On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the holiday is gone, and I have to go to work, but the year is not over yet.

Under normal circumstances, it is not until the Zhengyuan Festival, that is, after the Lantern Festival, that the New Year is over.

Despite this, Xu Qilin still rubbed his aching head and went to work listlessly.

Yesterday's meal was full of teenagers' nonsense, drinking from day to midnight. changed several places, what family banquets, restaurants, and green buildings did not fall.

This carnival is like Xu Qilin, who is more restrained, and he is so drunk that he can't leave.

I was thinking of being lazy and absent from work, but I thought that I had just been rewarded by His Majesty, so it was better to pretend to be diligent. Therefore, Xu Qilin endured the headache and arrived at Dayingku on time.

The affirmation of the achievements of the big surplus treasury made His Majesty Li Er appoint all the officials sponsored by Xu Qilin without even changing them.

This made Xu Qilin more assured, after all, he observed and selected, not to mention how much talent, at least the delivered work can be completed with quality and quantity.

Knowing people and making good use of them, this is the only way for Xu Qilin to avoid doing things. By smoothing out the work procedures and processes, Xu Qilin can concentrate on expanding other businesses.

What kind of good leader is to grasp the big and let go of the small, trust his subordinates, and ask and take care of all trivial things.

At present, Dayingku's wool spinning, sugar refining, refined salt, printing, mining, ironmaking, shipping and other businesses have their own supervisors. After Xu Qilin laid the foundation, he only listened to the supervisor's report and only looked at the performance.

In addition to these business executives, the branches set up in various places have also been gradually established, which has become the tentacles of the company to reach out to the whole country. On the one hand, it is to increase the number of marketing outlets, and on the other hand, to provide feedback information to make economic activities more purposeful.

Xu Qilin held a meeting with the heads of various departments, listened to the report, and felt that everything was normal in production, so he announced the end of the meeting and went to work.

It was not easy to stay up until almost noon, so Xu Qilin made an excuse to go home for dinner, but he slept at home for an afternoon and finally recovered.

"It's snowing again." Xu Qilin had dinner, wore thick clothes, and walked under his porch to eat.

Scarlett naughtily reached out and picked up a few snowflakes, but they turned into water in an instant, and couldn't help laughing twice, and said: "It's all called snowflakes, I don't know if they look like flowers?" ”

Xu Qilin said with a smile: "Snowflakes are hexagonal, and each snowflake is a delicate pattern, and it is not an exaggeration to call it a flower." ”

Scarlett looked at Xu Qilin a little strangely and asked, "Hexagonal snowflakes?" How did Ah Lang know? ”

"With the eyes, of course." Xu Qilin said: "You can observe it with a magnifying glass, and I will teach you another day." ”

Scarlett nodded and said with a smile: "The slave family is not in a hurry, anyway, Ah Lang said that it was six corners, and if it was good-looking, it would be good-looking." ”

I like a well-behaved girl like you, Xu Qilin smiled, and touched Scarlett's face dotingly, it was cool and a little red.

Scarlett chuckled twice, she was used to such movements, and she didn't think it was frivolous, but she was happy because of Alang's affection.

Click, click, click...... The rhythmic sound doesn't seem to affect anything. Behind her, Adjani knocked on the melon seeds, her movements mechanical and precise.

This snack goods! Xu Qilin couldn't help but glance back at the girl, but the person grinned and didn't care, just stuffed the melon seed skin into the small bag he was carrying.

In order to eat, I also got this equipment, which is really dedicated.

Xu Qilin turned his head and couldn't help rolling his eyes, there was no trick. Anyway, I can afford it, and I don't want to reprimand her for eating.

Scarlett pursed her lips and smiled, continued to walk with Ah Lang, and said slowly: "Sister Yiyi came to the house yesterday to pay New Year's greetings, but Ah Lang was not there. She talked to the slave family about something, and wanted to ask Ah Lang for help! ”

Xu Qilin asked, "What's the matter, is it difficult to do?" ”

Scarlett said: "Sister Yiyi wants to redeem herself from Yichun Courtyard and make a living in the troupe. When it comes to performance, Sister Yiyi plays and sings, which is still very powerful. ”

Xu Qilin nodded and said, "It's a good thing to be able to get out of the Qinglou and be good." If you want to go to the theater class, let her and Mrs. Zheng talk about it. ”

"But the fake mother doesn't want Sister Yiyi to leave." Scarlett said: "The ransom is extremely high, that is, the lion opens his mouth to prevent Sister Yiyi from leaving the country. ”

Xu Qilin hesitated for a moment and said, "Didn't Tang Niangzi let someone come forward to redeem her, right?" ”

Scarlett nodded helplessly and said, "That's exactly what Sister Yiyi meant." She said that with Ah Lang's reputation, the fake mother would not dare to embarrass her. Normal redemption money, she has secretly saved. ”

Xu Qilin frowned slightly, but did not decide immediately.

