There was silence in the hall, you could hear a pin drop.
Rong Shangshu’s back was soaked with cold sweat. He really didn’t mean it!
It was normal for scholars to despise craftsmen. But everyone had always only expressed contempt in their hearts, but it had not been shown on their faces.
Rong Shangshu was a true warrior! How dare he directly refuted at His Majesty’s face!
The young Emperor frowned slightly, his expression clearly displeased. He wanted to praise his son’s skills, this bastard actually refuted it!
How irritating! Rong Weijing was simply unreasonable!
Seeing that he was a member of the neutral faction, the Emperor wanted to use his son to win him over to the reformist faction, but now it seemed that was a wrong decision .
“Rong Xi, the great man of the Rong family, has fantastic ideas and the ability to make tools. He is also kind and open-minded. He has an elegant and quiet nature. I want to give a thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of silk. What do you think, the ministers?”
Cheng Hao was about to speak, but when he saw Qin Ke giving him a cold look, he suddenly became timid and felt extremely aggrieved.
The rest of the ministers thought that the reward of money and silk was nothing, and that the Holy One must not really want to promote merchants and craftsmen, so they all said, “Your Majesty is wise.”
After retreating from the court, all the ministers came out together.
Rong Weijing’s heart was still beating wildly and he was still sweating. Hearing a cold snort next to him, he turned to look.
Cheng Hao glared at him fiercely and walked away in anger.
Rong Weijing: “…” Crazy Cheng! He really had a brain disease!
Rong Xi didn’t know anything about the disputes in the court.
He was asking Hu Yulin to buy tin foil and mercury. During the Wei Dynasty, tinfoil paper was often used to make money, and there should be a lot of it on the market.
Hu Yulin had a wide network and quickly purchased a lot of tinfoil and mercury.
He didn’t know what Rong Xi was used for, but as time went by, once Rong Xi wanted to buy new materials, there must be a new thing coming out.
He poked secretly and waited.
As expected, within a few days, Rong Xi brought a new thing and invited him to Jiang’s iron shop.
“Brother Rong, what is it?” Hu Yulin was quite curious when he saw that the cloth bag in his hand was not big.
As Lady Jiang was present, Rong Xi handed over the bag and said with a smile, “This is for Lady Jiang.”
The three of them thought he was joking, and Lady Jiang took it with a smile. After opening it, she immediately exclaimed.
Hu Yulin and Jiang Weiping also came closer to take a look.
It was a square piece of glass. Although it was said to be glass, it was not glass. The glass was transparent, but this object can illuminate people’s faces.
“This is…” Lady Jiang saw her clear face in the mirror and was completely in disbelief.
Rong Xi’s eyebrows were curved, he was handsome and gentle, “A gift for you.”
It was natural to give the mirror to a girl.
In the Wei Dynasty, all people used bronze mirrors to see their faces, which were not clear. Therefore, after making glass, Rong Xi began to think about mirrors.
Purchasing tinfoil and mercury to cover one side of the glass to make it look like a mirror.
“Brother Rong!” Hu Yulin got a glimpse of the business opportunity again and excitedly shook his wrist, “You are really, really…”
He couldn’t describe it in words. His brother kept surprising him. It was like a god descending to the earth!
Rong Xi saw him like this and was also excited. He winked mischievously and said, “Do you want to sell it?”
To him, these things were ordinary, but in the hearts of Wei’s people, they were enough to cause a sensation.
Rong Xi couldn’t feel the same way, but when he saw the three people were excited, he suddenly felt heroic.
“Yes! It would benefit everyone! Hahaha.”
Hu Yulin smiled happily and suddenly took him into his arms and hugged him, “You are very good.”
These are words of excitement and words from the bottom of my heart.
The young boy in his arms was well-behaved, docile, and open-minded. Although he had only known him for a few months, it was impossible not to like him.
Not just because of business opportunities, but more because of his gentlemanly character.
It was both cherished and admired.
Feeling his beating heart, Rong Xi smiled slightly and reached out to pat his back slowly, “If brother Hu hadn’t helped me, I wouldn’t have been able to make these tools.”
Hu Yulin took a deep breath, let go of Rong Xi, his eyes were extremely soft, “You are a genius, I should do those common things.”
The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.
“I’d like to find Master Feng and ask him to make some frames.” Rong Xi finished speaking and prepared to leave.
The three people immediately expressed their intention to go together.
When he arrived at the Feng family, he met Feng Shan and expressed his intention to come. When Feng Shan saw the mirror, he was extremely shocked and naturally agreed.
“Master Feng, after the work is completed, I still need your help to send one to Shengjing.”
Rong Xi made several mirrors, one of which he planned to send to the Prince’s palace as a reward for Qin Ke’s help in reaching the Emperor.
Feng Shan had no reason to refuse.
A few days later, an urgent letter was sent to the Prince’s palace, and along with it was a package from Mengshan.
After Qin Ke returned from the palace, he saw Chen Chuangu approaching with a smile and something in his hands.
“Feng Shan sent something here, what do you think it is?”
Hearing that it was Feng Shan, Qin Ke stood up, took the letter and package from his hands, and opened it immediately.
