustic air of a country girl. Two natural blushes hung on her cheeks, making one's heart skip a beat. It was Liu Lian, Xiao Wu's new bride. She saw the person clearly, turned from anger to joy, and wrapped her arms around Xiao Wu's neck, "Husband, why did you come back so late?"

  "My dear wife, I'm going to make a big show today..." Xiaowu, although he had always been self-disciplined with the calm temperament required of a martial artist, couldn't help but want to boast to his family.

  "Brother Wu, Sister-in-law, come in and have dinner." Unexpectedly, a smiling green-shirted woman poked her head out from inside the house. If it wasn't Han Jiuer's maid Lianxiang, who could it be?

  "Yuelang, it's still Jiuniang who is considerate of others, allowing me to gain a good sister, serving you together." Liu Bi gazed at her husband with a pair of watery apricot eyes, without any hint of displeasure.

  "My daughter, I haven't..." Xiaowu's boastful words got stuck in his throat as he suddenly remembered Han Jiuer's intention to marry Lianxiang to himself. How could this audacious Ninth Girl force him into marriage? He hastily put down the household chores and wanted to explain, but unexpectedly, the housewife turned around and went back inside with a flick of her sleeve.

  Xiao Wu followed the aroma into the house, and a savory meat smell instantly wafted up his nose and into his growling stomach, drawing his gaze to a beautifully crafted red lacquer food tray placed on an old, worn-out wooden table. The four-grid tray was filled with four dishes of vibrant colors and enticing aromas. Xiao Wu recognized one of them as Four Happiness Meatballs, steaming hot, which made his mouth water uncontrollably, having not tasted meat for months.

  "Lotus Fragrance sister, tell me, what's going on?" Little Wu showed composure beyond his age at this moment, resisting the temptation of food and asking seriously.

  Only to see Liu Wei with a sly look in her eyes, whispering something in Lian Xiang's ear for a moment. The two women immediately covered their mouths and laughed together. After a while, Lian Xiang finally replied breathlessly: "Fifth brother, you can rest assured and enjoy your food and drink... this is specially made by Ninth Sister to reward you... she wants to marry me off to you, I'm worried that you won't be able to provide for me and Auntie."

  "It's just, it's just..." Xiaowu's stone in his heart finally fell to the ground, and he scratched his head with a silly smile.

  Since arriving in Anyang County, this was the most lively day for Xiao Wu and his wife. Until night fell, the couple blew out the lights and snuggled into bed, but unlike usual, they didn't fall asleep immediately, instead whispering sweet nothings to each other.

  "Yue Lang, from now on, the Han family will have a different view of you. What do you plan to do?" Liu Wei said with increasing excitement.

  "My daughter, I have the ability to rely on my own two hands to create a world for myself. I don't want to rely on others to lift me up." Xiao Wu responded with her hands behind her head, showing quite some spirit.

  "One day you'll be a noble lady, why don't you just get rid of this worthless wife...” Liu Wei's nose suddenly felt sour.

  "Good wife, I, Yue Fei and Yue Peng, point to the sky and swear, I will never betray you! One day, I will call you 'Madam'..." Xiaowu's enthusiasm finally burst out. It is worth noting that only high-ranking officials and their spouses in the Song Dynasty have the qualification to address each other as "Gong" (husband) and "Fu Ren" (wife).

  "Master, our family will be well served tonight..." Liu Lian, who was one year older than Xiao Wu, naturally didn't take her husband's words seriously and playfully teased him. After all, who could believe that a rustic village man would one day enter the imperial court and become famous for generations to come?