Chapter 17: Mountain Characters A, Red Date Horse

  "Good nephew, don't play jokes on old man like this, you are a Xiucai Lang." Wang Lao village head saw that it was Li Jiong who came, and the smile that had just appeared on his face disappeared again. He thought it was really someone from another family coming to substitute for the Wang family's labor service, but unexpectedly it was Li Jiong. The Li family used to be a respectable family like the Wangs, especially since Li Jiong's father, although he only held a low-ranking official position as a county recorder until his death, the Li father and son were both well-known scholars in this area.

  In his opinion, Li Jia was down on their luck again, and it was impossible for a poet like Li Xuan to really go to war in place of the Wang family's substitute soldier just for twenty mu of land.

  "Village elder Wang is well, Mrs. Zhang is well." Li Jing went up to the hall and first bowed his hands in greeting to the old village chief and Wang Yueying.

  "Is the young master here to discuss the matter of sharing the cost of the troops' equipment? This is easily settled. Fifth daughter, have someone go to the account and withdraw ten thousand coins for Ji Yu. Last time you had an incident, we didn't even have a chance to lend a hand. I also know your family's current situation, so take this ten thousand coins and use them temporarily. If there's anything else you need, just speak up. I've known your father for a long time, he passed away early, it's my responsibility to help you." The old village chief thought Li Jing had come to borrow money, so he immediately ordered someone to bring out ten taels of silver.

  "No, Old Master Wang misunderstood. I didn't come to borrow money, but to really take the place of Wang Jia's substitute for the draft."

  "Isn't this young master joking?" The old village chief's eyes were filled with puzzlement, and also a hint of anticipation.

  Li Jiong nodded, "Nephew dare not deceive Shibo, the situation of the Li family is also seen by Shibo. Nephew is unfilial, and it's only because of me that the Li family can't even keep its ancestral property. I've thought it through, since we can't protect our family business at home, why not put down the pen and take up arms? Go to war and seek a title, just consider it a gamble. The Li family's wealth was accumulated by our ancestors who were military officers for generations. In my early years, my father abandoned his martial pursuits and turned to literature. Now that I'm taking up arms again, it can be said that I'm continuing the legacy of my ancestors."

  "Well said, my young nephew is indeed an ordinary person with great ambitions. However, as for abandoning the pen and taking up arms, you must think it through carefully. The troops gathered now are only militia, even if you join the army, it's likely to be just auxiliary duties, opportunities to achieve merit and distinction are scarce."

  "Uncle, no need to persuade me further, I've made up my mind. I know you drew the black stone, but there's no suitable person in our household to take on the responsibility. So I'm willing to take on the responsibility for the Wang family instead. I don't need 20 mu of good land, I just want to borrow some grain from Uncle, and help take care of the womenfolk at home."

  The old village chief Wang pondered for a long time, saying: "Young nephew, your father had helped our Wang family in the past. Now you have saved our Wang family again. From now on, we are one family, and I will naturally take care of your family members. Fifth daughter, allocate 100 mu of land to Young Nephew, and also take 10 dan of grain from the granary to send to the Li family. Ah yes, also bring out that suit of armor passed down by our ancestors from the warehouse."

  This time the conscription was very tight, and each household was only given half a day's notice. Half a day later, they had to set out, and if there were any who did not respond, the head of the household would be executed as a deserter, and his family would also be exiled. Just now, Old Wang, the village chief, found many people, but no one was willing to take the place of the conscript. The reason is that this militia service is not just a matter of responding once. Once you respond this time, it's considered a lifelong militia service. Every autumn and winter, they have to be called up again, and if there's a war or bandit-suppressing campaign, they also have to participate.

  No salary, no deadline, and facing danger at any time. Who would be willing to take on such a lifelong hardship? If given more time, with the king's wealth, they could definitely find someone willing to risk their life for money. But the above is really urgent, and they have to set off in the afternoon, without giving them any time. When the time comes, either the old village chief Wang will go personally or one of his underage grandsons will be chosen to go.

  Whether it's the old man or the young grandson who goes, this trip will definitely be difficult to return from. Now that Li Jiong is willing to substitute, isn't this a lifesaver?

  Li Jing insisted on not accepting the 100 mu of land and 10 dan of grain, which could be considered as the entire property of a small landlord's family. Even in the Wang family, this would be considered a small broken house. Li Jing was really unwilling to accept such a big gift now that the Wang family was having difficulties, they didn't think it was anything to thank him for bringing out so many things. But what if in the future when other people in the Wang family inherit the business, they will definitely not think so. One bad thing, at that time, it's possible that the two families will become enemies.

  "Uncle, if you still recognize me as your nephew, then never mention the land and grain again. If Uncle really feels uneasy about it, then Uncle can rent 50 mu of land to my family for farming, and also lend us two dan of grain, which I will return in full on a later day."

  The old village chief refused, still insisting, the two people arguing had red faces. In the end, it was Wang Yueying who came up with a new idea on the side, the Wang family lent that 100 mu of land to the Li family for farming, the land was still the Wang's, but they didn't collect rent. Also, those 10 dan of grain were considered borrowed to the Li family first, and would be repaid when they had it.

  This proposal still moved Li Jiong, but he finally agreed. After all, land is too important for a farming household, and now the Wang family's proposal to lend it to the Li family for temporary cultivation, rather than giving it away, can solve the Li family's current difficulties and avoid future conflicts between the two families.

