In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1056 Explosion, Art

The two walked out of the yamen and through the corridor of the military headquarters.
It was already afternoon, and sunlight streamed through the clouds, casting a soft golden glow on the snow-covered courtyard.

The red lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the breeze, exuding a festive atmosphere as the year draws to a close.

Officials encountered along the way stopped and bowed, their eyes filled with curiosity.

They saw that Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying looked solemn, and that they were followed by elite guards.

Although they didn't know what they were going to do, they didn't dare to ask any questions and simply stood respectfully to the side.

Upon exiting the military headquarters, a carriage was already waiting at the door.

Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying boarded the main carriage, while their personal guards rode on horseback, escorting the carriage as it headed out of the city in a grand procession.

At this time, the festive atmosphere in Daning City is becoming increasingly strong.

The shops on both sides of the street were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, with red lanterns hanging all over the eaves.

Many people were carrying large and small bags of New Year's goods.
With smiles on their faces, they moved back and forth.

Lu Yunyi lifted the carriage curtain, his gaze sweeping over the street scene, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He glanced at Liu Heiying beside him and said softly:
“In the capital, Yingtian Trading Company opened countless workshops, and tens of thousands of people could work in these workshops.”

They would then use the money they earned to purchase goods from the Yingtian Trading Company.

In this way, the more the common people earn, the more Yingtian Trading Company earns.

This approach also applies to Daning City.

When dealing with the lives of ordinary people in the city, we cannot simply consider monetary accounts.

Even though some money has been spent and the books show a loss, there will always be a surplus elsewhere; you have to take a long-term view.

Liu Heiying nodded and pointed out the window:
"Brother Yun'er, Xia Yuanji sent over some documents a few days ago."
They say the workshops in the city are already fully staffed.
To attract more people, new workshops needed to be built, so the military command expanded the area in the west of the city.

Lu Yunyi followed his gaze.

The newly opened workshops are all constructed of cement.

Although the silver-white exterior walls appear out of place, they blend into the surrounding buildings.

Liu Heiying continued:

“Brother Yun’er, ever since the sewing machine and cement markets opened up, many merchants have wanted to open workshops here, even merchants from Beiping have come.”

"Oh why?"

Liu Heiying explained:

"Although Beiping has both canal and land transportation, making transportation convenient and hiring people cheap,
But it was, after all, the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, where there were many powerful and wealthy people, and there was no shortage of covert exploitation.

A merchant told me that he opened a workshop in Daning.

They'd rather earn less than deal with the powerful and wealthy, preferring a more stable life.

Besides, once the official road is repaired, the earnings might not be less than in Beiping.

Therefore, they prefer to come to Daning.

Of course, they don't put all their eggs in one basket; they usually diversify their operations.

Lu Yunyi nodded after hearing this, a hint of relief appearing in his eyes:
"The commander only needs to grasp the general direction for merchants and workshops."

The workshops were the foundation of Da Ning, as they not only generated income but also provided stability for the people and a pool of skilled artisans.

Once the situation stabilizes, we will continue to expand the scale.

If the people inside the Great Wall are unwilling to come to the area outside, then absorb the nomadic people, Koreans, and even Jurchens.

As long as you consider yourself a wise person, then you are a wise person!

After saying that, he added a reminder:

"Now there are more and more workshops in the city, and countless amounts of money are being exchanged. It is inevitable that some people will become greedy."

The commander must keep a close eye on things; anyone who dares to lay a hand on them must be dealt with severely.
We must act decisively!

Liu Heiying sensed the seriousness in his tone and nodded emphatically:
"Don't worry, Brother Yun'er, in chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary."
We live outside the Great Wall, but we also have our own set of rules.

The laws of the Ming Dynasty stipulated that no harm should befall descendants or implicate family members.

But there's no such rule outside the Great Wall; if one person breaks the law, the whole family suffers!

More than twenty officials were dealt with a few days ago.

Their relatives were all expelled from the workshops and government offices, and the children were also expelled from school.

I see that the officials in the military command are now very wary.

