novelhk Chapter 890 It’s so difficult for ordinary people to make a name for themselves!
Chapter 890 It’s so difficult for ordinary people to make a name for themselves!
The sky was as dark as ink, and the rain was pouring down. Standing atop the Xianyang city walls, Li Zhao gazed at the Chu army's campfires, which stretched endlessly outside. Rainwater streamed down his armor, forming thin streams. The knowledge that his own black powder had been used weighed heavily on his heart. The Chu army's offensive was now much less cautious, no longer needing to worry about the deadly explosions hidden beneath the city walls. Even more unsettling for Li Zhao was his uncertainty about whether the Chu army had mastered the secret of black powder or even understood how to use it.
The patter of rain drowned out many of the sounds on the battlefield, but it also amplified Li Zhao's inner doubts. He gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the strain. As Gao Yao's lieutenant general for many years, he was well aware of the power of black powder, as well as its complexity and dangers. This knowledge only heightened his worries. If the Chu army truly possessed black powder, how would they use it? Where would they deploy it? And when would they detonate it?
"General, there is movement in the southeast corner of the city wall!" A soldier, soaked all over, came hurriedly to report.
Li Zhao's heart tightened, but he quickly calmed down: "Continue to monitor. Do not act rashly without my order."
The rain blurred his vision, and Li Zhao squinted his eyes toward the southeast. Under the cover of the downpour, the Chu army might indeed be conducting excavation operations. In these weather conditions, the sentries' vision was limited, and the sound was muffled by the rain, making it a perfect opportunity for underground operations.
Li Zhao's earlier judgment had wavered. On the one hand, he worried that the Chu army was digging for black powder; on the other, he suspected it might be a tactic used by the Chu army to provoke an attack. In this vacillation, he made several decisions that later proved to be wrong: he did not immediately launch a counterattack, nor did he order a comprehensive investigation of the situation below the city wall, and he even failed to promptly report the anomaly to Gao Yao.
Unbeknownst to Li Zhao, this panicked hesitation was, in some ways, a blessing in disguise. The heavy rain not only shielded the Chu army's movements but also affected any black powder that might have been used. Rainwater seeped into the soil, and the damp conditions made it difficult for black powder to retain its effectiveness. Even if the Chu army did dig up black powder or bury its own, it likely wouldn't have much to use.
"General, don't worry too much," the lieutenant general beside him seemed to see through Li Zhao's concerns. "Black powder is not easy to use. Even if the Chu army obtains it, they may not be able to use it."
Li Zhao nodded slightly, raindrops trickling down his cheeks. He hadn't been with Gao Yao for so long, and it wasn't for nothing. He was familiar with some basic knowledge about gunpowder handling: first, the issue of the fuse. Without a fuse, or with an improperly designed one, igniting it recklessly would be tantamount to suicide. Second, there were the issues of storage and transportation. Black powder was sensitive to moisture and fire, and improper handling could easily render it ineffective or even cause it to explode. Third, the method of delivery: how to deliver the gunpowder to the target and detonate it accurately required specialized equipment and techniques.
"Besides, Xianyang City has high and thick walls," Li Zhao muttered to himself, as if to comfort himself, "It won't be so easy to break through."
Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty, boasted fortifications that were among the finest of their time. Its walls stood ten feet high, with a base eight feet thick, and a peak wide enough for four chariots to ride side by side. The walls were densely dotted with arrow towers, heavily reinforced with urn walls, and boasted a deep and wide moat. Even without gunpowder, breaching such a fortress would have been a formidable undertaking.
Strictly speaking, Li Zhao's thinking was not wrong. As a general defending the city, his judgment and decision-making were based on his confidence in the city's defensive capabilities, his understanding of the properties of black powder, and his assessment of the enemy's capabilities. However, his only miscalculation was Yi Xiaochuan.
It was unrealistic to ask Yi Xiaochuan to hand-make black powder in this era. After all, not everyone had the ability to make black powder. Knowing the method and the raw materials didn't mean they could actually make it.
Saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal—these raw materials are certainly not difficult to obtain. Saltpeter can be collected from toilet walls, sulfur can be found in hot spring areas, and charcoal is even more common. But how to purify these materials and combine them in the right proportions is the key issue.
Different eras employed different methods, and the purification process was completely different. While these materials could be obtained manually, the biggest challenge was how to purify them. With the current technological level, obtaining raw materials of sufficient purity was difficult. Black powder of too low a purity would be difficult to even ignite, let alone produce a powerful explosion.
This is actually a key problem that almost all time travelers will have. They think that if they really travel back to the past, they can rise to prominence or even become king or emperor without any help, just relying on the knowledge in their minds. This is almost a dream.
Although Li Zhao didn't know the concept of a "time traveler," he knew from experience that any technology needed a foundation and supporting systems. Even if someone knew the formula for black powder, without the necessary tools, equipment, and technical expertise, it would be difficult to produce it quickly.
Throughout ancient history, class was a crucial issue. For an ordinary person to rise to prominence, there was virtually no other way except to join the military. Gao Yao himself rose to prominence through military merit, and he understood the difficulty and length of this path.
To take the entrance exam, one must be qualified, and not everyone is qualified. First of all, there is the issue of books. Ancient books were not easily sold. If there is no opportunity to read, how can there be a chance to take the entrance exam? Even someone like Gao Yao, who has a special experience and a system, has to start as a soldier, let alone others.
Originally, in history, Gao Yao was castrated before entering the palace. He refused to do so, even threatening to die. However, this incident was a misunderstanding. At the time, they were in urgent need of men, so no formal procedures were followed. Gao Yao was essentially forced into the military.
If the Xianyang Palace were to officially recruit eunuchs, there would be plenty of people willing to enter the palace as eunuchs. While entering the palace would come at a steep price, for the starving, it at least guaranteed a stable diet and even offered a chance to be close to the center of power. It wasn't a job no one wanted; on the contrary, competition would likely be fierce.
In the original storyline, Yi Xiaochuan was merely a character who had been gifted with a special gift. Upon his arrival, he saved Xiang Yu and Xiang Liang, and later saved Lü Gong. Simply put, from the moment he crossed over, he never lacked food or money, and even met the miraculous doctor Cui Wenzi when he fell ill.
After arriving in Xianyang, he was neither successful nor successful, and even had to rely on Gao Yao for help, but he never held any official position. The reason was simple: he was not qualified. The Qin Dynasty implemented a strict household registration system and title system, and it was difficult for a person without a history or background to obtain an official position.