Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but smile as she watched Chu Feiyang's movements with a critical gaze. She couldn't help but admire his meticulous observation. She had only done the movement once, yet Chu Feiyang had already mastered 90% of it. It seemed that her grandfather had seen his talent and was therefore focusing on his development.

Yun Qianmeng nodded and walked to Chu Feiyang's side, lifting his gun-holding hand a little higher. Then she glanced at his waist again, seeing that it was straight and strong. Finally, she straightened Chu Feiyang's face and made him look straight ahead, reciting the key to shooting, "Actually, shooting and archery are similar. Aim the muzzle of the gun at the center of the target, and look along the gun body in a straight line to the center of the target. The hand holding the gun must be steady and not shake. Finally, pull the trigger and fire the bullet in the chamber!"

Yun Qianmeng explained the situation in detail, and she saw Chu Feiyang preparing everything according to her instructions. With a deafening bang, the bullet in the gun chamber flew towards the target...

"What's going on?" Chu Feiyang asked anxiously without waiting for Yun Qianmeng to speak.

Xi Lin stepped forward to take a look, his face slightly hesitant, but seeing his own prince's impatient look, he could only bite the bullet and say, "Prince, three rings!"

"Three rings?" Chu Feiyang was stunned for a moment, then he looked down at Yun Qianmeng, whose expression was calm, and said dissatisfiedly, "Meng'er, why only three rings? My posture is exactly the same as yours!"

I don't believe it. Meng'er clearly said that shooting and archery are similar.

Seeing Chu Feiyang's face full of disbelief, Yun Qianmeng said calmly, "Who can master it right away? Just like archery, strength, direction, and posture are all important. If the strength is wrong, the target will naturally be missed!"

"Okay! I'll practice again!" Unexpectedly, this small difficulty actually aroused Chu Feiyang's enterprising spirit, and he actually started to practice seriously like a beginner.

Yun Qianmeng stayed by his side, giving him some pertinent advice from time to time. When Chu Feiyang pulled the trigger for the tenth time, he hit the target right in the heart.

"It's truly a good thing. Its speed and power are unmatched by bows and arrows!" Only by trying it yourself can you truly understand the power of this musket. This thing, which was manufactured at great expense, truly lived up to everyone's expectations. Chu Feiyang never put the musket down. He held it tightly in his right hand, weighing it. Although it was a bit heavy, compared to a bow and arrow, this musket was small and very easy to carry.

"What a good thing! I heard thunder from far away. Look, the birds perched on the pine trees were scared away by you. I thought something big happened in Prime Minister Chu's mansion!" As he was speaking, Xiahou Qin and Chu Nanshan walked in.

The two men first looked at the target and saw that it was covered with burnt black holes, but no arrows. They turned their eyes to Chu Feiyang, but saw that he was holding a weapon they had never seen before. They couldn't help but walk over curiously.

"What is this?" Xiahou Qin was quick-eyed and quick-handed. While speaking, he had already stretched out his hand, wanting to grab it.

Chu Feiyang, however, was even quicker, hiding his gun behind his back. He placed a hand on Xiahou Qin's shoulder, preventing him from getting even a step closer. Then, with a calm smile on his face, he extended his right hand, steadily raised the musket, aimed it at the target, and without warning, pulled the trigger. The deafening sound echoed again, shocking Xiahou Qin's face. Chu Nanshan covered his ears and glared at Chu Feiyang.

"You little brat, don't you know how old your grandfather is? You're actually scaring an old man like this! Show me that thing now, or I won't let you go!" Chu Nanshan waited until the noise died down before carefully lowering his hands and angrily commanding Chu Feiyang. This little brat actually scared him on purpose. However, the weapon he held was quite unique. At least Chu Nanshan had never seen one in his sixty-plus years of life. The moment it was fired, the power was truly astonishing. I wonder when this little brat invented such a powerful thing. If it were used on the battlefield, it would surely be invincible.

With this thought, Chu Nanshan passed Xiahou Qin and ran towards the musket in Chu Feiyang's hand...

