Chapter 297 The Ultimate Weapon

"Gunpowder?" Shen Huaichen deliberately raised his voice.

Aqige and the other city lords were immediately taken aback by Shen Huaichen's strong reaction.

"Sir? Is there something wrong?" Achig asked hurriedly.

Shen Huaichen pretended to be surprised and paced back and forth in the room several times.

Only then did they look at the location of the Northern Hu army.

"Heaven is on my side! Boss Ye, are you sure you can get your hands on the gunpowder from the Dayu army?" Shen Huaichen asked Boss Ye.

Mr. Ye nodded.

"Over the years, Du has been traveling between the northern regions and border towns. Because he had to pass through those checkpoints, he made many acquaintances."

Among them was a quartermaster general in the Weiyuan Army who was in charge of weapons and provisions.

He told me this in secret when Tianji City confronted the Northern Hu Emperor's army.

He said that when the gunpowder was being stored, he secretly detained a truckload that wasn't put into storage.

As soon as Boss Ye finished speaking, Shen Huaichen looked at Aqige.

"Your Highness! We must have this gunpowder! We must get our hands on it."

With this gunpowder, we'll have the upper hand when we go to war with the dog emperor's army.

Aqige was stunned for a moment, then quickly looked at Boss Ye.

"Boss Ye, how much is that gunpowder?"

"Two hundred thousand taels of silver! The quartermaster said it's a fixed price, two hundred thousand."

There was only this one vehicle.

"If Tianji City doesn't want it, he'll arrange for it to be transported south," Boss Ye said.

Two hundred thousand taels of silver...

Achig touched his chin.

That's really not cheap!

Recently, the border city has been purchasing grain, salt, and medicinal herbs from Da Yu through this Boss Ye, and has already spent a lot of money!

Take out another 200,000 taels of silver...

"Isn't it too expensive! Gunpowder? To put it bluntly, isn't it just like the firecrackers that the people of Da Yu set off? They're gone in a flash!"

One of the city lords expressed his opinion.

Achig thought so too.

Shen Huaichen, seeing the power of the gunpowder, hurriedly said to Aqige, "Your Highness, trust me! After seeing the power of that gunpowder, you'll only think that 200,000 taels of silver is cheap."

Compared to gaining an advantage on the battlefield, two hundred thousand taels of silver is not expensive.

Aqige believed Shen Huaichen's words without a doubt.

However, he also did not want to make things difficult for the other city lords.

"Very well! I will provide the two hundred thousand taels of silver."

Over the past few days, the city lords have spent quite a bit on buying all sorts of things.

I, the king, will pay for the gunpowder.

"Boss Ye, I need your help making this trip. I'm determined to have that truckload of gunpowder."

Mr. Ye readily agreed.

That evening, Boss Ye left Tianji City with the silver notes given to him by Aqige.

The next evening, Boss Ye returned with several truckloads of goods.

One of the truckloads of goods was completely covered by a tarpaulin.

Soon, the cargo was taken away by Shen Huaichen and his men.

Meanwhile, Shen Huaichen spent the entire night looking at that car.

Four large boxes.

One of the boxes contained four black spheres, each about the size of a watermelon, with long fuses sticking out and wrapped in oiled paper.

The other three boxes contained spheres the size of melons, much smaller than the first box.

Looking at the four boxes of gunpowder, Shen Huaichen couldn't help but sigh.

Gunpowder existed at this time?

What we're making now are the simplest bomb-like things. When will we be able to make those more sophisticated contraptions?

It seems I need to talk to Miss Shangguan.

After he returns to the capital, he must find his imperial nephew and explain the uses of gunpowder to him, and try to develop things like the "red-coated cannons."

With gunpowder at its peak, conquering any place in this era is no problem...

And so, Shen Huaichen sat in front of these gunpowder powders all night.

He didn't get up until the urgent whistle sounded.

"Sir! The emperor's army is pressing in again," a soldier rushed over and said.

Shen Huaichen nodded, then glanced at the gunpowder, thought for a moment, and called over a soldier.

"Hold this and come with me!"

After saying that, he had someone carry away a large black watermelon.

When he brought the black watermelon to the city wall, Achig and the city lords had already arrived.

Everyone's face was solemn.

Outside Tianji City, the Northern Hu Emperor's army pressed forward again.

Unlike the previous days, their ranks now included many new catapults.

Similarly, next to the catapults were large cauldrons filled with boiling oil.

It seems that the Northern Hu army wants to follow the same approach as Tianji City.

Shen Huaichen frowned as he looked at the catapults and oil.

If Tianji City were also hit by those fireballs, it would definitely suffer heavy damage.

but......

"Bring a catapult over here!" Shen Huaiche shouted.

Soon, a catapult was pushed over.

Shen Huaichen had one of his most skilled carpenters come over and place the black watermelon on the catapult.

"Do you see the biggest catapult? It's the one surrounded by two big cauldrons."

Aim at that one.

"Tell me when you're aiming!" Shen Huaichen said.

The carpenter squinted with one eye for a while, then quickly adjusted the orientation.

"Sir, it's adjusted!" the carpenter said solemnly.

Shen Huaichen smiled, then took out a tinderbox he always carried and lit the fuse on the black watermelon.

"Your Highness! Now let me show you whether that two hundred thousand taels of silver was well spent?"

Look carefully!

put! "

With a shout from Shen Huaichen, the lit black watermelon was thrown out.

Everyone stared at the black watermelon.

What can something so small do?

Could the crater be as big as a bowl?

The soldiers of the Northern Hu also laughed when they saw the black watermelon.

Is it possible that Tianji City can't even find a decent stone anymore...?

As the black watermelon smashed into a new catapult, a deafening roar resounded...

A huge shockwave was generated in that area, including the catapults.

A plume of black smoke accompanied by the wailing of ghosts and wolves...

Upon closer inspection, everyone, from Aqige and the city lords on the city tower of Tianji City to the Northern Hu Emperor Saxinlang, was stunned by what they saw.

A huge pit, three feet deep, and the ground littered with dead and wounded soldiers.

And then there were the soldiers who were splattered with oil from the two large pots and rolled around on the ground...

"Is this gunpowder?" Achig murmured.

"Your Highness, is 200,000 taels of silver worth it?" Shen Huaichen asked.

Achig nodded repeatedly.

It was totally worth it!

If this thing were used to attack a city, even the most fortified city gates would be breached!

Similarly, the Northern Hu emperor was also greatly alarmed and immediately ordered his troops to retreat!

He was worried that there were other black things like that below that could hit him.

That thing is terrifying...