Soon after news of the victory at Gaoyang reached Xianyang, the entire court was immersed in jubilation. However, the wicked man showed no signs of slackening; on the contrary, he became even busier.

Early that morning, he arrived at the workshop district in the south of the city. In the rows of newly built workshops, the furnaces roared and the clanging of blacksmiths could be heard incessantly.

"The Grand Commandant has arrived!" Xiangli He hurried out to greet him, "I was just about to report the latest developments to you."

The wicked man followed him into the innermost workshop. As soon as they entered, they saw several large tables filled with all sorts of pottery jars, iron shells, bamboo tubes, and even paper tubes. Some were huge, some were small and exquisite, and their shapes were all strange and wonderful.

"These are all newly improved homemade bombs," Xiang Lihe explained, picking up a gourd-shaped earthenware jar. "We found that this shape is more suitable for throwing, and the fragments are more evenly distributed after the explosion."

The wicked man examined it carefully: "What about the fuse? Has it been improved?"

"Yes!" Zizhen picked up a roll of specially made fuse from the side. "It's made by soaking fine hemp in gunpowder and then drying it. It burns more stably, and the burning time is easier to control."

The wicked man nodded and then asked, "How's the yield?"

"We can produce about thirty pieces a day now," Xianglihe replied. "If we add a few more kilns, production can increase. However..."

"But what?"

"However, gunpowder production is a bottleneck," Zizhen interjected. "The raw materials aren't lacking, but the proportions are extremely precise; even a slight mistake can cause problems. Furthermore, the production process is highly susceptible to accidental ignition; two apprentices have already suffered minor injuries."

The wicked man pondered for a moment: "Here's what we'll do. You'll designate a separate area specifically for making gunpowder. Choose some steady, meticulous people to be in charge, and make sure safety is ensured."

"Yes, sir!" the two replied in unison.

Just then, a commotion arose outside. It turned out that Wang Li had sent someone to deliver used bomb fragments brought back from Gaoyang City.

The wicked man personally inspected the fragments and found that some fragments were too large and others were too small, so the explosion effect was obviously not ideal.

"Looks like we still need to improve this," he said, pointing to the fragments. "The fragments need to be the right size; that way, they'll be most lethal."

"The Grand Commandant is right," Xianglihe said thoughtfully. "We can pre-carve cracks on the inside of the pottery jar so that the fragments will be evenly distributed when it explodes."

"And another thing," Zizhen added, "you can add iron filings and gravel to the can to increase its lethality."

The wicked man's eyes lit up: "Great idea! You all start testing it immediately. Also..." he lowered his voice, "I'd like to try and see if we can make even bigger bombs, specifically for sieges."

Xiangli He and Zizhen exchanged a glance, both seeing the excitement in each other's eyes. This was a massive project; if successful, it would undoubtedly be a monumental achievement!

In the days that followed, the workshop became increasingly busy. The disciples of the Mohist school constantly experimented with new formulas and techniques, striving to create better products.

That day, the wicked husband was reviewing documents in his study when he suddenly heard a loud bang outside, which shook the windowpanes.

"What happened?" he hurriedly called Zhang Erhe over and asked.

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, the workshop is testing a new type of large bomb," Zhang Erhe replied. "I heard the test was very successful, and Lord Xianglihe is already on his way to report."

Sure enough, Xiang Lihe arrived in a flurry of activity shortly afterward: "Grand Commandant, it's a success! This bomb is five times more powerful than the ordinary ones!"

"Really?" the wicked husband exclaimed with delight. "Tell me the details!"

"We used specially made large iron containers to hold the gunpowder, covered them with a thick layer of mud, and filled the inside with iron filings. During testing, a single explosion created a crater over ten feet deep in the ground! If used for siege warfare, even the strongest city walls wouldn't withstand it!"

The wicked man nodded repeatedly, "Good! Pass down the order to immediately expand production. Remember, keep it a secret and don't let the craftsmen leak the news."

"Of course," Xianglihe said seriously. "The workshop's apprentices are all carefully selected and absolutely reliable."

Just then, another urgent report arrived: the State of Zhao had sent an envoy to negotiate peace. Clearly, the Battle of Gaoyang had instilled fear in the Zhao court.

The wicked man sneered, "Perfect timing! Let them know the might of my Great Qin!"

Two days later, the envoy from Zhao arrived in Xianyang. This envoy was also an important minister of Zhao, who was usually arrogant and complacent, but this time he was unusually respectful.

When he witnessed the Qin army demonstrating the power of their homemade bombs on the training ground, he turned deathly pale. Upon returning, he wrote in his report: "Qin possesses a divine weapon, its sound like thunder, its power capable of destroying cities. It is beyond human capability to withstand!"

This awe-inspiring demonstration not only forced the State of Zhao to temporarily cease its offensive and hasten to deliver new annual tribute, but also strengthened Efu's resolve to continue improving firearms.

"Order the workshops," he told Zhang Erhe, "to have them operate at full capacity. Equip a specialized firearms unit as quickly as possible!"

It was late at night, and the wicked husband was still in his study, devising more improvement plans. The candlelight flickered, and the north wind howled outside the window, as if foreshadowing the arrival of a gunpowder age.

......

Several days later, a caravan set off from Xianyang, heading east. Ostensibly, it was transporting silk and bronzeware, but in reality, hidden compartments in the carriages contained a large number of gunpowder formulas and blueprints.

This was yet another deployment by the wicked man: secretly establishing gunpowder workshops in various places to support future large-scale wars.

Meanwhile, the improvement work in the workshop continued. Xiangli He and Zizhen led the Mohist disciples in constantly experimenting with new formulas and techniques.

On this day, they were testing a new type of fuse, hoping to make the fuse work properly even in rainy weather. Just then, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar.

"The Grand Commandant has arrived!!"

The wicked man rode up at breakneck speed, his face radiating intense excitement.

"Gentlemen, I just remembered something!" The wicked man jumped off his warhorse and strode up to the two men, his voice trembling slightly.

Xiangli He and Zizhen exchanged a glance, a hint of anticipation and doubt flashing in their eyes. The firecrackers were originally the wicked husband's suggestion, and the homemade bombs were also made possible based on his idea.

If he has a new idea, it will definitely be extraordinary!

The wicked man took a few deep breaths and said in a low voice, "I asked you to refine sugar before in preparation for gunpowder, but I've forgotten about it lately?"

"White sugar?" The two looked at each other, somewhat puzzled.

Sugar is still mainly used for food. Since the advent of alcohol, even its disinfection and sterilization functions have been replaced. They really can't think of any connection between gunpowder and sugar.

"Quickly, go and get the white sugar!" The wicked husband didn't explain, he just gave the order.