Man Tanghong

Chapter 229 Li Jiancheng's Decision
"The material seems to be different from what I explained?"

After Li Yuanji weighed the long-handled knife, he looked suspicious.

After Qu Tutong forged the long-handled knife, for the convenience of use, he wrapped the handle of the long-handled knife with a string. The blade has been processed many times, so Li Yuanji didn't judge the material for a while.

Qu Tutong bowed and stood beside Li Yuanji, and introduced: "It's iron..."

Li Yuanji was taken aback for a moment.

Qu Tutong said again: "The iron is a strange iron brought by the Hu merchants from the Western Regions, and the quantity is very small. I also searched out the treasures of many brothers' homes to make up such a small amount."

Li Yuanji pulled up his sleeves, wiped off the layer of grease coated on the back of the knife and the blade, and saw the spiral patterns, which turned out to be iron.

Iron is an imported product, and the quantity is indeed small.

But it has nothing to do with the Western Regions that Qu Tutong said.

Iron is produced in Persia, Binbin and other places. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was brought to China by Hu merchants.

Since the refining technology has not yet been cracked, it is mainly imported.

In Qu Tutong's capacity, it was not easy to scrape together so much.

After all, as long as Hu people show up in Chang'an with iron, they will be rounded up by the inner treasury.

After Neiku got the iron, he didn't take it out for sale. He just took out part of it to forge weapons and rewarded meritorious soldiers during special periods.

So Qu Tutong must have rummaged through the treasuries of several colleagues in order to collect so much iron.

Maybe you will owe others favors because of this.

"You have a heart..."

Li Yuanji stuck the long-handled knife on the ground beside him, and looked at Qu Tutong with emotion.

Qu Tutong bowed and said, "As long as His Highness likes it."

Li Yuanji ordered someone to hand over the horizontal knife, and after looking at it, it was also made of iron, heavier and wider than ordinary horizontal knife.

In Li Yuanji's hands, it was a bit ridiculously light, but to others, it was considered a heavy weapon.

"I will write a memorial to my father later, and you go to Neiku to get some iron."

Li Yuanji vaguely remembered that there were actually quite a lot of iron stored in the royal treasury.

It's just that the royal family saw it as rare and more expensive than gold, so they monopolized it.

So it is rarely seen on the market.

The price of tin iron did not plummet until the refining technology was cracked.

Until then, the value has always been comparable to gold.

Qu Tutong obviously put his heart into it, and Li Yuanji would not let him suffer.

Qu Tutong was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "This is all the minister's wish, His Highness just accept it."

Li Yuanji asked with a smile: "I'm not so poor that I need you to pay for my armor, right?"

Qu Tutong was taken aback again.

Li Yuanji said again: "I feel your heart. But I'm not so poor that you spend money to help me buy armor."

Qu Tutong opened his mouth and continued to speak.

Li Yuanji smiled again and said: "The news has spread, I can't afford to lose this person, and I, Mrs. Li, can't afford to lose this person either."

The whole world is the family business of the Li family, and the people of the Li family even asked the courtiers to pay for the purchase of military armor, and some rumors spread.

Qu Tutong understood Li Yuanji's meaning, nodded with a wry smile, and did not speak any more.

Li Yuanji fiddled with the horizontal knife twice, put it back into the scabbard, picked up the strong bow and the armor, weighed it, and tried it.

Long-handled knives, horizontal knives, and armor are all made of iron.

Only the strong bow is made of copper, and it seems that there are other things mixed in, anyway, it is not forged of pure copper.

The toughness is not bad, and the pulling force is stronger than ordinary bows and arrows. It is also equipped with iron arrows.

In terms of copper smelting, Datang is definitely at the top of the world.

When Li Yuanji saw the bronze bow and iron arrow, he immediately thought of Zhou Tong with the iron arm in the Song Dynasty.

Rumor has it that Zhou Tong used copper bows and iron arrows, and taught a bunch of powerful apprentices.

It's a pity that the dilapidated Song Dynasty still couldn't be saved.

Li Yuanji accepted the armor and promised Qu Tutong that tomorrow he would invite the princess to come to thank him in person.

Despite Qu Tutong's persistent refusal, Li Yuanji firmly settled the matter.

Princess Qi personally came to the door to thank her, representing the entire Qi Palace.

This is a great honor for Qu Tu's family.

Qu Tutong was full of heart, so Li Yuanji naturally treated him generously.

After seeing off Qu Tutong, Li Yuanji started to get familiar with his own armor, took it and danced around wildly, destroying the surrounding area of ​​the thatched cottage, and then he stopped with satisfaction.

Then he sighed for a long time, "It seems that my second brother is in a hurry..."

The time when Qu Tutong gave the gift, and the gift he gave, made Li Yuanji see a lot.

If Li Yuanji hadn't guessed, the set of armor that Qu Tutong prepared with all his heart should be given to him when he was crowned.

At that time, sending such a set of heartfelt congratulatory gifts was enough for Li Yuanji to save his life from danger when he died.

But he gave up.

So it shows that this time he gave gifts, he was driven by others.

Only Li Shimin can drive him.

Li Shimin drove him to give gifts, and also drove him to bring such a plausible statement.

He obviously couldn't figure out what Li Yuanji was thinking, and was a little anxious.

"Soon you're going to be more anxious."

Li Yuanji sighed again, ordered people to pack up his things, put on his armor, and went down to Jiulongtan Mountain.

In the house at the bottom of the mountain.

