Chapter 965
: Replica Thunderbolt Car
Chapter 965: Replica Thunderbolt Car
The headquarters of the imperial army in the south of Beijing,
In the central tent,
now,
There was total silence in the tent.
All the generals, including Luo Yunhou, were extremely surprised. How could he dare to say that it would be easy to capture such a strong city? Was he crazy, or did he hear it wrong?
Zhang Jinyu was quite curious. Even if those people in the Ministry of Works were skilled craftsmen, they would not boast like this. Could it be that they had some more powerful siege equipment?
"General Duan, this is a military meeting. Don't make up your mind. How can such a strong city, plus those crazy people of the Taiping Sect, be easily conquered?"
General Yue Mu Ning looked solemn. General Duan was always steady, how could he say such arrogant words? He could only speak first and suppress his anger.
"Yes, General Duan. To attack a city, all you need are ladders, arrow towers, battering rams, etc. Even if you dig a tunnel into the city, it will take time. To say it's easy is a bit exaggerated."
Although he was just bragging, as he was also a member of the Beijing Camp, he still wanted to help. General Xuanwei Li Zongbao also spoke up.
Don't know,
General Duan smiled slightly, clasped his fists and thanked everyone around him.
"Thank you, brothers. Lord, Your Highness. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time. I didn't believe it at all. We are all brothers in the army. How can we talk nonsense? The siege equipment that General Li mentioned are all old methods. But Tian Feng, the head of the Ministry of Works, supervised the work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and actually reproduced the thunderbolt chariot of the Han Dynasty. There are also imperial fire oil bombs. What do you think of combining the two?"
Duan Wenyuan was smiling, and he couldn't believe it at the time. Most of the people in the Ministry of Works were just eating and waiting to die, so how could they have the time to do these things? But when he arrived at the military camp and saw the Thunderbolt Chariot pulled from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he realized that what they said was true.
Zhang Jinyu turned around and sat back in the main seat. When he heard the word "Thunderbolt Chariot", he immediately thought of the Three Kingdoms period. It seemed that someone named Liu invented it. To put it bluntly, it was actually a catapult. As for the kerosene bomb, it was not unfamiliar. It was used on a large scale during the Han and Tang dynasties. The combination of the two, the power can be imagined. I wonder who is so capable as to replicate this thing.
"It's really precious. People say that those people in the Ministry of Industry eat instead of doing their work. Has General Duan ever seen the Thunderbolt Chariot?"
General Yue Songlin didn't care. It was still unclear whether the replica could be used. Everyone knew the nature of the people in the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They loved money like their life and they had the mind to tease these people.
"Of course I have seen it. It is huge. This time I have used a carriage from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to bring ten of them. I think it should be enough to attack a city gate."
Duan Wenyuan must have seen these. Although he had never used them, these big guys didn't look like mere showpieces.
A few people wanted to say more, but Zhang Jinyu suddenly interrupted and asked;
"Has the director of the Ministry of Works that you mentioned come with us?"
"My Lord, he is standing side by side with the captain outside the tent. His name is Tian Feng."
Duan Hong immediately clasped his fists and replied;
"Okay, come on, call Mr. Tian in,"
"Yes, Lord Marquis,"
The personal soldier inside the tent responded, walked out of the tent, and asked the officers outside the tent,
"Who is Tian Feng, the head of the Ministry of Industry?"
"Yes, I am your subordinate."
An old man with a slightly aged face, wearing a gray robe, agreed cautiously. The personal guards of the Marquis' Mansion looked at him and said nothing more.
"Master Tian, the Marquis invites you."
"Yes, I will go in right away."
With an uneasy mood, Tian, the head of the Ministry of Works, walked into the big tent with trembling steps. Seeing many generals inside, he lowered his head, walked slowly forward and paid great respects.
"I am Tian Feng, the director of the Ministry of Industry. I am here to greet Your Highness and the Marquis."
Zhang Jinyu looked at the kneeling Tian Zhushi with curious eyes. He was quite old, but his clothes were ordinary. It was true that one cannot judge a person by his appearance.
"Get up and answer,"
"Thank you, Lord."
After Tian Feng stood up, he stood there with his hands hanging down, looking a little overwhelmed.
"Master Tian, you copied the Thunderbolt Car, have you verified it?"
"My Lord, the Thunderbolt Chariot was copied from an ancient book by me with some minor modifications. The original Thunderbolt Chariot was slightly smaller in size and faster in movement, but the one I modified is huge in size and inconvenient to move. I have tried it out in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and it was quite powerful, so I dare not make more."
