The night deepened, and the dew grew heavier. A thin layer of winter chill settled over the black roof tiles and grey brickwork.
Chao Yan looked at Li Changxi. The corners of his lips curved upwards.
Slowly. Very slowly. Then he smiled.
“I’ve heard it said that when two people know each other long enough, they learn precisely what the other dislikes most. It appears that isn’t always true.”
Li Changxi cursed, “Empty threats!”
Chao Yan did not become angry. Instead, he patted the man’s cheek, rose to his feet, and instructed Lin Mu to take him back and keep him under close watch.
“Don’t let him die.”
Without a word, Lin Mu and his men stepped forward.
Li Changxi shouted, “The only reason I never used this against you before was because I was living comfortably! There was no need to risk everything for mon…Mmph! Mmph!”
Lin Mu pulled out a handkerchief, balled it up, and stuffed it into his mouth. Then he raised his foot and kicked him hard. “Keep shouting and I’ll cut out your tongue.”
“Your Highness.” A guard hurried into the courtyard. Lowering his voice, he said, “That person has returned.”
Chao Yan lifted his gaze and looked into the distance.
Beyond layers of buildings stretched an endless sea of darkness.
…
On an open stretch of ground outside the capital, surrounded by woodland. The men carried straw targets, intending to plant them in the earth for testing.
“That won’t do,” Gu Yun said.
As he spoke, he instructed several apprentices to fetch the items he had prepared and stored in the warehouse before leaving for the workshop to oversee the forging of the components. Everyone looked at him in confusion.
The apprentices soon returned. Upon closer inspection, the items appeared numerous, though there were only a few types, and none were particularly valuable. They consisted of hemp rope, hemp cloth, soybean oil, sticky clay, wooden buckets, hoes, and vermilion markers.
“What are these for?” someone asked.
Gu Yun did not answer.
Declining Li Lan’s offer of assistance, he picked up a bucket and filled it with water from a nearby stream. Then, using a hoe, he dug a large pit. Mixing clay and water in a specific proportion, he moulded the mixture into two cylindrical columns.
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.
After washing his hands, Gu Yun dismantled two straw targets and inserted a clay column into each one. Taking the hemp rope, he pulled it taut and wrapped it tightly around the targets from top to bottom.
Next, he selected a piece of hemp cloth, folded it double, soaked it in soybean oil, and carefully wrapped it around one of the targets. Then he took a piece of leather armour and secured it around the other target using hemp rope.
Once he had finished, he picked up a vermilion marker and drew a red cross on the upper-left area of each target.
“Did everyone remember what I just did?” Holding the marker, Gu Yun stood beside the two targets and asked amiably.
“We remembered. But why are we doing it this way?” asked the two craftsman brothers, one fat and one thin.
Their question echoed everyone’s thoughts. A dozen pairs of eyes turned towards Gu Yun at once.
Gu Yun had long since grown accustomed to being stared at. Just as he had grown accustomed to the lighting conditions of this world.
He explained: “Ordinary straw targets are unsuitable for testing the fire lance. The results they produce differ too greatly from actual battlefield performance. I’ve modified these targets. The target wrapped in hemp cloth is roughly equivalent to a soldier wearing a single layer of padded clothing. The leather-armoured target is roughly equivalent to a standard leather-armoured soldier. They aren’t perfect, but they allow us to approximate real conditions. Given our current limitations, this is the best testing method available.”
Yan Zhao and Li Lan exchanged a glance.
Gu Yun instructed everyone to modify the remaining targets according to his method. The group acknowledged the order.
Master Craftsman Wang said nothing. Maintaining a stern expression, he simply began working.
Once the modifications were complete, there were equal numbers of hemp-cloth targets and leather-armoured targets.
Gu Yun ordered them divided into three groups and positioned at distances of eighty, one hundred, and one hundred and twenty paces. He then instructed the men conducting the firing tests to put on protective equipment.
He taught them how to aim at the red crosses, how to support the weapon properly, and what precautions to observe during testing. Only after leading everyone else several paces back to a safe distance did he announce the start of the trial.
The core principles of fire-lance testing were twofold:
First, realism, simulating genuine battlefield targets. Second, safety, protecting the testers themselves.
As the firing team ignited the hemp cords, a thunderous blast erupted through the woodland. Birds and beasts scattered in fright. A loud ringing filled everyone’s ears.
Their breathing caught. Their hearts trembled.
All they saw were several brilliant flashes erupting from the muzzles.
Torches had been planted throughout the area, but before anyone could clearly discern the flight path of the projectiles, the muzzle flashes vanished. At the same moment, soil exploded into the air.
Every target except those at one hundred and twenty paces was struck. They rocked violently.
The testers rapidly reloaded fresh projectiles and fired several more rounds. The targets collapsed. The air became thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder.
