Chapter 8, The Heavenly Couple

Li Zhi said lightly, "Regardless of whether it is true or false, I have understood the Duke of England's intention."

Li Yan, before Li Zhi could speak, suddenly knelt down and pleaded earnestly

Li Zhi was being pampered comfortably, yet his gaze remained fixed on the strong bow in his hands

Emperor Li Zhi was enjoying the performances of various songs and dances with Empress Wu in the Chengqing Hall. After Li Yan entered the hall, the imperial couple, in a show of respect, specially ordered the cessation of the performances. The emperor and empress then adjusted their attire and greeted each other with propriety.

Li Zhen stroked his beard while smiling and listening intently, occasionally unable to suppress a laugh. As the craftsman recounted his stories, Li Zhen's complexion gradually became more flushed, clearly indicating that his mood was improving.

Li Zhi smiled and said: "Daring to sell the items bestowed by the late emperor, this young man is indeed an extraordinary figure. Although I cannot compare to the late emperor's literary and martial achievements, I believe my broad-mindedness is not inferior to his. After all, it is merely an object; if it is lost, so be it."

The palace gate slowly closed, and Li Zhen's figure disappeared outside the palace gate

Liu A-si lowered his head and said, "Yes, based on the pace of travel, we should have left Chang'an for more than an hour."

However, before this vast and majestic palace, Li Zhen still maintained a posture as if walking on thin ice, showing no trace of the decisive and commanding presence of a fierce general who issues orders with the weight of a mountain in front of his soldiers.

Seeing Li Zhi lost in thought, Wu Hou blinked and softly said to the librarian, "Your Majesty, the items presented by the Duke of England are extraordinary. If equipped within the armies of the Tang Dynasty, they will surely increase the chances of victory in battle. Clearly, this could be used to absolve his grandson of guilt, so why does the Duke of England..."

......

The sound reverberates outside the vast palace gates, like a great bell tolling, ceaseless and enduring

Empress Wu also smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty has made a decision, I am willing to draft the decree on Your Majesty's behalf to release Li Qinzai."

At this time, Empress Wu had not yet developed any thoughts of upheaval; the couple was in a blissful honeymoon period, both in their personal lives and in their careers.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, Li Yan did not seek to have his grandson Li Qinzai's merits recognized in exchange for his crimes; instead, he requested the emperor not to change the decree.

Empress Wu also looked at the strong bow in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Your Majesty, could this item... truly be created by the grandson of the Duke of England? I have heard that the reputation of the Duke of England's fifth grandson is quite..."

Upon hearing the name of Li Qinzai, Li Zhi's expression suddenly became peculiar, and he quickly exchanged a glance with Wu Zetian beside him

After the craftsman finished speaking, he stood nervously to the side, while Li Yan's eyes were half-closed, lost in thought.

I originally thought Li was here to plead for his grandson, but unexpectedly, he delivered a backstab to his grandson instead

Even the threats from Li Qinzai, who urged him to join in the exodus, were recounted verbatim, word for word, without the slightest discount.

Just now in the Taiji Palace, Li Shuang presented the unique strong bow created by Li Qinzai with both hands

An hour later, Li Xuan walked out of the Taiji Palace empty-handed, his face still expressionless, his gaze calm and undisturbed

Two hundred paces away, the guard commander, holding a strong bow, shot unerringly at the bullseye. In shock, Li Zhi could not help but laugh heartily towards the sky

Is it that there are occasional gains, or is it a response born out of urgency, or perhaps it is the case that one has been biding their time in obscurity, only to be compelled to reveal a hint of brilliance in times of crisis

Li Zhi remained silent for a long time, suddenly laughed, his eyes squinting with mirth, and softly said: "The old fox has many tricks up his sleeve; some words can only be spoken by me. If he were to say them, he would lose the upper hand."

At present, Li Zhi is in the prime of his life. Together with his wife, they have just eliminated Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, revitalizing the Li family's imperial power, and the subjects of the realm are increasingly returning to their allegiance.

Being personally received by the old duke, the craftsman felt both honored and nervous, approaching Li Zhen with trepidation.

An hour later, a swift horse galloped out of the Taiji Palace, directly pursuing the direction in which Li Qinzai was leaving the capital

After a long time, Li Zhen suddenly burst into laughter: "Whether it is by accident or through accumulated experience, this calamity has indeed been avoided, ha ha!

Li Zhi's gaze flickered, and he did not respond directly to Li Yan, but instead engaged in casual conversation with this renowned general who had served three dynasties.