The handwriting was unique and easy to read, and the corners of his lips were slightly raised.
Chen Chuangu raised his eyebrows and moved closer to take a look, but was rudely waved aside. When he saw that Qin Ke’s face was extremely soft, he couldn’t help but touch his chin and his mind was spinning.
The cold-faced King Qin seemed to have changed recently, and the matters concerning Rong Xi were treated very different from ordinary ones.
There was indeed a ghost.
“What did Rong Xi give you?” Chen Chuangu pretended to open the package.
Qin Ke glanced at him sharply, took back the package, and said expressionlessly: “The letter said it was a mirror.”
“Mirror?” Chen Chuangu laughed suddenly, “Why did he give you a mirror?”
What kind of mirror did you, a manly man, need? That was what little ladies do.
Rong Xi was really naughty.
Qin Ke’s face grew colder. He opened the package and opened Feng’s wooden box, only to see an exquisite round mirror lying inside the box.
The mirror surface was smooth and translucent, and everything was reflected in detail.
“This is a mirror!” Chen Chuangu naturally saw it and exclaimed in disbelief.
It turned out that the mirror Rong Xi mentioned was a new type of glass mirror. This mirror shined brightly with their faces on it, as if there was someone exactly like themselves in the mirror.
Even the small mole on the earlobe was clearly visible.
“Rong Xi…” Qin Ke murmured, almost inaudibly, and chuckled again, his eyebrows brightening.
The person in the mirror also showed his face and whispered.
Thinking of Rong Xi’s entrustment, Qin Ke put the mirror in the box again and took it out of the house.
Chen Chuangu didn’t even have time to ask him where he was going.
Qin Ke had just left the palace, but then returned in a short time. The Emperor was surprised. Seeing him holding the wooden box in his hand, he suddenly felt blessed, helpless, and amazed.
“Rong Xi made something new again?”
His eyes fell on the wooden box, waiting for Qin Ke to open it.
The lid of the box was opened, and Qin Ke took the mirror and put it in front of the Emperor. The Emperor was suddenly startled by his reflection in the mirror.
His eyes widened, and he saw that the light mole next to his nose was clearly visible. He couldn’t help but lean forward to take a closer look, and the person in the mirror also moved closer.
He looked at it repeatedly for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said: “So I was born with such an appearance.”
Previously, bronze mirrors were not only unclear, but also easily distorted people’s faces, and only the facial features could be roughly seen.
Qin Ke put the mirror into the box and looked soft.
“Your Majesty, during the meeting today, Minister Cheng proposed to protect the benefits of the craftsmen’s first creation. I think it is feasible.” Seeing that the Emperor was very interested, he continued, “There are not many skilled craftsmen in the Wei Dynasty. In addition to Rong Xi, there should be more intelligent people. If the imperial court sets up special rewards, it will surely stimulate a creative craze and make the Wei Dynasty prosperous.”
The Emperor smiled helplessly: “Is it really Cheng Hao’s idea?”
The two had known each other for more than ten years, and although the Emperor had never seen through Qin Ke, he had some tacit understanding.
Cheng Hao was just a fanatical weapon maker, so he could never say such words. Looking at Qin Ke’s recent behavior, the Emperor knew something about it.
“These ideas were also proposed by Rong Xi?”
Qin Ke nodded, “I believe that the basis of change is for the people.”
Having said that, it was complicated and not simple. Even if the new utensils were convenient, they were expensive to make and ordinary people did not have enough food and clothing. How could they have the spare money to buy these utensils?
Only wealthy businessmen could afford it.
If new utensils became a luxury item, how could we talk about benefiting the people?
Both of them knew that it was not easy, and they were silent for a moment. Qin Ke suddenly said: “I am impatient. Your Majesty, please forgive me.”
He was so anxious that he lost his cool just now.
The Emperor smiled and said: “No problem, I am also impatient. But I believe that the boat will be straight when it reaches the bridge.”
Qin Ke saluted and wanted to take the box and leave, but was held down by the Emperor.
“The mirror stays.”
“Rong Xi has detailed the method of making mirrors in his letter. I would send this method to the Ministry of Industry, and Your Majesty will be able to get the mirror soon.”
This was made by Rong Xi himself, so naturally he had to keep it.
In the Wei Dynasty, only Qin Ke dared to take things from the Emperor.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Bai Shuang fluttered its long feathers and stood arrogantly on the desk.
Rong Xi took out the letter, unfolded it and looked at it.
The letter was written by Qin Ke himself, saying that a reward from the Emperor was coming. However, his proposal was not accepted by the Emperor. He also listed the reasons in his letter.
After reading the letter, Rong Xi sighed softly, but felt that the timing was bad.
Lament the limitations of the times and feel the friendship of Qin Ke.
He thought for a moment, wrote a letter, fed Bai Shuang a few pieces of meat, and asked him to take the letter back to Shengjing.
Glass manufacturing was still in its infancy and could not be mass-produced, let alone mirrors.
Given the current situation, playing it safe is still the first choice.
