In the outskirts of Mengshan County, a sudden deafening roar was heard, and the ground beneath one’s feet trembled slightly, as if experiencing an earthquake.
County Magistrate Shen Yi quickly summoned the Zaoli and requested that they check the source of the sound.
After a while, Zaoli returned and said nothing happened.
The records of Mengshan County chronicled the anomaly of that day. Scholars in later generations speculated that it was likely an experiment with explosives, the precursor to gunpowder.
However, those few who witnessed the miraculous effects of the gunpowder returned home in a daze, remaining silent for a long time
After Liu He served tea, he took Liu Zishi to the kitchen and asked, “What happened? Why is everyone in a trance?”
“Grandpa, did you hear the loud noise just now?” The vibration was so big just now, grandpa should have felt it.
“I heard it, and I thought it was an earthquake.” Liu He patted his chest in a frightened manner, “Could it be that everyone was frightened by this?”
Liu Zishi nodded fiercely, βThe young master is truly remarkable. That loud noise was caused by his equipment. Just a bit of powder can shake the mountains.”
“Seriously?” Liu He was shocked. How can people not be afraid of such lethality?
Liu Zishi nodded fiercely.
At dinner, everyone’s thoughts were preoccupied, and they didn’t enjoy their meal.
Even Rong Lian, who was still excited, couldn’t concentrate on reading after returning to his room, feeling even more admiration for Rong Xi’s abilities.
In the courtyard, Qin Ke and Rong Xi stood opposite each other.
“Are you really planning to return to the capital overnight?” Rong Xi sighed, “It’s exhausting and taxing.”
Seeing his sincere gaze, Qin Ke softened slightly, reaching out to touch his hair bun and smiling, “This matter should be handled as soon as possible. Today’s disturbance will surely attract attention, and I’m worried.”
Rong Xi still wanted to persuade him to stay, but he heard him say: “I have asked someone to protect you secretly. You must not leave the house these days.”
Seeing the young man’s surprise, the man smiled apologetically, and said “If you feel uncomfortable, I can ask Feng Shan to come and protect you personally.”
As a carpenter, Feng Shan was invited to repair the ancestral home, which was normal.
“It’s my lack of caution,” Rong Xi blamed himself. He wanted to test the effectiveness of gunpowder, without thinking about other things, simply because he was accustomed to a stable life in his past life and had forgotten that the Wei Dynasty was not the familiar place he knew.
Even Qin Ke was so nervous and cautious, indicating hidden dangers unknown to others.
“It’s not your fault,” Qin Ke’s eyes softened, his tone low, “I’m just too nervous.”
Rong Xi looked confused.
“You don’t know your own abilities, so you will inevitably be careless.” Qin Ke held the reins, and said “I have sworn to you to protect you, so I can’t break my promise.”
He turned on his horse, his long eyelashes slightly drooped, stared at Rong Xi for a moment, and finally said: “It’s cool, let’s go back to the house.”
Then he left in the dust.
The next day, Feng Shan and his son visited Rongβs mansion.
Except for Rong Xi, everyone was surprised.
“I invited them to repair the house,” Rong Xi explained with a smile, then instructed Liu Zishi, “To avoid unnecessary back and forth, Master Feng and his son will stay here for a few days. Go and tidy up the guest room.”
Liu Zishi was extremely happy and took young Feng to the backyard.
The two young boys practiced martial arts together every day, forming a deep bond as brothers, and left together.
Rong Xi led Feng Shan to a dilapidated courtyard and said, “Master Feng, that’s it. You’ve got to work.”
Both men understood each other without unnecessary words. Feng Shan pretended to start repairing the house.
For the next few days, Rong’s mansion had been quiet, with nothing out of the ordinary happening.
Rong Xi no longer left the mansion, but he wasn’t idle either.
Qin Ke mentioned that he wanted to station troops in Mengshan to protect him while he developed new equipment. After thinking it over for a long time, he decided it would be better to establish a military factory in Mengshan.
Mengshan was rich in mineral resources and had a suitable geographical location. With the support of the imperial court, it would definitely be possible to recruit craftsmen from all over the world.
He spread paper on the table and began to write down his plan.
But with so much stored in his mind, by the time evening fell, his back and arms were sore, and he had barely scratched the surface of the iceberg.
Such writing consumed too much paper. Paper and ink were expensive in Wei Dynasty.
Thinking of pencils from future generations, Rong Xi pondered for a moment before writing a letter. After finishing the letter, he went to Feng Shan’s place and asked him to deliver it to the Hu family’s mansion.
He needed graphite, clay, resin, and other materials. If Hu Yulin could help him find them, he might be able to try making pencils, which would be much more convenient.
The next day, Feng Shan personally went to deliver the letter, leaving his son, Feng Li, at the mansion.
Since there were people guarding the mansion in secret, Feng Shan could come and go quickly.
After about half an hour, while Rong Xi was reading in his room, someone suddenly arrived outside the mansion.
“Report to the young master, someone from the town’s clinic has come. They said Master Gao has suddenly fallen ill and is being treated at the clinic,” Liu Zishi reported from outside the room.