Tian Feng was a little surprised that he was asking about this matter. Thinking of what General Duan said, that he would report the matter, his anxiety dissipated a lot.
"Okay, Lord Tian is a man of great talent. I have always been unconventional in employing people. The Thunderbolt Chariots plus the kerosene bombs should be extremely powerful. Lord Tian, these ten Thunderbolt Chariots will be built by you during this siege. If we take down the county city, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin will be here to witness it. You will be the first to achieve the credit. Your military merits can earn you a title for your descendants in the future."
Zhang Jinyu's face was solemn. The court didn't know how to make good use of such a talent, so he found a way to intercept it. The so-called catapult is as powerful as a cannon. If he has a chance to return to the capital, he will ask his father-in-law what other talents are buried in the Ministry of Works. He really neglected these. After speaking, he winked at Jin Wang Zhou Ding.
Seeing this, King Jin smiled and nodded.
"Sir Tian, the Marquis is right. If Linshan County City is really conquered, I will make the decision. You will be the first to achieve the merit and you can be rewarded with a title for the next generation."
As soon as these words came out, all the generals in the tent were so excited that their eyes turned red. With the guarantee from Marquis Luo Yun and His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin, the real title was waiting for them. Tian Feng was struck by such great joy, his eyes were full of disbelief, and he quickly knelt down to thank them.
"Your humble servant, I thank His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin and the Marquis. I will do my best to capture this city."
"Okay, General Li, you will personally lead the troops to assist Chief Tian. Be careful in everything. This achievement will be yours."
Zhang Jinyu nodded and arranged for the experienced and steady Li Zongbao to assist.
"I will obey your orders,"
Li Zongbao was overjoyed and stood up to pay his respects. The other generals seemed a little anxious. Why would the Marquis make such an arrangement?
"Everyone, don't be anxious. There are plenty of battles for you to fight. The bandits in the city are not ordinary people. You can kill them all. But don't be so anxious to fight. I have decided to divide our forces to surround them. We will first trap the bandits and break through the city with the least loss of soldiers.
Although the city walls are high, we have the advantage of powerful crossbows, and we will surely be able to kill a large number of the enemy troops and consume their manpower. The enemy troops must defend the city, and they must maintain sufficient manpower on the city walls. If they keep doing this, they won’t be able to hold out for a few days. By the time they react, the Thunderbolt Chariot will be wrapped in the power of heaven and the battle will be decided!"
This time, the army brought enough weapons, armor and arrows. Since they had replenishment, they could learn from the Qin Dynasty's arrow formation. Zhang Jinyu didn't want to lose so many people in a strong attack. Who knows how many people will appear from those bandit sects behind? The people of the Taiping Sect and the White Lotus Sect have always been a mystery.
A few words,
All the generals listened.
They all gasped, the Marquis was truly a military god, so they all stood up and shouted;
"I will follow your orders. My Lord, you are the military god of the world. May you win!"
The generals shouted with terrifying momentum, and even the eyes of King Jin were shining. He suddenly felt that if he got Marquis Luo Yun, he would get the world.
Beijing,
On the second floor of Yanchun Tower, beside the Qinghu River,
The window reflects the beautiful scenery of Qinghu Lake, with willows swaying along the shore. Under the lights, there are small vendors along the shore, and the bustling crowds of people are endless.
The building is filled with flowers, carved beams and painted buildings, and is filled with an air of luxury. In the evening, it is a place where high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen in the capital come to have fun.
today,
It was a rare opportunity for the princes to get the news that their father, the prince of the prince's mansion, had packed his bags and was ready to set off north, so they made an appointment and spent a night in Yanchun Tower.
They sat around a table by the window on the second floor. The table was filled with delicious food and wine. The leader was none other than the prince of Zheng, Zhou Zhengbai. He was dressed in a white robe and had a subtle shrewdness in his eyes. The other people came here one after another. The last one to come was the prince of Wu, Zhou Lianghao.
Seeing that the brothers had already arrived, Zhou Lianghao looked a little embarrassed and came over to clasp his fists and said;
"Brothers, I am late, so I will drink three cups as punishment."
Without waiting for the others to speak, he took the wine pot and filled a cup of wine, and drank three cups in a row to apologize, with a heroic look on his face. This was strange.
"Why are you drinking so quickly? We are all brothers. We are here to eat, drink and have fun. Come on, sit down."
There was some surprise in Zhou Zhengbai's eyes. Among the princes, only this one was the most selfless. Now he was like this, which was a little different.