If the fake mother is willing to sell her face, she doesn't really have to redeem Tang Yiyi, just let Tang Yiyi negotiate with the fake mother to solve it.

If the fake mother is too greedy, Xu Qilin feels very embarrassed. And to use strong means, it is obviously not what he wants, and the disturbance may have an adverse impact on him.

Scarlett saw that Ah Lang frowned and was silent, so she continued: "The slave family did not agree to Sister Yiyi, but only said to help her pass on a word. ”

Xu Qilin smiled and said, "Since you have asked for it, whether you succeed or not, you have to try." If Tang Niangzi can be freed from citizenship and become good, it can be regarded as a good thing. ”

Scarlett couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that Ah Lang was not strange, and said, "Ah Lang is always kind, but don't be too embarrassed." It's good to be able to do it, but it's also a good thing to do if it can't be done. ”

Xu Qilin nodded and said, "I'll take some time to meet the fake mother, and you don't have to tell Tang Niangzi." ”

"The slave family knows." Scarlett obediently agreed.

"I don't know if the eldest brother went to the Chen family to propose marriage?" Xu Qilin remembered something again, and said: "There is still a matter of going to King Ji's Mansion, I don't know if I am sure?" ”

Scarlett shook her head and said, "The slave family doesn't know about Da Lang's affairs. ”

Xu Qilin pursed his lips and felt that he should ask clearly. The eldest brother seems to be a little procrastinating, especially in this lifelong event, a big man, he seems to be a little embarrassed.

There was also the matter of going to King Ji's Mansion to serve in the army, and Xu Qilin didn't have time to ask. If it is confirmed, it is necessary to make some preparations for the eldest brother's long journey.

………………

The auction on the sixth day of the first month, the gunpowder demonstration on the tenth day of the first month, and the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, these three major events are enough for Xu Qilin to be busy.

After brewing and fermenting for so long, the thirst for mirrors made many rich and powerful people, as well as businessmen, widen their eyes and raise funds.

New treasures, whether they are bought for window dressing or resold as goods, are a good choice. According to Xu Qilin, the number of products produced, the value will not be low for a long time.

But for Xu Qilin, the number of twenty faces is difficult to meet even the needs of Chang'an, not to mention the whole country, and there is a broader overseas market.

Therefore, the so-called twenty-sided is just a strange thing to live in. Maritime merchants in Yangzhou and Guangzhou, as well as Hu merchants in the Western Regions, it is common for them to sell 180 noodles a year.

For the auction, Xu Qilin has already arranged it and is very confident. After a little inquiry, he focused his energy on the latter two items.

Gunpowder blasting, getting a mine or something can't show its might, but if you want to blow up the city wall of Chang'an, His Majesty Li Er will go crazy.

Fortunately, someone found a place, which is a section of the city wall of Chang'an City in the Han Dynasty, and it is more accurate to say that it is a ruin, which is now in the northwest suburbs of Chang'an City.

In later generations, the ruins of Chang'an City of the Han Dynasty benefited from the protection of the dynasties and the people in the ruins area, and after more than 2,000 years, it became the capital site of the ancient unified empire with a large scale, rich relics, clear pattern and relatively complete preservation in China.

In the Tang Dynasty, the ruins were more complete, and Xu Qilin went to observe them, and he was deeply ashamed of the sabotage he was about to make.

After picking and choosing, Xu Qilin finally found an isolated section of the city wall far from the center of the ruins. Look at the surrounding wild grass and feel that the impact of the blow down is minimal.

The city wall of Chang'an City in Han Dynasty is an earthen wall built of plates, the wall is eight meters high, the wall base is sixteen meters high, although it is broken, the residual height of the wall base is still ten meters.

Well, such a blast is the best indication of the actual power of gunpowder. After Xu Qilin led people to carefully measure and survey, he decided to conduct two experiments. One is the destruction of the city by tunnels, and the other is field bombing.

The tunnel blasting is simple, hollowing out the bottom of the city wall and filling the medicine, and then closing the fire; Field bombing, a little more troublesome, but there are also ways to take a trick.

Xu Qilin arranged the work one by one, first built a temporary headquarters, built a shed, burned the stove, and then found the best position for His Majesty Li Er to watch the effect.

He felt that he had thought very carefully, but people were not as good as heaven, and on the day of the demonstration, there was still a mistake, but he did not expect it.

After this arrangement was made, Xu Qilin returned to the workshop and began to prepare gunpowder and make bombs. At the same time, he sent people to the armory prison and borrowed three catapults temporarily.

