Chapter 80
Of course, this is not enough. I already have a gift for my nephew, so how can I be left out?
Liu Ju curled his lips and became busy again.
Soon, January arrived. Cao Zong's birthday was a full moon.
On this day, the Pingyang Marquis's mansion was crowded with guests, and gifts were sent into the side room like water.
Liu Ju looked around curiously, and wow, the boxes at the bottom were not opened, but on the top layer alone he saw seventeen pure gold longevity locks, sixteen pairs of pure gold babies, several gold and jade longevity locks, and a dazzling array of other rare treasures.
It would take the maid most of the day just to count the gift list and register it.
Liu Ju opened his mouth wide. "Zong'er's full-month celebration was so grand! The gold and silver he reaped would rival what ordinary merchants would accumulate in decades. Wow, wow, wow, wow, what does it mean to become rich overnight? This is it."
Huo Guang chuckled, "As the son of Marquis Pingyang and Princess Wei Chang, the gifts he brings to congratulate us are already generous. Furthermore, the Emperor and Empress are here in person today, demonstrating their immense grace. Shouldn't the gift list be even more substantial?"
Liu Ju nodded: "The little guy is so lucky."
The commentary said, "All roads lead to Rome." The little guy was born in Rome. His starting point in life is much higher than what most people in this world strive for decades to reach. What else could that be but a blessing?
It can be seen that reincarnation is a technical job.
Thinking of this, Liu Ju was very proud: "My reincarnation skills are pretty good too."
Huo Guang & Wei Buyi: ...
After watching the excitement, Liu Ju headed for the front yard. After a month of recuperation, Wei Chang was able to go out. Her complexion was rosy and her face was pretty, not at all like a woman who had just given birth. It was clear that she had taken excellent care of herself during her pregnancy and confinement.
A group of people, some of them were chatting with the Chief Guard, while others were teasing Cao Zong.
Huo Qubing was the first to see him and said with a smile, "Didn't you say you prepared a gift for Zong'er, claiming it was unique and one of a kind in the world? Now everyone's gifts have been given, where's yours?"
Liu Ju pursed his lips and raised his head: "My gift is not suitable for daytime delivery, it needs to wait until night."
Everyone: ???
What kind of gift can't be given during the day? Is there such a gift in the world?
Liu Ju narrowed his eyes and smiled slyly, "Not only can this gift not be delivered during the day, it's also not suitable to be delivered at the Pingyang Marquis's residence. Today's lunch is a celebration banquet prepared by my elder sister and I for our nephew, for all our guests and friends.
"Tonight, I've prepared a family dinner in the palace. There won't be anyone else but our family. I'll let you see it all clearly then. How about that?"
These words aroused everyone's curiosity. They all raised their eyebrows and said yes.
So the guest banquet was spent in a lively but ordinary manner. In the evening, the chief guard Cao Xiang took Cao Zong to the palace.
Although it was called a family dinner, Liu Ju set the standards very high, and not all "family members" could attend.
Aside from his father, the Empress Dowager, and his elder sister, only two of his younger brothers, Huo Guang and Wei Buyi, were allowed to study with him. The rest were ordered to return home to their mothers. Even Liu Hong was no exception.
The dinner was served, but Liu Ju still did not move.
Liu Che glanced at him and said, "How long are you going to keep this secret?"
Liu Ju pointed out the window and said, "Night is falling and it's getting dark. It's almost time."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a whooshing sound, followed by a loud bang, and a dazzling light flashed outside the window.
Wei Qing and Huo Qubing subconsciously wanted to protect the emperor, and their bodies moved reflexively. Halfway through, they realized that they were in the palace, thought of Liu Ju's words, and stopped.
Everyone looked out the window.
But there was another "whoosh" and "bang" sound, and the light flashed again.
Liu Che opened his eyes wide: "This is..."
Liu Ju stood up, smiled and extended his hand as a gesture of "please", and led everyone to the corridor outside the hall. There were no doors or windows blocking the view, so the view was wide.
A series of whoosh and bang sounds erupted, and everyone could see directly that, in parallel with the sounds, beams of light shot straight into the sky, exploding high in the air, scattering in all directions and transforming into tiny specks of starlight.
