Zheng Lang said to Wang Yuan: "You take my warrant and block the city gate. ”

"Whoa." Wang Yuan hurried out.

The sound of gunpowder explosions appeared where it should not be, and there was only one possibility, someone took the gunpowder out of the powder magazine!

Zheng Lang also walked out and walked in the direction of the explosion.

At this time, the city of Weizhou was a little crowded, this is an ancient city, the Tang Dynasty was lost to Tibet, and the Tang Dynasty itself went to the end and gradually lost its vitality. The Silk Road is still there, sustaining its pitiful lifeline. Later, it became the territory of the Song Dynasty, and the Song Dynasty, which focused on internal governance, once again gave it vitality. Zheng Lang also implemented the city change on Jingyuan Road, making Weizhou one of the important cities in the northwest. There were many people, so some houses were built in the gaps, and gradually the entire urban space was gradually crowded.

When Zheng Lang came to Weizhou, some places were still very empty, but now there are rows of houses and many shops, which should give you a sense of accomplishment. But Zheng Lang didn't care about it, and quickly came to the scene of the explosion.

Before I arrived, I saw smoke rising and heard many people shouting for help.

I don't know what happened, I took a big stride, and my military career was very temperary, so later Fu Bi and others were not the opponents of Pang Ji and Han Qi.

If you spend a lot of time in the army, your surname will become rude and your range of movements will increase unintentionally.

Walking to the scene, a house was on fire, and several officials were leading the people to put out the fire. The two young men and women were drooping their heads, their faces were much charred black, and some of their skin seemed to have been blown by gunpowder, and they were pouring out drops of blood, looking embarrassed.

Seeing Zheng Lang coming, the people automatically gave way to a road.

"What's going on?"

One of the officials said, "We don't know. ”

Zheng Lang looked at the two young men and women again and asked, "Did you do it?" ”

"Yes."

"Take them away."

Taken to the state office, Zheng Lang asked, "Where did you get the gunpowder?" ”

The young man replied, "Zheng Xianggong, I made it myself. ”

"You made it yourself? What's going on? Zheng Lang was very surprised. If it hadn't appeared on its own, it would not have been until long before the gunpowder formula was perfected.

The young man told what happened before and after, he was a native of Weizhou, called Shi Heng, with a lot of words and no end in the road.

"Hurry up and tell me what happened," Zheng Lang said roughly.

Shi Heng was helpless, so he had to quickly say what happened. The woman was his wife, named Yue Qingcheng, and both were good at business, but had different hobbies. Shi Heng has been interested in Taoism since he was a child, and he has been out of the house for a while, which is the origin of his Taoist name. But he was not willing to be quiet in Taoism, and once again became a layman.

Because of the experience of alchemy in the Taoist temple, I became interested in miscellaneous studies. Astronomy and geography, arithmetic coordination, medical astrology, civil engineering organs, feng shui kanyu, changes in things, alchemy and medicine, stonemasonry and carpentry, brick burning and porcelain, iron and steelmaking, stone identification and mineralization, etc., are all involved.

"Hurry up and tell me what happened." Zheng Lang is very sweaty, and he also knows astronomy and geography.

Zheng Lang was a little underestimated, Shi Heng had some talent for miscellaneous studies, and he originally planned to restore ancient curiosities such as the guide car, the wooden ox and the flowing horse, the Huang Jiliang, and the Yanshi machine man at home, but the progress has not been great. At this time, when he heard the news of Shimenchuan's victory, he shifted his interest to gunpowder.

He has the foundation of alchemy, and it is not difficult to make gunpowder, but what is made is gunpowder of the Song Dynasty, which is not very powerful. I didn't understand it, but I heard that Sanbaiqu was digging a stone bed with gunpowder, so I came to Sanbaiqu with my wife to watch.