Seeing this, Yun Qianmeng smiled, while Chu Feiyang shook his head and smiled, releasing his hand from Xiahou Qin's shoulder and handing the musket to Chu Nanshan.

Chu Nanshan was slightly stunned. He thought he would have a fight with Chu Feiyang, but he didn't expect this kid to be so generous today.

"This thing is really heavy! Hey, why is there a hole here? What is it used for?" Chu Nanshan held the rifle in both hands and looked at it over and over again with curiosity, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He even curiously pointed his right eye at the gun tip and looked at it carefully.

However, his glance wasn't a big deal; Yun Qianmeng was actually frightened out of her by him. After all, the rifle was still in the testing phase, and even she couldn't guarantee its stability. If it accidentally went off, the consequences would be disastrous.

Yun Qianmeng immediately took the musket from Chu Nanshan's hand and said with a faint smile, "Grandpa, this is a musket!"

Yun Qianmeng pointed at the tip of the gun and explained, "This is the tip of the gun. It's where the bullet comes out! It's like the arrowhead of an arrow. It's the most dangerous part. Next time, don't point this side at yourself. If this gun gets out of control, it could be a matter of life and death!"

Speaking of this, Yun Qianmeng felt a layer of cold sweat seeping out of his back.

Seeing Yun Qianmeng being so cautious, Chu Nanshan and Xiahou Qin couldn't help but nodded. Especially Chu Nanshan, who was even more frightened when he thought of his previous behavior. Fortunately, his grandson's wife was filial and knew how to explain things to him clearly, unlike the grandson standing beside him who only knew how to laugh at him.

"But, Meng'er, how do you know so much about muskets?" The studious baby began to ask questions. After listening to Yun Qianmeng's complete explanation, Chu Nanshan was already eager to try his hand at it, but he was very curious about his grandson's wife's knowledge of muskets.

"This was designed by Meng'er!" Chu Feiyang saw that he finally had the chance to speak, and he opened his mouth hurriedly. His words and expression were full of pride, which made him happier than if he had won a battle.

Upon hearing this, Chu Nanshan and Xiahou Qin looked at Yun Qianmeng in disbelief. After a while, Chu Nanshan finally found his tongue and uttered two words, "Really?"

Yun Qianmeng smiled elegantly. Seeing that Chu Nanshan was eager to practice, she handed the musket to him and said calmly, "It's just a little thing! Grandpa, give it a try!"

With just one sentence, Chu Nanshan's attention was diverted. He held the musket tightly according to Yun Qianmeng's instructions, stood up straight, stretched his right arm forward parallel to the ground, held the musket steadily in his arm, and looked at the target with his eyes in a straight line with the gun body. "Bang!"

"Your Highness, it's slightly off the target!" Xi Lin's report came from a distance.

For a moment, Chu Nanshan laughed and Chu Feiyang was angry.

"Fei Yang, look at the black holes on the target, I'm afraid they were all shot by you! Tsk tsk tsk, I didn't expect you could be so stupid!" Chu Nanshan handed the musket to Xiahou Qin reluctantly, and at the same time provoked Chu Feiyang who had a bad look on his face.

Chu Feiyang raised his eyebrows slightly, curled the corners of his mouth, and said confidently, "So what? No matter how stupid you are, it was all taught by grandpa!"

"You!" Covering his heart, Chu Nanshan was speechless.

"It's really a good stuff! If you have any extra ones, why not give me one!" After firing a shot, Xiahou Qin was full of excitement. He held the rifle in his hand and was reluctant to return it to Chu Feiyang. There was a pleading look in his eyes.

"This doesn't look like it was made by the Ministry of Works!" Chu Nanshan's eyes were extremely vicious. Looking at the body of the musket and the craftsmanship, he could tell that it was not a weapon supervised by the Ministry of Works.

Turning his gaze to Chu Feiyang again, Chu Nanshan said solemnly, "Presumably, the Ministry of Industry doesn't know about this weapon!"

Yun Qianmeng recognized Chu Nanshan at the first sight and couldn't help but admire in his heart that this old man is still very experienced. Chu Nanshan is worthy of being the famous King of Chu. He could see through him at a glance.

