Chapter 213 Gunpowder
In April, when gunpowder was tested for the first time, Gu Changxiao and Cheng Yu brought the Black Feather Battalion to watch. They didn't allow so many people to come because they were afraid that the news would spread.
Everyone knows that there are fish oil firearms in the border town. If we hear that there is gunpowder that is more powerful than firearms, that would be terrible!
Jinsui used gunpowder to test the ability to blow up mountains. If he could even blow up a mountain, it would be easy to blow up a city gate.
She personally hoped that gunpowder could be used for building roads, repairing canals and rivers, and mining, rather than for war.
But if the war has to be fought, the ownership of gunpowder is in our hands, and we can end the war as soon as possible, or form a deterrent.
The "boom" of gunpowder is different from that of fish oil. Fish oil is a muffled sound, like the thunder of thick clouds, like the sound of a huge drum.
The gunpowder was like thunder in summer, like the sound of gongs one after another, louder and more deafening. Everyone was mentally prepared, but they were still startled by the sound.
They walked here for fear of startling the horses. Cheng Yu looked at the sword at his waist and then at the gunpowder cartridges wrapped in thick paper with burning eyes. He had a premonition that sword training would be useless in the future, and the dominant forces on the battlefield would be fish oil and firearms.
He looked again at Miss Ji who was accusing the people of bombing the mountain, and thought of what the ancients said: when there is great chaos, there will be people with great luck who will be born to save the world.
At present, there is no major chaos or disaster in Daxia, but a savior has appeared.
That's Miss Ji! Fortunately, she came to our border town.
Gu Changxiao had a deeper feeling, because Jin Sui had told him before that cannons were the same ingredients as fireworks, just more refined and improved.
Then you tell me, this is the result of the improvement! Does this have anything to do with fireworks?
Fireworks can't kill people, but this cannon can blow up mountains! Rumble, the shattered rocks fell all over the ground, and the dust flew, but no one cared about the dust on their bodies. Everyone was thinking about how our Black Feather Battalion would gallop on the battlefield in the future.
The people of Northern Xinjiang regarded fish oil as a weapon bestowed by the gods. If King Bater saw the artillery, he would definitely try his best to snatch Miss Ji away! If he saw Xia Bing's artillery on the battlefield in Northern Xinjiang in the future, Bater would probably regret it to death.
I shouldn't have let Sui Sui go that day. I should have used all my strength, even if I had to kill Gu Changxiao and go to war with Daxia, I had to keep Sui Sui in the Northern Frontier Royal Court! Jin Sui took off his mask and ran to ask Gu Changxiao: "How is it? Is it more powerful than fish oil? When the trebuchet is delivered, we will test the range again."
"Long-range attacks are the strongest. Whether it's placed on the city wall to defend the city or to attack the city, gunpowder will increase the combat power even more."
"Moreover, gunpowder weapons can be improved and made into hand-held fire guns for soldiers, which are much more lethal than bows and arrows. They can also be made into landmines to attack the enemy by surprise."
"If installed on a ship and used in naval battles, it is equally powerful enough to make the enemy despair."
…
Jin Sui became more and more excited as she spoke. This was just the beginning. If she made firearms an official weapon on the battlefield in advance, it would save the Han people from many genocides!
She also has a long-cherished wish to kill the Japanese devils and destroy Japan. The emergence of firearms will definitely allow her to fulfill this wish.
The Ministry of Military Industry officially took over the gunpowder workshop. All workshop personnel, even those who cleaned up the garbage were heavily guarded. The entire base was heavily guarded. Nothing flying in the sky or crawling on the ground, as Han Xing said, could escape, not even a live fly!
Jinsui gave himself a day off to catch up on some sleep. He really did catch up on some sleep. He didn't even enter the space. He just fell on the bed and covered his head and fell asleep.
At daybreak, a rooster raised in the front yard was crowing with its throat twitching. Before the first crow, Grandpa Ling broke its neck at lightning speed.
He told his frightened disciples, "The girl is sleeping, we can't disturb her!"
The young disciples were trembling with fear as they looked at the rooster's corpse. They felt that their master had become a different person.
He felt like if he yelled at this moment and woke Miss Ji up, his master would break his neck.
How scary! It turns out that the most scary thing about the Ji family is not when the master is angry, but when Miss Ji is sleeping!
Gu Changxiao wanted to climb the wall to Jinsui's courtyard before dawn, but he found that a row of broken porcelain pieces were inlaid on the wall with cement overnight.
His scalp tingled as he watched, and he almost reached out to lift his hands.
Needless to say, this was done by Grandpa Ling. She can't climb over the wall anymore, but the tunnel is almost done. As long as Sui Sui agrees, she can go in and out of the palace through the secret door of the tunnel at any time. Of course, she can also come to see her at any time.
Jin Sui slept until dusk, and when she woke up she thought it was morning. Grandpa Ling and Jin An were both frightened outside, and if she didn't wake up, they would ask Jin An to go in and take a look.