Rong Xi was startled and quickly got up to open the door, asking, “What’s the situation now?”
He often visited Master Gao’s house, and everyone in the town knew that he had a close relationship with Master Gao, so it was normal to report to him.
After all, Master Gao had no relatives by his side.
Liu Zishi shook his head and replied: “I don’t know. Young master, do you want to go and take a look?”
Rong Xi naturally wanted to visit, but Qin Ke asked him not to leave the house, so he hesitated. Moreover, Master Gao had always been in good health. How could he suddenly fall seriously ill?
“Can you recognize the person outside the door?” he asked Liu Zishi.
Liu Zishi nodded, “Yes, it’s the nephew of the owner of the rouge shop in the east of town.”
Being cautious, Rong Xi lowered his eyes and thought, and said, “You and Feng Li go to the town’s clinic together. If Master Gao is indeed ill, come back quickly and report.”
Liu Zishi was about to respond when he heard the noise coming from the front yard.
Before the two of them could react, they saw a young man rushing into the courtyard. When he saw Rong Xi, he looked very excited and was about to come forward.
“Zishi! Stop him!” Rong Xi immediately shouted.
Liu Zishi didn’t know why, but he obeyed the order and immediately stepped forward to stop the man.
The man seemed to try to evade his grasp skillfully, but found Liu Zishi unmoving.
At this time, Liu He came over quickly, sweating profusely, and said, βYoung master, this servant was careless; let him rush in!”
The man’s expression suddenly changed, his hands clenched into fists, striking towards Liu Zishi. Despite being a novice in martial arts, Liu Zishi was no match and was knocked down to the ground.
“Young master!” Liu Zishi locked the man’s legs, and said, βGo into the room quickly!”
Fortunately, Feng Li heard the commotion and arrived in time. Having practiced martial arts since childhood, he was much stronger than Liu Zishi, but still couldn’t handle the man alone.
The two young boys tried everything they could, using various methods like hugging, pulling, and holding, refusing to give up even though they were beaten black and blue, with blood oozing out.
“Brother!”
Rong Lian heard the noise and rushed over to see what was happening. Seeing the situation in the courtyard, he appeared somewhat flustered and couldn’t help but shout.
Rong Xi frowned tightly, quickly returned to the room, and fetched a lightweight crossbow, aiming it at the man.
This crossbow was jointly crafted by him, Jiang Weiping, and Feng Shan during their leisure time. Because it was not yet perfect, he hadn’t shown it before..
Compared to a bow and arrow, this crossbow had much greater range and power.
He stood under the eaves of the corridor, with a solemn expression and sharp eyes. The tip of the arrow glowed with cold light, pointing directly at the man’s throat.
The man visibly flinched, but seeing that Rong Xi was still young and appeared soft, his fear gradually dissipated.
“Young Master Rong, a trapped beast will fight back. It’s better to surrender. If you’re waiting for someone to come to your rescue, I’m afraid it’s hopeless.”
He laughed wildly and said: “If you care about the boysβ lives in my hands, drop your weapon now!”
Rong Xi sneered, said nothing, and decisively fired the crossbow!
The arrow pierced through the air, aiming directly at the man’s chest, moving as fast as lightning. Though the man intended to dodge, he was trapped by the two young boys.
The sound of the arrow piercing flesh echoed, accompanied by the man’s agonizing scream
Liu Zishi and Feng Li looked at each other with fierce expressions on their faces, and pressed the man to the ground, preventing him from escaping.
The arrow penetrated the man’s right chest, and blood flowed all over the ground.
Rong Xi closed his eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to kill.
“Grandpa Liu, get the rope and tie him to the woodshed.” He ordered, and then asked the two young boys, “How are you both?”
Though Liu Zishi and Feng Li were in a sorry state, they hadn’t sustained serious injuries, which was fortunate.
“Young master, we are fine, but you were frightened.” Liu Zishi tugged at the corner of his mouth, his face twisted in pain.
Rong Xi came closer, touched their buns, and said with a gentle smile: “Let the doctor come over later and apply some medicine.”
“Brother, I’ll go fetch a doctor,” Rong Lian immediately said.
Rong Xi stopped him, “The enemy is hiding in the dark, cunning and malicious. They used Master Gao’s name earlier to set a trap for me. You’re my brother. If they threaten you, it will not bode well for us.”
He furrowed his brow, his gaze darkening. Qin Ke had sent someone to guard the mansion secretly, but no one had appeared so far. It was likely that they had been overwhelmed by the intruder. Now their fate was uncertain.
Liu He took the rope, tied the unconscious man tightly, and dragged him into the woodshed.
“Brother, how should we deal with this person?” Rong Lian looked stern, as if he were angry. Elder brother, living peacefully day by day, is suddenly caught in this unwarranted disaster.
Rong Xi lowered his eyes, and said coldly: “Life or death, it’s up to fate.”
At this moment, he realized that his situation had changed since the imperial decree arrived in Mengshan.
Danger lurked in the shadows.
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.
Qin Ke had taken precautions, anticipating this, hence arranging for protection. However, the methods of iron smelting and glass making wouldn’t attract too much attention, and he himself had no worries about his life.
