The growth system comes at the age of 30

Chapter 319 Murong's Blood on Canhe Slope, King Gao's Tears Beneath Jade Wall City (4.5K)

"Chilichuan, at the foot of Yinshan Mountain"

The sky is like a dome covering the vast wilderness.

The sky is vast and blue, the wilderness boundless and expansive.
"The wind blows the grass low, revealing cattle and sheep..."

Chen Jingle hummed a song softly, and Li Beixing quietly rested on his shoulder, gazing at the boundless grassland outside the window. He knew that this trip was the right one.

July and August are the most beautiful seasons on the grasslands. With abundant rainfall in the north this year, the temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, except for midday when it may rise to 30 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it is quite suitable for escaping the summer heat.

As long as you take proper sun protection measures, it's much more comfortable than the south.

"Sing it again!"

The singing stopped, and Teacher Li looked up at him, her slender fingers gently stroking his lips, her eyes filled with a smile.

"Do we have to sing it again? This is the third time already," Chen Jingle said, feigning displeasure.

Teacher Li smiled and said, "It sounds beautiful."

Moreover, this singing voice belongs only to her, a feeling that is intoxicating.

“Even if you sing it ten thousand times, King Gao still won’t come back to life.” Chen Jingle curled his lip.

However, I still granted her request.

There's no way around it, that's just love!

Speaking of which, he often had the system sing this song to lull him to sleep before going to bed, so Chen Jingle had a special feeling about the place Chulechuan.

Looking at the vast grassland, it felt as if I had traveled back a thousand years and saw a group of disheveled Hu people sitting around a campfire in the night, drinking and singing.

"Hulü Jin, do you know you've killed the King of Gao with your singing?"

Chen Jingle stared out the window, lost in thought.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Eastern Wei and Western Wei dynasties, there was a group of Han Chinese who had become assimilated by non-Han peoples, and a group of non-Han people who had become assimilated by Han peoples.

Tsk!
However, this period of history is not covered extensively in middle school textbooks; one must actively seek information to understand it. This is because it represents a low point in Chinese civilization, during which, in addition to various powerful rulers, numerous humanoid beings emerged.

There is no weirdest, only weirder.

Putting aside the various oddities, this period of history is still quite interesting.

The Six Garrisons Uprising, which began in 523 AD (the fourth year of the Zheng Guang era of the Northern Wei Dynasty), was a major uprising launched by soldiers and people of various ethnic groups from six garrisons—Woye, Huaishuo, Wuchuan, Fuming, Rouxuan, and Huaihuang—against the rule of the Northern Wei Dynasty. This area stretches from Xinghe in the east to Wuyuan in the west, covering a significant portion of Inner Mongolia.

In the fourth year of the Wuding era of the Eastern Wei Dynasty (546 AD), Gao Huan, a powerful minister of the Eastern Wei, led an army of 100,000 to attack Yu Bi City, a military stronghold of the Western Wei, from the south of Jinyang. In the end, he lost 70,000 soldiers and was forced to withdraw.

On the way back to Jinyang, rumors circulated in the army that he had been shot by an arrow and was about to die. Despite his illness, Gao Huan forced himself to hold a banquet to meet with his ministers. To boost morale, he ordered his general Huli Jin to sing "The Song of Changle," which evoked nostalgia among the soldiers and greatly inspired their spirits.

This is what people mean by "Murong's blood on Canhe Slope, Gao King's tears beneath Yubi City".

Thus, the "Song of Changle" officially entered the historical stage.

However, in the fifth year of the Wuding era, Gao Huan eventually died in Jinyang.

His unification efforts ultimately failed.

His son usurped the throne and established the Northern Qi dynasty, which lasted only 27 years.

"After singing the Song of Yinshan and Changle, heroes wept in their old age. In life, he held the imperial tablet of Cao Cao; in death, he was given the spear to kill the traitors. The proclamation spread throughout the six garrisons, both Chinese and barbarians; the wind and rain gathered on the Zhang River. Only the clear moon still shines, which once illuminated the passing of King Gao's ten thousand horses."

Those who enjoy history will feel more sympathy for King Gao's unfulfilled ambitions and for those exceptional individuals who, despite their best efforts, could only leave the stage with regret.