Lu Yunyi smiled as well:
"If you dare to make a mistake, you should be prepared to have your hand chopped off."

Those who harbor illusions will not live long in this world.

As they were talking, the carriage had already driven out of the west gate of Daning City and headed towards the wasteland outside the city.

The snow outside the city was thicker than inside.

As far as the eye can see, the world is a vast expanse of white.
Only a few withered trees stood forlornly in the snow, appearing particularly desolate.

About half an hour later, the carriage arrived at its destination, a wide-open wasteland in the mountains.

Located halfway up a mountain, far from villages and garrisons, the terrain is flat.
The surrounding area consisted of bare loess slopes, making it an ideal location for testing gunpowder.

Not far away, several simple courtyard houses stood beside the forest, where craftsmen were already waiting.

They were wearing thick cotton-padded coats, masks, and goggles.

They were carefully moving the gunpowder package wrapped in oil paper to a huge rock.

Upon seeing Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying arrive, they quickly put down their work and bowed in greeting.
"Greetings, Lord Lu and Lord Liu!"

"No gift."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, walked to the rock, and his gaze fell on the gunpowder pack.

These gunpowder packets were of uniform size and wrapped in layers of oiled paper.

It was wrapped with fine hemp rope on the outside, and the workmanship was very neat.

He reached out and picked up a gunpowder pack.

It feels heavy in your hand, and you can clearly feel the granular gunpowder inside.

This action terrified everyone.
The workshop manager, Ma Yonghua, quickly stepped forward, took the gunpowder pack, and stepped back a few paces, saying:
"Sir, you should step back. Leave this dangerous task to me."

"If it explodes, I won't be able to explain it to the entire command."

Lu Yunyi smiled. Liu Heiying acted decisively, pulling him back two steps and reminding him:

"Brother Yun'er, this gunpowder is really powerful. It has exploded a few times before."

After retreating to a safe distance, Ma Yonghua continued:
"Sir, this is our latest granular gunpowder."

Sulfur and saltpeter were added, and the process was improved.

It allows the gunpowder to burn more completely and has a stronger explosive force.

Its power is nearly twice that of previous powdered gunpowder.

Lu Yunyi nodded and asked:

"How safe is it? Are there any risks during transportation and storage?"

"Don't worry, sir!"

Ma Yonghua quickly said:
"We have conducted numerous tests, and this granular gunpowder has extremely high stability."
It will not explode unless exposed to open flame or subjected to violent impact.

Furthermore, we use special oil paper and wooden crates for packaging.

It is moisture-proof and impact-resistant, making it safe for transportation and storage.

Liu Heiying couldn't help but say from the side:

"Brother Yun'er, don't just listen to him. This thing is still too dangerous. Let's see its power first!"

Lu Yunyi smiled slightly and nodded in agreement:

"Okay, let's begin."

Everyone should move to a safe distance and take precautions.

The craftsmen readily agreed and each took on their assigned tasks.

A craftsman in his forties carefully placed a fist-sized gunpowder packet into a pre-dug pit and pulled out the fuse.

Not far away, craftsmen stood in a safe area dozens of steps away with torches, preparing to light a fire.

The others retreated to the back of a distant earthen slope.
They watched all of this with bated breath.

Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying also retreated to the back of the earthen slope.

Basong led his guards to form a circle, vigilantly observing their surroundings to prevent any unexpected incidents.

"Light the fire!"

Liu Heiying gave the order.

The craftsman holding the torch took a deep breath, ran quickly to the pit, and brought the torch close to the fuse.

The fuse ignited instantly, producing a sizzling sound.

Sparks flew everywhere, and a wisp of smoke rose into the air.

Seeing this, the craftsman immediately turned around and ran towards the safe zone as fast as he could. "Boom!"

A deafening roar, like a thunderclap, shook the earth.

The massive shockwave carried mud, sand, and gravel, sending them flying in all directions and raising clouds of dust.

The once flat ground was blasted into a large crater.
That boulder, several people tall, was actually blasted into several pieces.

