By the time the wedding procession reached the Liu family's gate, day had fully broken. Many people were already waiting outside. Zhang Xiaohua led the horse before the crowd and only then stopped. After Zhang Xiaolong swung down from the saddle, Zhang Xiaohua handed the reins to a member of the Liu family who came over.
Everyone cupped their hands to Zhang Xiaolong. "Congratulations, groom! Congratulations!" Zhang Xiaolong happily returned their greetings. Then the crowd made way, and Zhang Xiaohua looked up to see a wooden rack beside the gate, with a bow resting atop it. This was a country custom: the first thing a groom did when fetching his bride was shoot three arrows toward the sky outside her home, symbolizing the driving away of all demons and evil spirits. Zhang Xiaohua had seen it before at other people's weddings, but although Zhang Xiaolong's arm had healed, even working in the fields was still a problem. How could he draw a bow and shoot arrows?
It seemed the task could only fall to the groomsman, Zhang Xiaohua. But Zhang Xiaohua was only twelve or thirteen, and asking him to draw that bow was rather far-fetched. Everyone looked at one another. Zhang Xiaolong thought for a moment, then stepped forward to take the bow. Zhang Xiaohua panicked and hurriedly lunged forward to grab his elder brother. "Big Brother, your arm has only just healed. How can you pull that thing? What if you injure it again? Wouldn't all your previous efforts go down the drain? Let me do it."
Zhang Xiaolong smiled. "It's fine. I only need to draw it and shoot. I still have that much strength. You're still young—how could you have the strength to draw a bow and fire arrows?"
Zhang Xiaohua smiled as well. "Big Brother,