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Xu Zhen was injured, and in Ganzhou City, there were many night patrols by Soldiers roaming around, their footsteps loud. Additionally, oxen and horses were pulling bricks, stones, and bamboo to reinforce the city defenses. As a result, she could hardly sleep through the night without waking up frequently, feeling quite unwell.
The next morning, although the sun was shining brightly, her carelessness in daily routines and poor diet had led to a buildup of impurities in her body, leaving her spirit truly depleted. Remembering that she had read through the Enhanced I Ching Cleansing Inner Power Manual the previous night, she washed up to purify herself and practiced breathing techniques for about half an hour. Indeed, she felt refreshed and invigorated.
Following that, she practiced the postures of dragons, tigers, eagles, and leopards as illustrated in her internal martial arts manual and reviewed the soft-bone yoga techniques from the Seven Sacred Blades. By the time daylight broke, she was glowing with vitality.
Yan Lide had someone deliver breakfast early in the morning. After filling her stomach, he hurriedly dragged Xu Zhen to the Craft Workshop.
Due to an accident during the last experiment, the Craft Workshop had become a dangerous place within the military; no one dared to approach it. They could only force a group of Soldier Slaves to work there. The entire Craft Workshop was filled with a stifling atmosphere of tension.
The blueprints that Xu Zhen had given to Yan Lide were not for crossbows or catapults but for genuine artillery designed after the heavy weapon "Divine Might General" from the Ming Chongzhen army. After being ingeniously modified by Xu Zhen, it was entirely made of bronze and was sure to create a sensation across the world!
At that time, the cannon body and carriage were all completed. However, they struggled with determining the right proportions for ammunition and how much powder to use. Therefore, they summoned Li Chunfeng to Ganzhou for assistance. Ordinary black powder simply could not meet their needs; they urgently called for Xu Zhen to see if there were any ammunition formulas in her blueprints.
Inside the barracks, large stones were piled high as projectiles. Many Soldier Slaves were hammering away at them to shape round balls while ceramic models were set up around the furnace for casting Iron Cannons.
The cannon designed by Xu Zhenzhi, based on Yuan and Ming styles, was tubular in shape, over eight feet long, weighing more than a thousand pounds. It was filled with gunpowder and plugged with stones at its mouth. A side vent allowed it to be fired; its range could reach two miles with impressive power and sound.
As he touched the heavy cannon before him, a surge of pride welled up within Xu Zhenxin. Although he was immersed in magic and had considerable knowledge of explosive principles—being particularly fascinated by fire—this was his first time putting his ideas about cannons into practice in either this world or during the Tang Dynasty!
Seeing that Xu Zhen couldn't take her eyes off it as she examined and caressed the cannon, Yan Lide rolled his eyes repeatedly and muttered under his breath, "Don't underestimate your old brother's skills; what's so difficult about a mere bronze cannon? Just follow me."
When Xu Zhen saw him so spirited like a rooster, she moved to the open storage area behind the Craft Workshop, where seven identical heavy cannons were lined up before her. The cannon barrels gleamed brightly, and their carriages were sturdy like platforms, leaving her deeply impressed!
"Old brother truly has great skills! Haha!" Upon seeing these cannons, Xu Zhen exclaimed joyfully from her heart. However, Yan Lide merely scoffed and complained discontentedly, "What use is there in having heavy cannons without gunpowder? I've done my part here; what remains depends on you!"
Xu Zhen praised him repeatedly and immediately headed northwest towards the Craft Workshop, looking for Li Chunfeng to jointly study explosive substances. Before leaving, feeling playful, she asked Yan Lide if these heavy cannons had been named yet. He looked at her disdainfully as if bored; however, Xu Zhen became serious and admonished him.
"A military weapon of such divine might deserves a name to commemorate it; how can it be passed down through generations without one!"
Yan Lide felt a chill in his heart, clearly shaken by the boldness of Xu Zhen. He immediately asked, "If that's the case, what should we call it?"
