Autumn colors filled the riverbanks, the waters broad beneath the boundless sky.
The west wind aged the green reed shoals.
A thousand sails pointed north along the road to Yongzhou,
Countless green mountains saw the warships off.
Wang Yang stood at the bow in a bright blue fighting outfit, a military leather belt cinched around his waist and his cuffs bound tight.
His brows were open and clear, bearing a bold spirit that seemed to soar into the heavens;
His eyes shone keen and stern, their chill reflected upon the water.
The river wind billowed around him, whipping the hem of his robe, but he paid it no mind. He simply held his bow with complete concentration, standing sideways, his gaze fixed on the distance.
Li Zaifu stood beside Wang Yang, carefully coaching him through the essentials of his stance.
Five guards stood nearby, protecting him while also keeping watch over him.
One more was absent. Wang Yang had sent him to tell the kitchen to add egg custard-steamed eggs-to lunch.
"Military Commander, you mustn't hunch your shoulders. Once your shoulders rise, your arms drop, and once your arms drop, your joints fall out of alignment. That means you're shooting with your muscles. Practicing archery isn't like practicing boxing. Your punches are weighty and powerful, Military Commander, a proper orthodox method that emphasizes directing your vital energy with your intent and exerting force through the muscles. But archery is different. To shoot both powerfully and accurately, you must concentrate your vital energy into a single line and exert force through your sinews and bones. If you rely on your muscles, your hands will shake, especially at full draw. That isn't superior archery. But if you know how to use the strength of your bones, you can keep shooting a heavy