Chapter 342

The day of the visit to the gunpowder workshop was fast approaching. As Wang Xiujin thought about it, he found himself genuinely curious about the new invention. He wondered what kind of contraption could prompt his personal attendant to arrive with such a mysterious and smug air to extend an invitation. One thing was certain: it had to be something remarkable. Once his curiosity was piqued, he felt an urgent need to know.

Arriving at the workshop a bit earlier than the appointed time, Wang did not wait for his attendant to come out to greet him but instead walked inside himself. He had visited enough times that the guards at the gate were familiar with him and did not stop him. It was not until he entered the workshop floor that he saw his attendant, who had been alerted and hurried out. After exchanging pleasantries, Wang did not press for details about the new invention. Instead, he walked with the attendant through the production area to observe the ongoing work. The attendant accompanied him for a while before being interrupted by a report that a certain general had arrived. Wang promptly urged his attendant to attend to his duties, insisting he needed no company. The attendant offered a few polite excuses and hurried away. Wang wandered around the workshop for a bit, but unable to discern exactly what was being produced and wary of disturbing the workers near such high-risk materials, he soon turned to leave.

Moving to the front, Wang found a group of generals seated in the main hall, chatting over tea. The eldest and second masters of the Li family were among them. After entering, Wang paid his respects to his elders. Although his rank was higher than some, he was the youngest among them, and since the other generals all shared ties with the Li family, Wang kept a humble posture.

The generals had arrived, but the demonstration of the new weapon did not begin immediately; they were still waiting for a member of the royal family. To everyone’s surprise, it was not the Fourth Prince who appeared, but another prince entirely. Wang raised an eyebrow. For such an important event, the absence of the Fourth Prince suggested either that the Emperor had other intentions or that the Fourth Prince was occupied with something more critical. Considering recent events in the capital, was it possible the Fourth Prince was handling matters of rebellion? Yet, even then, he should have been able to spare time for a demonstration. Could he have left the capital?

While the Fourth Prince had his shortcomings as a potential ruler, Wang, preferring him over the alternatives or forming new alliances, certainly did not want the prince to miss his opportunity. Watching the arriving prince, Wang displayed no sign of his internal turmoil, keeping his expression neutral and barely sparing a glance at the two Li masters.

Once the prince arrived, it was time to view the new weapon. The group headed toward the rugged hills behind the workshop. Wang trailed at the back, neither walking too fast nor too slow, his mind occupied entirely by thoughts of the Fourth Prince. He decided he would ask Li Linshan or visit the Fifth Prince upon his return. Then, he chided himself for worrying needlessly; the Fifth and Fourth Princes were close, and if anything had truly happened, the Fifth would have sent word.

Reflecting on this, Wang calmed down. Reaching the foothills, he did not stand close to the prince, nor did he stray too far. His attention was riveted to the new invention. Soon, he saw it: a large iron-plated cabinet on four wheels. If not for the donkey pulling it, it looked for all the world like a tank. The wisdom of the ancients! Wang sighed inwardly. This was simply too advanced. At that moment, he desperately wanted to know who had conceived it—was it possible they were a fellow time-traveler?

Wang felt a surge of excitement, his hands clenching into fists. He wanted to meet the designer immediately. The power of the cannon was even more impressive than when he had first seen gunpowder. After the shells were fired, the side of the iron cabinet swung open, and two men emerged. Upon seeing them, Wang’s mouth twitched, and he cursed silently; his earlier anxieties had been a complete waste of time. The men emerging from the cabinet were none other than the Fourth Prince and his attendant. As the generals hurried forward to salute them, Wang suppressed his irritation and followed suit.

The Fourth Prince laughed heartily upon seeing the group. "This thing certainly reduces the risk for the soldiers loading the cannon from the outside, but it is stiflingly hot inside. One or two people is fine, but there were five of us in there, and it was scorching. You can’t exactly keep an ice basin in there, can you? If the ice melted, would it affect the potency of the gunpowder?" Having experienced the iron beast firsthand, the Fourth Prince was both optimistic and cautious.

