Chapter 4 The Best of Times

The era of Emperor Wu of Han was indeed a time of great fervor, as the Han Dynasty, after sixty to seventy years of accumulation, was at the height of its national strength. Soon, Emperor Wu waged war against the Xiongnu, and renowned generals such as Wei Qing and Huo Qubing emerged, ushering in a new era. The emperor and his ministers dealt a severe blow to the Xiongnu, who had dominated the steppes for hundreds of years, establishing their prestige and ambition. The Han Dynasty swept away decades of unfavorable peace treaties, and thus Han became a name representing a nation.

As he was handling the fish in his hands, Liang Xiao suddenly remembered that he seemed to have forgotten to do something that all travelers should do: what year is it this year, and what evening is it tonight?

The prisoner said faintly: "Courage is commendable, but the strength is too lacking to ascend to the grand hall of elegance"

Such things were often done by Liang Xiao in the past; before it was completely dark, he had already caught over ten large fish, and he would gut them right by the riverbank

Liang Xiao harbored the intention to learn the craft, and his attitude underwent a significant change. He discussed with his mother, slaughtered a chicken, purchased some wine, and prepared a large pot of rice to treat the prisoner to a hearty meal. The prisoner was not modest at all, devouring the food with great enthusiasm; he consumed an entire chicken by himself, leaving not even a drop of soup for Liang Xiao. He polished off more than half of the fragrant rice from the large pot, leaving only a small amount at the bottom for Liang's mother and son.

Liang Xiao was furious. "Don't talk big, just give it a try. Who knows, I might even grow taller than you in no time."

Whether one can achieve the remarkable skill of hitting a target from a hundred paces depends firstly on whether one possesses the innate talent, and secondly on whether one has received proper training; both elements are indispensable. The prisoner cast a glance at Liang Xiao. "Do not overthink it; throughout history, those who can truly achieve the feat of hitting a target from a hundred paces are few and far between."

What are you going to do

Liang Xiao listened with great interest, but the prisoner did not continue speaking. He stared at Liang Xiao and said: "You take your mother's surname, who is your father?"

Upon reaching this conclusion, Liang Xiao suddenly became excited

The prisoner stared at him for a while, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Do you know how many types of the most skillful archery there are?"

I am going to catch a few fish. Liang Xiao smiled and said, "You prepare the firewood and water, I will return before dark to cook a pot of fish soup and have a hearty meal"

Although Liang Xiao felt regretful, he could see that the prisoner was unwilling to say more, so he could only nod reluctantly. The skills belonged to the other person; if he wanted to learn, it depended on whether the other person was willing to teach. If the other person was unwilling, he could not force them. Fortunately, they lived under the same roof and spent every day together, so there would be opportunities in the future

It does not matter if Liang M. eats a little less, but he is unwilling to let Liang Xiao go hungry. Since it is still early, sending Liang Xiao outside the city to catch fish is a good way to supplement the food supply. The people of Wu and Chu enjoy rice and fish soup, and just outside Guangling City is the great river, abundant with fish and shrimp. As long as one is willing to put in the effort, a good meal can be had without spending a single penny, which has always been the best choice for ordinary folks to treat themselves.

"No," the prisoner shook his head without a moment's hesitation. "Although my eyesight is decent, I do not possess the talent to hit a target from a hundred paces."

Liang Xiao blinked and shook his head. "I don't know, my mother has never mentioned it to me."

"Huan Jun has a keen eye," Liang Xiao praised half in earnest and half in jest

He sat down, tossed the fish aside, and carefully recalled. Although there seemed to be no specific year in the original memories of Liang Xiao, he only knew that it was currently the Han Dynasty, but there were several pieces of information that were quite valuable

Liang Xiao made this judgment based on another reason: the prisoner claimed to be from the State of Wu, as he was punished for following King Wu, which should refer to King Liu Bi of Wu. In other words, the Wu-Chu Rebellion had just recently passed, and this rebellion occurred during the reign of Emperor Jing of Han. The next time the State of Wu would appear would be during the Three Kingdoms period

Wait a minute, with such an eye for *illustrated* books, could she also be a time traveler?

Liang Xiao raised the corner of his mouth slightly and inquired, "What can Lord Huan accomplish?"

