Twenty steps was the distance Li Zhi set for them, and it was decided after consulting with his ministers. After all, on the battlefield, especially on the grassland, the effective shooting distance of crossbows and longbows was not always very far.
Hei Chi Chang Zhi can shoot three arrows at the same time, and his accuracy is extremely high. So the rule is that Hei Chi Chang Zhi can draw the bow and put arrows twice. There are six wooden stakes lined up side by side, and see who can shoot the most arrows into the stakes in the shortest time.
Li Hong walked down the steps with a smile, holding two identical small crossbows in his hands. The ministers looked at the small crossbows in their hands and couldn't help but start to wonder if a distance of twenty steps was a bit too far for the small crossbow in the prince's hand.
But looking at the prince's confident and calm face, even if everyone had doubts in their hearts, they did not dare to raise them, for fear of being slapped in the face by the prince. Moreover, many of the ministers had been slapped in the face by the prince, and the lesson was very profound.
The three arrows were lined up in a row on the wider and smaller crossbow, and were very easy to load. With a gentle release and a pull, the three small crossbow arrows were placed into the arrow slot, lightly and quickly.
Li Hong held a bow and crossbow with a string already strung in each hand, and stood side by side with Heichi Changzhi. He looked at him and said calmly, "Tell me when you are ready. I will count one, two, three, and then we will shoot at the stake at the same time."
"Yes, Your Highness." Heichi Changzhi said respectfully, and the three arrows in his hand were also placed on the bowstring. In the quiver on his back, there were exactly three arrows that were easy to grasp.
Li Hong looked at Heichi Changzhi and smiled even more happily.
But Heichi Changzhi felt an inexplicable chill, as if something was wrong.
...
...
Then, he heard someone confirm: "In our competition, whoever has the most arrows hitting the wooden stakes wins. Do you understand?"
Heichi Changzhi pondered over it carefully and did not think there was anything wrong with the prince's words. He nodded again and confirmed: "If I can hit the stake more than His Royal Highness, I will win. If I can hit the stake with fewer arrows than His Royal Highness, I will lose."
"Yes, you have learned a lot of Tang Chinese on this trip, or did you learn it in Baekje?"
Li Hong started talking nonstop. Li Zhi on the platform couldn't help but raise his hand. Then he realized that the person he wanted to take a picture of was no longer around. He had no choice but to slap the railing heavily.
"Yes, I learned Chinese when I was in Baekje." Heichi Changzhi answered respectfully.
"Are you ready?"
"I'm ready," Heichi Changzhi replied as he pulled the three-stone longbow to a full moon, ready to shoot at any time.
Li Hong also became serious. He looked at the wooden stake not far away, slowly raised the crossbow in both hands, and then shouted in a deep voice: "1, 2, 3..."
As the sound was made, the three long arrows of Hei Chi Chang Zhi flew towards the wooden stakes at a rapid speed. The small arrow in Li Hong's hand was also very fast. Like a meteor chasing the moon, it surpassed Hei Chi Chang Zhi's arrow halfway through the journey.
Thump, thump, thump... six arrows were nailed to the wooden stake one after another. It seemed that the six arrows were very powerful, and each one penetrated deep into the wood. This made everyone look at the small crossbow in the prince's hand with admiration.
What came next was the highlight. After the arrow was shot, Heichi Changzhi immediately reached into the quiver and three arrows were immediately put on the bowstring.
However, the crossbow in Li Hong's hand was hidden and not fired, as if he was waiting for Hei Chi Chang Zhi. At this moment, Hei Chi Chang Zhi had no time to care why the prince, who was two breaths faster than him, did not shoot first.
But when he let go of the arrow tail in his hand and the arrow flew away, he discovered that the crossbow in the prince's hand suddenly shot out an arrow, and the arrow was not aimed at the wooden stake, but at his own arrow.
With a ding, an arrow shot by the prince hit his own arrow, which was to prevent him from hitting more of the wooden stakes. But in this case, wouldn't he still only hit five arrows, just like himself?
All the ministers and Li Zhi were stunned. Although this method of fighting was feasible, why would the prince do this under the same arrow circumstances?
Li Hong also had a serious expression. After seeing that only one arrow missed, he immediately shot the second arrow. He didn't expect that Heichi Changzhi, the stubborn guy, could predict in advance that he might intercept his arrow. In a flash, the two arrows shot by Heichi Changzhi were actually aimed at the same wooden stake.
This is why Li Hong quickly fired the second arrow. The arrow was short and faster than Heichi Changzhi's long arrow. Finally, the second arrow blocked the two arrows that were shot at the wooden stake before Heichi Changzhi hit the wooden stake.
Dangdang, both arrows deviated from their directions, and Li Hong shot again, and the third arrow hit the wooden stake steadily.
Four to three, the prince defeated Heichi Changzhi.
Although it only took a few short breaths, the whole process was gripping and thrilling.
Just after Li Hong's arrow hit the wooden stake, everyone felt that they could finally put their minds at ease.
During these few short breaths, the two men battled with each other in wits and courage, from the initial verbal confrontation to the final hand-to-hand combat, and they simulated the ever-changing situation on the battlefield vividly through a small archery competition.
