Chapter 6: The Alluring Chang'an
Due to the heavy snowfall, the usually bustling Chang'an street market has few pedestrians today. A few foreign merchants with yellow hair and red beards are chattering in a mix of their own language and awkward Chinese, haggling with the innkeepers for a place to stay. Their chestnut horses are laden with various packages, suggesting they are merchants traveling along the Silk Road. Qin Xiao inquired at several inns, but most were fully booked with no vacancies, so he had no choice but to continue searching slowly along the street.
Watching the black-robed figure flee in a flustered and disheveled manner, Qin Xiao felt a surge of satisfaction in his heart. He also developed a certain fondness for the purple-robed individual, who was adept at commanding others and discerning right from wrong.
The galloping BMW was greatly startled, suddenly rearing up and letting out a loud whinny, throwing the man in the black robe and brocade off the horse.
Even though the cold wind howled and the goose feathers fell like snow, it did not in the slightest affect the festive atmosphere in Chang'an. Even the soldiers stationed on the city walls, armed with spears and halberds, offered a friendly smile to Qin Xiao, momentarily leading him to the illusion that these soldiers, if they were to say "Welcome," would be the standard welcoming attendants at a tourist attraction in Xi'an.
The man in the purple robe appeared to be of a similar age to Qin Xiao, yet he exuded an innate grandeur and regal elegance that involuntarily made Qin Xiao admire him in silence
As the figure in the black robe charged closer, Qin Xiao clenched his fist, anger flashing across his face. He shouted inwardly: Dare to attack the police? If you dare to strike with that whip, I will turn you into a Transformer with a single "Moyun Right Hook"!
Calling out, he rushed towards the young man, frantically waving the riding whip.
Qin Xiaofan turned over and got on top
Qin Xiao walked slowly, carefully admiring and observing this grand capital city, lamenting the absence of a camera to capture the beautiful scenery before him. Now, alongside his books, he had grown into a tall and handsome young man, standing at six feet (1.80 to 1.85 meters), and possessed a fine appearance. In the words of the villagers from Qifeng Village in Pengze County, he was described as "starry-eyed with sword-like brows, red lips and white teeth, a valiant and robust young man of the Qin family." This time, when coming to Chang'an, Qin Xiao only brought two sets of thin Hu clothing. Unexpectedly, he became so enamored with the scenery along the way that by the time he arrived in Chang'an, it was already the first day of the lunar new year, coinciding perfectly with a snowfall. However, Qin Xiao did not feel the slightest bit of cold. Over the years, he had been practicing internal martial arts under the guidance of an elderly man from his dreams, and the external changes in temperature had long ceased to pose any threat to him.
In the blink of an eye, the two individuals had already positioned themselves by the roadside, narrowly avoiding the collision with the galloping horse!
In the second year of the Wu Zhou Dynasty, the year 702 AD, in the first month.
Qin Xiaodun knelt on the ground, gently stroking the child's head, smiling softly to calm his fears. Suddenly hearing a sound behind him, he curled his lips into a slight disdainful smirk, leaped gracefully a few steps while holding the child, and joined the group of children who stood frozen. He set the child down and shook his head gently, saying: "Little brother, you must be careful from now on. Just play in the yard, don't run out onto the street!"
Good skills! Good man!
is ... ...
Qin Xiaobao cupped his fists in return and said: "There is no need for you to be so formal, a mere gesture is nothing to mention."
The man in the black robe made a great fool of himself in front of the crowd, feeling quite furious. With a sudden movement, he sprang up from the ground, took a few quick steps, and swung the riding whip in his hand towards Qin Xiao.
The figure in the purple robe waved his hand casually, leading the young man to the mount of the man in the black robe, and personally handed the reins to Qin Xiao, saying: "Please!"
The man in the purple robe laughed heartily: "Haha, this is truly wonderful. It is evident that our brotherly bond is quite profound! In my lifetime, I have always wished to befriend the heroes of the world, and individuals like you, a chivalrous hero and a learned scholar, are truly rare to come by! My friend, the horses are ready and the fine wine is warming; let us hasten to indulge in a hearty drink together!"
