The southeast corner of Wang Gong Factory, Cheng'en Temple.

Don't look at this temple is not big, but it is very planted with some chrysanthemum seeds.

A few years ago, a member of the Ministry of Industry came to Wang Gong's factory to see the armor gunpowder, and when he passed by Cheng'en Temple, he went in and took a turn and recognized the gold of those chrysanthemums.

After this wailang went back, he didn't remember too much about how much of the armor was full of broken copper and iron, but he remembered that the chrysanthemums of Cheng'en Temple were fighting for beauty, and as soon as it was preached in the circle of scribes who usually put Meilan bamboo chrysanthemum on their mouths, Cheng'en Temple was on fire, and the threshold was broken for several years of the Double Ninth Festival.

At this time, the little novice rubbed his sleepy eyes, and just opened the temple door in a daze, and suddenly stretched out a hand in his face, directly locked his throat, and pushed him into the courtyard.

Behind him, several monks who were sprinkling and sweeping, and before they could react, the men who had been pouring in in the darkness like a group of evil qi covered their mouths and restrained their bodies.

The temple door creaked again and was slammed shut.

Hearing this, the host and the two apprentices who hurried out stared at the uninvited guests in shock.

Ma Xianglin had already taken off his armor in the Qipan Street mansion, and at the moment he was wearing clothes and trousers, with leggings on his feet, and like his subordinates, he couldn't see the appearance of the soldiers.

The abbot glared and stammered: "Shi, the donor is the cousin of Uncle Li's beloved son-in-law?" Come and remove the 'purple dragon lying snow' branch of the small temple this year? I can't help it, Fang Ge Lao's nephew has already taken a fancy to it, if it is ......"

Zheng Haizhu stepped forward to interrupt the monk's overly open brain: "Master don't be afraid, Beizhen Fusi is on an errand, and he will borrow treasure land for use." You sprinkle and sweep as usual, do morning classes, the temple door can be opened, and guests who enter the morning incense can come in, but you and the disciples are not allowed to leave the temple. ”

The abbot looked at Zheng Haizhu, and was shocked and suspicious, there was a woman on an errand in the brocade guard?

But in the end, I didn't dare to ask more questions.

Ma Xianglin made a few gestures, and his subordinates immediately skillfully divided into several teams and quickly explored the main hall, meditation room, and backyard.

"Come and keep two guards under the tower, and the rest of the brothers watch over the people inside and outside."

After Ma Xianglin finished his order, he and Zheng Haizhu rushed to the wooden tower in the west of the temple.

The temple is a small temple, the tower is not majestic, only three stories high, but it is located in the northwest corner of Cheng'en Temple, it is facing the southeast corner of Wang Gongchang, and there is no alley in the middle.

Ma and Zheng reached the top of the tower and crouched behind the wooden fence.

Zheng Haizhu himself couldn't have imagined that the first time he met the famous Wang Gongchang in this history book, it was from a bird's-eye perspective.

Six years later, Wang Gongchang, who was shocked by a bizarre explosion, was actually about the same as the famous celebrant and the size of a few courtyards.

"Give me the binoculars." Zheng Haizhu said.

When she was in the horse house, she saw that the one hanging side by side with the short lance on Xianglin's waist was still the telescope she had exchanged from the Dutchman Gullitt when she was in Yuegang.

Ma Xianglin took off the mirror and handed it to the people around him, his eagle-like eyes still scanning the yard.

Half an hour ago, when he heard Ma Biao's words, Ma Xianglin's first thought was to take people to break into Wang Gong's factory directly, even if he didn't catch people, it was always okay to carry water and douse the fire extinguishing pile.

Now that he looked at it condescendingly, he understood why Zheng Haizhu, who had an experienced firearms factory, stopped him, a fierce general who could only use cavalry to control the enemy on the battlefield.

Gunpowder is not at all like drying rice, which is conspicuously piled up.

And they couldn't know for a moment whether Nanzhu's people were Wang Gongchang's night guards.

With the layout of Wang Gong's factory, if there is a break-in at the door, if there is really a hidden pile in it, it will be heard immediately, but I am afraid that it will be ignited directly in advance......

"Xianglin, you look in a mirror," after a while, Zheng Haizhu handed the telescope to Ma Xianglin and began to explain softly, "The layout of Wang Gong's factory is similar to that of my Songjiang Firearms Factory. Our Songjiang area is large, and there is a tributary of a small river in the center of the factory, and the place below is small, so there is a small pond in the center. ”

Ma Xianglin muttered and asked: "Is it because the medicine stone does not explain the fire, it is the spark of the grinding pipe, and you are also afraid?" ”

Zheng Haizhu said: "Yes, the craftsman who sharpens the barrel of the gun will carry an iron file with him, and if he enters the powder magazine, there is a risk of colliding with any sparks." You see, the northwest corner of Wang Gong's factory is the smelting office, and the courtyard that comes here should be for sharpening guns and armour. In the courtyard near the pond, there were piles of felt tent-like things, which should have been used by craftsmen who sewed cowhide and armor. Therefore, the courtyards to the northwest and southwest of the pond are certainly not powder magazines. The powder magazine was southeast of the pond and, thank goodness, right under our noses. ”

Ma Xianglin couldn't help but be moved when he heard the heartfelt "thank God" from the people around him.

