Ji Han Grand Commander

Chapter 44. Feng Xi's Secret Research

"Xiu Yuan, if what you said before is true, then the king would be... this..."

Zhang Nan hesitated for a few words, not knowing what to say.

"Hush... Isn't this a good thing? We will be able to advance to higher positions without any hindrance in the future. Isn't that wonderful?"

Feng Xi looked indifferent. After all, he knew that not only Cao Pi and Liu Bei would become emperors, but Sun Quan would also surrender and become the King of Wu of Wei.

"Besides, this is not a big deal for us. The king and the military advisor will make the decision. Why are you so anxious, Yizhong?"

"Hey, this... this four hundred year old man, suddenly..."

Hearing Feng Xi's question, Fu Rong also stamped his feet. This feeling of witnessing history was very subtle, and it was difficult for Fu Rong, a mere warrior, to describe it.

"Okay, I know you feel a little lost because you witnessed the end of an era, and you are confused and uncertain about the future. That's why you are anxious to share this with us, your good brothers. I hope we can experience this feeling with you, rely on each other, and gain emotional comfort."

Feng Xi waved his hand, stood up and prepared to go out.

"...Xiu Yuan, have you secretly sought out a military advisor to learn from you? Why do you speak in such a variety of ways, just like those scholars?"

Fu Rong found that after careful consideration, what Feng Xi said seemed to be true. He scratched his head and felt that his friend was indeed amazing now.

"No, then why are you going?"

"What else can I do? You were so busy that I thought it was some big deal. I have to continue supervising the training of the Shenwu Camp. Instead of being sad about the passing of time, it is better to hone yourself. Don't forget that once the summer grain arrives, we will have to leave Sichuan for the eastern expedition."

After Feng Xi finished speaking, he opened the curtain and walked out, leaving Fu Zhun and Zhang Nan staring at each other.

"Wenjin, you seemed to have anticipated this just now. Did Xiuyuan tell you something earlier?"

Fu Zhun thought of Zhang Nan's performance just now, so he moved closer and asked Zhang Nan in a low voice.

"Yizhong, please don't go out and say nonsense. A few months ago, during the military competition, Xiu Yuan said..."

Feng Xi ignored the two people in the tent who were still lamenting for the big man, and went out to the next tent. There were already a hundred or so people there, busy with all kinds of strange bottles and jars.

"Old Li!"

Feng Xi came in and called out, and the old man who made five dou of rice to make alchemy hurried out from a camp.

"General Feng, what's wrong?"

Old Li's smile was as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum. He had originally thought he was doomed, but after Feng Xi asked him to research gunpowder, he sold out all his fellow disciples of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect. Feng Xi arrested them, but they were not to be outdone and provided Feng Xi with more names, just like crabs in a cage, being pulled down one by one.

As time went by, the gunpowder team of three people at the beginning has now expanded to 100 people. Even though many of them were just medicine boys back then, Feng Xi accepted them all. After all, there was a learning atmosphere there, and even if they couldn't learn, they would learn faster than others.

Moreover, gunpowder, as long as the formula is right, can basically explode, at most the explosion range is uncontrollable. But these old masters of alchemy are more skilled than each other, and they can live to the age of white beards, so how can they not know how to seek benefits and avoid harm?

"Old Li, how's the thing I asked you to study going? How powerful is the explosion?"

"General Feng, you've arrived just in time. We are just about to conduct a test. General Feng can come and take a look."

Feng Xi followed Old Li to the open space behind the tent, where a wall made of stones and mud was built, about three people high. A young man in his twenties held a jar and buried it under the corner of the wall. He pulled out a long fuse, spread it on the ground, and then lit it, and then ran away desperately.

The flame burned along the fuse for a moment and then sank into the jar underground.

"boom!"

After the earth-shaking sound, the dirt on the field flew up, and the smoke and dust blocked the sky. Fortunately, Feng Xi and the group of alchemists hid behind the low wall for observation early, so nothing serious happened.

"Ahem... General Feng, this is the most powerful one so far, a whole jar of gunpowder."

When the smoke cleared, the situation was just as Old Li had said. The test wall had disappeared, leaving only a nearly two-meter-wide hole on the ground.

"Well done. Then you should think about how to make gunpowder easy to carry without losing its power. For example, how can we make it into granules? After all, powder gunpowder is still too dangerous."

Feng Xi saw that the progress here was quite good and encouraged them.

"By the way, Lord Feng, we have already made the kind of gunpowder with light and shadow that you mentioned. As long as we mix some green vitriol or iron powder into the gunpowder, it can have various colors when it explodes. This is not difficult to make."

Old Li also remembered the task Feng Xi had given him and reported it.

"You've done a great job. I'll have your reward delivered to your home. Keep up the good work. If you can invent a bomb that can flatten a mountain in one go, I'll personally recommend you to the king."

Feng Xi was very satisfied with the progress of the gunpowder camp here, and he also painted a big pie for Old Li, which made Old Li smile even more obscenely.

Although the research of the gunpowder camp was quite loud, firstly, Feng Xi had moved to a remote camp far away from Chengdu since he led 10,000 troops. Secondly, the military camp was a restricted area and no one was allowed to enter. Even if others asked, Feng Xi would just say that he was experimenting with weapons, and everyone got used to it over time.

"Hey, fireworks are great things. Besides adding to the festive atmosphere, they also have other magical uses."

Feng Xi walked at a leisurely pace. You know, all animals are afraid of things with such loud noises and lights. Even tigers and elephants are not immune to this, let alone horses? These things are just for preparation now, but they may come in handy when facing Cao Wei's cavalry in the future.

As for Zhuge Liang, when he heard that Cao Pi was planning to usurp the Han Dynasty, he immediately discussed it with other ministers, including Grand Tutor Xu Jing and Grand Master of Imperial Household Qiao Zhou.

"Now that Cao Pi has usurped the Han Dynasty, Your Majesty is the King of Hanzhong. As a king against an emperor, it is inevitable that you will be inferior to him in momentum..."

Xu Jing stroked his beard, but the meaning of his words was self-evident.

Zhuge Liang was silent and looked at Qiao Zhou.

Qiao Zhou was also an old charlatan, he chuckled.

"There have been many auspicious signs in Chengdu recently, and the Emperor Star has not fallen, but has just shifted to the southwest. This is a very auspicious sign. Why not follow the will of heaven and the will of man?"

Zhuge Liang nodded. To be fair, Zhuge Liang was not a pedantic scholar. He also hoped that Liu Bei could inherit the throne as soon as possible. Firstly, as Xu Jing said, it was always inappropriate for a king to confront an emperor, and it would be detrimental to morale in the long run.

Secondly, everyone was originally learning the arts of literature and martial arts, and then they would be able to serve the emperor. Who wouldn't want to be promoted to a higher position and bring honor to their family? If Liu Bei succeeded to the throne, they would be considered the founding generals, and the ministers of the revival, and they would definitely leave their names in history.

So the ministers discussed it for a while and decided to persuade Liu Bei to become emperor as soon as possible.

(End of this chapter)