Li Qinzai was clearly in trouble, but he still had the time to calculate the range of Tang Dynasty bows and arrows. It was really arrogant.
In my previous life, I had seen some bits and pieces of Yang Ma's science and education films. They talked about the archery range of ancient bows and arrows. The most primitive ones were over a hundred meters. After the improvements of the Song Dynasty, the range had made great progress.
Nowadays, the bow and arrow range of the Tang Dynasty is obviously still at a relatively primitive stage.
Li Qinzai vaguely remembered that if a gadget was installed between the bow string and the bow arm, the range could at least be doubled.
If the bows and arrows that can double the range were known to the emperors and ministers of the Tang Dynasty today, it should... maybe... be able to atone for their crimes... right?
Today's Tang Dynasty is full of vitality, the army is showing its sharpness, and Li Zhi is even more ambitious. He secretly holds back his energy and vows to surpass Taizong, the late Emperor, and step out of the shadow of his father's Wenzhi martial arts.
The desire of military lieutenants to expand their territory was even greater than during the Zhenguan Dynasty. If there was a long-range weapon with twice the range on the battlefield, it would be self-evidently important to the emperor and the army.
Not familiar with this world, Li Qinzai was not sure whether the range of bows and arrows today was really only a hundred steps.
"A hundred steps is the range of all bows and arrows in the army? Are there any bows with a longer range?"
Liu Asi thought for a while and said: "There are five-stone strong bows. There are not many of them. They are all held by strong men in the army. They can shoot up to one hundred, forty and fifty paces away, but they are not accurate after a hundred paces... "
Liu Asi shook his head and laughed.
Obviously, accuracy beyond a hundred steps can only depend on luck.
"Are you sure there is no strong bow that can reach a hundred steps and be accurate?" Li Qinzai asked.
Liu Asi shook his head firmly: "I'm sure not. I don't dare to talk nonsense to Fifth Young Master."
Li Qinzai was stunned for a long time and did not make a sound for a long time.
Liu Asi smacked his lips uncomfortably.
The Fifth Young Master behaved very strangely today. The young master who was angry did not take medicine, but instead chatted dryly with them, the marching soldiers, at the gate.
"Ahem, Fifth Young Master, I heard from Butler Wu that soaking dried chrysanthemums and licorice in a little water every day can make... well, your urine can be as clear as a spring." Liu Asi suggested hesitantly.
Li Qinzai came back to his senses and said in shock: "Why is urine so expensive? Why is urine so expensive?"
Liu Asi said awkwardly: "I don't know, but it was Butler Wu who said it. Everyone in the house knows that Butler Wu met some master a few years ago and taught him the superficial skills of treating internal heat. From then on, Butler Wu Searching around the house, looking for someone who is angry..."
Li Qinzai nodded. No wonder that old man was not afraid of needle eyes when he peeked at him peeing...
After the useless chat ended, Li Qinzai greeted Liu Asi and then turned back to the backyard.
Liu Asi breathed a sigh of relief.
Ever since this Fifth Young Master got into a big trouble and was lectured on and off by Erlang several times, his temperament and behavior have become very strange, as if he is a different person, which is difficult to adapt to.
Looking at Li Qinzai's back, Liu Asi shook his head.
I don’t know why Fifth Young Master’s temperament changed so much. This change naturally made them more approachable to the trilogy masters than before, and they were happy to see it.
However, the Fifth Young Master eventually caused a huge disaster and implicated the entire Li family. Even the old Duke was disgraced by the courtiers and did not know how to deal with it.
Rumors have spread among the servants in the house these past two days. It is feared that the Fifth Young Master will not be able to escape this disaster. Perhaps within a few days, the emperor's decree will come down, and the ending of the Fifth Young Master wandering thousands of miles away will definitely be difficult to change.
Staring at Li Qinzai's disappearing figure, Liu Asi sighed and muttered in a low voice: "What a pity..."
…………
Returning to his bedroom in the inner house, Li Qinzai ordered someone to get paper and pen, then closed the door and stayed there all day. Even the meals were brought in by the maid.
