Since the birth of Guanyin, Yang Fan has been hiding in the firearms prison for the next period of time, just to prepare for His Majesty Li Er's inspection.
Little did he know that another operation against him was already in full swing and secretly underway.
The wind blows in the daytime, and the scenery flows westward.
The appointed day is getting closer and closer.
In order to ensure safety, His Majesty Li Er sent Chai Lingwu to come first to establish control.
After all, when His Majesty Li Er comes to show off, he will bring all the civil and military ministers with him, and safety is the first priority.
The Prince Consort Duwei, as one of the ancient official positions, was first appointed during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Prince Consort, which means deputy, was originally responsible for the emperor's safety when traveling.
The prince-in-law, Duwei, was in charge of the emperor's chariot when he traveled. His rank was as high as two thousand stones. He served as an attendant on the ministers and was often used to increase his official rank.
Li Er married Princess Baling to Chai Lingwu, which was regarded as a closer marriage. It was relatively reassuring to use Chai Lingwu to check the safety first.
Of course, Chai Lingwu did not come alone.
During the expedition against Tibet, Chai Lingwu transported grain and grass to ensure the safety of the food, which was considered a military exploit.
After returning, he was given the title of General Qianniu Guard by His Majesty Li Er, commanding Qianniu Beishen and others as the emperor's attendants and ceremonial guards.
However, the accompanying Qianniu Guards were checking for danger around the fire monitor, while Chai Lingwu himself went directly to the firearms monitor, followed by several carriages full of goods.
Even though he was sent by the emperor, Chai Lingwu was carefully inspected by the guards of the Firearms Prison before he was allowed in.
Not to mention, the carriage brought a lot of good things, all of which were sent by Chai Lingwu.
The Chai family has been doing horse-trading business with Fanwai all year round, and there are many things that are really unseen in the Tang Dynasty.
According to Chai Lingwu, when an apprentice comes to visit his master, of course he must bring some good things.
What's more important is that Chai Lingwu was afraid that Yang Fan, a pampered master, would suffer in the inhospitable firearms supervision department, so he sent several cartloads of delicious food and drinks over.
From the bottom of his heart, Chai Lingwu really admired Yang Fan as a master.
Ever since he practiced the golden bell mask Tiebushan given to him by Yang Fan, no one among the younger generation in Chang'an City can match him in martial arts.
Of course, except for the cheating guy Yang Fan.
After arriving at the Firearms Supervisor, Chai Lingwu carefully took down a ceramic jar from the carriage. He waved the other mutton, beef and other items and ordered the driver to send them directly to the Firearms Supervisory Warehouse.
They are all edible, so you need to save them quickly, otherwise they will go bad.
Holding the ceramic jar, I came to Yang Fan's room. Seeing that Yang Fan was doing nothing, he asked his servants to find two large bowls.
Pour the blood-red wine into the bowl, and a faint fragrance fills the air. It turns out to be Western Region Glucose Brewing.
"Ling Wu is interested!" Yang Fan sighed.
This is by no means a polite comment, it is really touching.
Who is Chai Lingwu?
Because of his status as the son of Princess Pingyang, even in front of His Majesty Li Er, he is a person who is not stingy, and he will follow his example even if he has a good temper!
He often makes His Majesty Li Er very angry, but neither beating nor scolding him, there is absolutely nothing he can do to him, after all, he is his own nephew.
Of course, the most important thing is because of Princess Pingyang.
When fighting for the world, Princess Pingyang did a lot to help His Majesty Li Er.
Now that Li Er is treating the Chai family so kindly, he actually misses Princess Pingyang's old love.
This also led to Chai Lingwu's lawless character.
In the eyes of others, Chai Lingwu is simply a demon king, even more difficult to deal with than Cheng Yaojin.
After all, Cheng Yaojin still had some scruples in the officialdom.
But Chai Lingwu is completely different. He takes advantage when he can, never suffers a loss, and does whatever he doesn't accept. He is simply the biggest fool in the world.