The people around, seeing that a disaster was about to occur, all exclaimed in unison, then shook their heads and blinked vigorously: What swift skills! In broad daylight, could it be that they are seeing ghosts?
Qin Xiaozuo pretended to throw a snowball back, and the children laughed and ran away
I have heard that he is still very young, yet he is greatly favored by the Emperor
Qin Xiaoxin felt a surge of joy: "Great, just what I was hoping for! I was just worried about not being able to find an inn! In the vast city of Chang'an, many inns are fully booked."
Qin Xiaoren could not help but feel a bit angry. If it were not for the fact that over the years he had corrected many of the habits of swearing he had developed in the army, he would have almost shouted out, "You are the real troublemaker! Your mother was taken away by a wild boar, giving birth to you, this foolish commoner!"
The man in the purple robe laughed heartily: "What a simple task! In my view, this method is truly extraordinary! On such a cold and snowy day, would you be willing to share a drink with me and enjoy the snow scenery to pass the pleasant time?"
Qin Xiaoxin sneered inwardly: Violating traffic regulations, you deserve to fall to your death! If it were a thousand years later, if you encountered a traffic officer like me with a temper, I would first confiscate your license plate and fine you until it hurt your heart and liver, then take you to eat imperial rations for a few days and let you sit in a cell, slowly tormenting you
Ah!
At this moment, several children dressed in red cotton jackets rushed out from a nearby house, their little hands and faces already frozen red, yet they continued to pick up snowballs from the ground and throw them at their friends, occasionally erupting into bursts of laughter like silver bells
A wave of delight surged through Qin Xiao's heart: I never expected that I would also become a legendary "hero." If I had these skills in the 21st century, I could at least become a big star, shooting scenes showcasing my lightness in movement, without needing to hang wires behind the scenes. It shouldn't be too difficult to surpass Bruce Lee. If not, I could at least be an urban masked vigilante. Spider-Man? Please! That stuff is purely for show; those slow and clumsy moves of foreigners can't compare to Chinese martial arts. I wouldn't even need to hang wires behind the scenes, and it shouldn't be too difficult to surpass Bruce Lee. If not, I could at least be an urban masked vigilante. Spider-Man? Please! That stuff is purely for show; those slow and clumsy moves of foreigners can't compare to Chinese martial arts.
Good horse
The man in the black robe shuddered all over, his body went limp, and he knelt down: "I... I shall obey your command..."
You may not know this! The King of Linzi has been exceptionally generous since childhood, never putting on airs or displaying arrogance in front of common people. Among the noble families, such a ruler is indeed rare!
The Mo Yun Hook Fist is a set of martial arts created by Qin Xiao, utilizing the "Mo Yun Palm" taught by the old man in his dreams, characterized by its overwhelming power and might
The man in the black robe hurriedly went to lead the horse, but unexpectedly, the man in the purple robe shouted sternly: "Leave the horse and roll back yourself!"
As Qin Xiao walked past the playing children, several snowballs suddenly came flying towards him. Qin Xiao chuckled lightly and casually waved his hand, causing the snowballs to fall away in front of him. The children let out a series of exclamations—"Wow, that's amazing!"
Qin Xiao looked at the lovely children and couldn't help but softly exclaim: "The prosperous capital, the charming Chang'an, is indeed a wonderful place. No wonder those foreigners all want to apply for a Great Zhou green card"
Qin Xiao stood beside the towering city tower, a profound sense of historical vicissitude rising within him, and he could not help but sigh: Is this the capital of the prosperous Celestial Empire? Chang'an? Chang'an! Who could have imagined that over a thousand years later, this place would become a bustling metropolis constructed of concrete and steel.
The man in the purple robe strolled over to the young man, a serene smile radiating from his handsome face. He cupped his fist in salute to Qin Xiao and said, "Thank you, brother, for your generous assistance; it has spared us from a calamity! You truly possess remarkable skills!"