Hu Yulin had great ambitions, built several kilns, hired a large number of craftsmen, and fired glass. He paid extremely generous wages, and the craftsmen were all loyal and hardworking. Hu’s glass gradually spread to Qingzhou and even beyond.
If the discussion about glass caused heated discussions in Mengshan County, then the Emperor’s imperial edict made Mengshan County as noisy as boiling water.
On the day of welcoming the imperial edict, the Mengshan County’s Magistrate, Shen Yi, led all the officials in the government office to listen to the edict together with Rong Xi, Hu Yulin, and Jiang Weiping, with great momentum.
In Mengshan County, everyone knew the name Rong Xi.
In the imperial edict, the Emperor highly praised Rong’s son and rewarded him with some gold and silk. Regardless of the amount of money and silk, it was a great honor just to be praised by the Emperor.
Linxi gave birth to Rong Shangshu, and now Rong Shangshu’s legitimate son was actually so outstanding!
What about no title? What about craftsmen? Rong’s son, Hu and Jiang all received awards from the Emperor. What an honor was this?
Hu Yun knelt down among the crowd and was so excited that tears filled his eyes. Although his son could not take the imperial examination and become an official, he was still able to get rewards from the Emperor even if he was a businessman.
To achieve this reward smoothly, should have the generous help of Rong Xi!
Rong Xi received the imperial edict and was extremely calm. Although the proposal was not accepted, if this matter spreads throughout the world, there would definitely be talented people who would devote themselves to creation for the sake of glory.
Moreover, Qin Ke helped him get the Emperor’s permission, and the Qingzhou’s Ying Iron Division could release its authority to him and expand the purchase amount of iron ore.
It was a privilege given to him alone.
If there was enough iron ore, he could make more utensils and materials.
After receiving the imperial edict, Shen Yi held a banquet and invited the imperial attendant who proclaimed the edict to dine with him. Rong Xi, Hu and Jiang accompanied him.
Mengshan’s craftsmen were praised and awarded by the Emperor. As the Magistrate of Mengshan County, Shen Yi was honored. This could be regarded as his contribution to enlightenment.
Now he treated the three of them with highly kindness, and takes good care of them.
Lady Jiang prepared the meal. The imperial servant was extremely satisfied with the meal and praised her repeatedly. Shen Yi smiled very kindly.
After the banquet, Rong Xi returned home. All the gold cloth and silk were displayed in the courtyard, which blinded the eyes of Rong Xi’s master and servants.
“Young master, where should I put the gifts given by the Emperor?” Liu He asked tremblingly.
He was excited. Even the Master had never had such an honor!
The things given by the Emperor were generally regarded as honors and would not be used easily.
Rong Xi waved his sleeves and said, “Lock it into the warehouse.”
He was not afraid of thieves stealing. To steal something given by the Emperor was to risk your life. No one was that stupid.
“Brother, do you want to send a message home about this?”
Rong Lian then admired Rong Xi very much, and knowing that Rong Xi wanted to separated from his family, he did not dare to make decisions without authorization.
“No need, Shengjing has already known about the reward from the Emperor.” Rong Xi and Liu Zishi carried the box and dowry into the warehouse together.
Rong Lian and his servant also helped carry it.
The warehouse had been in disrepair for a long time. The doors and windows were infested with beetles and some were rotten. It was not a good place to store money and silk.
Rong Xi thought in his mind that the wooden house was fragile and had a high chance of burning down if water leaked out, so it was not very safe. Compared with the houses of later generations, the wooden house was less stable and safe.
It would be great if cement could be made.
After locking the warehouse, Rong Xi suddenly asked Liu He: “Grandpa Liu, is there anyone who sells land?”
A few days ago, he asked Liu He to pay attention to the land sale, but he was preoccupied with many things and did not have time to ask. Now he happened to remember it, so he asked this question.
“Young master, I haven’t seen the fertile land yet.” Liu He replied.
Rong Lian was confused, “Brother, do you want to buy land?”
The Wei Dynasty was based on agriculture, and powerful landowners held fertile land. It was normal for his brother to want to be a landlord.
At that time, the Rong family also owned land. After Rong Weijing became an official, his family moved and the land was sold to others, leaving only the old house that was damaged by wind and rain.
Both Rong Xi’s biological mother and the current Rong Zhou family were the daughters of a wealthy family. They were given a dowry and had countless properties and shops, so the acres of land in their ancestral home were nothing.
This was also the reason why Rong Xi had not had enough food to fill his stomach when he firstly came.
“Land is the foundation. I want to buy more fields and grow more food.” Rong Xi nodded and replied.
Of course, he grew food not to fill his stomach, but to experiment.
The test would take a long time, and it was not convenient to explain it to others.
It was getting late, and everyone went back to their rooms.
Rong Lian wrote a letter under the lamp, only talking about his academic progress and not mentioning anything about Rong Xi. And the next day, sent it to Shengjing’s Rong’s Mansion.
A few days later, Rong Shangshu received the letter. After reading it, he sighed deeply.
Since that day at the court meeting, his colleagues seemed to be laughing at him behind his back. Although literati despised merchants and craftsmen, they despised people who did not care about their parents and children more.
