The Jiedushi government temporarily changed the rules of the martial arts association, but it received unanimous support from all families and martial arts schools. It was able to obtain more resources, and the eliminated families could have another chance to compete for the leadership of the riding and archery group. Of course everyone supported it.
Everyone spoke one after another, and their opinions gradually became unified. Starting from next year, the Lingzhou Martial Arts Association will be changed to the Sword Association and the Bow Association. The sword competition in the arena will be classified into one category, and the foot bow and riding archery will be classified into one category. There will be two lists.
Of course, there is no time to change this year, so we will implement it in accordance with the rules of Jiedu Mansion.
The riding and archery competition will be held the day after tomorrow, and everyone rushes back to their families to select their children for the competition.
Liang Huihe was not too happy. The new rules were unfavorable to the Liang family. The Liang family did not perform well in foot arch and only scored 108 points. The Guo family scored 112 points, which was four points higher than the Liang family. The Lin family even scored 100 points.
With 15 points, it is seven points ahead of the Liang family. However, only three players can play in the cavalry and shooting, and the total score is only 30 points. The Liang family is likely to be at the bottom of the top three.
In the room, Liang Yundao said calmly: "We didn't perform well in the archery itself, and we can't blame others. Since the rules have been set, don't complain, and try our best to perform well in riding and archery. We have done our best."
Liang Huihe sighed and said: "The Lin family will also be affected. Lin Tai and Lin Feng are injured, and they will definitely not be able to participate in the riding and archery competition. You must know that Lin Tai's riding and archery ranks first among the children of the Eight Forts in Lingzhou. I think it may be the Guo family
The last laugh.”
"Don't worry about this. The key is to select the children of the Liang family to participate in horse riding and shooting. You should know it well!"
Liang Huihe nodded, "In addition to Guo Song, Liang Wu is also good in cavalry shooting, and Liang Ju'er and Liang Cang are also good. Their level of cavalry shooting is between the same."
"Then let the two compete tomorrow, and the winner will participate in the riding and shooting competition."
Liang Huihe hesitated and said, "Brother, I'm a little worried about Guo Song."
"worry about what?"
"Did you forget, brother? We talked with him before and found out that his participation in the battle for the Liang family did not include mounted archery. He seems to be reluctant to participate in mounted archery."
Liang Yundao frowned, "Why?"
"Once he participates in mounted archery, he will be on the reserve list of Shuofang Jiedu Prefecture and must serve the army. He seems reluctant to do so."
Liang Yundao thought for a moment and said, "I'll go talk to him before we talk."
……….
At night, Liang Yundao came to the guest house with a roll of rice paper. There was another guest in the guest house. He was an old friend of Liang Yundao. Liu Ji joined the army as Yanzhou official. Liu Ji was from Caozhou and was transferred back to the capital when his term of office expired.
He happened to be passing through Lingzhou and came to visit an old friend.
At this time, the two were sitting in Guo Song's study and chatting happily. Liu Ji was not too old, about forty-five or six years old, with a clear appearance and very talkative. The martial arts was strong these days, especially in the border areas.
It was rare to meet a knowledgeable young man, and Guo Song also got a lot of information about the Tang Dynasty from Liu Ji. The two of them felt a little bit late for each other.
Liang Yundao walked into the room and said with a smile: "I didn't expect you two to chat quite well."
Liu Ji stood up and said with a smile: "Although Mr. Guo is young, he is knowledgeable and knowledgeable. He actually knows several lost poems by Li Du. I have gained a lot of experience."
Guo Song also stood up and said humbly: "Listening to your words is worth ten years of reading. I have gained a lot from listening to the teachings of my predecessors."
Liang Yundao smiled slightly and said: "In that case, Changqing will stay for a few more days."
Liu Ji quickly waved his hand, "Xue Yantuo's cavalry is about to attack. A gentleman will not stand on a dangerous wall. It's important for me to run for my life!"
Liang Yundao was just talking. Tomorrow is the last chance to leave. Of course Liu Ji has to leave. Why would he stay?
He smiled at Guo Song again and said, "As promised last time, I'm here to ask for words today!"
Liu Ji's eyes lit up and he said, "Master Guo's calligraphy is exquisite. I'd like to ask for a calligraphy by the way."
Guo Song said a few words modestly, and then said happily: "Since the two elders don't think my handwriting is crude, then I will show my embarrassment!"
He cleared out a table, took the rice paper, spread it out, dipped in ink and asked with a smile: "What does uncle want to write?"
"My dear nephew, just write a few lines, as long as they are ambitious poems."
Guo Song thought for a while and wrote: "There will be times when the wind and waves break, and the sails will be hung directly to help the sea."
In his previous life, Guo Song was an excellent calligrapher since he was a child. Later, he developed a good calligraphy. He practiced martial arts in Kongtong Mountain for ten years and never gave up practicing calligraphy. He always used clear water to write on the wooden board. He practiced hard for decades.
The decoration has become quite popular.
These two lines of calligraphy were written in running script. They were as graceful as a frightening dragon, yet vigorous, and the writing was very penetrating. The two of them repeatedly applauded, "Good calligraphy! Good calligraphy!"
Liang Yundao picked up the banner and couldn't put it down. He smiled and said, "I'll have it framed and hung in the study tomorrow."
Liu Ji felt itchy and said with a smile: "Hurry up and write one for me."
Guo Song smiled slightly and said, "Senior, what do you want to write?"