Like most people, Chen Jingle has a touch of heroic romanticism in his bones.

If even those exceptional individuals are like this, what can we ordinary mortals do?
I can only sigh.

Of course, it's impossible to yearn for it. Anyone who yearns for the era of two-legged sheep is probably out of their mind.

King Gao was not the only ambitious ruler whose talents were thwarted.
The phrase "By the mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous" has inspired people all over the world to fight for that position for thousands of years.

Fu Jian of the Former Qin Dynasty, Chai Rong of the Later Zhou Dynasty, Liu Jinu of the Liu Song Dynasty...

Too many to list!

Looking back on five thousand years of history, this land has never lacked powerful rulers, regardless of the dynasty.

But how many people can truly unify the world?

Above powerful rulers, there are also emperors of all ages and founders of civilization.

Even they, most of them, can see through the rules of history, yet they cannot escape the limitations of history.

The sacred deeds of the Five Emperors and Three Sovereigns have deceived countless travelers.

After the legendary bandits Zhi and Zhuang Qiao gained their fame, King Chen rose up and wielded the yellow battle-axe.

For historical materialists, the most fascinating aspect of history is that it is a multi-dimensional mirror, reflecting both the eternal threads of human nature and the tumultuous rise and fall of civilization.

History has both its contingency and its inevitability.

At the same time, history progresses in a spiral.

However, when history is in a downward spiral, it is difficult for individuals to resist the general trend of history, and often only desolate echoes remain.

……

Upon arriving in Guihua, Chen Jingle took Li Beixing straight to the Chulechuan Grassland.

There has been ongoing debate about the exact location of the Chulechuan Plain throughout history.

It is generally believed to be located at the foot of Daqingshan Mountain in Guihua.

The Yinshan Mountains are located north of the Hetao Plain, while in a narrower sense, the Yinshan Mountains refer to the Daqingshan Mountains in the central part of the plain.

The scene described in the lyrics, "The sky is vast, the fields are boundless, the wind blows the grass low to reveal cattle and sheep," could only possibly appear in the Daqingshan Basin. Therefore, the Chulechuan region, as it is now recognized, is located at the foot of Daqingshan Mountain in Guihua City.

This time, he chose to rent a car and drive himself.

The Chulechuan Grassland is located northeast of Guihua, about 30 kilometers from the city center, which is a quick drive away.

When visiting the grasslands, horseback riding and archery are two activities that are indispensable.

In most cases, the scenes of galloping across the grasslands like in movies and TV dramas will not occur in the scenic area. Most tourists are not good riders, and if they fall off, it is a matter of life and death. No one will be allowed to ride recklessly.

Someone will lead your horse, or someone will ride your horse and lead it around for a short while.

Since there is a large part, there must also be a small part.

In some cases, this is called "wild riding," where the owner of a stable rents out their own or someone else's horses for tourists to ride. In this case, it's perfectly fine to be a little reckless and ride a bit faster.

Horse riding requires a high degree of physical coordination. When a horse gallops, it is very fast and quite bumpy, which is unbearable for someone who doesn't know how to ride.

Chen Jingle was very curious about how directors and screenwriters in the Chinese entertainment industry came up with such an outrageous plot as "horse riding".

Although I don't understand it, I was deeply moved.

Chen Jingle naturally wanted to choose the Wild Riders.

He found a horse farm that offered off-road riding, and after demonstrating his riding skills, including easily mounting the horse, he successfully persuaded the owner to let him ride for a while.

"Handsome, you have a great talent for riding."

The boss smiled and gave a thumbs up.

To judge whether someone can ride a horse, you don't look at how fast they ride, but rather at whether they can control the horse, including its direction and speed.

You have to make them obey your commands, whether to go left or right, or to accelerate or decelerate.

Some people get exhausted after just two laps, panting heavily and even drenched in sweat. In reality, horseback riding is a sport that requires the coordination of the waist and the horse; when the horse rises, the rider rises, and when the horse falls, the rider falls, requiring close cooperation.

While driving the horse forward, a person must adjust their own movements in accordance with the horse's rhythm.

When a horse runs, the rider's hips are off the saddle in a semi-squatting position.

If they are children of herders on the grasslands, it's understandable; it's quite normal for them to be skilled in archery and horsemanship at the age of three to five.

