After a night of silence, Li Beidou thought that he had done everything he could and had nothing to worry about. He slept very soundly this night.
"Fifth Young Master, no one is looking for you." Ah Si said to Li Beidou who was walking towards him for the umpteenth time.
"Ah, it's okay, I just came to see you." Li Beidou said stiffly.
Li Beidou waited for the stars and the moon, but instead of the craftsmen, he waited for the imperial edict.
A eunuch wearing a purple official robe walked into the Duke's Mansion with his hands held high and the imperial edict held high.
The Li family, including Li Jing and Li Derjian, all the children surnamed Li in the mansion came out to kneel to receive the imperial edict.
An obscure ancient text was read out by the eunuch. Obviously, the content of the edict was definitely not about praising oneself for being handsome and having good character.
After the eunuch finished reading, he quickly helped Li Jing up and kept bowing.
Li Beidou mingled among a group of unscrupulous descendants and met for the first time the famous grandfather Li Jing, a famous general throughout the ages!
Li Jing was less than seventy years old, with a tall build, white beard and hair, a broad face and big ears, and a majestic face. Wherever his gaze passed, it was like a sharp sword sweeping across, making people shudder.
There are six grandchildren in the Li family, all of whom are unfilial descendants. Li Beidou ranks fifth, but he can be said to be the best among these unfilial descendants, and it is difficult for others to catch up with him.
He has been domineering since he was a child and has caused countless troubles.
Although he has done numerous evil deeds outside, he is good at being sweet and knowing how to please his elders. In the past, Li Jing pampered him a lot.
Li Jing looked at Li Beidou for a long time, his eyes darkened and he said nothing.
After a long while, he said: "Beidou, in the next few years...you...just take care of yourself." After saying that, he turned and returned to the backyard.
The eyes of everyone in the Li family fell on Li Beidou, with different expressions and cryptic expressions.
Although Li Beidou was mentally prepared, he still couldn't calm down.
Just as everyone gradually dispersed, a young man in his twenties patted his shoulder next to him and said, "Don't worry, fifth brother, my grandfather is still angry, and the impeachment of the DPRK is still in the air. When the wind passes, I will continue Help you plead with grandfather, and you will be able to return to Chang'an as soon as possible."
It can be seen from these words of comfort that the grandchildren of the Li family are relatively friendly to each other. Maybe everyone is also a bastard, and bastards should cherish bastards. He is just better in the circle of bastards.
Not far away, his father Li Derjian looked at Li Beidou steadily.
Li Beidou suddenly noticed it and looked up. Their eyes met. Li Derjian quickly looked away and left with a gloomy face, not even bothering to say a word to him.
Li Beidou could only smile bitterly.
Everyone dispersed, and only the butler Laifu was waiting next to him with his luggage in hand.
With red eyes, he said to Li Beidou: "Fifth Young Master, you must pay attention to your health on this journey."
Li Beidou bowed to the housekeeper, "I have caused you trouble these years. Please take good care of my parents in the future..."
Laifu finally cried, nagging Wu Shaolang to grow up while carrying the package on Li Beidou.
He also lowered his voice and stuffed pieces of silver cake into Li Beidou's arms. This piece was given by the old man, and this piece was given by Dalang. Dalang specifically told me that I can't tell you...
The housekeeper Laifu was very busy.
Laifu cried and delivered, and continued to chatter all the way to the front door.
Li Beidou's eyes turned red.
Outside the main entrance of the Duke's Mansion, two official servants were waiting.
Exiled to exile, the fifth young master of the Li family was still the fifth young master. Even if he was exiled thousands of miles away, the two official servants did not dare to treat Li Beidou as a prisoner. Instead, they were more like two personal servants.
The butler Laifu secretly stuffed money into the hands of two officials, and the three of them pushed them back and forth.
Li Beidou glanced outside the door again, but there was still no sign of the craftsman. He probably hadn't finished it yet, so he had no choice but to get on his way.
