Tang Dynasty Little Godfather

Chapter 285 A Thunderclap (Thanks to Alliance Leader Liu_Bing for the donation)
Dou Xiguan was no gentleman, nor did he have any firm principles. On the contrary, he had a very bad reputation and was extremely greedy by nature.

He was furious when he learned that Madam Zixia knew about the new technology being developed by the Nameless Academy but had kept it a secret. He immediately sent someone to summon Madam Zixia and gave her a thorough interrogation.

As Li Longji's uncle and son-in-law, he didn't care about any of that.

It's wrong of you to keep it from me.

Madam Zixia was also speechless. She knew, but what she knew was the unfinished technology of the Nameless Academy.

It's too much trouble to fry loaches, you'd be better off using them to blast coal mines.

If I tell you this, you'll laugh at me!
But she knew Dou Xiguan's temperament, and that arguing with him would only complicate things further, so she patiently explained to Dou Xiguan what those so-called techniques were.

However, this did not dispel Dou Xiguan's doubts, so he simply told Madam Zixia that coal should not be allowed into his fertilizer workshop until the situation was clarified.

What if it really is poisonous?
This requirement is actually not a big deal. From a purely profit-driven perspective, it will not have any impact on Lady Zixia's coal mining business, because the current coal is mainly supplied to the nameless winery.

Fertilizer plants actually require relatively little fuel.

But if Dou Xiguan did this at this critical juncture, wouldn't that be tantamount to telling people that our coal is indeed toxic?

Madam Zixia also tried her best to explain that the facts proved that our coal was far superior to the previous coal and had already been approved by the Ministry of Works.

That nameless academy is just talking nonsense.

But Dou Xiguan refused to listen. The people he sent informed him that the coal would still emit a pungent smell.

Faced with the stubborn Dou Xiguan, Madam Zixia was quite helpless, but she could not compromise on this point. She became slightly more assertive and told Dou Xiguan that if we do not firmly believe in ourselves, then others will be even less likely to believe in us.

Moreover, we have been cooperating for some time now. If you waver, even if we stop coal from entering your fertilizer plants now, as you say, the people will still have greater doubts. This is simply shooting yourself in the foot. In that case, no one will want your fertilizer.

This bluff did manage to intimidate Dou Xiguan, who reluctantly agreed, but in his heart, Dou Xiguan felt that he had been tricked.

If I had known, I should have gone to hang out with the Nameless Academy.

Back at her residence, Madam Zixia looked slightly tired and said, "After this matter is over, we still need to be careful in choosing our partners. We must never get too close to someone as selfish and short-sighted as Dou Xiguan."

Guang Sheng said, "I really didn't expect that a mere argument would have such a big impact."

Madam Zixia sighed softly, "Yes! We were also misled. Usually, everyone scoffs at the rumors about the Nameless Academy, but when it really affects their own wealth, everyone becomes so nervous, even believing it wholeheartedly."

"You need to go there yourself later and explain the situation to the various families, making sure they continue to support coal mining. Otherwise, it will cause great chaos and be very detrimental to us."

Guang Sheng nodded. "Yes. I'll go right away."

"Wait a minute!"

Lady Zixia suddenly called him back and asked, "How is our research on gunpowder going?"

Guang Sheng simply gave an embarrassed look.

Madam Zixia sighed, "This must be why everyone trusts the Nameless Academy. In this respect, no one can rival them."

Since you can't do it yourself, then think of another way. Send more people and keep a close eye on their technology.

At the same time, when you explain to them, you should also tell them that we might encounter some troubles in coal mining, so that they are mentally prepared and don't think we are intentionally hiding things from them, as we are doing today. Trust is the most important thing at this time.

Guang Sheng nodded and said, "I understand."

If you can't figure it out yourself, then steal their technology, what else can you do?

The business world is like a battlefield; whoever talks about morality will die the fastest.

The argument at Zhang Baishou's shop has indeed caused great concern.

This was something Madam Zixia hadn't expected, because everyone scoffed at the Taoist philosophy of the Nameless Academy, but after a few children shouted a few words, they were all terrified.

In addition, the Guo family's sudden change of course has caused many parents of students at Wuming Academy to begin to waver in their beliefs.

This doesn't look like a drill!

This is for real.

And their choice, like Dou Xiguan's, was to use their authority as fathers to threaten their sons in various ways.

However, the Nameless Academy anticipated their prediction and has kept these technologies strictly confidential. Everyone knows that such a thing exists, but no one knows the specific details.

This is terrifying; it's either true or just baseless speculation.

This commotion also disturbed Li Longji, who was in the palace.

"Li Shi! I heard that Que'er and Zixia are fighting again." Li Longji asked with a smile.

Gao Lishi nodded and said, "Yes. And it seems quite serious."

Li Longji asked, "How serious is it?"

Gao Lishi immediately informed Li Longji of the details, "Your Majesty, would you like to try and persuade them?"

“Absolutely not,” Li Longji said. “If they can’t beat the Nameless Academy with so many people, it will prove the value of Taoist thought. I’m sure Que’er also wants to use this to promote Taoist thought.”

He paused, then added, "But you have to keep an eye on things. They already have a lot of people and power. They can't use their authority to bully my Que'er anymore. If they do, I, as her uncle, won't stand idly by."

Gao Lishi said awkwardly, "But it seems that the Duke of Qi also supports Lady Zixia."

Li Longji snorted, "Shouyi is illiterate and careless in his actions. How could he understand the wisdom of a sparrow? I, as his uncle, have to keep an eye on him to prevent the Empress from blaming me again."