Whoosh, bang.
There were bursts of sound, and soon, countless balls of light shot up into the sky, instantly illuminating the dark night like day. The balls of light bloomed like flowers, and countless stars fell, like a golden mist and rain.
There has never been such a unique golden mist in the world, so colorful and gorgeous.
It seems far away in the sky, yet seems within reach.
Liu Che and the others were stunned, speechless, and for a moment, they forgot they could even speak. Shi Yi's face was filled with disbelief: "Is this... is this true?"
She rubbed her eyes. Was she sure she wasn't seeing things? How could there be golden flowers blooming in the sky and golden rain falling?
Surprisingly, the most enthusiastic person was the infant Cao Zong. The baby had been asleep for a long time and just happened to be awake at this moment. Surprisingly, he was not frightened by the loud noises. Instead, he was very happy to see the dazzling fireworks, babbling and dancing, giggling.
Lanlin Hall.
Liu Hong was already preparing for sleep, already in bed, when a voice suddenly rang out. The first sound startled him, for it was so familiar to him. The second, he leaped to his feet and flung open the window.
Looking at the golden mist and rain all over the sky, Liu Hong's face suddenly changed, and he was shocked and horrified, and his face turned pale and blue. He muttered, "Fireworks, it's fireworks!"
Fireworks are nothing special. But they require gunpowder and saltpeter.
And saltpeter gunpowder...
Liu Hong's heart tightened. Had Liu Ju already developed the ultimate weapon, the gunpowder bullet?
This was comparable to divine weapons sent from heaven in the era of cold weapons.
He had thought that if he could get the golden finger back, he could make more inventions and eventually overshadow Liu Ju's current fame and glory. But if Liu Ju could make all the □□, what inventions in the future could rival it?
Most importantly, although there are many things in the library, not everything can be created. Many of them are things that are known in some way or another, but cannot be achieved with the existing technology of the Han Dynasty.
There were only so many things that could be accomplished. Liu Ju was so fast, if the other party had done everything they could, even if he got the things back, what would be the point?
Liu Hong's face was gloomy and his fists clenched unconsciously.
No, he had to think of a way.
Outside the palace.
folk.
"Look, what's that in the sky?"
"Oh my god, golden rain, golden rain."
"It's not rain. Rain has water droplets falling to the ground, but this doesn't."
"How strange! I clearly saw it falling, but how did it disappear in the air without any trace on the ground?"
"How beautiful! I've lived for decades, and I've never seen anything like it. Do you think it's a deity? Does it look like a goddess scattering flowers? A goddess's flowers are naturally different from ours, and there are no traces to be found. Right?"
The homes of court officials.
"The goddess scatters flowers... Are there really gods in this world?"
"No, that... that seems to be the direction of Weiyang Palace."
"Weiyang Palace? The Crown Prince! Could it be the Crown Prince? It seems the Crown Prince said that he would send a gift tonight to the nephew born to Princess Wei Chang. Could it be... impossible? This... how could this be possible? Such a miracle is not something a mortal could achieve!"
In the palace.
Liu Che and the others finally recovered from their shock and managed to regain their ability to speak: "What is this?"
Liu Ju narrowed his eyes. "This is called fireworks, also known as firecrackers. It also has a beautiful name, Fire Trees and Silver Flowers. Of course, there is also a mysterious name, Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers."
The goddess scatters flowers...
The fireworks were set off in the palace and could be seen throughout the city.
The captain's expression changed, and he finally understood why Liu Ju said that this gift was not suitable to be delivered at the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion and must be delivered in the palace.
Such a wonder could be called a miracle. How could such a miracle happen in the Marquis's residence? Naturally, it could only happen in the palace, where my father was.
Liu Che looked at Liu Ju with an equally complicated expression, but he still patiently asked, "How did you do it?"
Liu Ju waved his hand, and Yan Sui handed over two bamboo tubes: "Use this one. This one is bigger, the dotted line type. You need to place it on the ground and light the fuse with fire. The effect will be the same as what you just saw. This one is the unplugged type."
After saying that, Liu Ju pulled the fuse, whoosh, bang.