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Seeing the blood in the courtyard, he was horrified.
“Young Master Rong, are you unharmed?” He carefully observed Rong Xi and, seeing that he was unscathed, finally felt relieved.
Rong Xi asked calmly: “How did you find out?”
“I was careless. Please forgive me, young master.” Feng Shan looked ashamed, “The intruder drugged the guards, and only then was he able to enter the mansion.”
Fortunately, they didn’t dare to be too audacious, only sending one person here. If there were more, by the time Feng Shan returned, Rong Xi would have likely been in trouble.
Rong Xi looked at Liu Zishi, “Why did the nephew of the rouge shop owner behave like this?”
Young man Liu bowed his head in shame, “Young Master, Please punish me. He came to visit relatives a few days ago, and I hadn’t met him before.”
That day on the street, he accidentally bumped into the man. After apologizing, the man asked him for directions to the rouge shop, and out of kindness, he showed him the way. They chatted along the way, exchanging identities. Unexpectedly, it is a trap!
Rong Xi shook his head, and said: “I was also careless, it’s not your fault. Feng Shan, are the guards in any danger?”
“Young Master Rong doesnβt need to worry, they are just unconscious.” Feng Shan said thankfully, “Fortunately, the Prince had previously warned the Countyβs Magistrate to enforce martial law, otherwise, there would be more intruders.”
Rong Xi had just pretended to be calm, but now that the crisis was over, he could feel cold sweat soaking his clothes on his back. The hand holding the crossbow trembled slightly, and he turned around and said, “Please ask Master Feng to call a doctor.”
“I’ll go right away.”
After a false alarm, Rong Xi returned to the room, and sat on the high chair, feeling a little scared. He didn’t know the purpose of them, but they were definitely up to no good. If he had truly been abducted, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Fortunately, Qin Ke was protecting him. He didn’t know if Qin Ke’s request for an imperial decree was successful.
Shengjing. Prince’s Mansion.
Qin Ke suddenly sneezed three times in a row, startling Chen Chuangu.
“Put your hand out, let me see.”
Qin Ke shook his head, and said, βNothing, no need.”
The corners of his lips were slightly pursed, and he was just a little uneasy for a moment.
“Do you really want to station troops in Mengshan?” Chen Chuangu asked, holding his chin.
Qin Ke nodded and looked at him again, “Don’t you want to come along?”
“Of course, I’m willing! How could I not be when I get to enjoy heavenly flavors every day?” He chuckled with delight.
Qin Ke’s expression remained slightly cold, his long eyelashes icy, “Young Master Rong is a great talent of this era. How can he be reduced to serving you every day?”
“It’s because I bask in the prince’s favor. Can’t you reward me with a bowl of rice?” Chen Chuangu winked playfully, rolling his eyes internally at Qin Ke’s increasingly difficult attitude. Qin Ke is becoming increasingly hard to please.
A few days later, the emperor finally issued a decree, establishing a weapons supervision office and appointing Qin Ke as the superintendent and Cheng Hao as the deputy superintendent.
They would only heed the emperor’s orders and not be controlled by any government office.
Although this move was opposed by many courtiers, the young Emperor was extremely tough this time, and those who dissuaded him were thrown into prison.
He believed in Qin Ke’s description of the power of the fireball and also in Rong Xi’s ability to create weapons.
With the decree issued, the weapons supervision office was established.
Qin Ke was about to set off with the troops when he suddenly received an urgent letter from Mengshan.
After reading the letter, his expression changed abruptly. He hurried to the courtyard and ordered the servants to prepare his horse quickly.
Chen Chuangu stopped him and asked, “What happened?”
“Mengshan is in trouble, I must leave immediately.” Qin Ke’s expression was extremely cold, almost furious. “Go inform Cheng Hao to lead the troops to Mengshan without delay.”
After saying this, he left.
Chen Chuangu’s brows were furrowed. There was nothing else to do to make Qin Ke so anxious except Rong Xiβs matters. Could it be that something happened to Rong Xi?
Chen Chuanguβs heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly looked for Cheng Hao.
Qin Ke traveled day and night, his horse exhausted and his fur soaked with sweat. If it weren’t for the horseshoes he had attached, Chi Yan would have been bleeding profusely by now.
As the sun set, darkness descended, and the remote town was peaceful and quiet.
Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves echoed, stopping in front of Rong’s mansion.
Chi Yan almost collapsed to the ground. If it hadn’t been a divine horse and had already been supplied with flesh and blood midway, how could it have persisted until now?
Qin Ke’s face was stern. He didn’t have time to knock on the door, so he used the strength of his horse to jump into the courtyard.
The courtyard was quiet, but as soon as the guards saw him, they were shocked and immediately knelt down when they met Qin Ke’s cold gaze.
“Is he injured?” His voice was slightly hoarse.
“Report to the Prince, Young Master Rong was not injured.” The guard said guiltily, “It was my subordinate’s incompetence in doing things that almost caused Young Master Rong to be killed.”