Xu Zhen stroked her chin, pondering for a moment. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she said to Yan Lide, "This cannon shall be named Zhenwu General! Hurry and have someone engrave it on the cannon!"
Without further thought, Yan Lide instructed his subordinates to engrave the name on the cannon. As he and Xu Zhen made their way to meet Li Chunfeng, he suddenly realized halfway there that naming the cannon was just a pretext; he was genuinely worried about having his credit stolen.
This cannon originated from Xu Zhenzhi's concept and was named after him. If it were to gain fame in the future, Xu Zhenzhi's name would surely spread far and wide. Who in the army would dare to defy him then?
"What a cunning little brat!" Yan Lide, a master craftsman known for his integrity, had no need to covet Xu Zhenzhi's achievements. Xu Zhen also trusted Yan Lide and Li Jing's character. However, he needed to guard against others who might steal his credit. Now that he was the target of many, he had to quickly elevate his status within the army; otherwise, he would inevitably remain a pawn, subject to manipulation.
Xu Zhen's actions made Yan Lide acutely aware of the dangers within the army. This battle might involve more fierce struggles behind the scenes than in direct combat.
Li Chunfeng, well-versed in various schools of thought and deeply knowledgeable about Daoist secret techniques, was familiar with methods like Dan Ding. However, gunpowder was volatile and indiscriminate; if it was too soft, it couldn't propel the Iron Cannon effectively; if it was too intense, it could become difficult to control. If the cannon exploded, it would lead to disastrous consequences before they even engaged in battle. Thus, he approached his research with extreme caution.
As Xu Zhen and Yan Lide arrived together, Li Chunfeng couldn't help but feel delighted. This Xu Zhen was indeed a capable Young Master; not only was she quick-witted, but she also had a good understanding of chemical properties and ratios of ingredients like saltpeter and cinnabar. Her careful and meticulous approach impressed Li Chunfeng greatly.
While the three were busy working carefully, they suddenly heard shouts and clashing sounds from outside the camp. Xu Zhen's expression darkened as she rushed out, only to see Barbarians soldiers pouring out from the tunnel entrance like a flood!
"The secret passage has been discovered!"
Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide exchanged glances, their faces turning pale; neither of them possessed any martial skills!
Xu Zhen was at ease and unarmored, holding only a long knife. Seeing that there were many pottery items in the Craft Workshop, he ordered the Soldier Slaves to fill the freshly prepared gunpowder into the pottery, insert fuses, and seal the openings with sand and wax. He instructed them to carry fire scythes with him as they went out to confront the enemy!
Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide saw that these Soldier Slaves were clumsy and feared that they might accidentally blow up their own camp. They hurriedly took over the pottery from the Soldier Slaves and followed Xu Zhen as they rushed outside.
The Soldier Slaves were terrified and wished nothing more than for Li Chunfeng and Yan Lide to take over for them; they quickly hid away while Xu Zhen led the two men into the street.
Barbarians were fierce and, once they set foot on the ground, they charged everywhere, forcing the Garrison to hurriedly call in archers. With a barrage of Arrow Rain, they sealed off the entrance!
However, these Barbarians came prepared. The Shield Soldiers were in front, with crossbowmen behind them, advancing step by step. Three or four of them held up a large wooden shield, which was instantly filled with Feathered Arrows. The Barbarians archers aimed for the gaps and shot accurately, gradually pushing forward and forming a fan-shaped defensive formation at the entrance. More and more Shield Soldiers and crossbowmen surged in from behind!
As reinforcements arrived, the fan-shaped formation widened, and the enemy's numbers became denser. They aimed to undermine from within and breach Ganzhou City!
To break through the shield formation, a large number of Cavalry charging with spears would be most effective. However, the terrain was narrow, making it impossible for the Cavalry to form up. Without sufficient numbers, their intimidation factor was lacking; charging in would only lead to death.