Yang Miaoyan was teaching Li Xu arithmetic with staring eyes.

Li Xu took the counting chips one by one, and was surprised that she could make a mistake in addition and subtraction within ten. Yang Miaoyan really didn't know what to say to her.

For a few moments, Yang Miaoyan didn't want to teach anymore.

But she can't do without teaching, because she is Li Xu's eldest mother and has the responsibility to teach Li Xu.

If Li Xu's knowledge is not good and he goes out and loses face, he will lose the people of Prince Qi's mansion and hers, so she has to teach.

Li Yuanji knew very well that it was hard work to teach a child who was stupid and stupid, so seeing that Yang Miaoyan was about to be smoked by Li Xu's seven orifices, he hurriedly circled around the door of the house and went elsewhere.

It was not until the evening that he returned to his residence.

Seeing Yang Miaoyan sulking at Li Xu sitting in the house angrily, he kindly reached out to help her relieve the sulking in her chest.

And then... nothing more.

……

The next day.

early morning.

Yang Miaoyan dressed up, took two teams of guards of honor, got on her frame, and rushed to Chang'an City to visit Qutu Mansion to thank her.

When Yang Miaoyan entered Chang'an City, the prince's officials also gathered in the East Palace.

Prince Li Jiancheng sat in the middle of Guangtian Hall.

Pei Ju, Wang Gui, Wei Zheng, Li Anyan, Feng Li and others sat on both sides.

Li Jiancheng's face was not good-looking, and Pei Ju and others' faces were also not good-looking.

"The rumors in Chang'an City in the past two days, you should all understand clearly, right?"

Pei Ju sat there without responding.

Wang Gui and the others nodded heavily.

Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth and said, "People all say that this is a good omen from heaven, and that the people of the world will become emperors."

Pei Ju and others were silent.

Li Jiancheng looked around at the crowd, and said again: "Do you think Shimin is behind this matter?"

Now rumors are spreading in Chang'an City, and Li Shimin's voice is louder.

There is a feeling that Li Shimin is building momentum for himself.

Wei Zheng said in a deep voice, "It's very possible..."

The conflict between Li Shimin and Li Jiancheng could no longer be resolved, and Li Shimin planned for the crown prince many times, but failed.

Now we use momentum to guide public opinion, and then do something with the trend, so we don't have to worry about the people getting into chaos because of it.

Wang Gui frowned and said, "If King Qin did it, there may be other means later."

Wang Gui didn't say what the specific method was.

But everyone in the hall knew it well.

The public opinion has been guided well, and there is no need to worry about too much backlash if you forcefully seize a place or something.

Feng Li stared and said: "Then what should we do, should we sit and wait for death?"

When everyone in the hall heard this, their faces darkened.

Wei Zheng said with a gloomy face, "Your Highness should make some preparations in case of emergencies."

Li Jiancheng said with an uncertain expression, "What can I do to prepare..."

Wei Zheng got up slowly, bowed and said, "Your Highness should prepare some manpower to prevent major changes."

Li Jiancheng's expression changed.

Feng Li heard Wei Zheng's words, and immediately said: "Yes, Your Highness should prepare some people."

Wang Gui pondered and said: "Isn't Li Yi intentionally attached to His Highness and seeking His protection? Then let Li Yi offer some people to show his loyalty."

Feng Li nodded in agreement and said: "If Li Yi can give King Qi more than 10,000 elite soldiers, he can give His Highness more elite soldiers."

Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth, struggled in his heart, and asked, "What do you want me to do, to fight my brother?"

Wei Zheng stared at Li Jiancheng, and said seriously: "Your Highness, it is not you who want to fight your brother, but your brother who wants to fight you!"

Feng Li also stood up, and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness cannot allow mermaids."

Wang Gui frowned and said: "Your Highness will not wait to lose the crown prince."

Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth and clenched his fist slightly.

Wei Zheng persuaded again: "The ministers don't necessarily want His Highness to fight his brothers, but His Highness must gather some strength to protect himself, right?

Otherwise, there has been a big change in the palace, how should His Highness respond? "

Li Jiancheng gritted his teeth.

Wang Gui also stood up slowly, and said in a deep thought: "If Your Highness is worried about Li Yi, you can recruit people outside Chang'an City secretly to gather strength."

Feng Li said without hesitation: "I think Yang Wengan from Qingzhou is very suitable."

Wang Gui frowned and said, "Qingzhou..."

Wang Gui looked at Feng Li, "Gyeongju is now under the leadership of An Xinggui, I'm afraid he might find out something."

Li Anyan spoke suddenly, shouting: "An Xinggui himself is not trusted by a saint, so how dare he frame His Highness?"

An Xinggui was born in Liangzhou and grew up in Liangzhou. He is a wealthy Liangzhou family and started his family in Liangzhou. He has influenced many places in Liangzhou and beyond.

Capital with separatist regimes was forced to surrender, so Li Yuan really couldn't trust them.

Li Jiancheng looked around at the officials under his command, and said with difficulty, "Is this really the case?"

Wei Zheng said without hesitation: "Is His Highness still hesitating now? Does His Highness have to wait until the knife rests on his neck before he can make a decision?"

Li Jiancheng clenched his fists tightly, "Let Yang Wengan secretly recruit some people."

Now that the matter has come to this point, Li Jiancheng really has no choice but to sit still and wait for death.

Li Shimin saw that his sword was about to shine, if he sat still and waited for death, he would have to wait for death.

(End of this chapter)