Outside the Tai Chi Palace, the palace gates are heavily guarded, with soldiers as numerous as rain.

Upon hearing Li Yan's earnest request, both the Emperor and the Empress were somewhat taken aback

Following the eunuch, he walked slowly through the palace gates, his gait dignified, each step taken with a firm and steady manner

Li Qinzai's creation of a powerful bow is indeed a merit, but his act of secretly selling the imperial gift bestowed by the late Emperor Taizong is also a grave offense

As a Duke of the State, the highest military leader, the official rank has already reached the pinnacle of ministerial status

Empress Wu, of course, was a woman of great cunning and had long understood Li Zhi's intentions, yet she still covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "Your Majesty is exceedingly wise; had it not been for Your Majesty's revelation, I would have thought he truly intended to uphold righteousness and eliminate his own kin"

In a fleeting glance, Li Zhen asked, "Qin Zai should have left the capital for quite some time now, heading towards Jinzhou, correct?"

After a casual conversation, Li Zhi accepted the new-style strong bow, and the Emperor and Empress politely escorted Li Zhi out of the palace

In response to Li Qian's inquiries, the craftsmen spoke without reservation, from the blueprints provided by Li Qinzai, to the explanation of how to create this bow, and then to the actual production in the Military Equipment Bureau, followed by a personal trial after its completion

Li Qizhen rose, still maintaining a respectful posture with his head bowed. He first handed the strong bow in his hands to the eunuch, who then passed it to the palace guards to be escorted to the Emperor's Ming Hall.

After the excitement, Li Zhi eagerly inquired about who had created the new type of strong bow

Merit may be rewarded, but crime cannot be pardoned. The criminal, Li Qinzai, must still be exiled to Lingnan and cannot be released to return; otherwise, it would be difficult to conceal the discussions in the court, and it would also undermine the imperial authority, bringing shame to the Li family's illustrious lineage.

The Empress Wu, who has been married to Li Zhi for many years and is four years his senior, is undoubtedly a mature woman.

It is truly shocking that a reckless and extravagant young man, known for causing trouble all day, has overnight created a national treasure that completely surpasses anything currently available.

In his thirties, the spirited Li Zhi lowered his head, lost in thought as he stared intently at the powerful bow in his hands, unaware of what occupied his mind

Li Zui's lips curled into a slight smile, as he said with a hint of mockery, "Having caused such a great disaster, he should indeed suffer some consequences. No need to rush, let him walk a bit longer; I will make a trip to the palace."

He is well aware of how crucial it is for the Tang Dynasty to have an additional long-range weapon with double the range, especially for the future military campaigns against the barbarian tribes in all directions

Li Zhen's ceremonial escort halted twenty zhang outside the palace gate. Li Zhen dismounted and took the strong bow handed to him by his retinue. He lowered his head to examine the strong bow for a moment, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth

Empress Wu chuckled lightly and said, "Your Majesty wishes to release this child?"

In the past, Li Qinzai exhibited various forms of mischief and unsatisfactory behavior regarding books; now, he seems to have undergone a complete transformation, effortlessly creating a new type of tool as if it were second nature to him

Li Zhen was lost in deep thought, contemplating his incredible grandson

Li Zhen calmly stated that it was his grandson Li Qinzai's original creation, and he requested the military equipment supervisor to have the craftsmen produce it

Although Li Zhi was not an emperor on horseback, he grew up beside Li Shimin and was well acquainted with many famous generals from the Zhenguan era, making him naturally familiar with military affairs

A squad of armored soldiers stands guard outside the palace gate, wielding spears as they patrol. Banners flutter atop the palace towers, while the palace gate remains tightly shut, resembling a fierce beast resting with its dragon head raised towards the sky, instilling a sense of awe in those who gaze upon it

Then Li Zhen adjusted his attire, revealing a solemn and dignified demeanor. With both hands holding a strong bow, he knelt outside the palace gate and said in a deep voice, "I, the old minister Li Zhen, earnestly request an audience with Your Majesty to present a valuable weapon for the country"

Liu A-Si, who was beside him, also became excited; he understood the meaning behind Li Zhen's words

After the burning of a stick of incense, the tightly shut palace gates opened a crack, and a eunuch slowly emerged, proclaiming with dignity: "By imperial decree, the Son of Heaven summons the Duke of England"

After entering the palace, Li Zhen presented a powerful bow and provided a detailed explanation for the two individuals, specifically emphasizing that this item has a range twice that of the bows currently used in the military

After Li Zhen's explanation, Li Zhi could not help but feel greatly pleased, and in high spirits, he issued an order for a test firing outside the palace.