Chapter 10: No bow in hand, but a bow in heart

Until the sun was high in the sky, the prisoner yawned as he walked out of the east wing, while Liang Xiao was still pondering the action of drawing the bow. The prisoner shook his head, a look of disdain on his face, and casually uttered a phrase: "A piece of rotten wood!"

The village chief chuckled awkwardly a couple of times, shifting the topic: "General, are you really planning to teach this kid?"

After a long while, a voice that sounded like heavenly music to Liang Xiao came from inside the room. "Come in!"

Liang Xiao was instantly bewildered. Come on, is this a martial arts novel? The idea of having no bow in hand but a bow in heart is so esoteric. What does it mean to sit, lie, walk, and move without parting from the bow? Am I supposed to walk like a hunchback?

Did you understand? A glimmer of joy flashed in the prisoner's eyes, but he quickly returned to his drowsy demeanor

Liang Xiao took the opportunity to ask: "May I ask, Lord Huan, what is meant by attracting the strong?"

This is not merely a stretch; it is clearly a posture of drawing a bow. However, this posture is more expansive and gentler than the common ones.

He indeed did not notice you, but your arrival here is the outcome he hoped to see. The prisoner gestured, and the village head followed his gaze to see two ceramic bowls resembling the illustrations in the book on the table, each containing half a bowl of wine with a scent so faint it was almost undetectable.

Come here

He became slower the more he practiced, and the time taken for a single bow draw was even longer than the time it usually took to shoot over a dozen arrows

I do not fully understand," Liang Xiao said honestly. "Could you let me see it again?"

The prisoner glanced at him but did not speak, picked up a bowl of wine, and gestured slightly towards the village head. "Drink the wine and leave, do not come back without my command. If there is something, I will come to find you myself"

"What?" The village head was momentarily taken aback and replied, "General, he did not notice me."

Liang Xiao was overjoyed and quickly pushed the door open. The prisoner lay under the blanket, staring with a single eye, looking expressionlessly at Liang Xiao. Upon seeing Liang Xiao approach, he opened his arms and stretched lazily. As soon as Liang Xiao saw this, his eyes immediately brightened.

In front of the two armies, the crowd surged; not everyone had the opportunity to confront the enemy general directly. Using a strong bow and crossbow for long-range sniping was undoubtedly the best means to achieve merit, far easier than engaging in close combat with a knife against the enemy

When an ordinary person draws a bow, they exert considerable strength in their left arm to grip the bow tightly, causing their left shoulder to rise due to the effort. However, the left shoulder of the prisoner is relaxed and lowered, appearing completely at ease, showing no sign of exertion.

Lord Huan, this left shoulder...

Liang Xiaomei raised her eyebrows, ready to explode in anger, but she forcibly suppressed it, stepped forward, picked up the wash water, and brought it to the prisoner.

In the corridor, Liang Xiao stood for quite a while, carefully recalling the bow-drawing techniques demonstrated by the prisoner. Only after he felt he had thoroughly understood the details he had observed did he relax his posture and begin to practice.

"It is merely a matter of having a bit of brute strength, being able to draw a strong bow and shoot a hard crossbow, allowing one to shoot a bit farther." The prisoner washed his face, sat down at the table prepared by Liang Xiao, picked up the chopsticks, and said casually: "However, in military formations, bows and crossbows come first. If one can draw a strong bow, becoming a material officer or a captain is also a viable path. If luck is on one's side, killing one or two enemy generals could earn a title, exchange for a few acres of good land, and one could live without worry about food and clothing."

Liang Xiao squinted his eyes, intently staring at the powerful physique before him. He had never imagined that the seemingly frail prisoner possessed such a well-built body. He paid particular attention to the prisoner's left shoulder, as the prisoner had asked him to touch it yesterday, a request he had declined.

The prisoner glanced at him and nodded, saying, "Fortunately, his temperament is still acceptable. If he can work diligently day and night, there is still a chance for him to become a strong leader."

The prisoner glanced at him and said, "After more than ten years, you still haven't made much progress; you were actually deceived by a child."

Suddenly, Liang Xiao felt as if he were not wearing any underwear and that someone had seen his lower body

Liang Xiao discerned some insights

Liang Xiao understood. The so-called strength refers to having enough power, drawing a strong bow and shooting arrows farther than others. If one also possesses a certain degree of accuracy, there is a chance to shoot down the opposing general in front of the two armies.

Before Liang Xiao could finish speaking, the prisoner burrowed into the quilt and began to snore loudly

Liang Xiao felt secretly pleased, yet he made a great effort to conceal it. "Without a bow, how can I practice?"

In the east wing, under a dimly lit coarse pottery oil lamp, the prisoner Huan Jun sat upright, his single eye gleaming with intensity

In front of him knelt a person, with both hands resting on their knees, their body slightly leaning forward, displaying a very respectful demeanor. "General, I did not expect to see you again in this lifetime. Since you have returned, why do you not go home with - Tu - Shu, but instead stay here?"

The village chief blinked his eyes and awkwardly said, "The general's strategies are unparalleled; how could that kid possibly be compared to the general"

The next day, Liang Xiao still got up early, cleaned the courtyard, and prepared the water for washing his face and breakfast. Just as he picked up his bow, ready to practice archery, the window of the east wing opened, revealing the drowsy eyes of the prisoner.

"Here." The village head lifted the earthen bowl, tilted his neck back, and drank it all in one go. He set down the bowl, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, crouched on the ground, bowed to the prisoner, pushed the door open, and with a leap of his body, vanished into the night.

You not only underestimate your opponent as you did before, but you also enjoy deceiving yourself. The prisoner sighed and said: "No matter how skilled you are in martial arts, you are merely a fighter and cannot be a strategist"

"Give me the bow," the prisoner extended his hand and snatched the bow from Liang Xiao's grasp. With a 'bang', he closed the window again. After a long yawn, his unmistakable voice came through, "Within a hundred days, no one is allowed to touch the bow"

The prisoner glanced at Liang Xiao, smiled dismissively, and displayed a sense of enlightenment as if he fully understood Liang Xiao's little thoughts, even harboring a hint of disdain

Once the actual practice began, Liang Xiao immediately realized that the action of drawing the bow appeared simple, yet it was quite awkward. Not to mention, the left shoulder easily tensed and rose, making it impossible to relax and sink down like a prisoner. However, he did not give up; he repeatedly recalled the movements demonstrated by the prisoner and practiced them over and over again

... ...

He pondered for a while and said earnestly: "Young man, I am dull-witted and unable to find the right approach. I kindly ask Lord Huan for guidance."

"Alright, let's do it again." The prisoner appeared somewhat reluctant. He turned around, facing away from Liang Xiao, and made the bowing motion once more. However, this time, he did it more slowly. He was not wearing a shirt, exposing his scarred back, with muscles slowly undulating beneath the mottled skin

With no bow in hand, there is a bow in the heart. Whether sitting, lying down, or walking, the body is never apart from the bow

"Thus, I am content enough." Liang Xiao said with a cheerful smile

Liang Xiaosh recognized the situation and closed his mouth. The prisoner did not speak, and naturally, there was a reason for his silence. Asking him would be of no use; it was better to ponder it slowly by himself. He bowed slightly and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Liang Xiao looked at the prisoner with a puzzled expression and still walked over