The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 95 Collective Madness (Part Two)

Young Master Zhao composed himself and went upstairs to the second floor, where he noticed that Steward Fusheng was waiting downstairs.

What could possibly require such tight security?
After entering the house, at his father's signal, he closed the door behind him.

"Father?" he asked, puzzled.

The head of the Zhao family didn't stop walking. He pointed to the table by the window, or more precisely, to the object on it: "The instructions are written on the paper next to it. Pick it up and take a look."

Young Master Zhao asked no further questions.

On the table, the first thing you see is a tray containing nested cylinders.

After glancing at what was written on the paper, he picked up the cylinder and looked out the window.

The second floor of the library offers a wide view with no obstructions in front.

Young Master Zhao adjusted the cylinder, then abruptly put it down, his eyes filled with astonishment. He took a deep breath, picked it up again, and looked into the distance.

Within the limited field of vision, the movements of the guards in the distance outside the Zhao residence were clearly visible!
The newly built government offices are right before my eyes!

In that instant, Young Master Zhao thought of many uses for it.

A powerful military weapon!
In the coming days, once the weather warms up, there will be no need to risk getting close to check on the movements of evil spirits in various places.

Young Master Zhao's breathing quickened, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Father! This..."

The head of the Zhao family waved his hand and pointed to a strange set of objects beside him:

"And that one too, look at that one!"

Young Master Zhao suppressed his inner thoughts and took a deep breath.

At the same time, I am even more confused.

Isn't this crucial military equipment, capable of enabling tactical innovation, the most important thing?!
With some reluctance, he gently put down the long tube in his hand.

Young Master Zhao then looked at another object beside him.

Overall, it is made of copper and iron, and various parts of unknown purpose are assembled together. It also has a cylinder on top, which is the part for looking at.

This item also comes with an instruction sheet, with clear illustrations and text, explaining how to operate it.

The operation is not complicated.

There was also a small transparent glass dish on top, and inside it looked like... a small flying insect?

These tiny flying insects, smaller than a sesame seed, are very common.

"Just this?" Young Master Zhao muttered.

Wen Gu came over to adjust the lighting equipment and gestured to his cousin: Please.

To prove the usefulness of the object of observation, the best approach would be to take some water from the feng shui fish pond at the Zhao residence and observe the tiny animals that move about inside.

When the Zhao family renovated this house, they were wary of evil spirits and plagues, as evil spirits are easily revived when they encounter water. So they filled in more than half of the original large pond, keeping only the fish pond, for the purpose of feng shui to ward off evil spirits and protect the house.

Although it is winter, tiny living animals can still be found in the water below the pond after the ice is broken.

However, who can be 100% certain that there are no evil curses hidden inside?
To show this to the Zhao family head, we must avoid these things. We must be extremely careful with what we get here.

After Wen Gu arrived, he simply asked Butler Fusheng to go and find targets for observation, such as the small flying insects in the greenhouse.

The greenhouse was used to grow vegetables in winter, and the vegetables grown inside were all intended for the nobles. The Zhao family was in charge of this.

The greenhouse is warm and the humidity is just right, so it's inevitable that there will be some small flying insects.

When Steward Fusheng went to ask for the small flying insects, the servants there thought the vegetables hadn't been washed properly and that some nobleman had found the insects in the vegetables, and they were so frightened that their faces turned pale.

After much effort, Steward Fusheng finally brought over a small flying insect that had been swatted half to death.

Let's leave aside for now what happened when my uncle was looking at the flying insects under the microscope.

At this moment, Young Master Zhao adjusted the steps little by little according to the instructions on the paper, and then...

He suddenly stood up and stepped back, kicking over the stool behind him.

His complexion changed from red to green, and then from green to white.

His facial muscles twitched stiffly in sections, and he even had the urge to turn around, draw his sword, and smash the table.

"This...this is?" His voice was unsteady.

“A small flying insect,” Wen Gu replied, “a magnified small flying insect.”

"You call this... a small flying insect?"

What I saw through the cylinder of that stand just now was a grotesque monster, and I could even see long hairs on it!
Young Master Zhao's complexion hadn't returned to normal, and the thought of accidentally eating one of these small flying insects when he was a child made him want to spit it out even more. His face lost even more color.