Rong Xi was highly praised by the Emperor, and everyone dared not speak falsely. Moreover, if their own sons received this honor, they would definitely be honored whether he was a businessman or a craftsman.
Unexpectedly, Rong Shangshu not only didn’t know his legitimate son’s talent, but actually despised him!
Everyone was in mixed moods and didn’t know how to face Rong Weijing.
“Husnad, is this a letter from little Lian?” Rong Zhou came over with a plate and asked with a gentle smile.
On the lacquer plate was a bowl of tofu pudding with some auxiliary ingredients inside. It was extremely salty and fragrant, which was Rong Weijing’s favorite food these days.
He took a spoonful, swallowed it, and replied: “Yes, Rong Lian’s academic progress is good. He may pass the provincial examination next year.”
Rong Zhou said with a smile: “Second son has always been talented and loves reading, so he will definitely succeed. It’s a pity that oldest son is also smart and quick, but he can’t shine together with him.”
“What’s a pity?” Rong Weijing glared, and the spoon collided with the wall of the bowl, making a crisp sound, “What’s wrong with learning? To learn the skills of a craftsman! It’s a disgrace to the family!”
So what about the Emperor’s reward? After all, the craftsman was a top-notch person, why were his colleagues laughing at him?
In his heart, Rong Xi’s ability was still difficult to reach the level of elegance.
The smile in Rong Zhou’s eyes deepened, “Excessive anger is harmful to the body. The bean curd is almost cold, so eat it while it’s hot.”
Rong Weijing was so angry that his beard trembled. He lowered his head to look at the contents in the bowl. Thinking that the tofu was also made by Rong Xi, his mood was really complicated and difficult to distinguish!
“That’s it! I won’t eat anymore!” He put the bowl on the table and stopped looking at it, his chest rising and falling.
Rong Xi was in Linxi, and he didn’t know that the cheap father was angry again. He was negotiating with the head of Ying Iron Division.
Rong Xi’s name had spread throughout Qingzhou, and Qingzhou’s Ying Iron Division received instructions from his superiors to grant Rong Xi special privileges. When Rong Xi showed his identity, the officials immediately smiled and responded.
“I wonder how much iron ore young master Rong needs?”
Rong Xi reported the number, but saw that the official looked embarrassed.
“Is it impossible?” he asked curiously.
“That’s not the case,” the clerk sighed, and said. “Iron ore is not easy to mine and the quantity is limited. Can young master Rong reduce the quantity?”
Rong Xi frowned, he was confused. With the productivity of the Wei Dynasty, mining of mineral deposits was indeed difficult, and human and animal power could not better than mechanical power.
“I don’t know where the mine is. Can I go and see it?” Rong Xi asked politely.
The intensity of iron ore mining directly affected his plan. He wanted to go to the mine to see if the mining method could be improved.
The mine was under the control of the government and no one else was allowed to enter. However, Rong Xi had the privilege, and the clerk immediately agreed and took him to the mine in person.
Qingzhou was rich in minerals, and the imperial court set up a quarry here.
When he arrived at the mine, Rong Xi looked up and saw that many miners were holding stone picks and digging for ore in the shallow layers of the earth’s surface.
Most of the ores mined in the Wei Dynasty were surface weathered residuals, accumulated ores, or iron ores on the banks of rivers, and even shallow iron ores exposed on the surface.
Iron ore was mostly found in rocks, and miners often use fire to crack the rocks to obtain the ore.
In this way, the quarrying efficiency was quite low.
“What do you think, young master Rong?” Seeing him frowning in deep thought, the clerk couldn’t help asking cautiously.
Who didn’t know that Rong Xi was the son of Rong Shangshu, and he was highly praised by the Emperor. He was a small official, and he didn’t dare to offend him at all.
Steel was widely used in later generations and was a necessity. However, the Wei Dynasty used very few iron tools. Except for military utensils and agricultural tools, the people had no iron to use.
To mine more iron ore, more efficient methods must be used.
He had to think carefully.
“No.” Rong Xi smiled politely, and said, “Just go back.”
Because Qingzhou’s Ying Iron Division’s iron ore storage was small, Rong Xi did not get much. After it was transported to the Jiang family, it was handed over to Jiang Weiping, and he returned to his home.
As soon as he entered the house, Liu He greeted him and said, “Young master, there is a good land to buy.”
Rong Xi was delighted, “Seriously?”
Liu He chuckled and said, “Can I still lie to you?”
“Grandpa Liu, I will leave the matter of buying the land to you, and the money and silk will be withdrawn from the account.”
After Rong Xi gave him instructions, he went to the study, spread paper on the table, dipped his pen in ink, but hesitated for a long time before writing.
He originally wanted to send the letter to the Prince’s palace, but he thought that Qin Ke had a high position and was busy with affairs. How could he have time to come to Mengshan again?
But without letting him see it with his own eyes, just relying on the description in the letter will not be convincing.
After pondering for a long time, he slowly started writing.
The next day, he took the letter, and went with Liu Zishi to Feng’s family and handed it over to Feng Shan, asking him to send it to the Prince’s palace in Shengjing County.