To this day, this woman is also famous and advantageous, and she has been rewarded by the Son of Heaven, but she can still be like their warriors, and she will not flinch and flee for her life in the dangerous places that are close at hand, but will raise a breath of blood and blood.

And today, thank God, it's not just the position of the two of them, but also the time they are in.

The east is white, the red sun has jumped out of the horizon, and the courtyard to the east of Wang Gongchang has also begun to get rid of the shadow of the courtyard wall, showing all kinds of details.

"Azhu, someone has come out." Ma Xianglin suddenly spoke, and as if subconsciously, handed the telescope back to Zheng Haizhu.

In a row of low houses at the northernmost end of Wang Gong's factory, seven or eight servants-like people came out one after another, like birds released from cages, scattered to various yards, sprinkled and sweeped, opened doors, arranged wheelbarrows, rummaged through cowhides, and prepared for the craftsmen who were about to come.

Then, half of them crossed the small bridge over the pond to the southeast corner, and carried the sacks under a ventilated wooden verandah to the door of a large house.

Due to the proximity, these movements can be seen clearly without going through a telescope, Ma Xianglin muttered: "What is the luck?" Why not use a wheelbarrow? ”

Zheng Haizhu said: "It should be sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal, and these are the main three types of gunpowder. The wheelbarrow is made of iron sheet, and it is easy to spark when rubbing. So here is the mill and the storeroom, yes. The big house where the sacks are piled up should be the place where the craftsmen are matched and milled. ”

When Ma Xianglin heard this, his eyes moved to the large tiled house closest to the wooden tower, and said in his heart, this should be a powder magazine.

Sure enough, he heard Zheng Haizhu say: "The servants have moved out the powder keg, it is an empty barrel, it should be after the sun, to fill the new gunpowder that has been ground in the past few days." Therefore, the tiled house under our feet is indeed a powder magazine. The powder magazine pays the most attention to ventilation, and the barrels are placed at intervals from each other, and each warehouse must not have other objects stacked except for wooden barrels, which should be clear at a glance, and even rats cannot be hidden. ”

Ma Xianglin stared at the servants who came in and out: "So, at least for now, the warehouse of Wang Gong's factory is not weird?" ”

Zheng Haizhu held the binoculars and did not speak.

In her shot, one of the servants, who seemed to be very serious, looked up several times and moved the position of the empty barrel.

After a while, the servants lined up the empty barrels and walked to the north bank of the pond.

Ma Xianglin raised his upper body slightly, looked around, and muttered: "Even if a rocket is released from our tower, it will either shoot to the roof or shoot to a distance of a foot outside the warehouse, so they ordered the warehouse, or should there be an internal ghost?" If it's not the servants, then the craftsmen? ”

Zheng Haizhu looked in the direction of the private house to the west: "The craftsmen seem to be about to go to work." ”

Ma Xianglin walked around to the other side of the tower, quickly turned back, and said decisively: "Don't enter at this time." Ma Biao and the others returned to the elephant room, and my brothers and I went directly into it from here, guarded the powder magazine, watched the servants, and waited for Luo Shuai to come. You take most of the rest and go to Wang Gongchang to block the door. The officials of the Ministry of Industry and the eunuchs of the factory will not come so early, at most they are the secretary and the craftsman, you show your identity, they should not be child's play, if you really don't listen, my people will close the door, no problem. ”

"Good!" Jung Hae-joo agreed.

Ma Xianglin quickly stepped down the tower and ordered ten subordinates to come up.

The shadow of the clothes flickered, like a bat gliding silently, and in a moment, Zheng Haizhu looked at Ma Xianglin and others from a close look to a distant look.

Ma Biao had been called to the temple by a brother and ran to the tower: "Madam, the young master has entered the factory?" ”

"Well, you guys, follow me, go block the door."

Zheng Haizhu raised the telescope again, wanting to take advantage of the bright daylight to condescendingly pass through the situation around Wang Gongchang again.

But her moving hand froze.

Ma Biao said: "What's wrong? ”

Zheng Haizhu didn't answer, as if she was settled.

Ma Biao looked carefully, and saw that the woman's brows were getting tighter and tighter.

Suddenly, she put down her binoculars and said to Ma Biao: "Quick, take your brothers and follow me out of the temple!" ”

……

Jin Lao Liu walked in the morning sun.

This north is really not a feng shui treasure, it is so cold before and after Chongyang, and there is sand in the wind, which is very different from the warm and clean southern country.

The damned usurper two hundred years ago moved his capital here!

However, today, Jin Lao Liu is still glad that what the Holy Lord suddenly decreed to do was to carry it out after the cold mid-autumn, otherwise, where would the ice water in the cloth bag in his toolbox last for more than an hour.

On both sides of the street, the stalls that made breakfast were set out one after another.

