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墨書 Inktalez
Ancients were perplexed. Despite the teachings of Confucius and Mencius and the various schools of thought from Zhuang Zhou, Han Fei, and Mo Method, many mysteries remained unresolved. They looked to the heavens and the earth, willing to exhaust their lifespans and fortunes in pursuit of understanding the relationship between heaven and humanity, seeking enlightenment even unto death.
Whether it was Li Chunfeng, Qingxiazi, Yan Lide, or Moya, these individuals had already become masters in their own right, yet they still possessed the spirit of "to hear the way in the morning and die in the evening." Undoubtedly, Xu Zhen had opened up a new realm for them, allowing them to glimpse a path that transcended time.
This path might be beyond their current explanation, but when they personally crafted designs and conducted substantial experiments without Xu Zhen's guidance, their observations were enough to drive anyone mad with excitement!
In the world of wandering heroes, it is said that the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed, yet how many can truly penetrate these mysteries?
At least these old fellows did not believe that humanity could truly uncover such secrets. The deeper their knowledge, the broader their vision, and the more extensive their experiences, the more questions arose. If anyone could indeed unravel these mysteries, it would undoubtedly be Xu Zhen!
At least in the minds of these master figures, this was indeed their belief.
Today they began another experiment. Under the protection of Yan Lide's influence, they had already cut off the Dragon Head Canal. The Qin Sheng Palace within Taiyi Mountain and the Emerald Palace on Zhongnan Mountain were all planned and constructed by Yan Lide. Meanwhile, Li Chunfeng had been searching for auspicious locations for the Li Family, intending to build a secret base within Taiyi Mountain and utilize the cut-off Dragon Head Canal solely for experiments; this was no difficult task.
To guard this secret realm, Xu Zhen had also transferred several remaining Rouran Warriors from her direct line to be commanded by Moya, stationed year-round at Taiyi Mountain.
Having waited long at the foot of the mountain without seeing anyone come to her aid, Xu Zhen had no choice but to venture into the mountain herself. Although the secret realm was extremely hidden, with a map in hand and knowledge of key experimental elements, she followed along the riverbank of the Dragon Head Canal. After a short while, she finally spotted a stockade gate. The watchtowers on either side were empty, and it seemed no sentries were present.
At this point, the Dragon Head Canal was surrounded by this stronghold. Upon seeing this, Xu Zhen realized she had arrived at the secret realm serving as an experimental base.
She led her horse to the stockade gate made of bamboo and stone, moved aside the barricade, carefully climbed onto her horse's back, and then scaled up to the top of the gate. After crossing over the sharp wooden fence of the stockade, she jumped into the stronghold.
Walking forward for about half a mile, Xu Zhen still saw no one coming or going. Doubts began to arise in her mind; however, at that moment, faint voices and rumbling water sounds reached her ears from ahead. She quickened her pace.
At this point, she noticed something strange: within the stronghold's section of the Dragon Head Canal, the water flowed increasingly rapidly, with white fish floating on its surface!
As she approached closer, fish began leaping out of the water. In the twilight, those fish sparkled with blue electric light!
"Could it be..." A mixed feeling surged within Xu Zhenxin. He hurried to the edge of the canal water and slowly inserted his long knife into it. Threads of blue-white electric light slithered up like small snakes along his blade. Suddenly feeling a tingling sensation in his arm as if struck by lightning, he quickly withdrew his knife!
"They have indeed completed it! But it seems they have encountered some trouble... No wonder no one came to meet me..."
Xu Zhen gathered her thoughts and quickened her pace, soon seeing a large crowd gathered on the riverbank, transporting sand and vegetation, attempting to block the upstream water.
Downstream, a dam had already been constructed, with three stone towers atop it. From within the towers came booming sounds like muffled thunder, while below the towers, piles of white fish carcasses accumulated at the sluice gate, and blue electric sparks danced across the water's surface.
"Indeed, I still couldn't find a suitable insulating material; this ceramic insulation ultimately isn't tight enough..." Xu Zhen quickly identified the problem.
There was no mistake; part of his ultimate plan required an enormous power supply. To achieve this, Yan Lide and others had cut off the Dragon Head Canal and built a small hydroelectric station here!
To create the hydroelectric generator set, Yan Lide risked severe punishment by smuggling large quantities of copper and iron. Just the production of copper wire and winding coils took over four months!
Initially, they forgot to apply insulating glue between the copper wires in the coils, resulting in everything being ready. However, once they opened the sluice to release water, the generator short-circuited instantly, melting down into a complete mess.
The older craftsmen were not as impatient as younger ones; although they felt somewhat discouraged, they quickly rose to the challenge and resolved this issue. After five months of effort, they finally rebuilt the generator.
These three generators represented the collective efforts of some of the most talented individuals in the Tang Dynasty. With resources from the Ministry of Works, Yan Lide, as the Minister of Works, discreetly coordinated efforts with Li Chunfeng, the Taichang Doctor, along with folk talents like Qingxiazi and Moya. They personally directed trusted craftsmen gathered over the years, investing substantial manpower and resources to create them.
This was not their first experiment. They initially planned to wait for Xu Zhen to arrive so they could surprise her. However, they did not anticipate that the heat resistance of the insulator was too poor; after running for a short time, the generator overheated and melted its cables, causing a short circuit. Even their simple switch burned out completely, making it impossible for them to approach or cut off power; they could only resort to the most rudimentary method—cutting off the water flow!
