Chapter 34

Liang Xiao took his seat, pondered for a moment, and hesitated, unsure how much he should reveal to Huan Jun.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Huan Jun instinctively straightened his back, his single eye sharp and more imposing.

"She should be the younger sister or daughter of the King of Huainan."

Huan Jun was taken aback, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes, which then turned to disdain. He said coolly, "Why do you think so?"

"First, anyone who can serve as the King of Huainan's envoy to travel and recruit talent in the Kingdom of Jiangdu must be a trusted confidant of the King. Second, Lei Bei is the top swordsman in Huainan. Zhongli Shu said he has already joined the King of Huainan. Such a person would not serve an ordinary person as a retainer."

Huan Jun nodded slightly, raising an eyebrow. "How did you determine she was a woman?"

"Do I need to look? In such hot weather, even in private, she still wears high-necked clothing. If she wasn't deliberately concealing herself, why would she act like this?"

"There are many people with peculiar habits. Judging the King of Huainan's envoy to be a woman based on this alone seems too hasty." Huan Jun drew out his words. "As an archer, you must be strong and have a powerful bow, but you also need to be cautious. Once an arrow is released, it must hit the target; otherwise, you will be taken advantage of. Be careful."

Liang Xiao smiled. "Huan Jun, I am certain she is a woman, and there is another reason that confirms it."

"How could she hide such a flaw? I think you are just deceiving yourself."

"Not at all." Liang Xiao shook his head, speaking confidently. "A woman's scent cannot be hidden."

"Are you saying she has a fragrance?" Huan Jun hesitated for a moment, then added, "Many people use fragrances, not just women. Noble men often use them too. How can you be sure it's a woman's scent?"

"She did carry a sachet, but the scent that night was very different from her usual scent. Heh heh, it had a hint of blood."

Huan Jun suddenly understood, almost unable to keep a straight face as he looked at the sly Liang Xiao. He had to pick up his cup to hide his expression. After a moment, he put down the cup and sighed lightly, "The King of Huainan is indeed a scholar. To entrust such a significant matter to a woman, how can he achieve great things?"

Liang Xiao, sensing the change in tone, rolled his eyes and said nothing.

"Ao Xiao, did you refuse her invitation because of the King of Huainan's rashness?"

Liang Xiao smiled slightly. "I refused her invitation because the person she truly wanted to invite was Huan Jun. Since Huan Jun did not agree, it would be impolite for me to accept easily."

Huan Jun nodded in satisfaction, pondering for a while before raising his head again. "Ao Xiao, do you think I should accept or refuse?"

"Refuse!" Liang Xiao said without hesitation.

"Why?"

"Huan Jun, you are alone and unfortunately have a disability. Becoming a marquis or a general, galloping on the battlefield, is no longer possible. You might even be mocked by shallow people. Instead, why not retire, live a carefree life, and enjoy the freedom of the rivers and lakes?"

A look of pain flashed across Huan Jun's face, clearly stung by Liang Xiao's words. A disabled person cannot hold office. No matter how skilled he is in archery or strategy, he cannot be a general or lead troops in battle.

"What if I don't want to be lonely?"

"If Huan Jun still has the spirit of a hero and wants to compete with the heroes of the world, then you might as well choose a few good students and teach them everything you know." Liang Xiao straightened his back, showing his most confident smile. "Teaching the best talents in the world is not a bad thing. In the future, if your disciples become marquises or generals and receive fiefs, they will not forget Huan Jun's teachings. They will treat you with the utmost respect, like a father, and take care of you in your old age, fulfilling the bond between teacher and student."

Huan Jun raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips, and struggled to hold back a laugh.

"You shameless boy, to consider yourself among the best talents in the world. You have strong arms and decent talent, but you are not the best. Ten people make a hero, a hundred make a leader, a thousand make a talent, and ten thousand make a genius. You are at most a talent."

"Huan Jun, what you see are just my strong arms." Liang Xiao clenched his fists, spread his arms, and said with a look of frustration, "What you don't see is the talent in my heart. If we spend more time together, you will see that I am the one in ten thousand."

"More shameless than ever." Huan Jun finally burst out laughing. After a moment, he added, "Though you are young and reckless, you have some spirit. However, Ao Xiao, you must think carefully. Given your family background, it will not be easy to stand out. For you, joining the King of Huainan is a shortcut. Regardless of other things, the King of Huainan's mansion is full of talented people, making it easier to study..."

Liang Xiao shook his head, smiling disdainfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Huan Jun, what I seek is to become a marquis or a general. In the Han dynasty, one cannot become a marquis without merit. The King of Huainan's mansion, no matter how skilled in rhetoric, is just empty talk, of no use to me. Since the King of Huainan sent someone from afar to invite Huan Jun, why should I go to Huainan to study?"

Liang Xiao bowed deeply. "I once told Liu Ling, 'One who aims to shoot a swan does not aim at a pheasant.' Huan Jun is the swan in my eyes, while the King of Huainan is just a pheasant."

Huan Jun placed his hands on his knees and bowed slightly, accepting Liang Xiao's bow. Though he said nothing, his eyes sparkled with an indescribable light. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and said, "Ao Xiao, from tomorrow, you can use a bow."

"Thank you, Master." Liang Xiao was overjoyed.

Huan Jun turned, took a bamboo bow from his bag, and handed it to Liang Xiao with both hands. Liang Xiao took it, but was puzzled. The bamboo bow was very delicate, clearly carefully crafted. However, it was very soft, even softer than the bows commonly used by young people. Liang Xiao estimated that the range of this bamboo bow was at most thirty to fifty steps.

"Do you think the bow is too soft?" Huan Jun saw Liang Xiao's confusion and said with a half-smile.

"Yes." Liang Xiao did not dare to be disrespectful, bowing and saying, "Disciple is indeed puzzled."

"Ao Xiao, why did I forbid you from using a bow for a hundred days? Archers often lack a solid foundation and want to use a strong bow to shoot far. When they hit the target a few times, they become overjoyed and think they are skilled, not realizing they have strayed from the right path. Not only will they fail to achieve the skill of hitting the target every time, but they will also develop shooting-related ailments. In old age, they will suffer from muscle and bone pain, regretting it too late."

Liang Xiao was surprised. There were so many details to consider? This was the first time he had heard of it.

"Ordinary soldiers serve for only three to five years. After retiring, they practice archery only a few times a year. They cannot achieve high skill and will not develop shooting-related ailments. However, if you want to achieve military success and rely on archery, you must practice with a bow every day, year after year. If you do not follow the right path and progress step by step, after three to five years, your skill will stagnate, and ailments will gradually develop."

Huan Jun said seriously, "This is why most famous archers come from military families, while those from humble backgrounds, though they may gain temporary fame, rarely have a good end."

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