There were far fewer people traveling with Li Shimin in plain clothes than in the afternoon. Among the military officers, there were only Yuchi Gong, Cheng Zhijie, and two others. The other two were accompanied by guards at a distance. As for why Qin Mu could tell they were generals, it was because they, like Yuchi Gong, were unarmed.
A series of clanging sounds rang out as Yuchi Baolin led his convoy to the outside of the guardhouse, bringing not only the remaining five tricycles but also ten rickshaws.
"Is this also for passengers?" Li Shimin looked at the rickshaw lane.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this is a rickshaw for carrying people, but only one person can ride and one person can pull it!" Yuchi Baolin explained.
"Call me Master!" Li Shimin glared at Yuchi Baolin and said.
"Yes, sir!" Yuchi Baolin was startled and hurriedly bowed respectfully.
"How boring!" Li Shimin waved his hand and returned to the tricycle.
"Let's go! Let's go for a walk!" Li Shimin leaned back in the tricycle seat and waved his hand.
After arranging for the others to board the carriage, Yuchi Baolin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been really nervous when facing Li Shimin.
"Useless thing! Why don't you pull your father away!" Yuchi Gong kicked him and said.
Left with no other choice, Yuchi Baolin reluctantly pulled up his father. On the other side, Cheng Huaimo also ended up pulling the cart, pulling up Cheng Zhijie. Only Cheng Huailiang, Yuchi Baoqing, and Qin Huaiyu remained, riding the cart together.
A large group of people went out into the streets. Although the Xuanjia Army did not mobilize, Qin Mu noticed that there were quite a few men in plain clothes rushing away into the distance.
“Every time I leave the palace, it's such a hassle, it completely kills my interest,” Li Shimin sighed.
"Your Majesty's safety is tied to the safety of the nation; of course, nothing can be lost," Empress Zhangsun said with a smile.
"Hehe! That's why I rarely come out. But being deep within the palace, I always lack a direct understanding of the world," Li Shimin sighed.
Qin Mu thought to himself, "You don't want to leave the palace because you find it troublesome. Traveling in plain clothes and keeping a low profile requires taking a carriage. How can that be low-key?"
Qin Mu slowly pedaled the tricycle, pulling Li Shimin along, feeling quite pressured.
Li Shimin and his wife were very excited about the new experience, looking around at the densely packed crowds of people walking on both sides. Fortunately, there was enough space on Zhuque Avenue for vehicles to pass.
"How fast can this car go?" Li Shimin asked.
"How about I try it on the master?" Qin Mu asked.
"good!"
"Then, sirs, are you all done?" Qin Mu instructed.
"Okay, let's run!" Li Shimin agreed.
Qin Mu began to pedal hard. With each effort, the tricycle accelerated. Speaking of this, Qin Mu had to admire the craftsmanship and ingenuity of the Yuchi family blacksmith. The chain and gears had been modified, using a triangular arrangement to secure the gears; the three gears ensured the vehicle could reach extremely high speeds even without a chainring.
However, compared to mature products from another world, this tricycle is nowhere near as fast as the 28-inch bicycle.
"Young Qin, can this vehicle be modified to carry cargo in the back?" Li Shimin asked after driving for a while.
"Of course, we've already made three-wheeled vehicles for hauling goods." Qin Mu secretly admired Li Shimin's ingenuity; he had immediately thought of hauling goods, probably because he valued the advantage of three-wheeled vehicles not requiring livestock.
"How much cargo can it carry?" Li Shimin asked.
"If the road allows, two or three thousand catties are fine, but if it's a road that's been rained on, it's impossible to move forward, since these are metal wheels and they're easy to get stuck," Qin Mu explained.
"That's enough. It can carry two or three thousand catties of goods, which is more than enough," Li Shimin nodded.
"Master, I'm talking about the ideal situation. If there are mountain roads, one person simply can't pull it, and if it's too heavy, physical strength is also limited," Qin Mu reminded him.
“That’s good too. In the army, many transportation methods still use handcarts and wheelbarrows, which are pulled by people. They can be used as a supplement!” Li Shimin saw that Qin Mu had guessed his intention and couldn’t help but admire Qin Mu’s intelligence.
"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, sir. A tricycle like this requires a lot of iron, and considering the cost to the craftsmen, it would be better to forge more weapons and armor," Qin Mu said with a smile.
"Bah! You brat, can't you let your master be happy for a moment?" Li Shimin was stunned for a moment before saying with a hint of anger.
"Hehe, my lord, don't be angry. Qin was just telling the truth," Empress Zhangsun said with a smile when she saw Li Shimin's discomfiture.
"I'm not angry with him. Could we use less steel and replace it with wood?" Li Shimin asked again, unwilling to give up.
"It should be possible, but it will be much worse. Even so, it's not worth it, because gears and bearings require skillful hands to make."
"The Yuchi family has so many blacksmiths, and after spending more than half a month, they've only managed to make twenty-two carts." Qin Mu poured another bucket of cold water on this.
"Can't you say something nice to please your master?" Li Shimin asked, his cheek twitching involuntarily.
"Is it said that deceiving the emperor is a serious crime?" Qin Mu asked quietly.
"Pfft!" Seeing Li Shimin speechless after being refuted, Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh again. This was a rare sight for the usually strong-willed Li Shimin.
"Qin Huaidao, you're fifteen years old, aren't you? What do you think of Changning?"
"Your Majesty, my son is fifteen, and the princess is doing well." Upon hearing Empress Zhangsun's words, Qin Mu almost stumbled, but quickly regained his balance and replied in a muffled voice.
"Hehe! I heard your mother is arranging a marriage for you? Is there a girl you like?" Empress Zhangsun asked again.
"I haven't heard my aunt mention it yet, and I don't have a girl in mind." Qin Mu's lips twitched. He really didn't expect that this matter would alarm this person in the palace, making her come to inquire. Her tone just now clearly indicated that she wanted to ask about his feelings for Princess Changning.
When he thought of Princess Changning, he couldn't help but think of that exciting area. To be honest, very few men wouldn't be tempted by her, especially since she was so beautiful.
Perhaps marrying her wouldn't be bad. But what if the princess were to marry someone else? Qin Mu's mind raced with these thoughts.
"Stop!" Li Shimin ordered.
"Let's take a walk around here!" Li Shimin said as he got out of the carriage and looked around.
As Li Shimin alighted from the carriage, the others gathered around. Qin Mu then noticed the other two beautiful women, one of whom was over two meters tall, a head taller than Li Shimin. As for Qin Mu, he was only 1.65 meters tall.
The children, all around ten years old, were probably Li Shimin's sons. After getting off the carriage, they were still excited and chattering around Li Shimin.
Li Shimin walked down the street with his wife and children, while Qin Mu and Yuchi Baolin hid at the very back.
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