Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 384 I Want to Fly to the Sky and Stand Shoulder to Shoulder with the Sun
"Flying! It's flying! It's really flying!"

On the open fields outside Chang'an City, a shout so excited it cracked pierced the clear sky.

Following the sound, a house surrounded by a blue brick wall stood out. A wooden plaque hung above the door, with two powerful characters engraved on it: "Wan Hu" (meaning "Ten Thousand Households").

This house was specially built by Wen He for the purpose of building hot air balloons. When someone asked him why he named it that, Wen He just smiled and said it meant "to share the joy of flying with thousands of families".

This explanation seems reasonable, but it also seems a bit far-fetched.

But apart from that, it seems there's nothing else that can explain why Wen He chose this name.

At this moment, in the open space of the house, a dozen craftsmen dressed in dark blue short jackets stood with their heads up.

All their attention was drawn to the enormous "monster" in the sky.

It was an airbag sewn together from ten bolts of Shu brocade, its entire body a pale red color, gleaming softly in the sunlight, with a reinforced bamboo basket hanging below, slowly rising with the hot air currents.

"Look how excited you are. It's only flown five or six zhang high."

A craftsman named Master Wang, who was nearly fifty years old, clicked his tongue and held the hemp rope he used to measure height in his hand, but his tone couldn't hide his smile.

"We reached this level two months ago. If we can keep things stable today and avoid any mishaps, we might be able to change things up tonight. Let's not eat mutton again."

Upon hearing this, the craftsmen all gave bitter smiles, their faces filled with expressions of utter misery.

Ever since they started building this "flying artifact," there has never been a shortage of mutton in the house.

Initially, the wooden frame collapsed during the experiment, and the bamboo basket was directly broken by the sheep.

The little goat named "Pleasant Goat" sacrificed itself so tragically.

To commemorate him, Wenhe held a grand whole-lamb feast that evening.

Later, the experiments became so frequent that almost two or three animals would die every day.

The lamb was indeed delicious, and the chef's skills were superb.

But I couldn't resist eating it every day, twice a day without fail.

Later on, the craftsmen became afraid of mutton.

Wen He then sent it everywhere, to Li Shimin and the Eastern Palace.

to the end.

Gao Yue made a special trip to convey Li Shimin's oral decree.

"His Majesty said that there is no need to send any more mutton to the palace. All of this should be left for the artisans to eat. I appreciate your kindness."

Until last month, when Wen He opened his restaurant in Chang'an, most of the mutton was sent to the restaurant, and everyone was finally able to escape the "nightmare" of eating mutton every meal.

Wen He couldn't even calculate how many sheep were consumed in the experiment.

Anyway, the main characters in Sheep Village have probably all eaten their fill.

"Master Wang, how many zhang is it?"

The young craftsman, Xiao Li, who was in charge of recording the data, was holding the pen and paper, his hands trembling slightly.

He was an apprentice who had just been transferred from the Ministry of Works. It was the first time he had seen such a large "balloon" fly into the sky, and his eyes were full of excitement.

Master Wang tugged at the measuring rope in his hand, looked up at the hot air balloon in the sky, and replied loudly.

"Seventy feet! The wind is light today, and the airflow is very stable, better than the previous times! But according to the rules, it's about time to pull it down, lest the wind pick up and something unexpected happens!"

It's still in the experimental stage, and Wen He has given a firm order.

No one may be allowed to carry passengers unless there is absolute certainty of safety.

Therefore, in each experiment, only one sheep was placed in the bamboo basket as the test subject, and only a small amount of coal was put into the air vent of the airbag, so as to generate enough heat to make the balloon rise into the air, while avoiding excessive heat and loss of control.

Once the balloon reaches the designated altitude, the craftsmen on the ground will pull the thick hemp ropes that are pre-attached to both sides of the bamboo basket, slowly pulling the hot air balloon back to the ground.

"Slow down! Slow down, everyone! Loosen the rope on your left by half an inch, don't pull it too tight, or you'll damage the airbag!"

Master Wang stood at the front directing the operation, his voice filled with caution.

Everyone held their breath, their hands gripping the rough hemp rope tightly, the sweat from their palms soaking the knots.

On one occasion, due to uneven force when reeling in the rope, the bamboo basket hit the air bladder, not only tearing a hole but also almost starting a fire. If everyone hadn't reacted quickly and put out the fire, the entire house might have been burned down.

From then on, everyone was extra careful every time they pulled in the rope.

The hot air balloon descended slowly, and the bamboo basket landed steadily on the pre-laid haystack.

The craftsman in charge of extinguishing the fire immediately stepped forward and covered the embers in the bamboo basket with a water-soaked linen cloth until the flames were completely extinguished, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

The deflated air bladder, like a punctured balloon, slowly collapsed.

That's right, the most primitive hot air balloons used charcoal fire.

This is also the most accurate target Wen He has given.