An hour later.
At this time, Li Beidou had already left Chang'an.
The craftsmen from the Ordnance Supervision trotted all the way to the Duke's Mansion.
The craftsman spent one night and one morning and finally made the strong bow designed by Li Beidou.
Li Beidou's threats from yesterday were still ringing in his ears. After finishing the work, the craftsman immediately ran to the door of Li's house to ask for a meeting with Fifth Young Master.
Unexpectedly, Bu Qu told him that Wu Shaolang had been escorted out of Beijing.
The craftsman was so frightened that his hands and feet became cold and he fell to the ground.
He loves Chang'an and he doesn't want to be exiled...
Thinking of this, the craftsman quickly got up, knelt down with a plop, held up the strong bow he had just made with both hands, and cried loudly: "The villain was entrusted by the Fifth Young Master. Offer weapons to the country!”
It was really unfortunate that Ah Si had just changed his shift and the two newcomers knew nothing about it, so naturally they would not let the craftsmen in.
Not just anyone can enter the Duke's Mansion.
When the craftsman was at a loss, Li Xinghe appeared at the door with a cunning tongue and looked the craftsman up and down. "What you are holding in your hand is what Fifth Brother asked you to make last night?"
When the craftsman heard this, he was overjoyed and said, "Let me tell you, Young Master, to get down to business."
Li Xinghe carelessly reached out and took the strong bow. After tinkering with it for a while, the craftsman looked anxious and warned: "Young Master, be careful. I have already tried this bow and it can shoot more than two hundred steps."
…
On another street outside the Duke's Mansion, a gorgeous-looking carriage was driving down the street.
There was a man and a woman sitting in the car, hugging each other tightly and whispering softly.
The man is none other than Prince Li Zhi, and the woman is the two emperors, Wu Zhao.
At this time, the folk customs of the Tang Dynasty were simple and tolerant, and people's minds were particularly open. It was not surprising that the two hugged each other. It's just that people in the world have many misunderstandings, thinking that Li Zhi is Cheng Kun and Li Shimin is Yang Dingtian...
The East Palace guards and crane guards were scattered around the carriage in civilian clothes. They were so strict that not even a fly could get close to them within three hundred steps.
While Wu Zhao, the mistress, was trying to get to the position, an arrow fell from the sky, pierced the roof of the sedan chair, and pierced Li Zhi's left calf, piercing three-thirds of the flesh.
Accompanied by two screams, the Control Crane Guards turned pale with fright, and the escort carriage drove away quickly in a panic.
Li Xinghe looked at the arrows shooting into the 45-degree sky and shouted, "Good baby, good baby, really good baby."
After saying that, he took the strong bow and ran to the Duke's Mansion. The craftsman was frightened. He knew the power of the strong bow. The arrow that was just shot into the sky was at least five hundred steps away due to the parabola.
He didn't dare to let this little dude take away this big killer, so he gritted his teeth and made up his mind, grabbing Li Xinghe's sleeve tightly and not letting go.
Although Li Xinghe was a young man, he was still too young and refused to let go when the craftsmen were dying. He could only reply, "You come with me to see grandpa."
The craftsman breathed a sigh of relief and followed Li Xinghe into the Duke's Mansion.
But no matter what Li Xinghe said, he would not give him any more arrows.
Li Jing looked at the strong bow for a long time, then raised his head and asked the craftsman, "Can this thing really shoot two hundred steps?"
The craftsman trembled and replied: "My lord, yes... I have tried it."
"Come here, move the target two hundred steps away."
"No!" Ah Si gave a military salute and left after taking the order.
After placing the straw target, Li Jing took aim and shot with hesitation.
There was a clang, and the arrow hit the target.
Everyone was shocked, and the soldiers even cheered, "The general is mighty..."
Li Jing listened to the cheers of the musicians, his face was calm, but his hands were shaking slightly.