Liu He successfully bought the land, which was not far from Rong’s house.
Previously, the Zhang family’s fields were being fertilized, but Rong Xi didn’t want to use them, so he bought new land for sowing potatoes.
The potatoes were in the cellar, sprouting. Qingzhou’s climate conditions were suitable for planting potatoes in autumn and winter, and they could be harvested in early spring of the following year.
Potatoes could not only satisfy hunger, but also served as a delicacy on the table, which Rong Xi had always loved.
He summoned Zhang Zhi and taught him how to cut potatoes into bud-bearing pieces and then plant them in the ground.
Zhang Zhi was a good worker, and it was completed in just a few days.
They didn’t know what potatoes were, and they didn’t know why Rong Xi did this, but as tenants, they naturally obeyed the master’s orders.
When Hu Yulin helped Rong Xi buy potatoes and corns, some wealthy businessmen also copied them, but they didn’t know what to do with them.
Now they found out that Rong Xi used this method to bury potatoes in the ground, so they also asked people to learn to plant them, but they did not dare to plant too many for fear of occupying too much land and reducing the next autumn harvest.
Rong Xi taught Zhang Zhi all the methods, and Zhang Zhi took care of the fields, while he took charge of the land.
That day, the north wind blew across the ground, and the sky suddenly became bright and dark.
Rong Xi was invited to Jin Shi Xuan and gathered with his three friends Hu, Jiang and Duan.
“Brother Rong, nowadays, the kiln craftsmanship is becoming more and more sophisticated, and the output of glass is increasing. Rich households in Qingzhou are using it more, and glass mirrors are also in high demand. Who doesn’t praise your talent?”
Hu Yulin raised his glass to show respect and was very impressed, and drank it all in one gulp.
Jiang and Duan also respected Rong Xi.
Rong Xi drank three cups in a row. He was only sixteen, he couldn’t drink more, and he was too drunk, so he said apologetically: “Xi can’t drink as much as my brother. Three cups is the limit.”
He was the youngest and was now much thinner. His cheek flesh had receded and was hidden in his fur collar, making him look more youthful and naive. His lips were red and his teeth were white.
Like the boy under the Guanyin seat, he was very handsome.
The three of them naturally paid attention to him and drank two more cups each to show their hospitality.
“You don’t need to drink anymore, brother. This banquet is specially prepared for you by the three of us.” Hu Yulin took three cups into his stomach. The ends of his eyes were red and his eyes were slightly misty, “I am grateful to you, brother.”
The praise he received was all due to this friend .
“Brother Hu’s words are serious,” Rong Xi said helplessly, shaking his head, “As a good brother, please don’t say these things again in the future.”
Hu Yulin grinned, very different from his usual shrewdness. He walked unsteadily to Rong Xi’s side, knelt down and held his wrist, his eyes were very sincere.
“This is what I say from the bottom of my heart. Don’t take it personally.” He chuckled softly and laid himself on Rong Xi’s shoulder due to his drunkenness.
Rong Xi laughed, and said, “It turns out that brother Hu is not a good drinking person either.”
His smile moved the corners of his lips, revealing his white teeth.
When Hu Yulin saw this, the strength on his hand increased unconsciously. Rong Xi’s wrist hurt slightly and he said helplessly: “Brother Hu is drunk.”
He broke free without leaving a trace, and was about to help Hu Yulin back to his original seat when he heard the sound of Zishi outside the door.
“Young master, we have a visitor at home.”
His voice trembled slightly. Rong Xi had been with him for several months and knew that it was caused by excitement. And who else could excite him besides the God of War, King Qin?
Previously, when Liu Zishi learned that “Chen Dalang” was the God of War in the Wei Dynasty, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep for several days and nights.
Rong Xi came to his senses, stood up apologetically, and said, “Brother Jiang, Brother Duan, Brother Hu, I have guests at home so I will take my leave first.”
Jiang and Duan helped Hu Yulin back to his seat and said, “Brother Rong, please go home and entertain guests. Be careful on the road.”
After leaving Jin Shi Xuan, a cool breeze blew in, blowing away some of the drunkenness.
Rong Xi shook his head, trying to wake himself up, but found that his head was getting more and more confused.
The shop servant led Xue Ni out and said respectfully: “Young master Rong, here is your horse.”
Liu Zishi took the reins and was about to ask him whether he was riding a horse or riding a carriage when he heard the sound of horse hooves and stopped in front of him.
He looked up and opened his mouth.
Wasn’t King Qin waiting at Rong’s mansion? Why were you here?
Although Rong Xi’s mind was confused, he still recognized the person. He raised his head and met Qin Ke’s eyes, and suddenly gave a silly smile, “Good evening.”
On the horseback, the man looked down at the young man in front of him with a gentle expression.
The boy was born extremely white, with smooth skin. After being slightly drunk, his cheeks were flushed, his eyes were blurred, and his smile was silly, but it made him a bit cute.
“Come up.” He stretched out his hand and whispered.
The man’s hand was slender and strong, and Rong Xi was extremely obedient and handed over his hand.