He recalled that in 1783 the Montgolfier brothers used open flames, heating the air with a stove or burning weeds.

That's why he tried using coal as fuel.

Unexpectedly, it was highly feasible.

Just then, a sheep bleated from the bamboo basket, and then a fluffy sheep's head popped out.

Then, a snow-white goat jumped out of the bamboo basket, shook its fur, and hopped around in circles on the open ground.

Having survived the ordeal, it roamed around aimlessly.

An eerie silence instantly fell over the house.

The craftsmen looked at each other, but no one spoke.

Lin Su, who was standing to the side taking notes, was also stunned.

He was specially sent by Wen He to assist in management. After each experiment, everyone would either gather around the airbag to check for any damage or argue about how to improve it next time, making it as noisy as a market. But why is it so quiet today?

As he was wondering, he suddenly saw that Master Wang, who was standing at the front, had red eyes and his lips were trembling slightly.

"We...we think we succeeded?"

Master Wang's voice was choked with emotion. He raised his hand to wipe his face, then looked up at the sky, as if he could still see the hot air balloon taking off.

"Seventy zhang..."

Xiao Li murmured along, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Over a hundred days, dozens of failures, three airbags blown up, two bamboo baskets broken, and today we finally flew steadily to seventy zhang and landed safely... We really succeeded!"

"It worked! We succeeded!"

A loud shout was like a fuse being lit, and all the craftsmen instantly burst forth.

Some people waved the hemp ropes in their hands and cheered, some patted each other on the shoulder and hugged, and several elderly craftsmen squatted on the ground, wiping away tears and laughing.

Over the past hundred days, they have endured countless sleepless nights, adjusting airbags in the courtyard under the scorching sun, their bodies drenched in sweat but they dare not stop.

To reinforce the bamboo basket, they worked through the night polishing the bamboo, and even when their hands developed blisters, they simply bandaged them.

Even when the airbag caught fire, they risked burns to put out the flames...

Now, all the hard work has finally paid off, how can I not be excited?
"No! It hasn't succeeded yet!"

Suddenly a sharp shout rang out, and the craftsmen fell silent instantly, turning their heads to look.

The speaker was Mr. Zhang, who was in charge of reinforcing the bamboo baskets. He looked serious and shook his head as he spoke.

"Don't get too excited, everyone! It's not time to celebrate yet! The county magistrate said that this hot air balloon will eventually carry people. We've only successfully carried sheep; we still need a crucial manned test! It's not a true success until we've put people in the air!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, waking up the excited crowd.

Yes, successfully carrying sheep is only the first step. Only when people are actually sent into the sky and brought back safely can this "flying object" be considered truly successful.

"It's our turn."

Someone said something, and the atmosphere in the house instantly changed.

The initial excitement turned into solemnity, and everyone's eyes held a newfound determination and anticipation.

From the very beginning of building hot air balloons, Wen He repeatedly emphasized safety, but the craftsmen all knew in their hearts that someone had to be the first to realize this dream of "flying into the sky".

"I come!"

Suddenly, Master Zhang raised his hand, took a step forward, straightened his chest, and his face was full of passionate expression.

“Such a dangerous thing has to be done by someone! I’ve been in this industry for thirty years, what storms haven’t I seen? Let me be the first person to go to the sky. Even if something goes wrong, it will be my contribution to the cause of flying!”

He spoke with great righteousness, but as soon as he finished speaking, the way the craftsmen around him looked at him changed instantly, filled with vigilance.

"You son of a bitch! Zhang Laosan, do you think we don't know what you're up to?"

Mr. Li, who was standing next to him, rolled up his sleeves and pointed at him, cursing.

"Isn't it just that you want to steal the credit for being the first to fly? And you talk about contributing your efforts? Don't give me that! This is the first time in history that this has ever happened. If it succeeds, it will be recorded in the family genealogy and bring glory to our ancestors. Why should we let you go?"

"Exactly! I think you're just trying to steal the credit!"

Master Liu, who was in charge of sewing the airbag, chimed in. He was still holding half a thread in his hand. As he spoke, he stepped forward and pushed Master Zhang.

"If you ask me, we should send Master Wang! He's the most senior and experienced, so even if something goes wrong, he can handle it!"

"I disagree!"

Master Wang waved his hand, and just as he was about to say something, Master Zhang became anxious.

He was pushed by Master Liu and stumbled. He turned around and pounced on Master Liu, grabbing him around the waist. The two of them rolled on the ground in an instant, raising a cloud of dust.

"You dare push me? I'll beat you up today, then you won't know how tough I am!"

Master Zhang straddled Master Liu and raised his fist to strike.

Not to be outdone, Master Liu grabbed Master Zhang's collar and pulled hard, causing the two to wrestle together again, rolling from the haystack onto the muddy ground, their faces and bodies covered in dirt, looking like two mud monkeys.