"Yes."

Gao Lishi nodded, thinking to himself, "The Empress won't blame you; you're just making excuses for yourself."

Luoyang!

On Yeh Department.

Li Lingwen stepped forward and snatched the paper from Wang Shouyi's hand.

Wang Shouyi looked up and saw Li Lingwen standing fiercely in front of him, while Cui Shendao smirked indifferently and asked, "What are you doing?"

"What do I do?"

Li Ling asked, "Your son and your youngest sister are fighting, and you still have the mind to practice calligraphy here."

Wang Shouyi put down his pen and chuckled.

Li Ling asked, "Are you still laughing?"

Wang Shouyi said, "What am I worried about if the two of them fight? No matter who wins or loses, the meat will still rot in the pot."

Cui Shendao said, "We deeply admire Duke Qi's magnanimity; we should raise a toast to him." "Stop causing trouble."

Li Lingwen glared at Cui Shendao, "Shouyi! This matter has become very serious."

"I know."

Wang Shouyi said, "Then tell me what I should do, help my son or help my younger sister?"

Li Ling asked, "Shouldn't you try to mediate?"

"Don't think about it."

Wang Shouyi said, "Whether it's that brat or Zixia, they are both despicable. They are self-righteous and arrogant. I would be surprised if the two of them didn't fight."

I'd rather they mock me than do something so foolish.

"but!"

Li Ling asked, "But we're caught in the middle, it's really difficult for us! What's even more despicable is that Wang Maozhong, that guy has no feelings at all, he says he wants to transfer some silt to the Guo family."

Wang Shouyi asked, "Does Mao Zhong support that brat?"

Cui Shendao chuckled and said, "He can't leave the Nameless Academy now."

"He'll suffer in the future."

Wang Shouyi grinned mischievously.

Li Ling asked, "So, you're still on your younger sister's side?"

Wang Shouyi said: "Of course not. I am on the side of my own sister. Consort Doulu treats my sister like a daughter. No matter what, I would never be an enemy of the Doulu clan."

As for that brat, he didn't care about my help anyway.

Li Ling asked, "What about us?"

Wang Shouyi said, "You can handle this yourselves. Whatever you do is none of my business, and I don't care about it."

Li Lingwen then looked at Cui Shendao.

Cui Shendao laughed and said, "Actually, what Duke Qi said is very true. There is no need to care too much about this matter. The nameless academy is all our children. Would they turn against us?"

We're on Zixia's side. If Zixia wins, we win; if Zixia loses, we still win. Instead of this pointless argument, let's have a big drink.

Li Lingwen angrily shouted, "I've given up drinking!"

Changan.

Faced with the aggressive tactics of the Nameless Academy, Madam Zixia became even more ruthless in dealing with the Yuchi family, the Qu family, the Guo family, and other families that cooperated with the Nameless Academy.

Because these large families have many branches, Madam Zixia is trying to consolidate their entire clan in order to force them into submission.

And this has indeed achieved remarkable results.

Although it is now a small-scale farming economy, no matter what you do, you can't take away their land. However, they are isolated in the local area and their reputation has been greatly damaged.

Nobody associates with their family anymore; even their students are afraid to go there.

Since you've chosen to be different, then go play with your own kind. We're not on the same path.

This is extremely unpleasant for the powerful and wealthy who value lineage.

Just as Lady Zixia had predicted, they successively sent people to Chang'an to put pressure on their relatives there.

In their view, this was indeed outrageous—you're collaborating with a few little kids?
Are you crazy?

This indeed put Guo Peng, Yu Chijin, and others under great pressure, but they were unwilling to compromise because they knew that in two days, the Nameless Academy would showcase their latest mining technology.

With this belief, they persevered.

Wang Xi was confident about this.

gunpowder?

For the film set tycoon, this is his profession.

He had never blasted a mine before and didn't know how powerful it was, but after a few small attempts, he found that it was entirely feasible.

Because the current mines are also shallow, not the very hard rocks deep in the earth, it is entirely feasible to use his improved gunpowder to treat some surface rocks.

A valley outside the northern suburbs of Chang'an.

On the hilltop, people were gathered, all of them students from the nameless academy, as well as parents like Yu Chi Jin.

Wang Xi did not hide this from him.

Lady Zixia was aware of this as well, but Wang Facai had sent people to guard the valley with great care. You should know that Wang Facai came from the palace, so this was his specialty.

Lady Zixia could only wait for news on a nearby hilltop.

There's no need to wait; we know almost simultaneously, with a difference of only 0.00 milliseconds.

A deafening clap of thunder!

Lady Zixia was so frightened that her phoenix eyes widened.

Is this the gunpowder used to fry loach?
Then, cheers echoed from the valley.

"It worked! We succeeded!"

"what--!"

The students of the nameless academy were all embracing and weeping. Although the gunpowder had been improved by Wang Xi, they had also put in a lot of effort.

For example, how to blast it, how to blast it from different angles—Wang Xi simply left it to them to figure out.

This also involves physics.

Wang Xi had to keep them busy and not let them be idle, otherwise they would surely reveal their true colors.

The joy of seeing your efforts rewarded is truly exhilarating.

Wang Xi walked over to the stunned Yuchi Jin and said smugly, "Uncle, isn't our skill top-notch?"

PS: I am very grateful to the old book fan Liu_Bing for the generous donation. You have already given me four alliances, but I feel that this book is unworthy of them because I have not written anything that satisfies everyone, even though I have tried my best.

(End of this chapter)