Holding his hands together, Qin Ke used his skill to pull Rong Xi behind him, “Hold tight.”
Rong Xi put his arms around him, and his face, heated by alcohol, rested on the man’s back without any burden.
This wasn’t the first time, he was already familiar with it.
The red flames flew away, leaving Liu Zishi alone in a daze.
But Rong Xi was already drunk and couldn’t care about anything else. Although he hugged Qin Ke’s waist, he was drowsy and could not use his arms. If Qin Ke had not been alert, he would have fallen off the horse long ago.
“Brother Rong, hold me tight.” The man’s voice sounded like a cold wind, cold for no reason.
The young man behind him didn’t seem to hear it, and his breathing gradually became calmer.
Qin Ke was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled helplessly. He stretched out his hand to hold Rong Xi in front of him, letting him lean into his arms, wrapping his arms tightly around him, and then galloped back to Rong Xi’s house.
What the young man wrote in his previous letter shocked him to the extreme. If that thing could really be made, it would frighten the enemy more than any magical weapon.
He couldn’t let brother Rong have any dangerous.
After a while, Chi Yan stopped in front of the house.
Rong Lian had already been waiting outside the door. When he saw the two people arriving, he hurriedly stepped forward to catch Rong Xi who was sleeping.
The faint smell of wine hit his nose, Rong Lian frowned slightly, brother, were you drunk?
Qin Ke got off his horse and wanted to help Rong Xi into the house. However, Rong Xi’s legs and feet were so weak that he couldn’t walk at all.
He had no choice but to hold Rong Xi around his waist and go straight to Rong Xi’s bedroom.
Xi Yan looked at his tall figure and exclaimed, “The Prince has great arm strength!”
Rong Lian followed Qin Ke to the bedroom. Seeing Rong Xi sleeping soundly, he couldn’t bear to wake him up, so he said, “Your Majesty, my brother has been busy with many things recently, and it’s really hard for him not to touch the ground.”
He only hoped that Qin Ke would be considerate and not wake his brother up.
Qin Ke covered the boy with his coat and whispered: “Wait until he wakes up tomorrow.”
Rong Lian breathed a sigh of relief.
In the morning of the next day, the rain fell into a curtain, dripping and ticking, disturbing people’s dreams.
The young man on the bed suddenly opened his eyes and was confused for a moment before he remembered what happened yesterday. He jerked upright, sat up from the bed, and hit his head hard.
“Young master, are you up?” Liu Zishi asked outside the house.
Rong Xi called him into the house and asked in a low voice: “How did I get back to the house yesterday?”
“The Prince brought you back.” Liu Zishi told the truth.
Rong Xi had a vague impression of this incident, but he couldn’t remember anything later.
“How did I get to the bedroom?”
It couldn’t be that he was carried in by the second brother, right? That was too embarrassing.
Liu Zishi shook his head and said: “The Prince took you back to the house first. I don’t know how you entered the bedroom.”
“Can you ask Xi Yan later?” Rong Xi whispered.
Liu Zishi nodded fiercely, “I understand.”
His head hurt a little. Thinking of Qin Ke staying at home, Rong Xi still struggled to go out. After washing, he went to the main hall.
Unexpectedly, there were two people in the hall. One was Rong Lian, with a reserved expression; the other was Qin Ke, with a stern face.
Seeing him arriving, they both looked up.
“Brother, you’re awake.” Rong Lian asked with concern, “Does your head hurt?”
Rong Xi shook his head and said with a smile: “No problem.”
Then he bowed his hands and saluted: “Brother Si.”
Qin Ke glanced at him briefly, nodded slightly and said, “It’s raining today, so you can rest for a day.”
“Thank you for your concern, brother Si.” Rong Xi finished speaking and ordered Liu He to set the table and prepare the meal.
In fact, it was raining today, so he couldn’t test it even if he wanted to.
After the morning meal, Rong Xi led Qin Ke to the study, while Rong Lian went to study.
“Thank you so much for bringing me back yesterday, brother Si,” Rong Xi said with a look of embarrassment on his face, “Xi was drunk and in a bad state. I hope brother Si can forgive me.”
Qin Ke looked at him intently for a long time with deep eyes, and then said: “Siwen is the same age as you, and I never let him drink.”
Rong Xi: “…” So?
Did that mean he shouldn’t drink too?
“I can’t refuse the kindness of my brothers yesterday.” The young man smiled brightly and said, “I will never get drunk and cause trouble in the future.”
“Um.”
After the topic was over, the two of them didn’t know what to talk about. The room was dull and they could only hear the sound of rain hitting the window lattice.
“Are you good at chess?” Qin Ke suddenly asked.
He thought that Rong Xi was not as uneducated as the rumors, and his handwriting was good, so he should also dabble in chess skills.
Unexpectedly, the young man shook his head in shame, and answered, “No.”
Qin Ke looked slightly surprised, then disappeared immediately and said, “I’ll teach you.”
There was nothing to do at home to treat guest, Rong Xi happily agreed. There were chess sets in Rong’s house. Although they were old, they could still be used. He ordered Liu Zishi to fetch one, and the two sat opposite each other.