The pebbles flew dozens of steps away, hitting the snow with a dull thud.

As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, the crowd emerged from behind the earthen mound, their faces filled with shock and excitement.

"Good heavens! That's terrifyingly powerful!"

Liu Heiying's eyes widened as he strode to the shattered boulder, looking at the debris scattered on the ground with a sense of awe:
"Such a small gunpowder pack can actually blast such a big rock into this shape. Its power seems to have increased."

Ma Yonghua straightened his back, as if he were asking for credit:
"Lord Liu, we've found the right approach, and our research on gunpowder is going more and more smoothly."

It's a pity the commander wouldn't allow a larger amount of gunpowder, otherwise they could have experimented with an even better ratio.

After saying that, he gave an awkward smile:
"Could you allow us to increase the dosage a bit more and try a few more methods?"

Liu Heiying was originally all smiles,

Upon hearing this, his face instantly darkened, and he shouted:

"Don't even think about those things! First, get the fist-sized amount of gunpowder secure and make sure it's safe!"

I'm warning you, people are far more valuable than gunpowder!

Even if all the gunpowder in the houses exploded, the commander wouldn't care.
But if you all get blown up, who will study gunpowder in the future?
Do you want to be blown to bits like Lin Zhixing?

Disappointment was evident in Ma Yonghua's eyes, and he quickly spoke:
"My lord, Lord Lin and the others were an accident. As long as we are careful, nothing will go wrong."

"Alright! Stop talking!"

Liu Heiying raised his hand to stop him and cursed:
"You have no wife or children, so your death is no big deal."
But so many craftsmen all have families and businesses.
If I were blown to bits like you, how would I explain it to their families?

That's settled then.
Before the company provides a feasibility report,

Under no circumstances should you act on your own, and you must not change the formula or increase the dosage!

If I find out, you'd better get as far away as possible!

Ma Yonghua was embarrassed and dared not say anything more.

He has brought this up more than ten times, and each time he has failed.

But he was not discouraged and planned to bring it up again in a few days.

Lu Yunyi watched them argue and couldn't help but laugh.

He stepped forward, patted Ma Yonghua on the shoulder, and comforted him:

"The power of this gunpowder has exceeded my expectations. You have done a great job."

With this gunpowder, whether for conquering cities or defending against enemies,

They can all be of great use, and the commander will surely reward them handsomely!

"I heard you're not married yet? Commander, I'll find you a wife!"

Ma Yonghua gave an awkward smile:
"My lord, there's no rush when it comes to your wife's affairs."
Your subordinate was thinking of using this new type of gunpowder to make cannonballs, but Lord Liu has always disagreed with you.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Listen to Black Hawk, safety is the top priority."

Gunpowder can be developed gradually, but if skilled craftsmen die, the military suffers a great loss.

Seeing that Ma Yonghua was about to say something, he interrupted in time and asked:

"Could this kind of gunpowder blast through the bricks and stones of the city wall?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Yonghua hesitated, his fingers unconsciously clenching the hem of his clothes, and his voice lowered slightly:
"My lord, although this type of gunpowder is twice as powerful as before..."
But it's still a ways off to blast open the city wall's bricks and stones.

An ordinary rammed earth city wall might be able to be breached by blasting.
But if it were a fortified city built of bluestone and mortar, at most some plaster would crumble.

He added as soon as he finished speaking:

"However, our workshop also has a new type of gunpowder. If we use that stuff, it can blast even solid boulders to smithereens, let alone bricks and stones of the city walls."

These words came as a bolt from the blue.

Liu Heiying turned his head sharply, his dark face instantly darkening.

His brows furrowed, and a menacing aura emanated from him.

"Ma Yonghua, what are you trying to do? We haven't even figured that thing out yet, and all the preparations aren't complete. You still want to try?"

Lu Yunyi stood to the side.
His previously calm gaze instantly turned sharp, and he raised his hand to press down on Liu Heiying's arm.

Liu Heiying paused, looking at the light in Lu Yunyi's eyes, and reminded him:

"Brother Yun'er, don't listen to his nonsense."

