lcionline Chapter 174 Is the ice jelly delicious?
Chapter 174 Is the ice jelly delicious?
In that ancient courtyard, the walnut tree in the center of the yard was lush and green, radiating a refreshing coolness.
Yu Zhanmo stood under the shade of a tree, his gaze sharp as a knife, intently staring at Zi An. He held a long spear in his hand, his movements clean and swift, each shot precise and accurate.
Zi An stood ramrod straight, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes as firm as steel.
His hands gripped the gun barrel tightly, his movements seemingly clumsy yet full of resilience.
At that moment, the air in the courtyard seemed to freeze, and time, guided by their marksmanship, fell into a strange rhythm.
Yu Zhanmo stopped what he was doing and pointed to a wooden stake in the distance:
"Look carefully, marksmanship is not just about strength, but more importantly, about composure and precision. You have to be like the rolling clouds, calm and unhurried, as silent as the wind."
Zi An dared not be negligent. He quickly adjusted his posture, his eyes following the wooden stake. He pointed his spear forward, and almost instantly, the spear shaft was firmly planted at the base of the stake.
Yu Zhanmo nodded, a hint of appreciation in his eyes, but then tapped Zi An on the shoulder: "However, this gun needs to be more stable, so it doesn't wobble like it's drunk."
Zi An was taken aback, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly: "You can tell that? I haven't been drinking."
Yu Zhanmo smiled calmly:
"You don't drink alcohol, but it looks like you've only had a few sips of 'water'."
He gently patted Zi'an on the back. "However, marksmanship relies on composure and momentum. There's nothing laughable about that."
Zi'an immediately understood, and couldn't help but smile. He gripped the gun barrel, adjusted his mindset, and assumed the correct posture.
“Good,” Yu Zhanmo nodded in satisfaction. “Keep practicing. Remember, this gun is not your friend, but your comrade-in-arms. You must be in sync with it and become one with it.”
The two men entered a state of focused concentration again, the tips of their spears drawing elegant arcs in the air, like two swordsmen exchanging blows in a silent duel.
Although there were no spectators except for Xiao Si, they seemed to feel the rhythm of each other's heartbeats and were deeply integrated into one.
Suddenly, Zi'an's eyes lit up, and the tip of his spear swiftly pierced the wooden stake in front of him, firmly embedding itself in the heart of the target without hesitation.
Yu Zhanmo's eyes narrowed, and he couldn't help but reach out and pat Zi An on the shoulder: "Well done, your performance today surprised me a little."
Zi'an breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly, but in her heart she was silently moved: in this courtyard, it seemed that only under Yu Zhanmo's guidance could she become so focused and composed.
This tacit understanding with the gun seemed to have become a part of his life, ingrained in his very bones.
In the tranquil courtyard, Zi'an and Yu Zhanmo continued their practice. Their shadows stretched long in the sunlight, the cold glint of their spears mingling with their sweat, reflecting their unwavering pursuit of martial arts.
After practicing until he was covered in sweat and almost turned into a "fountain", Yu Zhanmo finally announced that "mission accomplished". Following Xiao Si's recipe, he brought everyone three big bowls of ice jelly - that kind of cool and refreshing delicacy that makes you wonder if winter has arrived.
The three sat around under the shade of a tree, holding ice jelly, eating with trembling hands, so delicious that their very souls were shaking, while also beaming with joy and chatting animatedly.
Purple Bank:
"Yuwen Rong is no ordinary person; he's practically a hidden mastermind! Not only is he shrewd and capable himself, but he can also mold the people around him like clay, employing those brilliant talents. If I had his brains, I would have opened a 'talent market' long ago."
Xiao Si:
"Haha, you're right. I heard that he appointed more than thirty agricultural magistrates in succession, each of them capable and efficient. With their combined efforts, the reforms of household registration, land registration, and household registration were carried out successfully in a short period of time!"