“When I entered your room last night, I saw something I had never seen before. It was as high as a desk, but the desk was narrow and had high walls on its sides. Can you help me clarify my doubts?”
Rong Xi was shocked. Did Qin Ke enter his bedroom last night?
With a calm expression on his face, he said, “Brother Si would be laughing at me. I am actively moving around and felt that I was tired from sitting down, so I placed a chair in the bedroom, not daring to be seen by outsiders.”
“It’s human nature.” Qin Ke finished speaking and taught Rong Xi the rules of Go.
King Qin was really not a good teacher. If Rong Xi hadn’t had good understanding, he would have been confused by him.
“Do you understand?”
Rong Xi nodded and smiled, “Well, it’s understandable in theory, but I’m afraid it will be clumsy in actual combat.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Qin Ke asked him to make his move first.
There was a lingering sound of rain outside the window, and the only sound left in the house was the sound of Go.
The two fought for a while, and finally Rong Xi lost. He smiled freely: “Brother Si has superb chess skills, I admire you.”
“You are a beginner and you are already good at learning.” Qin Ke, who cherished his words like gold, praised Rong Xi heartily.
These were words from the bottom of his heart, not encouragement. If Rong Xi really had never dabbled in chess, and just learned from him. He could persist in his hands until now, he was considered a genius.
However, Rong Xi thought he was caring about his face, so he just smiled and said nothing.
The two continued their conquest on the chessboard. After all, Qin Ke was the God of War, and he kept changing his moves, killing Rong Xi until nothing was left of him.
Although he was constantly being breached, Rong Xi’s expression remained calm and showed no signs of anxiety. When Qin Ke saw this, his eyes darkened, and his attacks became more fierce.
After repeating this, Rong Xi finally felt sleepy. He put his chin on his hands and joked: “Our army is in a state of disarray and there is a shortage of food and grass. If brother Si attack again, the city will be destroyed and people will be killed. Why don’t you let me go?”
“What’s in it for me?” Qin Ke held the chess piece in his hand and had not yet dropped it.
Rong Xi pretended to be deep in thought, and then said shamelessly: “If our army is not destroyed, we can help you contain the rest of the enemy forces.”
His words were unintentional, but Qin Ke was slightly startled.
The Wei Dynasty was surrounded by powerful enemies, and barbarian tribes from all sides in the west and north were ambitious and coveted the rich products of the Central Plains.
It was extremely difficult to defeat them one by one. But if they were allowed to fight with each other and consume their strength internally, the Wei Dynasty would definitely be able to rest longer.
It was not that he hadn’t thought about it before, it was just that he became more determined after hearing Rong Xi’s words.
Qin Ke played with the chess pieces and said casually: “If you want to conspire with the other party, won’t I be attacked from both sides? This is inappropriate and I can’t spare you.”
It was how to make this move.
Rong Xi quickly stretched out his hand, and the chess piece fell into his palm. He smiled slyly, held the chess piece, and said: “Conspiracy or internal friction, only profit can be controlled. If there is profit to be made, why should I lose the army and horses?”
“Although the benefits can be tempting, but the wolf heart is not enough, he not only swallows the benefits, but also commits betrayal, how about it?”
“Coax him with sugar and beat him with a stick.” Rong Xi returned the chess pieces and put them in his chess box, and said with a smile, “Brother Si is like a god with his troops, and he has all his troops and horses, so why should he be afraid of my wild enemy?”
Qin Ke stared at him for a long time, raised the corners of his lips slightly, and filled his eyes with a smile, and said, “That’s okay, I’ll spare you this one time.”
“Brother Si is so generous, how about Xi wanting to repay him with ribs?” After he finished speaking, he saw Qin Ke’s eyes were slightly bright, and he knew he had scratched an itch.
When it was almost time to eat, Rong Xi came out of the study and went to the kitchen.
Liu Zishi came back from Feng’s martial arts training and went straight to the kitchen. When he saw Rong Xi, he said, “Young master, I asked about it. The Prince brought you into the room last night.”
“Huh?” Rong Xi almost cut his finger and couldn’t laugh or cry.
That scene must be extremely funny. He would definitely stop drinking alcohol in the future to avoid getting into trouble.
By dinner time, the winter rain had just stopped and the chill became colder.
Rong Xi tightened his fur collar and hid half of his jade face, looking rather childish and youthful.
It seemed different from the usual quiet and gentle style.
Qin Ke’s eyes wandered over his face, and Rong Xi suddenly felt something. He looked up, touched his amber eyes, and smiled slightly to cover up his inner embarrassment.
Knowing what happened last night, he felt ashamed when he saw Qin Ke again.
He quickly looked away and buried his head in his food without saying a word.
After eating, go back to your room quickly to avoid interacting with Qin Ke.
The next day, the sky cleared and the sun was high.
Rong Xi prepared the raw materials and placed them in the courtyard, attracting Qin Ke and Rong Lian to watch.
“Young master, what do you want to do?” Liu Zishi asked excitedly when he saw something new.
Every time his young master came out with a new thing, it could cause a stir in the whole city.