On the other side, Master Li and Master Zhao, who was in charge of the charcoal fire, also started arguing and somehow came to blows.

Master Zhao grabbed Master Li's hair, causing Master Li to wince in pain.

Master Li grabbed Master Zhao's hair in return, and the two of them struggled against each other, neither willing to let go, shouting, "Let go if you dare!" Master Li was in so much pain that veins bulged on his forehead, and his voice became distorted.

Master Zhao, his face flushed and neck thick with suppressed anger, gritted his teeth and said, "If you've got the guts, you release it first!"

"Gently, gently, my hair hurts!"

Xiao Li tried to break up the fight, but was jostled and knocked over, dropping his pen and paper to the ground.

Mr. Wang was so anxious that he stomped his feet, trying to call for a stop, but his voice was drowned out by the cursing and chaos.

Lin Su, who was standing to the side, was stunned and quickly stepped forward to try to mediate the fight.

"Stop hitting! Stop hitting! The county magistrate will be here soon. If he sees you like this... Ah!"

Before he could finish speaking, Master Zhang and Master Liu rolled to his feet. Master Zhang's fist, which he hadn't stopped, hit him right in the left eye.

Lin Su groaned in pain, covered her eyes, and squatted on the ground, tears welling up instantly.

He just wanted to break up a fight, so why did he get punched for no reason?
Now look what's happened, my eyes are definitely going to swell up like walnuts.

Just then, a familiar sound of footsteps came from afar, accompanied by Wen He's clear voice.

"What's all that noise about? I could hear it from far away. Has something happened again?"

When he walked in and saw the chaotic scene, he was stunned.

Is this internal strife?
The craftsmen stopped immediately and released each other.

Mr. Zhang and Mr. Liu got up from the ground, looked at each other.

Mr. Zhang's shirt was torn in a large hole, and Mr. Liu had a scratch on his face.

Master Li and Master Zhao were still pulling each other's hair when they heard Wen He's voice, and they reluctantly let go, their hair a mess like a bird's nest.

Hearing Wen He's voice, Lin Su, who was squatting on the ground, raised her head in grievance, covered her swollen eyes, and her voice was trembling with tears.

"County magistrate..."

Wen He walked over and saw that the craftsmen were all disheveled, covered in dust, and some even had bruises on their faces.

Very surprised.

He was both angry and amused, pointing at the craftsmen as he spoke.

"You two are quite something! The experiment was a success, but instead of figuring out how to improve it, you started fighting first? Zhang Laosan, Liu Laosi, you two still have mud on your faces. You were rolling around happily just now, weren't you? And you two too."

He then looked at Master Li and Master Zhao.

"Your hair is almost pulled out bald! What happened? Is it really that serious?"

Mr. Zhang and Mr. Liu scratched their heads and lowered their heads in embarrassment.

Master Li and Master Zhao also turned their faces away, not daring to look at Wen He.

Master Wang hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and whispered, "Sir, they were just too eager to be the first to go to heaven, and they got confused in their haste..."

"Go to heaven? Go to what heaven? I think you all want to go to heaven!"

Wen He stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the group of bruised and battered craftsmen in front of her, her tone full of helplessness.

What should have been a day of successful experimentation turned into a fight. If word got out, people would probably laugh their heads off.

But as soon as he finished speaking, the craftsmen all nodded, their eyes full of expectation, as if they hadn't heard the reprimand in his words.

"Yes, sir! We just want to fly to the heavens!"

Master Zhang touched the scratches on his face and smiled with a simple and honest expression.

"To be able to follow the county magistrate on this momentous undertaking of flying to the heavens, and to be able to go up and see it for myself, would be worth it even if it meant sacrificing ten years of my life!"

Master Li chimed in, completely forgetting that he had just been pulling someone's hair.

Master Liu moved forward even more excitedly.

"Prince, please grant our request! We promise we'll be careful and won't cause you any trouble!"

Wen He was completely stunned, and three black lines instantly appeared on her forehead.

He didn't believe these guys wouldn't realize he was insulting them; their skin was so thick it could practically shield them from arrows!
He was about to reprimand them again, telling them not to have wild thoughts, when a clear "baa" suddenly came from the corner of the yard.

Wen He paused his words, then turned his head in the direction of the goat's bleating. He saw the goat used for experiments leisurely munching on the grass in the corner, its snow-white fur speckled with dry grass.

He remained silent for a moment before recovering his senses, looking at the craftsmen with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Has today's manned experiment... no, the sheep-carrying experiment started yet?"

"Reporting to the magistrate, it's over!"

Master Wang quickly stepped forward and replied respectfully, his face filled with barely concealed excitement.

"We started preparations at 5:00 AM today, took off precisely at 7:00 AM, and flew as high as 70 zhang. The airflow was very stable. We just brought the hot air balloon down, and the fire is completely extinguished!"

"The sheep didn't die from the fall? Or get scared?"

