"Both gentlemen, equestrian skills are not compared to martial arts. They only need to study hard and practice hard, tempering the body to increase strength, and become proficient in martial arts. You can advance to the next level. The knights go into battle to kill the enemy, but they entrust their lives to those who sit on the horses.
"Do you think that horses are livestock that can be subdued with whips and wooden sticks? But you don't know that horses are psychic and know good and evil and remember grudges. When generals fight in front of the battle, if the horse rebels and is killed by the enemy general, it will not be counted. Its number."
In the corner of the racecourse, Old Man Tu smelled of hangover. He tapped the cigarette stick on the sole of his shoe and slowly filled it with tobacco leaves. "If you are skilled in horsemanship, it is better to raise a horse for a month and feed it delicious food every day." Drink, wash and massage, and wait until the relationship becomes familiar. The horse can trust you and will naturally let you control it and gallop, and coordinate with you in various postures. If you two gentlemen want to learn equestrian skills, let's start by feeding the horse!"
"Don't worry, Senior Tu, we will take good care of the horses!"
Jiang Li nodded slightly, followed Old Man Tu's instructions, and walked into the stable with Jiang Xuanxin to feed the horses and clean them.
"Brother Fifteen, although what Old Man Tu said is somewhat true, do we really have to raise horses for him every morning?"
Jiang Xuanxin scattered a large bundle of hay in the manger and was doubtful: "Why do I feel that he is deliberately instructing us to work?"
"Be confident and get rid of your feelings!"
Jiang Li smiled. He poured soybeans, eggs, various fine feeds, and herbs into the manger, and mixed them evenly with a fork. If he wanted to learn equestrian skills well, he said with deep meaning: "If you want to learn equestrian skills well, you must understand the horses' various habits and establish a relationship." , but if that's the case, the horses will only treat you as a kindred spirit, a servant, rather than a master. Especially horse kings like Heisha and Zhui Feng are no less arrogant than humans. If they can't establish authority, how can they be willing to do so easily? Surrender and let others control you!”
"Brother Fifteen, then why do you still follow Old Man Tu's arrangements?" Jiang Xuanxin was very puzzled.
"After all, we have to start by getting familiar with the horse's habits and temperament. It's okay to help him take care of it for a while first!"
Jiang Li glanced at Old Man Tu who was lying on the haystack basking in the sun, and his eyes flashed.
When Old Man Tu was calming the black evil horse, although Jiang Li was far away, he could still faintly sense the energy fluctuations between Old Man Tu's palms.
This strange fluctuation containing Qi is different from the movement of Qi by Qi Meridian cultivators, and is more similar to the Yin God Silver Crow that Jiang Li once encountered.
If his guess was correct, Old Man Tu was probably a very rare Taoist practitioner, but he didn't know what level he was in.
The four channels of Taoism, Martial Arts, Confucianism, and Qi, Taoism requires extremely high talents and understanding of practitioners. Just concentration and visualization can exclude most people from Taoism.
How could a moderately accomplished monk end up working as a slave on a horse farm?
Half an hour later, Jiang Li and the others cleaned the stables and fed all the ten horses that Old Man Tu was taking care of. The latter just climbed down from the haystack leisurely.
After choosing three large horses with relatively docile temperaments in the stable, Old Man Tu briefly taught Jiang Li and the others how to tie the reins, saddles, stirrups, and basic equestrian skills. Then he led the two of them on horseback and left the Marquis Mansion, all the way towards Shengjing City. Go outside.
Still hungover, Old Man Tu put his hands into his sleeves and dozed off from time to time on the horse, looking sleepy and lazy.
Although he would correct the two people's sitting postures and horse riding details from time to time, his tone was cold and impatient, not at all the manner a servant of the Marquis should be.
Jiang Li and Jiang Xuanxin were of low status in the Hou Mansion. They were used to seeing the bullying and slavish behavior of the servants in the Hou Mansion, so they didn't take it to heart and just concentrated on practicing equestrian skills.
After leaving Shengjing City, the two of them had basically mastered the basic skills of horse control and could trot.