The sound was similar, but the fireworks in the sky were not big, only a beam of light. Compared with before, the effect seemed a little unsatisfactory.
"Although it's not beautiful enough, this thing doesn't need to be beautiful. It just needs to make sounds and light, and be audible and visible from a distance."
Can be heard and seen from a distance.
Liu Che's eyebrows twitched. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing had already said in unison: "Do you want to use this as a message?"
"Yes." Liu Ju turned the burning bamboo tube, "I call this a flare. It's used to send signals."
Liu Che twitched his nose and looked at the bamboo tube: "This smell..."
Knowing what he meant, Liu Ju nodded: "Made of saltpeter."
Liu Che's expression flickered, and he immediately understood: "On the day that Wei Chang gave birth, you went to Mount Li!"
What is there in Mount Li? There are numerous traps built by Baishan Gongshu, Qingzhuang, and Qingzhou. There are also massive workshops built within the canyon, and numerous alchemists busy in them. While others may not know what these alchemists are doing, Liu Che, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing know.
The three of them all changed color. Liu Che's face became serious, with hope in his eyes: "You... the gunpowder you mentioned..."
Liu Ju sighed and shook his head. "No. They've only made this. It's a far cry from the gunpowder I mentioned, capable of splitting mountains and digging rivers. But it's still progress. At least it shows they've touched upon the basics."
Liu Che's disappointment was visibly evident.
Huo Qubing frowned: "Even if I can touch the door, when can I enter and when can I get out?"
Liu Ju remained silent. He couldn't give an answer. Who knew?
Huo Qubing was helpless: "Three years ago, we already had many powerful weapons and new training methods. After three years of experience, our Han cavalry has long since become a fierce tiger army. Moreover, in the past three years, the Gewusi has also improved the bow and arrow.
"Three years ago, we were able to defeat the Xiongnu. With another three years of accumulation, we are confident that we can achieve another great victory. We don't necessarily need gunpowder."
Liu Che and Wei Qing both understood what Huo Qubing meant.
Last year, the court proposed to conquer the Huns again. Liu Che was very interested and almost decided to do it, but Liu Ju pestered him for three days and three nights and persuaded him with countless reasons, so he put it on hold for the time being.
This has been on hold for a year, with no sign of a launch date.
Liu Ju pursed his lips and said, "I don't want to start a war again and again. I want to win the battle in one go and put an end to it once and for all."
Who doesn’t want to solve the problem once and for all?
If gunpowder were imminent, Liu Che and the other two would understand why they would wait a while. However, the question was whether and when gunpowder would become available. In this situation, was it time to wait forever until the Xiongnu grew stronger and staged a comeback?
Huo Qubing sighed softly, "You should trust my uncle and me. We have a great advantage against the Xiongnu right now. With proper strategic deployment, we can achieve victory in one battle even without gunpowder."
"We can't guarantee peace on the border for a hundred years, but at least for a few decades. We can guarantee it for a few decades first. A few decades is enough time for you to develop gunpowder."
This is the best option, but Liu Ju chose not to choose it.
"Wait a little longer."
Wei Qing and Huo Qubing were very puzzled.
Liu Che frowned: "Why?"
Liu Ju pursed his lips, glanced at Huo Qubing, then looked away. There were some things he couldn't say, so he could only say, "It's not that I don't trust my uncle and cousin. I trust you, and I trust the many good men of the Han Dynasty. That's why I want to minimize the damage."
Without gunpowder, casualties are inevitable if one wants to achieve the goal in one battle.
If there were gunpowder, even though there would still be casualties, most of them could be avoided.
"I want to achieve the greatest goal at the lowest cost."
Of course this is only one of the reasons, there is also a second reason.
The comments mentioned that Huo Qubing might have died young due to injuries sustained in the war and the underlying illness.
This was just one guess, not absolute. But Liu Ju had to be wary of every one of these. He couldn't let his cousin die; he couldn't afford the risk. When it came to his closest relatives, he didn't dare gamble, he couldn't afford to.
So far, Huo Qubing has not suffered any injuries or hidden illnesses. According to the information provided by the barrage, if this is true, it should have been left behind during the so-called "Battle of Mobei".