Anyone who sees the image through the lens will be horrified.

It was indeed a huge psychological shock! Especially for someone like him who had accidentally swallowed a small flying insect, he could have ignored it before, but from this moment on, the image kept replaying in his mind, and his mindset was different!

I took deep breaths to suppress the nausea in my heart.

After all, he was the young master of a powerful force. Once he was certain that what he saw was that little flying insect, he immediately thought of many things.

This evil plague that has created chaos is rumored to be a kind of Gu worm, a poisonous insect that can reside in the human body. If one possesses this divine artifact…

The color quickly returned to his face. Suppressing his discomfort, Zhao Shaozhu looked at the microscope tube again.

To confirm this himself, he adjusted the knob on the base and moved the target.

The scene observed in the field of vision also moves accordingly.

After a long while, he stood up and exclaimed excitedly, "A divine artifact! This is a divine artifact!!"

Young Master Zhao strode up to Wen Gu and asked, "How did you manage to create this divine artifact?"

Wen Gu poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, explaining, "When I was studying abroad..."

Young Master Zhao sipped his tea to calm his excitement, listened to Wen Gu recount his experiences during his study tour, and learned about the various uses of the microscope.

He finally understood why his father couldn't sit still in his wheelchair. He, with perfectly healthy legs, couldn't sit still either!
If his father hadn't been there, he would have wanted to go outside and run a few laps to release his excitement and exhilaration!

In this chaotic world, the most important thing for all forces is not to fight their way out or expand their territory, but to preserve themselves as much as possible!

This concerns our foundation and our survival!
The shock and the surprise happened simultaneously!
Young Master Zhao asked impatiently, "With this divine artifact, will we be able to find a way to suppress the Gu worms more quickly?"

Wen Gu nodded: "It can be used to observe tiny things, and perhaps see the original appearance of the Gu poison, and find a way to control it."

Young Master Zhao's complexion had not yet recovered from the visual shock he had just experienced, but his eyes were filled with excitement.

Overwhelmed with emotion, I didn't know what to say for a moment.

Wen Gu said, "The production schedule is quite tight, so this is the best we can produce for now. Once the craftsmen's skills improve and the lens magnification increases, we can magnify it further."

However, this only allows for observation of tiny animals at a magnification of several hundred times; forget about bacteria and viruses, though it's possible to observe parasites.

A powerful force like the Zhao clan must have assembled a medical team to study the plague, but progress has been slow. Now that they have microscopes, they should be able to speed things up!
Yes, we need to recruit more medical-related talents!

Young Master Zhao then inquired about the kilns and workshops in Qingyunfang.

Wen Gu said, "Qingyun Workshop has ceased operations, but the craftsmen involved in these two items are still temporarily remaining in the workshop. Each craftsman was only responsible for a portion of the work and had no idea they would be creating such items."

The secrecy has been maintained.

The head of the Zhao family finally sat down and said, "Bring those craftsmen and their families to the Zhao family workshop and settle them in properly."

After thinking for a moment, the Zhao family head added, "Open another workshop after the New Year to produce these telescopes and microscopes. Strengthen the guards, and also train more craftsmen with polishing skills!"

Wen Gu also said: "Indeed, we need to train more specialized craftsmen. If they can focus on grinding a certain type of lens, their skills will improve faster, and they can produce finished products that meet the requirements more quickly."

"The microscope and telescope I prepared took a lot of time just to grind the lenses. There are only a limited number of qualified finished products. I was lucky to be able to make just these two. If I had been unlucky, it might have taken several months to grind them."

Upon hearing this, the Zhao father and son felt an even stronger sense of urgency. Who could guarantee they'd always be lucky?
If we want to get more telescopes and microscopes, we have to start with the craftsmen!

The number of people we can find in Xinzhou is limited, but we can look to other places!

This matter has been included in the plan.

Uncle Zhao said to Wen Gu, "Your identity is special. Although these two artifacts are kept secret from outsiders, it's inevitable that some people will be watching you. Would you like us to assign you a few more guards?"

To prevent him from overthinking the past and developing a sense of rejection, Uncle Zhao was about to offer a few more words of explanation and advice.

