Everyone is getting ready. The man with the eye patch look at Peach. She feels fear but she can't show it. Her nose is in the air and she swallow her saliva. He smirk and said. "My lady, this is just a simple competition. Nothing to be excited about."
"I am not ... excited."
"My Lady, are you sure you can hit those target?"
"I think i can. Sir, just be careful where you are hitting. Don't shot our horses" He growl and look ahead. The Sun is now on their left and the moving targets are on their right. The five marksman are getting ready and with the blow of the horn.
The horn is blown and the marksmen hit their horses to ride in a distance to the moving targets. It wasn't easy not to accidentally hit on the other competitors' horses. Peach try to ride in a safe distance yet she is confident enough to hit the moving target at sight. As she rides nearer she sees her target board. She reach out for her arrow to load on the bow. She grip on to her saddle to ensure she have stability. Once she see the moving target is at her sight, she aim fire and shoot. The horse continue to ride on till she pull back. After getting off the horse, the moving target board is removed and place at the chair at the center for all to see. The arrow with red tail belongs to Tang Li. It hits bull's eye. While the arrow with white tail belongs to Peach is near the bull's eye. Peach sigh it's the best she can do for now. Tang Li walk up to Peach while holding the reins.
"That is a good try, Peach. Do better on the next event." Peach did not say anything but nod her head. Together, they walk back to the stable.
While waiting for the nest event to get ready, the crown prince turns up. Everyone bow to him and he smile. With a long stride and walk to to the tent that have the rest of the judges are all siting in. He sits on the middle chair comfortably and look for his sister. He sees the Su flag and smile.
The next event, all the contestens walk up to the target board. A leopard figure is in the middle of the fabric. It is fluttering in the air even though it is hold down on all four corners, it won't be easy to hit at all. A lottery is drawn to see who goes first. Li Tong is the fourth and Peach is the third. The first three men each had their turns with their breath hold and aim when they are ready. Each of them miss the heart. When Tang Li's turn, she take a deep breath and aim when she feels it is the right time. She almost hit the heart. Peach did not give it too much a though but she aim and try to see the heart and predict when the wind will push the cloth at the precise moment. She release the arrow and watch the arrow fly towards the target. It hit on the heart but it wasn't at the center but still she gain a lot of points for that. The last is the one eye marksmen. He too manage to hit the heart at the center. Everyone was in joyous mood. All contesters bow to each other. Peach see her brother in the tent. She bow to him as always.
Tang Li see the crown prince for the first time, she is shock to see him. He is the image of the man she missed. She walk in a haste only to be disappointed when she walk near. He doesn't have the height of Xuan Wen. This is the boy who is still growing up. He have a smile on his face which Xuan Wen rarely will have.
Everyone gather at the main tent and the crown prince is very uncomfortable with Tang Li staring at him from head to toe. He try to avoid her sight by hiding behind men who are bulkier than him. His smile slowly fade away while Duke Su notice this too thus he asked the judges to hurry with the score points and allow all the men to go home before the sun sets.
After the events are done, the crown prince leaves after giving out the prizes. He quickly get on his carriage with Peach and Duke Su sending him off. Tang Li's husband BaiLi Yan Rui comes to fetch with her. She comes up to Peach before she leaves. "I hope to see you again. We may not be a real family but we are family once. If you should encounter any problem, come to me. I will help you."
Peach remain quiet and bow. She look up to see BaiLi Yan Rui standing near them however he is engage in a conversation with her grandfather. She wonder why is this man in love with her step mother. Yan Rui despite his full beard, Peach can see the youth in him. They all bow and the couple left Duke Su and Peach.
"Tang Li married this Marquis BaiLi not long ago. They have a son now. When she married your father, she is not having a good life. When two generals marry who will listen who will follow. Your father and her are good example. One needs to be soft and the other needs to be hard. So both hard elements together will continue to knock nonstop."
"This BaiLi is a good match for her?"
"Well, he is an obedience man. He listen to his wife a lot. Maybe he is young and falling in love with a tough woman is his destiny. He made his father angry but the birth of a grandson makes him a boastful old man of this city. If Tang Li gives birth to a second child, that one will probably inherit the army that her clan had built up. Now the Tang clan have decline in the number of people especially men. The only survival ones are two young boys who seems to be sickly and a grand uncle. All hopes on Tang Li to produce another child but she is getting older. We don't know if she can give birth again. Let's go home. Your grandmother must be waiting for us."
"She will be disappointed that i did not get the first place."
"No i think you are the one who is disappointed. We will never be disappointed with you."
Peach smile and walk with light footed.