The so-called conscienceless cannon, also called the flying thunder cannon, is mainly an empty gasoline barrel. After loading propellant into it, the explosive pack is placed in it. After igniting the propellant, the explosive pack can be thrown hundreds of meters away.

Zhang Shixun wanted to see the effect of the conscienceless cannon, so he said, "Old Wang, I only know about the conscienceless cannon from movies, TV shows and books. I don't understand its power. Why don't you try it out and let me see."

"no problem."

Wang Dong called over a few farmhands and pointed at one of them, saying, "His name is Yue Fan, and he's Yue Fei's younger brother."

Zhang Shixun looked towards Yue and saw that he was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with an ordinary appearance and a simple and honest look.

"Yue Fan, is your brother back?"

"Just got back yesterday."

"Go call him over and tell him that Commander Zhang wants to see him."

"Oh!" Yue Fan started to walk away, but after taking two steps he stopped, turned around and asked, "Are you Zhang Tianshi?"

"Haha! That's me."

Yue Fan bowed his head and said, "Thank you very much, Master Zhang, for saving my life."

"Life-saving grace?" Zhang Shixun was a little confused. "I just let your brother join the Tianwu Army and moved your family here. It can't be called a life-saving grace, right?"

"There was a huge flood in our hometown last month. Only a few people survived in the whole village. If the Taoist priest hadn't settled us here, we might have also suffered."

"Oh! So that's how it is. How did you know?"

Yue Fan pointed at a thin farmhand who had fled from our village.

Zhang Shixun asked the farmhand, "Is the flooding serious there?"

"It was terrible. The whole village was washed away by the flood. Dead people and animals were everywhere. I had a hard time escaping."

Wang Dong said, "I've learned that the Yellow River has overflowed, and several counties in Hebei have been hit by floods."

"What a disaster!" Zhang Shixun sighed. "Old Wang, if possible, please take in more refugees."

"Yes! I was planning to do that. I sent someone to the city yesterday to find out about the situation. There aren't too many refugees right now, but I estimate the number will gradually increase in the near future."

"Then we must hurry up and buy grain."

Wang Dong shook his head. "Those profiteers must have heard the news. Food prices have been rising recently. Luckily, we started buying food last year. Otherwise, the war grain you requested would have been lost."

"There is no way out, the war reserves cannot be moved."

"Don't worry, most of the grain we purchased last year has been made into compressed dry food and stored."

"We must take good measures to prevent moisture from getting in the way and spoiling the product."

"Tsk! You think I can't think of something you can think of?" Wang Dong glared at him. "In order to solve the moisture-proofing problem of compressed dry food, I spent a lot of money to customize a lot of wax paper specifically for the packaging of compressed dry food."

"Does wax paper exist these days?"

"Of course there are. As Su Dongpo wrote in his poem: 'Pushing the door open into the room, books are everywhere, wax paper lanterns are swaying in the sky.'"

While the two were talking, the farmhand came carrying a tin bucket.

Wang Dong brought Zhang Shixun to the northwest corner of the village, where there was a separate courtyard with a high wall topped with broken glass. Two farmhands were guarding the door.

"This yard is used to store explosives and is guarded 24 hours a day."

Wang Dong whispered as he took out the key from his arms.

Zhang Shixun asked, "How much explosives are stored inside?"

"Not too many, they are all finished products."

Wang Dong asked the farmhand to carry a few bags of explosives and then went to the village entrance.

Yue Fei has arrived.

When he saw Zhang Shixun, he bowed and saluted: "Military Commander."

Zhang Shixun asked with a smile, "How are your family members?"

"My mother is fine. Thank you, Commander-in-Chief, for your care."

"Haha! I didn't take care of her specially. Your mother weaves and farms, and she earns her own living."

"You gave me the land and built me ​​a house. You took care of me so well. I am so grateful to you."

"Okay, enough of that. Let me introduce you to someone." Zhang Shixun pointed at Wang Dong, "This is my cousin Wang Dong, the owner of Gao Laozhuang and the most capable man in the Song Dynasty."

Wang Dong rolled his eyes at him.

Yue Fei bowed and said, "Greetings, Master Wang."

Wang Dong rarely bowed in return. This guy was rarely serious for once.

Zhang Shixun pulled Yue Fei's sleeve and said, "Pengju, let's go to the Yellow River beach. I'll show you something good."

"Okay!" Yue Fei responded, glanced at the big iron barrel, and didn't ask any more questions.

The group left Gao Laozhuang and headed towards the Yellow River beach.

Most of the land along the way is saline and sandy.

Zhang Shixun looked around and asked Wang Dong, "Old Wang, can these wastelands be used?"

"Yes! You can try growing potatoes on saline-alkali land, and peanuts on sandy land. However, you need to apply organic fertilizer before planting."

“Organic fertilizer?”

"It's farmyard manure. Just pile up human and animal feces and wood ash, cover it, and wait for it to turn black and smell bad, then you can use it as fertilizer."

"Since there is a way, why don't you start it earlier?"

"You're talking without any hesitation. Building a farm, brewing wine, and making glass all require manpower. I only have so few people, and I can't spare anyone to plant crops. It's only recently that we've taken in some refugees that we have extra manpower to farm."

Zhang Shixun thought for a moment and asked, "Do you want me to organize people to go to various places and recruit more refugees?"

Wang Dong shook his head: "We only have two farms, and we can't accommodate too many people. Let's wait a little longer. When the time is right, we can consider growing crops."

The so-called ripe time is after the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Only when the old order is broken can a new order be established.

A blank sheet of paper is good for writing an article.

Everyone came to the Yellow River beach. Wang Dong ordered the farmhands to dig a hole, put the iron barrel in at an angle, and then put the propellant and explosive packs in one by one.

Yue Fei had been silent all the way, and only then could he resist asking, "Military Commander, what is this...?"

Zhang Shixun smiled and patted his shoulder. "Pengju, the reason I called you here today is to let you understand a new form of warfare."

"A new form of warfare?" Yue Fei looked confused.

Wang Dong fixed the conscienceless cannon and said, "For safety reasons, leave one person behind to ignite it, and everyone else retreat fifty steps away."

Zhang Shixun said, "Pengju and I will stay and light the fire. You all retreat."

Wang Dong handed him a fire starter and led his men to retreat.

After Wang Dong and his men retreated to a safe distance, Zhang Shixun said to Yue Fei, "Pengju, you are about to witness a great invention."

As he spoke, he blew at the fire starter, bent down and lit the fuse.

The fuse was lit, making a "sizzling" sound.

Zhang Shixun pulled Yue Fei, who was still in a daze, and said, "Let's go!"

The two men ran away, and just as they reached where Wang Dong was, they heard a muffled "bang" behind them.

The two men hurriedly turned around to see, only to see the explosive pack being thrown out suddenly, flying hundreds of steps away and landing on the ground. Then there was a deafening explosion and dirt flying everywhere.

Everyone's ears were buzzing due to the loud noise.