"I think... if we can build a road, then our valley could improve over ti. Once the road is completed, the chaos in Wuheng should also be settled. By then, Wuheng might not be as desolate and terrifying as it is now."
"Besides, although Liao Lie is a small country, it has always been friendly and close with our Da Jing, unlike Lanqiang."
"You even thought of this? No wonder you are Brother Ruan’s sister."
Xie Huai’an chuckled in surprise, and Ruan Mian asked in confusion, "What’s up with my brother?"
"A few days ago, when Brother Ruan and I were chatting, he ntioned this idea. He also felt that if a road could be built, we would have a way to retreat."
"However, building a road is no small matter. Besides needing a large amount of manpower, the required mortar, rocks, and other materials are difficult to obtain. Even building a few miles of road is not an easy task, let alone encountering obstacles like mountains and rocks. If we rely solely on manpower to chisel through, I’m afraid..."
"Sir, our Longchang Mountain is a treasure land. Around the vein gold mine, there must be other mineral resources, like... igneous rock."
"What is that?"
Ruan Mian saw he didn’t know and guessed that the concept of volcanic ash hadn’t erged in this era.
The entire territory of Da Jing is centered on the Central Plains, and probably within its territory, Longchang Mountain is the only volcano.
So she succinctly said, "This igneous rock is very hard and is an excellent material for road construction. If you’re worried about rocky obstacles, we can blow them up."
"You an to borrow black gunpowder from General Huo and the others?"
"Of course not. I reckon they don’t have enough black gunpowder for themselves. I an for us to make it ourselves."
"You know how to make gunpowder?"
Xie Huai’an laughed and told her, "Do you know what materials are needed for gunpowder? Even if we had money to buy from Liao Lie, it’s not sothing you can just buy."
Ruan Mian slowly explained.
"Purchasing is indeed difficult, but making it ourselves isn’t necessarily that hard."
"The formula for black gunpowder consists of sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal. Near the igneous rock, there are natural sulfur-iron mines, and we are in the forest area of Longchang Mountain, so charcoal resources aren’t lacking for us. As for this saltpeter..." indeed, it’s scarce.
Natural saltpeter is very difficult to obtain and not enough for their temporary production, but she had a way.
"Sir, did you know that saltpeter can be ’grown’?"
What Ruan Mian ntioned earlier was known to Xie Huai’an, but this "growing" of saltpeter was unheard of to him.
"To my knowledge, saltpeter only forms naturally under stringent conditions and is not easily found. Besides, among us, there aren’t any saltpeter workers, so it would be difficult for us to distinguish and extract it on our own."
In this era, obtaining saltpeter relied mainly on saltpeter workers collecting it from the people.
Ruan Mian, having survived the end tis, moved through various mountain caves, and making gunpowder was not an issue for her.
She moved closer to Xie Huai’an and explained the thod of "growing" saltpeter to him, step by step.
After their discussion, the two deed the proposal feasible.
Building the road and growing saltpeter were not tasks to be completed in a day or two, so the sooner they acted, the better.
Thus, they imdiately gathered Xue Yuanzhao, Ruan Qingsong, and Wu Jie from the Golden Feather Clan to discuss the matter.
Mr. Xue was a highly respected elder among their group of exiles, and with his presence, arranging manpower later would be simpler.
Living in the valley was never a long-term solution, with soldiers able to find them at any mont, and Wuheng’s situation unstable. Mr. Xue had long since started considering their escape plan.
Now, the idea proposed by Ruan Mian aligned with his thoughts, and her solutions seed practical.
Might as well give it a try!
It’s better than doing nothing and hiding in the valley, waiting for the pursuers to co.
So, Xue Yuanzhao imdiately called upon a few others among the exiles who had a say.
Everyone hoped to work together to resolve the matter.
However, when the idea was raised again, one person imdiately stood up to oppose it, finding it laughable.
"Build a road? Is this so trivial matter? Mr. Xue, you must have gone senile! Do you not know how much effort road construction requires? Not to ntion whether we even have enough people, the key issue is where to get the gunpowder for blasting the mountain?"
"Without gunpowder, trying to build a road? It’s wishful thinking unless the whole nation rallies. With just us, it’s nothing but a pipe dream!"
Without giving others a chance to explain, he pointed at Ruan Mian’s face, sneering.
"This woman, hasn’t she bewitched you all? You actually laughably listen to a woman’s word?! Is this reasonable?!"
"That such a venomous woman, you all still dare to? My brother’s hand and foot tendons were severed by her, and now he lies in the house like the living dead!"
He rushed angrily in front of Ruan Mian, looking as if he wanted to tear her apart. However, Xie Huai’an quietly shielded her and looked at the man with a cold gaze.
Mr. Xue quickly interjected: "Zheng Yang, you can’t bla Miss Ruan for your brother’s situation. If he hadn’t committed such outrageous acts, who would have caused him such harm?"
"What do you an, outrageous acts? My sister-in-law’s been crazy for over two years, and my brother provided for her. What’s wrong with him hitting her? She was his wife! Even if he beat her to death, it’s not for outsiders to interfere!!"
Upon hearing this, Ruan Mian realized this person was Zheng Zhao’s brother, Zheng Yang.
It seed he was here to seek justice for his brother.
Ruan Mian smiled calmly and stepped forward.
"Let’s keep things separate. Today, we are here to discuss road building. As for the gunpowder issue you ntioned earlier, what if I can solve it?"
"Just you? Are you telling you can make gunpowder yourself!? This is a huge joke!! Don’t you all find it laughable that this despicable woman claims to make gunpowder? What does she know about making gunpowder! It’s not like making rouge and powder!"
He called her a despicable woman repeatedly, with almost no contempt left unsaid.
"If she produces gunpowder today, I’ll say nothing more. Otherwise, about this..."
Before he could finish, Ruan Mian had already turned and fetched sothing from another corner of the room.
Zheng Yang’s face changed abruptly in disbelief, and before he could speak, Ruan Mian, holding the item, walked out of the house to a place far from the shelter and lit the fuse.
A "bang" sound was heard, startling everyone in the other shelters, and they all ran out in fright.
Zheng Yang was speechless, his face ashen, completely unable to believe that this woman actually had gunpowder!
Could she really make it?!
The others were equally astonished.
Initially, those who doubted her idea dispelled all doubts at this mont, and Mr. Xue also felt hopeful about it.
Only Zheng Yang, with a suspicious look, stared intently at Ruan Mian, his fists clenched tightly.
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