I vaguely felt that there was a problem with the formula, and did some research, because of the lack of materials in my hands, I returned to Weizhou City. According to Zheng Lang's gunpowder bag, he tried to formulate more than a dozen different formulas of gunpowder. Then he put it in the courtyard and lit it, but he didn't expect the power to be amazing, and he actually shook his alchemy furnace over, and he and his wife were even more miserable, with many injuries. The furnace of alchemy ignited the firewood on the side and ignited another gunpowder packet.

"Say the recipe."

"Zheng Xianggong, there are more than a dozen kinds of small ones, starting with the highest test ignition of flame nitrate, nearly seventy percent of flame nitrate, one and a half percent of sulfur and charcoal powder, and a small amount of bamboo ru."

Zheng Lang was so shocked that he almost fell down.

The gunpowder formula of the Song Dynasty was very advanced, there were many formulas, the closest to the standard formula was 40 taels of flame nitrate, 14 taels of sulfur and charcoal powder, plus bamboo ru, clear oil, yellow wax, dry paint, arsenic, yellow dan, starch, and smoke.

Since ancient times, China has had the idea of harmony, whether it is philosophy, medicine, politics, or the way of husband and wife, all of them talk about a harmony of yin and yang. As a result, the proportion of flame nitrate has not increased. Coupled with the other messy ingredients in the gunpowder, and the lack of attention to sealing the surname, its power was not revealed.

The formula that Shi Heng said is not standard, but it is very close to the standard formula of black powder.

"Put them in a cell first." Zheng Lang said.

"Zheng Xianggong, what crime did our husband and wife commit?" Yue asked unconvinced. Even if it's not good for the two of you, it's a big deal to flog a few times and let yourself compensate for the losses of your neighbors, why lock up the two of you?

Zheng Lang didn't talk nonsense with them, let them take them down, and sent someone to check the details of the two.

It was not difficult to check, and soon the official brought the news back.

The members of the Shi family were simple, they were originally a small businessman, and his wife Yue also had a little sister named Yue Qingqing. Taking advantage of the east wind of the city, his wife was very good at doing business, and immediately became one of the richest people in Weizhou City. This is also the result of Zheng Lang's enlightened policy.

Shiyi's goal is to make money, but not only to collect defeat, Zheng Lang has no objection to private participation in this shareholder wind. Long-term private commerce is certainly more dynamic than state-owned commerce. The so-called market change is only an expedient measure and cannot be taken seriously. Not only the Shi family, but also many families have made a lot of money by taking advantage of this shareholder trend.

The Yue family was very strong at the time, but his sister was eccentric, liked to hunt and ride horses, and often quarreled with her sister. There was only so much information, and there were no other visions.

Zheng Lang had a headache.

Shihengguan can't be closed, but it can't be put either, and the gunpowder formula may leak out as soon as it is released. Or forcibly escort him to the capital and enter the gunpowder work, that is not something Zheng Lang can do.

And the world is so big, there are no surprises, and it will not be just Shi Heng.

The advent of standard gunpowder may bring an epoch-making significance. However, it is not suitable in China, and the long-formed concept of Shinong industry and commerce, the status of craftsmen is low, although the Song Dynasty is a little better, and some craftsmen can earn an annual salary of several thousand, which will exceed some Zhizhou, which is not a high level of actual officials, but there is still not much status. So the Chinese people don't like to study. As long as it spreads abroad, it is not very beneficial to China, but it can quickly bring Western civilization into the industrial age ahead of schedule.

If so, he is guilty of a great sin.

"Official, what are you thinking?" Cui Xian asked.

"I'm thinking about that time, and I'm worried that the gunpowder recipe will leak."

"They don't have the guts...... Si'er said.

"Si'er, you can't underestimate Yuan Hao, he even dares to buy the palace people who were dismissed by the official family, if you hear about it, why can't you send someone to buy the Shi family?"

"The people of the Shi family are Song people."

"How many people in the border areas have a sense of home and country? And I probably won't be in Weizhou for long. ”

"What do the officials hear?" Cui Xian asked strangely.

