Chapter 7, Hunting

At this moment, there was just the right amount of calmness in the air. Li Chongjiu regulated his breathing, placing the two-stone bow above his head, then slowly lowering it until it was parallel to his shoulder. Before drawing the bow, he supported the arrow with his fingers to determine the position of the prey, with the arrow on the right side of the bow and his gaze on the left. This aligns with the principle in archery that states, if the fingers do not guide the arrow, it will surely miss the target. If the fingers are unaware of their guidance, it is akin to having no aim.

Hiss

Li Chongjiu nocked the arrow with three fingers, drawing it back on the bow, while his left hand supported it. His entire posture was upright like a pillar, with arms extended like branches, and his elbows raised so steadily that one could place a cup of water on them without spilling. After taking aim at the escaping hare, the bowstring was gradually released from his hand, drawing back fully with ease and without much effort.

The skill of shooting with both hands is the essence of mounted archery. Even among the Turks, who are most adept at combat on horseback, very few can shoot with both hands. This is undoubtedly a remarkable ability

However, one may think this way, yet one cannot express it so. This is because, at that time, the men of Yan and Zhao in the northern regions were skilled in both archery and close combat.

Thus, Li Chongjiu could not help but entertain the thought of testing his archery skills. Without hesitation, he took action, slinging half a quiver of arrows over his back and arming himself with a short knife for protection, and then he descended the mountain alone

This time, Li Chongjiu exerted all his strength, and the bowstring snapped like a full moon. The arrow left the string and shot through the air with a whoosh.

Traversing through the mountains, Li Chongjiu suddenly recalled that the books mentioned all human ancestors were hunters. Hunters were the first role played by humanity in this world and also the role played for the longest time. Hunting and gathering was not only a process for ancient humans to explore their living space but also an instinct for survival through struggle, a legacy passed down through the ages.

The sound was incredibly bloody, as the arrow pierced through the sheepskin, nearly vanishing, leaving only a snow-white feather alongside the book. At the moment the blood gushed out, the remaining goats exploded in chaos, each fleeing without loyalty. The goat that had been struck by the arrow let out a low bleat, kicked its hind legs, and ran wildly without regard for direction.

Li Chongjiu took an arrow from the quiver behind him and nocked it onto the string. In a moment of daze, Li Chongjiu, who had never handled a bow and arrow before, felt an extraordinary familiarity with them at that instant. This feeling was akin to reuniting with a first love after a long separation, both familiar and strange.

With a sharp sound, the arrow was released from the bowstring. However, it struck just a step away from the fleeing rabbit, which, startled by the noise, ran even faster and disappeared into the grass in a flash

In the midst of the towering mountains of Qianqianzai, there are towering trees everywhere. Looking southwest, the Taihang Mountain range, resembling a great azure dragon, stretches for thousands of miles, with numerous ridges interconnected, severing the east-west transportation.

The goat is a vigilant and suspicious animal, as Li Chongjiu had experienced earlier. Now, he was situated eighty paces away from the goat, at a height of half a hillside. The goat, engrossed in the tender grass of this area, did not raise its head, allowing Li Chongjiu to approach without being noticed

As he traversed towards noon, the sun had risen to its highest point. Unbeknownst to him, he had been continuously climbing through the mountains, gradually distancing himself from the village. Li Chongjiu trudged along, his forehead and body drenched in sweat, clinging tightly to his clothes. Deep within the forest, as the mountain breeze swept in, Li Chongjiu felt a refreshing coolness against his damp attire

Chinese law, commonly referred to as the Mongolian shooting method in modern times, while Hu law refers to the Mediterranean shooting method

Chinese law favors foot archery, which is strong, while Hu law favors mounted archery, which is weak

At this moment, the sound of rushing water could be heard, and a mountain spring appeared before him, yet at its end stood a towering cliff that reached into the clouds. The spring water remained crystal clear as it flowed past. Li Chongjiu had evidently lost track of his prey; however, his intention was not to hunt but rather to use the method of hunting to quickly strengthen his body and become familiar with archery at the earliest opportunity.

Li Chongjiu replied, saying: "The people nearby have gone into the mountains to hunt."

Li Chongjiu walked along a path that was initially a grass trail trampled by nearby woodcutters, but as he ventured deeper into the mountains, the trail had long since disappeared. There were many mountain hares leaping about, and occasionally one or two wild boars darted through. As autumn approached, the creatures in the mountains were all fattening up, preparing for winter. If he could catch one to take back, it would surely provide a hearty feast.

Li Chongjiu shot more than ten arrows in succession at the hare, roe deer, mountain chicken, and flying birds, all of which missed. Seeing his marksmanship like this, when encountering a wild boar on the way, Li Chongjiu chose not to provoke it for the time being, opting instead to avoid it.

A young girl, her cheeks flushed, boldly inquired, "Where are you from, big brother? I have never seen you before"

Nevertheless, this was the most suitable weapon for Li Chongjiu before his time travel. Thus, Li Chongjiu weighed the bow in his hands, pondering that after his time travel, he had merely inherited this body, and he was uncertain how much of the archery skills he had previously practiced remained.

The goat, grazing on the ground, seemed to sense something, its ears perked up, mouth full of tender grass, eyes wide open, and it alertly raised its head. The arrow, swift as lightning, suddenly pierced through.

Eighty steps is precisely within the lethal range of a two-stone bow

Li Chongjiu, holding a bow and arrow, was galloping through the mountains on a hunt. Halfway through, he suddenly spotted his target, which was the group of goats he had just lost track of.

