Chapter 10, Grandparent and Grandchild Night Chat
Li Zhen asked again, "This device is quite ingenious, capable of saving the effort of drawing a bow, and can reach a distance of two hundred paces, all while maintaining accuracy. It occasionally surpasses the wisdom of our predecessors by a thousand years. Ha, those predecessors who toiled and bled must be turning in their graves."
It cannot be described as love, nor can it be described as hate
Although it is the evaluation of my biological grandfather, I still feel a slight sense of hurt in my heart
Li Zhen was seated in the main position, wearing a light purple robe, calmly flipping through a book.
The Li family of the British nobility is a large family. Li has two elder sisters, two younger brothers, two sons, and two daughters, with a total of five grandchildren.
Due to Li Zhen's high merit and great influence, successive emperors of three dynasties conferred numerous official titles upon Li Zhen's peers and descendants, a practice known in ancient times as "favor and protection"
Li Qinzai knelt down, keeping his back straight, with his thighs and calves parallel, his feet overlapping, his hands resting on his legs, and his gaze directed straight ahead
Li Qinzai forced a smile, while Li Zhen's reaction was somewhat indifferent, though it was understandable
It is sufficient for a family to produce one remarkable individual; having more would only lead to complications, overshadowing the emperor.
Fortunately, this scoundrel was not granted an official position, otherwise it would have been a slap in the face to the royal family
Even chickens have patriotism; why can't the pampered offspring contribute something for the country
From the perspective of the demographic situation of the Tang Dynasty, the Li family undoubtedly qualifies as a model household, as they have a sufficiently large population
It is good that you have returned, young master. The husband is waiting for you in the study of the residence in the backyard. I will escort you there.
Li nodded and pointed to a cushion in front of him, saying: "Sit."
A delicate hollow copper ball is suspended from the beam in the study, within which sandalwood is burning, emitting a fragrant and subtle aroma
This is the standard sitting posture of this era
Even though the Son of Heaven may have the intention to bestow favor upon Li Qinzai, he does not dare to indiscriminately confer official positions, fearing that it may lead to trouble
Li Zhen squinted his eyes and said, "You spend your days reveling with friends, indulging in pleasures, and sleeping among the flowers and willows. I have hardly seen you read any books, making you a half-blind person with your eyes open. How is it that you possess such skill to create a bow with double the range?"
Li Zhen's brothers and descendants are all serving as officials outside. Among the grandchildren, Li Jingye, Li Jingyou, and Li Jingzhen, among others, all hold official positions.
Unable to find a reason, Li Zhen could only explain to himself that the changes in his grandson were due to encountering a great disaster, causing him to mature overnight
The meaning of "恩荫" is that regardless of your own abilities, as long as your relatives are influential, you can hold an official position. You do not need to be impressive yourself, and it is preferable not to be impressive.
The two men walked into the backyard, with Wu Tong leading Li Qin through seven twists and eight turns, eventually stopping in a secluded and picturesque courtyard.
The previous owner of Li Qinzai's body was evidently not a benevolent person, as evidenced by the servants in the mansion who avoided him like a venomous snake, indicating that Li Qinzai had inflicted considerable harm upon them
Li Qinzai questioned, "Why?"
Li did not pay attention to him and continued reading the book
Having resolved a tremendous trouble, Li Qinzai returned alone to the entrance of the Li residence from the outskirts of the capital.
He seemed to have completely transformed into a different person; this person was very unfamiliar. Clearly, the features and appearance were still his, yet Li Zhen did not recognize him
Yes
After the imperial decree was issued, Li Qinzai returned to Chang'an City and immediately rushed back to the Li family, not because of his love for the Li family, but because he had nowhere else to go
"Grandfather, I merely caught sight of the weapons assigned to the guards at the gate yesterday, and in that moment, I had an epiphany, thus I have gained some insights." Li Qinzai humbly stated
Li Qinzai has a slightly dark complexion
Upon being welcomed back to the residence by his retinue, aside from the sincere smile displayed by Liu A-si, the servants in the household showed no signs of excitement or joy at Li Qinzai's return.
