readsfreenovel Chapter 171 Preparation before the war
Chapter 171 Preparation before the war
Last time, we talked about Li Yi and Zhang Deyuan, the Minister of Rites of the Southern Liang Dynasty, who agreed to compete in the Six Arts of a Gentleman in five days. After Lu Yu introduced all the talents of the Southern Liang Dynasty to Li Yi, the latter was completely discouraged. So will our great talent Li Yi end up losing in disgrace this time? Let's read on.
Li Yi and Yu Jiu came to the backyard, took out the sword furnace and saber and gave them to Jiang Hongyu, who smiled and said, "Hey, Master Li, do you have nothing to do?"
Li Yi sighed, "I've encountered some troubles, so I came to watch you forge swords to see if I can help you. It will also help to change your mood."
Cui Zhi asked with concern: "Sir, what troubles have you encountered? Tell us about it, maybe we can help you."
Li Yi shook his head and sighed, "Alas, you can't help me. I have an appointment with Zhang Deyuan to compete in the six arts of a gentleman at Bailuzhou Academy in five days. If I lose, I will have to wear Xianbei clothing and walk around Jiankang City."
Cui Zhi was surprised when she heard this and said, "Ah? Sir, you want to compete with the Liang Confucian scholars in the Six Arts of a Gentleman. Wouldn't that mean you will definitely lose? When the Southern Dynasty Confucian scholars gather together, they often play this game. Sir, why do you want to compete with them in this?"
Everyone who knows Nanliang knows this, but Li Yi is a young and ignorant man. He doesn't know this. Now he only hates himself for being a frog in a well, not knowing how high the sky is and how deep the earth is.
Yu Jiu stood on Li Yi's side without thinking, and said: "What are you afraid of? My young master is so powerful, it's just the six arts of a gentleman! Young master will definitely win! I believe in you!"
Jiang Hongyu smiled and said, "Yu Jiu, do you know what the six arts of a gentleman are?"
Yu Jiu shook his head with mysterious confidence and said, "I don't know, but I believe in you, sir!"
Li Yi patted Yu Jiu on the shoulder and said, "Good boy, although I am grateful for your support, I still have to punish you for your ignorance!" Then he gave Yu Jiu a slap on the head.
Jiang Hongyu smiled and said, "Okay, Yu Jiu, start a fire! We need the strongest fire! Give me the knife and I'll melt it first!" Yu Jiu took action immediately. The flame mark between his eyebrows lit up. He pointed to the sword furnace and a raging fire started in the furnace.
Jiang Hongyu tested the furnace temperature, and when it reached the standard, she put the saber in. Because the blade was too long, the sword furnace couldn't hold it, so she could only melt half of it first.
Li Yi had a lot of resentment that he hadn't let out, so he decided to vent it with the knife. He stepped forward, summoned the image of Acalanatha, and held the handle and blade with his hands behind his back. Then he turned his body and chopped down with his right hand to bend the knife.
Jiang Hongyu frowned and asked, "What are you doing? Do you have energy but nowhere to use it?"
Li Yi nodded and said, "Yes, I can help you forge iron later! It will also help you vent your anger."
Cui Zhi and Yu Jiu saw that Li Yi was upset, so they didn't interrupt and just watched quietly. After a while, Jiang Hongyu took out the red-hot saber with pliers, put it on the anvil, and handed the hammer to Li Yi, saying, "Come on, Master Li, this ironwork is handed over to you. Hammer this scimitar into an iron block, and repeat it several times to remove impurities. It's just right for you to cool down your anger."
Li Yi took the hammer and started hammering. This job was not something that ordinary people could do. It was not just a matter of strength but also required skills. Li Yi hammered for a long time and was sweating profusely, but he still couldn't knock the bent blade flat.
Jiang Hongyu really couldn't bear it any longer, so she reached out to grab the hammer and said, "Come on, Master Li, if you keep hitting him like this, it will probably take him ten days or half a month! I can't wait! Watch carefully, you have to hit it like this!" As she spoke, Jiang Hongyu began to hit the scimitar rhythmically, first tapping it lightly twice and then hitting it hard once.
Li Yi didn't understand the meaning of her tapping those two, but this incredible method was surprisingly effective. The bent blade sank quickly, and each heavy blow brought about changes visible to the naked eye.
Li Yi asked: "What's the meaning of this?"
Jiang Hongyu smiled and said, "This is the inheritance of our master! You can't learn it. Just this beating method took me a month to learn from my master!"
