Chapter 7, twists and turns of the peaks

"Can one reach two hundred paces away? And still not lose accuracy? Ha, what a joke! I have spent my entire life in the military, experiencing countless battles of all sizes, yet I have never heard of such a thing" Li Zhen shook his head and smiled bitterly

Li Qinzai, amidst a group of unworthy descendants, finally caught a clear glimpse of his grandfather Li Zhen's appearance for the first time

Li Zhen waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Summon the craftsman here, I have something to ask him"

Liu A-Si was instantly overjoyed and hurriedly responded

Thus, Liu A-si could not help but speak up, saying: "Great General, please consider, this humble person is dull-witted, yet I recognize that this object appears to be an unusual bow and crossbow. The added mechanisms within are quite ingenious. Perhaps... the Great General could give it a try. If it truly can double the range of the arrows, it would undoubtedly be a great joy for the Tang Dynasty"

Outside the door, the steward Wu Tong was waiting for him. Upon seeing him come out, Wu Tong presented several silver ingots weighing ten taels each with both hands, stuffing them into his luggage.

Did that damned craftsman really stand himself up?

The craftsman was not well acquainted with Li Qinzai and should not have spoken well of him; however, fearing that he might also be sought out by the Li family as an excuse to be exiled thousands of miles away, he decisively took measures to save himself

With a whoosh, the arrow fell to the ground like a shooting star, shooting forth with great force

The craftsman was taken aback, and then he was so frightened that his hands and feet turned cold

A team member named Liu A Si furrowed his brows and stepped forward to question the craftsman

Liu A-Si, upon hearing that he could atone for the crimes of Wu Shao-Lang, immediately tensed up. He hurriedly took the strong bow from the craftsman's hands, examined it briefly, and decisively turned around to run inside the door

Liu A-Si could no longer hold back

A courtesy name is generally used by peers and friends, while elders may address a person by their given name or courtesy name, depending on personal preference

The range has increased by a full 100 steps; if two armies face each other on the battlefield, the additional range would provide a significant advantage

From childhood, his unruly and domineering nature was evident, and as he grew up, it indeed became increasingly uncontrollable, with countless troubles caused throughout his life

As the arrow was shot, the surrounding troops could not help but cheer and shout in praise, all exclaiming the might of the General.

Li Zhen's face was as沉如水, the strong bow was drawn to its full moon. Originally, Li Zhen was already old, and it was very difficult to draw the eight-stone strong bow.

Whether it is a siege battle or a plains encounter, a doubled range can increase the probability of victory by thirty percent, which is to seize the initiative over the enemy and deliver a crushing blow to their forces

From Li Jingzhen's comforting words, it can be seen that the younger generation of the Li family shares a harmonious and affectionate relationship

Adjust the breathing rhythm, aim, and release the arrow

Well, if the blame is placed on me, I must accept it

Li Zhen is not yet seventy years old, with a rather robust physique. He is dressed in a light purple robe, his hair and beard completely white, with a broad nose and wide mouth, large ears, and an expression of sternness, neither speaking nor smiling.

Such a warm and amiable young master, Liu A-si sincerely hoped that he would remain in Chang'an and not suffer the great sin of being exiled thousands of miles away

After examining this strong bow for a long time, Li Zhen suddenly said, "Ah Si, find a spacious place in the backyard, I shall test this item."

Not far away, his father Li Siwen was gazing at him intently

Only after the eunuch who delivered the decree had left did Li Zhen slowly turn around

With both hands holding the newly crafted strong bow, the craftsman knelt down with a thud outside the main gate of the Li family, and with a voice choked with emotion, he exclaimed: "The weapon entrusted by the Fifth Young Master has been completed! I present this weapon to the country on behalf of the Fifth Young Master!"

Li Qinzai ranks fifth among his grandchildren, being the youngest among them. Although he has committed numerous misdeeds, he excels in being sweet-tongued and pleasing to his elders. During festive occasions, he knows how to show deference to his elders, and in the past, Li Zhen has been quite indulgent towards him

After sending away the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict, Li Yan slowly turned around, his gaze first landing on Li Qinzai.

The craftsman worked tirelessly throughout the night and into the morning, finally completing the powerful bow designed by Li Qinzhai just after noon

The demeanor of a renowned general is indeed extraordinary

The speaker's name is Li Jingzhen, the third in the generation of grandchildren, and he is the cousin of Li Qinzai, the eldest son of Li Zhen, the firstborn of Li Zhen.

