Chapter 71
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The days ahead became more leisure, although it couldn’t exactly be called leisure since Ming Yu was still concerned about the performance of the Guard Battalion. Since the invaders
had legs, they wouldn’t stay in one place waiting for reinforcements. However, now that their traces were revealed, with the pursuit and blockade by the Guard Battalion and the commoners, they wouldn’t be able to evade for long.
In the past few days, Xie Yixiu seemed to have nothing to do. He occasionally came around, and Ming Yu couldn’t understand his actions. Wasn’t Shi Chongguan in an urgent situation now? Why did he have time to come here?
However, Ming Yu didn’t bother much about it. He had his own tasks to attend to, and he couldn’t go to other places. He spent his time visiting the craftsmen’s workshop every day. As for Xie Yixiu, if he wanted to follow, he was welcome to do so.
The craftsmen had mixed feelings about Ming Yu’s visits. Whenever Ming Yu came, he brought unusual and imaginative ideas. Things that were seemingly impossible, when spoken by Ming Yu, turned into matters of course that could exist.
Whenever Ming Yu spoke, they were left to execute the rest. Previously, they used to follow orders obediently, doing whatever was assigned to them from above. But now, it was like a big pie was placed in front of them, and they had to rely on their imagination to figure out how to create something that looked and felt impressive.
Ming Yu referred to this as research and development, which required an attitude of innovation, creating unprecedented things that would leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
…Leaving a lasting legacy, gaining worldwide fame and so on, these were aspirations beyond their grasp. They were simply craftsmen, earning their living with their skills. They had never thought of creating something extraordinary that would shock the world!
However, the items they had produced recently, like the Thousand-Mile Eye and the glass products, were all incredibly marvelous. Even if they were casually placed on the market, they would astonish people. It was said that the glass mirrors, wine glasses, and vases that the merchant caravan took to the capital were snatched up by everyone. Now the caravan was heading to the Western Regions, carrying glass products with them. It was unknown what kind of sensation it would create.
The effects of these items were obvious. However, during their development, they had lost countless nights of sleep, with their heads constantly occupied by thoughts of how to create these items and how to improve further. Nobody knew how much gray hair they had grown due to this, but when they succeeded, the sense of pride and accomplishment in their hearts was beyond compare. This was why they both respected and feared Ming Yu.
“How about it? Do any of you have any opinions?” Ming Yu looked around and asked with a smile.
Everyone exchanged glances, their faces showing a mix of bitterness and confusion.
Elder Huang stepped forward a couple of steps, his face flushed. “Based on what you’ve said, I’ve researched many ancient texts, and finally, I’ve found a bit of relevant information.”
Ming Yu nodded and said, “Elder Huang, please share.”
Elder Huang didn’t stand on ceremony. He sat down right across from Ming Yu and twiddled his white beard with two fingers. He began, “Wang Ye, I found only a fragment of information in the book ‘Piao Fang.’ It records that several centuries ago, alchemists attempted to refine elixirs. During the process, there were towering flames and thunderous roars. After the commotion subsided, people went to inspect and found the buildings flattened to the ground, with a large crater on the ground and debris scattered around. However, I’m not sure if this has any connection to the things you mentioned, Wang Ye.”
A few days ago, Wang Ye rushed over and gathered everyone for a meeting. He announced that the Thousand-Mile Eyes need not be produced anymore. They barely had a chance to exhale in relief when Wang Ye hit them with the crux of the matter – to develop a tremendously powerful substance capable of blasting open rocks and mountains.
Indeed, every time Wang Ye appeared at the Workshop, it heralded another challenging task. What could possibly blast open rocks and mountains? If such a thing existed, who would need the endeavor of the Foolish Old Man Removing the Mountains*? Oh, Wang Ye! We could make a hundred and eighty more Thousand-Mile Eyes, but please spare us this puzzle!
Note: it’s a story about an old man and his family trying to remove two mountains obstructing their path, the old man stated that if he can’t complete it in this life then his descendents will continue until it’s completed.
Ming Yu smiled warmly, “Believe in yourselves. You can create miracles.”
“…” Believe in yourself, my foot.
Hearing Elder Huang’s words, Ming Yu felt gratified and nodded, “Thank you for your efforts, Elder Huang.”