Li Yi guessed that there was a method of circulating Qi in it, otherwise he would never lose to Jiang Hongyu in terms of strength alone. He could bend the knife but could not knock it flat. There must be a special skill involved, and this skill was the foundation of the Sanchi Jinli School.
Cui Zhi walked up and handed Li Yi a handkerchief. The latter took the handkerchief, thanked him, and watched Jiang Hongyu forging the sword attentively.
It was naturally very hot next to the stove. Except for Yu Jiu, everyone else was sweating profusely. Li Yi was closer, so he sweated more. Cui Zhi kept wiping his sweat. On the other side, after repeatedly burning the fire and hammering, Jiang Hongyu had already hammered the bent saber into a long strip.
Jiang Hongyu asked Xiang Yujiu: "You will grow taller in the future. Do you think I should make it according to your current height, or directly forge a sword for an adult?"
Yu Jiu looked at Li Yi for help, and Li Yi replied: "Cast it according to the size of an adult. Practice with a big sword now, and you will be more proficient in using it in the future." Yu Jiu nodded. Jiang Hongyu smiled without saying a word, took out a few pieces of iron ore and threw them into the sword furnace.
When the iron ore in the sword furnace turned into molten iron, Jiang Hongyu used the air base to tilt the sword furnace and poured the molten iron into the stone bowl through the holes on the sword furnace. Then he used pliers to pour the molten iron in the stone bowl onto the iron bars that had been beaten before.
Li Yi asked, "What does this mean?"
Jiang Hongyu replied: "This is called the steel pouring method, also known as the steel lump method. My master taught me this. Mix the pig iron and wrought iron and then hammer them. Repeat this process several times to get the hardest steel! The sword forged with this kind of steel is a good sword!"
Li Yi nodded and praised: "Your master is amazing, and you are amazing too!"
Jiang Hongyu said proudly: "Of course, my master is the most powerful swordsmith in Sanchijin, Qi Wujin, and he is the son of the previous head!"
Li Yi smiled and said, "Okay, okay, a good teacher produces good students. Our Great Wei's Minister of Works, Lu Shulu, is a great scholar. He is a giant of Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism and is also very powerful! His nickname is Lu Datie. I will introduce you to each other if I have the chance. You will definitely get along well."
Jiang Hongyu smiled and said, "Oh? Lu Datie, does he also like to forge swords?"
Li Yi waved his hand and said, "He is not forging swords, he is also forging steel. He spends all day either studying Mohist mechanical techniques or forging iron, trying to forge good steel."
Jiang Hongyu nodded and said, "Is that so? That's great. We can get to know each other if we have the chance."
Later, Lu Shu and Jiang Hongyu met, they fell in love and eventually became husband and wife. This is a story for later and will not be discussed here.
Cui Zhi was very happy to see Li Yi chatting with her best friend. She was about to interrupt and make a joke when someone suddenly came to report: "Li Yuefu, Princess Ping'an is here to visit."
Li Yi asked in confusion: "Xiao Ruoping? Why is she here? What is she doing here?"
Cui Zhi knew about this Princess Ping'an. Her intuition told her that there was something wrong with this woman, so she asked, "Sir, when did you get to know Princess Ping'an?"
Li Yi answered without thinking: "Ah, I met her at Tongxin Temple. How come you know her?"
Cui Zhi replied, "She is the only descendant of Pingzhong King Xiao Yongrong. Her brothers were all killed by Xiao Yongming. If we talk about the person who hates Xiao Yongming the most in Nanliang, she must be number one. Are you trying to use her for something, young master?"
Li Yi smiled and said, "You guessed right. I want to use her to do something, but don't ask about the details. Come on, accompany me to meet this Princess Ping'an." Cui Zhi imitated the maid and bowed obediently to say yes.
When they arrived at the reception room, they saw Xiao Ruoping standing alone in the hall. She smiled and saluted, saying, "Li Yi, Li Xiuyuan, the Music Bureau of Wei State, greets Princess Ping'an." Cui Zhi, who was standing behind Li Yi, also saluted.
Xiao Ruoping looked at Li Yi, and finally stopped her gaze on Cui Zhi, and asked: "Who is this..."
Before Li Yi could speak, Cui Zhi answered first: "I am just your personal maid, so don't worry, my lady."
Li Yi squinted at Cui Zhi, then turned to Xiao Ruoping and said with a smile, "Oh, yes, her name is Su Xiaoxiao. I wonder why the princess came to see me?"
