Chapter 59

For the invitation from Princess Pingyang, Luo Shixin was full of anticipation. On one hand, it was an invitation from a beauty, and on the other, it was due to his interests and hobbies. He thought about not having a suitable strong bow, so he decided to go to the market to look around and find one. The bow he currently used was a composite bow captured from the Turks, specifically the strong bow that belonged to Siliye, which eventually became a war trophy in Luo Shixin's hands. Generally, a composite bow is not made of iron and steel as the name suggests, but rather a type of iron mold used to cut bamboo strips, which are then reinforced with other woods, coated with fish glue, and clamped to form the shape of a bow.

However, Siliye's composite bow was different. It used bamboo strips as the base, but between the strips, a special technique was employed to interweave flexible iron sheets, significantly enhancing its flexibility and tension. In terms of quality, it was quite excellent, considered a top-notch bow.

Luo Shixin admired Princess Pingyang's superb archery skills and practiced the shooting methods she taught him every morning. Perhaps because of his historically abnormal physical condition and the strong adaptability of the Luo Shixin from the future, combined with the effective and reasonable training methods passed down by Princess Pingyang, his progress, though not miraculous, was clearly noticeable. The only thing he was dissatisfied with was the bow, which always felt a bit awkward to use. No matter how he pulled it, the bowstring's tension always seemed insufficient, and it felt like it could break at any moment, making it less than ideal.

The composite bow was indeed not bad, but he needed a stronger and more powerful bow.

Dingzhou, relying on the Hengshan and Taihang Mountains, was located in the heart of ancient Yan and Zhao, where there were many valiant and passionate people. Hunting was a popular activity, and thus, the craftsmanship of bow-making was exceptional.

Luo Shixin wandered through the market and indeed found that most of the weapons sold in the blacksmith and weapon shops were strong bows and hunting bows. There were various types, such as gold-threaded bows, hemp-backed bows, black-lacquered bows, and yellow-birch bows, but none of them suited his needs. Their quality and tension were even inferior to the composite bow he had at home.

It made sense that the composite bow was a war bow, with special enhancements for range and power, while the bows in the market were mostly hunting bows, which naturally couldn't compare to a war bow.

After wandering for half a day, Luo Shixin confirmed this and had to return to the camp with regret.

On his way back to the military camp, Luo Shixin suddenly smelled a strong aroma of alcohol, a scent he found very familiar.

"Is this Qianrizui?" Luo Shixin, under the influence of Cheng Yaojin, had developed the ability to identify wines by their scent. He suddenly remembered that Dingzhou was the ancient Zhongshan Kingdom, the birthplace of Qianrizui. He hadn't eaten anything for half a day and was already hungry. Having only attended a wedding banquet in the past month, his craving for alcohol was aroused, and he followed the scent around a corner, where he found a small, unassuming tavern in a secluded spot.

The strong aroma of alcohol and meat wafted out from the small tavern. Luo Shixin didn't care about the size of the place and entered.

The tavern was very small, and there was no waiter; the owner came forward to greet him personally.

Luo Shixin smiled and ordered a pot of wine, along with a few small dishes, and found a seat.

Despite its poor location, the tavern had good business, with over a dozen people gathered in groups, drinking and chatting. He was almost universally known in Yizhou, but few in Dingzhou recognized his true appearance, so his presence didn't cause a stir. Most of the guests merely glanced at him once or twice and then continued their conversations.

The food and wine arrived quickly, and Luo Shixin found a seat by the window and began to drink alone.

The Qianrizui here was different from what he usually drank, with a spicier and slightly bitter taste, but this bitterness did not affect the flavor. He couldn't help but ask, "Owner, this Qianrizui is different from what I drank in Chang'an."

The owner politely replied, "Sir, you must be a connoisseur. The Qianrizui you drank in Chang'an has been specially processed by large taverns to remove its original characteristics. Our Qianrizui is pure and authentic, homemade, and the taste is indeed different."

Luo Shixin nodded, "No wonder it has a unique flavor." He looked out at the sparse street and suddenly his gaze focused on a familiar figure: a man in his mid-twenties, with a square face, large ears, a straight nose, and a strong, masculine appearance. His skin, tanned from long exposure to the sun, shone with a healthy glow. He wore a gray, slightly tattered robe, but it couldn't hide his heroic demeanor.

The man walked briskly, moving quickly, but without the urgency of someone in a hurry, as if he were just taking a casual stroll.

"Who is he, and where have I seen him before?"

The man in the robe had sharp senses and noticed Luo Shixin's gaze. His eyes narrowed and instinctively looked away, pretending not to recognize him and continued walking.

He acted very convincingly, but his subtle actions did not escape the even sharper senses of Luo Shixin.

"Hey, brother on the road! Come and have a drink!"

Luo Shixin warmly invited him.

The man in the robe stopped, looked around, and pointed to himself, "Are you calling me, brother?"

Luo Shixin nodded with a smile, "Yes, you. I recognize you. Come and have a drink?" In fact, he couldn't remember where he had seen him, but in his mind, the man in the robe left a strong impression.

The man in the robe smiled, "Brother, you must be mistaken. We've never met. I have important matters to attend to and can't afford to be delayed. Thank you for your kindness."

"Such a lack of respect, then we'll have to see who can run faster." Luo Shixin stood up, ready to chase him.

The man in the robe hesitated, then nodded, "I'll drink, then."

He no longer hesitated, entered the tavern, and sat down in front of Luo Shixin.

"General Luo, we have no deep enmity. Our conflict was due to different positions. Why must you be so ruthless?" The man in the robe had no intention of drinking and spoke in a low voice as soon as he sat down.

Luo Shixin was taken aback, then suddenly realized, nodding, "I remember now. You are a general under Liu Heita. It was you who rescued the Handong army from the lime dust in Ming River City." Because they had only met from a distance, he couldn't recall, but the man in the robe had left a strong impression on him.

The man in the robe realized he had been tricked and smiled bitterly, "I never thought that after so many days, General's reputation would be even greater, and your mind so sharp. I am at your mercy, do as you will."

Luo Shixin rolled his eyes, "I just thought you looked familiar and wanted to invite you for a drink. If you didn't want to come, I would have forced you. What are you thinking? What's the point of killing or torturing you? Liu Heita is already dead, and the court has promised not to hold past actions against the former Handong army. What are you afraid of?"

The man in the robe smiled bitterly, "Not everyone has the same magnanimity as you. I humiliated Luo Yi, how could he let me go?"

Luo Shixin was very interested. Humiliating Luo Yi, that wasn't a comrade from the same camp. He asked, "I don't know who you are yet. Tell me, how did you humiliate Luo Yi?"

The man in the robe said, "My name is Su Dingfang!"