Jin Lao Liu walked to the stall he patronized every day and ordered a bowl of noodle tea and two burnt circles.

The stall owner added a few more pieces of milk skin, and said with a smile: "My kid sells cakes at the factory gate, if he doesn't come back, the factory gate hasn't been lit yet, brother, I'll keep an eye on you, you eat slowly." ”

Jin Lao Liu lowered his eyes and gnawed on the scorched circle, and said in a homely tone: "The hare over there in the grassland is when it grows fat, and the weather is good today, let your kid go and fight two hares, and use the small crossbow I made for him last time." A male doll, with some effort in his hands, may be able to be a forbidden army for Banzai Ye when he turns around. ”

The stall owner said "Hi yo": "Or you accept him as an apprentice, and you are also doing an errand for Long Live Lord, right?" Okay, I'll let him hunt rabbits, and I'll send you a drink in the evening. ”

Jin Lao Liu drank the noodle tea slowly, stood up and said, "You and your daughter-in-law will also go, the wild fruits in the pasture are also ripe, pick some and come back to make wine." Don't be stuffy in the house all day long, and there are no golden eggs in the sky to drop your house. ”

"Cheng, Cheng, Master Jin said to go, let's go."

Jin Lao Liu threw down the copper plate, put on his toolbox, glanced at a few familiar breakfast stalls, as well as the neighbors chatting while eating, and walked east.

Seeing that Wang Gongchang still had a hundred steps to go, someone suddenly called him in a deep voice at the alley on his side: "Sixth! ”

"General Liu?" Jin Laoliu was startled and flashed into the alley, "Why are you here?" ”

Liu Shimin said eagerly and simply: "If the matter is leaked, go with me, don't enter the factory." ”

As he spoke, he came and pulled him.

Jin Laoliu was stunned and walked a few steps with him, and suddenly stopped leaving: "What's wrong?" Where will General Liu take me? ”

"Go to Fuchengmen, meet with the Holy Lord, let's take the small road to Tianjin, and we will be safe when we go to sea."

Jin Laoliu's eyes flashed with suspicion, and he turned to look at the street, there was just a steady stream of pedestrians as usual, and there was not a single soldier in sight.

As soon as he turned around again, Liu Shimin's fist had already beckoned.

At the same time as a muffled snort sounded, Liu Shimin supported Jin Lao Liu with his shoulders and carried him to the other end of the alley.

However, as he was about to enter the ruins of the artemisia grass, the road at the entrance of the alley was suddenly blocked.

The people of the Holy Lord!

Liu Shimin hurriedly looked behind him, and he was also Zhu Qianju's guard.

Before he could let go of Jin Lao Liu, the guards had already jumped over, and one of them kicked him in the abdomen accurately.

When Liu Shimin bent over in pain, his arms had been cut backwards.

He was dragged into the shadows of the ruins and pressed to his knees.

A familiar voice sounded overhead: "General Liu, why did you betray the orphan?" ”

Liu Shimin looked at the shoes: "Holy Lord, the minister did not betray you, if the minister has a bad heart, how could he come to the police yesterday!" Please leave the city quickly. ”

Zhu Qianju said: "Betraying the lord is a rebellion, and it is also a rebellion to disobey the lord's order, and even to harm his comrades." ”

"Holy Lord," Liu Shimin raised his head reluctantly, "the people are innocent. On the day when the Holy Lord will inherit the throne, they will also be the people of the Holy Lord! ”

Zhu Qianju sneered: "Lao Liu, as soon as the words you persuaded Gu yesterday came out, Gu knew that you had this today." ”

With his sleeves on his back, he leaned down and stared at the veteran who had worked hard for years.

The guards behind him had already seen the master's hand holding the sharp blade, and began to bloom with green tendons.

Suddenly, in the direction of the alley and at both ends of the ruins, footsteps were urgent, and a dozen men in black or green clothes outflanked them at a speed like arrows from the string.

Zhu Qianju's people suddenly met the enemy, Rao is martial arts is strong, and he was also stabbed two in an instant.

In a hurry, the chief guard released a trumpet cannon and summoned reinforcements, but soon he was screaming and fighting from not far away.

Apparently, their own people in the vicinity were also entangled by the enemy.

Liu Shimin jumped up from the ground, picked up the knife of a seriously injured guard, and suddenly forced back the man who was close to him, and identified that the person was Ma Biao.

"Holy Lord, I will escort you away!" Liu Shimin shouted.

Zhu Qianju had already used a short blade to protect himself, and he was also panicked in anger at this point, hiding behind the knife flower that Liu Shimin pulled out, and tried to withdraw in the direction of his horse.

With a "poof......" sound, Zhu Qianju only felt a sharp pain in his thigh after the violent impact.

He turned his head to see the crossbowman behind the broken wall, holding the crossbow machine, staring at him.

Next to the crossbowman, stood Zheng Haizhu.

Zhu Qianju heard the slut speak: "Among the stone people, there are the best crossbowmen, let alone when it comes to avenging their old master." ”

(End of chapter)