Chapter 209: My Dear Majesty, Please Let Go (39)
Translator: Guy Gone Bad
“As long as I can help.” Zhu Ruodie was upset deep inside but she couldn"t refuse in front of the emperor and the empress dowager and she had to put on a smiling face.Xia Liang took a few steps forward and picked up an apple on the table. She said to Zhu Ruodie, “put this apple on your head and I will shoot it. It"s very easy. You can do it.”
Zhu Ruodie"s smiling face froze still. Other girls looked at Xia Liang in shock. Is this woman crazy?
“Haha…” Baili Jue, however, laughed out loud. He slapped the table and said loudly, “brilliant! That"s something new! It is more interesting than shooting at a normal target. Do it!”
The empress dowager, shocked, outraged, shouted, “she is fooling around. How can you allow her?! How could you allow her to do such a life-threatening thing? What if she misses the target?”
“Don"t worry, your highness. I am excellent at archery. It will be fine.” Xia Liang said calmly to the empress dowager.
“Shut up!” the empress dowager was furious, “how can you do such a dangerous thing? Have you learned lady"s rules or not?!”
“Your highness, Miss Xia is doing this for a better show. She didn"t mean evil. Don"t be angry at her.” Zhu Ruodie faked to defend Xia Liang, which won hearts.
She didn"t think Xia Liang could actually d it since the empress dowager was on her side. If she could be generous and brave now, the empress dowager would like her more.
Unluckily, Zhu Ruodie didn"t know Xia Liang or the man behind her.
“Mother, I am told that Miss Zhu is going to be married to my brother?” Baili Jue asked.
“Yes.” The empress dowager nodded, “she is a very capable and kindhearted girl, a role model of all n.o.ble ladies. She is not angry even when she is asked to do such absurd things. Instead, she talks up for the other girl. She has a big heart. Some girls should learn from her.”
Of course she meant Xia Liang. And she gave a cold stare at Xia Liang.
“You are right. Prince of Rui"s future wife is definitely one of the best.” Baili Jue said, “she is of course a role model. Miss Zhu, you should keep your promises. Since you have agreed to help the girl, how can you refuse now? According to my understanding, you agreed to help the girl. Then you should put the apple on your head and stand still over here.”
Zhu Ruodie had to become a target on Baili Jue"s command. She didn"t have a chance to say no.
“Emperor!” the empress dowager growled and tried to stop it.
“Hurry up! I am waiting for it!” said Baili Jue impatiently, “Miss Zhu, are you going to disobey my order?”
Zhu Ruodie hated Baili Jue so much, not just because of what happened in last life. Now the anger increased. She barely controlled her facial expression.
“Yes, your majesty.” Zhu Ruodie had to stand up. But people couldn"t help but show their sympathy when she put on a miserable and poor face.
The girls shot sharp eyes at Xia Liang and accused her for making such a ridiculous proposal.
Xia Liang didn"t care how people saw her. She gave the apple to Zhu Ruodie and stepped backward, further and further when Zhu Ruodie put the apple on her head.
Every step she took stamped on Zhu Ruodie"s heart. Even though she was quite sure that she wouldn"t die right here, she was inevitably scared.
When Xia liang was 20 meters away, her legs were shaking and her body was s.h.i.+vering.
“Enough! Stop now! You can start!” the empress dowager shouted, frowning while she saw Xia Liang.
“Your highness, I am too close to show how excellent my archery would be.” Xia Liang said while she continued.
The empress dowager was so p.i.s.sed off when Xia Liang mentioned “excellent” again.
She must be doing it on purpose! And she stressed it on purpose to satirize her!
But then she realized that Zhu Ruodie said so. If Zhu Ruodie didn"t suggest Xia Liang to present an excellent show, none of these would happen.
Baili Jue couldn"t help but smiled slightly when he saw how angry the empress dowager was. Xia Liang could be very mean sometimes.
He was very familiar with that.
Xia Liang didn"t stop until she was 40 meters away. She raised the arrow and bow in position and aimed it to Zhu Ruodie.
In order to fool Zhu Ruodie around, she aimed the arrow at Zhu Ruodie"s heart, stomach, head once in a while, but definitely not the apple.
Baili Jue laughed inside. Xia Liang was so cute. Now she knew how to fool around people.
He must have taught her a lot.
Zhu Ruodie stayed put and her eyes moved around with the arrow. Her heart beat like a drum. She had to take a deep breath and another to make sure she stayed still.
The other girls looked nervously at Xia Liang and Zhu Ruodie back and forth, squeezing their handkerchiefs in hands.
No matter how it would end, it was absolutely an exciting show!
After a long time of aiming at the target, Xia Liang finally pulled the string backward and got the arrow ready to shoot.
Zhu Ruodie closed her eyes and the rest held their breaths. But at last, it was just a false alarm. The arrow didn"t shoot but dropped down on Xia Liang"s feet.
Others were not happy about holding that breath and not releasing it out.
“My apologies. Slippery fingers.” Xia Liang picked up the arrow and explained calmly.
So far, anyone could tell that Xia Liang was playing Zhu Ruodie.
“Slippery fingers? Do you actually know archery? If anyone is harmed, I won"t spare your life!” the empress dowager scolded Xia Liang.
She was so nervous that she couldn"t breathe. Her poor old heart.
“Your highness, I am not sure if I can control my hands under threaten. I can"t guarantee if I can succeed.” Xia Liang said calmly, which shut the empress dowager up but made her even angrier.
After she said that and before everyone else hadn"t come to senses,
Whoos.h.!.+
She shot the arrow!
Eyes followed the direction of the arrow.
Poof!
Right in the middle of the apple!