Chapter 5, Repeatedly Jumping Side to Side
Li Qinzai understood and comprehended it clearly
Thus, a hundred steps is one hundred and twenty meters, so the effective range of bows and arrows during the Tang Dynasty is one hundred and twenty meters
"It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Li Qinzai..."
The troops are imposing and formidable, and as the foremost general of the Tang Dynasty, the troops under the command of Li Yan at his residence are certainly extraordinary
Every inch of territory acquired by the Tang Dynasty through foreign wars bears their contribution
If one were to participate in the imperial examination, given Li Qinzai's background, it would suffice to write on the essay topic "My Grandfather the Duke" or "My Father the Governor"; regardless of the quality of the writing, it is certain that he would achieve top honors and be listed as the top scholar.
The residence of the Li family is located on Zhuque Street in Chang'an City. After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan rewarded his meritorious subjects. Li Jing, having supported the then Prince of Qin, Li Shimin, was thus granted this residence by Li Yuan
"What about the bow and arrow? Did my grandfather also give those?"
The subordinates and the comrades are all part of the general's personal guard, and the weapons are naturally issued by the general, hence the uniformity in their standards
After carefully observing them, Li Qinzai immediately realized that these troops must be seasoned veterans who had followed Li Zhen in numerous campaigns over the years
"Five Young Masters, this is 'one step', and a hundred steps will be measured accordingly."
Li Qinzai frowned and said, "That's not right, you clearly took two steps."
The ancient texts have long stated, "Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles"
Who does not know that you are Li Qinzai? Your infamous name is well-known throughout Chang'an, is it not
The troops returned to the ranks without a word
Regardless of whether in modern times or during the Tang Dynasty, Li Qinzai held great respect for soldiers
After Li Qinzai walked out of the front hall, he strolled alone in the vast mansion, aimlessly, going wherever he pleased
It seems that the rumors circulating in the residence this morning regarding the matter are not unfounded. I wonder who confidently claimed that the Fifth Young Master had a yellowish and fiery urine. Judging from the current demeanor of the Fifth Young Master, which is like that of a different person, it is clear that he is not merely experiencing heat; he is practically in a frenzy.
Curiously blinking his eyes, Li Qinzai looked at his subordinates and said, "If I were to step out the door, would you break my legs?"
In fact, it is not late at all
This... seems a bit weak
Under the guidance of the servant, Li Qinzai finally arrived at the front courtyard
It is unknown what heinous deeds the previous owner of this body committed in their own household, as every servant who sees him reacts as if they have encountered a death warrant from the King of Hell
Thus, Li Qinzai attempted to befriend the soldiers
He has a grandfather who is a renowned general of all time, a father who holds the position of a governor, and a mother who hails from one of the seven noble clans and five surnames.
As he stood up and patted his backside, preparing to leave, Li Qinzai noticed Liu A-si and his men carrying their broadswords and bows.
Li Qinzai is not afraid; he can be considered one of the young masters of the Duke's residence. Even if a young master gets into trouble, he remains a young master.
However, today he took the initiative to engage in conversation and even introduced himself
Everyone stood silently in line, devoid of expression or movement, yet from their steadfast postures, one could almost sense the scent of blood from the battlefield
Li Qinzai's gaze flickered as he stroked his chin in contemplation
For Li Qinzai, his life has just pressed the restart button
Seeing that the guards remained unresponsive, Li Qinzai, emboldened, boldly leaped out of the threshold, then quickly jumped back, repeatedly hopping back and forth across the threshold.
Liu A-Si helplessly said: "To step once is called 'kui', to step twice is called 'bu', and this has been the way of measurement since ancient times"
Liu A-si had a look of bewilderment on his face
That and the illustrations and books embody a spirit of survival after countless battles, a disregard for life, a thirst for military achievements, and an unwavering obedience to the commander
Li Qinzai took a brief glance and raised his foot, intending to step out the door
Although the problem has not been resolved, it is also appropriate to familiarize oneself with the external environment
Feeling reassured, Li Qinzai cautiously stepped one leg out of the threshold and then observed the expression on the faces of his subordinates
Certainly, having a distinguished background has little to do with the crisis that Li Qinzai is currently facing; the most important thing is to resolve the immediate trouble
Li Qinzai retracted his leg, waited for a moment, then extended one leg out again, and then retracted it once more
Therefore, he must make amends for this great disaster, navigate through this crisis smoothly, and restore tranquility to life
In addition, the guards at the entrance, each wielding a sword and bow, exude an imposing presence that instills fear in onlookers. Naturally, merchants and common folk would not foolishly approach and invite trouble upon themselves
Upon introspection and empathy, if Li Qinzai had such a son, there would be no need for any house arrest; a direct breaking of the legs would suffice, and he wouldn't even be able to get out of bed
Not only the residence, but over the years, Li Zhi's contributions have been numerous. Both Li Shimin and Li Zhi have rewarded him with considerable land, estates, and fiefs.
On ordinary days, they are merely the guards of the Duke's residence, but once they follow Li Zhen onto the battlefield, they become indomitable personal bodyguards, taking the lead as the vanguard during critical moments of warfare.
Those who are unfamiliar with the path often get lost the first time they walk through it
If the garrison soldiers are not well-off, they may request the squad leader to distribute weapons. However, the weapons provided may not be very suitable, and during battles between the two armies, the blades can easily become chipped or dulled, affecting their ability to kill the enemy
After observing the distance of the step taken by Liu A-Si, Li Qin-Zai estimated that one step is approximately equivalent to 1.2 meters in his previous life
Li Qinzai asked in a fragmented manner, while Liu A-si responded with great trepidation, making the atmosphere of the conversation far from pleasant
Li Qinzai was taken aback: "House arrest?"
