Chapter 689
: Undercurrents surge, a game within a game is played near Jin Temple
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Zhu Gang stood in the tent, his thumb subconsciously stroking the cloud-thunder pattern on the body of the telescope.
The surface of the brass lens barrel still retains the residual heat from being exposed to the scorching sun during the day.
The temperature was transmitted to his body through his fingertips, as if carrying the heat and power of the sun in the daytime.
This telescope has a unique origin.
That was three years ago, when the Portuguese merchant caravan traveled thousands of miles from Malacca to bring tribute.
The Western decorations engraved on the seams of the lens barrel are exquisite and complex, with smooth and rhythmic lines, highlighting the unique charm of exotic culture.
Blended with it is the local traditional cloud and thunder pattern.
The winding and circling patterns carry a profound cultural heritage.
These two patterns with completely different styles are strangely intertwined together, forming a unique beauty on the telescope tube.
At this moment, in Zhu Gang's eyes, the intertwined patterns on the lens barrel were just like the intricate and intertwined situation he was facing.
Zhu Gang held up the telescope, his eyes fixed on Gongshu Qi.
Through the twelve-fold objective lens, every move of Gongshuqi was clearly magnified, as if it were right at hand.
Gong Shuqi's sleeve was seen lightly brushing across the linkage mechanism of the gun and submachine gun, a seemingly unintentional movement.
In Zhu Gang's eyes, it was like a silent display of mechanical arts.
Every subtle movement contains deep meaning.
The moment the cuff touched the device, it seemed to trigger Zhu Gang's mind to analyze the situation.
He knew very well that Gongshu Qi was an expert in mechanical engineering, and behind this simple action, there might be a key strategy for dealing with the current situation.
Zhu Gang's eyes became more and more profound, trying to discern clues to the development of the situation from Gongshu Qi's seemingly ordinary behavior.
In order to make the most accurate judgments and decisions in this undercurrent game.
"Report... at the second watch, the wind flag turned to the northwest."
Outside the tent, the mountain wind howled and raged, like a roaring beast, trying to drag everything in the world into its rage.
The sound of the clappers in the hands of the royal guards was crisp and rhythmic, intertwined with the clear and melodious sound of the bronze bells from the eaves of the Holy Mother's Hall.
However, this originally harmonious sound was torn into pieces by the strong wind, like broken glass. It broke into pieces in the mountain wind and sounded even more messy and weird.
Zhu Gang held the telescope tightly, his eyes staring through the lens at Gongshuqi's every move.
When Gongshu Qi's fingertip slowly stopped at the trigger, Zhu Gang's pupils suddenly contracted violently, as if they were suddenly pulled by some invisible force.
His heart trembled, his eyes fixed on the fingertips that were resting on the trigger, and he silently counted the time: one breath, two breaths, three breaths... no more, no less, exactly three breaths.
The corner of Zhu Gang's mouth twitched slightly, and he thought to himself: Sure enough, it is the starting posture of the "Stop the War Style" in "Mozi·Preparing for Acupoints".
My thoughts involuntarily drift back to the time when I was studying at the Imperial College.
At that time, Zhu Gang listened to the doctor's lectures, and he was deeply impressed by the explanation of Mohist mechanical techniques.
The doctor once said, "The Mohist mechanical techniques are divided into two categories: 'attack' and 'defense', and among the defense categories, the most important is 'stopping the war'."
This technique of "stopping war" embodies the Mohist philosophy of non-aggression, and its purpose is defense and balance rather than active attack.
Zhu Gang still remembered that the doctor had emphasized, "To activate the locking device in the 'stop war' mechanism, you need to press the mechanism seven times at a specific frequency."
This seemingly simple operation actually requires profound attainments and precise grasp of mechanical techniques.
The slightest mistake could lead to failure. At this moment, Zhu Gang's brain was working rapidly, trying to figure out Gongshu Qi's intentions.
He knew very well that the situation had developed to a critical juncture, and every slight change could trigger a chain reaction, dragging all forces into an unpredictable storm.
