Early the next morning, Zhang He and his three friends arrived at the West Market’s racetrack an hour earlier, but Zhao Yao had not shown up. Just as Song Jicai and his friends thought Zhao Yao was afraid and had bailed at the last minute, Zhao Yao arrived with Ding Shan and the others.
"Little one, you really dared to e, huh!"
"We thought you were scared and wouldn’t e!"
"The fact that you didn’t run counts as being brave."
"This little one keeps his word, that’s something."
"Running away from a challenge is the behavior of a coward," Zhao Yao said, "Besides, why would I run?"
"Little one, we won’t take advantage of you," Chu Huan looked at Zhao Yao and his group, "You can let any one of yours pete with any one of us in horse riding and archery."
"No need, I’ll pete with you guys myself." None of Tong Xi and his friends were good at riding and archery. Despite Tong Xi being good at martial arts, he had never properly learned riding and archery.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure."
"Alright, then feel free to choose anyone among us to pete with."
"You decide among yourselves who will pete with me in riding."
Seeing Zhao Yao not appreciating their gesture and speaking with arrogance, Zhang He and his friends were quite upset.
"Don’t cry if you lose later."
"Have you decided who’s peting with me in horse riding?"
Zhang He said, "I’ll pete with you." This little one was boasting shamelessly, and he must teach him a lesson. "We’ll see who rides faster."
Zhao Yao nodded slightly and then followed Zhang He to the stable.
In an effort to show he wasn’t bullying a kid, Zhang He let Zhao Yao pick a horse first and gave up his usual horse.
Though their families owned horses, their fathers wouldn’t allow them to ride them freely. They had to e to the racetrack to ride.
Zhao Yao chose a black steed, the most spirited horse on the racetrack.
Zhang He and his friends saw Zhao Yao fearlessly choosing Lightning, and advised him not to court death, but Zhao Yao insisted on choosing Lightning.
"Don’t blame us later if Lightning throws you off..." Just as Zhang He spoke, he saw Zhao Yao sitting firmly on Lightning’s back.
Lightning even kneeled to allow Zhao Yao on its back. This scene left Song Jicai and his friends in shock.
"You..." Zhang He could not believe that the usually fiery Lightning was allowing a kid to ride quietly. Normally, even approaching Lightning would cause it to raise its hooves in warning.
Zhang He’s father, Zhang Gong, was best at taming horses, making any horse well-behaved under his training. Zhang He had inherited some of his father’s Horse Taming Skill.
At the West Market racetrack, all the horses listened to Zhang He except Lightning.
Zhang He had wanted to tame Lightning but was never allowed close. Unexpectedly, today Lightning was docile for the little one, which surprised him greatly.
Seated on Lightning, Zhao Yao looked down at Zhang He, "Are we still peting?"
"pete!" Zhang He thought that even if the little one could ride Lightning, it wouldn’t matter. He didn’t choose his usual horse even though Zhao Yao chose Lightning.
To ensure fairness, they asked the racetrack owner to witness the petition.
"Are you both ready?"
"Ready."
"Begin."
On the racetrack owner’s signal, Lightning shot off like a bolt, leaving Zhang He far behind in no time.
Zhang He hadn’t even started when he had already lost to Zhao Yao.
Song Jicai and the other three were all in disbelief.
What just happened?
Zhao Yao rode Lightning back to the starting point, looking at Zhang He’s stunned face with a smile, "You lost."
Lightning snorted proudly, giving Zhang He a disdainful look.
Tong Xi beamed, thinking to himself: No matter how fierce Lightning is, it can’t match the Emperor’s Lie Huo. His Highness was able to train the fiercest Lie Huo of the Great Zhou to listen obediently, why not a small Lightning?
Zhang He came to his senses, looking at Zhao Yao in amazement, "You..."
"What, not convinced?" Zhao Yao laughed, "If you’re not, you can have someone else pete with me."
Zhang He took a deep look at Zhao Yao, then admitted with conviction, "You won, I lost." He thought even if the little one rode Lightning, he wouldn’t win, but unexpectedly... he underestimated the little one. "You can tame horses!"
This little one’s horse taming exceeded his own! No wonder he confidently wanted to ride Lightning!
Zhao Yao dismounted Lightning and patted its face. Lightning squinted in enjoyment.
"I can’t tame horses."
"Impossible, if you can’t, why would Lightning let you ride it?"
"I treat Lightning as a friend," Zhao Yao looked at Lightning, "Isn’t that right, Lightning?"
Lightning nuzzled Zhao Yao’s face, then licked it affectionately.
Seeing Lightning so attached, Zhang He and the other three were dumbfounded.
"Who’s peting with me in archery?"
Chu Huan stepped forward, "I will." He was the best at archery among them.
The racetrack owner had set up two targets ten paces away, three arrows to decide the winner.
Chu Huan let Zhao Yao shoot first, and Zhao Yao didn’t stand on ceremony. He took the bow and arrow from Tong Xi, tested the bowstring, and then had Tong Xi hand him three arrows.
"Are you going to shoot all three arrows at once?" Chu Huan asked in surprise.
Zhao Yao smiled, "Shooting three times is too troublesome."
"This kid’s too arrogant!" Shen Sen and the others thought Zhao Yao was provoking Chu Huan.
Chu Huan snorted with a grim face.
Zhao Yao drew the bow, loosing all three arrows simultaneously.
The arrows sliced through the air with unstoppable momentum, hitting the bullseye.
While practicing archery in the palace, Zhao Yao intentionally concealed his true abilities. But now, peting with Chu Huan, he didn’t need to hold back.
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