According to the progress of barrage time and space, the "Battle of Mobei" took place last year, which was the time when the court was hotly discussing it.
Liu Ju took a deep breath and said, "Give me a little more time, wait until next September. After September, whether the gunpowder development is successful or not, I will no longer stop it, okay?"
He looked at Liu Che, his eyes full of pleading, even begging.
This look shocked Liu Che for no reason. He didn't understand but felt inexplicably distressed.
Huo Qubing was full of doubt: "Why next September?"
Liu Ju couldn't give an answer. Was he supposed to say, "That was your death in another time and space?" In the historical process of the barrage time and space, Huo Qubing died in September of the following year. This was a key point.
While the time and space were different, and many things were different, many things remained the same. Liu Ju wasn't sure if this "mortal crisis" would be the same. So, again, he didn't dare gamble when it came to his loved ones; he couldn't afford it.
He knew he couldn't use the gunpowder excuse to drag the war out over and over again, but he had to at least drag it out until this critical moment. Once that critical moment was over, the key fulcrum would change, and the future might be different.
"It'll only be a little over a year. I estimate we'll have a major breakthrough on the gunpowder issue within a year. Is that okay?"
More than a year is not too long, they can afford to wait.
Liu Che thought about it, but in the end, he could not bear his pleading attitude and nodded in agreement: "Okay, I will wait until September of next year. After September, no matter how the gunpowder research goes, this matter will be discussed again."
Liu Ju breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "Thank you, father."
Wei Qing and Huo Qubing looked at each other, feeling that something was not right with Liu Ju, but they didn't know what. But it was obvious that His Majesty should know something. It seemed that the father and son had a secret, a big secret.
They couldn't delve too deeply into the secrets of the crown prince, so they could only suppress this strange feeling.
Liu Che glanced at the sky. The fireworks had long since died out, but the scent still lingered.
"You dare to make such a big fuss without any gunpowder."
The commotion was unprecedented, and people all over the city who saw it didn't know what to think.
Liu Ju, on the other hand, was quite pleased: "Why not? Father, with the directions and recipes I provided, it took the best alchemists in the world three years to finally create firecrackers.
"Other people don't know the basics, not even what gunpowder is. Just watching a rain of fireworks, even if they were given their whole life, they would never be able to figure out the basics. In the end, they can only attribute it to a miracle from heaven."
A miracle from heaven...
Liu Che understood instantly: "Are you deliberately making this matter worse?"
Liu Ju handed the bamboo tube to Yan Sui and said, "Father, we haven't started a war in the past three years. We have our reasons. What about the Xiongnu? In the past three years, the Xiongnu have not made any major moves, and have not even carried out the usual looting and harassment."
It was precisely because of this that he was able to delay the war. Otherwise, even if he had said all sorts of things and given all sorts of reasons, he would not have been able to stop Liu Che from going to war. And he could not have just stood by and watched the Xiongnu's arrogant provocations and tolerated them again and again.
Liu Ju's eyes flickered slightly: "Does this conform to the usual nature of the Xiongnu?"
Of course not. Given the Xiongnu's temperament, they wouldn't stand still. Such actions are truly abnormal.
"They are waiting and watching." Wei Qing's eyes were deep. "They suffered heavy losses in the battle three years ago. It dealt a heavy blow to them both in terms of manpower and morale, but it wasn't enough to intimidate them and deter them from attacking the Han Dynasty.
"What really made them hesitate was the horse gear, the telescope that could spy on the enemy from a thousand miles away, our cavalry whose combat power had suddenly increased significantly, the kites, hang gliders and hot air balloons, and the unpredictable and impossible-to-prevent surprise attacks.
"These have all been seen before. They've all experienced them before. Using the same strategy again, they're all prepared, so they might not be afraid. We might not be able to achieve the same results as last time. But all of these things came from the hands of one person."
This person is Liu Ju.
This is what makes the Huns afraid.
A little inquiry would reveal just how powerful Liu Ju was. He was like a cornucopia, constantly pulling out treasures from his belly. These treasures were almost all unprecedented, shocking the world.
He can make horse harnesses, telescopes, wooden kites, hot air balloons, etc. God knows what more amazing things he has hidden.