Wen Gu immediately replied, "That's wonderful! Thank you, Uncle!"

From now on, I'll have elite bodyguards to pick me up when I go out, so I don't have to worry about being ambushed. I'll also have a few more helpers around when I'm at home, and their wages will definitely have to be added to the government's budget.

What a great opportunity! Why refuse it?
Uncle Zhao fell silent for a moment.

Young Master Zhao glanced at Wen Gu several times, but couldn't detect the slightest hint of reluctance on Wen Gu's face.

This cousin seems to have a pretty positive outlook!

Uncle Zhao: "Then how about I assign you five guards?"

Wen Gu: "Ten, I guess. I have a lot of things to do after the New Year, so having more people around will make me feel safer."

With bodyguards on duty in shifts, there's no need for excessive fatigue, allowing you to maintain peak combat readiness!
Uncle Zhao nodded: "Okay, I'll send ten guards over there for you!"

Based on the merit of reviewing the past, apart from other material rewards, the protection aspect is not worth mentioning.

As for official positions, as some veteran officials know, the same title can mean vastly different administrative ranks!
And that's the situation now. He still wants to remain the head of the neighborhood and doesn't want to be moved. But the leader has granted him even greater power!
In addition to money, grain, and goods, the Zhao family head also agreed to several requests from Wen Gu. For example, after the glassmakers moved away from Qingyunfang, Wen Gu wanted to recruit a group of ceramic artisans.

It was just firing ceramics, not a big problem, so Uncle Zhao agreed on the spot.

There are far more artisans who make ceramics than artisans who make glass, and they can be trained much faster.

After discussing the workshop, Wen Gu took out a draft and handed it to Young Master Zhao: "This was originally intended as a New Year's gift for you."

Young Master Zhao dared not underestimate the paper draft given to him by Wen Gu. He quickly took it and saw that it also depicted glass products, also called "mirrors," but their uses were clearly different from the previous two.

"this is?"

"I saw it during my study abroad trip. Some people call it 'ai dai,' while others simply call it glasses. It's said to be incredibly effective for people with vision problems!"

Wen Gu explained the issues of nearsightedness and farsightedness to the two of them in simple terms.

"The lenses haven't been ground yet, and the qualified glass materials were only recently produced. They've all been used to make telescopes and microscopes."

Young Master Zhao understood: "Indeed, those two divine artifacts should be the priority!"

Wen Gu said, "If we have the capacity, I still hope the workshop can produce the glasses as soon as possible." Regardless of poverty or wealth, and regardless of social status, most people will experience vision problems.

Especially for today's intellectuals, the more they read, the more likely they are to develop eye problems if they don't take care of their eyes.

"For those tiny prints, or close-knit letters, if your eyesight is good or not too bad, you can use a magnifying glass. If your eyesight is poor and it is significantly affected, you will have to use glasses."

The Zhao family head had known about magnifying glasses before, and Wen Gu had even made one and given it to Madam Shen.

Young Master Zhao had just met Madam Shen and nodded repeatedly: "A magnifying glass is indeed convenient for reading small characters."

Wen Gu said, "When eyesight is dull and tired, one cannot distinguish fine characters, but if one wears the appropriate glasses, the strokes become much clearer!"

There are still quite a few talented people in Xinzhou today.

Young and middle-aged people with high myopia have limited job opportunities and few limbs despite being able to go out.

Even older people who are in good health but have presbyopia are similarly limited, finding it difficult to read documents and having low work efficiency.

Wen Gu: "Nowadays, there is a shortage of talent, and it is precisely the time when people are needed. If these two types of glasses can solve the problem of vision, more manpower can be used to help Xinzhou."

The Zhao father and son looked serious.

How could they not know what Wen Gu was talking about?
Especially Young Master Zhao.

When he heard Wen Gu mention the problem of nearsightedness, his eyes became somber.

He had a friend who loved literature and art, but whose eyesight was failing; he could not see a person clearly from five steps away.

When the plague spread, that friend mistook the evil spirit for a normal person and sent it over, where he was killed.

In the early days of chaos, when things got out of hand, there wasn't much awareness of self-defense. Because of nearsightedness, people couldn't tell whether the other party was a monster or a normal person, and thus missed the best time to escape.

