Chapter 78 Gunpowder
"Fireworks? Does it mean that the sky is filled with smoke and blazing flames, and is there a hidden danger?"
"When the eldest prince Li Chengru heard this, he looked suspicious and asked with concern.
"Don't worry, brother, everything is under control, there is no need to worry.
"Li Chengze responded with a gentle smile, obviously grateful for his brother's concern, but without losing his composure.
After saying that, the servants of the palace hurriedly moved into action and moved more than a hundred boxes of carefully prepared fireworks one by one in front of everyone.
These mysterious boxes immediately aroused everyone's strong curiosity, and they all speculated on what kind of spectacle the "fireworks" mentioned by His Highness the Second Highness were.
"Today, I wanted to invite many guests to participate in this grand event, but unfortunately the palace has limited space and cannot accommodate all the enthusiasm.
"Li Chengze continued to explain, "When I received the bride, I gave candy as a gift to express my feelings, hoping that every corner of Kyoto could feel this joy.
However, even so, there are still many friends who were unable to be there in person and unable to share this joy. "
"Therefore, I decided to use these gorgeous fireworks to make up for this regret, so that people who have not yet arrived can feel my sincerity and blessings through the splendor in the night sky, so as not to let my previous promises fail."
As soon as these words came out, several elderly people among the invited civilians were even more moved, and they all expressed their deep respect and gratitude for Li Chengze's benevolent heart.
"His Second Highness is so kind and generous. Even though we are humble, we feel this in our hearts and can't thank you enough!"
"In that case, Bi'an, let's use these three boxes of fireworks as a group to ignite this carnival that belongs to Kyoto!
"Li Chengze turned to Xie Bi'an beside him, his eyes shining with expectation.
Xie Bi'an, who was already ready to go, held a bunch of burning incense in his hand and acted upon the order.
He quickly and accurately touched the fuses of the first set of fireworks. In an instant, a subtle but rapid sound of sparks sounded.
"Are these fireworks?"
"It's indeed beautiful, but it seems small in scale?" "Hey, why did it disappear so quickly?"
Lai Mingcheng stretched his neck and stared at the moment after the fuse burned out, involuntarily wanting to get closer and take a closer look.
"Censor Lai, please be patient, the fun is yet to come!
"Li Chengze saw this and promptly reminded him, with a hint of smile in his tone.
After mentioning this, Lai Mingcheng suddenly realized that the brief burning of the fuse was just a prelude, and he almost missed the real excitement.
As the fuse was completely extinguished, the fireworks box seemed to fall into a brief silence. Everyone waited with bated breath, full of curiosity.
Suddenly, a dazzling light pierced the night sky like lightning and shot straight into the sky!
Everyone’s eyes were instantly attracted by this sudden light, and they all looked up.
"Bang!" The first fireworks bloomed in the night sky, and instantly turned into thousands of stars, twinkling endlessly and beautiful.
Immediately afterwards, the sound of "swish, swish" sounded one after another, and the other two boxes of fireworks were not to be outdone, and they sprayed out gorgeous firelights, soaring into the sky.
For a time, the night sky was occupied by colorful fireworks. They exploded in different colors and shapes, weaving breathtaking patterns.
This visual feast not only attracted the attention of all the guests in the palace, but also made the entire Kyoto excited.
The people walked out of their homes one after another and looked up at this rare spectacle, their faces filled with surprise and joy.
"What is that? It's so beautiful!"
Admirations came one after another, and the night sky in Kyoto became even more dazzling due to the sudden fireworks.
A melodious sound suddenly sounded, interrupting the peaceful moment when Emperor Qing was sipping the tea in his hand. The tea cup slipped due to the sudden tremor, and the crisp cracking sound was accompanied by splashing porcelain pieces and overflowing tea, instantly breaking the silence in the room.
"Your Majesty?" Concubine Shu's keen insight allowed her to immediately notice something strange about Emperor Qing. Her gentle eyes were full of concern and she asked softly.
However, Emperor Qing's face showed a rare look of solemnity, and even a hint of unspeakable fear could be seen.
Such emotional fluctuations caused ripples in Concubine Shu's heart, and she thought to herself:
As the emperor of Daqing, and possessing the cultivation level of a great master, what kind of things can touch the fear in his heart?
Emperor Qing’s eyes closely followed the fireworks that continued to rise into the sky, and bright rays of light pierced the night sky.
Finally, it blooms into a gorgeous flower dozens of feet high in the sky, which is breathtakingly beautiful. This magnificent sight slightly relaxed Emperor Qing's tense nerves.
The "whoosh" sound of the launch and the subsequent "bang" explosion unexpectedly evoked Emperor Qing's dusty memory - it was so similar to Barrett's heart-stopping gunshot.
This familiar rhythm instantly evoked his deep fear and fear of that mysterious weapon.
However, after confirming that what he saw in front of him was just ordinary fireworks, the stone hanging in Emperor Qing's heart finally fell to the ground, and he was secretly glad that his nervousness just now was completely unnecessary.
Thinking of the magical weapon that could overturn the world, Emperor Qing couldn't help but feel filled with emotion.
It has sunk into the endless abyss with the disappearance of Wuzhu, becoming a piece of silence in the long history, and will never see the light of day again.
"It's okay, it's just a moment of trance."
Emperor Qing smiled at Concubine Shu, concealing his emotional fluctuations lightly, as if nothing had happened.
"Your Majesty, look at Chengze's fireworks. They are so beautiful. They bloom instantly and are dazzling!" Concubine Shu said in admiration, her eyes shining with joy.
Emperor Qing smiled slightly, squinted his eyes, and nodded gently along with Concubine Shu's words, but different thoughts were surging in his heart.
For many years, he has lived in the palace and devoted himself to the study of gunpowder, and has recently achieved some success.
However, the subtlety of the fireworks displayed by Li Chengze is obvious and is definitely not an ordinary work.
He secretly thought that this firework was undoubtedly based on gunpowder, but the distance it was launched and the brilliant explosion showed the maker's superb skill in using gunpowder.
Emperor Qing couldn't help but be impressed by Li Chengze's ability, and at the same time he had some doubts.
Gunpowder, this mysterious thing originating from the temple, is now mastered so skillfully by Li Chengze.
Could it be that he really has an indissoluble bond with that legendary temple?
Emperor Qing secretly speculated in his mind and had many thoughts.
At this moment, Kyoto seemed to be shocked by this sudden beauty and became extremely quiet. Only the bang of fireworks echoed in the air.
And in a dilapidated courtyard on the outskirts of Kyoto, a ragged man wearing a shabby gown,
He was walking out of the house holding a book that was almost falling apart. He frowned, feeling puzzled and irritated by the noise coming from outside:
"What kind of noise is this? Is the spring thunder coming early? Bang bang bang, disturbing the peace!"
It turned out that this man was frustrated because he failed in the imperial examination, and he was studying hard, hoping to get into high school in the next examination and regain his former glory.
The sudden sound of fireworks undoubtedly broke his already tense nerves and made him even more restless.
(End of chapter)