Given the current situation, the Garrison could only rely on strong bows and powerful crossbows to continuously unleash Arrow Rain, slowing down the enemy's advance. Yet, the enemy was well-prepared; their formation expanded further, and their shots became sharper. The Garrison had no choice but to follow suit and call for more Shield Soldiers, forming barriers to block the enemy's arrows.
Both sides fell into a stalemate, with someone getting hit by arrows every moment. The long shields had already been shot full of holes like hedgehogs. Many commanders were anxious and restless, constantly deploying troops. In the chaos, someone questioned:
"Why did the forces of Xu Zhen just arrive yesterday, and today these Barbarians Ah Chai have come knocking?"
"We are risking our lives here; where are the forces of Xu Zhen?"
"This scoundrel is too close to the barbarians; he surely has wild men among his ranks. Perhaps he has sold us out!"
"I heard earlier that this person had suspicions of treason during his time in Shanshan, but was suppressed by Li Daozong Commander. Could it be that he has come to harm our Comrades again?!!!"
"Why don't we kill this scoundrel as an example to intimidate the enemy and boost our morale!"
In their panic, some fabricated rumors while others added fuel to the fire. The front-line Brothers were still fighting valiantly, while those at the back had already regarded Xu Zhen as a traitor selling out their country. Given Li Jing's strict military discipline, who would believe there were no internal traitors?
Xu Zhenbu was stationed in the west of the city, some distance from where the incident occurred. By the time news reached him, it was already too late. Many soldiers who had been deceived grew increasingly suspicious!
Everyone was focused on killing enemies and facing death bravely. Who would have thought that amidst such a great battle there were still people scheming against each other? The rear Brothers, seeing their front-line Comrades falling one after another, felt their hearts breaking with fear growing stronger. It seemed that everywhere they looked there were enemies around them. Hearing such rumors only fueled their anger further; those who were not engaged in battle began to take action and surrounded the hastily arriving forces of Xu Zhenbu!
Zhou Cang, Gao He Shu, and Yin Zong were all reckless and hot-blooded individuals, lacking the composure of Xu Zhen and Zhang Jiunian. With their fiery tempers, they would not simply endure humiliation and shame!
Zhang Jiunian was scanning the surroundings, using both sight and sound, hoping to secretly identify the troublemaker among them. However, Zhou Cang and the others could not withstand the disdainful and contemptuous gazes from the Tang army. They began to retort angrily, and tensions escalated, ready to erupt at any moment!
Xu Zhen rushed over in a panic but was disheartened by the scene before her. Why was it that no matter where she went, there were always people trying to trip her up? The mastermind behind this truly had far-reaching influence, even infiltrating Wei Gong Li Jing's ranks with hidden agents!
However, this was not the time to ponder the underlying motives. The entrance to the secret passage was extremely well-hidden; without intelligence, the Barbarians would never discover it. For now, they could only suppress their anger, drive back the enemy, and catch the traitor later!
With this thought in mind, Xu Zhen did not hesitate. She sheathed her long knife, struck a fire iron to light a torch, mounted her steed, and took the Pottery from Li Chunfeng's hands. As she charged in, the Tang soldiers surrounding Xu Zhen's main force parted ways upon seeing Colonel Murong Xiao approach.
Xu Zhen shouted loudly: "Zhou Cang, Gao He Shu, grab your shields and cover Colonel Murong Xiao!"
The two men were eager to vent their frustrations. Upon hearing the command, they each took up a long shield with one hand while grasping their weapons with the other. They galloped forward through their own shield formation into the fray!
The sight of them was like heroes descending from heaven; Zhou Cang wielded an unusual weapon like a door plank, while Gao He Shu dragged a heavy Iron Thorn Bud behind him. Their shields were so heavy that it would take three or four men to lift them together, yet they handled them effortlessly as if they weighed nothing at all, even causing their steeds some strain!
Xu Zhen followed closely behind them as if entering a safe harbor; arrows rained down but could not touch her. Seeing that they were only ten steps away from their target, she ignited the fuse and threw the Pottery with all her might!
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