When he sat down,
Zhou Yewen, the prince of Song, was surprised and asked why he came so late today.
"Zhou Lianghao, you are always the first to arrive. Why are you so late today? What's the reason?"
This question also attracted everyone's attention. Zhou Lianghao's forehead was sweating at the moment. He was also wearing a martial arts uniform and a pair of top-quality cloud-bottomed boots. If you didn't know him, you would think he was a martial arts disciple.
Zhou Lianghao wiped the sweat from his forehead with one hand, and drank a bowl of tea with the other hand. He was thirsty just now, and felt a little uncomfortable after drinking the wine. After drinking the tea, he felt better and replied;
"Please forgive me, brothers. I was delayed on the road. What a coincidence. I wanted to go to the east market today. When I passed Ningrong Street, there were too many people and it was difficult for the carriage to pass through. So I had to get off and walk. I was halfway there. Guess who I saw, brothers?"
Zhou Lianghao was full of excitement, and he was there mysteriously. He still felt a little thirsty, so he took the teapot and poured a bowl of tea, and drank it slowly.
The more this happened, the more curious it became. Zhou Zhengbai had a playful look in his eyes and waved his hand with a slight smile.
"Brother Hao has learned to keep things a secret now. Don't worry. We are here today to have a good time with our brothers. Come on, everyone, let's have a drink first."
"Okay, brother Shi, after all the hard work, let's do it,"
"Come on, do it."
The other princes all raised their glasses, their faces full of emotion, but Zhou Lianghao looked as if he had punched cotton. He looked a little embarrassed, and barely raised his glass, then drank it first.
After drinking,
The atmosphere became much more lively. Just as I was about to ask, I heard footsteps from behind the screen outside. Three young ladies walked over gracefully, one holding a zither, two holding long brocades. They bowed slightly, and the leader said:
"Gentlemen, I, the young lady Hongniang, will dance for you all."
Everyone turned their eyes back.
Seeing that the three of them all had top-notch looks, he secretly thought that the women in Yanchun Tower were comparable to those in Jiaofangsi, but he didn't know what the famous prostitutes in the world looked like. What one person thought was also what everyone thought. The Prince of Han, Zhou Xingshan, had some jealousy in his eyes and asked;
"Yes, of course it's good. It will be more charming if there are beauties playing music. I wonder how charming the two prostitutes in Yanchun Tower, Li Xiangjun and Chen Yuanyuan, are? I wonder how I can meet them."
After the Prince of Han asked some questions, the others were also full of curiosity. They had heard for a long time that brothels all over the world gathered here to select the most beautiful courtesans. They didn't expect that in the end, the scholars would recommend the eight most famous prostitutes in the world and spread all over the world. What did they look like? No one had seen their beauty. Who wouldn't be curious?
inside the screen,
The three women covered their mouths and smiled. It seemed that they had been asked many questions. The leader slowly bowed.
"In reply to your nobles, the two girls are on the top floor of the attic. It is not difficult to see them. One way is to write poems and songs and hang them on the curtain of Yanchun Tower for others to read. If everyone sings them and they are excellent works, they can go up to the tower. Another way is to pay 100,000 taels of silver to meet them. Finally, if you are a famous hero in the world and tell a great story and everyone agrees, you can also go in."
Of the three conditions, perhaps only the 100,000 taels of silver was somewhat reliable. Several princes were startled, which was quite strange.
"Haha, this is really too difficult. Not to mention the 100,000 taels of silver, how many people can write poems and songs that will be passed down through the ages? Finally, the so-called heroes who do great things must not be small things, and their names must be known all over the world. The leaders of the White Lotus Sect and the Taiping Sect must be qualified."
The Prince of Song spat in disdain, and stood still. If Yanchun Tower was not his aunt's property, he would have taken action long ago. The others smiled secretly and lost their interest. Zhou Zhengbai waved his hand.
"Three of you, since the threshold of Yanchun Tower is so high, there is no need for you to stay here, please go down."
The three girls were a little stunned when they saw this. They wanted to say something else, but they were stopped by the guards dressed as Qiao Zhuang and almost chased out. After they left, the place became much quieter. Zhou Yunfu, the prince of Chen, had not forgotten what he had said before, and asked;
"Brother Hao, keep talking. Who did you see on Ningrong Street? Could it be someone from Rongguo Mansion?"
