20demayo Chapter 188: Strength is also Luck (Part 1)
Chapter 188: Strength is also Luck (Part 1)
To be fair, as a lucky one chosen by heaven, Yinzhuo certainly has some good fortune. The competition has only just begun and he's already made a great start, and the fish he caught looks quite big. With such a result, good heavens, our Prince Zhao must be trembling with pride.
"Big brother, I'm so sorry, the competition has only just begun and I've already caught a fish..."
Yinti was already quite competitive, and with Yinzuo showing off, his competitive spirit only intensified. However, what Yinzuo had said earlier was absolutely true: fishing isn't just about pure skill; sometimes you also need a bit of luck. But clearly, Yinti's luck wasn't good today. He sat there staring at the float for over half an hour, and not only did he not catch a big fish, he didn't even manage to catch a small fry.
There's a saying that goes, "There's no harm without comparison." If neither Yinti nor Yinzu could catch any fish, that would be one thing, but the guy sitting next to Yinti was incredibly lucky today. Not only did he keep catching fish, but every time he caught one, he would call out to his older brother to show him. Yinti didn't catch a single fish all morning, but his stomach was about to burst—he was so angry with Yinzu.
"Li Yu, go and fetch me the bow and arrows. I refuse to believe that if I can't catch fish, I can't shoot them. Sixth brother, let me show you my skills and let you see my true abilities."
To be honest, Yin Zuo didn't really believe what Yin Ti said. Although his elder brother was a skilled archer, he usually shot at prey that could be seen with the naked eye. Now they were on a moving boat, and Yin Zuo had been staring at the water all morning without seeing a single fish. He didn't believe that his elder brother's arrows could have eyes and go into the water to find fish on their own.
It has to be said that the eldest brother is indeed quite capable. Even though he was unlucky today, he still managed to shoot the fish up with his big bow using his own pure strength. When Yinzhuo watched his eldest brother pull the rope back to drag the fish, his mind was filled with the words "Damn it!" Luck is part of strength, and now it seems that the reverse also applies.
"Brother, you're amazing! Our boat is moving, and with the waves creating cover, even if there are fish floating on the surface, they shouldn't be easy to see, right? Brother, tell me quickly, how did you shoot that fish in one shot? Does your arrow have eyes?"
Yinti's arrow that made him a god was a triumphant moment, and he readily accepted his younger brother's admiration. He first removed the arrow from the fish, then instructed Li Yu to put the fish into the bucket before turning to look at Yinzuo, who was staring at him with shining eyes.
"Sixth brother, you should just go back to fishing. Trust me, this method won't work for you..."
"I can't use it? Dude, aren't you blatantly saying I'm bad at it? Even if what you're saying is the truth, it's still really hurtful. Seriously, are you talking to me this directly now? Can't we at least have some social etiquette?"
"Hmph, what's so great about it? Big brother, that's not fair of you. How can you compare your strengths to someone else's weaknesses? My archery skills aren't as good as yours, but they're still passable."
Upon hearing this, Yinti nodded and then gave Yinzuo's archery skills, which he described as having four strengths, a very fair evaluation.
"Sixth Brother, you're being too modest. Your archery skills aren't just passable, they're downright passable..."
Okay, very good, excellent. The day has been completely killed off. Although Yinti's skill in shooting fish is indeed quite good, he wasted so much time before. Even if he hits the target every time now, it will not affect the result of the competition in the slightest. Yinzuo became the final winner of the competition without any suspense.
Yinzhu was naturally happy to win the competition, and although Yinti lost, he had fully demonstrated his strength to his opponent, so he was also in a very good mood. The two brothers had the fish sent to the kitchen, washed their hands, and then returned to the cabin to see Kangxi.
When they entered the flower hall of the ship's cabin, Kangxi and Yinzhi were playing chess by the window. When Yinti and Yinzhi bowed and greeted him, Kangxi merely waved his hand, indicating that the two of them should get up on their own. His eyes never left the chessboard in front of him from beginning to end. Since Kangxi did not speak, Yinti naturally did not dare to go forward to disturb him. But Yinzhi was different. He did not care whether his father's chess game was at a critical moment. As soon as he got up, he ran over to Kangxi, squeezed his buttocks in front of him, and sat down next to Kangxi. Then, regardless of whether Kangxi wanted to listen or not, he recounted to his father the process of playing chess with his elder brother. Of course, the most important part was his elder brother's excellent archery skills.
Kangxi was not interested in their boring fishing competition, but when he heard Yinti shooting fish with a bow and arrow while playing chess, he paused and turned to look at Yinzuo, who was still praising his elder brother.
"You mean your older brother shot at the fish in the river with a bow and arrow, and actually hit them?"
Yinzhuo was currently admiring his elder brother. Upon hearing his father's question, he immediately nodded, stood up, and recounted the events of that time to his father with a combination of words and gestures.
“Father, you find it unbelievable too, right? You have no idea how dumbfounded your son was. You know, our boat is moving right now, and the waves it's making are so big that you can't even see what's on the river. My brother was standing on the boat and managed to shoot an arrow into a fish in the river. It not only shows that my brother's archery skills are superb, but his eyesight is also amazing…”
What's that saying again? Right, a kind word warms the heart for three winter months. Anyway, Yinti is feeling quite warm inside because of Yinzuo's praise. Kangxi is naturally very happy that his son is so promising. His way of expressing happiness is very simple, which is just one word - reward. And it's the kind of reward that everyone gets a share of. Yinzuo was already in a good mood after winning the competition today, and now that he has received silver, his mood is naturally soaring.
"Eunuch Liang, could you please find someone to go to the kitchen later and tell them to make fewer of the other dishes tonight, but make more fish in several different flavors? I like sweet and sour fish, I like braised fish, I like garlic fish slices, I like spicy fish chunks, I like sour soup fish slices, boiled fish—basically, have them make all the dishes they know how to make for me."
Liang Jiugong was already used to Yinzhuo's ordering style, which was like ordering food from a restaurant. Seeing that Kangxi did not stop him, he quickly responded with a smile, raised his hand to beckon the palace servant next to him, and gave him a few simple instructions. The palace servant then hurriedly ate his meal in the cabin.