However, just as he was about to act, Han Mo suddenly released the bowstring.
"Whoosh—"
The sharp whistling sound made Li Shanqing, who was completely focused, tremble. This slight tremble caused the arrow in Li Shanqing's hand to deviate from the bullseye.
"You!"
Li Shanqing's face immediately turned ashen. This brat was clearly doing it on purpose.
"Why is it a whistling arrow?"
Seeing his furious expression, a mischievous smile spread across Han Mo's lips.
"You've got guts!"
Although Li Shanqing's face was ashen, he could only swallow the insult at this moment.
"Good!"
Seeing that Han Mo had taken the lead, these Song officials and their monarch cheered loudly.
"Lord Li, are you threatening me?"
Han Mo chuckled and took out another whistling arrow, nocking and drawing it as a display of defiance. This time, however, he did not aim for the bullseye.
The arrowhead of this arrow landed precisely on the edge of the target at forty paces.
Looking at the smile on Han Mo's face, Li Shanqing's expression became a little strange.
However, he learned his lesson this time and waited until Han Mo had shot before making his move.
"It's even now!"
Han Mo smiled and looked at Li Shanqing again, but this caused a ripple in Li Shanqing's already stabilized mind.
"Dong—dong—dong—"
Accompanied by the muffled drumbeats, Li Shanqing took a deep breath and tried several times. Finally, just as the drumming was about to stop, he released the arrow.
Only after confirming that he had hit the target did the stone in his heart finally fall.
After all, his first arrow, the one he was most confident in, had already missed.
If this arrow also missed, he would truly be utterly humiliated.
Even though it was only an arrow at forty paces, the feeling of mental exhaustion caused a bead of cold sweat to break out on his palm.
"It's fair now, let's go again!"
Seeing the exhaustion in his eyes, Han Mo was filled with smugness.
This kid had completely fallen into Han Mo's rhythm.
It would not be so easy for him to turn the tables now.
The first failure, coupled with the second yielding arrow, had given Han Mo a complete psychological advantage.
At this moment, Li Shanqing had unknowingly lost all confidence in himself.
"Dong—dong—dong—"
As the drums sounded again, the two men nocked their arrows.
"If you miss, you'll be infamous!"
Just as Li Shanqing was about to shoot, Han Mo suddenly said with a smile.
"You!"
Li Shanqing's hand trembled involuntarily, and the arrow almost flew out.
Seeing his scheme succeed, Han Mo calmly and slowly released the bowstring.
Li Shanqing was stunned. Although he didn't know what this kid was up to, he dared not shoot first.
After all, this kid was using whistling arrows. If he was disturbed again, he really wouldn't have the face to return to the Jin Kingdom.
However, even as the drumming grew more urgent, Han Mo still showed no intention of aiming.
"This kid is quite interesting!"
Zhe Kecun, a true connoisseur, immediately understood Han Mo's intentions.
"Sichang, have you figured something out? This kid is giving up a huge advantage and yielding an arrow. It'll be troublesome if he loses!"
Liang Shicheng was, after all, an eunuch. Matters of military strategy were not his forte.
Seeing the smile on Zhe Kecun's face, he raised his cup and asked with a smile.
"My Lord Grand Commander, please rest assured. The situation is now completely controlled by this kid. After the second arrow, this Jin man is beyond salvation!"
As Zhe Kecun spoke, on the field, at the instant of the second to last drumbeat, Han Mo drew his bow and arrow like lightning, and the two of them released their arrows almost simultaneously.
Bang—bang—bang—
The cheers of the Song people gradually faded. Li Shanqing could only hear the sound of his own heart pounding.
"Lord Li, are you alright?"
Seeing him covered in sweat, Han Mo asked with a mischievous smile again.
"What could be wrong with me?"
Li Shanqing would be foolish to appreciate such a "weasel wishing the chicken a happy new year."
"Since you're alright, let's continue!"
Han Mo chuckled and waved his hand towards the soldiers beating the drums.
"Dong—dong—dong—"
The drumming began again, but Li Shanqing was surprised to find that his right hand was already trembling uncontrollably.
Han Mo, standing beside him, was incredibly relaxed and showed no intention of shooting at all.
At this moment, he had a faint smile on his face, quietly watching Li Shanqing.
Every time Li Shanqing prepared to shoot, Han Mo would deliberately raise his hand.
Although this move was simple, and Li Shanqing knew that the kid was doing it deliberately, he dared not gamble.
Under immense psychological pressure, his hard-won stable right hand began to tremble again.
"Dong—dong—dong—"
The drums began to grow more rapid. Sixty paces, a seemingly simple distance, now made Li Shanqing doubt himself.
"Whoosh—"
This time, still at the second to last drumbeat, the two of them shot simultaneously again.
Although they both hit the target again, their states were truly worlds apart.
Han Mo was brimming with confidence, while Li Shanqing's clothes were already soaked through.
Of course, what made him even more desperate was that he had completely lost the ability to shoot before Han Mo did.
"Dong—dong—dong—"
As the drums sounded again, Li Shanqing's body began to tremble.
At seventy paces, even at his peak, he couldn't guarantee hitting the bullseye every time.
It was night, and although the Qionglin Garden was filled with torches and oil candles, the target at seventy paces was still as small as a green bean.
Now, if either of them missed the first shot, the opponent would automatically win.
At such a moment, Li Shanqing was naturally even more unwilling and afraid to shoot first.
The drumming grew more urgent, Han Mo's smile deepened, and Li Shanqing's palms were already slick with sweat!
"It seems the outcome will be decided by this arrow. Lord Li, this is your last chance, won't you try?"
Han Mo said with a wicked grin, looking at Li Shanqing again.