Jin'an is older now and knows that he can't just enter his sister's bedroom, but if his sister is in danger, he will definitely go in.
Grandpa prepared dinner as breakfast: "You just woke up, you can't eat anything too greasy."
Sleeping is like this. You don’t want to wake up when you are asleep, but after waking up, you find that you have slept too long and regret wasting time.
Jin Sui said regretfully, "I was planning to go and harvest rapeseed and wheat, and plant sweet potatoes and potatoes today. I promised the soldiers in the field storage camp, so why am I late?"
Grandpa Ling smiled and said, "Don't worry, they sent someone to invite you, and I went to watch it on your behalf. Grandpa is better at the Harvest Festival Dance than you are, and they are very happy."
Jin Sui was surprised: "What? Still want to dance?"
Grandpa Ling laughed: "Why else do you think I asked you to go? The Harvest Festival is a big festival, and the prince should have performed it, but the prince was so busy, so I had to ask you to do it."
Jin Sui shrank his neck, all regrets disappeared, and he was only relieved. He grabbed Grandpa's hand and said solemnly: "Thank you, Grandpa! From now on, all celebrations that require dancing will be left to you!"
Grandpa Ling laughed: "With my old arms and legs, how many more years can I dance?"
Jin Sui pulled Jin An over and said, "Then you teach Jin An, and he will be the one to dance from now on!"
Jinan was unwilling: "Teach it to Brother Lin Feng, he loves dancing."
Gu Changxiao arrived halfway through the meal. Grandpa Ling said with a smile, "I sent people to ask you eight hundred times a day! I said, Sui Sui, if the prince has any work to do here, you should take a break and come with me to see the project tomorrow."
What Grandpa was talking about was naturally the construction site of the Taoist temple and the academy. Jinsui thought so too. She planned to concentrate on building the academy in April. If nothing unexpected happened, a large number of craftsmen would flock to the border town in May and June.
She was not surprised that Gu Changxiao came, but she was surprised that Gu Changxiao actually came through the door! He even sent someone to ask. According to his personality, he must have climbed over the wall himself! When she led Gu Changxiao to the study, she saw the answer. The corner of her mouth twitched. Grandpa was really cruel. The porcelain pieces were inserted so densely.
Gu Changxiao touched his nose: "Does the Taoist priest hate me?"
Jin Sui laughed and said, "A man who climbs over the wall with his granddaughter is not liked by any grandfather!"
Gu Changxiao felt aggrieved: "If Sui Sui is willing, we can get married anytime."
Jin Sui tried to comfort him: "I was just kidding. Grandpa already knew about our relationship. He doesn't hate you, he just thinks you're climbing over the wall and it's easy for people to criticize you."
Gu Changxiao's eyes flashed with worry: "Does Sui Sui not want to marry me anymore?"
Jin Sui was speechless. Shouldn't the woman be the one who should be afraid? What are you, a grown man, afraid of?
"Didn't we agree on this? Even Marquis Huo Guanjun said that if the Xiongnu is not destroyed, how can we have a family? We should be more aware of this. How can we be trapped in love affairs when the world is not settled?"
"Your Highness, the burden on your shoulders is so heavy, please don't add another burden to your wife!"
Gu Changxiao lowered his eyes, a trace of disappointment appeared on his face, and he said softly: "But I want to see Sui Sui anytime. Do you know how many steps it takes to walk from the main gate of the palace to your yard? How much time have I wasted? I listen to Sui Sui. Before the world is settled, we will not get married, but you have to promise me one thing."
Jin Sui's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she felt like she had done nothing! How could Gu Chang Xiao be so upset over such a thing?
So he was waiting for him here! Jin Sui stared at him and said, "Tell me what it is first? Then I'll see if I can agree to it."
Gu Changxiao couldn't pretend anymore, so he pulled Jin Sui to her study, took out a blueprint from his arms, pointed at her bookshelf and said, "Open a secret door here, and the tunnel will lead directly to my study."
"Good Sui Sui, Grandpa won't let me climb over the wall, but I really want to see you anytime. And I can't open the door from the inside, so I can't come over unless you agree.
OK?"
He actually grabbed Jin Sui's sleeve and shook it, making Jin Sui shy. Do you dare to let the brothers of the Black Feather Camp see you like this? They all say she can act, but Gu Changxiao is the one who loves to act the most, okay? In front of her and outside, he has completely different faces! Jin Sui thought for a while and said, "I want your key."
Gu Changxiao nodded quickly: "Sui Sui can enter and leave the palace at any time!"
"That's fine! Actually, I'm too lazy to go through the main entrance to the palace to find you."
Gu Changxiao smiled like a child who had received a reward, and Jinsui even began to miss the cold and aloof King Li.
She told Gu Changxiao about her plans for the next month: "Besides watching the spring sowing, guiding the military doctors in making medicines, and looking after the businesses in the northern border, I will be at the academy the rest of the time."