Little did he know that the guards at the gate informed him that an imperial decree had arrived in the palace early in the morning, stating that the Fifth Young Master had been escorted out of the capital and exiled to Lingnan

Self-rescue and the *illustrated* book must first save Young Master Wu; if Young Master Wu's sentence of exile is revoked, the craftsmen can be safe

What Li Qinzai said is not false; it has indeed doubled the current range of bows and arrows, and even exceeded that.

Li Qinzai forced a smile

Yesterday, the threatening words of Li Qinzai still echoed in his ears. The craftsman dared not delay; having not slept all night, he hurriedly arrived at the doorstep of the Li family, seeking an audience with the Fifth Young Master.

Li Zhen was momentarily stunned, staring down at the strong bow in his hands for a long while. When he lifted his head to look at the feathered arrow that was embedded over a foot into the tree two hundred paces away, his expression gradually turned to one of shock, unable to believe what he saw

Perhaps everyone is just the same kind of jerk, and Li Qinzai is merely more outstanding within the circle of jerks

Li Qinzai suddenly felt something in his heart, and when he raised his head, his gaze met that of Li Siwen.

After a long while, shifting his gaze away from his face, Li Zhan coldly said: "The decree has been issued, and it is impossible to turn back. There are already officials waiting outside. Qinzai, pack your things and prepare to leave with the officials..."

The craftsman loves Chang'an, the craftsman does not wish to set out on the road

However, Li Qinzai's sudden change in temperament and his approachable new image still pleased Liu Asi greatly, naturally causing Liu Asi's impression of Li Qinzai to rise significantly

Even though he was sentenced to exile a thousand miles away, with the insignificant status of a government servant, he would never dare to regard Li Qinzai as a criminal; instead, he treated him with the attentiveness and care akin to that of two devoted attendants.

All I could see was his back as he led the entire family forward to receive the imperial decree

Listening to the cheers of the troops, Li Zhen maintained a calm demeanor, raising his hand to habitually stroke his grizzled beard. However, the hand stroking his beard trembled slightly, revealing his inner turmoil at this moment

Li Zhen's gaze remained fixed on the powerful bow, and he said lightly, "Qin Zai has indeed gone to great lengths to exonerate himself, but it is rather naive. How can such a flimsy excuse, easily punctured, help him escape his guilt"

Liu A-Si stood before Li Zhen, yet did not dare to utter a single word more

Li Qinzai remained silent

At this moment, the Five Young Masters have already set out, so will the Li family really frame him with a charge and take him along on this journey?

Liu www.hetushu.comcom A Si affixed a piece of emerald green leaf to the trunk of a poplar tree, and then stepped back a few paces

Upon hearing Liu A-Si say that it was created by Li Qin-Zai, the expression in his eyes was one of disbelief

After a pause, Li Zhen sighed and said, "In the years to come, you... take care of yourself."

There is some disappointment in my heart, but the order has been given and must not be delayed for a moment

Soon, the newly crafted strong bow fell into the hands of Li Zhen in the inner residence

Wu Tong wiped his eyes and instructed again, the officials escorting outside had also been arranged, the Fifth Young Master would certainly not suffer any grievances on the way, no one would dare to let the young master of the Li family endure any hardship

This is a conviction, a punishment, not an invitation for you to pursue poetry and distant lands. From Chang'an to Lingnan, a journey of one to two thousand miles, you may take your time to walk it.

Since his time travel to the present, Li Qinzai has met for the first time the renowned general, his grandfather Li Zhen, who has been famous for a thousand years

Only the strong bow created by Li Qinzai is quite exquisite; the bowstring is hooked onto the spring mechanism, which significantly reduces the effort required, allowing a strong bow to be drawn fully with ease

Liu A-si stood respectfully with his hands at his sides in front of Li Zhen, who surveyed this strong bow with a pair of imposing eyes, showing considerable curiosity towards its peculiar shape

Among the five descendants of the Li family, all are unworthy offspring, yet Li Qinzai stands out among these unworthy grandchildren, far surpassing the others, making it difficult for anyone to catch up with him

Moreover, it can accurately hit that leaf from two hundred steps away, demonstrating that while the range has doubled, the arrows do not lose their precision

Li Qinzai forced a smile as he picked up the bundle and left, the bundle being somewhat heavy, mostly due to the weight of the silver ingots.

Outside the main gate of the government office, there were indeed two officials waiting. Upon seeing Li Qinzai come out, the officials stepped forward to respectfully salute and took the bundle of luggage from Li Qinzai's hands

Li Miyan squinted to measure the distance at which Liu A Si stood, then slowly raised his bow, placing a feathered arrow into the groove of the mechanism, and gradually pulled the spring back

The gaze casually sweeps across, yet it is like a sharp sword sweeping through a thousand troops, evoking an involuntary sense of awe and reverence

In the blink of an eye, a dull thud echoed as the arrow struck the leaves, penetrating over a foot into the poplar tree, leaving only half of the feathered tail of the arrow trembling and swaying, clearly still possessing considerable force.

