Just as Zhong Gaoliang was celebrating becoming a commoner once more,
In the north, in Qingjian County,
A scholar nad Zhao Sheng was reading late into the night under the lamplight within Shiyou Temple.
Despite nurous attempts, Zhao Sheng had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations, unable to secure an official rank. However, he had good character. Whenever villagers nearby needed help writing a ho letter or reading an official announcent, he assisted them.
In his spare ti, he would also share stories from books with the nearby villagers, earning their great affection.
That night, he was utterly absorbed in his reading at Shiyou Temple when a little monk rushed in, urgently whispering, “Mr. Zhao! Run!”
Zhao Sheng: “?”
The little monk lowered his voice, “The authorities are coming to arrest you! Soone falsely spread rumors that you, lighting a lamp late at night in this lonely temple, were secretly compiling military texts and plotting rebellion, just like Huang Chao depicted in Xiang Ping’s tales…”
Zhao Sheng was shocked: “How could such rumors arise?”
The little monk: “How it started doesn’t matter now! Escape! The authorities will be here any mont.”
Indeed, tensions ran high in Qingjian County at that ti. Uprisings were breaking out across Shaanxi province, keeping the authorities on high alert. Any whisper of rebellion, regardless of its truth, prompted an imdiate arrest. Suspects were often tortured until they confessed.
Zhao Sheng gritted his teeth. Damn it! All I want is to focus on my studies, pass the next imperial examinations, achieve success on the golden list, and bring honor to my ancestors. Why must they treat this way?
He hurriedly gathered his books and fled through the temple’s rear door.
He made his way to Jiejia Valley, but a large group of bailiffs pursued him closely.
Zhao Sheng was just a frail, bookish scholar, unused to physical exertion. He was no match for the bailiffs’ pace. Just as he was about to be caught, thunderous cries erupted from the surrounding fields. A mass of common people surged forward, wielding pitchforks, wooden clubs, and other makeshift weapons.
“Damn the governnt! Don’t lay a hand on Mr. Zhao!”
“Mr. Zhao is a good man! You arrest him without discerning right from wrong! Vilifying the innocent!”
“I’ve rebelled today!”
“Kill these damned bailiffs!”
A sea of commoners poured out, instantly crushing the bailiffs to dust.
…
Chongzhen Year One, Late April, Early Morning.
Li Da burst out of the blacksmith’s shop. Clutching a small spring, he threw his head back and laughed boisterously, “HAHAHAHA! Finally! I’ve finally done it! Its springiness is restored! HAHAHAHA! I’ve succeeded!”
Li Daoxuan, who had just woken up and was sitting by a crate chewing a glutinous rice ball, was imdiately drawn by the commotion and quickly looked over.
He saw Li Da sprint to the base of the watchtower. Not daring to go up, he craned his neck and shouted towards the third floor, “Saint Lady! Are you awake? Look, look at this!”
Seeing Gao Yiye lean out from her balcony,
Li Da imdiately placed the spring between his palms, squeezed hard, and then let go. It sprang apart with a boing.
“See! I’ve succeeded! HAHAHA! I’ve succeeded!”
Gao Yiye no longer had dark circles. Li Daoxuan had recently tried not to call her too often during the day, giving her more ti to paint, which allowed her to sleep well at night recently.
She watched Li Da’s demonstration with a smile and then said, “Uncle Li, showing this isn’t much use. I don’t understand it. But don’t worry, the Deity has already seen it.”
Li Da turned his face to the sky and called out loudly, “Deity! You saw? I… I’ve succeeded… I heated this thing red-hot, then plunged it quickly into cold water. It regained a bit of its spring! It’s not as springy as before yet, but at least it doesn’t flatten entirely under pressure now.”
Li Daoxuan thought to himself: You accidentally discovered the “quenching thod,” good job.
However, his thod was still crude. The quenching thod had more detailed steps, which Li Daoxuan had long researched, but he wasn’t in a hurry to provide them, wanting Li Da to think more on his own.
“Do you know why, after heating it until red-hot and then plunging it into cold water for rapid cooling, the spring regains so elasticity?”
“N… no, I don’t.” Li Da shook his head.
Li Daoxuan sighed inwardly: Just like most ancient technologies in our dynasty, they know the thod but not the principle. Alas!
You know water turns to vapor when boiled, but you don’t know that when water is heated, the thermal energy of its molecules increases, raising their average kinetic energy… So even if you know boiling water produces vapor, you still truly understand nothing.
You know heating a spring red-hot and quenching it restores its elasticity, but you don’t realize the quenching thod reduces atomic spacing and increases internal stress, thereby restoring the spring’s resilience.
You think you understand, but you really don’t.
All this is due to a lack of foundational science!
Li Daoxuan murmured softly, “Yiye, go summon Daoist Ma.”
Not long after, Ma Tianzheng arrived. Unlike ordinary villagers, upon hearing the Deity’s summons, he instantly bead with excitent. Reaching the watchtower, he dropped to his knees in a grand Daoist salute: “Disciple Ma Tianzheng awaits your command.”
Li Daoxuan: “Li Da, place the spring into Daoist Ma’s hand. Also, fetch a bag of cent and give it to Daoist Ma.”
Li Da hurriedly complied.
Ma Tianzheng held a bag of cent in one hand and a spring in the other, glancing left and right in utter bewildernt. “Deity, what is your instruction? This disciple… fails to perceive their significance.”
“A glorious and arduous task awaits you.” Li Daoxuan declared. “Take these two items to Waxi Paifangli in Fengxin County, Jiangxi. There, you’ll find a scholar nad Song Yingxing, who has repeatedly failed the imperial exams and grown sowhat despondent. Place these items directly into his hands upon finding him. First, demonstrate the spring’s regained elasticity. Then, teach him how to use the cent.”
Ma Tianzheng responded, “A re journey to Jiangxi poses no hardship, hardly qualifying as arduous. This disciple departs imdiately.”
Li Daoxuan: “Very well. Go swiftly. Travel safely.”
Ma Tianzheng vowed, “This disciple would stake his very life to protect these divine artifacts.”
Li Daoxuan shook his head. “Protect yourself. These items can be replaced from Gaojia Village if lost. Your life, once gone, is irrecoverable.”
Overwheld with gratitude, Ma Tianzheng replied, “The Deity’s benevolence knows no bounds. This humble disciple’s flesh is of little worth.”
He hastily packed his things, tightened his leg wraps, gathered provisions, and concealed the small bag of cent and the spring with great care. Only then did he depart Gaojia Village, setting his course for Jiangxi.
Li Daoxuan turned his attention back to Li Da. He rewarded him with a small silver ball first. “Your research on the spring is truly exceptional. Now, it’s ti to tackle the next challenge. While developing the new firearm, rember to train apprentices. Teach them to craft the firearms you’ve mastered. We now have gunpowder. It’s ti to produce a batch of transitional firearms.”
Li Da eagerly accepted the order and joyfully returned to the artisans’ well.
Just then, voices rose from the official road outside. Li Daoxuan turned and imdiately spotted County Magistrate Liang Shixian and Patrol Officer Fang Wushang approaching, followed by a large contingent of yan runners and soldiers.
Governnt officials had arrived for another visit.
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