When Young Master Zhao recounted these events, Wen Gu also felt regret.

He died unjustly!
A moment of silence fell.

As the somber atmosphere faded, Wen Gu sighed:
“There are many people in the city who are very talented, but their eyesight is too poor to go out, and they dare not go out. It’s okay when it’s cold, but when it gets hot, they dare not go out.”

Young Master Zhao was deeply moved.

He also had other friends of the same age who had to stay at home due to vision problems. Learning from their experience, they dared not go out, and their families also dared not let them go out. They were stuck at home, feeling depressed and unfulfilled.

He sighed again, "If only we had glasses! But the lenses all need to be ground by hand, and different vision problems require different lenses. There are far too few craftsmen who have mastered the technique of grinding lenses for light, and we need to train them specifically!"

The Zhao family head and young master felt their heartstrings tighten once again.

The sense of urgency increased by 1+1...

Leaving aside relatives and friends, even they themselves, especially the head of the Zhao family, are doing well now, but in a few years, they may have presbyopia problems.

The Zhao father and son were both pondering where to recruit more craftsmen.

Craftsmen with carving and polishing skills are mostly distributed among the other five valves. The question is, do they fish one valve first, or fish all five valves at once?

The head of the Zhao family let out a long breath and made a note of it.

He said, "The craftsmen will go out and search for them, and make a batch of glasses as soon as possible."

Wen Gu said apologetically, "My aunt and uncle probably don't need reading glasses yet, so I'm ordering a pair in advance to give to Mr. Hong. There will definitely be a lot of things to do at the academy after the New Year, and the glasses will lighten his burden."

Patriarch Zhao readily agreed: "Alright, the first one will be made for Old Master Hong!"

Since Wen Gu provided these glasses, the first pair to be made would naturally be for Wen Gu. He could make them for whomever he wanted first!
Thinking of something, the Zhao family head said to Wen Gu, "There will be a small meeting on the third day of the Lunar New Year, with only a few people participating, to discuss matters after the New Year. You can come and listen then, and you can also share your thoughts with the elders."

Wen Gu stood up and bowed, saying, "Yes! Thank you, Uncle!"

The small meeting on the third day of the Lunar New Year was actually a meeting of the top power in Xinzhou!

It is a sign of trust in Wen Gu, and also an opportunity for Wen Gu to come into contact with the top power figures in Xinzhou today!

Seeing that Wen Gu had grasped the meaning, the head of the Zhao family was filled with emotion.

As for the topics I had prepared beforehand, such as "the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by wind and rain" and "young people love to cause trouble," they have been abandoned.

What kind of show?

What storm?
What's going on?

None of that is a problem!!

It's good to be lively; young people should be like that!
You could be a little more active!
The Zhao family head encouraged them, "Don't be afraid. No matter how strong the wind and rain, the Zhao family will protect you! We are your protective umbrella!"

Wen Gu was deeply moved: "...Let's change the word, Uncle, this word is unlucky! I heard some things during my studies abroad that weren't good."

Although he didn't know why it was considered unlucky, since Wen Gu had said so, Uncle Zhao smiled and said, "Alright, let's change it to a shelter from the wind and rain!"

Knowing that her uncle and cousin had important matters to discuss, Wen Gu took her leave first.

When they arrived, they carried a heavy box, and when they left, they carried the same heavy box, but this time it contained pastries and drinks specially provided by their uncle, and an attendant helped carry it.

After Wen Gu left, Young Master Zhao, holding the binoculars, said, "Father! This binoculars are useful for combat and defense in spring and summer; we can let the generals know about it. But this microscope... should we keep it a secret for now?"

In today's world, microscopes are more secure than telescopes!
This item is related to the changing situation!
The Zhao family head thought for a moment and said, "Let them know, let them see hope!"

A single epidemic has shattered the psychological defenses of countless people, causing them to break down completely.

Even some people who were originally very strong in combat and very brave in fighting enemies were so frightened by the talk of ghosts and gods that they lost all energy to fight.

Although his generals and strategists were more resilient than others, they still harbored doubts and uncertainty. Initially, the wicked teachings of some heretical monks and Taoist priests confused their minds, so they ruthlessly killed a group of them.