Ignoring the temporary ringing in their ears, everyone brushed the dust from their clothes and hurried towards the targets.
The targets positioned at one hundred and twenty paces had also been struck and swayed gently from the impact. The group crouched beside the fallen targets.
The number of impacts differed between the hemp-cloth and leather-armoured targets. Most shots had missed the red crosses, striking other areas instead. For inexperienced shooters, however, this was already an excellent result.
Wherever a projectile had struck, both types of target displayed torn outer surfaces. Peeling those layers aside revealed the clay beneath. The clay had been thoroughly pulverised. The projectiles remained deeply embedded inside. Even without cutting into the clay with a knife for closer comparison, it was obvious that one target had been wounded more deeply than the other.
The fire lance was like a swarm of venomous bees descending upon an enemy camp. Small, but swift. Designed to exploit an instant’s opportunity.
Its report resembled thunder itself, capable of panicking warhorses, scattering infantry, and exerting greater psychological shock than conventional firearms.
While it could not completely penetrate the heaviest full-body iron armour, it posed no difficulty whatsoever against chain mail, leather armour, and similar protection.
Used in conjunction with crossbow troops, it should prove effective even against heavily armoured cavalry. Ordinary men could learn to operate it. And they would not require extensive training.
Yan Zhao and Li Lan recalled the words Gu Yun had once spoken, words His Highness had later relayed to them. Everything before their eyes matched those descriptions almost perfectly. As for the remaining claims that still required battlefield verification, they no longer doubted them.
Yan Zhao let out a long breath. Standing upright, he looked towards Gu Yun with a complicated expression. “The young master has truly found a treasure.”
Li Lan nodded silently in agreement.
After recovering from their shock, the others hurried to offer congratulations and praise.
Master Craftsman Wang folded his arms. His naturally dark complexion made it impossible to tell whether his expression had darkened further.
After staring at Gu Yun for several moments, he turned and walked away.
He had no apprentices. A solitary man standing against the world.
Gu Yun glanced at him from the corner of his eye before moving towards the fallen targets. From within his sleeve, he produced a small notebook and a charcoal pencil.
He carefully recorded the extent of the damage, the testing conditions, the residual weight of the projectiles embedded within the clay, and various other observations.
Once finished, he ordered the targets positioned at one hundred and twenty paces to be divided into three groups. There were plenty of them, so dividing them caused no difficulty. Afterwards, he had them placed in three different environmental conditions.
The firing tests were then repeated from distances of eighty and one hundred paces.
Once the environment changed, accuracy declined. In one location, the hit rate dropped by nearly half. The frequency of hits on other parts of the targets also decreased accordingly.
The cause was not declining marksmanship. The environment itself was excessively damp. Gunpowder inside several fire lances absorbed moisture and failed to ignite properly. Misfires occurred.
Holding his charcoal pencil, Gu Yun carefully recorded every piece of data as the tip scratched across the page. At the same time, he considered ways to improve accuracy.
In the first two environments, reducing the distance would largely solve the problem.
But in damp conditions…
Even at close range, moisture would still seep into the powder and cause misfires. They needed to reduce the rate at which the gunpowder absorbed moisture.
Previously, in order to reduce the gunpowder’s tendency to absorb moisture, Gu Yun had added beeswax and pine resin to the mixture. After drying it in the shade, he had subjected it to further treatment. The fact that the gunpowder had remained unaffected despite a month of repeated rainfall demonstrated that the method was effective.
However, it proved insufficient in an environment like this.
The testing site was a riverbank with particularly high humidity. How else could the gunpowder’s moisture absorption be reduced?
Turning the question over in his mind, Gu Yun made his way back towards the workshop.
The workshop lay some distance from the testing ground. Li Lan silently escorted him back, while Yan Zhao and the others remained behind to clear up the mess.
Although they were only on the outskirts of the capital, the disturbance had been considerable and had lasted for quite some time. There was no guarantee it would not attract curious onlookers coming to investigate.
Lost in thought, Gu Yun returned to the workshop without realising it. He sat down in the workshop’s rest area and continued thinking.
From the moment he had stepped down from the carriage, he had worked without pause until late into the night. He had no desire to rest. Unfortunately, his body had begun to rebel.
His thoughts had become a muddled mess, and even the scenery before his eyes was beginning to blur…
Gu Yun fell asleep. His head tipped forwards towards the table.
Standing nearby, Li Lan reached out and caught him. He had just opened his mouth to wake Gu Yun when he suddenly sensed people approaching. Judging by the footsteps, there was more than one person. Moreover, they were making no effort to conceal themselves.
That suggested familiar faces.
Li Lan steadied his mind and listened carefully. By the time the footsteps reached the doorway, he had already identified one of them. A person he knew all too well.
“My lord,” Li Lan said softly.
