My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 127 Misjudging People
Chai Shao and Li Shimin sat inside the tent. Li Shimin ate meat heartily, his mouth greasy with oil.

Chai Shao sat to the side, watching the boy wolf down his food. "You have quite an appetite," he remarked.

"I'm fine, but our fourth child is the real eater, he eats more than me!"

Li Shimin said with a smile.

Chai Shao couldn't help but ask, "Did your grandfather teach you any horsemanship techniques in the past?"

“He was unwilling to teach me. He sent me to the local militia training ground to practice martial arts, but all I learned were horseback riding and archery. He didn’t teach me anything else.”

"Later, I gathered a local militia and fought some bandits. Only then did my grandfather send a few trusted men to teach me about marching and garrisoning, but I didn't learn much."

Chai Shao's eye twitched slightly.

So you learned it on the spot?
For some reason, Chai Shao suddenly felt a strong sense of frustration.

He trained hard from a young age. When he was about the same age as Li Shimin, his grandfather would hold a wooden stick and watch him ride his pony, charging into battle time and time again. Chai Shao still feels a slight ache in his buttocks when he thinks back to those days.

Riding a horse is hard work, and wielding a weapon while on horseback is even harder. If you don't do it well, you'll get beaten up. The powerful clans in the Central Plains rarely taught their children things like riding and archery, horse spear, or command. They usually just taught them to read classics.

Only children from military families like them suffer this hardship. Oh, right, even if they start practicing these things, they still have to learn the classics. If they don't learn them well, they'll still get beaten.

Chai Shao had trained hard for several years before earning a reputation for bravery, able to defeat several strong knights on horseback. The kid in front of him, however, had never received formal military training; he could only learn a semblance of it by watching others practice.

What a talent!

Chai Shao looked at Li Shimin with a resentful expression, as if he were thinking of other people's children when he was a child.

Li Shimin quickly put down the bowl in his hand and looked at Chai Shao expectantly. "Brother, I really want to learn this knowledge. In the past, my father thought I was too young and didn't want me to be exposed to it. There is no one around who can teach me. I only beg you to help me. I won't bother anyone, I won't delay your important matters, and I will absolutely not tell anyone about what's going on inside."

Chai Shao laughed and placed another piece of meat in front of Li Shimin.

"You are very talented."

"Such talent should not be wasted. At your age, it is the time to lay a solid foundation. How about this, in a few days, I will go to your residence and talk to your grandfather about this matter. However, there is one thing you must promise me."

Li Shimin was overjoyed. "Thank you, brother! Thank you, brother! I can do anything, not just one thing, but ten things. Just give the order!"

Chai Shao said very seriously, "I know you like martial arts, but formal training is risky. You are still young, so you must not be reckless and must pay attention to safety. If you hurt yourself, wouldn't your life be ruined?"

“I had a friend who was just as talented as you, but he fell off his horse, injured his leg, and could never walk again.”

Li Shimin was somewhat moved.

He thought Chai Shao wanted him to do something for him, but he never expected that this was what Chai Shao was asking for.

He nodded earnestly, "Brother, I've got it. I'll study hard and never try to be a show-off."

Chai Shao nodded with satisfaction.

Li Shimin hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and said, "Brother, you are a very good person. I think that someone like you should look at others more comprehensively and not be blinded by appearances."

Chai Shao was completely confused. "Who are you referring to with that hidden meaning?"

"Nobody said it out of the blue, just something I felt compelled to say."

"By the way, brother, could you give me a few arrows?"

"Oh? You want to use it yourself?"

"It's me. My third brother. He wants to learn archery, and he asked me to get him some good arrows before, because he's worn out all his own."

"No problem! I'll get you a few more later, but you have to tell him he can't point the bow and arrows at people."

"Here!!"

When Li Shimin returned to his residence with the gifts, he was incredibly excited.

Eager to show off, he went to his younger brother Li Xuanba again.

Li Xuanba is an excellent person to confide in.