The problem is that the young couple in front of us are clearly from the south.

There's only one answer: they've practiced!

It's clear that the family is well-off; most people don't have the opportunity to participate in equestrian sports. These days, it's mostly people from well-off families who enjoy it.

"It's okay, it's okay."

Chen Jing chuckled, neither confirming nor denying.

In fact, he had only ridden a horse once before, and that was a small Yunnan horse.

Walking along the ancient Tea Horse Road, which was covered in horse urine and dung, and then coming down, I even got some horse dung thrown on me, making for a rather unpleasant experience.

Today he could finally ride a horse at full gallop. Using the horse-judging skills granted by the system, he selected a tall and strong steed with large nostrils, powerful hooves, and an upper belly line that was significantly shorter than the lower belly line.

Li Beixing didn't dare to ride that fast, so she just chose a gentle little mare and strolled around slowly, watching him gallop across the grassland from afar, feeling somewhat envious.

As Chen Jingle rode his steed across the grasslands, the song that echoed in his mind wasn't "Let's live freely and unrestrained in this mortal world," but rather, "I once dreamed of wandering the world with a sword, to see the splendor of the world; the heart of youth is always a little impetuous..."

At this moment, both the wind in his ears and his heart are free.

Wu Hu~
Indeed, cattle and horses are best suited to the grasslands.

When Chen Jingle rode back to Li Beixing's side, his mouth was practically splitting open with a grin.

It was so awesome!
"When did you learn to ride a horse? I didn't know that," Li Beixing asked curiously as they walked side by side.

Chen Jingle's lips curled up slightly: "Don't you ride it every day too?"

Teacher Li understood, her ears instantly turned red, and she reached out to secretly pinch the rascal.

How can it be the same!

After laughing and joking around, the two rode their horses up the small hill and looked down at the herds of cattle and sheep. At that moment, they felt particularly happy and cheerful.

Even after imagining it countless times and seeing it countless times in movies, TV shows, and online videos and pictures, seeing it with my own eyes still deeply moves me.

"Let's go, go back."

After standing there for a while, Chen Jingle turned his horse around and signaled Li Beixing to follow.

At Teacher Li's insistence, Chen Jingle trotted with her for a short distance. The pace wasn't fast, the mare was quite docile, and Chen Jingle held the reins, so there weren't any problems.

Chen Jingle controlled the speed very well, afraid that the horse would be startled and run away and hurt her.

Even so, Teacher Li was quite happy.

Chen Jingle then carried her to his side, and the two of them rode a horse together for a short lap, finally satisfying Teacher Li.

……

Then came archery.

The archery activities here are more recreational, but of course, you can also use a stiffer bow with a higher draw weight if you want one.

Beginner women typically pull up to 25 pounds, while men typically pull up to 30-40 pounds. For an average person who hasn't been trained, being able to pull up to 70 pounds is already quite impressive.

The Qing bows were all only 80 pounds.

Based on the calculation that 100 pounds equals 90.72 jin, 70 pounds is 63.5 jin.

In ancient my country, bows were priced by the stone, with one stone being approximately 120 jin (about 60 catties). Fierce generals often used strong bows with a stone weight of three or four stones, which is about three or four hundred jin (about 150 kg).

For example, Yue Fei used a three-stone bow.

The most exaggerated example is Yang Kan, a general of the Southern Liang Dynasty. Historical records indicate that his maximum pulling force was 20 shi, equivalent to 2400 jin.

Is this even human?!

Even though this is the maximum pulling force, normally a six-stone bow is used, which is still exaggerated and makes people doubt its authenticity.

For someone like Yue Fei, who possessed superhuman strength, the Three-Stone Bow was a more reliable choice.

Chen Jingle tried them out and finally chose a 60-pound bow.

Of course, this is the limit of the grassland, not his limit.

Since it's just a recreational activity, for safety reasons, they don't provide high-strength bows.

Otherwise, with his strength, pulling a stone and a half shouldn't be a problem.

All things considered, giving it a Tiger Power rating is not a problem.

Two stones is a bit difficult; I need to save up some more energy to upgrade.

The staff initially wanted to advise him to be more practical and choose a 40-pound one, but when they saw him easily poop to full capacity, and more than once, they immediately shut up.