Qin Ke’s heart settled slightly, and he said calmly, “You will be punished accordingly.”
After finishing speaking, he went straight to Rong Xi’s bedroom.
It wasn’t common to bathe in the winter, but Rong Xi couldn’t bear the accumulation of dirt on his body, so he took a bath in a side room.
When Qin Ke entered the mansion, no one knew except for the guards standing in the dark. When he arrived at the door of Rong Xi’s bedroom, he saw the lights in the room were brightly lit. He reached out to knock, but found that the door was unlocked, so he opened it with a gentle push.
He was stunned by himself for a few breaths. Although he felt that this move was inappropriate, he was really worried about Rong Xi, so he stepped inside.
Looking around, there was no one in the room.
The bed was neat and clean, and the high chair stood alone beside the bed.
He listened attentively, noticed some movement in the side room, and then walked toward there.
The next room was only separated by a curtain. Without much thought, he lifted the curtain and walked in, only to see a screen standing in front of him with the sound of water splashing behind it.
In the candlelight, a figure emerged behind the screen, accompanied by the sound of water.
His head suddenly cleared, and he hurriedly retreated from the curtain to the high chair next to the bed, where he sat in a daze. What he just did was not the behavior of a gentleman.
Feeling ashamed, he felt a surge of embarrassment rising within him. He wanted to leave the bedroom, but seeing the curtain move again, leaving now would seem too deliberate.
“Brother Si?”
Rong Xi was surprised at first, and then he was delighted.
Anyone would be startled to see someone suddenly appear in their room after bathing.
But upon seeing the man’s face clearly, he felt instantly relieved.
Qin Ke wore a plain inner robe with a fur-lined cloak over it, his hands clasped tightly, wrapping himself up tightly. But even so, he still felt cold. He had regained his composure and beckoned: “Sit over here, and I will wipe your hair.”
The guard had been careless, and it was his fault. Rushing into the room just now was also his fault. Adding the two together, Qin Ke felt guilty. Facing Rong Xi, his expression became even gentler, and involuntarily, he wanted to make it up to him.
Rong Xi was slightly stunned in place, locking eyes with Qin Ke.
Rong Xi’s wet hair draped over his shoulders, accentuating his fair and jade-like complexion. Under the lamplight, his long eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks, giving him a gentle and serene look that brought peace to the heart.
“Brother Si?” Rong Xi asked.
Qin Ke also felt that his suggestion was inappropriate. However, once the words had been spoken, it was difficult to take them back.
He braced himself to explain to Rong Xi, “It was the negligence of the guards that fell into the trap set by the intruder earlier, which put you in danger. It was my fault, and I feel guilty and restless. I wanted to do something for you to express my apology.”
Rong Xi smiled. Even after bathing, his eyes sparkled like stars, and his lips were rosy and teeth white, radiating brilliance in the room.
“Brother Si, you’re being too hard on yourself” He sat on the bed and wiped his hair with a towel, “If I hadn’t been careless before, I wouldn’t have made the wolf greedy.”
Qin Ke took the towel from his hand persistently, and his eyes firmed.
“It’s not your fault, it’s my failure to protect you.”
Rong Xi had no choice but to turn his back to Qin Ke and say with a smile: “You and I don’t have to blame ourselves anymore. The culprit is the intruder.”
“Um.”
Qin Ke’s movements were gentle as he carefully wiped the water off Rong Xi’s hair.
Rong Xi’s ink-black hair cascaded down his shoulders, accentuating his youthfulness and innocence.
“Have you been frightened?” Qin Ke asked softly, “The letter only stated that an intruder was causing trouble in Rong’s house and was injured by your arrow. It did not elaborate on the situation that day.”
Rong Xi honestly sighed, “To be honest, I did break out in a cold sweat.” He laughed at himself, “Am I very cowardly and useless?”
Since that day, he had been restless and had nightmares every night.
But as the master of the house, he couldn’t mention any of this to the others in the mansion. He had been suppressing it all along. Now, in front of Qin Ke, he could finally unburden himself and speak frankly.
There was silence for a while, and Rong Xi felt increasingly uneasy. He was about to look back, but suddenly he heard the man whisper softly: “If you blame yourself, I should feel even worse.”
“At the age of sixteen, you fought bravely against the intruder. If this is cowardice, what is bravery?”
Rong Xi felt a surge of bitterness in his eyes and nose at Qin Ke’s words.
In his past life, he was just an ordinary person and had never witnessed bloodshed. After injuring the intruder, he had been haunted by the sight of blood for several days, all hidden deep in his heart.
He lowered his head and said nothing for a while.
Qin Ke placed the towel on the table and suddenly smiled, “Siwen was unable to sleep for a month after his first kill in self-defense. Compared to him, you are already quite brave.”
Knowing that Qin Ke was trying to comfort him, Rong Xi felt a warmth in his heart. He turned around to face Qin Ke, his eyes slightly moist, his voice choked, “If I were the God of War, I would have no fear.”
Qin Ke was slightly stunned.
Half of his profile was hidden in the darkness, and a hint of bitterness suddenly overflowed from his lips, which was fleeting.