As a veteran general who has experienced hundreds of battles, he naturally knows what it means for a strong bow that can increase the range of a hundred steps to appear on the battlefield.
When the two armies are facing each other, how much advantage will the extra range give them?
After a long silence, Li Jing suddenly asked: "Is this thing... really created by Beidou?"
The craftsman replied respectfully: "My lord, this thing was indeed created by Fifth Young Master, I just made it according to the drawings."
Afraid that the old prince would not believe him, the craftsman recounted exactly how he was found by the Fifth Young Master and what the Fifth Young Master told him. Even how the Fifth Young Master threatened him was kept intact. Said it again.
Li Jing's face gradually turned rosy as he listened to the craftsman's narration, and his mood was obviously getting better and better. However, when he heard how Li Beidou threatened the craftsman, his brows furrowed slightly.
After the craftsman finished speaking, he stood aside anxiously. Li Jing half-squinted his eyes and fell into deep thought.
A dandy who had been causing trouble all day long created such a powerful weapon for the country overnight. Is it an occasional gain or is it just keeping a low profile and having to show your strength in times of crisis?
After a long time, Li Jing looked up to the sky and laughed: "The brat has escaped a disaster. Come, prepare your horses, I am going to the palace to face the saint."
Everyone looked happy and all said: "No!"
…
Tai Chi Palace South Study Room.
Li Shimin was quite dissatisfied with the military report in his hand. There was another trouble in the small Goguryeo. As the emperor was decisive in killing, he should have sent troops to attack. But in order to test Li Zhi, Li Shimin specially announced that Prince Li Zhi was coming.
The plan given by Li Zhi is also a good strategy.
He combined the conflicts among Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla and adopted a plan of pulling together one faction and fighting another. Although in Li Shimin's view, it was not a once and for all method, but as a prince, he could think about the problem from an overall perspective, which was considered qualified.
However, when Li Zhi left, even though he tried his best to cover it up, Li Shimin still saw at a glance that Li Zhi's left leg was injured.
Seeing Li Zhiwei dragging his left leg, Li Shimin immediately thought of Li Chengqian.
The Xuanwu Sect is the stain on his life. He can tolerate everything except...
The eunuch's report interrupted Li Shimin's meditation.
After entering the palace, Li Jing presented a strong bow and explained it to Li Shimin in detail, specifically emphasizing its range.
Li Shimin was delighted, and he enthusiastically ordered a test launch outside the palace.
The general of the Forbidden Army held a strong bow and hit the bull's-eye two hundred paces away with an arrow.
Li Shimin was shocked. He took the strong bow without any explanation and tried shooting a few arrows himself. The arrows hit the target.
Li Jing and all the Imperial Guards shouted in unison, "The Emperor is mighty, the Tang Dynasty will be victorious..."
Li Shimin was so excited that he couldn't put it down, holding the strong bow and looking at it carefully.
After a long time, he excitedly asked who created the strong bow.
Li Jing then calmly revealed that it was his grandson Li Beidou who made it.
When Li Shimin heard Li Beidou's name, his expression suddenly became strange, and he quickly glanced at Li Jing.
Li Jing suddenly knelt down before Li Shimin could speak.
As a general who has experienced hundreds of battles, his five senses are very sensitive. Li Shimin's look made Li Jing realize that even though he did not join the Xuanwu Sect, there was still a rift between the emperor and his ministers.
Therefore, Li Jing not only did not plead for Li Beidou to make up for his fault, but instead stabbed his grandson in the back, hoping that the emperor would not change his fate. The merits would be rewarded, but the crime would not be spared.
Li Shimin's eyes flashed, he smiled and ignored it, chatting with this meritorious general about everyday gossip.
After chatting, Li Shimin took away his strong bow and politely sent Li Jing away.
Li Shimin, who was a little tired, picked up the strong bow and looked at it in trance, not knowing what he was thinking.
More than an hour later, a fast horse chased Li Beidou in the direction of leaving Beijing.