However, in chaotic times, various treacherous sects are still plotting in the shadows. If any fallacies or heresies emerge in the future and shake people's hearts, it may cause even greater chaos.

It would be better to stabilize some of the upper management first.

This was a decision he made after weighing the pros and cons: "From a strategic perspective, maintaining morale is more beneficial than harmful!"

Young Master Zhao thought about it and agreed.

So, someone was sent to inform the senior management.

While waiting, Young Master Zhao thought of the travel experiences he had mentioned, including those about observing targets under a microscope, and went to find a few more objects to observe.

The images seen under a microscope might be unsettling for scholars, but not necessarily for military generals. It's best to look at several different things.

According to the order of the notification, Pei Jun, the chief officer of the Patrol Guard, arrived first.

Shortly afterward, a group of people arrived. These were Zhao family confidants who had stayed behind in Xinzhou City or returned from elsewhere to report on their work during the New Year. Some were military officers, while others were scholars.

Each and every one of them has the power to influence the situation in Xinzhou!
However, after they arrived, they were told to wait outside until Pei Jun came downstairs and told to go in, and then they went upstairs together.

Pei Jun, holding a knife, stood guard outside the door on the first floor.

The people entering the building noticed this and became even more cautious.

Regardless of what they were thinking as they went upstairs, a moment later...

Kicking the stool, yelling, uttering incoherent words, talking nonsense!

A burst of meowing and barking noise followed.

A scholar suddenly ran to the other window and vomited out.

After a while, another general opened a window and shouted a series of incomprehensible words, full of emotion but lacking any skill, before being gagged and dragged back by the other two generals.

The window closed again, but after a while the scene reappeared, only this time a different person appeared at the window.

They were vomiting, laughing, crying, and shouting, as if they had collectively gone mad.

The guards responsible for protecting this small courtyard were stunned by what they saw.

Although...

Although this chaotic world has left many people with distorted minds, unstable mentality, and occasional fits of madness.

However, these powerful figures are all resilient and would never lose their composure like this even when they are emotionally agitated!

The guards were at a loss for what to do, and the leader was in particular having a headache.

Previously, Steward Fusheng had told them that the head of the family, the young master, and several important figures had important matters to discuss, and there would be some significant events during the discussions, which they did not need to pay attention to.

But the commotion just now was too strange. Several generals with high combat skills had gone in today, and the guards were still uneasy. The leader decided to go closer to check the situation and confirm it.

As you approach the library, you'll see that besides Steward Fusheng, Pei Jun, the chief officer of the patrol department, is guarding the entrance.

Pei Jun stood with a cold expression, holding her knife. Her sharp gaze swept over them with a sinister glint, as if telling anyone who dared to approach her that death awaited them!
The guard reluctantly looked at Manager Fusheng.

Fusheng waved his hand, indicating that there was nothing wrong here and that they should leave.

The leader had no choice but to suppress his doubts for the time being, lead his men away, and continue to observe cautiously.

After a while, there was finally some movement again, and the military officers and scholars who had gone in came out one after another.

The flamboyant person was muttering something under their breath.

Those who lack strong facial expression control may appear excited, with a flushed face and smiling eyes, but at other times their expressions become gloomy and ferocious. After walking a few steps, their expressions turn serious again.

Guards: Is this a side effect of having gone mad?

The second floor of the library.

After everyone left, the surroundings became quiet again.

Only the father and son were there.

The head of the Zhao family sat in his wheelchair, deep in thought.

Young Master Zhao wiped the sweat off the telescope tube and carefully put it back.

Turning around, I saw the paper manuscript on the table, which was already wrinkled.

Just now, several high-ranking military officers and scholars got into a fight over the manuscript in a fit of emotion, and the manuscript was almost torn apart.

Gently put the paper away.

These things must not be handled by others!
After tidying up the room, Young Master Zhao sat down and breathed a sigh of relief.

He thought back to what he had said earlier and sighed from the bottom of his heart, "I should have gone abroad to study back then!"

The Zhao family head wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "Yes, we should have sent you to study abroad back then!"

(End of this chapter)