Chen Jingle was in high spirits.

This was his first time archery. Back in college, some of his classmates and teachers formed a small archery team and used compound bows, but he didn't join because he didn't have the money and could only watch with envy.

Nock the arrow, draw the bow, aim at the scarecrow's bullseye, and release—

huh~
It hit the target, but not the bullseye.

Chen Jingle frowned slightly. At a distance of less than 20 meters, he couldn't even hit the bullseye? That was a bit absurd.

Fortunately, apart from the first arrow hitting the seventh ring, the next few arrows all hit the ten rings.

Drawing the arrow, nocking it, bending the bow, and releasing it—the movements were swift and decisive. The dull thud of the arrowhead striking the target was surprisingly pleasant to the ear.

The onlookers were filled with envy and exclaimed in amazement. Several children who came with their parents were even more excited, exclaiming "Wow!" repeatedly.

The staff member, a little flustered, couldn't help but ask, "Handsome guy, you've trained before?"

Don't underestimate the 20-meter mark. It's a bit windy today. For an average person, it would be good enough if they didn't miss the target. Every shot hit the bullseye. You're definitely a sharpshooter.

"No, this is my first time playing. Maybe it's a talent. I used to love playing with slingshots and toy guns when I was a kid."

Chen Jingle said with a smile.

It seems that the Chinese people have an exceptional talent for shooting in their genes.

Take Lü Bu, for example. He may be called a traitor who served three masters, but his feat of shooting the halberd at the gate is a true historical record.

However, archery was not as interesting as shooting, so Chen Jingle stopped after a while and focused on instructing Teacher Li.

Li Beixing chose a 30-pound bow. Although it wasn't heavy, hitting the target at a distance of 20 meters was still no problem.

He had a great time riding horses earlier, so he should at least try to make sure his wife has a good time now.

……

The first day was spent on the vast grassland.

He didn't stay overnight in the yurt; he didn't want to stay and feed the mosquitoes, so he obediently went back to the city to stay in a hotel.

The next day, we focused on finding food in the city and trying the local specialties.

For someone who didn't eat much meat growing up but now loves eating meat, the grasslands are paradise.

Various carbohydrates and different ways of cooking beef and lamb, such as hand-pulled mutton and roasted lamb chops, are all extremely delicious.

Carbs plus meat, pure bliss!

He still remembers a friend from the grasslands he met while playing games saying that they never lacked meat growing up, and they ate all kinds of beef jerky until they were sick of it.

This made Chen Jingle's face contort with envy.

Listen, is this human talk?
You should know that he was born in the 90s and he didn't even have enough rice to eat when he was a child.

The beef jerky here is really delicious; I'll buy some to take home as a snack.

Moreover, the beef and mutton served at their hot pot restaurants are served solid, without any ice.

That's so incredibly generous!

Having been ripped off by unscrupulous merchants too many times, Chen Jingle was momentarily dazed at being treated with genuine sincerity.

There's also beef stew, which, although not very appealing, is really delicious. Just with this, Chen Jingle can eat several bowls of rice.

After finishing your meal, a glass of chilled fruit jelly is incredibly refreshing.

After having eaten and drunk their fill, the two did not stay in Guihua for long and continued on to their next stop.

The journey took them through northern Shaanxi, Chang'an, Yiling in Hubei, Dayong in southern Hunan, then to Bozhou in Guizhou and Tianzhou in southern Guizhou, covering the entire region before finally heading back to Jiangbei.

This trip took another half a month.

Therefore, by the time they returned to Jiangbei, it was already mid-August.

Meanwhile, the packages kept arriving at our home and my in-laws' house, all containing various souvenirs they had bought during their trip. When they got home, they inevitably got a few words of nagging.

The one who scolded the most was the family cat. After not seeing him for more than a month, it thought Chen Jingle had died outside.

They caught the fat cat and petted it for a while before letting it go.

The house hasn't changed much since I left, but after this trip, I have a lot of important things to do.

Hongqi has a lot of issues waiting for him to handle, and his second uncle has already taken over the shop near the No. 1 Middle School entrance, which is currently under renovation. Plus, there are still a backlog of calligraphy and painting orders waiting to be placed…

"I need to get back to work and focus."

(End of this chapter)