Didn't they also know nothing before telescopes, wooden kites, hot air balloons and other devices were used in the war?
This unknown was too terrifying. It was possible that the big man had hidden more powerful means, just waiting for them to take the bait. If they went, they would be killed for nothing.
In this situation, how could they not be cautious?
But just as the Han could not drag their feet any longer, the Xiongnu, no matter how cautious they were, would not continue to delay. Liu Ju considered three years to be the limit.
Even if the Han Dynasty did not fight, the Xiongnu would still move. So he needed to make some more noise to suppress the Xiongnu's restless heart.
"Father, do you think that the Xiongnu haven't moved in the past three years? They really haven't moved at all?" Liu Ju curled his lips, "Just because their borders haven't moved, and their troops haven't moved, doesn't mean their spies haven't moved.
"They will definitely try to find out whether we have any special weapons and what kind of special weapons we have.
"I've made quite a few things in the past three years, but they all fall under the category of 'human'. Father, do you think this rain of fireworks looks like the work of ghosts or gods?"
In the eyes of those who are not in the know, this is not something that a mortal can do. It is like a fairy scattering flowers, a miracle.
"Father, do you think the Xiongnu Chanyu would think this was some kind of demonic trick?"
Liu Che's eyes darkened. "If this is the work of ghosts and gods, it must be a miracle from heaven. How can a mere Xiongnu like him touch the Han Dynasty, which is protected by the gods? He can fight against humans, so how can he fight against gods?"
"If it wasn't divine, but man-made, it was your own creation. Considering all your previous creations, isn't it even more terrifying to have someone with such power comparable to that of gods and demons?"
Therefore, no matter which one the Huns believed, they would be afraid, disputes would arise within the royal court, and the court would fall into hesitation again.
Huo Qubing raised his eyebrows and said, "This will indeed give the Xiongnu some rest. Even if it still doesn't last long, it will be enough to last until September next year."
Liu Che shook his head and looked at Liu Ju with a raised lip: "Your purpose must be more than just this."
Liu Ju smiled but said nothing.
Liu Che continued, "If the Xiongnu have sent spies into the capital in the past three years, they will definitely take action after today. You are trying to lure the snake out of its hole."
Liu Ju narrowed his eyes, knowing that he was like a fox: "Not only the Xiongnu, but all the demons and monsters, as long as they have thoughts, will inevitably move. We can all observe. Besides..."
He pointed to the west and said, "This kind of 'miracle' will spread quickly. We can also test the attitude of the Western Regions."
Kill two birds with one stone.
Huo Qubing had a complicated expression. In just a few years, the pure white milk ball had evolved into a black sesame.
"You said it was a full-moon gift for Zong'er. Are you really giving a gift, or are you using the name of a gift to achieve your own goals? You're not giving a gift, you're clearly using Zong'er as a cover."
Liu Ju paused, then glared at Huo Qubing: "Why are you only growing in brains but not in emotional intelligence? Your words are still so unpleasant."
After spending many years with him, people close to him have become accustomed to his new words and have roughly understood the meaning of these new words, so there is no need to ask what emotional intelligence is.
"Can't I give gifts and do something else? Can't I do both?"
Huo Qubing: ...Is this how you use a two-pronged approach?
Liu Ju raised his eyebrows: "And who told you that this is the only gift I gave you!"
Huo Qubing: Eh?
Liu Ju snorted and pushed him aside, then walked over to the guard with a clever smile, "I have another gift, for Zong'er, and even more so for my sister. Everyone, give it to Zong'er to celebrate his full moon.
"I felt sorry for the hardship Sister went through during childbirth, so I prepared an extra gift, made especially for her. Zong'er was just a side gift."
You said this with such confidence, you are just bullying Cao Zong because he is young and can't understand.
Liu Ju disagreed. He loved Cao Zong because he loved his wife and his wife. But his sister was the "wife," so what was wrong with being so confident?
He blinked, took out a small clay pot the size of a palm and handed it to the captain.
The pottery jar is ordinary, nothing special about it.
The captain of the guard was a little confused. At Liu Ju's suggestion, he opened the lid and saw a jar full of small "gravels" inside. They were white, delicate, and crystal clear, just like the first snow in winter.
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