novelhk Chapter 478 The Panicked Nobles of Six Kingdoms
Chapter 478 The Panicked Nobles of Six Kingdoms
Looking at Ying Wuyou, Ying Zheng grew increasingly fond of his clever and quick-witted daughter. She always brought him unexpected surprises, whether it was the success of the cannons or her unique insights into the state of the world.
Imagining the scene after the artillery battalion was formed, Ying Zheng's excitement grew. It would be an invincible army, possessing unprecedented firepower. The Qin cavalry would sweep across the land like a storm, unstoppable.
Finally, the goal of unifying the world was about to be achieved, and Ying Zheng felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment. He believed that with his and Ying Wuyou's joint efforts, the Qin Dynasty would surely create a glorious era.
Thinking of all this, Ying Zheng clenched his fist and looked resolutely into the distance. "Good! Pass down the order: the firearms battalion must speed up its training, and the craftsmen must continue their research to make the 'Thunderclap Thunder' even more powerful!"
In the days that followed, the Qin Dynasty's artillery battalion grew steadily in secret. Ying Wuyou personally compiled a training manual to instruct the soldiers on how to operate the "Thunderclap Bomb." Craftsmen also continuously improved the cannon's design, experimenting with various firing methods. Although they still hadn't grasped the core secrets of gunpowder, the performance of the "Thunderclap Bomb" steadily improved.
At the same time, under the intimidation of the powerful military strength displayed in the military parade, the ambitions and desires of the six countries that were originally eager to make moves were instantly extinguished as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads.
The spring rain in Yingdu, the capital of Chu, seemed to be infected by the oppressive atmosphere, becoming heavy and damp. Fine rain threads, carrying the dampness, dripped slowly down the eaves of the palace, eventually landing on the jade crown of King Fuchu of Chu, as if it were a warning from heaven.
Fu Chu stood by the palace window, gazing at his mottled reflection in the bronze mirror. His fingers unconsciously traced the secret report presented by Huang Xie on the table, and his unease grew stronger.
"Is it really that strong?" Fu Chu gripped the jade pendant at his waist for the third time. The once warm and smooth jade pendant now felt unusually cold, and the cracked patterns made his palms ache.
Beneath the steps, Huang Xie appeared somewhat disheveled. His black cloak was still stained with the frost and mud from the Xianyang Road, and the sword at his waist was wrapped in strips of cloth soaked with gunpowder, as if he had just returned from the battlefield.
Huang Xie knelt on one knee, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, his voice low and hoarse: "I personally witnessed the rammed earth city wall three hundred paces away collapse under the bombardment of that iron lump."
He stretched out his hand, gesturing to show the thickness of the cannon barrel. "The tongue of fire that iron lump spewed out was ten zhang long. And this..." His voice suddenly lowered, revealing a hint of fear, "was just a ceremonial shell they were using for a drill."
Outside the hall, thunder roared, as if it would tear the entire world apart. Fu Chu suddenly stood up from his seat, the beads on his jade crown jingling with the sudden movement.
"Ying Zheng..." King Fuchu of Chu gritted his teeth, squeezing out the name as if it were his greatest enemy. His eyes were filled with anger and resentment as he stared intently into the void outside the palace, as if he could see Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, thousands of miles away, through that void.
Fu Chu clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, but he felt no pain. The anger in his heart erupted like a volcano, making him unable to suppress his desire to vent.
Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he turned around abruptly, grabbed the bamboo slips on the table, and slammed them to the ground. The bamboo slips scattered on the ground, some even breaking in two.
"Has that little brat grown up to be this big?" Fu Chu's voice was filled with disbelief and despair. "Could it be that Heaven intends to destroy our Great Chu?"
Huang Xie knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the earth, a fine layer of sweat already seeping from his temples. His body trembled slightly, clearly intimidated by the King of Chu's rage.
"I heard in the black market of Xianyang that Princess Jiayang is recruiting an army, and the Great Qin is preparing to establish a firearms battalion, which will be directly under the command of Meng Tian." Huang Xie's voice trembled slightly as he spoke cautiously, afraid that his words would anger the King of Chu again.
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a crisp sound of porcelain shattering came from outside the hall. Huang Xie turned to look.
Zheng Ji staggered and grabbed the doorframe, her face ashen and bloodless. The lacquer box she was holding had rolled off the ground, its lid open, and the nine Lantian jade beads inside scattered across the blue bricks, as if startled by the sudden turn of events.
Zheng Ji's lips trembled slightly, and her voice became intermittent: "I...I've heard that the thunderous roar could destroy an entire city..."
Zheng Ji's voice trembled, but stopped abruptly when she met the King of Chu's cold gaze. She watched in horror as Fu Chu slowly drew the bronze sword from under the table; a flash of cold light, and the tip of the sword was already pressed against her throat.
Just as the sword was about to strike, Fu Chu's gaze suddenly fixed on the vermilion mark behind Zheng Ji's ear. The bright red against her pale skin resembled a fresh wound, stinging his eyes. The sword clattered to the ground, and Fu Chu slumped onto the dragon-patterned mat, as if all his strength had been drained away in an instant.
“Go,” his voice was weak and weary, “send men to keep a close watch on Qin’s movements. By any means necessary, obtain the gunpowder formula.” Outside the palace, the rain poured down harder, as if even the heavens were weeping for the impending fate of Chu.
The evening drum of Linzi City slowly sounded, its heavy and muffled sound echoing through the city, like the heartbeat of this ancient city. King Jian of Qi was curled up in his brocade quilt, his body trembling slightly, his teeth chattering, even biting the corners of the velvet quilt until they were wrinkled.
Thirty-six bronze sparrow lamps burned brightly in the warm pavilion, illuminating the entire room as if it were daytime. However, despite the brightness around him, King Jian of Qi's neck was still constantly beaded with cold sweat, as if a chill was seeping from the depths of his bones.
On the sandalwood table, the secret report from Xianyang had been repeatedly handled by him, the edges of the paper becoming somewhat frayed. The contents of the report filled him with fear and unease.
Ten "Heaven-Shaking Thunderbolts" were a powerful weapon newly developed by the Qin state, said to be strong enough to destroy city walls. When these ten "Heaven-Shaking Thunderbolts" detonated simultaneously, the resulting roar was as if the earth were being torn apart, sending chills down one's spine.
The deafening sound kept echoing in Qi Wangjian's mind, as if the ten "heaven-shaking thunderbolts" had exploded right next to his ears. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his legs under the brocade quilt shook like a leaf.
"Your Majesty, do not be afraid." Hou Sheng's voice suddenly rang in his ears. The prime minister, who was used to wearing jeweled robes, waved his wide sleeves, and the bed curtains were gently lifted. He walked quickly to King Qi Jian's side and stuffed a gilded hand warmer into King Qi Jian's arms.
Hou Sheng's voice was gentle and calm, as if he wanted to soothe King Jian of Qi's fear. However, when King Jian of Qi raised his head and saw Hou Sheng's face, which should have been full of vigor, he was surprised to find that his temples were also streaked with white.