  When Li Jing finally accepted, Wang Lao Village Chief's heart also began to feel much better. After all, owing too great a favor always makes one feel uneasy in the heart. Now that Li Jing has accepted the land and grain lent to the Li family, this has become a business transaction, no longer just a matter of personal relationships.

  Just as they were talking, several servants from the Li family carried in a willow wood chest. Seeing the chest, the old village chief personally came forward to open it, his eyes shining with light.

  "Nephew, I recall that in my younger years, I too was a soldier. This trunk contains the armor I wore during those times, passed down from my father, and his father before him - an heirloom of our family for generations. Alas, now there is no one left in our household to wear this armor. As you, Sanlang, will be taking up arms on behalf of our family, I have nothing else to offer but this armor as a token of my sentiments. May you don this armor and vanquish the enemy, achieve great deeds, and not bring shame upon it."

  As the old village chief spoke, the box was opened, and inside was a suit of armor filled with a sense of weight.

  That is an iron armor and also a mountain character armor.

  Several servants worked together to put on Li Yu's armor piece by piece.

  Piece by piece of armor was put on, and immediately the whole body could feel a sense of heaviness and a faint aura of bloody slaughter.

  The armor was quickly put on, and this mountain character armor was not a full-body armor. The armor pieces of the mountain character armor were beautifully shaped, with the middle part of the armor piece protruding and the two sides concave, formed by multiple armor pieces buckled together to form an integral armor plate, so that the surface of the armor formed countless concave and convex surfaces, which was very conducive to arrow defense. After putting on the whole set of armor, Li Jiong immediately felt that this armor, which looked extremely heavy, was actually not too heavy.

  The lamellar armor should be positioned as a lightweight, structurally complex plate armor. The way the scales are tied together results in a fixed shape of the armor that will not deform like ordinary scale armor when subjected to force, making it more similar to plate armor in this regard and more effective at protecting against blunt trauma while retaining the lightness of scale armor.

  The old village chief stroked his armor, his eyes filled with memories of the past.

  "This armor is called Mountain Character Armor, a type of Scale Armor. However, it's much more expensive than ordinary fish scale armor, and only high-ranking generals or those with inherited wealth can afford it. I recall that my ancestors were generals in the Imperial Guard, and they spent a huge sum to acquire this armor. It was passed down through generations, but unfortunately, I'm not capable, and eventually, I ended up hiding in these seaside mountains, and this armor will never see battle again..."

  Although it was only a few words, Li Jing immediately heard the prestige of the Wang family in those years. The Divine Strategy Army is the most powerful branch of the Tang Dynasty's central government. With a strength of 150,000 people, it can be called the number one army in the world. The Wang family has been an officer of the Divine Strategy Army for generations, which cannot be underestimated. Even listening to his words, this old village chief Wang was also an officer of the Divine Strategy Army back then.

  It seems that everyone has a story behind them. However, upon learning that this armor is not only extremely valuable but also holds such significance as the royal family's heirloom, Li Xuan refused to accept it no matter what. The Li family had also passed down an ancestral armor, which was a suit of bright armor. It had been passed down for generations, but later on, Li Xuan's grandfather died in battle against the imperial court, and the armor disappeared from the military. Such heirlooms are too precious.

  "Red powder for the beauty, precious sword for the hero! Such armor is just right to give to my nephew. My nephew will wear it to make achievements and also be a pride of our royal family. Nephew, don't say much, just take it. Leaving it here would only let it rust." The old village chief sighed.

  "The nephew was grateful for the world's benevolence, and Li Jing did not dare to forget this great kindness in his heart." For a warrior about to go into battle, what could be more exciting than a fine suit of armor? This is the guarantee of survival, and also the foundation of establishing merit.

  "There's good armor, but also need a good horse. Unfortunately, the Wang family doesn't have war horses, only a few inferior horses. Cousin can choose one to go, and I hope you won't disdain it. Unfortunately, at home there aren't good swords or spears, so I'm unable to help."

  A set of mountain-pattern armor might be worth tens or hundreds of taels, but a fine horse like this was truly priceless. This kind of thing wasn't something that ordinary families could collect; only the aristocratic families and those with great wealth could afford it. Having received the armor and now being given horses, Li Jing was really somewhat frightened and didn't dare accept, but he couldn't resist the enthusiasm of Wang's father and daughter. In the end, still feeling excited, he chose a horse from the Wang family's stables that was over five feet tall, with a fiery red coat. Although it was said to be an inferior horse rather than a well-trained warhorse, Li Jing was still overjoyed, constantly stroking this precious horse of his.

  The Wang family presented a mountain character armor, and also sent a tall horse. Finally, Li Jiong took from his home a horizontal knife that was also considered a family heirloom, and a horn bow with two quivers of arrows. There were many more equipment but could not be purchased in time, so they just paid the money and would buy them later after arriving at the Penglai camp.

  Li Jiong rode the sorrel horse and had just taken it for a spin, feeling that this horse was very fast. He was delighted in his heart when suddenly the village again transmitted the sound of clanging cymbals. He raised his head to gaze at the sky, only to see that the sun had already risen to its zenith!

  P.S: Seeking recommendation votes...