The machine had not been moved far, and the Fourth Prince allowed everyone to inspect the interior structure. Wang did not miss his chance, stepping up to peek inside. The layout was simple: a cannon mount flanked by shells. The iron plating was thick, and the firing was still manual. Wang was slightly disappointed. "Who came up with this?" he asked before offering his critique, wary of insulting the design if it had been the prince's own idea.

"It was a craftsman in the workshop," the attendant in charge replied, not taking the credit. "After the mount was built, he remarked that if a frame were built around the outside, it might shield the operators from enemy fire."

Wang nodded. "It is safe when countering cold weapons, but against gunpowder, this thing might actually accelerate the death of those inside. The door can only be opened from the inside; if those within perish, it would be impossible for anyone outside to take over." Wang spoke with blunt honesty, pointing out the flaws. "Furthermore, it is too hot. If the gunpowder isn't properly protected, it could self-ignite before even being fired, harming our own men."

The onlookers nodded, agreeing with Wang’s assessment. The Fourth Prince nodded as well; he had felt the intense heat himself. Hearing Wang’s words, a chill ran down his spine—he had been sitting surrounded by gunpowder. If it had exploded... he shuddered.

"The concept is sound, but you must consider how to refine it. Every contingency must be accounted for," Wang concluded, affirming the direction of the design. His words had left the attendant drenched in a cold sweat, nearly wishing for death. The attendant regretted not consulting the Imperial Merchant first; had he sought approval before showing it off, the prince would never have been put at risk.

Wang, not wanting to get the attendant in trouble, softened his tone, fearing his previous words might have cost the man his life. "Perhaps add a partition, and fill the space with ice. Before the war machine goes out, fill it with enough ice to regulate the temperature."

"That could work," the Fourth Prince replied. He was not one to vent his anger on others; he had chosen to test the machine himself. However, it was a reminder to be cautious. "What if we added pipes? Place cooling components in two spots. As the water melts and flows, it could be cycled back to the cooling unit and refrozen."

"A closed loop—it would save water, wouldn't require constant refilling, and wouldn't leave you worrying about running out of ice." Wang agreed. The two stood before the iron beast discussing the logistics, while the other generals debated whether such a thing was truly viable on the battlefield, suggesting alternatives to the donkey or even rail-based systems.

Listening to the discussion, the attendant felt his sweat return in waves. He had been too impulsive, placing the Fourth Prince in danger. He felt he had failed the Emperor’s trust.

After the inspection, the Fourth Prince did not blame the attendant, instead ordering him to document all the suggestions and produce an improved model by the end of the year.

Leaving the workshop, the Fourth Prince did not return to the palace immediately but invited Wang to a quiet tea house. Once inside, they cleared the establishment, dismissing the proprietor and staff. The Fourth Prince gestured for Wang to sit, and soon the attendant brought a pot of tea. "New tea from the south," the prince said.

Wang had no particular preference for tea and could not distinguish its quality, but after a sip, he remarked that it was quite fragrant. The prince laughed. "When I brought this tea, my father said it would be a waste to give it to you." Wang merely smiled, unbothered.

"I called you here mainly to discuss Magistrate Liu. He certainly had a hand in the shipyard incident, along with several other officials, though we lack concrete evidence." The prince looked displeased. The shipyard was supposed to be a place of progress, yet these civil officials treated it as a stepping stone for power. Did they really think that if the shipyard were destroyed, the Emperor would favor them over the military?

"Whoever had a hand in it should pay for the losses," Wang said calmly. The shipyard had burned, the nearly completed ships were lost, and the repairs were stalled. He could afford the financial loss, but the thought that this was not merely the work of refugees, but involved officials of the Great Liang, filled him with cold fury. He wanted to send these ungrateful men to the era of resistance in another world—though perhaps, even then, they would be the ones to surrender, claiming resistance was death.

"Compensation will be extracted. Even if we cannot prove their direct involvement in the shipyard incident, they have plenty of other crimes to answer for. They will not be treated lightly."