The prisoner remained silent, raising the wooden staff in one hand and pointing it at Liang Xiao

The prisoner, having had his fill of food and drink, went to rest. Liang Xiao looked at the leftover cold dishes, contemplated for a moment, then stood up and picked up the crossbow

For Liang Xiao personally, this is undoubtedly the best of times. Before the imperial examination system was established, commoners had little opportunity for advancement; however, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, it was an era where commoners could become ministers and even where lowly servants could become generals. All forms of recommendation and the imperial examination can be set aside; in this age, military merit is the quickest path to success.

Recalling the ascension of the new emperor two years ago, Liang Xiao can be fairly certain that it is now the early years of Emperor Wu of Han

The prisoner pondered for a moment and suddenly said, "I am tired"

During the Han Dynasty, ordinary people had two meals a day. The morning meal was called "Zhaoshi," typically taken between the hours of Mao and Chen, which corresponds to around 8 to 9 o'clock in the morning. The evening meal was referred to as "Mushi," usually consumed during the hours of Shen and You, which is between approximately 3 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon

Liang Xiaoji shivered slightly. If this is really the case, then this world is truly terrifying

The first is the Kingdom of Jiangdu. According to the memories of later generations, the establishment of the Kingdom of Jiangdu during the Han Dynasty was not long-lasting, spanning only two generations and a few books. It seems that the crown prince had not yet ascended to the throne; at this time, it should be the first generation of the King of Jiangdu, who is later known as King Yi, Liu Fei, reigning.

Liang Xiao was taken aback for a moment, but soon understood. Tu Niu'er was coming from the western suburbs with his crossbow, and the prisoner was also approaching from the west, so he must have seen this crossbow.

Liang Xiao's eyes turned as he asked, "Can Huan Jun achieve a hundred steps to pierce the willow?"

One of the six arts of shooting, literature observes virtue, and martial arts ensure the stability of the state. In ancient times, there were five types of shooting: namely, the white arrow, the three-linked arrow, the sharp arrow, the measuring arrow, and the well-formed arrow, with emphasis on etiquette and propriety. Nowadays, there are strong pulls, swift flights, trajectory shooting, and sound shooting, with a focus on practical effectiveness

Mother, you eat first, I will step out for a moment

Liang Xiao was skeptical. He had always held reservations about the feat of hitting a target the size of a bean from a hundred paces away. As the prisoner Huan Jun stated, from a distance of one hundred paces, a person's head appears to be roughly the size of a bean, and it is difficult to even see clearly, let alone hit it, and to do so with perfect accuracy.

For ordinary people, having dinner and going to bed as soon as it gets dark saves on lamp oil costs and allows for one less meal, which is not a big deal. However, for the Liang family, one member has to work the night shift weaving brocade, while another is in the midst of growth, with aspirations of joining the military to achieve merit and be granted titles. Having two meals a day is somewhat challenging, especially since a large portion has already been consumed by that prisoner with the surname Huan

Liang Xiao and the librarian's expressions changed dramatically, and they involuntarily shivered, as if the object held by the prisoner was not a wooden staff, but a fierce crossbow brimming with murderous intent

Even if Liang Xiao is slow-witted, he knows he has encountered a master. Despite holding a crossbow in his hands, the other party only has a wooden stick and is even a cripple. If a fight were to break out, it is truly uncertain who would live and who would die

A bachelor does not suffer immediate losses, Liang Xiao put away his crossbow and clasped his hands. "This young man is unaware of the vastness of heaven and earth, showing off in front of the Fang family, I humbly ask Lord Huan to forgive him"

In the era of cold weapons, the bow and crossbow were the most important weapons, and mounted archery was almost a symbol of martial prowess. I possess long arms, which are naturally suited for becoming an exceptional archer, making it only logical for me to achieve military success. No wonder my mother is so confident, claiming that I can attain the rank of a marquis and be appointed as a general

The prisoner set down the wooden stick and gently patted his injured leg. "You are smarter than that foolish boy"

Liang Xiao shook his head. He truly did not know. In his previous life, he was completely ignorant of archery, and in this life, his knowledge was also limited. He only excelled slightly due to his innate talent, but he was far from mastering the extraordinary skill of hitting a target at a hundred paces.

Certainly, to comprehend the intricacies of archery, one must possess not only physical strength but also keen eyesight. From a hundred paces away, a person's face appears as small as a bean; without exceptional vision, how can one achieve the feats of hitting the target with precision and accuracy?