With the answer to the questions and doubts of this first matter, Li Shimin immediately announced the second matter, which is of course the focus of today's court meeting: "I received a report from the governor of Guazhou last night that Master Xuanzang has arrived in our Guazhou, and according to the time, he will arrive in Chang'an in half a month." In this matter, the Ministry of Etiquette has prepared a statement, with what etiquette to come to greet it? But I have only one thing, I will personally go out of Chang'an City to greet this monk who has been in a foreign country for 20 years! ”

Sun Wuji, the chief secretary of the Ministry of Rites, hurriedly came out at this time and said: "Your Majesty, this etiquette is something that has never happened since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, and the minister feels that it is too thick, so it is recommended to choose a minister of high virtue and respect to welcome him into the palace!" ”

"What's too much, etiquette is all created, not to mention that Master Xuanzang is not only famous in the Western Regions, but also spreads the prestige of my Tang Dynasty far and wide. I don't think this etiquette is too much, so you can draw up a charter according to my will," Li Shimin replied calmly.

After the eldest grandson Wuji agreed, he retreated to his futon.

Hearing that Master Xuanzang had arrived in this Guazhou, Wang Xuance was also deeply surprised, he never thought that he was still thinking about where the Master was yesterday, but today he has entered my Tang Dynasty, which is really fortunate. With years of longing, it will finally come to an end in the near future!

In fact, in Li Shimin's heart, he also played with his own little abacus. Why did he greet Master Xuanzang with such a grand courtesy? It's just because he wants to reuse this monk and open a new passage for him in the Western Regions.

The reason why he is so confident is precisely because of the praise of the envoys of the Western Regions and Wang Xuance's detailed narration. Let him feel that Master Xuanzang's merits are no less than Zhang Qian of the Western Han Dynasty and Ban Gu of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

That's why he had such an idea: If such a virtuous person can be returned to the vulgar as an official, not only is it no less than 100,000 elite soldiers, but the unification of the Western Regions is just around the corner.

With the end of the court meeting, everyone also followed in the footsteps of Li Shimin; Under the leadership of Li Jin, he went to this artillery supervisor to watch this unprecedented invention that carries on the past and forges ahead into the future.

This artillery supervisor is located outside the Daxing Palace, southwest of Chang'an City; Out of this Suzaku Gate, go two miles along Suzaku Street, and then half a mile to the west, and you will arrive at this artillery prison.

The artillery supervisor as a whole is not large, and he enters the courtyard in one or four places. However, one special feature is that at the back of this courtyard, there is a vacant courtyard of about thirty zhang square, which is used as a daily experimental place.

Although the main house is similar to the usual official palace yamen, there are many things such as stone grinding, bamboo and wooden pestles, stone mortar sieves, and saltpeter sulfur. When the group entered the gate of this artillery prison, they smelled a very pungent saltpeter smell.

I saw that in this house, it has already been transformed into a small square by Li Jin, and firecrackers of various materials are placed in an orderly manner, including bamboo, paper, rows of bamboo, and rows of paper. In order to ensure safety, the firecracker and the fuse are naturally stored separately, and only when they are used, the fuse will be placed on top of the finished firecracker......

Walking into the main hall of the artillery superintendent, the craftsmen inside are meticulously crushing gunpowder and making firecrackers. Seeing His Majesty the Emperor coming, he hurriedly put down the work in his hand, quickly got up, and performed this bowing salute......

After Li Shimin and them had a courtesy greeting of warmth, Li Zhen led the group to visit the artillery prison, and then took them to the large courtyard behind. Between the words, I saw that this Li Jin took out a well-proportioned fine bamboo. However, the special feature of this fine bamboo is that the bamboo knots inside have been completely hollowed out, leaving only the last two knots unopened.

After he explained, I saw this Li Jin carefully pour some clay into the fine bamboo tube in front of His Majesty and everyone. A slender fuse that extends beyond the thin bamboo tube is then added and compacted with an iron drill wrapped in cotton. Then a little black powder was added, then a layer of clay was added, and then again compacted with an iron drill wrapped in cotton cloth. Then another layer of gunpowder was added, and this was done three times, six times, so that a rigorous primary firecracker bomb was made by him in front of everyone......

"This is what everyone saw last night," I saw this Li Jin, and still said to everyone without smiling.

Having said this, the people understood what they had seen last night. Therefore, these auspicious ministers, who speak fiercely, also have noble heads at this moment.

This method of production naturally aroused Li Shimin's curiosity, and after thinking about it for a while, he asked Li Jin: "I don't know Aiqing, what is the power of the biggest firecracker in our artillery prison?" ”

"Your Majesty, our artillery supervisor, most of the firecrackers can open stones!" Li Jinyi replied to Li Shimin solemnly.

"In that case, how about showing us that?" Li Shimin also said with some surprise.

"Only" replied with Li Jin's voice. I saw that he immediately ordered a few craftsmen to bring a firecracker with a bowl mouth and a half foot long. After he had carefully installed the fuse and placed it in the middle of the courtyard, he then instructed two craftsmen to press a bluestone slab one or three fingers thick, four feet long, and one foot wide on top of the firecracker. Just extend the long fuse outward for a kilometer, and then give way to the crowd. Then, the fuse was carefully lit, and as the fuse burned into place, with a deafening sound, the slate was blown in half!

Li Shimin and all the princes and ministers, watching this scene, accompanied by a surprised "ah", were deeply impressed by its power.

I only heard Wang Xuance say casually: "If this thing can be used in the battle array, wouldn't it be a hundred times stronger than a strong crossbow, a thousand times." ”

When Li Jin heard this, he finally replied to them with this smile on his face: "The research in this area has been under the instruction of His Majesty for a long time."

Between the words, he saw him take out something wrapped in black paper, of course, which was also filled with this gunpowder, but he then explained: "This thing is called the earth-shaking thunder, if it is put into the stone thrower, after being ignited, it will be thrown into the enemy's camp, it will definitely shake the earth." Although it is very powerful and has been developed for a long time, it is a pity that the explosion time is very difficult to master. There is no better solution for the time being, but sooner or later it will be resolved satisfactorily! ”

Li Shimin, when he heard this, immediately comforted him with a smile: "Aiqing has done your best, you are so open-minded and very relieved." Everything is difficult at the beginning, as long as you improve more, there will always be a chance! ”

Hearing Li Shimin's generous words and understanding the power of this black powder, the ministers immediately hurriedly knelt down and shouted: "Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live." ”

So this observation of the artillery prison ended temporarily with this atmosphere. Although Wang Xuance said that it was the first time he came into contact with these gunpowder saltpeter things, when he saw such great power, he was also deeply attracted by them. Of course, under the wheel of history, it is destined to have greater development......

Why do you want to explain the invention of this firecracker? It is precisely because of Li Jin's contribution that the use of gunpowder has developed by leaps and bounds, and of course, it has also laid a foreshadowing for the battle of Tianzhu in this volume......

(End of chapter)