CHAPTER VIII: Black Powder.

Shen Lian stood on the ring. Soldiers practice thrusting with spears.

At this time, someone shouted: "Xin Qiji is here! The Governor is here!"

Shen Lian jumped off the ring and ran towards Xin Qiji. Xin Qiji said: "Shen Lian, I heard that your mother passed away. Please mourn."

Several soldiers pushed the cannon to Shen Lian. Xin Qiji said: "This is the cannon. I brought 20 cannons." Shen Lian stroked the cannon, and said, "Is this cannon really useful against the Jin army?"

Xin Qiji said: "The "Iron Buddha" cavalry team that the Jin Army is proud of was once defeated by these cannons."

Shen Lian and Xin Qiji came to the shooting range. A soldier puts a shell into the barrel of a cannon. Another soldier lit the fuse.

Only a loud bang was heard.

The hills in the distance were flattened by artillery.

Shen Lian said: "This cannon is so powerful!"

Xin Qiji said: "I also brought a friend. His name is Mo Wen." Mo Wen walked over and said, "Hello, I am Mo Wen. I am a descendant of Mozi."

Shen Lian said: "I heard that your family often studies various organs and weapons"

Mo Wen said: "Yes, I brought you bed crossbows and jackdaw arrows."

Shen Lian said, "Thank you so much."

Xin Qiji said: "You became the instructor of 5,000 elite soldiers at the age of 16. You are amazing"

Shen Lian said modestly: "I thank you for your praise. I will definitely serve the Song court. Even if I go through fire and water, I will not hesitate."

Xin Qiji said: "The emperor realized his mistake. He returned our military power"

Mowen said: "The emperor is really a wise king."

Xin Qiji said: "The emperor is seriously ill. He is preparing to pass the throne to Zhao Yun."

Shen Lian asked: "His Royal Highness?"

Xin Qiji said, "Yes. Did you know that Genghis Khan is also seriously ill."

Shen Lian said, "What?"

Xin Qiji said: "I am worried that the whole world will be in turmoil"

then, three people walking and chatting.

Xin Qiji said: "I have fought all my life on the battlefield for the sake of the Song Dynasty. In the end, I still haven't been appreciated by the emperor. Every time I see the cities of the Song Dynasty fall one after another. I see it and it hurts in my heart."

Shen Lian said: "Master Governor. We are generals of the Song Dynasty, and we can fight bloody battles for the emperor."

Merwin said: "If the result of war is peace, what is the result of peace?"

Shen Lian said: "This is a question worthy of everyone's consideration"

Mowen said: "Mencius once said: "The sage should live in the largest house in the world-tolerance

The sage should stand in the right place - etiquette

A sage should walk on the broadest road in the world—righteousness""

Xin Qiji said: "I like this sentence"

The sun was setting.

Xin Qiji, Shen Lian and Mo Wen returned to the barracks. Xin Qiji said: "Goodbye, Shen Lian."

Shen Lian: "Goodbye, Lord Governor"

Mo Wen said: "There were a few businessmen who returned to China, and they said: "Going west from the land of the Western Regions, you can see a very powerful empire. "They called this mighty empire the " Empire of the Romans.""

Shen Lian said: "Empire of the Romans, what do the people of Byzantium look like?"

"They were tall and strong. They had high noses. Their eyes were light blue," Merwin said.

Shen Lian said: "Their looks are so strange"

"Their skin is all white," said Mervin.

Shen Lian said: "Our skin is yellow. We are the descendants of Yandi and Huangdi"

"We've never had contact with them," Mervin said.

Shen Lian said: "Let's not talk about this topic for now. Let's go to dinner. Susu is still waiting for me to go home."

Mo Wen said: "Your girlfriend is very virtuous"

Shen Lian and Mo Wen came to Shen Lian's house.

Susu is cooking in the kitchen. Susu said: "Brother Shen Lian. Just wait a little longer, the food will be ready in a while."

Shen Lian asked Mowen to go to the guest room to rest first, while he came to the kitchen to help Susu cook.