Wen He asked another question.

In previous experiments, the sheep either stumbled when they landed or were so frightened that they huddled in the bamboo basket and refused to move. This was the first time it had happened like today.

"No no!"

The craftsmen immediately started talking at once, their voices filled with excitement.

"Don't worry, sir, the sheep are doing great! They jumped out of the bamboo basket and were running around happily. They almost knocked over the basket of charcoal just now!"

Xiao Li pointed at the goat, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

"Yes, sir, the airbag was very stable this time. The bamboo basket didn't shake at all when it landed. The sheep must have been very comfortable inside, so they wouldn't have been scared!"

Master Liu patted his chest and assured him, his tone full of pride.

He was one of the main contributors to the sewing of the airbags.

"We were extra careful when we pulled the rope in this time, and we didn't bump the bamboo basket at all. When the sheep came down, it even bleated at us twice, as if it was thanking us!"

Master Zhang added that the hostility from the fight had long since disappeared.

Wen He was shocked and couldn't help but gasp.

The hot air balloon took off safely at a height of 70 feet and landed smoothly, with even the sheep used in the experiment unharmed. This means that the stability of the hot air balloon has basically met the standards!

He no longer cared about scolding the craftsmen for fighting, and strode quickly toward the hot air balloon, his pace even faster than usual.

Seeing this, the craftsmen quickly followed suit, their faces full of anticipation.

Does the county's excitement mean that manned experiments will soon be on the agenda?

Wen He walked to the deflated hot air balloon, squatted down to carefully examine the seams of the airbag, and then touched the frame of the bamboo basket. She found that the airbag was not damaged and the frame was as sturdy as ever. She could no longer contain her excitement.

He stood up, looked at the craftsmen surrounding him, and said in a trembling voice, "You...you just said that it flew up to seventy zhang high? And when it landed, the bamboo basket didn't shake at all?"

"Yes, County Magistrate!"

Master Wang nodded vigorously, took out a piece of paper with recorded data from his pocket, and handed it to Wen He.

"Look, these are the altitude and time we recorded. Every change in airflow has been recorded. It's really very stable!"

Master Wang held the record sheet in both hands, his voice full of pride, the pages trembling slightly with excitement.

Wen He reached out and took it, her fingertips trembling slightly as they touched the rough hemp paper.

He quickly scanned the numbers on it.

Looking at these figures and then at the hot air balloons not far away, his heart suddenly pounded wildly, even though he had never been on an airplane in his previous life. A bold idea popped into his head uncontrollably.

"How about we try carrying people today?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of synchronized swallowing sounds rang out from the surrounding area.

The craftsmen, who had been hanging their heads, suddenly raised them and stared intently at Wen He, as if they were a pack of wolves that had spotted their prey. They nodded vigorously almost simultaneously, their voices filled with urgency.

"County magistrate! I'll do it! I'm not afraid to die, and even if something happens to me, I will never implicate anyone!"

Master Zhang was the first to rush forward, almost knocking over the charcoal brazier next to him.

"Zhang Laosan, get out of my way! I reinforced this bamboo basket with my men, so I know its weight-bearing capacity best. It's my turn to test it!"

Mr. Li, who was in charge of the bamboo baskets, pushed him aside and rolled up his sleeves to climb into the baskets.

"Why should it be the two of you? Our team sewed the airbags stitch by stitch. County magistrate, it should be our team that does it!"

Master Liu also got anxious and grabbed Wen He's sleeve, refusing to let go.

"Bullshit! Controlling the charcoal fire at the vent is our group's responsibility. Without us controlling the fire, the balloon won't even fly. It's definitely our group's job!"

Master Zhao, who was in charge of the charcoal fire, also joined the argument, and for a moment, the courtyard was in an uproar again, even more noisy than when they were fighting for credit earlier.

"Shut up!"

Wen He suddenly raised her voice, scolding him with a hint of impatience.

The artisans' argument stopped abruptly. Like children who had done something wrong, they hung their heads, not daring to utter a sound, and secretly glanced at Wen He out of the corner of their eyes, avoiding his stern gaze.

Wen He took a deep breath and tried to appear serious.

"How many times have I told you that when doing highly technical work, you need to be humble, calm, and steady? And what are you doing, arguing and making a scene over this little bit of honor? What kind of behavior is this?"

He paused, his tone softening, and his voice carrying a hint of earnestness.

"You should learn from me. I don't care about these empty titles. I do all this for everyone's dream of flying, so that our Great Tang can be the first to touch the sky!"

The craftsmen were filled with shame upon hearing this, and they all lowered their heads, silently reflecting on their actions.

The county magistrate is right; they are indeed too obsessed with personal honor.

Just then, someone caught a glimpse of Wen He's movements out of the corner of their eye and suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"Prince! What are you trying to do?"

Everyone looked up and panicked. Wen He had already stepped one foot into the bamboo basket and was reaching for the handle!