Zhu Gang must remain calm and make the most wise decision in this complicated situation.
Only in this way can we control the situation and avoid falling into an irretrievable situation.
"Your Highness, is this Mo family disciple really here to repair firearms?"
Chen Jiugao, deputy commander of the Hidden Dragon Guard, opened the tent curtain, and the swallowing beast with a sword on his waist was shining green under the candlelight.
"The firearms craftsmen we met in Datong were not so particular."
Zhu Gang did not reply, for the image in the mirror had already given the answer: the second knuckle of Gongshuqi's fingertips had a dark yellow tinge from years of contact with tung oil, a mark of the maintenance mechanism of Mohist "Thirteen Styles of Metalwork".
More importantly, there was half a gear embroidered on the left lapel of this person, which was exactly the same as the code on the secret letter intercepted in Xishi, Beiping three months ago.
That letter was the transfer order from the Shenshu Camp under the command of King Zhu Zhen of Chu.
The mountain wind suddenly changed direction and blew into the tent, bringing with it the sound of the bronze bells of the Holy Mother Temple.
Xie Yuer shook the hand holding the celadon bowl, and the glutinous rice balls in the bowl created tiny ripples in the milky white soup.
She specially used the water from the Nanlao Spring in Jin Temple today, and the glutinous rice skin glowed with a pearly luster under the moonlight.
But at this moment, the husband's eyes were still fixed on the brass telescope, and the shadow cast by the tube fell right on the wrinkles between his brows, like a frost that would never melt.
"At noon, Ji Xi asked when my father would return to Taiyuan."
Xie Yuer deliberately emphasized the word "回", and the silver bracelet on her wrist made a slight sound when it hit the edge of the bowl.
"He said he wanted to show you the newly made sand table. He sealed the Sanggan River on the Youzhou topographic map with three layers of beeswax."
Zhu Gang finally looked away. The candlelight flickered twice in his eyes, reflecting the mountain patterns on the armor in light and dark.
"Tell the prince that after this investigation of the firearms case for the court is completed, your father will personally take him to see the Iron Bull that Guards the River."
He reached out to take the porcelain bowl, and suddenly stopped when the spoon touched the bottom of the bowl.
"But what's more important right now is why Mr. Gongshu activated the mechanism to stop the war at midnight.
Chen Jiugao, go check the roster of the twelve craftsmen who are with him to see if there is a seal of the Yingtianfu Craftsman Supervisor on it?"
Xie Yuer watched her husband use a spoon to gently push away the floating oil, revealing three glutinous rice balls filled with rose filling underneath, and suddenly remembered the secret letter she received this morning.
The letter was entrusted by the Princess of Yan in Peking, saying that Zhu Di had recently tested a new type of musket on the outskirts of the city, and that the bullets could penetrate a three-inch thick elm board.
Her fingertips unconsciously stroked the dark pattern on the hem of her skirt. It was the same colored silk thread that she had seen wrapped around the fuse of Chang Mao's thunder bomb when she passed by the equipment room just now.
The outer shell of the thunder bomb is engraved with the inscription "Jinan Prefecture Military Equipment Bureau", but it uses a thunder pattern carving mold that only the Jin Palace has.
"The princess's hand-warming mind is even more ingenious than the Mohist disciples' schemes."
Zhu Gang suddenly chuckled, and the spoon tapped the edge of the bowl with three short sounds, which was the "safe" signal in the secret language of the Prince of Jin's Mansion.
"Yuer, don't worry.
If we really want to talk about mechanical engineering, the old craftsman we met in Yingtian back then could make a bronze man beat a drum to tell time automatically."
He suddenly paused. In the mirror, the public transfer device had been pressed for the seventh time, and a very thin blue light flashed at the trigger - that was the Mohist secret language mark coated with phosphorus powder.
Suddenly, the night watchman's clapperboard sounded out of tune from outside the tent: "Be careful with the candles... The southwest wind is strong..." (End of this chapter)