“I am not a god, I am also a mortal.” His amber eyes flashed like meteors, “Fear never fades.” But he is the “God of War”, so how can he show his fearfulness?
Rong Xi immediately understood the deep meaning. Like him, because he was the master of the house, he couldn’t show fear in front of the Liu family’s members; because he was an older brother, he couldn’t confide his fears to Rong Lian.
As for Qin Ke, the God of War of the Wei Dynasty, his fear was even more indescribable.
Rong Xi empathized with him, his eyes reddening, “Brother Si, I think that fear breeds courage.” Even if one is afraid, they still fight bravely, and that’s true courage..
Qin Ke’s demeanor softened, “You make a valid point.”
He had never discussed this with anyone, but in front of Rong Xi, he had analyzed his fears. Partly to comfort him, but also because he had hidden it for so long, it just slipped out.
“It’s late at night, you should rest.” Qin Ke said when he saw his tired face.
Rong Xi suddenly pulled Qin Keβs sleeves, as if it were difficult to speak.
“Do you have something to say, brother Rong?”
Under the dim candlelight, the young man’s cheeks turned red, his eyes touched the side, and he whispered: “If I tell the truth, brother Si, please don’t laugh at me.”
Qin Ke’s eyes were gentle, “Don’t worry, I donβt laugh at you.”
“I’ve been having nightmares these past few days.” Rong Xi smiled pitifully and cutely at him, “When I see brother Si tonight, I feel at ease and have no fear anymore.”
There was sudden silence in the house.
The man stood by the bed, his eyes faint. The young man sat cross-legged on the bed, looking up and tugging at his sleeve.
“You go to sleep, I’ll be here with you.”
“If you don’t mind, why not take a rest together?”
Their voices intertwined, like jade stones clashing, zithers and lutes harmonizing.
Rong Xi couldn’t help but smile, his eyes curving into crescents. “I was just joking, brother Si, please don’t take it to heart.”
“You sleep, I’m here.”
After Qin Ke finished speaking, he sat directly on the high chair.
Seeing him there, Rong Xi did feel a sense of peace. After being disturbed by nightmares for several days, he was extremely tired and soon fell into a deep sleep.
A dreamless night.
The next day, waking up, Rong Xi remembered what had happened last night. He turned his head and saw that there was no one on the high chair, for a moment not knowing if it was a dream or reality.
He got up and pushed the door open, finding the courtyard quiet and empty.
Just as he was about to step out of the courtyard, he saw a familiar figure coming into view.
Thinking of his impolite request last night, Rong Xi’s cheeks flushed. Qin Ke came here all dusty and tired, but because of his fear, he requested his company, occupying his rest time. He was so rude!
Qin Ke approached, seeing Rong Xi looking silly, he reached out to pat his head and said, “The intruder in the firewood room is not dead. I have moved him. You don’t need to worry anymore.”
Rong Xi looked at him in surprise.
He actually knew what was on his mind! His fear wasn’t just about hurting someone, but more because of his troubled conscience.
βLive or die, left it to fate.
This was easier said than done.
He was deeply influenced by the education of later generations. Even a death row prisoner had the right to seek medical treatment.
He allowed the intruder in the firewood room to live or die on his own, only prolonging his life with rice soup every day, without seeking medical treatment.
If it happened that he got infected due to injury, it would be a life.
The firewood shed was only a hundred steps away from his bedroom, so how could he sleep peacefully?
“You arrived last night and haven’t rested yet. Now that you have nothing to do, why not go to the bedroom and rest for half a day?” He suggested sincerely.
The man’s eyes were slightly red and his face was haggard. The candlelight last night was dim and he couldn’t see that clearly.
It was now bright and clear, and Rong Xi felt guilty and a little distressed.
The war god of the Wei Dynasty was also a mortal.
He alone carried the burden of peace and contentment for millions of people to move forward.
It was both admirable and sad.
“Good.”
Qin Ke saw the concern in his eyes and raised the corners of his lips. After agreeing, he walked towards the bedroom.
It was not until the afternoon that Qin Ke woke up.
To express his gratitude, Rong Xi personally prepared the food, and by the time of the monkey hour, he had laid out a table of sumptuous dishes, all of which were Qin Ke’s favorites.
All the servants and masters in the Rong residence were reassured by Qin Ke’s presence.
Not only Rong Xi, but they also had not slept peacefully for the past few days.
After dinner, Rong Xi invited Qin Ke to the study. The two sat opposite each other with upright postures.
Qin Ke suddenly smiled and said, “The high chair in your room is really comfortable. Why don’t you give me one?”
Rong Xi wouldn’t refuse his request.
“This is made by Master Feng. If you like it, I will ask him to make a few more.”
Rong Xi placed a crossbow on the table. “This crossbow was made by Master Feng and Jiang Weiping together. Its range and power are beyond ordinary bows and arrows. Brother Si, why don’t you give it a try?”
“Good.”
The two went outside. There was a sturdy locust tree. Qin Ke stepped back, following Rong Xi’s instructions, pulled the mechanism, and with a whoosh, the arrow shot out, burying itself deep into the trunk, quivering slightly.
