Kaifeng, the sixteenth day of the first month.

On this day, people have to go out for a walk, which means to leave the disease outside, and bless the year of peace and security, no disease and no disaster. Of course, you can't go to the house, otherwise you will leave your illness at the house of relatives and friends, and you will be hated.

So on this day, Kaifeng Street was very lively, and it was really shoulder to shoulder. The streets are crowded with young and old, so it's also a festival for gangsters and thieves. They were able to boldly reach out to women, and they could steal more than ten times more money than usual by crowding. From time to time, there would be the screams of women in the crowd, as well as the search and cries of people who had lost their belongings.

These things are nothing new, they are the same at this time of year, but they still can't stop people's yearning for a peaceful life in the new year, and they will still participate in such carnivals year after year.

Although Li Yan's son died, they were still not exempt from vulgarity, and under the escort of the family, the whole family also walked around on the street. But this year, it's just a casual walk back home, which can be regarded as a scene.

Li Yan didn't go back with his family, he wanted to walk around the street and relax. He didn't dress up like other nobles, he didn't wipe his hair with oil, he didn't put powder, he didn't bring a net towel made of gold thread, he just wore plain clothes, and tied his hair tightly with a cloth belt. He dressed like this, so that the thieves on the street would not look at him more, and it also made him a lot less trouble.

He followed the flow of people, and saw the banners on both sides of the street, there were restaurants, silver buildings, silk villages, inns, carriages and horses, etc., under the eaves, or in front of the store, or hanging, or placing all kinds of lanterns. Fish, insects, flowers and birds are lifelike, but unfortunately they are not as vivid as when the candles are lit at night.

Li Yan turned into a small alley, which was not as lively as the main road, there were not many people, the shops were very small, and there were a few bronze shops and silverware shops, and the clanging percussions came and went, it seemed that their business was good, and they did not rest during the Shangyuan Festival.

Li Yan entered a bronze shop, in front of which was a small façade, with some cast bronzes, a few pieces of gold and silver jewelry, and then a casting workshop, from time to time there was a rustling sound of polishing and a clanging knocking sound.

The guy in front saw Li Yan go straight inside, thinking that he wanted to place an order, and the master inside would take care of it, so he didn't stop him.

"What utensils does Childe want to hit?" The old man, who was sitting on the small bench and stopped his movements, asked.

Li Yan replied: "I'll take a look casually." He glanced around, and then asked, "You don't go out for a walk today?" ”

"It's over," said the old man, who began to polish a silver hairpin in his hand again, "and the roosters crow all over the place, and when there were still few people on the street, we went out and walked around." ”

Li Yan squatted on the ground and looked at a copper furnace in front of him, the dragon pattern relief on it was lifelike, making Li Yan feel that this was a real dragon attached to the copper furnace. The walls of the furnace are thin, but they are very uniform, and the yellow background gives a heavy feeling.

"Master," Li Yan came to the old man and boasted, "Your old craftsmanship is really good." ”

The movements of the master's hand did not stop, and he said flatly: "I have been working for forty years, and I can't do it like this, I am ashamed of the craftsmanship of my ancestors." ”

"Can you make firebolts?" Li Yan suddenly asked in a low voice.

The old man stared at Li Yan in surprise, he felt very strange, although the world is not peaceful now, but there is no commoner, even if the gentry want to use firearms. At most, I can get some swords, bows, crossbows, armor and so on just in case. And even if it is an official army, there are not many people who are willing to use firearms.

"Childe, do you want to get a fire gun to play with?" The old man asked with some disbelief.

Li Yan nodded with a smile and said, "Just play with it, I recently read a book, and it said that the fire gun is very powerful, and I want to have a play." ”

The old man nodded and said with a smile: "Childe, the old man advises you not to have this thought." If you want to talk about the firearm, it is indeed powerful, it can penetrate heavy armor within 100 steps, and it is better than a hard bow. However, the firearm is also very dangerous, and if you don't get it right, you will explode the chamber, and you will be injured at least and may be killed at worst. ”

"It should be a quality problem, I paid a lot of money to build it, and the danger of exploding should be smaller, right?" Li Yan saw that the old man was willing to say more, so he took the opportunity to continue asking.

The old man nodded and replied: "Well, what Childe said is good, if you give enough material money, it will indeed be better." In the past, the silver given by the imperial court was not even enough to buy iron, and we craftsmen could only fool around, and we did as much as we could, not to make money, but not to lose money. Hehe, everyone fools each other, and no one uses firearms. ”

Li Yan asked happily, "Then master, how much do you want for a firecracker?" ”

The old man waved his hand and said with a smile: "I don't know how to make firecrackers, but I've just seen them make them." Old man, I was a cannon maker when I was young, and then Shangguan was so exploited that we ran out and opened this shop in the city, relying on craftsmanship to eat and support our families. ”

"Cannon?!" Li Yan was even happier when he heard this, the current cannon is much more powerful than the firecracker, and he warmly invited: "Is the boss interested in finding another job, I am willing to hire the boss with a lot of money." ”

The old man shook his head and said indifferently: "I finally escaped from the craftsman's workshop, but I don't want to go back." By the way, my old man is strict-mouthed, and he won't tell others that you want to make guns and guns privately and plot against others. If you have anything to build, whether it is bronze or gold and silverware, welcome to the trumpet, the craftsmanship of the trumpet is definitely the first in Kaifeng City. ”

"Who says I'm trying to do something wrong?" Li Yan hurriedly confessed: "I just want to ask the master to go and make some bronze and gold and silver utensils for my house, don't talk nonsense, master." ”

"Daddy Niu, I'm here to get the hairpin."

The timid voice of a young woman came from behind Li Yan, who only cared about talking to the old craftsman, and did not pay attention to the situation behind him, startling him. He quickly turned around and saw a young woman, dressed in plain blue coarse cloth with patches on her shoulders. There was no headdress on the bun, only a wooden hairpin to hold his hair in place, but he was quite tall, about the same height as him.

The young woman had very white skin, crooked eyebrows, and her big eyes looked at Li Yan who was staring at him with some horror, took a step back, and whispered: "I, I didn't mean to disturb my son's talk, but I have to go back quickly." ”

Niu Lao got up and said with a smile: "Wu Niang is here, you wait a minute, I'll bring it to you." I thought you would come earlier to pick it up, but I didn't think I'd come until now. ”

"I'm sorry for your trouble, it's my mother who is sick, and I don't have time to come out." Wu Niang said apologetically, and at the same time looked at Li Yan who was still looking at her vigilantly.

What Li Yan was thinking at this time was, did this Wu Niang hear the old man say that "privately making guns and plotting against the enemy", if so, what should I do?