Chapter 70: Getting Caught for Being Stupid
Ji Zheng became interested and couldn't help asking, "Do you know about gunpowder?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the people who spoke all turned their eyes to Ji Zheng, with an expression of wanting to say something but stopping themselves from saying it.
Seeing their strange expressions, Ji Zheng felt a little uneasy, "Did I... say something wrong?"
"You don't know...gunpowder?" Gao Ji asked with a frown.
Gunpowder was invented many years ago, and it was developed by their Majesties.
Hearing Gao Ji's question, Ji Zheng immediately understood that gunpowder was already available in this dynasty.
"Of course I know, how else would I say it?" Ji Zheng laughed, "I just wanted to play a joke on you guys."
After saying that, he laughed twice, but no one present laughed. They looked at Ji Zheng as if he was a mentally retarded person.
Feeling embarrassed, Ji Zheng quickly changed the subject, "Isn't the lethality of gunpowder already very high?"
No matter how powerful other cold weapons are, they can't compare to gunpowder, Ji Zheng wondered.
Seeing that Ji Zheng really didn't understand, the others lowered their voices and explained, "In fact, the gunpowder only penetrates people, and the killing power is not great at all."
"And it's also extremely prone to inexplicable explosions."
After listening to their explanations, Ji Zheng finally understood. It seemed that the formula of gunpowder had not been fully figured out.
No wonder he asked why there were no fireworks if there was gunpowder. It turned out that gunpowder had not been fully researched.
Seeing Ji Zheng nod in understanding, the others stopped talking about this and started talking about other things.
Ji Zheng knew the formulas for the basic and advanced versions of gunpowder, but he still had to think about whether to reveal them.
He is not a selfless person. It would be a shame if he didn't get some benefit in exchange for such an important thing.
Of course, what is more important is that he only has theoretical knowledge and has never done any practical operations, so he should be cautious.
After the call, Ji Zheng and Gao Ji walked out together.
After thinking for a while, Ji Zheng asked, "What are the benefits of developing new weapons?"
Gao Ji did not think much about it, thinking that Ji Zheng was simply curious. "Your Majesty will give a reward, but I am not sure what the reward is."
"Will I get promoted?" Ji Zheng asked.
"Maybe." Gao Ji actually didn't know. He had only been an official three years earlier than Ji Zheng.
Seeing that Gao Ji didn't know, Ji Zheng didn't plan to ask.
After chatting about some other things, the two of them separated when they arrived.
Although he had never actually worked with gunpowder, he had made simple fireworks in the laboratory.
The materials are very simple, just charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur.
"He An, I'll get you something nice tonight. I guarantee you've never seen it before."
Ji Zheng happily said to Ji Hean while holding the fireworks materials he bought.
"What?" Ji Hean asked curiously.
Seeing Ji Zheng stirring a pile of incomprehensible black and white powders, Ji Hean walked forward curiously.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he got to Ji Zheng's side, a particularly pungent and unpleasant smell of sulfur wafted into his nose. He covered his mouth and nose, "What is this? It smells so bad."
Ji Zheng put down what he was holding, took off his gloves, and pulled Ji Hean out of the room. "You'll know tonight. I guarantee you'll like it."
Looking at Ji Zheng's smiling face, Ji Hean was extremely curious.
"That was the smell of sulfur just now, very pungent. Go play with Mu Ya and the others first. I'll call you when it's ready in the evening." Ji Zheng touched Ji Hean's wrinkled nose and said with a chuckle.
"Okay." Ji Hean answered obediently.
After seeing Ji Hean off, Ji Zheng turned around and went back to his room to fiddle with his fireworks.
The production of fireworks in ancient times is actually similar to that of gunpowder, using three raw materials: saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal.
Saltpeter is the oxidant, sulfur is the fuel, and charcoal is used to regulate the burning speed.
However, in addition to these materials, some auxiliary materials are also needed, such as paper, twine, glue and the like.
Ji Zheng planned to use a bamboo tube as a fireworks barrel, so he only needed to mix charcoal, saltpeter and sulfur in a certain proportion, put them into the bamboo tube, and then fix it with twine.
Of course, since it is for making fireworks, Ji Zheng added some other metal powders and pigments to it so that it would produce beautiful colors when it exploded.
After spending more than an hour to finish, Ji Zheng let out a breath and looked at the fireworks barrel on the table. Thinking of the joy on Ji Hean's faces when he saw it in the evening, Ji Zheng became extremely excited.
Ji Hean was still thinking about the surprise that Ji Zheng had given him, and was a little absent-minded when chatting with Mu Ya and the others.
As soon as it got dark, Ji Hean looked at Ji Zheng eagerly, waiting for the surprise he would tell her.
Seeing those big eyes full of anticipation, Ji Zheng thought it was both funny and cute. He couldn't help but kiss Ji Hean's eyes, "I've kept you waiting for so long."
Ji Hean puffed his cheeks and rubbed Ji Zheng's palm embarrassedly.
Ji Zheng likes his chubby little wife very much.
After picking up the prepared things, Ji Zheng took Ji Hean to the suburbs in a carriage. There was no curfew in the Jin Dynasty.
After all, that thing would explode and the noise was quite loud, so Ji Zheng couldn't put it in the city.
When they arrived at a deserted place, Ji Zheng placed the bamboo tube, put earplugs in Ji He'an's ears first, and then asked Ji He'an to stay away from them. Then he took out the fire starter from his sleeve and lit the fuse.