Chu Feiyang answered without hiding anything: "It was made privately, and has not yet been mass-produced!"

After all, crafting a musket requires more than just materials; it also requires skill. Without Zuo Feng and Mei Ye's skills, even if a musket were crafted to resemble this design, it likely wouldn't fire. Furthermore, the materials needed for this musket weren't easy to find, so its manufacture would undoubtedly require considerable time and effort.

As for Chu Nanshan, he asked this question just to find out whether Emperor Yugan also knew about this matter. Now, after hearing Chu Feiyang's answer, he thought that this matter was carried out in secret, and he also had some thoughts in his mind.

On May 30th, the Sea King’s Palace held a banquet.

Yun Qianmeng ordered Nanny Shangguan to put the generous gifts that had been prepared long ago into the carriage early in the morning. She then led Xiahou An'er into the carriage and headed towards Yangming Mountain under Xi Lin's protection.

There was a lot of noise outside the carriage, and it seemed that they were passing through the long street. Xiahou An'er had the heart of a child, and could not help but lift the curtain of the carriage, looking at the scenery outside with wide eyes, with a look of joy in his eyes.

Seeing her so happy, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but smile, "Do you like being outside so much?"

Hearing Yun Qianmeng's question, Xiahou An'er turned her head to glance at her, then turned her attention back to the car window and replied with a smile, "Cousin, you don't know, but Grandpa usually doesn't allow me to leave the mansion! If it weren't for cousin coming back this time, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to go to the Sea King's Mansion! Sigh!"

Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng somewhat understood the Xiahou Clan Leader's feelings. After all, Prince Rui's previous request for an imperial decree to grant the marriage had taught the Xiahou Clan Leader that the court's disputes weren't immune simply because they were of a different race. Often, they became victims because they weren't valued enough. Especially since Xiahou An'er was already beautiful, and Chu Feiyang was away from the capital, the wealthy young men in the capital naturally had fewer concerns. If something went wrong, it would be no joke. Since the Xiahou Clan Leader loved Xiahou An'er so much, he naturally didn't want her to be ostracized and ridiculed. It would be safer for her to stay in Prime Minister Chu's residence.

"Grandfather naturally prioritizes your safety! Besides, there are several notorious bullies in the capital. They have decent backgrounds, but their personalities are questionable. With your looks, I'm afraid you'll attract their attention! It's better to listen to Grandfather and stay in the Prime Minister's Residence to avoid any setbacks!" Thinking of these two notorious figures, Yuan Qingzhou and Ruan Yuxiao, is a real headache. But these two have incredibly powerful backgrounds, and ordinary people probably can't afford to offend them.

Hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, Xiahou An'er lowered the carriage curtain and sat up straight. Her elegant brows couldn't help but frown, then nodded. "Cousin, I understand this truth, but sometimes it's really boring to be alone in the mansion! Fortunately, my cousin has returned to the capital, otherwise she might as well have returned to Luocheng!"

As she spoke, Xiahou An'er rushed to Yun Qianmeng's side with a smile, hugged her arms and smiled, with a mischievous look between her eyebrows.

"You!" Seeing that Xiahou An'er was genuinely happy, Yun Qianmeng also smiled faintly. She tapped her forehead with her finger and said with a smile, "Although the Sea Palace is a palace like ours, it is different from ordinary palaces. After you go in, remember to follow me closely. Don't be left alone!"

Xiahou An'er couldn't help but wrinkle her nose, just thinking of the arrogant and domineering Princess Qian at the last dinner at Prince Duan's Mansion. She also knew that Yun Qianmeng's advice was correct, so she nodded seriously.

The carriage drove across the bluestone road, passed through the long street, and rushed towards the sparsely populated suburbs. In the restaurants lining the long street, sat a middle-aged man in a dark blue brocade robe. He looked at the bustling scene in the street with a calm expression, and there was a cold light in his eyes.

A man in a brown robe quickly climbed the stairs and knocked three times outside the private room. After receiving a response, he pushed open the wooden door and walked in, bowing to the man and saying, "Master!"

"How is the investigation going?" The man withdrew his gaze from the window, looked calmly at the subordinates in front of him, and asked in a low voice.

