Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

Xiao Lie frowned slightly, looking somewhat displeased.

Others interpreted his silence as cowardice, and the Kangwang Party official in particular flashed a hint of smugness and contempt in his eyes, becoming even more sarcastic.

"Is Young Master Xiao afraid?"

This remark immediately sparked a burst of laughter.

Everyone knows that the heir of the dignified Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is a playboy who loves to tease cats and dogs, is good-for-nothing, and is the most dissolute of all. Asking him to show off his skills in public would probably only make him lose face in front of everyone.

Someone fanned themselves and chuckled, "That's hard to say. Young Master Xiao frequents brothels; he might be an expert on these little trinkets."

Another person frowned slightly, looking disdainful, "He really is a spoiled brat who lives off his family's wealth. Apart from that, he's nothing special."

These people spoke softly, but the scene was quiet, and even though it was just a few whispers, many sharp-eared people could still hear it clearly.

The emperor sat at the head of the table, his expression unchanged, but a hint of a smile flickered in his eyes. He straightened his posture, as if expectant.

"That's right. As the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, you must possess some family-inherited skills. Why not show them off and let these people in the capital see the prestige of your Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?"

Since the emperor had spoken, the voices of agreement from below were naturally endless.

"Your Majesty is right. Like father, like son. Commander Xiao is so capable, so his son must be just as good."

"Yes, yes, we're in for a treat!"

These people were all smiling and looked sincere, showing no trace of the whispering they had just been doing.

These people pressed him into this position, leaving Xiao Lie with no choice but to comply, even if he didn't want to.

A dark glint flashed in Xiao Lie's eyes. He stood up, bowed, and accepted the order.

"Since Your Majesty has spoken, I will naturally comply."

"But it's not enough for me to have a proper match by myself. I wonder if Your Majesty would allow me to choose another opponent?"

Seeing that Xiao Lie, a notorious playboy in the capital, possessed a calm and composed demeanor, and even dared to boldly challenge someone to a duel, many people immediately felt a surge of anticipation.

Some of the women covered their lips with fans and whispered among themselves.

"This Young Master Xiao is so confident, could it be that he really has some skills?"

"Maybe he's arrogant and thinks too highly of himself. He's being cocky now, but he might lose all face later."

The emperor also became interested, "Oh, tell me, who do you want to choose?"

The official from the Kangwang faction immediately became restless, his eyes darting around. Although he had instigated the incident, he wasn't skilled in this game of pitch-pot. Just as he was filled with trepidation, Xiao Lie smiled slightly and shifted his gaze to the composed Kangwang, who seemed completely detached from the situation.

Xiao Lie slowly spoke, "I wonder if I have the honor of being compared to Prince Kang."

Not long ago, his feud with Prince Kang caused quite a stir in the city. Now that he has made such a request, many people's eyes have changed suddenly, glancing back and forth between the two of them, with a hint of something else in them.

King Kang's expression changed slightly, and he hesitated.

Xiao Lie smiled. "Your Highness is so hesitant, could it be that you are not skilled in this art?"

"This...how is this possible? When I was old, I often played pitch-pot to relieve my fatigue when I was tired of studying. Although I would not say that my skills were outstanding, I was more than capable of beating some people."

"Oh, that would be best."

Xiao Lieshen gestured, and the Prince of Kang did not hesitate any longer, following him to the center of the open space.

As is customary, the game of pitching pot is divided into three rounds, with four arrows in each round. The player with the highest score wins. However, if someone hits the target with all eight arrows in two consecutive rounds, thus getting the whole pot, then regardless of the score, the player who gets the whole pot is the winner of the game.

For a moment, everyone in the arena held their breath, as if even the wind had stopped. The two men squinted, aiming their arrows at the bronze pot. The next second, King Kang threw the arrow, which pierced through his ear, eliciting screams from the crowd.

"There is a first-line ear, it turns out there is a first-line ear."

The first arrow pierced the ear, earning twenty points and immediately raising the score to an extremely high level. Xiao Lie, on the other hand, only threw a mediocre Youchu, which, while not bad, paled in comparison to the Youchu piercing the ear, earning him only ten points.

A hint of contempt flashed in Jiang Heng's eyes, but when he saw the young man hit the pot one after another, he vaguely understood something. He abandoned all his techniques and chased after him with all his might, but one of his arrows flew over the pot and landed on the open ground.

On the other side, Xiao Lie calmly and methodically threw all eight arrows at his own pace, leaving the remaining four arrows untouched on the platform.

The young man had a lazy and languid air about him, and looked like a spoiled brat, but at this moment he gave off a sense of nonchalant ease, as if he had done something and was about to leave without a trace.

"He... he was aiming for the whole pot from the very beginning..."

Xiao Lie was truly arrogant, daring to think and act, and in the end, he actually succeeded in his vote.

Jiang Heng also had a chance to compete, but due to impatience, he broke his winning streak and was completely out of the running for victory.

Xiao Lie smiled slightly and gave him a rather informal bow.

"Your Highness, you flatter me."

Jiang Heng angrily threw down the bamboo arrow in his hand, gritting his teeth and chuckling softly.

"Your Highness won entirely on your own merit; there's no need for modesty."

The official from the Kangwang faction who had first proposed the game of pitch-pot, at this moment kept his eyes down and acted like a quail, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The emperor paused for a moment upon seeing this scene, and then spoke.

"Then I will bestow upon you the Tai'a Bow, hoping that you may emulate your grandfather, fight on the battlefield, and serve your country."

Serving? There's no need for that. Xiao Lie was afraid that if he served the Great Xia one day, the emperor would secretly kill him. He bowed to express his gratitude, accepted the jade bow, and took his seat, which immediately attracted the attention of many people.

They appeared disdainful, but inside they were seething with jealousy.

To be bestowed a bow by His Majesty and to receive words of advice from Him, placing high hopes on him—what an immense honor! Many talented young men hadn't achieved this, yet Xiao Lie, this纨绔 (playboy), had. For a moment, everyone's gaze was complex, especially Lin Wan'er's.

Xiao Lie paused, noticing the intense gaze beside him, and raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

Lin Wan'er shook her head, her tone somewhat awkward, "You're so good at pitch-pot, why have I never heard of you before?"

Xiao Lie paused slightly, feeling a little uneasy, afraid that Lin Wan'er would make other connections and realize that this body had been replaced by a different soul. He picked up a plate of Longjing shrimp with his chopsticks, tasted it, and did not answer.

This silence fueled Lin Wan'er's growing dissatisfaction. She felt that Xiao Lie's actions indicated he looked down on her and didn't want to talk to her. Lin Wan'er, with her strong sense of pride, noticed this and her expression darkened; she remained silent.

This commotion was witnessed by Prince Kang, who was not far away. His hand clenched under his sleeve, and his face darkened.

After a few rounds of drinks, a young palace maid serving wine accidentally spilled some on Lin Wan'er's dress. Just as Lin Wan'er was about to get angry, the maid slipped something into her palm. When she met the maid's knowing look, she instantly understood what was going on.

She discreetly slipped the note into her sleeve, and after the maid left, she used the excuse of changing her clothes to quietly follow her.