APTnovel Chapter 591: Our Futures Are Tied Together
Chapter 591: Our Futures Are Tied Together
"May I ask, Second Young Master, you’ve repeatedly asked me to develop gunpowder that can breach city walls, and now you want me to build heavy cannons. What exactly are you up to?"
Gu Ruinian looked suspicious.
"If you’re planning a rebellion, don’t drag me into something that could cost me my head," Gu Ruinian said.
Second Young Master Zheng sneered, "Don’t forget that your life is in my hands."
Second Young Master Zheng didn’t even lift his eyes to look at Gu Ruinian, thinking he was fit to be dragged in?
Gu Ruinian’s face stiffened.
Second Young Master Zheng pondered.
Even though he was coercing Gu Ruinian into making potent gunpowder to improve heavy cannons, forcing him to comply, he was already suspicious of rebellion. If he decided to report to the government and ruin everything, it would all be for naught for the Zheng Family.
By all intents and purposes, the Zheng Family neither had the power nor the inclination for rebellion.
Ever since Gu Ruinian mentioned that according to historical records, the Fifth Prince was the ultimate winner, the Zheng Family had been trying through various channels to get close to the Fifth Prince’s maternal family.
After all, the Fifth Prince came from humble beginnings, so his maternal family wasn’t as difficult to approach as typical noble families.
Since the Zheng Family was now on the same boat as the Fifth Prince, Second Young Master Zheng needed to prove his worth to the Fifth Prince.
Developing potent gunpowder and heavy cannons was a very good approach.
Just as the border was at war, presenting heavy cannons to them could transform the Zheng Family from merchants in Pingchuan County into new nobles in Shengjing.
"I might as well tell you." After some thought, Second Young Master Zheng said, "Dasheng is at war with the border. If you truly manage to create a heavy cannon, my Zheng Family can offer it as tribute. By then, you’ll share half of the credit and will no longer have to worry about your leg injury preventing you from taking the imperial exam and entering officialdom. Fame and fortune will be within your grasp."
The news of the war at the border was spreading like wildfire, even reaching remote villages like Qinghe Bay.
It was clear how much attention this war was attracting.
Gu Ruinian clenched his back molars and said, "I’ll carefully study these blueprints and strive to create a heavy cannon."
Second Young Master Zheng was satisfied.
He ordered a servant to give Gu Ruinian frostbite ointment and twenty taels of silver.
Knowing how cold Gu Ruinian’s room was, he added, "Tomorrow, I’ll send someone with coal and the materials to make the cannon. You’d better speed up the process of making the cannon; our futures are entwined, don’t disappoint me."
Gu Ruinian responded calmly with agreement and turned back to the courtyard.
He was freezing to death.
The news about Gu Ruinian quickly reached Tong Huaqiong’s ears.
Naturally, the messenger was Gu Honglian.
Upon learning about Gu Ruinian making the Zheng Family hoard coal, Tong Huaqiong felt relieved that she had already stocked enough coal.
It was obvious that the Zheng Family’s coal hoarding was aimed at profiteering amid the harsh winter weather without caring how many people would freeze or whether epidemics would follow the coming year.
"Oh, and Gu Ruinian is also supposed to be making a cannon to be sent to the border once finished," Gu Honglian told Tong Huaqiong.
Gu Honglian seemed to treat Gu Ruinian’s cannon-making efforts like a joke.
Tong Huaqiong occasionally heard from Gu Honglian that Gu Ruinian was making gunpowder at home. Sometimes he succeeded, but it was no more powerful than a firecracker.
Tong Huaqiong was skeptical about whether Gu Ruinian could even make a heavy cannon.
Why was Second Young Master Zheng asking Gu Ruinian to make a cannon? Did it have something to do with the border war?
This reminded Tong Huaqiong.
The credit should definitely not go to Gu Ruinian.
Tong Huaqiong went to a secret space, conducted a flurry of searches, and then copied down the design principles and blueprints of copper-made fire guns, iron core copper fire guns, and European cannons. The next day, she sent Qin Qingyou to Wanliu Academy in the prefectural city to give them to Jingzhe, who would then forward them to Magistrate Yao.
Back then, high-quality copper and iron were controlled by the government, and such large cannons required government manufacture—Gu Ruinian’s makeshift operation could only deceive Second Young Master Zheng.
As Dasheng was at war with Mo Bei, as a Dasheng citizen, Tong Huaqiong naturally hoped Dasheng would win.
If Dasheng lost, and Mo Bei pushed from the border into Ning City, causing chaos and slaughter, their lives wouldn’t be safe.
Whether or not the gun and cannon technology she copied could help in this war, she would present the blueprints just in case they were useful.
That very night when Qin Qingyou returned from the prefectural city, the weather suddenly plummeted.
At first, no one paid much attention.
After all, it’s winter, and cold is expected.
As the temperature dropped, everyone rushed to buy coal.
"These heartless coal merchants, coal is five coins more expensive per pound than last year. It’s like selling a life-saving remedy,"
an old lady complained on her way back to the village after buying coal in town.
The old lady’s daughter-in-law worked at the Weaving Workshop, and she took the opportunity to visit her.
Tong Huaqiong wanted to understand the current coal market, so she started a conversation with the old lady.
"Madam Dashi, look, this load of coal is nearly two taels more expensive than last year. If it weren’t freezing, who would burn this stuff," the old lady grumbled to Tong Huaqiong, adding, "Good thing you’ve set up a Weaving Workshop; my daughter-in-law can earn some money, or we wouldn’t afford to burn coal."
Tong Huaqiong asked, "Are many people buying coal now?"
The old lady shook her head, saying, "Not many! The coal is too expensive this year; lots of people inquire, but few buy. Most leave without buying after hearing the price; they’re trying to hold out through winter for two months."
The old lady wouldn’t have bought it either, if not to prevent her daughter-in-law from getting frostbite and losing money.
Tong Huaqiong was deep in thought.
After just a few days of cold, the market price of coal had tripled the price Tong Pandi paid.
It seemed most of the coal had been hoarded by the Zheng Family, pushing prices up rapidly.
The current price deterred most people; they’d rather wear thicker clothes, burn wood, or use hot water bottles to get by.
But soon, the severe cold would come, and people would buy coal regardless of price.
Tong Huaqiong intended to cut off the Zheng Family’s profiteering during the weather crisis.
She would wait until the Zheng Family raised coal prices significantly before releasing her stockpiles.
Currently, those willing to buy coal were wealthy families who could afford prices thrice or four times what Tong Pandi paid.
She feared releasing her coal now would lead these rich families to hoard her supplies and trigger opposition from other coal merchants.
When the coal prices started impacting livelihoods, she would work with County Magistrate Liu to release the coal, with government backing. Then neither the Zheng Family nor other coal merchants could target her.
Profiteering during crises like these was punishable by execution.
They just wanted wealth, not to lose their lives.
The weather grew colder by the day.
Each day, villagers asked about coal prices, initially intending to wait, only to find prices rising steadily over time.
Tong Huaqiong constantly heard villagers complaining.
Some families felt lucky for buying Tong Pandi’s coal; given the current prices, they couldn’t afford it now.
As the weather cooled, snow began to fall.
First, it was small pellets, quickly turning to goose feather-sized snowflakes. By morning, a blizzard had set in.
The world was blanketed in white, thick snow falling steadily like cotton wadding.
Tong Huaqiong realized the extreme cold forecast in Tong Dajiao’s memory had arrived.