Another machine that Xu Zhen needed required a significant amount of electricity, but these three generators had sufficient power. Li Chunfeng and his team did not understand power conversion; Xu Zhen could not impart this knowledge to them either. She could only prepare various data in advance for them to follow step by step, which inevitably led to some trial and error.
Once reaching the mountains, the flow of water in the Dragon Head Canal diminished significantly. Although cutting it off would not be too difficult, it would still keep nearly a hundred craftsmen and guards busy for most of the day.
Everyone worked fervently; Yan Lide and his colleagues had invested much of their lives into this project. They anxiously directed operations until they finally recognized Xu Zhen when Xu Zhen appeared before them!
Although they had anticipated that Xu Zhen would come looking for them, seeing her again after three years brought great joy. However, with engineering challenges at hand, there was little time for reminiscing. Xu Zhen simply set down her sword, removed her clothing, and joined the artisans in their hard work.
These craftsmen were elite figures from the Tang Dynasty who found it hard to believe in such an extraordinary project. Their admiration for its designer reached new heights.
To this end, they voluntarily mobilized the resources of their sect and recruited some loyal fellow disciples, gradually expanding their team. However, Yan Lide and others informed them that the chief designer was someone else.
At that moment, they saw Xu Zhen personally transporting sand, soil, and bamboo. Who would have thought that this middle-aged man in his thirties was the mastermind behind the project!
They worked tirelessly until nightfall when the Canal Water was finally cut off. The sluice gate stopped the flow, and the machinery ceased operation. Yan Lide and others skillfully used baskets to lower down from the stone tower to check the melted cables and ceramic insulators.
After several inspections and identifying the cause of the problem, they finally felt relieved. They took Xu Zhen back to their residence. To reward the hardworking Artisans for their efforts throughout the day and to welcome Xu Zhen's arrival, they slaughtered pigs and sheep in the Stronghold, built a bonfire, and set up a feast. Everyone drank fine wine and enjoyed hearty meals, reveling in joy.
These craftsmen were rare talents, and Yan Lide had never treated them poorly. Moreover, they were all loyal individuals who willingly kept secrets, like family members. Their living conditions had never been lacking, and even their families were well taken care of.
Xu Zhen held a high rank; although he had never cared much about it, his fief income was substantial, and his salary and military pay were considerable as well. Together with Yan Lide and others contributing funds, financial resources were not an issue.
As they drank fine wine and sliced golden, juicy roasted meat, they listened to Xu Zhen recount his experiences in Tuguhun and how he was urgently summoned back to Court to repel the Helu Tribe's rebellion. The old friends were astonished one after another.
Although Xu Zhen did not boast about his achievements, they could still sense the ups and downs and thrilling moments from his words. He also shared with them the bittersweet experiences of researching and constructing this grand project over the years. Despite the difficulties, Xu Zhen could see their satisfaction and pride on their faces.
Given Xu Zhen's friendship with them, there was no need for him to feign gratitude. As the construction commander for the hardware facilities, Yan Lide took the initiative to discuss the challenges they faced.
In fact, after several experiments, there were no longer technical issues; now the problem lay with materials.
A month ago, Yan Lide had someone transport a batch of copper ore from Longyou. Of course, it was of a clandestine nature; although he had made arrangements, some people still refused to give him face.
Ultimately, that batch of copper ore was intercepted. Although it wasn’t reported to Sovereign, that person claimed it for himself while Yan Lide and others could only suffer in silence.
Xu Zhen frowned and couldn't help but ask, "Who is so audacious as to refuse even Yan the Minister's face?"
Yan Lide merely sighed lightly while Li Chunfeng took a swig of wine beside him and replied, "It's Minister of War Cui Dunli..."
Thanks to Murong Hanzhu successfully rising to power as a close minister to the emperor and gaining Li Zhi's favor, members of Boling Cui Clan began infiltrating the court continuously, growing their influence ever stronger.
Murong Hanzhu seems to have ulterior motives regarding the Tuguhun. Previously, he brought Princess Guanghua of the Sui Dynasty back to the Tang Dynasty, and now he is advising the Sovereign to also welcome Princess Honghua from the Zhenguan Era back to the Tang.
Although the officials in the court do not understand his intentions, it is clear that this move has won Li Zhi's favor, further enhancing Murong Hanzhu's reputation and status.
The Cui Clan's officials are spread throughout the six ministries. While there are not many high-ranking officials among them, they completely control the grassroots power. Murong Hanzhu has grand ambitions, yet no one dares to confront him directly. Changsun Wuji has begun to exclude and impeach him.
However, Li Zhi regards Murong Hanzhu as a trusted aide, and even Zhu Suiliang and others have placed their trust in him, viewing him as a pioneer against Changsun Wuji's faction.
In this situation, Cui Dunli intercepted Yan Lide's smuggling of copper mines. It is fortunate that he did not expose this matter.
Copper is essential for minting coins, and the consequences of private trafficking are dire. Cui Dunli has seized leverage over Yan Lide and is beginning to pressure him to retire so that the Cui Clan can install their own people in place of the Minister of Works, completely taking over this lucrative department.
Yan Lide is in despair, while Xu Zhen contemplates her strategy.
As she prepares to marry Li Mingda, she knows that he will undoubtedly become Li Zhi's right-hand man. Is this leading towards a love-hate relationship with Murong Hanzhu?
Xu Zhen has been devising this plan since her first day in the Tang Dynasty, and now that it has finally come halfway to fruition, no one can stop her progress!
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