Having some direction was good. Now they could anticipate progress, he believed they wouldn’t disappoint him. What Ming Yu wanted was something for mining, road construction, and hydraulic engineering, a blasting material. With this, river excavation and channel construction would become much easier.
Xie Yixiu looked at Ming Yu, silent but with a different expression in his eyes. The current Ming Yu could certainly capture everyone’s attention.
For General Xie, who had been frequently by Wang Ye’ side lately, the others were already accustomed. Hearing that the guards around His Highness had been sent out, General Xie accompanied Wang Ye for his safety.
At this moment, the onlookers, puzzled by the conversation, had no idea of the connection between alchemy and the thing Wang Ye mentioned. Nonetheless, they still perked up their ears to listen.
“Wang Ye, this humble one has delved into various Daoist alchemical studies. ‘By combining sulfur and orpiment with saltpeter, and then roasting with honey, it will produce a fiery eruption that, when intense, could even scorch dwellings,'” Elder Huang said, pausing at this point, his face showing a touch of difficulty. He sighed and continued, “However, there is one thing this humble one still does not understand.”
Seeing that, Ming Yu regained his composure, nodding to signal Elder Huang to continue.
Elder Huang cleared his throat and began, “Wang Ye, although the intensity of this fire is substantial, it’s essentially just a combustion process. Your intention, however, is to blast open rocky pathways. This is where I find myself somewhat perplexed. No matter how fierce the flames, they can’t possibly cause rocks to rupture or shatter, let alone pulverize them, as you desire, Wang Ye.”
Elder Huang had delved into numerous books, but aside from a small booklet called “Piao Fang,” which recorded scenes that bore some resemblance to what Ming Yu had described, the rest did not mention anything of this sort. Thus, he couldn’t be certain if the direction he was pursuing based on his findings was accurate.
Upon realizing the nature of the issue, Mingyue smiled. It was indeed two distinct matters. First and foremost, they needed to develop the formula for creating the fire and explosive mixture before proceeding to the next step. Elder Huang’s inquiry indicated his diligence.
In the original world, gunpowder was one of the Four Great Inventions and gradually found military applications, giving rise to weapons like rockets, fireballs, and fire lances, all capable of causing significant damage.
However, in this world, people hadn’t attached much importance to it. Gunpowder was merely an occasional byproduct of alchemical experiments gone awry for the Taoist scholars. No one really paid it much attention. Ming Yu recalled that in his former world, gunpowder wasn’t extensively utilized in military contexts until a thousand years after its invention. Yet here, they hadn’t made the most of this discovery. Regrettably, others eventually took advantage of it as a powerful tool against them. It was truly a lamentable situation!
“We need to proceed step by step. First, we must understand the ingredient that triggers such reactions. Once we’ve deduced the formula, we can replicate it, test its power, and work towards stable development. We should gain a thorough understanding of its properties before moving on to the next step of enhancing its explosive potential,” Ming Yu contemplated and then spoke.
It’s important not to rush! He had to give them time and let them proceed at their own pace.
The craftsman workshop quickly sprang into action. Except for the apprentices on the periphery, everyone else became busy.
Ming Yu could keep an eye on them to ensure they didn’t stray from the right path. He knew the ingredient and could provide some hints. In fact, the information Elder Huang found in the books already contained clues. Even if he didn’t share it, he believed it wouldn’t take long for them to discover the correct formula.
The only thing that troubled Ming Yuwas that he didn’t know the exact ratios for these three ingredients. He regretted not memorizing the proportions. On second thought, he had no idea why he ended up in this world. If he had known in advance, he wouldn’t have made such mistakes. Not only for the fire and explosive recipe, but also for steelmaking and cement formulation – wouldn’t it have been fantastic to have those crucial methods recorded? They were all essential for construction and development.
Now there’s no other way, they can only rely on the craftsmen to experiment slowly. It might take a bit longer, but with a clear direction, it will significantly shorten the time.
“Why has Wang Ye been coming to our craftsman workshop every day recently?” a man with a sincere appearance observed Ming Yu and General Xie Yixiu as they walked away, then quietly asked a young fellow who was working alongside him.
The young man raised his head, having already grown accustomed to such occurrences. “Just focus on your work! If Wang Ye wants to come, he’ll come. It doesn’t interfere with what we’re doing.”