Chai Lingwu only obeys those who are stronger than him in martial arts, and loves everyone else.
This is also the reason why this guy still shamelessly accepted his apprenticeship after Yang Fan gave him a beating.
Precisely because this guy is a fool, has no scheming ideas, and uses his fists to speak when he is angry.
After I vented my anger, I could still hold hands with you, as if nothing was wrong with me.
Therefore, this kind of heartless person was very popular in later generations, but in the Tang Dynasty, most people gritted their teeth and avoided him.
Therefore, this kind of Tiehanhan actually made a special trip to give a gift to Master Yang Fan, which really made him feel flattered.
Regardless of whether it was because he taught him the skills and made him grateful, at least now it seems that this guy is not ignorant of the ways of the world.
What's more, Yang Fan has made too many enemies now, and he really needs help from some people with status at critical moments.
Now that he has offended so many aristocratic families, this guy can still be so close. At least he is a person who values affection and justice.
After picking up the wine bowl and taking a sip, Chai Lingwu began to complain:
"Master, you must have been very busy during this period. I went to your house several times, but my wife said that you have never returned."
"Here, this is wine brought back from the Western Regions. It is said to be very precious. There are only three jars in my brother's house. I have brought them all over for you to try."
"Although this wine is very precious, it doesn't taste good when you drink it. It's not as strong as the Erguotou from Master's house!"
Seeing Chai Lingwu drinking like a cow, Yang Fan felt really sad. This wine was not drunk like this. It was a waste.
Yang Fan picked up the bowl and took a sip.
Well, Yang Fan thinks the taste is very good!
The sweet and mellow aroma of wine stimulates the taste buds, causing the pores to relax unconsciously, making people feel relaxed all of a sudden.
This kind of wine has a low alcohol content and is very suitable for couples to add some spice to their dinner. This is a scarce product!
This kind of grape wine from the Western Regions is extremely expensive on the market. It can be said that it is priceless.
However, there is a reason why it is expensive.
Not to mention the quality of the wine, these wines were transported across mountains and rivers along the Gobi Desert.
Even if you don’t count the dangers and losses on the road, just hiring people’s feet is a sky-high price!
What's more, in Yang Fan's opinion, the quality of this wine is no worse than those of later generations of top-notch grape wines.
However, due to war and various reasons, this grape wine manufacturing process cannot be well passed down, which is a pity!
As I tasted it carefully, I realized that it might be due to the scorching heat. The weather was a bit hot, and the wine was a little warm when it entered the mouth, which affected the taste.
Looking at the bucket in the corner, Yang Fan picked up the wine jar and put it in. The water in the bucket had just filled more than half of the wine jar.
Seeing that it was just right, Yang Fan took some saltpeter from the cabinet on the side and put it directly into the water.
Looking at the confused Chai Lingwu, Yang Fan chuckled and said pretentiously: "Master will let you see what Taoist magic is, and then let you taste the taste of iced wine."
Chai Lingwu was coaxed into a daze, blinking his eyes and thinking.
On this hot day, the water in the bucket is not cold, so using ice is of no use!
Might as well put it on the ice cubes next to it and wait for a while.
However, Chai Lingwu's eyes almost popped out soon.
I saw that the water in the bucket began to react violently after Yang Fan added saltpeter?
The water in the bucket was rolling, and mist came out from time to time, as if a pot was boiling.
In Chai Lingwu's disbelieving eyes, white frost began to appear.
After just one cup of tea, the water in the bucket had completely frozen, and even the wine jar was frozen in the middle.
Chai Lingwu carefully touched the ice with his hand and took a breath of cold air.
He even turned to look out the window at the sunny weather, and then asked with a shocked face: "Master, how did you do it? This is July, the water actually freezes automatically. This is really magical."
Law?"
This kind of unreasonable thing has seriously exceeded Chai Lingwu's cognition.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe it even if he were beaten to death!
