"I'm right here. Do you dare to kill me?"
Cai Lin stared at the girl before him as if seeing her for the first time, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Accustomed to bullying his way through the Hall of Extensive Learning and having been spoiled since childhood, he practically walked sideways through life. As for Shen Miao, today was merely meant to teach her a lesson. Who would have thought that not only would Shen Miao show no fear, but she would also stand up to him? And now she uttered such words, making it seem as though he was the one at a disadvantage.
Did Cai Lin dare?
Setting aside whether he had the courage, even if he did, could he actually do it? The young master of the Cai family might act on impulse, but what about the Cai family itself? If Shen Miao were truly killed by him today, forget about a life for a life—Shen Xin might very well slaughter the entire Cai household before turning himself in to atone.
Moreover, he didn’t dare.
All bark and no bite, he had never set foot on a battlefield, nor had he ever shed blood. His mounted archery might be excellent, but his targets had always been herb fruits or beasts—never a human being.
Yet how could he back down now? If even a mere girl like Shen Miao showed no fear, how could he, a man of stature, retreat without losing face before even stepping out of his manor tomorrow?
With this in mind, Cai Lin puffed himself up again and declared, "Say whatever you want. True skill is proven on the archery field. You may boast now, but who knows if you’ll be pissing yourself in fear later?" His words were deliberately crude, perhaps to mask his own unease. The calmer Shen Miao remained, the more unsettled he felt—as though only by seeing her panic could he soothe his own guilt. Thus, he hoped his words would shame her.
An ordinary girl, subjected to such merciless taunts from a man, would naturally blush with embarrassment, act coy, or even burst into tears. Yet Shen Miao merely cast him a faint glance, her composure so unshaken that Cai Lin felt as though he were the one making a fool of himself.
He faltered, wondering if he had lost his mind today. How could he feel guilty facing Shen Miao, of all people—this incompetent girl?
Shen Miao had already taken the herb fruit from the verification officer. The fruit was about the size of a grown man’s fist, square at the base and round at the top. She stood at the easternmost end of the platform, placing the herb fruit atop her head.
The crowd gradually grew noisier.
"She must be forcing herself to stay calm. In truth, she’s probably terrified," Yi Peilan said with a laugh. "I can’t wait to see her bawling like a baby."
"Since the establishment of Ming Qi’s verification, no woman has ever been challenged by a man in martial skills," Jiang Xiaoxuan remarked, tilting her head and curling her little finger. "Shen Miao is truly the first. But to be humiliated in front of everyone—how dreadful."
"Oh dear, what is Fifth Sister still doing up there?" Ren Wanyun fretted. "What if Young Master Cai misses his shot?" Her heart was troubled. If anything truly happened to Shen Miao, no matter how well Shen Xin treated the Shen family, he would never let her off the hook.
"Why worry, Second Sister-in-law?" Chen Ruoqiu said lightly. "This is just children’s play, after all. Young Master Cai isn’t some ignorant toddler. As long as Fifth Niece swallows her pride and begs for mercy, he won’t press the matter. Let’s just hope she doesn’t stubbornly cling to her pride."
She dismissed such a life-and-death matter as "children’s play." After all, Ren Wanyun was the one managing the household—if anything went wrong, she would bear the consequences. Still, her words struck a chord with Ren Wanyun. This was all Shen Miao’s fault for refusing to back down. Had she simply begged Cai Lin for mercy, she wouldn’t be in this predicament.
"Relax," Chen Ruoqiu added. "I suspect Young Master Cai only wants to scare Fifth Niece. On a verification ground like this, everyone values grace. It’s too late to stop now."
"Mother, there’s no need to worry," Shen Qing chimed in. "Cai Lin’s mounted archery is excellent. There’s no way he’ll miss."
Shen Qing still resented Shen Miao for blocking her path to becoming a princess consort. Now, she couldn’t wait to see Shen Miao humiliated in public. She had heard that some people, when terrified beyond measure, would lose control of their bowels. She wondered how Shen Miao would fare.
And if Cai Lin did miss… ruining her face wouldn’t be so bad either, Shen Qing mused.
Shen Yue wasn’t as far-sighted as Shen Qing. She simply wanted to see Shen Miao kneel and beg for mercy, as though that alone could restore her own dignity. She glanced at Cai Lin from afar, but he didn’t return her gaze.
Cai Lin gripped his longbow, facing Shen Miao three zhang away, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead.
Shen Miao stood motionless. The wind lifted the hem of her wide cloak, her purple robes fluttering. Her delicate features remained serene, yet the air of authority about her—the calm of one who had weathered countless storms—lent her an almost dazzling radiance.
Slowly, Cai Lin drew his bow. He thought: If only Shen Miao would beg. If only she shed a single tear or uttered a plea for mercy, he could seize the chance to humiliate her properly and avoid this impossible dilemma.
Alas, his wish went unfulfilled. Shen Miao’s expression remained unreadable, as though he were beneath her notice.
Shen Yue frowned.
Why hadn’t the expected scene of Shen Miao weeping and begging unfolded? Why did Shen Miao appear even more composed than Cai Lin?
Many had already noticed this. Their impression of the once-incompetent girl was quietly shifting. Not every maiden could stand unflinching before an armed opponent. If this was the unshakable composure she had inherited from Shen Xin—the ability to face formidable foes without batting an eye—then indeed, a tiger father sired no dog of a daughter.
Cai Lin’s hands began to tremble. The herb fruit three zhang away, usually an easy target, now seemed impossibly distant.
And Shen Miao’s words echoed in his ears: "I'm right here. Do you dare to kill me?"
Did he dare? Did he dare? Did he dare?
"Whoosh!" An arrow shot forth—only to wobble midair and drop harmlessly to the ground.
It didn’t even graze Shen Miao’s robes, let alone strike the herb fruit, as though it lacked the strength to fly true.
The crowd erupted in laughter.
Some even teased, "Cai Lin, have you gone soft? You could hit a target ten zhang away before, yet today three zhang is too much?"
Wiping his brow, he hastily nocked another arrow. The second shot landed at Shen Miao’s feet.
The third arrow skimmed past her hairpin, knocking the herb fruit from her head and loosening her coiled tresses, sending her dark hair cascading over her shoulders.
Yet even as the arrow nearly grazed her cheek, her expression never wavered.
Black hair, purple robes—the girl’s snow-white skin and delicate features stood unwavering in the wind.
Cai Lin’s hands went limp. His bow and arrows clattered to the ground. Silence fell over the field.
Even a fool could see now: the one afraid wasn’t Shen Miao—it was Cai Lin.
I'm right here. Do you dare to kill me?
No, I don’t.
Yes, I do.
A faint smile curved her lips. In her bright, almost childlike eyes flickered a hint of cruelty, lending an eerie beauty to her still-youthful face.
"Now," she said softly, "it’s my turn."
Author’s Note:
Public chapters take so long to write… my heart is weary (:3」∠) Happy Children’s Day, everyone~
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