"Today is the day for the Neptune Palace to hold a banquet. The female relatives of various palaces have gone to the Neptune Palace to congratulate!" The young man immediately told what he had found out.

Listening to the news his subordinates had gathered, the middle-aged man frowned slightly and then asked, "What about the Chu Palace? Did they also receive an invitation from the Hai Palace?"

"My lord, no! According to the information I have gathered, the Chu Palace is currently under guard by Emperor Yugan's men. No one living there is allowed to leave without Emperor Yugan's imperial decree! However, the Chu Princess, who lives in the Chu Prime Minister's Residence, just brought the Xiahou Princess to the Hai Palace to offer congratulations!"

The middle-aged man listened to this and tightened his grip on the teacup slightly. A cold light suddenly flashed in his eyes. A sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. He muttered to himself, "Humph, they got away with it! But Chu Pei is still imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice?"

"Yes! Master, do you want to go to the Ministry of Justice to see him?" Seeing his master sneer, the young man carefully guessed his master's thoughts.

"Hmph, meet him? He's a stray dog, what value can he have? But I won't let go of what he has in his hand!" After saying that, the middle-aged man waved his subordinates to come closer and gave him a series of instructions in his ear.

Inside the Ministry of Justice.

Qu Changqing and Han Che were working together to sort out the confessions and evidence of the Youzhou incident. The two of them buried their heads in a piece of rice paper, writing down useful content on the memorial paper with ink.

"Sir, Prime Minister, are you two having lunch in the yamen?" The yamen runner guarding the door saw that the two busy people inside showed no signs of coming out, so he bravely walked in and asked.

Hearing this, Qu Changqing raised his head from his writing and glanced at the sky outside. It was indeed almost noon, and he and Han Che had been busy for half a day. He stopped writing and said with a smile, "You've been busy all morning. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Han!"

Qu Changqing had initially assumed Han Che was merely a daily supervisor, but he hadn't expected him to personally transcribe these crucial confessions, discussing each and every one of them before reaching a conclusion. This level of personal involvement was quite unexpected. Han Che's focused expression was evident, no pretense. He hadn't expected someone so quickly to rise to prominence to be so humble and eager to learn, earning Qu Changqing even more admiration.

Hearing Qu Changqing's voice, Han Che raised his head from the pile of books, a faint smile appeared on his face, and he said gently, "Master Qu, you have worked hard! There is a banquet at the Sea King's Mansion today. I wonder if Master Qu will go there soon?"

Seeing Han Che asking, Qu Changqing nodded and said, "Of course I will go!"

When he went out during the day, he only asked the servants to escort Fei Qing. He naturally had to go to pick up his sister to avoid being attacked by wild beasts in the wilderness like last time.

"In that case, I will go with Lord Qu! I went to the Sea King's Mansion early this morning, but the journey is long, and I am a little worried!" Seeing Qu Changqing nod, Han Che said calmly, "I wonder if Lord Qu has received the invitation I sent to the Marquis' Mansion a few days ago?"

After Han Che's reminder, Qu Changqing remembered that the banquet at the Sea Prince's Mansion would be followed by the housewarming banquet at the Han Xiang Mansion. He sorted out the memorial in his hand and said seriously, "Of course I have received it. Thank you for the invitation, Han Xiang!"

However, Qu Changqing was somewhat surprised. Although he hadn't met Han Che much, his past observations showed him to be someone who wouldn't just casually make friends. Even when the Emperor had ordered him to join him in the Chu Pei trial, their interactions had been limited to the case itself, never touching on matters like the banquet. Han Che's uncharacteristically proactive questioning today was somewhat surprising.

Thinking of this, Qu Changqing raised his eyes and looked at the other person, but saw that Han Che's face was as gloomy as water, and it was impossible to tell that there was anything unusual in his expression.

Han Che, upon seeing Qu Changqing's response, knew he was cautious and careful, yet his face betrayed no trace of displeasure. After he and Qu Changqing had sorted out the key points they had gathered today, they left the Ministry of Justice, mounted their steeds, and galloped towards the Sea King's Palace.