The sincere man chuckled, “I’m just curious. It’s not every day that commoners like us get to see someone like Wang Ye.”
The young man nodded, “That’s right. You’re new here, Wu Qi, so you wouldn’t know. But after a while, you’ll get used to it and won’t find it strange anymore.” He stood up straight and continued, “Wang Ye values our craftsman workshop a lot. He often comes to check on things. This time, I heard he’s come up with some new and intriguing idea, so he’s been coming here every day to guide and advise the masters.”
Curious, Wu Qi asked, “Intriguing ideas? Could it be that Wang Ye himself is going to do our craftsmen’s work?”
The young man chuckled and shook his head, “Impossible! It’s already quite remarkable that Wang Ye would honor us with his presence at the craftsman workshop. Why would he personally do the work? According to the older folks at the workshop, Wang Ye comes up with the concepts, and they carry them out accordingly.”
Wu Qi suddenly realized and nodded repeatedly, “I see! So, that thing called the ‘Thousand-Mile Eye’ was also made according to Wang Ye’s instructions?”
“Exactly! The Thousand-Mile Eye is truly remarkable. They say it can see places thousands of miles away. Just think about it, such abilities are probably only possessed by immortals. That’s why our Wang Ye possesses these godlike techniques, that’s what led the craftsmen to create it,” the young man said with immense pride.
Wu Qi exclaimed repeatedly and marveled, displaying a demeanor as if he had never seen the world before. “It’s a pity, though. If only I could take a glimpse through such a Thousand-Mile Eye.”
The young man cast a sidelong glance at him and continued to bend over to work. “Give it up, will you? Don’t pine for it. Such divine objects are not something you and I can behold. Focus on your work!”
A faint glimmer of ambiguity flashed in Wu Qi’s eyes as he saw Ming Yu’s figure disappear around the corner. He then lowered his gaze and resumed his work.
“The things mentioned by Wang Ye seem to possess immense power,” Xie Yixiu murmured softly. “Perhaps they could be used within the military.”
Upon hearing these words, Ming Yu stumbled for a moment, nearly losing his balance. Fortunately, Xie Yixiu was quick to react, reaching out and steadying him. Ming Yu regained his footing and rubbed his forehead, which had been bumped by Xie Yixiu’s solid frame. He couldn’t help but wonder how this man was built. He appeared slender, yet his body felt so sturdy.
As this thought crossed his mind, Ming Yu refocused on the matter at hand—Xie Yixiu’s recent comment. Ming Yu couldn’t help but marvel. General Xie truly lived up to his reputation. Even before the items had been fully developed, he was already considering their feasibility.
Ming Yu chuckled awkwardly and said, “General Xie, why did you say that?”
Xie Yixiu looked at the person in front of him, with those bright peach blossom eyes that were now watery due to the recent collision, reflecting a pure and clear shimmer.
“Does it hurt?” Xie Yixiu asked in a somewhat unrelated manner.
“Huh?!” Ming Yu was momentarily stunned by the unexpected question.
Xie Yixiu’s mood lightened, and he pointed at Ming Yu’s forehead, saying, “You’re all red from the collision.”
Ming Yu finally understood the implication in Xie Yixiu’s words. He touched the spot that had been bumped again and casually said, “It’s nothing. My skin is too sensitive. Even a slight bump turns it all blue and purple. It looks serious, but it’s actually nothing at all.”
Xie Yixiu’s lips curved slightly as he responded to Ming Yu’s earlier question, “The thing Wang Ye mentioned, called ‘fire,’ is highly flammable and has significant destructive power. If used well, it should be able to cause harm to the enemy.”
However, this was purely his imaginative thinking. The specific details were unknown as the actual substance hadn’t been created yet.
Ming Yu shook his head, his features charmingly curved into a playful smile, “The specifics of this thing are unclear, but if General Xie ever finds a use for it in the future, I would be honoured. As you’ve seen, the craftsmen have been working tirelessly day and night to develop it, and I’ve put in a fair amount of effort as well. So, you know, it’s only fair for there to be some compensation for the hard work.”
Xie Yixiu shook his head, thinking that the little fox-like Ming Yu had truly become concerned about financial matters. However, every aspect of him was indeed quite captivating.
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