Speaking of Rongguo Mansion, everyone in the capital knows about it. In the whole capital, only the Jia family is vigorously building a separate residence for the imperial visit. The other families are just making some modifications and are unusually peaceful. Only the Jia family is making a lot of noise, as if they are afraid that others don't know about it. This makes everyone feel a little strange.
"Well, that should be it. Ningrong Street is not easy to walk on because a noble lady came out of Rongguo Mansion and built a separate residence for her to visit her parents. It is unique in the capital, and everyone knows it."
At this time, Zhou Lianghao was holding a piece of meat and chewing it. When he saw someone asking about it, he put the meat down and wiped the corners of his mouth with the brocade cloth.
"That's true. It's strange that the Jia family has never had peace this year. It's true that they were punished for their troubles, but their favor has not diminished at all. You have to know that the matter of Jia Zhen in Ningguo Mansion could have resulted in his title being stripped, but the palace didn't even mention it."
Zhou Zhengbai's eyes flickered. It was said that the four kings and eight dukes were like a rock, water could not be poured in, and a needle could not enter the cracks.
"Why bother with so much? After all, he is the man of the Four Princes and Eight Dukes. With the reputation of the old lady of Rongguo Mansion, these are all trivial matters. Brother Hao, tell me quickly, who did you meet?"
Zhou Xingshan had no interest in the Jia family. The people of the four kings and eight dukes were not something they could deal with at the moment.
"Ahem, brothers, don't worry. I saw someone from my aunt's house at the east entrance of Ningrong Street. I was curious, so I followed him. We walked back a distance and headed north. The carriage stopped in front of Luo Yunhou's house. Then, about half an incense stick of time later, someone came back. He got on the carriage with a box in his hand and went straight back to my aunt's house. It was a long detour."
Zhou Lianghao felt a little regretful after he finished speaking. Isn't this just looking for trouble? How did he involve those two masters? He quickly lowered his head and continued to eat the meat.
on the table,
The atmosphere, which was originally quite lively, suddenly became cold. Everyone seemed to be thinking about something. The eldest princess actually sent someone to Marquis Luo Yun's mansion with a box in her arms. It shouldn't be big. What could it be?
interesting,
The Princess's Mansion and the Marquis Luo Yun's Mansion were connected. Everyone was thinking about it. Zhou Zhengbai guessed that it might be something about Jingnan. After all, the Princess's husband was from the Jingnan Su family. But thinking about it, it didn't make sense.
"Liang Hao, did the woman in the carriage take anything when she entered?"
When asked by the Prince of Zheng, Zhou Lianghao had just torn off a piece of meat and put it in his mouth. He stared and thought for a while. The woman got off the car and entered the mansion without stopping, and she didn't hold anything in her hand. So he shook his head and replied vaguely;
"No, I don't have anything in my hand."
"Well, she didn't take anything, but took something away. If my guess is correct, she should have asked for some precious things. If something is favored by the aunt, it must not be ordinary. So, the aunt is asking for a gift for the palace's birthday banquet. It is bitterly cold outside the Great Wall, but there are many precious medicines."
Zhou Zhengbai suddenly had an idea. If they really needed to have a secret talk, they would not go in through the main door. If they could be seen by others, there must be a legitimate reason. The eldest princess was too thoughtful.
When everyone heard this, they suddenly realized what was going on. They had just been wondering if there was something else going on. Now it seemed that the birthday banquet for the retired emperor was not a simple one.
"Brother Shi, since the palace has agreed to let me wait for my father to return to the capital, I think there must be other considerations. They have gone to so much trouble. Even the two imperial aunts have returned to the capital to prepare gifts. And I heard that the Western King Gongze and the Southern King Langyun should return to the capital secretly. The news is vague, and I don't know whether it is true or not."
Zhou Yewen, the prince of Song, rarely spoke out such a confidential matter. The two kings of different surnames have been guarding the border for many years and have never returned to the capital. If they return to the capital, does it mean that the emperor's attitude has changed? Thinking of Beijing King Shui Rong and Dongping King Mu Shi leading the army again, it is obviously a sign.
Several people looked at each other, their eyes were somewhat solemn.
"What is true cannot be false, and what is false cannot be true. We have done what needs to be done. Father's wishes have been fulfilled in the palace. It is not our turn to participate in the following matters. The situation in the world is unpredictable. We are powerless. After Wang Ziteng's defeat, who can look down on those lowly people?"
Everyone felt a little embarrassed, a large army of hundreds of thousands fighting was not something that the vassal kings within the pass could support. Although they had enough money and food, they lacked good generals and weapons!
(End of this chapter)