Xiao Ruoping stared at Cui Zhi and asked, "Li Lefu, is it convenient for your maid to listen to what happened between you and me?"
Upon hearing this, Cui Zhi pretended to be pitiful and said, "Since the princess and the young master have important matters to discuss, I will not disturb them." After saying so, she bowed and was about to leave. Li Yi reached out and grabbed Cui Zhi, sighing helplessly.
Li Yi thought: I didn't expect you to be a green tea bitch. Are all the girls raised by Old Silver Coin this type? One Shiyu is enough for me to handle, and now there's Cui Zhi. It's really troublesome. Oh, forget it. After all, she is someone that Old Silver Coin specifically asked for. Give her some face.
Li Yi smiled and said, "Princess, Xiaoxiao is mine and can be trusted." Cui Zhi smiled knowingly when she heard that.
Xiao Ruoping sneered and said, "Li Yuefu is indeed a talented and romantic man. I guess this person is more than just a personal maid."
Li Yi asked, "The princess is so concerned about my maid, are you not going to talk about business?"
Xiao Ruoping said coldly: "I heard that in five days, you will compete with my Daliang Confucian scholars in the Six Arts of a Gentleman outside the Bailuzhou Academy?"
Li Yi smiled and said, "I didn't expect the princess to be so well-informed."
Xiao Ruoping snorted coldly, "Humph, it's not that I'm well-informed. The people in the Ministry of Rites are eager to spread this news throughout the capital and let everyone watch the fight. I also heard that if you lose, you will have to wear Hu clothing and walk around Jiankang."
Li Yi asked in confusion: "It is true. Why did the princess come here to mock me?"
Xiao Ruoping said coldly: "I don't have the time, but I'm afraid you will definitely lose this competition."
Cui Zhi interrupted, "You are wrong, Princess. My son is a man of both civil and military talents. He is proficient in etiquette, music, archery, calligraphy, charioteering, and mathematics. How could he lose?"
Li Yi looked at Cui Zhi and muttered in his heart: Hey, can you not bring me along when you brag? I am not sure about myself right now, what are you bragging about? If I really lose, wouldn't it be even more embarrassing!
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruoping sneered and said, "Oh? It seems that Li Lefu has already made up his mind. Then my coming here today may be unnecessary." After saying that, Xiao Ruoping walked out.
Li Yi was a little confused, but Cui Zhi was the first to react. She stopped in front of Xiao Ruoping and saluted, saying, "Princess, please stay. Now that you are here, it is better to speak frankly."
Xiao Ruoping turned to Li Yi and asked, "Are you people from the Northern Wei Dynasty so ignorant of etiquette? Who is the master and who is the servant?"
Li Yi shook his head and smiled, "This question is not important. What is important is the purpose of the princess's visit. It is true that Li has encountered some troubles. This time, we are competing in the six arts of a gentleman. Alas!" Li Yi gathered his righteous spirit and chanted:
"A golden cup of wine costs ten thousand, a jade plate of delicacies costs ten thousand.
Stopping the cup and throwing the chopsticks, he couldn't eat.
The first time I crossed the Hong River, the river was blocked by ice, and I was about to climb the Zijin Mountain, which was covered with snow.
When I have free time, I go fishing on the Qinhuai River. Suddenly, I dream of the sun on the boat.
The road is difficult, the road is difficult, there are many divergent roads, where are you today?
There will always be a time to ride the wind and waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean."
After reciting the poem, purple energy gathered and slowly flowed into Li Yi's body. Li Yi sighed and said, "Oh, it's difficult, really difficult!"
Xiao Ruoping said calmly: "It is said that Li Yuefu's works are handed down from generation to generation. I originally thought that it was just you Wei people bragging. Now that I have seen it with my own eyes, I have really broadened my horizons."
Li Yi waved his hand and smiled, "When it comes to poetry, I am naturally not afraid of the Jiangnan talents, but when it comes to the six arts of a gentleman, to be honest, I really have no confidence in it."
Xiao Ruoping glanced at Cui Zhi and chuckled, "Li Lefu has just told the truth. Well, I will tell Li Lefu the truth. Although this won't help you much, it will at least allow you to be prepared."
Li Yi asked in confusion: "What does the princess mean by this?"
Xiao Ruoping said, "I have guessed who Zhang Deyuan will invite to compete with Li Yuefu in the Six Arts of a Gentleman. The person who will debate etiquette is Zhen Dexiu, a student of Zhu Xi."