"Therefore, I am the most suitable person to be the first person to fly."

Wen He patted the edge of the bamboo basket, her tone carrying an undeniable firmness.

"You mustn't do this, sir! It's too dangerous!"

Master Wang was the first to react and rushed over to pull Wen He down.

"We've only ever transported sheep, we haven't done any tests with people yet. What if something goes wrong?"

"Yes, magistrate! If anything happens to you, all of us will lose our heads!"

Other craftsmen also gathered around, trying to pull Wenhe out of the bamboo basket with great anxiety.

"Back off! All of you, back off!"

Wen He suddenly raised her voice, her tone carrying a hint of reprimand.

"Anyone who dares to take another step forward will be sent back to the Ministry of Works and never allowed to participate in hot air balloon activities again! You've all gone too far! I'm going to be the first one up there! Who agrees? Who disagrees?"

Upon hearing this, the craftsmen froze on the spot, none of them daring to step forward.

They knew Wen He's temperament; she seemed easy to talk to, but once she made up her mind, she would never change it easily.

But looking at the bamboo baskets, they were still worried. Mr. Li, who was in charge of the bamboo baskets, rubbed his hands and made a cautious suggestion.

“Sir, it’s not that we want to stop you, but although this bamboo basket has been reinforced, it has never carried anyone before… How about we reinforce it with a few more knots? It will be safer for you.”

His words struck a chord with Wen He.

He had impulsively shouted out the idea of ​​carrying people, but after calming down, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

He climbed out of the bamboo basket almost without hesitation and dusted off his hands.

"Yes, reinforce it quickly! Wrap it with more hemp rope, and put two more layers of thick wooden planks at the bottom of the bamboo basket. Also, have someone go to the bedroom and bring some blankets to lay on the ground under the hot air balloon, so that it can cushion the impact if it lands unstable."

"Hey! Good!"

When the craftsmen saw that he had agreed, they immediately became motivated and got to work.

Master Zhang and Master Li took hemp rope and wrapped it around the bamboo basket to reinforce it.

Master Liu led a team to inspect the airbags to ensure there was no damage; Master Zhao adjusted the charcoal fire and calculated the heat required to carry passengers.

Xiao Li then ran to the bedroom to get a blanket, his steps as fast as the wind.

About half an hour later, everything was finally ready.

The bamboo basket was reinforced with three knots, a thick wooden board was placed at the bottom, a thick blanket was laid on the ground, the charcoal fire was adjusted to the optimal state, and even two more safety ropes were added, which were held by the four strongest craftsmen.

Wen He took a deep breath and, under the tense gaze of everyone, climbed back into the bamboo basket.

He reached out and patted the craftsman next to him.

"Don't be nervous, follow the previous procedure and start the ignition."

"Yes!"

The craftsman in charge of lighting the fire responded, but his hands trembled slightly as he carefully brought the flame close to the vent below the air bag.

As the charcoal burned, hot air hissed into the airbag from the vent. The originally shrunken Shu brocade airbag, like an inflated balloon, slowly swelled up, and its color changed from light red to a full vermilion, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Enough hot air! Time to lift the bamboo basket!"

Master Wang shouted loudly, his eyes fixed on the inflation of the airbag.

As the hot air inside the airbag became more abundant, the bamboo basket swayed gently, then slowly lifted off the ground and climbed upwards little by little.

"Attention! Tighten the safety rope! Don't let it drift too fast!"

Master Li gripped the safety rope, his palms sweating, and his voice was strained.

The other craftsmen holding the ropes also pulled hard, their eyes fixed on the rising bamboo basket, their hearts pounding with each increase in its height.

The bamboo basket rose higher and higher, from one zhang to five zhang, and then to ten zhang...

As Wen He stood in the bamboo basket and looked down, the figures of the craftsmen grew smaller and smaller. The blue brick floor in the courtyard resembled a chessboard, and the outline of Chang'an City in the distance was faintly visible.

A cool breeze brushed against my cheeks, carrying the scent of fresh grass, and an unprecedented sense of openness welled up in my heart.

He really flew!
"I want to fly to the sky, shoulder to shoulder with the sun, the world is waiting for me to change it, I'm not afraid to let others see the dreams I want to have, I can realize them all here, let's laugh loudly together... I'm standing right in the middle of the stage..."

"I believe I am who I am... I believe in tomorrow, I believe youth has no horizon..."

Wen He stood in the bamboo basket, and as the hot air balloon slowly rose, he opened his arms and felt the wind brushing against his fingertips.

The wind was still warm on the ground, but it became quite chilly when it reached a height of several dozen feet, and he couldn't help but sneeze.

"Ugh~ Why is it suddenly so cold?"

Despite the chill, the excitement in my heart did not diminish in the slightest.