Rong Xi smiled and replied: “You will know later.”
It was not an appetizer, it was just fire and medicine. It could not be described orally. Only by seeing its power could one know its effectiveness.
He had asked Hu Yulin to purchase saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal and other items, and was now distributing them in proportion.
When several people saw him working on his own, they didn’t bother him. Rong Lian even studied in the courtyard with a book in his hand, occasionally glancing at him.
Qin Ke carefully wrote down Rong Xi’s steps.
Fire and powder were piled in the courtyard, and the iron shells were ready. However, due to time constraints and limited conditions, he only asked Jiang Weiping to make ten iron shells to hold gunpowder.
As for the lead wire, wrap the medicinal powder with tung oil paper and twist it into a thin line.
“You can try it now.”
Rong Xi stood up and asked, “Second brother, would you like to go with us to watch it?”
Rong Lian asked for it, “Of course.” He was extremely curious.
Liu He was left alone to look after the house, while several people rode in carriages and horses to the wilderness.
This was a wasteland, with no one around for miles. Rong Xi dismounted and everyone stopped.
“Brother Si has extraordinary arm strength, please help me later.” Rong Xi curled his eyes, took an ammunition from the carriage, and handed it to Qin Ke.
Qin Ke took it, looking confused.
“Second brother, please stay away a little.” Rong Xi asked.
Rong Lian and the other three retreated tens of meters away. Seeing Rong Xi approaching Qin Ke and teaching him the method, they couldn’t help but feel anxious.
What did that thing do?
After a moment, Rong Xi also retreated.
Qin Ke stood tall, was holding a bomb in his right hand and using his left hand to lifted the fire and light the fuse.
When the flames started to burn, he followed Rong Xi’s instructions and threw the object in his hand far away.
Rong Xi looked at it and secretly praised him for his good arm strength.
After throwing the fire bomb, Qin Ke turned around and walked towards Rong Xi. Before he took a few steps, he heard a loud “bang” behind him, which seemed to burst the sky.
A heat wave swept over him immediately. He hurriedly picked up Rong Xi, held it in his arms, and leapt to a distance of tens of meters.
Rong Lian and the other three were all frightened and speechless.
When the heat wave dissipated, Qin Ke looked extremely solemn. He put down Rong Xi and stood there blankly.
Being carried away by him again, Rong Xi felt quite uncomfortable. Seeing that several people were silent, he coughed lightly and said, “This power is not that great.
Compared with later generations of precision explosives, this was completely child’s play.
Rong Lian came back to his senses and saw Rong Xi, with a look of fanaticism in his eyes, “Brother, if we have this magical weapon, we, the Wei Dynasty, will definitely destroy the Northern Barbarians!”
With his youthful spirit, he was inevitably immersed in the enthusiasm of protecting his family and country.
Liu Zishi and Xi Yan raised their chins and looked at Rong Xi with looks like fanatical believers.
The young master was so awesome!
“Can we get closer to investigate?” Qin Ke suddenly asked.
Rong Xi nodded, “Okay, I’ll go with you.”
He also wanted to record the results of the explosion.
The two walked side by side to a pothole in the ground and stopped to observe.
Rong Xi wrote down the data and saw that Qin Ke was still stunned, so he said: “Brother Si, this kind of weapon must be controlled by the court. I made this thing for mining. However, it can be used on the battlefield. Win by surprise.”
“Brother Rong,” Qin Ke said with excitement in his eyes, staring at Rong Xi, “You always surprise me.”
“Although you love the pastoral scenery, your talents must not be buried.”
Qin Ke was extremely serious, “If you are willing, I can ask the Emperor to station troops here to protect you in developing these artifacts.”
This is to protect Rong Xi from prying eyes and doing evil.
“Brother Si…” Rong Xi was so frightened by his momentum that he suddenly lost his words.
As a researcher in his previous life, although he was respected by others, he was not protected by the state.
Now, he heard Qin Ke himself say that troops would be stationed for protection.
“Brother Rong, don’t underestimate yourself.” Qin Ke’s eyes were very dark, “Your talents may lead to death, and I need to be responsible for you.”
Rong Xi looked at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled and said, “Okay.”
The author has something to say:
Cheng Hao: (angry) You have the ability to despise me, but if you have the ability, don’t eat the beans!
Rong Shangshu: …I choose Zhenxiang~
The people in the Rong Mansion are really just minor characters, so don’t be anxious, little cuties, they are just grasshoppers after the fall, and they can’t hurt Rong Xiaoxi! Moreover, there are still good people in the Rong family, and they are going to be Rong Xiaoxi’s backing! Now the main focus is to promote the career line and the emotional line. As for slaps in the face, Rong Xiaoxi does not need to do it himself.
Thanks!😀😀
😆He’s gonna be the einstein of this era
Thanks for the chapter!
Thanks for the chapter! If I remember correctly, dynamite followed the same trajectory. Meant for mining, used for war. This is truly dangerous knowledge & a pandora’s box…
No wonder the guy needs protection.
I was not uneasy with the telescope, it is still at human scale, but dynamite can bring destruction & death at exponential rates…
Too much power
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