That thing is too powerful; it could explode at any moment.

If we're not careful, we'll all be dead here today!

Lu Yunyi ignored his advice, his gaze falling on Ma Yonghua, and he smiled:

"How powerful is that kind of gunpowder you're talking about? Can you take it out and show it to me now?"
I've heard about it in your letter, but I haven't seen it in person, which is a bit of a regret.

"grown ups!"

Ma Yonghua and Liu Heiying exclaimed in unison, Ma Yonghua's face full of embarrassment:
"That won't do! That gunpowder is too unstable!"

Let alone collisions or open flames, even slightly high temperatures or prolonged exposure to the sun could cause it to explode!
Last time we almost messed things up just because we wanted to change its box.

Fortunately, my subordinate reacted quickly and threw it into the cellar, thus averting a major disaster.

He swallowed hard, his voice wary:

"Sir, please don't look at it. That thing is too dangerous, really too dangerous!"

Liu Heiying quickly echoed:

"Brother Yun'er, we have enough pellet gunpowder now, there's no need to take this risk!"

Lu Yunyi shook his head, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, his tone unusually firm:

"Fortune favors the bold; the more powerful something is, the more valuable it is."

Ma Yonghua, I know it's dangerous.

But I must see its power with my own eyes.

"Rest assured, I will take full responsibility for anything that happens; it has nothing to do with your workshop."

He paused, his tone softening:
"I'm not asking you to mass-produce it now, I just want to see where its limits are."

Only by seeing it with my own eyes can I judge its future use.

Just prepare in the safest way possible.
You don't need to worry about the rest; we're not in a hurry.

Ma Yonghua looked at Lu Yunyi's determined eyes.

He glanced at Liu Heiying, whose face was ashen, and struggled with his thoughts for a long time.

He had long been fascinated by gunpowder, and if he could get the adults' support,
Perhaps I can delve deeper into it more freely in the future.

But the thought of the danger of that thing made me shudder.

"grown ups."

Ma Yonghua gritted his teeth, as if he had made a very difficult decision:

"Since you insist on seeing me, then I will give it my all!"
But we must take safety measures to the extreme.
All the craftsmen retreated a mile away.
You and Lord Liu must stand behind the furthest earthen slope; absolutely do not approach!

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Whatever you say, as long as we can see its power, we'll do whatever is safest."

Seeing that Lu Yunyi had made up his mind, Liu Heiying
Knowing that further persuasion was useless, he could only sigh heavily and give Ma Yonghua some advice:
"Keep your heart in your throat! Stop immediately if anything seems amiss!"
"If anyone dares to gamble with everyone's lives, I'll skin them alive!"

"My subordinate understands!"

Ma Yonghua quickly agreed and turned to the craftsmen behind him, loudly instructing them:
"Listen up, everyone! All irrelevant people, step back! People inside, stop what you're doing and get out of here!"

You guys grab your weapons and come with me to the secret room to retrieve the Thunderclap!

Be quiet, don't run, don't touch, and don't talk loudly!
If anyone messes up, we're all going to be in deep trouble!

Upon hearing this, the ease on the artisans' faces vanished instantly.

Each of them had a solemn expression, with tension in their eyes, and a hint of barely suppressed excitement.

Those who can study gunpowder in the weapons workshop
They are all people who live by the sword.

The more powerful the gunpowder, the more excited they became!

They followed Ma Yonghua, walking quickly towards the courtyard house not far away.
They walked very lightly, even deliberately slowing their breathing.

Liu Heiying pulled Lu Yunyi along.
I walked quickly to the highest earthen slope in the distance.

This earthen slope was at least two zhang high, sheltered from the wind and offering a wide view.
It can both clearly show the test site and serve as a barrier.

"Brother Yun'er, this thing is no joke. If it explodes later, don't show your face."

Lu Yunyi nodded and smiled:

"If this thing is really that powerful, perhaps I can scheme to become the General of Shanhaiguan."

(End of this chapter)