Liu Ji couldn't think of a good sentence for a while, so he laughed and said: "My two nephews are going to become officials, so I just wrote two lines of poetry praising the emergence of talents."
Guo Song pondered for a moment and wrote: "There are talented people from generation to generation, and each has been leading the way for hundreds of years."
Liu Ji praised him repeatedly, and he had never heard of these two poems, but now he didn't bother to ask about the origin. Seeing that Liang Yundao seemed to be trying to rob him, he quickly picked up the banner and said with a smile: "You guys talk slowly, I'll get back to you."
Please take a closer look at the room.”
He picked up the banner and ran away quickly. Liang Yundao was a step too late and Liu Ji took away the good calligraphy. He wanted to ask Guo Song to write another one, but was too embarrassed to ask.
Guo Song put down his pen and said with a smile: "Isn't uncle just here to ask for words tonight?"
Guo Song had already turned the topic to business, so he sat down and said, "The rules of the competition have been changed. Does your nephew know that?"
Guo Song nodded, "I heard Liang Wu say that Lin Tai and Lin Feng were injured and could no longer participate in the sword competition, so the top three were determined based on their riding, archery and walking archery scores."
"What do you think of my good nephew?"
"It's not good for the Liang family!"
Guo Song bluntly said: "The Liang family's archery score is low. Unless the Lin family makes major mistakes in riding and archery, the Liang family has no hope of competing for first place."
Liang Yundao asked again: "Is your wise nephew willing to ride and shoot for the Liang family?"
A look of embarrassment appeared on Guo Song's face. It was not a big problem to join the cavalry and archery for the Liang family. The key was to become Shuofang's military general. Guo Song was really unwilling to join the army. If he wanted to join the army, he would have joined the army in Hexi, so why wait until now.
Thinking of this, he said frankly: "I am willing to play for the Liang family, but I don't want to be Shuofang's military general. In short, I don't want to join the army."
Liang Yundao knew that Guo Song was unwilling, so he continued: "Actually, only the top ten will become reserve generals. The other contestants are called alternate reserve generals, and they just register with Shuofang Army.
And even if you become a reserve general, you are only a reserve general, not a general officially appointed by the court. You have to report your merits to the court before you have the opportunity to become a formal general."
Guo Song shook his head, "I don't want to be a general, but I heard that no matter whether you are a reserve general or an alternate reserve general, you must obey the call of Shuofang Army at any time. I am a wild man in the mountains and I don't like to be
I will go back to Chang'an after the competition."
Liang Yundao was really in a dilemma. If Guo Song did not participate in riding and shooting, the Liang family would definitely lose its reputation. But Guo Song also made it clear that he was not willing to serve as a reserve general. What should he do?
After thinking about it, Liang Yundao smiled and said: "I already understand my nephew's thoughts, so be it! I'll talk to Jiedushi tomorrow and see if he can make an exception for you and not include you in the reserve generals."
"Has anyone else made an exception?"
Liang Yundao nodded: "Guo Chongqing is an exception, but he is Guo Ziyi's personal soldier, so he makes an exception. In addition, other Shuofang army generals do not need to become reserve generals, so I went to talk to the Jiedushi to see if it is right.
You can make an exception too."
"Then there's Uncle Lao!"
...........
Before dawn the next day, Guo Song was awakened from his meditation by a burst of noise in the yard.
"Please, I'm really in a hurry, let me see Brother Guo!"
This seems to be Shi Tong's voice, but since when did the guest house have guards?
Guo Song put on his clothes and walked out of the room quickly, only to see a servant blocking Shi Tong from entering the yard.
"It's okay, let him in!" Guo Song said with a smile.
When the servant saw Guo Song coming out, he bowed and said: "The master of the house is afraid that the servants will affect the young master's rest, so he specially asked the villain to guard the door."
"Thank you, go and rest!"
The servant left in a hurry, and Shi Tong hurriedly ran in and said: "Brother Guo, this is terrible! I...I also want to participate in riding and shooting to represent our Shenjian Martial Arts School."
Guo Song burst out laughing, "Can you ride and shoot?"
"I know a little bit, but my level is very bad. It takes ten arrows to hit one from twenty steps away, and I can't ride a horse very fast."
"Then why did the Excalibur Martial Arts School choose you?"
"Because the Excalibur Martial Arts School really can't find anyone."
The person who spoke was not Shi Tong, but Liang Wu. He walked in from the outside with a smile, "The short ones are chosen among the tall ones, and the fat one is chosen."
Guo Song smiled slightly and said: "That's a good thing! Doesn't it mean that if you can participate in mounted archery, you will be a candidate?"
"How can such a good thing happen!"
Shi Tong shook his head like a rattle, "The top ten are reserve generals, and the eleventh to thirtyth ones are the alternate reserve generals. There are a total of sixty-six people participating, and more than half of them will be eliminated."
"But what's the use of you looking for me? Riding and shooting requires years of accumulation to master. There will be a competition tomorrow. You are just cramming it now. It will definitely be too late."
Shi Tong looked at Liang Wu and scratched his head, but was embarrassed to say.
Liang Wu understood immediately and said with a smile: "I promised Xiaopang to let him pick a bow from the Liang family's arsenal. I guess he wants to ask you to help choose, Xiaopang, that's what he means!"
Shi Tong nodded, "I wonder if Brother Guo has time?"
Guo Song said happily: "I'm fine now. Let's go and have a look. I also want to find a pot of good arrows."