Xu Qilin was busy in the workshop, and the person sent to the weapons supervisor soon came back to report. The Armoryman said politely, but the catapult will not be borrowed, except by His Majesty's decree.

Hey? Are catapults still a regulated weapon? Are you afraid that I will pull the car and smash the palace?

Xu Qilin was a little puzzled, but he didn't know if there were such rules and regulations. After explaining the work, he rushed to the palace to ask for instructions.

Entering the palace went very smoothly, and Xu Qilin came directly to the Qianqiu Hall under the guidance of the palace people. After the palace people went in to report, they came out again to invite Xu Qilin in.

After entering the palace, Xu Qilin found that there was a very beautiful girl beside His Majesty Li Er, about eleven or twelve years old.

"Wechen has seen Your Majesty." Xu Qilin was polite, no one introduced him, and he didn't salute the girl.

His Majesty Li Er raised his hand and said, "No courtesy." After a pause, he pointed to the girl beside him and said, "This is my seventeenth daughter, Princess Hepu." ”

Xu Qilin couldn't be lazy this time, so he hurriedly saluted and said, "Your Highness the princess has seen your majesty." ”

Princess Hepu stared at Xu Qilin, pursed her lips and smiled: "You are Xu Qilin, you came just in time, this palace is looking for you!" ”

Xu Qilin's heart suddenly, I don't know what Her Royal Highness the princess is looking for herself, is it like the little son said, to marry herself?

His Majesty Li Er smiled bitterly a little helplessly, and said, "Qi Lin, the mirror of Dayingku sent two sides, and I promised to reward it to Hepu." ”

Xu Qilin hurriedly agreed, "Wechen will send someone to the palace when he goes back." ”

Princess Hepu pestered her father for a long time, and finally got what she wanted, smiled happily, and said: "One big and one small, don't prevaricate the palace." ”

"How dare the lower officials." Xu Qilin laughed with him, as long as he didn't marry him, he could say anything, isn't it just a mirror, what His Majesty wants, just keep an account.

His Majesty Li Er is estimated to be entangled in a big head, seeing that Xu Qilin agreed happily, and he can be regarded as getting rid of Hepu's coquettish entanglement, he said to Hepu with a smile: "Now it's okay, I and Qi Lin still have important things to discuss, you can step down!" ”

Hepu also regained his well-behaved appearance, gave his father a proper salute, and chuckled at Xu Qilin before leaving, and floated away briskly.

His Majesty Li Er breathed a sigh of relief and said to Xu Qilin: "Tomorrow's mirror auction is ready?" ”

"Yes, it's all ready." Xu Qilin said: "There are five large mirrors and fifteen small mirrors. ”

His Majesty Li Er nodded and said, "You came to see me, what is the matter?" ”

Xu Qilin told him about borrowing the catapult from the Ordnance Supervisor, specially emphasizing that it was for the demonstration of gunpowder on the tenth day of the first month, and told His Majesty Li Er the specific location.

His Majesty Li Er stroked his beard and jaw, and felt that Xu Qilin's efficiency was still quite fast, and as soon as he took his annual leave, he had already started various preparations. He was still looking forward to the power of gunpowder.

"Catapults, I'm afraid there may not be weapons supervisors." His Majesty Li Er pondered and said, "You don't know much about catapults, do you? It wasn't made and then shipped to the battlefield. ”

Xu Qilin blinked his eyes, he really didn't know very well. In his mind, catapults were weapons that should be manufactured and distributed to the armies.

His Majesty Li Er saw that Xu Qilin really didn't understand, and explained: "The catapults used in the siege of the city and the land are basically made by the craftsmen of the army. The main reason is that the transportation is inconvenient, and it is transported thousands of miles to the front line, and I don't know how much time it takes and how much manpower is wasted. ”

Xu Qilin opened his mouth slightly, and now he understood. In ancient times, when marching and fighting, the grain and grass materials to be transported were already a headache, how could the trebuchet be transported over?

The distance is short, but the long distance is basically not considered. And those who march with the army to fight, where are the craftsmen missing? Repair weapons, vehicles, and siege equipment, including catapults.

His Majesty Li Er took up the pen and wrote an edict, ordered the palace people to forward it to Xu Qilin, and said: "Take my edict to the weapons prison, if they don't have ready-made ones, there are always drawings, so that the craftsmen can rush to make it." ”

Xu Qilin bowed down to accept the order, and then he knew that the weapons supervisor wanted to be perfunctory and delay the time, maybe he had already started to rush to make it now.

Well, let's not push too hard, and let them go one day, and then borrow the edict tomorrow.

Xu Qilin retreated, but still made a decision very understandingly. Actually, it's not to blame people, who has nothing to do to make useless toys that rot there?