Chapter 10

In the dim light of a crude earthen oil lamp in the east wing, the prisoner Huan Jun sat upright, his single eye sharp and focused.

In front of him, a man knelt, his hands resting on his knees, his body slightly leaning forward, showing great respect. "General, I never thought I would see you again in this life. Now that you have returned, why don't you go home and instead stay here?"

The prisoner glanced at him. "After all these years, you haven't improved much. You were actually deceived by a child."

"What?" The village head was taken aback and defended himself. "General, he didn't notice me."

"He indeed didn't notice you, but your coming here is exactly what he wanted to see." The prisoner gestured, and the village head followed his gaze to see two earthen bowls on the table, each containing half a bowl of wine with a barely noticeable aroma.

The village head blinked, embarrassed. "General, your wisdom is divine. How can that boy be compared to you?"

"You are not only as overconfident as before, but you also like to deceive yourself." The prisoner sighed. "No matter how skilled you are in martial arts, you are just a warrior, not a strategist."

The village head laughed awkwardly and changed the subject. "General, do you really plan to train this boy?"

The prisoner glanced at him but said nothing. He picked up a bowl of wine and gestured to the village head. "Drink the wine and leave. Don't come back without my order. If there's anything, I will find you."

"Understood." The village head picked up the earthen bowl, tilted his head back, and drank it in one gulp. He put down the bowl, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, bowed to the prisoner, and pushed the door open, disappearing into the night with a leap.

...

The next morning, Liang Xiao woke up early as usual, cleaned the courtyard, and prepared the water for washing and breakfast. Just as he was about to pick up his bow to practice archery, the window of the east wing opened, revealing the prisoner's sleepy eyes.

"Come over."

Liang Xiao looked at the prisoner with confusion but walked over.

"Give me the bow." The prisoner extended his hand, took the bow from Liang Xiao, and with a snap, closed the window. After a long yawn, he said firmly, "You are not allowed to touch the bow for a hundred days."

Liang Xiao was secretly delighted but tried to hide it. "Without the bow, how can I practice?"

"Without a bow in hand, the bow is in your heart. Whether sitting, lying, walking, or standing, the bow is always with you."

Liang Xiao was instantly confused. Come on, are you writing a martial arts novel? Without a bow in hand, the bow is in your heart? This is so mystical. What does it mean to have the bow always with you while sitting, lying, walking, or standing? Do you want me to walk like a hunchback?

He thought for a while and then said honestly, "I am dull and cannot understand. Please, Huan Jun, guide me."

After a long pause, a voice that sounded like music to Liang Xiao's ears came from inside the room. "Come in!"

Liang Xiao was overjoyed and quickly pushed the door open. The prisoner was lying in bed, his single eye staring at Liang Xiao expressionlessly. As Liang Xiao approached, the prisoner stretched his arms and yawned. Liang Xiao's eyes lit up.

This was not just a stretch; it was clearly a bow-drawing posture. However, this posture was more relaxed and gentle than the common ones.

"Do you understand?" A hint of joy flashed in the prisoner's eyes, but he quickly returned to his sleepy state.

"Not completely." Liang Xiao said honestly. "Can I see it again?"

"Alright, one more time." The prisoner looked reluctant. He turned his back to Liang Xiao and repeated the bow-drawing motion, but this time, he did it more slowly. He was not wearing a shirt, and the muscles on his scarred back moved slowly under the mottled skin.

Liang Xiao squinted, focusing intently on the prisoner's powerful body. He had never imagined that the seemingly frail prisoner had such a good physique. He paid particular attention to the prisoner's left shoulder, which he had refused to touch when the prisoner asked him to yesterday.

Liang Xiao began to understand.

When ordinary people draw a bow, they use a lot of force in their left arm to grip the bow, causing the left shoulder to rise. However, the prisoner's left shoulder was relaxed and lowered, showing no effort at all.

"Huan Jun, this left shoulder..."

Before Liang Xiao could finish, the prisoner burrowed under the covers and started snoring loudly.

Liang Xiao wisely kept quiet. If the prisoner didn't want to explain, there must be a reason. Asking would be futile, so he decided to figure it out on his own. He bowed and left, closing the door behind him.

In the corridor, Liang Xiao stood for a while, carefully recalling the bow-drawing posture the prisoner had demonstrated. Only after he felt he had thoroughly understood the details did he stretch his body and begin practicing.

Once he started practicing, Liang Xiao immediately realized that the bow-drawing motion looked simple but was actually very awkward. For example, it was easy for his left shoulder to tense up and rise, making it impossible to relax and lower it like the prisoner. However, he did not give up. He repeatedly recalled the prisoner's demonstration and practiced over and over again.

He practiced more and more slowly, and a single bow-drawing motion took longer than shooting a dozen arrows.

By mid-morning, when the prisoner yawned and came out of the east wing, Liang Xiao was still working on the bow-drawing motion. The prisoner shook his head, looking disdainful, and said lightly, "A block of rotten wood!"

Liang Xiao's eyebrows raised, and he was about to get angry but restrained himself. He stepped forward, picked up the water for washing, and brought it to the prisoner.

The prisoner glanced at him and nodded. "Fortunately, your character is not bad. If you practice diligently, you might have a chance to become a strong archer."

Liang Xiao seized the opportunity to ask, "May I ask, Huan Jun, what is a strong archer?"

"A strong archer is someone with brute strength, capable of drawing a powerful bow and shooting arrows farther." The prisoner washed his face, sat at the table Liang Xiao had prepared, picked up the chopsticks, and said casually, "However, in the army, archery is paramount. Being able to draw a powerful bow and becoming a military officer is a viable path. If you have good luck and manage to shoot down one or two enemy generals, you can earn a title and some good land, ensuring a life of comfort."

Liang Xiao understood. A strong archer was someone with enough strength to draw a powerful bow and shoot arrows farther than others. If they also had good accuracy, they had a chance to shoot down enemy generals on the battlefield.

On the battlefield, with people surging, not everyone had the opportunity to face the enemy general directly. Using a powerful bow for long-range sniping was undoubtedly the best way to earn merit, much easier than engaging in close combat with the enemy.

"Such is my wish." Liang Xiao said with a smile.

The prisoner looked at Liang Xiao and smiled, as if he saw through Liang Xiao's thoughts, even with a hint of disdain.

Suddenly, Liang Xiao felt as if he were standing naked, exposed to everyone's eyes.

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