Though Qin Ke’s arm strength could achieve this, ordinary soldiers didn’t possess such strength. Killing enemies with this crossbow was easier than with bows and arrows.
“Very good.” He curled his lips in praise.
“If this crossbow could be equipped in the army, our military strength would be even stronger.”
Rong Xi knew that this was still in its infancy, and although he had the intention, he was extremely short of manpower. Now he didnβt even have the most basic laboratory, let alone a research partner?
“Brother Si, in the Wei Dynasty, there are many skilled craftsmen like brother Jiang and master Feng. However, what they can do is only based on talent or experience, without systematic learning, and each craftsman hides his own talents and makes them heirlooms. I donβt want everyone to hide and restrain their knowledge.β
Seeing Qin Ke’s confusion, he changed his explanation.
“I wonder how brother Si usually trains soldiers?” he asked humbly.
Qin Ke glanced at him, remained silent for a few moments, and whispered: “This is military information and should not be leaked at will.”
Seeing Rong Xi’s stunned look of apologies, he followed his thoughts and said, “Your Majesty has set up a weapons department, and you are making weapons for the imperial court. I can also inform you of this military information.”
Rong Xi laughed out loud, his eyes were as curved as the waxing moon, and his teeth were as white as shells. He quickly waved his hands and said: “Brother Si, there is no need to tell me. I just want to ask, the training of soldiers in the military camp must be like a school. Everyone listens to the leaderβs orders, right?β
Qin Ke nodded.
“If students are trained like this, and soldiers are trained like this, why can’t craftsmen be trained in the same way?”
Rong Xiβs eyes gleamed with insight. “The Wei Dynasty governs with culture, secures with martial prowess, and relies on agriculture as its foundation. However, those in commerce and industry are considered the lowest of the low.”
The young man’s eyes were like morning stars, and he said sincerely: “But aren’t the brushes, inks, papers, and inkstones used by literati made by craftsmen? Aren’t the armors used by soldiers, despite their contradictions, made by craftsmen? Not to mention farm tools.”
“Brother Si, without their superb skills, how could civil officials and military generals maintain the peace and stability of the nation?”
He was not exaggerating the abilities of craftsmen, he just hoped that the imperial court could relax government regulations so that the benefits of the craftsmen engaged in business would be commensurate with their abilities.
“I understand what you said.” Qin Ke’s face was solemn, but his eyes were soft, “I know you have ambitions, but everything should be done step by step, don’t be impatient.”
Rong Xi immediately calmed down. After experiencing the intruder, he was indeed quite impatient.
“I am impatient, brother Si, please forgive me.” Rong Xi smiled shyly.
The young man was polite and courteous, but his face was still a bit childish, making him look cute and endearing. Qin Ke’s heart softened a little. “When Minister Cheng and the army arrive with the Emperor’s decree, your wish may be granted.”
Rong Xi then showed his face, nodded, and suddenly asked: “Brother Si, where did that intruder come from? What is his purpose?”
“He is under King Shun,” Qin Ke’s face suddenly turned cold, “He wants to capture you to help him.”
Rong Xi’s eyebrows moved slightly.
He remembered that later in the book, Liang Siwen made great contributions to suppressing the rebellion and was awarded the title of Marquis of Weining. The rebellion he put down was led by King Shun.
King Shun was the half-brother of the Emperor. He was now entrenched in Jizhou and was eyeing Shengjing.
Jizhou was not far from Qingzhou. It was normal for him to set up spies and dead men in Qingzhou. After Rong Xi’s fame spread far and wide, he sent people to capture him, hoping to force Rong Xi to make weapons to help him rebel.
Fortunately, Qin Ke took precautions and asked Shen Yi to secretly clean up the abnormal people. He also kept the house in mind and enforced martial law for several miles. Although there was a fish that slipped through the net, it was still effective.
“If it weren’t for brother Si’s alertness, I might have become a caged beast now.” Rong Xi was sincerely grateful.
“It doesn’t have to be like this between you and me.”
After Qin Ke finished speaking, he looked at the crossbow in his hands again and said, “This item is excellent. This time, His Majesty has also sent many skilled craftsmen. They said they were at your disposal, so if you have any brilliant ideas, you can command them.”
Just Feng Shan and Jiang Weiping alone wouldn’t be enough.
“Good.”
After the two returned home together, they coincidentally encountered Hu Yulin’s visit.
A few days ago, Rong Xi asked Feng Shan to deliver a letter to him. The letter said that graphite and other raw materials were needed, so he went to buy some and delivered them personally.
“My brother!” Hu Yulin got off the carriage with a smile.
But when he saw Qin Ke, he instantly became restrained. After paying his respects, he smiled at Rong Xi and said, “You entrusted me to purchase materials before. I’ve found them. I wonder what new device brother Rong is planning to make?”
Rong Xi smiled brightly and sincerely, “Thank you so much, brother Hu! When the new tool is created, I will show you first.”
“Very good.” Hu Yulin wanted to put his arm around Rong Xiβs shoulders, but Qin Ke was at his side. Hu Yulin was a little scared, so he had to pat him a few times.