The war in the northwest is still early, including the Fulin Jiruo Five Roads, only the Fulin Road and Jingyuan Road have the most outstanding combat achievements, and there is no reason for the imperial court to transfer Zheng Lang back.

"Your Majesty is not Li Yuanhao, the war has been going on for a long time, the country is in trouble, not only the ministers are reluctant to steal peace, but Your Majesty does not want to fight anymore."

"That doesn't necessarily bring the officials back."

"Xian'er, I am famous, Jingyuan Road opened the market, with money and silk income, opened Tuntian, although not much, only four or five thousand hectares, but there is also some food, this year I have treated the soldiers generously, welcomed by the soldiers, and won the heart of the army. made a special exception, took charge of the military, political and financial powers of Jingyuan Road, and obtained great righteousness. You said that according to the ancestral family law, once peace is negotiated, will the ministers let me continue to stay in the northwest? ”

"It's good to go back to the capital," Xing'er said happily again.

"I'm worried about going back to the capital. Fan Zhongyan's performance in the northwest this time is also excellent, and he also has the merit of Jiangdong polder, and his reputation is unmatched. ”

"You said Fan Zhongyan?"

"It's him."

"You don't always respect Fan Zhongyan."

"Yes, I admire Fan Zhongyan," Zheng Lang said. The political and military concepts are different, and they are also constrained by the times, which does not prevent Zheng Lang from appreciating and admiring Fan Zhongyan, even if the Qingli New Deal is a farce, what are the consequences? If it weren't for the party struggle, it would have no impact on government affairs, and a more incompetent prime minister would be in power. But why didn't it play a good role, but Zheng Lang thought that it was a disaster, not Fan Zhongyan, but someone else, and continued: "Xing'er, Fan Zhongyan is unmatched in the world, but what about the group of little brothers under him? ”

"Official, what are you afraid of those ministers?" Huan'er said unconvinced.

Don't say that Fan Zhongyan's group of younger brothers is Fan Zhongyan himself, although he has been famous for a long time and has deep qualifications, but in terms of political achievements, his husband is weak?

"Huan'er, everyone gathers firewood and the flame is high. Fan Zhongyan and I can also be said to be old friends, with political conflicts, and will not launch personal attacks on each other. But not all gentlemen think so......"

"Official, you shouldn't have impeached Yang Kai in the first place."

"That's different, he is a misguided country, not me, and some people in the Gentlemen's Party criticize his actions."

"Official, concubine understand," Cui Xian pondered, it was a little difficult, this time he was recalled due to merit, he would inevitably be promoted, at least he would serve as a real privy deputy envoy, and it was not impossible to participate in political affairs. Once the so-called Gentlemen's Party and the Lilliputians go to war, and the husband is in the middle, will he stand by and watch?

After thinking about it for a long time, I couldn't solve the problem, and suddenly smiled.

"Xian'er, what are you laughing at?"

"Official, you are also stupid, that is also in the future, who can predict what will happen in the future? Although the official family favors you, what you do is enough to repay the official family. The official family is benevolent, you have to learn to enjoy, not learn from Fan Zhongyan......"

Zheng Lang also laughed when he heard this.

After thinking about it, he smiled again, and said, "I'm stupid." ”

I've done a lot of things over the years, and sometimes I can't do anything about it, knowing that it's going to happen. Gradually, because of the burden of thoughts, he lost himself, and developed towards what Fan Zhongyan did, worrying about the worries of the world first, and enjoying the joy of the world after the world, but when can the world be called happy? It doesn't seem to have been. Han Wenjing was still subject to the Xiongnu, and the Han Wu was not subject to the Xiongnu, and the people were burdened heavily. Although Zhenguan was good, it didn't last long, and Li Shimin's two expeditions to Goryeo brought a burden to the people. Although Kaixuan is good, it immediately becomes a heavenly treasure and a dark government.