Then Ji Hean saw a scene that he would never forget for the rest of his life.
The colorful fireworks exploded in the air like a huge flower, and then fell down like shooting stars.
Very beautiful, very beautiful, even more beautiful than the fireworks they saw during the Spring Festival at the end of last year.
"It looks good, right?" Ji Zheng looked at Ji He'an who was already stunned, and said with a look of pride.
Ji Hean was still immersed in the beautiful scenery, with the scene of the flaming trees and silver flowers constantly replaying in his mind.
"Are you stupid?" Ji Zheng stretched out his hand and waved it in front of Ji He's eyes.
Then the next second, Ji Hean hugged him, with a huge look of surprise on his face, "So beautiful! How did you do that!"
With his arms firmly around Ji Hean's waist, Ji Zheng smiled and said, "Guess?"
Ji Hean couldn't guess, and didn't know how to guess. He just thought Ji Zheng was so powerful, like a god in heaven who knew everything.
Suddenly he thought of something, his head came out of Ji Zheng's arms, and his eyes stared straight into Ji Zheng's eyes.
"What's wrong?" Ji Zheng asked.
Ji Hean hesitated for a long time before he said, "Are you my Ah Lang?"
"Of course." Ji Zheng answered without thinking, but then he felt that Ji Hean's question was a bit strange, "Why do you ask that?"
Ji Hean didn't answer, but tightened her grip on him, as if he might run away. "Then...will you leave me?"
Ji Zheng has always been smart. After thinking about it over and over again, he figured it out. Ji Hean discovered that he was not the original owner.
But Ji Zheng was not surprised by this. He knew that sooner or later Ji Hean would know many of the things he revealed in front of Ji Hean.
"No, unless I die, you will always be mine." Ji Zheng touched Ji Hean's beautiful shoulder blades soothingly and spoke softly.
Ji Hean didn't want to ask who Ji Zheng was. He only knew that Ji Zheng was very good to him, Ji Zheng liked him, and he also liked Ji Zheng.
After getting the answer, Ji Hean breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out of Ji Zheng's arms with a smile, "Anything else? I want to see more!"
Unexpectedly, Ji Hean changed the topic so quickly. Ji Zheng was stunned for a moment, "Is Hean not afraid?"
"But you are my Ah Lang, and you just said that you would not leave me. Why are you afraid?" Ji Hean looked at Ji Zheng with confusion.
It was hard to describe the feeling, Ji Zheng just felt as if his heart was soaking in a warm hot spring, so comfortable that it made him tremble all over.
"Yes, as long as He An wants to see it, there are as many as possible."
Ji Zheng, who was moved by Ji Hean's words, also made a domineering speech.
As the saying goes, if you don't do it, you won't get killed. Although the two men were setting off fireworks in the suburbs, the noise made by the fireworks was quite loud, so they were arrested.
Yes, Ji Zheng was confused when a group of soldiers surrounded him, but he figured out the reason after a while.
Then he felt like he was such an idiot. He only thought about how Ji Hean had never seen fireworks and how he wanted to feast Ji Hean's eyes on them, but he forgot the impact of the fireworks.
If it wasn't Xiao Ming who led the troops today, Ji Zheng felt that he would have been in jail by now.
As early as when Ji Zheng and his team set off the first firework, they were discovered by the guarding soldiers.
The sound and smell were very similar to gunpowder, so the soldiers reported it.
Gunpowder was still a state secret, and this was a major military intelligence, so Xiao Ming came.
When he saw Ji Zheng and Ji Hean, he was also stunned for a moment.
"Did you two make the gunpowder, Master Ji?"
There was a smell of sulfur all around, and as soon as Xiao Ming approached, he was sure that this was the formula for gunpowder.
Looking at the soldiers in armor holding cold weapons around him, Ji Zheng cursed in his heart, but still smiled slightly, "General Xiao, this is a misunderstanding."
"misunderstanding?"
Then Ji Zheng briefly explained the whole story and of course told some lies.
“...So that’s it.” Ji Zheng said.
After listening to Ji Zheng's explanation, the soldiers around him twitched their eyes, especially Xiao Ming. Although he was wearing a mask, one could still see a speechless expression on his face.
"You mean you just wanted to make your husband happy, so you invented gunpowder, no, you invented this firework that looks like gunpowder?"
Every time he spoke a word, Xiao Ming felt the corners of his mouth twitching. Who would believe such a ridiculous thing?
But Ji Zheng nodded very seriously, "Yes."
Xiao Ming was silent for a while, then said, "Master Ji should go and talk to His Majesty in person."
After saying this, he turned to the others and said, "Send Master Ji back."
Then Ji Zheng and Ji Hean went to the palace to meet the emperor late at night without any preparation.
Of course it is not active, it is passive.
Seeing Ji Hean biting his lips nervously, Ji Zheng felt so distressed, "Don't be afraid, nothing will happen."
Ji Hean was very worried and felt very guilty, "It's all my fault. If I didn't want to see it, Alang wouldn't have..."
"It's not your fault." Zheng quickly interrupted Ji He'an, "I didn't think it through. He'an is not wrong."
"But.....if..."
Although Ji Hean didn't finish his words, Ji Zheng knew what he wanted to say.
Holding the man in his arms, Ji Zheng kissed Ji Hean's face, rubbed his hands, and kept comforting him with words like "It's okay, don't be afraid".
After a while, Ji Hean's mood stabilized.
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