Now, after playing a trick on Li Chongjiu with the five or six goats and taking him around in circles, they are in a valley, bending their heads down to quickly graze on the grass

Consider the ancient Tang army. Carrying quivers on their backs, with long bows at their waists, and wielding broadswords in hand, they could draw their bows at a distance and dared to engage in close combat. This is the essence of the elite force that swept across the world. Therefore, in the provincial army, every soldier of the Tang army was required to carry a bow. The opening lines of "The Song of the War Chariots" state, "The chariots are clattering, the horses are whinnying, and the travelers each have bows and arrows at their waists." Each person with a bow represents the formation of the Tang army in battle.

Li Chongjiu was unwilling to let the prey escape. He immediately shouldered his bow, drew his short knife, and quickly pursued the fleeing goat.

Note 1: The "Shooting Classics" states: There are two methods for string control: the ring finger overlaps the little finger, the middle finger presses the thumb, and the index finger is held straight against the string, which is the Chinese method; the thumb is bent, and the index finger presses the hooked finger, which is the Hu method

Li Chongjiu shook his head, realizing that his consciousness belonged to a thousand years later, while his archery skills were rooted in the body of this era. The integration of the two would take some time. At that moment, after pulling the arrowhead out of the mud, Li Chongjiu placed the arrow back into the quiver and continued his ascent up the mountain

Li Chongjiu regretfully put away the three-stone bow into his bag and turned to retrieve his usual two-stone bow. This bow had aged with him; he typically used it for practice, and the silk and hemp string on it had lost some of its elasticity.

Seeing that the spring water was quite shallow, Li Chongjiu immediately took off his clothes and dove into the mountain spring, scrubbing the old mud off his body. After this refreshing bath, he felt utterly exhilarated, experiencing a sense of fulfillment for this journey. In high spirits, he playfully splashed the water like a child. After clumsily tying up his hair, Li Chongjiu put on his clothes and suddenly heard a burst of light singing and laughter.

Three young girls, around eighteen years of age, approached the mountain spring carrying a basin of clothes. These girls wore short jackets on top and long skirts below. Although they did not possess striking beauty, they exuded a sense of simplicity that was as refreshing as the air in the mountains and forests. They were clearly local village girls, here to wash their clothes. Upon suddenly seeing themselves, they all displayed a hint of shyness on their faces, lowering their heads, finding it difficult to move forward or retreat.

After a long journey, Li Chongjiu climbed over another hill. He encountered several goats and decided to hunt them. In the pursuit, he ran chaotically across the hilltops without a clear path. Li Chongjiu took a dry branch as a walking stick, striking the wild grass on either side as he walked. As he ventured deeper into the forest, his body and feet inevitably got scratched by the grass, causing sharp pains, and he stumbled over the rocks. When he came across a mountain stream, he had to wade through it.

The grass on the ground just reached the ankles, and the morning dew seeped into the pant legs along the bent blades of grass, soaking the feet thoroughly. As he pushed through the grass to ascend the mountain, Li Chongjiu, burdened with a long bow, was greeted by a scene of pristine beauty. In the mountains, woodcutters and hunters could be seen occasionally, and the songs of the mountains floated through the air from time to time.

This copper finger ring is sloped, with the tip of the finger exposed. Unlike the finger ring tubes seen in "Empresses in the Palace," the sloped finger ring is what the Han people have consistently used.

Li Chongjiu, despite possessing excellent archery skills, was defeated by Li Sandiang, and that was that. However, with the current Sanstone Bow, Li Chongjiu could only draw it partially, just enough to shoot, but he could not unleash its full power

The journey there was hurried, but the return was much more relaxed. Li Chongjiu's ability to navigate was quite good; he marked the route with notches on the grass and trees along the way, and he also identified directions using some survival knowledge he had learned in the past. Moreover, during the return journey, he continued to practice his archery skills.

As he encountered a rabbit jumping in front of him, Li Chongjiu focused on his target and immediately unfastened his bow pouch. He did not directly take out the double-stone bow; instead, he first put on a copper finger guard.

However, Li Chongjiu felt a sense of joy in it, finding the pleasure in this experience far greater than that of sitting in front of a computer, merely tapping his fingers to earn a few million.

Li Chongjiu carefully examined the three of them, then laughed heartily and cupped his fists towards the several young women. Upon seeing Li Chongjiu's open smile and upright posture, the three young women felt a sense of admiration and shyly returned the gesture.

This thumb ring is used to protect the thumb while shooting arrows. At that time, there were two methods of string control: the Chinese method and the Hu method (Note 2). The Chinese method involves using the thumb to hook the bowstring. Since shooting with the thumb directly gripping the bowstring can easily lead to injury, it is essential to wear a thumb ring.

At this point, Li Chongjiu could not help but feel wronged. Reflecting on it, his defeat to Li Sanniang was indeed not unjust. Li Chongjiu had primarily trained in archery. To expect an archer to engage in hand-to-hand combat is to exploit one's own weaknesses while attacking another's strengths

Using a finger tab to draw the bowstring alleviates concerns about injuring the bowstring, allowing for a longer draw. According to archery principles, when shooting an arrow, one should draw as if it were a full moon, with the nock of the arrow pulled back to the ear. This principle is similar to firearms; the longer the barrel, the better the stability of the trajectory, and the fuller the bow is drawn, the farther and more accurately the arrow is shot.

In the vast mountains, the sky looms overhead, and it is just the early morning. At this moment, it is the height of summer, with the sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing.

The other party let out a soft sound. At that moment, Li Chongjiu bid farewell to them, slung the long quiver over his back, and began his journey home. The few young women behind him watched Li Chongjiu's figure, whispered among themselves, and burst into laughter like silver bells. The girl who had inquired of Li Chongjiu was clearly teased by her two companions.