Until late at night, Li Qinzai was writing and drawing in his room. No one knew what he was painting. A brave servant carefully stood outside the room and listened to the wall. He could only hear Li Qinzai inside the room laughing suddenly, and then becoming irritable. Lei, tore the paper into a ball and threw it out the window.
The brave servant ducked down to retrieve the paper Li Qinzai had thrown out of the window. After unfolding it and piecing it together, he found a bunch of strange things drawn on it, which seemed to be drawings of certain parts.
Its shape is flat and long, with a groove in the middle and a mechanism. There are buckle grooves at both ends. One end is larger and the other is smaller. When viewed from above, it is flat like a duck's beak. There is also a mechanism spring stuck between the top and bottom.
The servants didn't know what the fifth young master was doing. When they were gathering together to discuss quietly, Li Qinzai in the room suddenly burst out laughing.
Then the door opened, and Li Qinzai came out, ordering his men to quickly find the weapons craftsman.
The Li family was originally a general, and the head of the family was the most famous general in the Tang Dynasty. Naturally, the Duke's Mansion had a good relationship with the officials of the Ordnance Supervision.
Craftsmen from the Ordnance Supervision were quickly summoned.
Under an elm tree in the front yard of Li's house, the weapons supervisor and craftsman stood respectfully in front of Li Qinzai with his hands lowered. Li Qinzai was explaining in detail with a drawing in his hand.
Under the cloister not far from the front yard, outside the screen wall, and inside the hall pillars, servants of the Li family gathered in small groups, staring at Li Qinzai and the craftsmen not far away and talking.
A pampered and powerful dandy, a simple and down-to-earth weapons craftsman.
When two people talk together, the scene seems inconsistent, and they don't match up at all.
In the front yard, Li Qinzai explained for half an hour with a dry mouth, but the craftsman still looked confused.
"Uh, I forgive you, Young Master, but I am old and stupid, but what is the purpose of this thing...?"
Li Qinzai sighed and said: "Of course it is to increase the range of the bow and arrow. The range of one hundred steps becomes two hundred steps. On the battlefield, the two armies are facing each other. We are better than half of the enemy's range. Isn't it good?"
The craftsman's eyes widened in shock: "Can the range be doubled? All because of this thing? This... Young Master, this is a major event in the army, so don't dare to joke about it."
"How can I make money by lying to you?" Li Qinzai glanced at him and said, "The drawings are here. If you build the machine parts according to the drawings, you will know whether what I say is true or false."
The craftsman was hesitant, but because of Li Qinzai's status, he still respectfully agreed.
"Materials are very important. Remember that the bow arm must be made of mulberry wood. The bow string is made of six materials: stem, horn, tendon, glue, etc. The materials must be enough so that it can draw at least eight stones without collapsing. You should Do you understand?"
The craftsman nodded respectfully: "You know what I mean, there is a ready-made eight-stone bow in the weapons prison. You can just modify it a little."
Hesitantly pointing to the mechanical parts on the drawing, the craftsman said carefully: "If this thing is equipped with a strong bow... can it really reach two hundred steps?"
Li Qinzai vowed: "I swear on the head on your neck, I will definitely do it!"
The craftsman was shocked and said in a trembling voice: "The villain... has a head on his neck?"
Li Qinzai said with a serious face: "Since such confidential matters are known to you, you and I should issue a military order. If it fails, you can't use my neck to kill people, right?"
The craftsman's face suddenly turned pale.
broken! On board the pirate ship!
This guy's reputation as a bastard is well-earned, and it's a big hole if you dig into it casually.
Seeing the craftsman shaking like chaff, Li Qinzai laughed, patted his shoulder and said, "I'm teasing you, just do your best."
The craftsman's rhythm of sifting chaff suddenly relaxed. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and tried to force out an ugly smile.
"Young Master is really... haha, so funny."
Li Qinzai glanced at him. Well, the "funny" comment obviously came from the craftsman's heart and was very sincere. He got the point of his laughter. He understood me.
"Do you understand the blueprints? Go back and work all night to finish them. You must know that I am in trouble now, and I will probably be sentenced to a thousand miles of exile. If you haven't finished the work before the thousands of miles of exile, I will drag you with me to move a thousand miles."