Qin Xiaoxin was slightly startled, quietly watching the person who dismounted with a loud shout. The individual was dressed in a purple brocade robe adorned with patterns, draped in a windproof cloak. Their figure was dignified and their demeanor regal; although their face was not clearly visible at the moment, Qin Xiaoxin felt certain that this person was either wealthy or noble.
The man in the purple robe walked slowly towards Qin Xiao. As he passed by the man in the black robe, he sternly shouted: "Your horsemanship is lacking, nearly causing an accident with a passerby. Fortunately, this young master saved you, preventing a disaster. How dare you still cause trouble openly! Go to the back hall and receive fifty strokes of the rod. If any stroke is too light, I will certainly not spare you!"
Upon hearing the reprimand from the cloaked figure, he immediately stood still as if struck by a binding spell, and the raised riding whip in his hand quickly fell to his side
Hahaha
Get lost already
A bountiful year is heralded by auspicious snow. In a prosperous era, joy abounds. The spring snow descends upon the world, further accentuating its tender beauty
A crowd of people behind could not help but whisper to one another: "Who is that young man, to be riding alongside the King of Linzi!"
Indeed, the King of Linzi is still not yet eighteen years old this year
Qin Xiao looked at the group of children and couldn't help but smile—having a snowball fight? How interesting! ... When I was a child in the orphanage, I played like this too ... ... Unfortunately, after becoming a child in the Tang Dynasty, I never had anyone to join me for a snowball fight ... ...
At that moment, a sound of hooves approached from behind, "thud thud thud," somewhat hurried. Qin Xiao turned his head to look, and four or five riders were coming through the snow, their hooves striking the ground with urgency, their manes flying, and the riders adorned in luxurious attire, displaying elegant horsemanship.
His movements are so fast
Over the years, the old man in his dreams taught him a set of skills said to be "legendary, incredibly profound, and the best lightness skill in the world"—the "Flying Immortal Steps." Qin Xiao also integrated the sanda footwork he had mastered, resulting in truly remarkable effects.
Qin Xiaoxin was taken aback, quickly taking a deep breath. His feet moved swiftly, and like a bolt of lightning, he suddenly appeared beside the child, wrapping his arms around him and swiftly darting to the side
The figure in the black robe fell heavily onto the ground, but fortunately, the thick layer of snow on the ground cushioned the impact, preventing any serious injury
The children's liveliness added much vitality to the somewhat sparsely populated street today. Several shop owners, having opened their doors, stood by the entrance, watching the children engage in a snowball fight, all of them beaming with joy.
The two burst into hearty laughter, spurring their horses forward, leaving behind a trail of shattered jade and flying snowflakes.
Qin Xiaoxin sighed softly, observing the attire and demeanor of these individuals, estimating that they must be dignitaries from some prominent family
Suddenly, among the group of playful children, one of them, in an attempt to evade the snowballs thrown by their companions, dashed towards the center of the street without noticing the fast-approaching horse behind them, and was on the verge of being struck
As the wind and snow intensify, amidst the frozen world, a warm hint of spring begins to brew
The man in the black robe was infuriated, shrieking in a strange voice: "You insolent commoner, how dare you defy the law of the king?"
On the broad bluestone path, a half-foot thick layer of pristine white snow has accumulated, and the rooftops of the residential houses and shops are also adorned with a layer of silver. It is now noon, and occasionally wisps of smoke rise, adding a touch of softness and allure to this majestic and imposing imperial capital
The child looked at Qin Xiao with admiration, tears shimmering in his innocent eyes, and nodded earnestly: "Thank you, big brother! I understand now!"
The figure in the purple robe also turned over and mounted the horse, exclaiming in astonishment.
As Qin Xiaoliu observed along the way, he thought to himself: In history, only the Tang Dynasty was so prosperous and open, and the number of foreigners settling in Chang'an might not be comparable to that of the 21st century in Xi'an. Many foreigners who came to the Tang Dynasty and arrived in Chang'an were unwilling to return to their home countries, taking pride in obtaining residency rights. The current status of residents in the Great Zhou is quite similar to the American green card in the 21st century for foreigners.
At that moment, a stern voice came from behind: "Bold and wicked slave, why do you not cease!"