Especially the mental confrontation between the two men. Their plain words were filled with undercurrents and psychological warfare. From the questioning just now to the tactical arrangements used by the two men when shooting arrows at the end, as well as the first and second moves, those ministers who understood military affairs nodded secretly.
Throughout the whole process, Heichi Changzhi was defending the side and also represented respect for the prince.
Li Hong was on the attacking side. His fierce last three arrows, as well as Hei Chi Changzhi's unpredictable last three arrows shot at a wooden stake, all reflected the transition between offense and defense and the ever-changing situation.
Seeing the satisfactory result, Li Hong chuckled and said to Heichi Changzhi: "In the world of martial arts, only speed can not be defeated. The first to attack can defeat the enemy, but the last to attack can defeat the enemy. What else do you see?"
Heichi Changzhi bowed deeply and said in stiff Chinese: "Your Highness is wise. I am convinced of my defeat. It is true that the only martial arts in the world that can be defeated is speed. I thank Your Highness for your teachings today, but... I don't know what else Your Highness will say. I can't tell."
Li Hong handed the crossbow in his hand to the curious minister next to him. Even if they were given a year, they would probably find it difficult to imitate it. The structure might be okay, but the quality of the steel would require that they probably wouldn't be able to make it in ten years. Even Taiyi City could only produce two of them.
It was delivered here yesterday together with that extremely lethal crossbow.
"Another point is that the best defense is offense. This is why our Tang Dynasty has never built even an inch of the Great Wall. The iron cavalry of our Tang Dynasty can travel across thousands of miles of rivers and mountains and can break through any city. Anyone who dares to invade our Tang Dynasty will be trampled to death by our iron hooves! Therefore, what our Tang Dynasty has always adhered to is that the best defense is a ruthless, sharp, cold and iron-blooded attack!" Li Hong had a face full of iron-blooded domineering, and his small figure suddenly became a few points taller in the eyes of Heichi Changzhi.
But! All the court officials, including his father on the platform, were confused: "How the hell don't I know this? This has always been our Tang Dynasty's foreign policy!"
Li Zhi leaned on the railing in a daze, looking confused: "Little bastard, when did your father implement such a national policy? It's still iron-blooded, cold-blooded, ruthless and fierce. I will be fierce to you first!"
But when everyone thought about it the other way around, they also realized that the prince was just relying on his father to bully the surrendered generals. He was using the domineering attitude honed through the iron and blood of the Tang Dynasty over the years to make Heichi Changzhixing unable to resist at all. This also set the tone for Heichi Changzhi's future military tactics.
Li Zhi was already bored at this time, and had no interest in Heichi Changzhi. He leaned on the railing and said indifferently: "Let the Ministry of War do the job. Okay, let's all leave the court."
All the ministers saluted in response, and Heichi Changzhi felt greatly relieved. No Tang official made things difficult for him or ridiculed him, which made him feel more relaxed than ever before. All the worries he had along the way disappeared at this moment. As for how the Tang emperor would reward him, it would probably depend on his military achievements.
Li Hong patted Heichi Changzhi's arm with great interest and said with a smile: "Yes, it is indeed as General Liu Renyuan said, brave and resourceful..."
Before Li Hong finished speaking, he was pulled over by Liu Zhengli, the Minister of Zongzheng Temple, who had been waiting to find him: "Your Highness, I have something to ask you, please stop hiding from me, okay?"
Liu Zhengli looked anxious. He bowed to Heichi Changzhi to express his apology and hurriedly pulled Li Hong to a place where there was no one.
"What's wrong? You're the Minister of Zongzheng Temple, why are you in such a hurry? Is your butt on fire?" Li Hong pretended to look at Liu Zhengli's butt.
"Your Highness, please don't joke with me. A few days ago, His Majesty, the Queen and you went to Ci'en Temple. Regarding the fake Buddha statue, His Majesty ordered me to investigate it with you. Now I have basically figured it out, so I hope to hear your opinion." Liu Zhengli said with a wry smile.
Hearing Liu Zhengli's words, Li Hong hurriedly pulled his arm out of his hand, jumped to the side with a vigilant look on his face, and looked at Liu Zhengli as if he were a ghost, as if Liu Zhengli's hand was infected with plague and could not be touched.
"Just investigate if you want, I have no objection. My father is just talking, and it is mainly up to you, the Zongzheng Temple, to handle the matter. Now that you have found out, go and report it. Look, His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is lying on the railing, go quickly." Li Hong glanced at Li Zhi and urged Liu Zhengli to go quickly, as he didn't want to get into trouble.
Even now, when my father thinks of the trip to Ci'en Temple, his hands still itch involuntarily. Who knows if it is because I ruined his Buddhist fate and he still wants to beat me up in his heart.
He was about to go to Taiyi City, so he wouldn't go there and get beaten up just because of the Ci'en Temple incident.
But who is Liu Zhengli? He is one of the nine temples. He has lived for more than 40 years and has been in the court for quite a while. How could he not know what the prince is planning?
He went to see the prince because he didn't want to offend His Majesty personally, but he didn't expect the prince to be so slippery, like a loach, and to clear himself of all charges with just a few words.
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