The New Year has passed, and the weather is getting warmer. There are many more pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages on the official road than in the past few days. Caravans traveling from south to north and escorting goods can be seen everywhere.
The three of them rode along the official road and unknowingly traveled dozens of miles.
It was past noon, and the three of them were hungry. There happened to be a stall with sweet-scented osmanthus wine hanging on the side of the road.
Under the simple wooden shed, there are more than a dozen wooden tables. The firewood is blazing on the stove and the smoke is billowing. The aroma of meat, oil, ginger and garlic mixed with the aroma of wine wafts far away, whetting your appetite.
"Lao Tu, Xuan Xin, let's go over and sit down!"
Jiang Li held the riding whip and pointed forward. Before he finished speaking, Old Man Tu, who had been dozing all the way, closed his eyes, clamped his legs, and the maroon horse swooped out under his crotch, heading straight for the food stall.
"This old man Tu!"
Jiang Li and Jiang Xuanxin looked at each other, shook their heads and smiled bitterly, and could only gallop their horses to follow.
When the two came to the food stall, Old Man Tu had already sat down at a wooden table in a serious manner and greeted him carelessly, "Waiter, serve the wine!"
It was past noon, and there were not many customers at the food stall. Including Old Man Tu, there were only four tables of customers.
The waiter, who was sitting on a bench basking in the sun, glanced sideways at Old Man Tu, who was wearing shabby and dirty clothes. As if he didn't hear what he was saying, he jumped up from the wooden bench and headed straight towards Jiang Li and Jiang Xuanxiner who were riding on horseback. The man came to greet him with a smile on his face: "You two gentlemen, hurry up and invite me. The shop has wine and meat. Although it is a bit shabby, the taste is no worse than that of Yuxiao in Shengjing City!"
"Spit!" Old Man Tu looked at the flattering face of the waiter, and his eyes almost rolled to the sky.
"A roast chicken, a pot of boiled mutton, five pounds of sweet-scented osmanthus stuffing, and three bowls of hot noodles!"
Jiang Li sat opposite Old Man Tu, threw a piece of broken silver to the waiter, pointed at the empty wine bag around Old Man Tu's waist and said, "Fill the wine bag again!"
"Okay, sir, wait a moment!"
The waiter collected the money and stepped back happily. After a while, he brought the wine and food.
"Hehe, the young master has a sharp eye and knows that Lao Tu loves wine!"
Old Man Tu tied the wine bag filled with sweet-scented osmanthus wine around his waist. For the first time, light gathered in his cloudy eyes on his wrinkled old face, which had been listless since leaving the city. He grinned innocently, revealing four hollow front teeth. .
Jiang Li has never been to Yuxiao Tower, which is famous throughout the Zhou Dynasty. He doesn't know what the taste of a dish worth a hundred taels of silver is, but the food at this roadside stall is really delicious.
The roasted chicken is well-cooked and the flavor is bone-deep. The lamb in the water basin is also tender and hearty, with a very light smell of mutton. Served with the hot and stomach-warming noodle soup, in this early spring afternoon, basking in the sun, it is a picture of a prosperous and healthy world, a peaceful country and a peaceful people.
"Quick, hurry up and leave. If we can't reach Shengjing City before dark, each of us will receive ten lashes to atone for our sins!"
At the end of the official road, a team walked out of the dust.
More than a hundred Zhou cavalry in bright light armor pressed forward and backward, driving nearly a thousand ragged and exhausted prisoners of war and a dozen carriages towards Shengjing City.
These prisoners of war were both male and female, all wearing heavy shackles and shackles. If they walked a little slower, sergeants would ride forward on their horses, waving whips, beating and scolding them.
The carriages in the team were also filled with prisoners of war, most of whom were old, weak, women and children. Occasionally, there were some who were well-dressed, but their faces were full of tears and they were frightened.
"Feng Qi, you are bringing a few brothers over and asking for some water from the store. These big Luo Bangzi are walking slower and slower. If they keep going like this, we will have to spend the night outside the city tonight!"
In the team, a centurion of Great Zhou who was as tall as a hill gave a deep command.
