Being received by the old Duke in person, the craftsman was both honored and nervous, and came to Li Ji anxiously.
The craftsman knew everything about Li Ji's questions, from the drawings Li Qinzai gave him, to explaining how to make the bow, to how to make it in the weapons supervisor, and how to try it himself after making it.
Even Li Qinzai's hooligan argument that threatened him to migrate with him was repeated exactly as it was, word for word, without any discount.
Li Ji kept stroking his beard and listening with a smile, and occasionally couldn't help but laugh. As the craftsman explained, Li Ji's complexion gradually became rosy, and his mood was obviously getting better and better.
After the craftsman finished speaking, he stood aside with an uneasy expression. Li Ji's eyes were half closed, and he didn't know what he was thinking about.
In the past, Li Qinzai showed all kinds of stubbornness, but now Li Qinzai seems to have changed completely, creating a new type of sharp weapon as casually as if he had it at his fingertips.
Li Ji fell into deep thought, thinking about his incredible grandson.
It’s so shocking that a playboy who had been getting into trouble all day long created a powerful weapon for the country overnight that completely surpassed today’s.
Is it an occasional gain, or is he acting out of impatience, or is he keeping a low profile and only showing his edge in times of crisis?
After a long time, Li Ji suddenly laughed: "Whether it's a mistake or a mistake, this evil obstacle has saved a disaster, haha!"
Liu Asi next to him also looked excited. He understood the meaning of Li Ji's words.
After a quick glance, Li Ji asked: "Qin Zai must have left Beijing for a long time by now and was on his way to Jinzhou, right?"
Liu Asi lowered his head and said: "Yes, based on the distance traveled, it should have been more than an hour since we left Chang'an."
Li Ji's lips curled up, and he said half-smilingly: "He has caused such a big disaster, so he deserves some punishment. Don't worry, let him walk a little longer, I will go to the palace."
…………
Outside the gate of Taiji Palace, the palace is strictly forbidden and soldiers are like rain.
Groups of armored soldiers patrolled outside the palace gate, flags were fluttering on the palace tower, the palace gate was closed, and the dragon's head was raised to the sky, like a resting beast, which was daunting.
Li Ji's official guard of honor came to a stop twenty feet away from the palace gate. Li Ji dismounted, took the strong bow handed over by Bu Qu, lowered his head and looked at the strong bow for a moment, and smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth.
Then Li Ji straightened his clothes, showed a solemn and dignified demeanor, held a strong bow in both hands, knelt outside the palace gate, and said in a deep voice: "Old minister Li Ji, please beg me to present a sharp weapon to the country!"
The sound echoed outside the empty palace gate, like a bell, and it lasted for a long time.
An hour after burning incense, the closed palace door opened slightly, and a eunuch slowly walked out and said proudly: "By decree, the emperor summoned the British Duke."
Li Ji stood up, still maintaining a bowed and respectful posture. First, he handed the strong bow in his hands to the eunuch, who handed it to the palace guard generals for escort to the Emperor's Mingtang.
Follow the eunuch slowly into the palace gate, his steps are dignified, and every step he takes is sure-footed.
He is the Duke of the country, the number one general in the military, and his official rank is at the top of the hierarchy.
However, in front of this huge and majestic palace, Li Ji still maintained a posture of walking on thin ice, without the slightest hint of the might of a mountain of fierce generals in front of the army officers and soldiers.
An hour later, Li Ji walked out of the Tai Chi Palace empty-handed, his face still expressionless and his eyes calm.
Just now in the Tai Chi Palace, Li Ji presented Li Qinzai's original strong bow with both hands.
Emperor Li Zhizheng and Empress Wu were enjoying the singing and dancing of Baixi Opera in the Chengqing Hall. After Li Ji entered the palace, the two Tian family husband and wife team showed their respect by ordering the singing and dancing to stop. The emperor and empress straightened their clothes and met each other with courtesy.
After Li Ji entered the palace, he presented a strong bow and explained it to the two men in detail, emphasizing that the range of this object was twice that of the bows and arrows in the army today.
Although Li Zhi was not the emperor immediately, he had grown up next to Li Shimin and was familiar with many famous generals during the Zhenguan period, so he was no stranger to military affairs.
