Li Wanming couldn't figure out how the topic had shifted from agriculture, sericulture, commerce, and trade being the foundation of the state to sending two junior generals to compete with her.
Would competing with her have an impact on agriculture, sericulture, commerce, and trade?
Wasn't this just nonsense!
Moreover, why did a daughter from a military family have to be outstanding?
Couldn't a military family produce a carefree and reckless girl?
Although since the incident at Half - Stone Mountain, she had studied with Xiao Jingnan for a few days and, under his guidance, started practicing archery and using a short knife.
However, she was still far from being able to compete with the elite soldiers in the army!
If they really had a competition, she would be knocked down within two rounds!
By then, not only the Li and Cheng families... but even the Cheng clan in Langya would surely be disgraced because of her!
Xiao Jingnan knew her level and stood up to stop them. "General, you're joking. My wife is just a delicate woman. She only knows how to brew wine. How can she compete with the soldiers in the army?"
His intention was to hope that Liang Xiong would give him and his father's family some face and stop this nonsense...
Unfortunately, Liang Xiong had been stationed in the northwest all year round and didn't recognize him.
Seeing that Xiao Jingnan was thin - built, with a fair complexion, and knowing that he was the accountant and steward in the prince's mansion, Liang Xiong said bluntly, "What do you know? Don't underestimate Lady Li! She will be... will be..."
Liang Xiong hesitated for a long time and didn't dare to say the words "take charge of the prince's mansion". He could only stiffen his neck and say, "We'll stop once we make contact. We won't hurt anyone!"
Han He was standing nearby, breaking out in a cold sweat.
You big - brutes! You're all so brainless!
You're only eager to see the princess of the heir apparent. Don't you even think about who the heir apparent is!
Now, right in front of the heir apparent, you want to drag out his wife for a fight. Do you think it will make him look good?
Thinking of this, Han He wanted to persuade them tactfully.
"General, today is a happy day for General Feng. Let's not disturb his pleasure. Besides, the general's mansion has just been renovated. It's not suitable to cause a commotion..."
"Why are you, Minister Han, so indecisive?"
Liang Xiong was unhappy. "So what if it's just renovated? We're not those pedantic civil officials... Wherever our soldiers are, there's a training ground!"
Although the Ministry of War was in charge of the military affairs of the whole country, it was not in the same system as the military generals who actually had to fight on the battlefield.
Liang Xiong was directly under General Feng's command and not under Han He's jurisdiction. So he had no respect for this Minister of War.
Moreover, he always thought that the officials in the Ministry of War were effeminate, so he was even more impatient to listen to their nagging.
Han He had always been at a loss with these big - brutes in the army.
Hearing Liang Xiong's retort, although he was angry, he had no other choice. He could only curse secretly in his heart: You idiot who doesn't appreciate good intentions. Don't drag me down when you get into trouble in the future!
Liang Xiong looked up and his eyes fell on Xiao Jingnan. He frowned.
"Hey, you!"
"I don't like what you just said. What do you mean by 'a delicate woman'? The women of our Great Sheng are not so fragile!"
"Not to mention others, take Lady Yuan, Lady Li's mother, for example. She wields a long spear with extraordinary skill. Who in the suburban camp of the capital doesn't admire and respect her? Why can't her daughter do it?"
His words were straightforward, but they hit Li Wanming's heart.
Why did women have to be delicate?
Take her mother, for example, or the founding empress of the Great Sheng Dynasty. They were both fierce generals who could hunt tigers on the mountain and catch dragons in the water. They were no worse than men!
However, although she thought so, Li Wanming knew her own limitations.
Just because other women could hunt tigers and catch dragons didn't mean she could.
But since Liang Xiong had said this, if she refused again, she would seem cowardly and would surely disgrace her mother.
This was absolutely unacceptable.
Li Wanming pondered for a moment, then looked up and smiled. "General Yunhui, don't be impatient. What Minister Han said makes sense. General Feng's garden is so beautiful. It would be a pity if it were damaged."
"I have a way. We can compete without causing a commotion."
Liang Xiong asked, "What way?"
Li Wanming smiled faintly and said two words, "Arrow - throwing into the pot."
Arrow - throwing into the pot was a game that the nobles of the Sheng Dynasty liked to play during banquets.
The rules were very simple. A long - necked round - mouthed pot with two ears was placed. The guests stood at a certain distance and threw arrows into the pot. The one who threw in the most arrows would win.
Liang Xiong thought she had some novel idea. When he heard it was arrow - throwing into the pot, he curled his lips and said disdainfully,
"I thought it was some great method. It's just this? If you're afraid to compete, just say so!"
He had been training soldiers in the suburban camp of the capital recently and had a deep impression of Yuan Jinqiu's bravery and resourcefulness.
At first, when he heard that the Heir Apparent of Prince Ning had married her daughter, he was very happy, thinking that the Great Sheng was about to produce another outstanding female general.
But when he saw Li Wanming today, he found that she was short and thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed and murmured in his heart: Could this frail body shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Prince Ning's Mansion?
You know, the Prince Ning's Mansion was not just the Prince Ning's Mansion. It was the link between the Xiao and Huo families.
And the princess of the heir apparent was not just the princess of the heir apparent. She was also related to the inheritance of the Xiao and Huo families.
All the soldiers of the Great Sheng were looking forward to the heir apparent marrying a wife who was good at fighting, so that the couple could ride on the battlefield together and recover the lost land in the southern border.
But now...
The princess of the heir apparent was as weak as a chick. Not to mention fighting on the battlefield, she probably couldn't even lift a spear.
Li Wanming waved to a maid, whispered a few words in her ear, then looked up and smiled. "The pots you usually use for arrow - throwing are the big ones with two ears and a round mouth. What's the fun in that?"
"But the pot we're going to use today is the Wind - Leaf Pot."
"The Wind - Leaf Pot?" Liang Xiong was stunned.
As he was speaking, the maid who had left just now had already brought a white - glazed long - necked gall - shaped vase. The mouth of the vase was extremely thin and long, only the size of a copper coin.
Li Wanming ordered someone to tie the vase to a willow branch. The autumn wind blew, and the willow branch swayed gently, causing the long - necked vase to sway slightly as well.
"This is the Wind - Leaf Vase."
She broke off a long and slender reed stem from the side and motioned to Liang Xiong. "General, we'll use the reeds as arrows. The distance is three zhang. The one who throws in the most arrows wins. How about it?"
Liang Xiong was stunned and hesitated.
If it were a competition of archery, he wouldn't be afraid even at a distance of a hundred steps.
But this Wind - Leaf Vase was really tricky.
Firstly, the mouth of the vase was too small, and it was swaying with the wind, so it was not easy to hit.
Secondly, the reed stem was thin and very light, and it was not easy to be forced. If you just threw it casually, it might fall to the ground before it even reached the vase.
He was a bit unconvinced and said gruffly, "Who can throw an arrow into such a vase?"
"What, are you afraid, General?"
Li Wanming had already ordered the maids in the general's mansion to break dozens of long and slender reed stems and put them aside. She said loudly,
"General, let's limit it to five reeds. If I lose, I'll kneel down and pour you tea to apologize!"
There was a cunning light in her eyes, and her posture was straight, like a poplar tree on the desert border!
Come on!
What was Li Wanming best at?
Eating, drinking, and having fun!
This Wind - Leaf Vase was a trick she had come up with after getting bored with arrow - throwing into the pot.
Not to mention throwing reeds, even if it were embroidery needles, she could hit the target every time!