Li Shimin usually didn't dare to boast to his eldest brother, and his sister knew too much. If he bragged to his sister, she would expose him. His fourth brother always loved to be sarcastic and didn't believe anything he said. Only his third brother was the best.

No matter what I say, he will listen attentively, believe what I say, and even praise me.
So Li Shimin sat in the courtyard and excitedly told his younger brother about his experiences using the horse spear and long spear in the Eagle Banner Mansion.

“I knocked that wooden figure over in one blow, and everyone was stunned. They had initially looked down on me, but after I knocked it over, they came over to befriend me. That lance is quite heavy; you and Lao Si can't lift it at all! It's heavier than your stone carrying pole!” Liu Chounu, who was not far away, simply closed his eyes to rest.

Only Li Laosan truly believed this, exclaiming, "Brother, you are truly amazing!"

"General Chai saw my talent and said he would find my grandfather and ask him to let me train with the soldiers and learn real skills!"

"Hahaha, in a few days, I will go to Yingyang Prefecture to train with those fierce warriors. In a few more years, maybe I can even become a Qianniu Beishen and then be sent to Yingyang Prefecture as a Langjiang! I want to go to the west to fight the Hu people!"

"You should train well in the manor. When I become a general, I will summon you to serve as a captain and be my vanguard!"

As Li Shimin was speaking, another person barged into the courtyard.

Li Xiuning stormed in, furious. "I've been looking for you for ages! What are you doing hiding here?"

"Sister."

Li Xuanba rose to bow, and Li Shimin also hurriedly rose.

Li Xiuning smiled kindly at Li Xuanba, then glared fiercely at Li Shimin, "Where's the arrow? You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"I didn't forget. I put them in my little yard; I brought a lot with me."

Li Xiuning then laughed, "That's more like it."

She glanced around and lowered her voice, "Where's Chai Lang? Did he ask me anything? You didn't say anything out of the blue, did you?"

Li Xuanba looked completely bewildered, while Li Shimin had already seen through everything.

"Don't worry, sister. I told you the arrow was for Sanlang, not for you. I even praised you for being gentle and virtuous, and for being so good to us."

"Well said! That colt wasn't given to you for nothing!"

Li Xiuning was quite happy, talking to herself with a joyful expression on her face.

Li Shimin continued, "Sister, he also said he would take me to Yingyang Prefecture for training, and he might come in a few days to see Father or something."

"When?"

"They didn't say, they just said they were coming."

"Alright, alright, I'll go to your courtyard to get the arrows first, you can continue playing with Sanlang!"

Li Xiuning chuckled and patted her younger brother's head before happily leaving.

Li Xuanba looked at Li Shimin curiously, "Second brother, what happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing, you can continue reading your book."

As Li Shimin was speaking, a wail suddenly came from outside the door.

A moment later, Li Laosi burst into the courtyard, crying.

"Third Brother!!"

Li Yuanji rushed to his brother's side like a gust of wind, crashing directly into Li Xuanba's arms. It was only because Li Xuanba was much stronger now that he was able to avoid being knocked over. Li Yuanji hugged Li Xuanba and burst into tears.

"Help me, Third Brother!"

Li Xuanba frowned. "What happened?"

"I really can't take it anymore. That lecturer is a real scoundrel. He beats me every day and keeps complaining to my older brother. Third brother, can I learn from you? I promise I'll be obedient. I really don't want to continue studying with that person!"

Li Xuanba gave a wry smile and looked at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin said unhappily, "How can a grown man cry over something like this? If you had paid any more attention in the past, you wouldn't have suffered like this. We used to advise you to study hard, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what's happened. What can we do? Can we change our minds about what our elder brother has decided?"

Li Yuanji suddenly looked at Li Shimin, "Isn't it all because of you! If it weren't for you, would I have to suffer like this?!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was not angry at all; in fact, he almost burst out laughing.

If we're being serious, Li Yuanji's current miserable life is indeed somewhat related to his second son.

(End of this chapter)