He knew very well that the Tang Dynasty had a long-range weapon with twice the range, which would be very important to the Tang Dynasty's future war against the barbarians.
After Li Ji explained, Li Zhi couldn't help but be delighted, and he enthusiastically ordered a test launch outside the palace.
Two hundred steps away, the general of the imperial guards held a strong bow and hit the bull's-eye without missing a beat. Li Zhi was so shocked that he couldn't help but look up to the sky and laugh.
After the excitement, Li Zhi excitedly asked who created the new strong bow.
Li Ji then calmly said that it was his grandson Li Qinzai who created it and asked the craftsman to make it.
When Li Zhi heard Li Qinzai's name, his expression suddenly became strange, and he quickly looked at Empress Wu next to him.
Li Ji did not wait for Li Zhi to speak, but suddenly knelt down and begged.
To everyone's surprise, Li Ji did not sacrifice his merits for his grandson Li Qinzai, but instead asked the emperor not to change his fate.
Li Qinzai's creation of a powerful bow was indeed a merit, but his stealing and selling the gift from the late Emperor Taizong was also a serious crime.
Merits can be rewarded, but crimes cannot be forgiven. The criminal Li Qinzai still has to migrate to Lingnan and cannot be released. Otherwise, it will be difficult to cover up the discussion in the court, which will also damage the imperial prestige of the Tian family and bring shame to the Li family's meritorious clan.
Hearing Li Jiyan's solemn request, the emperor and the empress were a little surprised.
I originally thought that Li Ji came to plead for his grandson, but he didn't expect that he actually stabbed his grandson in the back...
Li Zhi's eyes flashed, and he did not reply to Li Ji face to face, but started chatting with this famous general who had served three dynasties.
After a small chat, Li Zhi accepted the new strong bow, and the emperor and empress sent Li Ji out of the palace politely.
The palace door slowly closed, and Li Ji's back disappeared outside the palace door.
Li Zhi, a high-spirited man in his thirties, lowered his head and stared at the strong bow in his hand, wondering what he was thinking.
Next to her, Empress Wu and Li Zhi have been married for many years, and they are four years older than Li Zhi. They are a proper royal sister.
Today, Li Zhi is in his prime. The couple teamed up to get rid of Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, reinvigorating the Li family's imperial power, and the people of the world are gradually returning to their hearts.
At this time, Empress Wu had not yet had any earth-shaking thoughts, and the couple was in a sweet honeymoon period in both life and career.
Seeing Li Zhi bowing his head in deep thought, Empress Wu blinked her eyes and said softly: "Your Majesty, the gift presented by the British Lord is extraordinary. If it is equipped with the Tang army, it will definitely increase the chance of winning the war. Obviously, this gift can be used to atone for the sins of his grandson. The British
Why are you..."
Li Zhi was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed, his eyes narrowed with laughter, and he whispered: "The old fox has a lot of things to say, and I can only say some things. If he says it out loud, it will be unreasonable."<
/p>
Of course, Empress Wu was also a woman who had become a woman. She had already understood what Li Ji meant, but she still covered her mouth and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is extremely smart. If you hadn't pointed it out, I would have thought that he really planned to kill the family out of righteousness."
Li Zhi felt very comfortable being held up, his eyes still staring at the strong bow in his hand.
Empress Wu also looked at the strong bow in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Your Majesty, this thing...could it be that it was really created by the grandson of the British Duke? I heard that the reputation of the fifth grandson of the British Duke is..."<
/p>
Li Zhi said calmly: "Whether it is true or false, I already understand what the British Lord means."
Empress Wu chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, do you want to release this son?"
Li Zhi smiled and said: "You dare to pawn and sell the things given by the late emperor. This man is indeed an extraordinary person. Although I cannot compare with the late emperor in martial arts, I am still as broad-minded as the late emperor. I am just an object.
Just throw it away."
Empress Wu also smiled and said: "Your Majesty has decided, I would like to draw up a decree on your behalf and release him to Li Qinzai."
An hour later, a fast horse galloped out of the Taiji Palace, chasing Li Qinzai in the direction of leaving Beijing.