His long and narrow eyes were slightly curved, the tails of his eyes were flying, and the corners of his lips were smiling, making him look quite handsome and elegant.
However, with Qin Ke nearby, his light dimmed a lot.
“Brother Hu, why don’t you stay for dinner?” Rong Xi suggested it since he was sincerely grateful for his hard work.
Hu Yulin naturally agreed.
The servants piled up bags of materials in the storeroom, with graphite and clay being the most numerous.
As Qin Ke had to leave the residence for some matters, Hu Yulin relaxed a lot. Sitting in the study with Rong Xi, his expression suddenly turned serious. “I heard that His Majesty established the Weapons Department, and I guessed it had something to do with you. Now that I see King Qin here, it seems my guess was correct.”
“Brother Hu, your insight is admirable,” Rong Xi said as he poured tea for him calmly. “I know you’re worried about me. But a man should establish himself in the world and not be idle. Although I have no ambition for an official career, I still want to do something practical with my abilities.”
Hu Yulin sighed, “That’s fine. It’s a crime to possess jade. If someone covets it, you may be injured.”
Rong Xi smiled and said nothing.
After dinner, Hu Yulin returned, and Qin Ke came back.
“Do you want to have dinner?” As soon as Rong Xi finished speaking, he heard Qin Ke’s stomach rumbling, and he suddenly bent his eyes and laughed.
Seeing Qin Ke’s serious expression, he had no choice but to hold back and say, “What do you want to eat?”
“Anything is fine.”
It sounded like he was not picky at all.
Rong Xi knew his taste, so he stopped asking and went to the kitchen.
After a while, the plate was placed on the table, and the aroma overflowed.
A bowl of bone soup noodles, with thick white soup adorned with wolfberries and chopped green onions, looked and smelled delightful.
Beside it, the dishes of vegetarian roasted goose looked appetizing with their red color. Although called vegetarian roasted goose, they were all vegetarian dishes.
Ripe mountain yams wrapped in tofu skin, fried in oil, and seasoned with autumn oil, wine, ginger, and other ingredients, were extremely delicious.
Tofu skin was a derivative of tofu, and although Rong Xi had never taught anyone else how to make this dish, the people of Wei seemed to have a natural talent for cooking.
After tofu, tofu skin emerged and became a popular delicacy among the people.
Qin Ke was not polite. He ate three bowls of noodles and two plates of plain roast goose, but he was still unsatisfied.
After dinner, Rong Xi invited him to the study room, intending to tell him all his plans.
But Qin Ke suddenly stopped, half of his face was hidden in the dark, his long eyelashes were drooped, he did not meet Rong Xi’s eyes, and his tone was calm.
“If you need raw materials, thousands of soldiers will be available for you to dispatch in the future.”
Rong Xi: “…” Should he act excited?
“Thank you, brother Si.” The young man said with a smile, his features were even more handsome under the weak candlelight.
Qin Ke glanced at him silently, then turned and entered the study.
“You want to make a new tool?”
The two sat down opposite each other, and Qin Ke asked straight to the point.
“Just trying it out.” Rong Xi took the paper from the desk drawer and handed it to the man. “This is my preliminary plan. Brother Si, please read it.”
Qin Ke became increasingly interested as he carefully read through it. As he went further, his long eyelashes began to tremble.
Although there were many things that he did not understand, Rong Xiβs explanation was clear. If this were really feasible, it would definitely bring a lot of benefit to the people.
“Before, I was narrow-minded and thought you were only good at craftsmanship. I didn’t expect that you were also very accomplished in farming.” Qin Ke honestly expressed his embarrassment.
The more he got along with Rong Xi, the more he realized that the young man had a broad mind.
Rong Xi’s plan was not only talking about making utensils, but also involving agriculture. However, it took too long for agriculture to bear fruit, so it only mentioned a few things.
But even just a few words were enough for Qin Ke to know its meaning.
“Brother Si, donβt flatter me.” Rong Xi looked ashamed.
He was just imitating the skills of his ancestors and did not deserve such high praise.
The two of them talked for a long time, finally resting around midnight.
The next day after breakfast, Rong Xi took out some graphite powder and clay, mixed them in proportion, and stirred them in a bucket with water.
Then he poured the slurry into molds to remove excess water and let it dry.
“What new utensil are you making? What is its purpose?” Qin Ke asked from the side.
Rong Xi replied earnestly, “I find it inconvenient to write with ink and brush. I have observed that graphite has a fine texture, smooth touch, and easily takes color, so I am trying to make writing utensils.”
He borrowed the wisdom of his predecessors, but couldn’t reveal it openly, feeling ashamed.
Part of the profits earned in the future should be used to support the research project, and the remaining money would be used to do more good deeds and spread the charity.
He would never seek huge profits or enjoy pleasure through this.
Qin Ke didn’t know what he was thinking, but found it quite fascinating to hear.
Ancestors used stones, bones, and other objects to inscribe words, and now brushes are used to express sentiments. The evolution of writing tools has come a long way.