Li Qinzai scanned the outside with an expectant gaze, but he did not see the figure of the military equipment supervisor. It was evident that the powerful bow he had invented, which doubled the range, had not yet been produced

Yesterday, Li Qinzai engaged in a humble and respectful conversation with him, although their chat was somewhat dry and could not be considered harmonious

Li Siwen quickly averted her gaze, turned away with a sullen expression, and could not be bothered to say a word to him

"Jingchu" is the courtesy name of Li Qinzai. It is customary for young men who have read some books and have reached the age of twenty to be given a courtesy name by their elders. The courtesy name "Jingchu" was personally chosen by Li Qinzai.

Your father secretly sent a silver ingot as well, but he repeatedly instructed you not to mention that it was from him, the way it is both cold and warm is heart-wrenching

Two hundred steps away, it passes through the target with precision

Li Qinzai stepped onto the stone steps outside the main gate, intending to proceed, but suddenly paused. After a moment of contemplation, he turned around, bowed deeply to the lintel of the Li family, then smiled faintly at the crowd who had come to see him off, and turned to continue on his journey

The gazes of the elders and brothers of the Li family converged on Li Qinzai's face, each gaze distinct and difficult to decipher

Until he walked out of the city of Chang'an, as he moved further away from the city gate, the towering walls of Chang'an gradually diminished in his sight, becoming blurred until they disappeared completely. Li Qinzai finally felt utterly disheartened.

Li Qinzai silently returned to his bedroom, tidied up his clothes briefly, and then opened the door.

Li Qinzai's drawings are very detailed, but unfortunately, transforming the drawings into reality is not so easy. Many components require meticulous modeling and crafting, and every detail must be handled with utmost care

If there is anything you wish to request while on the road, feel free to instruct the officials to take care of it

After a long silence, Li Zhen suddenly said, "Ah Si, is this object... truly created by Qinzai?"

The guards outside were startled to see the craftsman kneeling at the door with both hands raised, holding a strangely shaped bow and arrow, looking utterly despondent, while the guards exchanged glances with one another

Li Qinzai's expression was calm; he had long been mentally prepared for the outcome regarding the book.

......

Yesterday, Wu Shaolang threatened that if he were to be exiled to Lingnan, he would definitely take the craftsmen with him

In the vacant grassy area of the Li family's backyard, a group of soldiers stood at attention. Liu A-si measured a distance of two hundred steps with his foot, then stood still, raised his arm, and signaled to Li Zhan, who was holding a bow two hundred steps away.

A man in his twenties beside him patted his shoulder and sighed, "Jingchu, do not be afraid. Your grandfather is still in a fit of anger, and the discussions in the court are also at a peak. Once the uproar subsides, I will help you plead with your grandfather to allow you to return to the capital soon"

The flow may change, but the fifth young master of the Li family remains the fifth young master.

However, the indulgence of family elders and one's own lack of restraint have ultimately led to an irreparable disaster

Liu A-Si suppressed the joy in his heart and said with his head lowered, "The craftsman outside said that this item was indeed created by Young Master Wu, and the craftsman merely crafted it according to the design."

Wu Tong, while crying, kept nagging and advising all the way from the bedroom to the front door

Li Qinzai's gaze grew heavy as Li Yan remained silent with a cold expression on his face

After noon, the craftsman from the Armory finally appeared at the Li family's doorstep, swaying unsteadily.

The entire journey consists of walking, and the judgment of "migration" cannot make it too easy for him; walking is the fundamental operation, and riding a horse or taking a carriage is out of the question

Two hours later, it will be noon

Li Zhen and Li Siwen returned to the inner residence, but the members of the Li family gathered at the main entrance to bid them farewell

The craftsman knelt on the bluestone slab, weeping uncontrollably: "This item was created by Young Master Wu, its range far exceeds that of a strong bow. Not only can it reach beyond 200 paces, but it also maintains accuracy. I have tested it, and Young Master Wu's words are not false; it is indeed a national treasure. I implore the great general to discern wisely, for this item should absolve Young Master Wu of his crimes"

At this moment, Li Qinzai, under the escort of the officials, had already left the city of Chang'an and was heading southward

Li Yanzhi raised his eyes and glanced at him, causing Liu A Si to break out in a cold sweat on his back, standing with his head bowed and a stiff demeanor.

While stuffing it in, with red-rimmed eyes and murmuring, this silver ingot was secretly sent by the Third Young Master, and that silver ingot was delivered by the old duke's people