It is embarrassing that a well-educated modern person does not even know basic common knowledge
The subordinate clasped his fists and said: "The petty man Liu A-si is the squad leader on duty at the main gate today"
Li Qinzai let out a sound of acknowledgment, carefully examining the weapons of the various troops, and then his gaze fell upon two soldiers who were carrying bows and arrows on their backs
Especially this recent outrageous act, daring to steal and sell the items bestowed by the late emperor...
Li Qinzai wandered alone in the mansion, unable to recall how long he had been walking. The estate was vast, featuring not only the main hall and the back courtyard but also numerous well-arranged gardens, corridors, rockeries, as well as side courtyards and warm halls
The subordinate, with a face full of dismay, lowered his head and clasped his fists, saying, "I dare not, sir."
Li Qinzai casually asked, "Oh, A Si, how many acres of land do you have at home? Have you married a wife yet?"
The expressions of the guards outside the door grew increasingly grim as they exchanged glances, each wearing a look of helplessness.
They each held weapons in their hands, all of which were standardized sabers, and two of them had bows and quivers slung diagonally across their bodies
The side door on the left opened, revealing two neat rows of guards standing outside, approximately twenty in total
Migration is impossible, it will never be possible in this lifetime
However, at the moment he lifted his foot, a soldier suddenly blocked his way at the entrance.
The subordinate bowed his head and said, "Fifth Young Master, please forgive me. You cannot go out; Second Young Master has given orders to confine you to your quarters."
After repeatedly jumping back and forth for a long time, Li Qinzai finally grew tired and sat down heavily on the threshold, breathing slightly heavily as he stared at the soldiers outside the door
It is a bullhorn bow, meticulously crafted by the artisans at the request of the great general, capable of reaching targets a hundred paces away and beyond.
Suddenly curious about the weapons of the Tang Dynasty, Li Qinzai pointed to the horizontal saber at Liu A Si's waist and asked: "Is this made by you yourselves, or is it issued to you by the military?"
Looking out from inside the gate, there is nothing to see. The British Consulate, located on the side of Zhuque Street, has a vast courtyard outside its grand entrance, which is surrounded by a large open space. This open area spans approximately several dozen zhang in circumference and is enclosed by the Li family's retinue.
Some birds cannot be caged, for each of their feathers shines with the brilliance of freedom
Brother A Si
The main gate is tightly closed; under normal circumstances, the main gate of a noble family will not be opened, unless it is for the occasions of marriage, funeral, or receiving a sacred decree.
If one only considers his background, it is as if heaven has shown mercy on the hardships he endured in his past life, deliberately bestowing upon him the simple difficulty level of a novice.
Liu A-si's level of education is essentially zero, and this issue is truly difficult to articulate. After scratching his head and pondering, he simply took a step forward in front of Li Qinzai, and then took another step.
Ah, I jumped out! Ah, I jumped back in! How about that? ... Go ahead, hit me ...
The term "kui bu" refers to a small step, where "kui" only counts as half a step, and it takes two such steps to constitute a complete step
The troops were clad in armor, shining brilliantly under the sunlight.
Liu A-si, in a state of panic, bowed and said: "As a lowly soldier, I do not dare to accept such a title. May the esteemed Young Master Wu not bring harm to this humble person."
What a boring young master to come up with such a thing
Gently exhaling a breath, Li Qinzai once again felt his father's kindness
Li Qinzai nodded and continued to engage in a dry and sporadic conversation.
Li Qinzai was taken aback, and the subordinate bowed his head and clasped his fists, saying: "Is the Fifth Young Master about to leave?"
This is not a military secret, Liu A Si readily replied: "In response to Fifth Young Master, our Tang Dynasty's weapons are quite diverse. Some households in the military are relatively affluent and can seek blacksmiths to forge weapons on their own. Once they are called to serve, the army does not hold it against them."
The subordinate frowned and did not move
Li Qinzai also got lost and casually caught a few passing servants to ask for directions. The servants were inexplicably terrified, as if they were elementary school students being extorted for pocket money by senior bullies.
Not long after, Li Qinzai found it somewhat dull. In this era of strict class divisions, a conversation between two individuals of unequal social status was destined to be less than harmonious
Liu A Si lowered his head and said: "In these years, I have accumulated some minor military achievements, and the General has allocated twenty mu of permanent farmland to me, located on the outskirts of Weinan County, in our family's estate. Three years ago, I married my wife, and our child is two years old now"
The passing merchants and common folk can only detour around this open space from a distance. Although there is no explicit legal provision prohibiting merchants and commoners from approaching the main gate of the noble residence, the psychology of the common people is generally one of avoidance towards the powerful.
Having caused such a great disaster, with the whole family still mired in the quagmire, how could Li Siwen, as the father, possibly allow his wayward son to roam freely around the world
The only strange thing is that this young master seems to have changed his temperament; he used to completely ignore the subordinates of the Duke's residence and would often resort to beating and scolding them when he was dissatisfied
What is your name?" Li Qinzai asked, pointing at the soldier who had just stopped him.
Li Qinzai was taken aback, and then suddenly felt embarrassed
Li Qinzai curiously asked: "How far is a hundred steps?"
"If I am not allowed to go out, then I will not go out," Li Qinzai chuckled twice, "I will just stay inside and enjoy the view outside..."
Standing at the front door of his home, Li Qinzai hesitated for a moment before deciding to step outside and take a look
Li Qinzai remained completely unaware of Liu Asi's slander and continued to chat with him in a warm manner
Uh, yes, I want to go out for a stroll
Li Qinzai is indeed bored, but this can also be seen as a way of expressing his inner dissatisfaction