The craftsman laughed dryly and said: "Young Master is funny again..."
Li Qinzai stared at him seriously and said, "No, I am serious about this."
The craftsman started sifting chaff again, his body trembled and he bowed: "I will try my best! I will try my best! I will make it by tomorrow morning at the latest!"
Li Qinzai was about to say something when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the main entrance. He turned around and saw that it was his father Li Siwen who had returned from outside.
Steward Wu and his servants stepped forward to lead their horses and respectfully greeted him.
With an expressionless face, Li Siwen entered the side door, walked around the screen wall, and walked towards the front yard.
Li Qinzai also understood some of the rules of this world. Elders and juniors, fathers and sons, must behave according to etiquette.
So Li Qinzai also stood up and bowed to Li Siwen: "My child has seen..."
Before he finished speaking, Li Siwen walked past him, completely ignoring his salute as if he was like air.
Li Qinzai was not embarrassed and just sighed.
This father is really disappointed with himself, and indifference is his greatest mercy.
Wu Tong, the housekeeper who accompanied Li Siwen to the inner house diligently, gave Li Qinzai a sympathetic look and still sent Li Siwen into the inner house without hesitation.
Leaving Li Qinzai's sight, bypassing the front hall and arriving at the seclusion of the backyard garden, Li Siwen, who had been silent for a long time, finally broke his silence.
"Why are there craftsmen at home? What does that scoundrel want to do?" Li Siwen asked coldly.
Wu Tong smiled and said, "Fifth Young Master must have thought up some novelty and summoned the craftsmen from the Military Weapon Supervisor to make it."
A trace of anger flashed across Li Siwen's face, and he said in a deep voice: "You bastard! You've caused such a big disaster and still won't stop! The weapons supervisor makes weapons for the country, when will it be this dude's turn to use them? What a bastard!"
Wu Tong did not dare to intervene in the grievances between father and son, so he could only laugh.
"Wu Tong, please pass on my order to let the craftsmen go back to their duties in peace and order, and not to accompany this dandy to cause mischief!"
Wu Tong had no choice but to agree.
…………
The will came faster than imagined.
Li Zhi recently hosted a banquet for Li Ji at Tai Chi Palace, which was probably a subtle greeting in advance.
The meaning of that royal banquet was that the courtiers' comments were too unpleasant and I couldn't bear it anymore. I'm sorry, but I'm going to kill your fifth grandson!
After leaving the palace and returning home after the imperial banquet, Li Ji never saw Li Qinzai, and he obviously had no choice but to accept the fact.
Since it is an unchangeable fact, for Li Zhi, it is better to do it sooner rather than later.
After all, the discussion in the court has become louder and louder, and it can be said that official resentment is boiling. If the emperor delays taking action due to Li Ji's achievements, it will also be a damage to the imperial power and authority.
Early the next morning, the front door of the British Government House suddenly opened wide.
A eunuch wearing a purple official robe held a yellow silk edict high in his hands and walked into the Duke's mansion with his head high.
In addition to Li Ji's eldest son Li Zhen and his grandsons Li Jingye and Li Jingyou, who were officials abroad, everyone in the family from Li Ji down, including Li Qinzai, came to greet and kneel to receive the imperial edict.
The eunuch slowly unfolded the imperial edict, and behind the incense table in the front yard, the atmosphere suddenly became tense and stagnant.
Some obscure ancient texts were read out by the eunuch. Judging from the ugly expressions of the Li family, it was clear that the content of the edict was not to praise Li Qinzai for his handsome appearance and good character.
After the eunuch read the words, he quickly glanced at Li Qinzai who was among the crowd receiving the order, then he helped Li Ji up with a smile and kept bowing.
Li Qinzai was mixed in the crowd. After hearing the whispers of the Li family beside him, Li Qinzai understood.
Li Qinzai, the grandson of the British Duke Li Ji, was ungrateful, unruly, and weak-minded. He disrespected the late emperor and despised the imperial power. He ordered him to move to Lingnan immediately and not return to the capital for five years.
