Chapter 3 — Ngoc Om Thanh Hoan

These words immediately aroused the unwillingness to give up in Thanh Hoan's bones. She raised her chin slightly, and the bottom of her eyes carried a bit of sharpness.
“Do you dare to compete with me?”
“So what, am I still afraid of you?”
The surrounding young men from the aristocratic family immediately followed suit, all looking like they were waiting to see a good show. The rules of the competition are very simple, each person has ten feather arrows, whoever hits the jar more wins. Tieu Lam struck first, his movements were skillful and neat, ten shots firmly hit eight. With such eye-catching achievements ahead, heavy pressure immediately fell on Thanh Hoan. She stood there for a long time without moving, I thought she was scared. Unexpectedly, she turned her head to look at me and asked a question that made my heart ache.
“Auntie, Tieu Lam is a prince, if I win against him, will you blame me?”
My heart suddenly choked, I immediately saw through the insecurity hidden in her heart. In her perception, Tieu Lam and I have known each other longer, so naturally we will favor him. Just like in the general's palace, no matter how well she did, as long as Trieu Lenh Nguyet shed a few tears, the elder sister's eyes would follow her. It was as if every light she revealed to the outside was a mistake in itself, one that would hurt others. I was a little stunned, immediately bent down and looked at her. I reached out to tuck her falling hair behind her ear, my voice serious and solemn.
"Thanh Hoan, you remember clearly. No matter who you win, I won't blame you, I'm just truly happy for you."
She remained silent and did not respond. The next moment, he suddenly raised his hand and firmly threw the feather arrow in his hand out.
5
With a short, dull sound, the feathered arrow firmly fell into the bronze jar.
“So powerful!” I couldn't help but voice my praise.
Trieu Thanh Hoan turned his head to look at me, his eyes hiding a faint smugness: "Auntie, I told you just now, it's not difficult."
“Of course I believe in you, Thanh Hoan, you are truly excellent!”
The defeated Tieu Lam next to her stared at the feathered arrow in her hand, her face unconvinced. One shot, two shots, three shots... until all ten shots have been thrown. None of the shots missed, they all hit the middle of the jar. The back yard suddenly erupted into a loud cheer. Thanh Hoan was originally a beginner, the odds of her winning were extremely high, many young men from aristocratic families were so excited that they were gesticulating.
"Wait." Tieu Lam quickly stepped forward to stop Trieu Thanh Hoan: "You are not a beginner at all, you clearly deliberately hid your profession to deceive me."
“Today is actually my first time playing.”
Trieu Thanh Hoan's face was full of resentment, even more unjust than Dau Nga. I immediately stepped forward, firmly blocking Thanh Hoan's body.
"Your Highness Ninth, can't you lose? Thanh Hoan is the girl I brought here. I know best what kind of qualities she has."
Seeing that Thanh Hoan and I both had serious faces, Tieu Lam suddenly burst into laughter, held the fan and clasped his hands together, frankly admitting defeat.
"That's it, today I was mistaken, I bow to the wind."
I called the second child to come, take me and Thanh Hoan to the elegant room on the second floor, throwing cards has been chaotic for more than half a day, so we should sit down and rest. Tieu Nhi bent down to announce all kinds of exquisite snacks in the shop, while Trieu Thanh Hoan next to him looked out the window in a trance and did not respond.
“Thanh Hoan.” I'm quiet called her: "Just order whatever you like, no need to be formal."
Only then did she suddenly regain her composure and order an apple pie. I felt a bit helpless: "Just one dish? How can it be enough to fill my stomach?" She looked at me politely again.
"Auntie hasn't called yet, how dare you call so much first."
“It's up to me, I can eat with you.”
With these words, she relaxed her courage and ordered seven or eight small snacks in one breath that she liked to eat. I held back a laugh and teased: "Just now you were still so reserved, but now you've relaxed, do you still need to be so polite with me?" Thanh Hoan heard that and lowered his eyes and remained silent, I already had some guesses in my heart.
“Do you have to leave everything at home to Trieu Lenh Nguyet?”
She nodded slightly.
"Meals in the palace have always been based on her taste. She doesn't like most of the things I like to eat. Over time, I rarely take the initiative to say what I want to eat."
“If the food she ordered doesn't suit your liking, what should you do?”
Trieu Thanh Hoan tilted his head, thought carefully for a moment, and answered honestly.
“It seems like there's nothing you're not used to eating.”
I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that, what a generous-hearted girl. It was quiet for a moment, then she suddenly called me softly like a mosquito: "Auntie." When he raised his eyes to look at me, the bottom of his eyes were covered with a thin layer of admiration.
“If you were my mother, how good it would be.”
My heart moved, suddenly a plan was born. We can't force people to force this matter, but we can change the way and slowly calculate. First, I invited Thanh Hoan to come to my district lord's palace to sit and play. The sitting turned into a temporary stay, and the temporary stay turned into a long stay. It's been a long time, there's no need to return to the general's palace to make her feel sorry for herself anymore. I curled my eyes and looked at the girl next to me, softly speaking and opening my mouth.
“Thanh Hoan, are you willing to come with me to the district chief's palace to stay temporarily for a few days?”