But the craftsmen on the ground were not at ease at all. They all looked up, their nerves taut like a fully drawn bowstring, their eyes fixed on the hot air balloon in the sky.

"Eighty-five zhang! How come the county seat is still rising?"

Xiao Li's hands were trembling as he gripped the record sheet, and his voice was full of anxiety.

"When we transported sheep before, the highest we could go was seventy zhang. Any higher, who knows if something might happen?"

"It's all your fault! You insisted on going up into the sky, making so much noise that the county magistrate couldn't concentrate on his inspection. Now look what's happened, you're flying higher and higher!"

Master Zhang stamped his feet, clasped his hands together, and chanted to the sky.

"God help us, please don't let anything happen to the county, otherwise all of us will have to spend our lives in jail!"

"Speaking of which... if the county flies so high, will it eventually reach the Heavenly Palace?"

Someone whispered something, which instantly sparked a discussion among the crowd.

"If we could reach the Heavenly Palace, wouldn't the county magistrate become an immortal?"

"I wonder where the gods live in heaven. Will the county magistrate be punished for barging in like this?"

"Perhaps the gods, seeing that the county magistrate can create flying artifacts, will reward him with some elixir of immortality!"

The conversation drifted further and further away, and even the previous tension eased somewhat. Only the four craftsmen holding onto the safety ropes were sweating profusely.

Although the end of the rope was tied to the stone roller in the yard, there had been accidents where the rope slipped and came loose during previous experiments. Every moment they were suspended in suspense made their hearts clench.

Finally, with a soft "snap," the safety rope was fully taut, and the hot air balloon stopped ascending.

Wen He looked down and saw that the figures on the ground were as small as ants, and the courtyard had shrunk to the size of a palm. A chill instantly ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and she inexplicably felt an urge to jump down.

He snapped back to his senses, quickly looked up at the air vents below the airbag, remembered the pre-extended operating rope, and hurriedly reached out to pull the rope, releasing some of the heat and reducing the intensity of the charcoal fire.

As the hot air decreased, the hot air balloon finally stopped rising and began to descend slowly. The craftsmen on the ground, however, were on tenterhooks.

Fearing loss of control as they ascended, and even more fearing an unstable landing as they descended, they held their breath, barely daring to breathe. Only when they saw the bamboo basket land steadily on the laid-out quilt did they feel as if all their strength had been drained away, and with a "thump," they sat up straight on the ground, some still panting heavily.

Wen He held onto the edge of the bamboo basket and slowly walked out. When her feet touched the ground, she felt a little weak.

The chill from high above and the dizziness from looking down now belatedly surfaced.

"Young Master, are you alright?"

Everyone rushed over and asked with concern.

"What's it like up in heaven? Have you seen any immortals?"

"You're so foolish. If the county magistrate had met a deity, why would he come down so quickly?"

"That's it."

Wen He felt somewhat helpless.

I don't know whether to call these people ignorant or idealists.

"If you want to know what it's like, go up and see for yourselves in the future."

"Each person will receive a reward of ten strings of cash today!"

Wen He laughed and announced loudly. As soon as he finished speaking, the cheers grew louder, and even the chefs in the distance craned their necks to look in this direction.

He paused deliberately, then added, "Also, we're having a whole roasted lamb feast tonight. Have the chef prepare a variety of dishes!"

"Pfft!" The craftsmen who were just cheering suddenly felt as if they had been doused with cold water, and their cries of pain rose and fell.

"County magistrate! Stop with the whole roasted lamb feast! If I keep eating lamb, I'll turn into a sheep!"

"Yes, sir! I'd rather spend two strings of cash less than touch mutton again!"

"Let's eat something else! Even cabbage soup is better than mutton!"

Seeing their pained and wailing faces, Wen He couldn't help but burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the courtyard.

He turned to look at the hot air balloon that was gradually deflated, the sunlight shining on the Shu brocade airbag, giving it a soft glow.

He couldn't help but sigh deeply.

It's a success! It's a real success!

I wonder how history books will record this day, and the first flight of the Tang Dynasty, thousands of years from now?
The Book of Tang, Biography of Wen He: In the autumn of the first year of Zhenguan, Wen He, a county magistrate, constructed a strange vessel, shaped like a giant bag, with Shu brocade as the outer cover and bamboo as the basket. It was raised by the heat of a fire and named a "hot air balloon".

At that time, in the open fields outside Chang'an, He Qin climbed onto his basket.

The fire blazed and the basket bulged, gradually rising above the dust, reaching a height of over several tens of feet.

Those who witnessed it were all astonished, thinking it to be a divine miracle.

Upon landing, He remained calm and composed, for he was the first person recorded in historical texts to fly into the heavens.

……

"They flew?"

When Li Shimin in the Lizheng Hall heard the news, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Your Majesty, it was a success, and yesterday the magistrate of Gaoyang County personally flew into the sky."

Gao Yue was extremely excited.