Shen Lian kept adding wood to the stove.

Susu chopped the cabbage slices and put them in the pot.

Shen Lian saw a lotus leaf bag on the table. He asked, "What's that?"

Susu said: "This is the two catties of pork I bought at the market this morning. Today we will have a big meal."

Shen Lian smiled.

Shen Lian opened the lotus leaf bag and took out the pork.

Susu pointed to the kitchen knife on the cutting board and said, "Can you help me chop up the pork?"

Shen Lian said, "No problem."

Shen Lian took a kitchen knife and cut the pork into pieces. Put the pork in the pot.

Fifteen minutes later. A serving of pork stewed cabbage is out of the pan.

Susu said, "Who is that person?"

Shen Lian said: "His name is Mowen, and he is a descendant of Mozi."

Susu said, "Wow. Let him stay and have dinner with us."

Shen Lian, Su Su and Mo Wen picked up the chopsticks and started eating.

Mowen said: "When are you two going to get married?"

Both Shen Lian and Su Su were questioned. Mowen couldn't reply for a while.

Shen Lian said: "We...we are not ready yet"

Mo Wen said: "Shen Lian, you have to think about your future."

Merwin said, "It's almost evening. I should go home."

Shen Lian said: "Senior Mo, I asked the soldiers to prepare a guest room for you. You can rest there tonight."

Mo Wen said: "You have worked hard."

Mowen looked at the apricot tree in the yard.

He said, "Shen Lian, can we play a few games of backgammon under that tree?"

Shen Lian said, "No problem."

They sat at a table under a tree.

Shen Lian took out a black chess piece and placed it in the center of the chessboard.

Mo Wen picked up a white pawn and placed it next to the black pawn.

an hour passed quickly

Shen Lian said: Senior Mo, your chess skills are amazing.

"Hahaha. Our life is like playing chess. Every step counts," said Mowen.

Shen Lian admired Mowen very much in his heart.

Mo Wen looked at the moon in the sky and said, "Look at the moon in the sky. It is so beautiful. It looks like a white jade plate."

Shen Lian said: "The shadow of the moon on the river is like a mirror flying from the sky, and the clouds create a mirage outside the city."

Mo Wen said: "This is Li Bai's poem - "I passed by Jingmen to see myself off" I took a boat across the river to the distant Jingmen, and came to visit the territory of Chu State during the Warring States period.

The mountains gradually disappeared with the appearance of flat and vast fields, and the rivers rushed in the endless fields.

The shadow of the moon on the river is like a bright mirror flying from the sky, and the clouds create a mirage outside the city.

I still love the water from my hometown, and the small boat that came to send me eastward from thousands of miles away. "

Shen Lian said: "Li Bai's poems are so beautiful."

Mo Wen said: "I should sleep. Let's talk tomorrow"

the next day

Shen Lian changed into the instructor's clothes. He took his saber and rode on a fast horse to gallop towards the barracks.

There are many small vendors selling breakfast on the road. They shouted: "Sell buns", "Sell fried dough sticks", "Sell roast chicken" or "Sell roast duck"

Actors perform various acrobatics on the side of the road.

The sound of students reading is constantly heard in the school.

Shen Lian came to the barracks. Soldiers are learning how to use the cannon.

Since the last battle ended. Shen Lian's soldiers piled up the captured spoils in the warehouse.

Shen Lian entered the warehouse. He saw a samurai sword from Japan.

He picked up his samurai sword and slashed at the scarecrow next to him.

Scarecrow cut in half

Shen Lian said: "Japanese samurai swords really cut iron like mud"

The soldier said: "The Japanese samurai sword was improved from the Tang sword of the Tang Dynasty. The samurai sword cuts iron like mud"

Shen Lian said: "Can our spear defeat the samurai sword?

The soldier said, "We have experimented. A katana can cut off our spears"

Shen Lian said: "The Japanese pirates did whatever they wanted in Hangzhou. We encountered a group of difficult enemies."