Although he is usually naive, he is not stupid either.
I didn’t expect it to freeze in July, it’s such a hot summer!
If such a method was available, which family would be willing to spend a lot of money to hide ice from the previous winter?
Yang Fan laughed and said nonchalantly: "Didn't you see it? Master, I am a scholar and know a lot of things. Do you want to learn it?"
"Master, this magic is so powerful! You have to teach me, and my disciple will definitely respect you." Chai Lingwu was so happy that he knelt down with a plop, hugged Yang Fan's thigh and started acting coquettishly.
This scene almost gave Yang Fan goosebumps.
This big-hearted guy is acting like a bitch, who is he trying to eliminate?
However, Yang Fan did have the intention to pass on the technology of saltpeter ice making to Chai Lingwu.
On the one hand, Yang Fan's business empire is too big and needs to be settled properly, and it should not be expanded indiscriminately.
On the other hand, Yang Fan also has no suitable candidates to run the ice-making business.
After all, those who can afford ice belong to wealthy families, and only those with strong backgrounds are not afraid of having such skills taken away by others.
What's more, making ice from saltpeter will eventually be discovered.
If there is no strong background, once exposed, the people running the business may suffer retaliation from these wealthy nobles.
Chai Lingwu not only has a profound background, but also has a naive character. No one wants to offend such a person easily.
After all, Chai Lingwu is a free-spirited demon king. Wouldn't it be uncomfortable to cause trouble for him?
With the definition in mind, Yang Fan thought about how to convince this guy to fall into the trap.
But Chai Lingwu was eager to say: "Master, now that midsummer has just arrived, the hot weather has lasted for nearly two months, and there is not much ice stored in the court. If you teach this magic to someone, you can make ice cream."
If you get the ice out and sell it on the market, you will definitely make a lot of money!"
Well?
Yang Fan was a little stunned!
I didn’t expect that this tough-minded Tiehanhan would have such a flexible mind. It’s really unbelievable!
However, it played into Yang Fan's hands and saved him a lot of effort.
Thinking of this, Yang Fan touched his nose and said: "Ahem, if you want to learn, it's okay. I'll give you the method later. However, this is not a magical method, it's just some chemical reactions!"
"Although this is not some magical skill, it can give you a way to make a living."
"You are going to marry Princess Shang soon. You can't keep asking for money from your family. Men, only when you have money in your pocket can you be confident."
"After you learn this craft, you can also add some sugar to the water and insert some wooden skewers. Under the unbearable heat, many people must want to taste the sweet and cold taste."
Feeling proud, Yang Fan got out the popsicles of later generations.
Chai Lingwu exclaimed excitedly, clapped his hands and said: "What the master taught me is that some time ago my brother said that I only know how to spend money and never thought about making money. Humph, I must make him look at me with admiration this time until I go back."
From now on, let me have someone study it carefully. When the time comes, I will make money and I will honor you as an old man."
Yang Fan was too lazy to pay attention to him.
Of the people he had made friends with, only Chai Lingwu didn't have a good career.
It doesn't matter whether it's money or not. You have to let the words of the people you are close to have weight, and then your goal will be achieved.
After talking about the business, Yang Fan picked up the iced wine, and the two started chatting while drinking.
Looking at the scorching sun outside the house and drinking ice-cold wine, Yang Fan suddenly felt that the heat had completely disappeared.
Neither of them spoke. After a while, less than half of the wine was consumed, and Yang Fan became a little drunk.
Not to mention, wine can really make you drunk.
Yang Fan felt very comfortable while humming a song while sipping the wine in the bowl.
Muffled sounds came from the distant workshops from time to time, and Yang Fan knew that this was the "Hangtian Lei" developed by the craftsmen who were testing it.
Listening to the rumbling sound, it seems to be very powerful, and it should be almost successful.