Yu Jianmo:
"Yes, the whole reform is amazing! The number of registered households has increased by 80 to 100 million, which is almost one-tenth of the total number of households in the country! Tax revenue has increased, and agricultural production has taken off. It's simply the MVP of the 'farmers' war'!"
Xiao Si:
"That's right. Yuwen Rong was directly promoted by Emperor Xuanzong to the position of Vice Minister of Revenue. He was practically 'second only to the emperor, above all others,' and could issue orders directly. Even the prefectures and counties had to obey his commands!"
Yu Jianmo:
"That's not all. Back then, Taiwan Province was practically a 'Yuwen Rong's spokesperson.' No matter what the matter was, they would first send out an 'Encouragement Commissioner for Agriculture' to keep the farmers busy farming instead of playing mahjong, and then go to Taiwan Province to handle the real business. It was like they were dealing with 'High-ranking Official Yuwen of Taiwan Province'!"
Purple Bank:
"The key point is that at that time there was a special policy of 'exemption from labor service during the busy farming season,' which forced all prefectures and counties to let farmers harvest with peace of mind. As a result, the farmers' pockets were bulging and they were in a very good mood."
When these fleeing refugees return, the local government has to send people to comfort them and offer them job opportunities—it's like giving them a 'job gift package'!
Xiao Si raised a question:
"Speaking of the gift package, I made several boxes of exquisite pastries. Can anyone guess who suggested abolishing the Fubing system? If you guess correctly, you'll get a box of caramel egg tarts as a reward."
Zi'an quickly replied, "It was Zhang who said it, wasn't it?"
Yu Zhanmo was also aware of the situation, but he was a beat slow to react and simply nodded.
Xiao Si pressed on, "Under the best-of-three system, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang bestowed titles everywhere. Do you know who the Prince of Wuchang was?"
Zi'an was speechless for a moment.
Xiao Si then prompted, "Who else did Emperor Xuanzong of Tang bestow titles upon?"
Yu Zhanmo replied, "King Wuchang, that's from India."
Little Si pressed on, "What about the King of Bone Buds?"
Yu Zhanmo replied, "It is King Gudu, from Uzbekistan."
Xiao Si made a face at Zi An: "Haha, the score is now 2 to 1, so let's make it best three out of five."
Xiao Si continued to ask, "Who is Wang from the neighborhood committee?"
Yu Zhanmo answered again: "From Pakistan, it is the King of Juwei."
"One last question, does anyone know about the Arab world?"
Zi'an quickly answered, "The Abbasid Caliphate, they can eat a lot! I know! They're the ones who lured these three small countries to betray the Tang Dynasty. Abbasid Caliphate was the specific name used during the Tang and Song Dynasties to refer to the Arab Empire and the Arabs."
Xiao Si handed the box to Yu Zhanmo: "Zi An, you lost. Yu Zhanmo can have the box of egg tarts."
Zi'an looked unconvinced: "If I can tell you the exact locations of the Three Kingdoms, can I get a pastry box?"
Yu Zhanmo chuckled, and Xiao Si nodded.
Zi'an draws a map on rice paper with a brush:
“Look closely, to the northwest is the Kingdom of Gudu, and to the southeast is the Kingdom of Uchang. These three countries stretch along the Pamir Mountains from northwest to southeast. This is the strategic buffer zone between the Arab Empire and the Tang Empire in their struggle for control of the Pamir Mountains. It is also the reason why the Zizhi Tongjian says that “the Arabs wanted to entice them to rebel against the Tang, but the three countries did not comply.”
If that's the case, then the locations of the three kingdoms of Wuchang, Gudu, and Juwei are not as stated in the *Zizhi Tongjian* as "all three kingdoms were west of the Arab world." Wouldn't "west of the Arab world" refer to modern-day Spain or Algeria? These three kingdoms were actually east of the Arab world and west of the Tang Dynasty.
Yu Zhanmo bowed respectfully, saying, "Brother, you flatter me."
Xiao Si happily handed Zi An a box of cream puffs: "Hehe, these were originally made for you, just in case you held back."