Chao Yan gave a slight nod. Walking over, he took Gu Yun from Li Lan’s arms and lifted him effortlessly into his own embrace.
“You’ve worked hard.” His voice was low.
Li Lan lowered his own voice in response.
“My lord, the fire-lance testing has been completed. The weapon is a success. Madam carries a small notebook in his sleeve containing detailed records of the test results. At present, Madam is troubled by the issue of misfires occurring in damp environments.”
Carrying Gu Yun, Chao Yan entered the room next door and gently laid him upon the bed. The room had been specifically reserved for his use.
Gu Yun was utterly exhausted. Even after being placed on the bed, he did not wake.
Chao Yan removed his outer robe and shoes, wiped his face, hands, and feet clean, and tucked him beneath the thick bedding. Then he bent down and looked at him.
After being apart for some time, faint shadows had appeared beneath Gu Yun’s eyes. Yet they did nothing to diminish his beauty. If anything, they lent him a touch of fragility.
Chao Yan lowered his hand and gently caressed his face. Slowly, he leaned down.
Their noses brushed past one another. His lips came within a breath of touching Gu Yun’s. Then he paused.
A moment later, he withdrew.
“A gentleman’s word is his bond.” He exhaled softly and lightly pinched Gu Yun’s cheek. “You’ve worked hard for so long. Sleep well.”
Straightening up, he opened the small notebook he had casually removed from Gu Yun’s sleeve while helping him out of his outer robe.
The notebook was thin and no larger than a palm. Writing filled it from the very first page. The handwriting was not particularly elegant, but it was neat and orderly.
Every test had been recorded in meticulous detail. Much of it was difficult for Chao Yan to understand. There were numerous figures and simple symbols.
Pressing a hand against his brow, he continued turning the pages. Eventually he reached the final page. There, Gu Yun had written a textual summary of all the testing results.
This, at least, was understandable. Chao Yan skimmed through it rapidly.
First test. Under ideal conditions and without external interference… A novice with basic martial training could hit the target eight or nine times out of ten at eighty paces…
Second test. Same distance. Wind present… Seven or eight hits out of ten. Reducing firing distance increases accuracy.
Third test… Fourth test. Same distance. Riverbank environment (high humidity)… Four or five hits out of ten. Significant decline in accuracy. Cause: gunpowder absorbs moisture and fails to ignite, resulting in misfires and inability to fire.
“Your Highness.” A gentle knock sounded at the door.
Chao Yan lifted his thin eyelids and looked over. After a brief pause, he closed the notebook, placed it beside the bed, and left the room.
The person outside was one of his guards. After bowing, the guard reported, “The net has been cast. Our men have disguised themselves and are watching the designated locations. The moment Li Changru or Li Changbei appears, they will be apprehended.”
Chao Yan nodded. “You may go.”
The guard withdrew.
Looking into the distance, Chao Yan spotted Yan Zhao and Li Lan approaching. Once they arrived, he asked what they thought of the evening’s testing.
Yan Zhao replied, “Madam said the testing was too rudimentary. We don’t agree. In fact, his remarks gave us ideas for an even better testing method.”
“Then why didn’t you tell him?” Chao Yan asked.
Yan Zhao and Li Lan exchanged smiles. “It’s difficult to say such things in front of Madam.”
Chao Yan looked at them. Their thoughts were exactly the same as his own.
After a single glance, he looked away. “Let’s first see whether the misfire problem can be solved.”
…
Fifth watch.
Having finished dealing with the memorials he had brought with him, Chao Yan rested with his head on the desk for half an hour. After washing his face with cold water, he prepared to leave for the morning court session.
At that moment, a sound came from the bed. Gu Yun sat bolt upright.
It was no exaggeration to say that when Chao Yan turned around, he thought he was looking at a walking corpse.
According to popular belief, those who died suddenly with grievances unresolved could become walking corpses, their bodies stiff yet able to move upright.
One local chronicle even recorded that during a plague, victims who had died violent deaths rose during the night, attacked people, and drank the blood of cattle.
Chao Yan: “…”
Walking over to the bed, he sat down beside it. “What’s wrong?”
Gu Yun’s eyes remained half-closed with sleep. “Misfire…”
Chao Yan stared blankly for a moment. Then he understood.
Amused, he pinched the back of Gu Yun’s neck. His voice was warm and gentle.
“My treasure is talking nonsense. Don’t think about it anymore. Nothing misfired. Go back to sleep. It’s still early.”
My treasure?
The words struck like a bolt from the blue. Gu Yun instantly woke up.
Turning his head, he looked around the room before looking back at Chao Yan. Then he grabbed the quilt and wrapped himself tightly inside it.
“Your Highness, when did you arrive?”
The smile faded slightly from Chao Yan’s face.
“I arrived several hours ago. I was just about to leave. I have court this morning.”
