When Cao Zhang saw Xu Huang falling from his horse, he quickly reined in the horse's head, dropped his spear, dismounted, quickly stepped forward to help Xu Huang, and said, "General Xu, are you okay?"
Xu Huang slowly got up from the ground and said to Cao Zhang with a face full of shame: "Young Master is so powerful that Xu Huang feels inferior and is willing to be inferior."
Cao Zhang quickly apologized and said: "General Gongming, please don't say that. In fact, I only managed to defeat the general by luck by using some tricks. If compared with my real skill, Cao Zhang is no match for the general."
When Cao Zhang said this, Xu Huang reacted and asked doubtfully: "When the young master said this, I will be brave enough to ask: Why was the young master able to stand upright on the horse with the last blow just now, so that his strength suddenly increased?!"
Cao Zhang pulled Xu Huang towards his horse: "General, you will understand when you come and take a look."
Xu Huang followed Cao Zhang and approached the war horse to observe.
Only then did he discover that Cao Zhang had tied two stones to both sides of the saddle with a towel. Just now, he had stepped on the two stones with his feet to use force, so that his body could stand and exert greater strength.
"Master, what does this mean?" Xu Huang obviously didn't understand the function of this simple stirrup and asked doubtfully.
"You will know once Gongming mounts his horse and gives it a try," Cao Zhang said to Xu Huang.
Xu Huang looked at Cao Zhang doubtfully, then flew onto his mount.
"Put your feet on those two rocks and try to control the war horse." Cao Zhang stood on the ground and pointed at Xu Huang.
Xu Huang followed Cao Zhang's instructions and tried to control the horse by stepping on the stone and clamping the belly. He also tried to stand up and swing the axe by stepping on the stone. As expected, it was much more flexible and lighter than sitting directly on the horse, and it was also easier to exert force. .
Xu Huangfei dismounted and said with admiration: "Young master is really amazing. He can come up with such a clever trick to improve his combat power."
Cao Zhang responded with a smile: "I just had a whim, so I tried it, and I didn't expect it to be really effective."
While the two were talking, they heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance. Cao Zhang turned around and saw Xiahou Ba coming on horseback.
Xiahou Ba came to Cao Zhang and Xu Huang, dismounted and said, "Ziwen."
Cao Zhang stepped forward and said, "Zhong Quan, you came just in time. I have good news for you."
Xiahou Ba said excitedly: "Your good news is definitely not as exciting as my good news."
Cao Zhang looked at Xiahou Ba's proud look: "Then don't rush to tell me, let me guess..."
Cao Zhang thought for a moment and came up with the answer: "Is it because our wine-making business in our hometown in Qiao County has started to make money?"
Xiahou Ba said helplessly: "I really can't hide anything from you."
Then he continued excitedly: "The first batch of 1,000 jars of wine produced by the Xiahou family were all sold out on the same day, and many people paid to place orders and asked us to make it again as soon as possible."
"This is our account book and the number of the first income. Take a look." Xiahou Ba said, handing a roll of bamboo slips to Cao Zhang.
Cao Zhang took it and looked at it with an excited look on his face: "Great, this money comes at the right time. This time, we can build a cavalry team with superior combat power!"
Xiahou Ba looked at Cao Zhang in confusion.
Cao Zhang said to Xu Huang: "Gongming, please explain to Zhong Quan. I will go back to the tent to prepare. Later, I will have a surprise for you!"
After Cao Zhang finished speaking, he quickly walked towards the Chinese army's tent...
About half an hour later, Xiahou Ba and Xu Huang were invited to the tent by soldiers.
"Come, come and take a look." Cao Zhang pointed at the drawings that had just been drawn on the silk cloth on the tables in front of him, and called to Xiahou Ba and Xu Huang.
"This is an improved saddle, with a front saddle bridge and a rear saddle bridge added, making it easier to maintain balance when riding."
"I named this stirrup, which is the device used to step on my feet when I was fighting with Gongming just now. We can directly fix it with the saddle, so that it can be more stable and durable, and can better use force to generate energy. force!"
Cao Zhang introduced the saddle and stirrups he drew to the two of them.
Xiahou Ba pointed to a horseshoe-shaped object on the last drawing and asked Cao Zhang: "Ziwen, what is this?"
"I temporarily named this horseshoe. It is made of iron, installed on the horse's hoof, and nailed with nails. It can effectively reduce the wear and tear of the horse's hoof, making the horse's grip stronger, running faster and longer." Cao Zhang Explained to the two.
"Have nails on the horse's hoof? That won't just destroy the horse's hoof. That's not okay!" After hearing this, Xiahou Ba kept shaking his head.
"Silly brother, don't you understand? The horse's hoof actually has two layers. The position where it hits the ground is like our fingernails, without any sensation or pain. Otherwise, wouldn't the horse's hoof be worn out long ago when we ride horses?"
"We only need to fix the horseshoe on the nail layer of the horse's hoof with nails." Cao Zhang explained to Xiahou Ba.
Xu Huang, who had been silent all the time, looked at the three drawings, his eyes shining with excitement: "Sir, if our horses can be equipped with the saddles, stirrups and horseshoes you drew, it will be even more powerful for us. .”
Xiahou Ba also admired sincerely: "Yes, Ziwen, what's wrong with your brain? You really can't stop it. How did you come up with such a novel thing?"
Cao Zhang pretended to be humble and said: "It's not a big deal, just use your brain and observe more."
"Zhong Quan, Gong Ming, take this blueprint and use our income from selling wine to recruit a large number of craftsmen to make a thousand sets of equipment and equip all our thousand cavalry and generals with them." Cao Zhang put his Tell them the plan.
"With such a cavalry team, we will switch to battle and attack quickly in the future, which will definitely be extremely powerful!" Xu Huang became more and more excited.
Seeing that the drawings in his hand were handed over to Xiahou Ba, Cao Zhang said to him: "I'll leave this matter to you two. Remember..."
Xiahou Ba nodded knowingly: "Understood, keep it secret and never let others know."
Xu Huang also knew the significance of these three pieces of equipment and could not let it out easily. He nodded vigorously: "Please rest assured, sir, it will never be leaked out."
Cao Zhang nodded approvingly: "Very good!"
Cao Zhang raised his head and said to Xiahou Ba: "Zhong Quan, today is the day of the Changshe market again, right?"
Xiahou Ba nodded, and then asked helplessly: "Ziwen, are you trying to buy vegetables from that old lady Xu again?"
"We've been there several times in the past few days, but every time she came back with a cold face, as if we didn't give her the money we paid for her."
"So far, her son has never appeared. I think you should forget it. Now that you have Sima Lang as your vassal, why do you have to find that Xu Shu?" Criticizing, complaining dissatisfiedly.
"Xu Shu's ability is not comparable to that of Boda. How can he give up so easily." Cao Zhang responded with a serious face.
"Okay, if you don't want to come with me, just go ahead and make the saddles and stirrups I just told you about, and I'll go by myself."
"No, Juan'er said, I will follow you no matter what, otherwise she won't be able to spare me. I'd better go to Changshe with you." Although Xiahou Ba was reluctant, he still insisted on accompanying Cao Zhang.
The two left the military camp and rode straight to Changshe County.
At about noon, the two entered the Changshe and went straight to the place where Xu's mother and Xu Kang usually set up their stalls.
When they came to the stall, Xu's mother and Xu Kang were nowhere to be seen. Standing behind the vegetable basket was a man wearing a bamboo hat, covering half of his face.
Cao Zhang looked at the man and thought: Could it be that Xu Shu is back?