If Rong Xi could truly create new tools, they would surely be passed down to future generations. Of course, the premise is that the new tools are needed by people.
“Brother Si, can you help me deliver letters to the Jiang family and the Feng family respectively?”
After Rong Xi cleaned his hands, he took out two letters.
Qin Ke did not hesitate and called the guards in the dark to deliver the letters.
Several days later, when the graphite slurry had dried, it was crushed again, then mixed with water to form a dough-like.
At that time, the tools made by Feng Shan and Jiang Weiping were all transported to Rong Mansion, as Rong Xi requested.
Rong Xi used molds to shape the graphite paste, making it indistinguishable from pencil cores of the future. Then, he had them fired by kiln workers to harden them.
With the pencil cores ready, they just needed to be wrapped in wood.
Following his instructions in the letter, Feng Shan carved semi-circular grooves on wooden strips, which could hold the pencil cores together when paired. Rong Xi used tree gum to seal the gaps, and simple pencils were made.
Everyone looked at it curiously, Liu Zishi naively asked: “Young master, is this thing really capable of writing?”
Rong Xi took paper from the table, sharpened one end of the pencil, and when the core was exposed, he began writing.
Everyone: ββ¦β You could actually write!
Everyone crowded around to inspect. The writing was very small on the paper, but the strokes were clear and precise. Rong Xi’s handwriting was excellent, no worse than calligraphy written with a brush.
A few people tried to use it, but their grip on the pencil was unfamiliar, and they couldn’t produce neat writing.
Qin Ke had just observed carefully, and now he was writing with a pen. His handwriting was still good, but due to his excessive force, the pen core suddenly broke, leaving long marks on the paper.
The room was silent.
After a moment, Xi Yan suddenly praised: “The prince has great arm strength!”
Rong Xi smiled, took the pen from his hand, and said, “It’s already pretty good.”
Qin Ke looked at the words on the paper, feeling secretly annoyed but not showing it on his face. He stood up and said, “This is a good pen. It saves a lot of tedious work and is easy to carry. It’s very good.”
Writing with a brush requires grinding ink, washing the brush, and so on. If one is not careful, ink may drip onto the paper, causing smudges. Moreover, carrying brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone around is inconvenient.
The other people nodded one after another to show their agreement.
Rong Xi smiled, the uses of pencils were much more than that.
A few days later, Cheng Hao and the army arrived at Mengshan, and were greeted at the city gate by the Countyβs Magistrate, Shen Yi, whose joy could not be concealed.
Mengshan had this honor. As a County Chief, he was naturally extremely happy.
The soldiers and craftsmen all camped on the outskirts of the city. Cheng Hao led several people into the city and saw that Qin Ke, who went ahead, was not at the office, so he asked Shen Yi: “Magistrate Shen, I wonder where the Prince is?”
Shen Yi was stunned, he wants to ask too!
Chen Chuangu, who was accompanying him, couldn’t help but get close to Cheng Hao and whispered: “The prince must have gone to look for Young Master Rong.”
Cheng Hao’s spirits lifted at these words. It makes sense!
He thought the prince of the county must be the same as himself, admiring Rong Xiβs talents and attaching great importance to the skills of craftsmen.
“It is the great blessing of the Wei Dynasty that the prince has this intention!”
Chen Chuangu sighed in his heart. Although Rong Xi is indeed good, as a doctor, he cannot empathize with them. Those utensils can only be enjoyed by wealthy families now, how could ordinary people afford them? Only weapons could benefit the war and bring stability to the Wei Dynasty’s frontiers.
After the welcoming ceremony, Cheng Hao was about to visit Rong Xi’s residence when he saw Qin Ke and Rong Xi arriving together.
After exchanging greetings, everyone gathered in the county office to discuss the establishment of the weapons supervision office.
The location was chosen in Mengshan. After receiving the order, Shen Yi and other officials selected a place to set up the office.
Rong Xi had discussed this matter with Qin Ke and made his decision in his heart.
Shen Yi listed several good places, and the place they decided on was also among them.
Qin Ke looked gentle, nodded and decided: “Right here.”
Shen Yi: “…” He hasn’t even had a chance to mention the pros and cons of the various locations, and the prince has already made a decision? Isn’t this a bit hasty?
However, he only dared to slander him in his mind, while he flattered him openly: “Your Majesty is so wise!”
Everyone: “…” The county king didn’t give any reason, how can this guy could flatter so much?
Rong Xi and Qin Ke exchanged a glance, their lips curving in smiles, eyes twinkling with amusement.
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Thanks for the chapter! For a guy who wanted peace, our MC made a lot of trouble for himself, sigh.
I mean, it’s right position
Thank you for your translation πππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππ
I felt like Rong Xi’s ambition can be easily realised with government’s fund. What he wanted to do is industrialisation right? Specific industry trained their own employees. Since this is a first and no wealthy or prestigious families wanted to fund/sponsor a mere craftsmen family.. that is why Rong Xi wanted the imperial house to set up an example.. to invest in opening something like vocational school. I hope Rong Xi’s dream can be achieved soon, to have the economic growth reached all class of people.
*economic growth’s benefits