He never imagined that one day, mortals would be able to fly.

I wonder if the people of Gaoyang County saw any immortals.

"Immediately issue an imperial decree ordering Wen He to take that hot... hot what?"

“Hot air balloon.”

"Oh, right, right, hot air balloons will enter the palace, and the auxiliary aircraft and the crown prince will also come, to fly."

Li Shimin was so excited he could hardly sit still.

As the emperor, he had no idea what the heavens were like.

"What a wonderful Wen He! What a wonderful Wen He!"

Gao Yue was about to accept the order when Li Shimin suddenly called out to him.

"Wait! There's also the Emperor Emeritus. Please invite the Emperor Emeritus here."

"promise."

Since the beginning of spring, the retired emperor has spent almost all his time in the Da'an Palace, and has become completely oblivious to the affairs of the outside world.

If we invite him out now, I'm afraid that once the news gets out, there will be countless rumors and gossip in Chang'an.

When Gao Yue carried the bright yellow imperial edict out of the palace, her steps were a few paces faster than usual.

He went straight to the "Wanhu" residence outside Chang'an City. As soon as he entered, he saw Wen He circling around the bamboo basket of the hot air balloon, with a smile on his face as if he had successfully flown into the sky.

But as soon as he finished speaking the decree, the smile on Wen He's face visibly disappeared, and his brows furrowed.

"The hot air balloon is still in the testing phase. It just completed its first manned test yesterday. Many details still need to be refined. Please ask Your Majesty to wait a little longer and not be impatient."

"Your Excellency, please don't make things difficult for me!"

Gao Yue looked distressed and clasped her hands together in a gesture of respect.

"This is an imperial edict personally delivered by His Majesty, who specifically instructed that it be done 'immediately.' If you disobey the decree, I will have no way to explain myself when I return!"

He had followed Li Shimin for many years and had never seen His Majesty so concerned about any object. Yesterday, upon hearing that Wen He had successfully flown into the sky, His Majesty paced back and forth in the Liangyi Hall until late at night. This morning, before dawn, he issued an imperial edict, clearly unable to wait any longer.

Wen He sighed helplessly as she looked at Gao Yue, who was sweating profusely with anxiety.

"Okay, okay, I got it, I'll get started right away."

He turned to the craftsmen and gave them instructions.

The craftsmen dared not slack off and busied themselves with their work, while Wen He went back to her room to change into a clean set of everyday clothes.

When Wen He arrived at the palace with the hot air balloon, she found that the open space in the palace was already under martial law.

The Imperial Guards, armed with long spears, completely surrounded the area for miles around, preventing even a bird from getting close.

Changsun Wuji and Li Chengqian were already waiting in the open space. The former was dressed in plain clothes, standing with his hands behind his back. When his gaze fell on the carriage brought by Wen He, a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes.

The latter was dressed in the prince's everyday clothes, clutching the hem of his clothes with both hands and tapping his toes on the ground. He was clearly eager to step forward, but dared not move due to etiquette.

Li Shimin stood in the center of the open space, dressed in a bright yellow casual robe. He was not wearing court attire, which made him appear even more dignified.

Seeing Wen He approach, he quickly stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Wen He and looking directly at the carriage behind him, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible urgency.

"You've finally arrived! Where's the hot air balloon? Why is it on the carriage? Hurry up and unload it!"

He looked like a child waiting to unwrap a present, with not a trace of the composure of an emperor.

If it wasn't packed in a carriage, was it supposed to fly all the way here?

He would like to do that.

But if we do that, the entire city of Chang'an will be in chaos tomorrow.

Just as Wen He was about to reply, she heard a eunuch's high-pitched announcement from afar: "The Emperor Emeritus has arrived! The Empress has arrived!"

Everyone quickly turned around and saw Li Yuan walking slowly with the help of palace maids. He was dressed in a dark red casual robe, and although his temples were gray, he was still in good spirits.

Empress Zhangsun followed closely behind, dressed in a phoenix robe, the hem of which swept across the ground, exuding a gentle and graceful aura.

"Your son (grandson, subject, humble subject) pays respects to the Emperor Emeritus (Greetings to Father, Grandfather)!"

Li Shimin, Changsun Wuji, Wen He, and Li Chengqian all bowed in unison. Li Yuan raised his hand to waive the formalities, his gaze immediately falling on Wen He, and he let out a feigned snort of displeasure.

"You brat, how long has it been since you visited me at Da'an Palace? Last time I asked you to play a game of chess with me, you said you were busy building things. Today you have time to come see Erlang, but you don't even bother to see me?"

Wen He quickly stepped forward, smiling as she apologized.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was just busy. What could I do but ask Your Majesty to do so..."

Before Wen He could finish speaking, Li Er had already turned his cold gaze towards her.

He immediately changed his tune and said with a smile, "His Majesty asked me to make something to amuse the Emperor Emeritus."