I was very casual when I was a teenager, but after entering the officialdom, I was a little confused. It is wrong to criticize Fan Zhongyan in his heart for wanting to be a savior, but he is reluctant to be a savior. Instead, he made himself the same as Fan Zhongyan and became very bitter.

His heart suddenly brightened, and he said, "Xian'er, give me a couplet, right?" ”

"Okay," Cui Xian looked at the door, there was a cluster of rocks outside the door, and a pinch of green bamboo, so she said: "The bamboo is clean to the bright moon, clean and knotty." ”

The bamboo is good, it is going up vigorously, and I want to echo Gao Jie with Mingyue, but my ability is limited, and it will eventually stop when it grows to the end.

"Xian'er, what festival?" Xing'er made a few verses a little dizzy, and couldn't help asking.

Zheng Lang was happy, looked outside the door, had an idea, and said: "Gently green willows and canal water, light and greener." ”

"Officials, it should be so."

"Then don't think about it, but what about the Shi family now?"

"Official, it's really not good, you take him to your side to be a helper. This person knows some miscellaneous studies, and maybe he can inherit the method of official personality and physics. ”

"That's a good idea."

But to Zheng Lang's surprise, the Shi family and his wife disdained when they heard that Zheng Lang personally took them in, and Shi Heng said disdainfully: "I'm at ease in Weizhou, why should I follow you?" ”

If someone else hears it, they will have to slap him.

Zheng Lang himself was helpless, he couldn't tell him that you follow me, there will be many benefits, not only can you learn the miscellaneous science you want to learn, maybe you can also get ahead.

But everyone has their own ambitions, and they can't be forced, Shi Heng asked him, but he was stunned, and he didn't know how to answer.

…… The old species was launched.

Su Yuxi panted and rode back from Tiandu Mountain secretly, without taking a sip of water, he untied a knife from his waist and said to Chong Shiheng: "Seed Zhizhou, the knife is obtained, it is it." ”

Very happy, if successful, Lao Chong, Zheng Lang, and Fan Zhongyan will personally ensure his promotion in front of the emperor.

The old man said, "Okay." ”

Take this knife, some sacrificial vessels, silver, and a sacrificial text to the border and pay homage in person.

The sacrificial text said that the king of Tiandu was killed by Bai Majin's slander, and the old man missed the joy of the king of Tiandu and himself very much, but he didn't expect to see him for a few months, and he was actually killed by a woman, so he came to worship. This Bai Ma is also a key figure, and it is also the news that Su Shixi brought back. She is the nurse of Yeli Yuqi, but she is very discordant with Yeli Yuqi.

Yeli Yu begged to inspect the border and once went deep into the Song realm. This is also helpless, there are many cavalry, and more people enter the Song realm to patrol publicly, and the Song people can only send some scouts to secretly infiltrate the territory of Western Xia to investigate. But it can't be regarded as the real Song realm, it is a region where there are negotiations between the two countries.

After staying for a few days, this white grandmother took the opportunity to make a slander in front of Li Yuanhao, saying that Yeli Yuqi wanted to commit treason, and this patrol was a secret meeting with the ministers of the Song Dynasty. At that time, Yuan Hao didn't believe it, and sent someone to comfort him.

Just one thing can give a glimpse of how important intelligence is!

But how many generals on the border really value intelligence? Zheng Lang, Chong Shihenger. Just the two of them, nothing else can be counted.

This alone is certainly not enough. But so much has happened, who doesn't have doubts!

The old man burned the sacrificial vessels in the border ravine, and the firelight alarmed the Western Xia scouts, and they pounced on horseback. Lao Chong saw the Western Xia scout team coming and hurriedly fled. The scouts of Western Xia picked up the silver, the treasure knife, and the sacrificial text that they had time to burn in the future and handed them to Yuan Hao.

Yuan Hao was furious when he saw it, and said, "Summoning Yeli Yu to beg." ”

This time, Yuan Hao finally made a move.