Gu Changxiao nodded: "You have been too tired during this period. Don't worry, I will take good care of the gunpowder, and the catapults are also being produced as quickly as possible."
Jin Sui added: "The kerosene can be used on street lamps first. When the large amount of oil is delivered, I will guide the refining of kerosene."
She had refined it in the space laboratory, and she was still trying to simplify the process and tools.
In addition to Yan Shier Niang's Yanzhizhai items, the business with Beijiang also includes our dried vegetables and canned fruits. Another thing that she must do is glassware.
Our own kiln can also produce glass, but the quality is not good. It is fine to sell it to ordinary tribal leaders, but if we sell it to the dignitaries in the royal court, Jinsui still has to burn it in the space.
The two of them didn't chat for long when Jin'an came over and said that Grandpa Ling wanted them to have a midnight snack.
Grandpa wasn't just calling for a midnight snack! Not long after dinner, he was reminding Gu Changxiao that it was too late to stay in his granddaughter's room.
The two men looked at each other, and both felt that it was necessary to build this tunnel and secret door, because they used to talk about things all night long.
Jinsui didn't think her grandfather was too controlling at all. Instead, she felt warm inside. She thought her grandfather really loved her, which was why he controlled her so much.
If it were an ordinary person, he would of course curry favor with the King of Li and would not care about his granddaughter's reputation.
Jinsui slept too much during the day and couldn't sleep at night, so he went to the space and worked until midnight. He burned a bunch of glassware and gave Shi Er Niang two new perfume formulas.
The lipstick has also been adjusted to two new shades. This is how skin care products and cosmetics should be done. They must be updated quickly to keep ladies spending money on them.
She didn't dare to work all night, for fear that she would feel sleepy during the day and her biological clock would be completely disrupted.
She quietly ran to the kitchen and got a steamed bun to eat. She was dizzy and fell asleep easily after eating the steamed bun.
I woke up early the next day, but didn't hear the rooster crow. The big rooster at home used to crow very punctually! I took out my watch and saw that it was already past six o'clock.
The timer was too troublesome to read, so she secretly took a watch from the space and put it back after use. She planned to wait until there were more skilled craftsmen, and then form a special team to study watches and make them.
Smelling the scent of gardenia and jasmine outside the window, she put on her clothes and went out to take a look.
I saw a flower basket hanging on the courtyard wall, filled with jasmine, gardenia and lilac.
Is this guy Gu Changxiao so happy that he agreed to build a tunnel? Go pick flowers early in the morning.
However, seeing this big basket of flowers, Jinsui felt better.
When I went to the kitchen to check on the breakfast, I found out that the rooster's neck had been broken by my grandfather so that he could have a good sleep.
Jinsui smiled. The little old man was so cute.
"It's okay, just get another one. Next time I need to sleep for a long time, I'll tell you in advance and send it away temporarily."
After breakfast, Jinsui and his grandfather took a car to the construction site, while Jinan, Li Linfeng and a few beggars went to the military camp.
The military camp set up a youth camp, which was populated by children of military dependents, including those from the garrison troops, and they learned both civil and military skills.
Jin'an used to study in a private school with an old scholar. His grandfather asked Yan Shiyi for help with his studies, but Jin'an insisted on not going to Yanzhou to study and insisted on joining the youth camp.
Grandpa Ling had no choice but to agree, but he wanted Jin'an to promise that he must take the Tongsheng examination. If he failed, he would have to go to the Yan family to study.
For this reason, Jin An once held Jin Sui's hand and begged her: "Sister, please build your college quickly! I want to study in your college."
Jin'an didn't tell him yet that her college was different from ordinary colleges for the imperial examination. If he failed the examination for the status of a student, his sister would have to support his grandfather and send him to study at the college in Yanzhou.
It was already past ten o'clock when Jinsui arrived. The place was still quite far away, and it would be faster to ride a horse, but she wanted to take the car with her grandfather.
Coincidentally, they just arrived at the construction site for lunch, because ordinary people these days eat two meals, one at around ten in the morning and another at around four in the afternoon.
It’s the same at the construction site. Some stingy people only give workers liquid food. If they want to eat dry food, they have to bring their own.
But my grandfather was so generous! Every meal must have stewed vegetables and noodles, and the wages were also the best, eight coins a day. This was really the best. The Yanzhou gentry recruited workers, all of whom were tenants of their own families, and brought their own food, and six coins a day.
Only top aristocratic families like the Yan family would be willing to give workers eight cents.
After asking around, the grandfather thought of his granddaughter's suggestion to increase the workers' wages, so he certainly had to set an example. So he agreed at the beginning that the wages would be two meals a day and eight cents.
For this reason, the people who came to rush to work for the grandfather were scrambling for it. Even the families of the farmers in the field storage camp were very tempted, but they were busy with spring plowing and could only watch the good jobs being snatched away by the vagrants and refugees.
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