He had a sweet tongue, and with just a few words, he managed to soften Li Yuan's expression.

Li Yuan then turned his head and looked at Li Shimin with a displeased expression.

"You sent the Empress to Da'an Palace to fetch me, saying there was a surprise. What exactly is this surprise? Could it be some rare treasures you've prepared to amuse me?"

He had been emperor all his life and had seen all kinds of treasures. He didn't want to come, but Empress Zhangsun persuaded him gently, saying, "These are novel items brought out by Wenxianzi. They will surely interest Father Emperor."

He only became interested after hearing that Wen He had done it.

Li Shimin stepped forward with a smile and took Li Yuan's arm.

“Father, this is no ordinary treasure. It’s a ‘flying artifact’ created by Wen He. I specially asked him to bring it today so that you and the Empress can see it.”

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's eyes showed a hint of doubt. Just as he was about to ask further, Wen He had already ordered the hot air balloon parts to be removed from the carriage.

When the Shu brocade airbag unfolds, it looks like a huge red cloud. The nanmu bamboo basket lands steadily on the ground, and there is dry charcoal in the charcoal brazier.

Li Yuan stared at the "red cloud"-like airbag, his brows furrowing even more.

"What is this thing? A big bag sewn from a tattered cloth, with a bamboo basket inside, and you call it a 'flying device'? You haven't been fooled by this kid, have you?"

He had lived for over sixty years and had only ever heard of immortals flying to heaven; he had never seen a mortal ascend to heaven with such a "bag," and he was filled with disbelief.

“Your Majesty, this is no ordinary ‘bag’.”

Empress Zhangsun stepped forward, her gaze falling on the airbag with a hint of understanding.

"I heard Your Majesty say the other day that Wen County Prince is building a device that can make people fly. He said that it can be made to rise by using hot air. I suppose this is it?"

Although she usually didn't concern herself with court affairs, Li Shimin would still share things with her.

"Flying?"

Li Yuan suddenly raised his voice, his eyes widened, and his gaze towards Wen He was full of shock.

"You mean this thing can make people fly into the sky?"

He reached out and touched the Shu brocade of the airbag. Although the material was good, it was soft and didn't look like something that could carry people into the sky.

"Are you kidding me? If this fell from the sky, it would be no joke!"

Wen He nodded with a smile: "Your Majesty is right. This is indeed a hot air balloon that can fly. I personally tested it yesterday and it flew to a height of over eighty zhang before landing safely. I'm not bragging."

He was about to explain the principles of hot air balloons a few more times when Li Shimin interrupted him.

"Alright, alright, why bother with all this formalities? Let's get the hot air balloon ready so Father and Empress can see it for themselves!"

As Li Shimin spoke, he moved to the bamboo basket, his eyes fixed intently on the air bladder, and his fingers couldn't help but touch the basket's frame.

When he heard about Wen He flying to the sky last night, he couldn't wait to see the artifact. He had been waiting for so long this morning and couldn't contain himself any longer.

He was already planning that once Wen He finished demonstrating, he would definitely be the first to try it. How wonderful it would be to see what Chang'an looked like from the sky!

He was even thinking that if the hot air balloon could be improved and made larger, it might be used for military purposes in the future, allowing scouts to investigate enemy positions from the sky.

Seeing Li Shimin's urgency, Wen He shook his head helplessly and gave instructions to the accompanying craftsmen.

"Follow yesterday's procedure, start the fire, but be careful to control the heat and don't raise it too high."

The craftsmen rushed forward, placed the charcoal brazier into the bamboo basket, and lit the charcoal with a fire. The heat quickly poured in from the vent below the air bag, and the Shu brocade air bag, which had been lying on the ground, gradually swelled up, like a huge lantern that had been inflated, glowing red in the sunlight.

Li Chengqian stared wide-eyed, unable to resist tugging at Chang Sun Wuji's sleeve and whispering, "Uncle, can this bag really fly? Can Mr. Wen really sit inside and fly to the sky?"

Changsun Wuji stroked his beard, his gaze falling on the gradually expanding air sac, his eyes also filled with doubt.

But Wenhe is from a later era.

Maybe it really can work?

This brat cannot be treated according to common sense.

"I believe that it may be feasible."

Li Yuan stopped questioning, put his hands behind his back, stared intently at the airbag, and even softened his breathing.

Empress Zhangsun stood beside him, a gentle smile on her lips, her eyes full of anticipation.

Soon, the airbag fully inflated, and the bamboo basket swayed slightly, clearly indicating that it was rising.

Wen He dusted off his hands, walked to the bamboo basket, and was about to step inside when he heard an urgent shout from behind: "Wait, I'll go with you too."

When Wen He turned around, he saw Li Yuan walking excitedly to his side.

The people around were immediately taken aback.

Especially Li Shimin.

He was just about to speak when Li Yuan spoke first.

(End of this chapter)