It's not that Yang Fan deliberately doesn't want to guide them step by step, but that some things can only become more valuable if they are tested by themselves.
Moreover, the ingredients of gunpowder, mononitrate, disulfide, and charcoal, have long been discovered, but the proportions are just different.
Of course, the more important thing is that Yang Fan is relatively lazy. Only by letting these people master each step clearly will they avoid being called every day for technical guidance in the future.
Hearing the deafening explosion, Chai Lingwu sobered up a little from his drunkenness.
He stretched his neck and looked out the window, but couldn't see anything. He could only turn to Yang Fan and asked: "Master, was this the sound of thunder just now? It was so terrifying, it was like the God of Thunder coming!"
"
Although I have never witnessed the power of Hongtianlei with my own eyes, due to rumors and rumors, Hongtianlei has become a myth.
Yang Fan said leisurely: "Ling Wu, in fact, thunder from the sky is not scary. What is scary is the human heart."
"Master is right!" Chai Lingwu thought for a while and nodded in agreement.
It's exactly what Yang Fan said.
If a just person holds this sharp weapon, it can intimidate the enemy and benefit the people.
If something like this fell into the wrong hands, it would be a disaster.
Therefore, thunder is not good or bad, it just depends on the person who uses it.
Looking at Chai Lingwu who was thoughtful, Yang Fan smiled slightly.
Although this guy looks naive, he is not stupid. No wonder this guy in the original history dared to rebel.
After drinking all the wine in the bowl, Yang Fan asked: "Lingwu, why did you want to come to firearms surveillance today? Is it just to give me something?"
Chai Lingwu did not hide anything, but said calmly: "Master also knows that His Majesty will come with all civil and military officials to inspect the production progress of the firearms supervisor. In order to ensure safety, this trip is in accordance with His Majesty's imperial order.
Check the surrounding area for any danger."
Yang Fan continued to ask: "Have you discovered anything?"
"No report, I don't know yet..."
Before Wu Ling finished speaking, a voice sounded outside the door.
"Lord Captain, the Qianniu Guards have completed their investigation and are here to report to you."
Seeing Yang Fan nodded, Chai Lingwu said loudly: "Come in!"
Soon, the door to the check-in room was gently pushed open, and a man with a red cherry crown on his head, wearing the standard imperial uniform and fast boots walked in.
First, he looked at Yang Fan with admiration.
This is the God of War rumored in the military!
Tibet will be decided in one battle. As long as they are soldiers, who doesn't admire them?
After the visitor saluted Yang Fan respectfully, he reported to Chai Lingwuhui: "Master Duwei, after a thorough investigation by the Qianniu Guards, no danger was found nearby. However, we discovered a bad phenomenon. It may be necessary for everyone to come."
Mr. Wei went to coordinate."
"Oh? What's wrong?" Wu Lingwu was a little surprised.
Speaking of which, they came to investigate first. It was just a routine inspection, but they didn't expect that there was really a problem.
Qian Niuwei quickly said: "It's not a big deal. According to the observation of my subordinates, there are many dirt trucks passing by the official road from Daming Palace, and a lot of dirt fell on the road during the transportation process."
"According to the observation of the Supervisor, it will rain in the next two days. Once it rains, the mud will be stuck on the road, and the road will definitely be muddy."
"My subordinates think it would be better if the captain came forward to say hello and ask the Daming Palace to suspend construction for a few days."
Chai Lingwu breathed out slowly: "I know, you go down first!"
In his opinion, this is simply a trivial matter.
However, when Yang Fan heard this, something felt vaguely wrong in his heart.
The construction of the Daming Palace has been completed long ago. Now it only needs small-scale repairs and no major construction work at all. Why does it need to transport so much soil?
What's more, there were no vehicles transporting soil some time ago!
Obviously, there is something famous here.
But Yang Fan did not express the doubts in his heart.
However, after Chai Lingwu left, not long after, Xi Junmai also walked out of Yang Fan's check-in room.