How should I put it, this grandson in front of the picture book has matured a lot, he no longer acts recklessly in his speech and actions, is very polite and well-mannered, and does not throw tantrums or act unreasonable
Taking a drawing from the desk, Li Zhen pointed at it and said, "Is this indeed your creation?"
Even now, he still cannot fully integrate into the role of "Li Qinzai"; instead, he resembles a calm observer, quietly watching everything and everyone in this unfamiliar era, neither sad nor joyful
Li Qinzai lowered his head and said, "Yes, thank you, Grandfather, for interceding on behalf of your grandson."
Unworthy descendants, this is the treatment at home. The more reckless they are outside, the more humble they become at home
After the incident of the sale of the Pegasus jade carving, it is estimated that Li Zhi quietly wiped a cold sweat in the inner palace
Thus, Li Qinzai is twenty years old this year, yet he remains a commoner, and has adopted a carefree attitude... well, one reaps what one sows; at least when engaging in reckless behavior, he bears no psychological burden.
Several days have passed since arriving here, and Li Qinzai has become somewhat familiar with the Li family. His impression of them is neither particularly good nor bad; it is rather neutral.
One does not need to look at Li Qinzai to know that it is a blueprint given by oneself to the military equipment supervisor, depicting the mechanical components of a new type of powerful bow
Upon seeing Li Qinzai enter, Li Yan raised his eyes and cast a faint glance, then continued to focus on the pages of the book.
Li Yao shook his head and said, "m.hetushucom.com, do not thank me, old man. Throughout your life, every trouble you caused was resolved by the elders in your family, but this time, it is you who must save yourself"
In just a brief exchange of two sentences, he could deeply sense that this grandson was vastly different in temperament from before, almost as if he were a completely different person
Upon entering the front yard, the butler Wu Tong approached, tugging at Li Qinzai's sleeve, his eyes reddening. Whether it was genuine or not, he actually shed a few tears.
There is only one room in the courtyard, with blue bricks and red tiles, simple yet not unattractive
The young master Wu has suffered, how can a delicate and precious person like Jiao Jiao endure such torment, from now on, one must not dare to provoke trouble, one must not dare to provoke trouble...
"With the great battle imminent, you have conveniently presented a valuable weapon that can be used for the nation; only then did His Majesty spare you. Otherwise, amidst the murmurs of the court and the world, how could His Majesty lightly absolve you of your crimes?"
Li Qinzai stood at the wooden steps of the house's entrance, pondering for a moment before finally removing his shoes and entering
Li Qinzai reached out to pat his shoulder in a gesture of comfort, but recalling that he had once peeped at him while he was urinating, with motives unclear and peculiar habits unknown, he hesitated and ultimately refrained from doing so
"Nonsense!" Li Zhen glared at him fiercely, then sighed and said, "Well, consider yourself lucky this time, narrowly escaping a disaster. If it were any other day, even if you had created this new type of powerful bow, you would not easily evade punishment..."
Li deeply gazed at him
Li Qinzai is the youngest among the grandchildren, but unfortunately, he has been quite reckless, having committed numerous disgraceful acts in the past, which have nearly tarnished his reputation in Chang'an.
The smiles they displayed were merely professional; in his past life, when Li Qinzai was still a corporate worker, he had become quite familiar with such insincere smiles in the workplace
Li Qinzai silently bowed to Li Zhen and said, "Grandson pays his respects to you, esteemed grandfather"
Li Qinzai smiled and said: "I must also thank my esteemed grandfather. Without your assistance in helping me reach the heavens, I would still be unable to save myself"
"Do not worry, esteemed grandfather, they have reincarnated long ago..."
Those who hold official positions, if they commit any outrageous acts, will bring disgrace upon the dignity of the nation and the authority of the emperor
After a long time, Li Yan finally shifted his gaze away from the book and glanced at Li Qinzai, saying lightly: "I presume that His Majesty has issued an edict to pardon you and release you, otherwise you would still be on your way to Lingnan at this moment"
Li Xuan's murky eyes gradually deepened: "After the Northern Turks were defeated, the Tiele Nine Clans continue to frequently invade the borders, plundering and slaughtering the subjects of our Great Tang. Your Majesty has long had the intention to march north, and perhaps this autumn, you will mobilize the royal army to campaign against the Tiele Nine Clans."