77 Black Lightning and Bowstrings Buzz (2/2)
The toxophily course was different from the riding course. He didn't need to compare with other people's scores. In the riding course exam, he had done his best to make sure they lagged behind him. Now, he aimed at a target a hundred meters away with a bow and arrow. He didn't think too much, he only needed to hit the bulls-eye each time.
If we compared goods, the worst ones would be tossed; if we compared people, the worst ones would die. If the nervous and sweating students who trembled when shooting the arrows knew his lowest requirement was to hit the bulls-eye every time, it was possible that they would be extremely angry.
Ning Que, however, not only thought but acted in this way. He drew the bow, placed an arrow, loosed his fingers, then the standard Tang military arrow would be shot and accurately hit the bulls-eye.
The former one had just hit the bulls-eye, and he'd already taken the second one from the quiver on his back. He shot again. The arrow feather skimmed the hard bone ring on his finger and expectedly hit the bulls-eye again.
His movement was not very fast. There was no magic scene in which the target one hundred meters away was shot through by lightning. Nor did the latter arrow split the former one in two. He just shot one by one steadily, a fantastic rhythm. The buzz of arrows seemed to be as soothing as music or the Spring wind.
His calm look and manner, perfectly standard posture, extremely rhythmical movement of controlling the bowstring, and highly accurate archery gradually attracted more and more people with less than thirty arrows. More and more people were surrounding him, including students, Instructors of the Academy and even two generals from the Military Ministry who had come to inspect.
In people's eyes, the lad on the meadow who drew the bow and shot arrows seemed to be a calm soldier who had experienced many battles and wouldn't be afraid even if thousands of soldiers came.
The general saw Ning Que shoot the last arrow, and said to his attendant, ”Find out which general taught the lad. If he doesn't enter into the Academy, let him re-enter the army.”
He paused, rubbed his greying hair, and said in a low voice, ”Keep this a secret. His original army could recall him. But we, the Yulin Royal Guards want him.
...
...
At dusk, the emperor and empress had already returned to Chang'an city. Only the prince and main examiner of all courses stayed to take care of the remaining items. The six courses had finally ended, and it was time to publish the list of successful students.
Hundreds of students quietly stood on tiptoe on the large stone grounds and raised their heads to see the blank shadow wall. They looked like hundreds of geese that had been starved for several days and were waiting for food.
Several Academy instructors slowly walked out of the building and made a bow to the prince. After they confirmed together with officials from the Ministry of Rites, they stepped onto the wooden desk, dragged a barrel of rice milk, then casually pasted a red paper on the wall.
Sounds like waves crashing rang out. The hundreds of students were like geese that finally saw their food. They couldn't control their excitement, and all rushed to the wall.
Ning Que held Sangsang's cold hands. They were squeezed unsteadily by the group, but they also fought their way out to the foot of the wall. They first glanced at the list of the rites and calligraphy course.
He found his name at the bottom of the paper.
”Ning Que...D minus.”
The calligraphy course result was the same.
He rubbed his head a little annoyed, and mumbled to himself, ”It shouldn't be that bad. Even if I gave a random answer, I wrote so much and they were so beautiful. Did a woman examiner mark my paper?”
Somebody behind him snickered and said, ”I had thought you were talented like the Third Child from the South Jin Kingdom, however, you are just a boor who can only use force but knows nothing.”
The person who laughed at him was the girl in the arrow robe. Perhaps she was not reconciled. She gave up her companions when the list was published. She squeezed herself to get near Ning Que and wanted to know how good he was.
Ning Que didn't know the girl was the daughter of the Yunhui general, Si Tu Yilan, and he glared at her uninterested. He then held Sangsang's hand to fight their way out of the group.
Surprised, the girl in the arrow robe turned around and shouted, ”You didn't see your other scores?
Ning Que didn't even turn around. Calmly, he said, ”A-plus.”
When the girl in the arrow robe and other people heard this, they were so shocked that they almost tumbled over. Who was he? And why was he so confident, even arrogant, that he didn't even need to see but knew he had an A-plus?
Sangsang raised her face and gave him a confused look.
Ning Que looked at her, smiling and said, ”They were worse than me in pretending to be cool.”