April is the season of late spring, before the arrival of early summer. The grass and trees are lush and the climate is pleasant. In April, the entire Pingxi County is filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers.
At dusk on April 6, the sky was high and the air was clear. A black luxury four-wheeled carriage pulled by two majestic black rhinoceros horses appeared at the eastern city gate entrance of Pingxi City.
The black carriage has a calm temperament, and the glass on the door is glazed mosaic glass with a pure silver edge, which is exquisite and elegant. There is also an exquisite copper dragon and tiger logo on the side of the carriage close to the driver's seat. All these things add up to make anyone with a discerning eye know that this carriage is exactly the style produced by the manufacturing bureau. It is said that the orders for the manufacturing bureau's four-wheeled carriages are now scheduled for three years later, and there is still a shortage of supply. Those who can travel in this kind of four-wheeled carriage must be rich or noble.
There were eight warriors with solemn auras and carrying bows and swords on their backs, riding on rhinoceros horses and guarding the carriage in front and behind. People with such aura and style of travel certainly could not be thieves, so the soldiers guarding the city gate just glanced at these people and let the carriage and the accompanying guards into the city.
The carriage drove into the city, and before it had gone a hundred meters, it found that an alley on the side of the street in front was crowded with many people. It was very lively. A large group of people were queuing in the alley, and the line extended from the alley to the street. The people in the line were holding bags, jars and the like, and they were talking about something happily. While people here were queuing, there were people carrying bags or jars and the like, rushing over from afar and joining the line.
If it was another carriage, it might have ignored the people queuing up on the street and passed by. But when the black carriage saw people queuing up, it stopped on the side of the street. A man's voice came from the window of the carriage, "Rengui, go and see what's going on!"
"Yes, Second Master!" Upon hearing the voice coming from the carriage, a young guard next to him jumped off his rhino horse, walked into the crowd queuing on the street, chatted with an elderly man, and then came to the window of the carriage and answered respectfully, "Second Master, a mill with a water mill has just opened in this alley. The owner of the mill is offering a special opening price today. He can grind two liters of rice and flour for the neighbors for free. So when people heard the news, they all came here to line up..."
"Okay, got it, let's go!" After this voice came out, the exquisite glazed windows of the carriage closed again. The "Second Master" who was sitting in the carriage and talking turned his head, looked at the woman sitting next to him, and said with some sigh, "My family just asked someone to buy two water-lighters from the manufacturing bureau last month. Now the two water-lighters have been handed over to your sixth uncle. Your sixth uncle is taking the craftsmen in the family to disassemble and study them. I heard that they have already made some progress and it is not difficult to imitate them. I didn't expect that there is already a water-lighter mill in Pingxi City. The speed is too fast..."
This "Second Master" was none other than the second uncle who watched the martial arts competition between Yan Liqiang and Cai Yingwu of Feitianmen on the hillside beside Tianchi on January 1. The full name of this second uncle was Zhong Hongzhang. He was the second in command of the Zhong family in Lanzhou, northwest China, and the second younger brother of Zhong Hongyan, the head of the Lan family.
Next to Zhong Hongzhang sat a beautiful girl in a white dress, with picturesque features and a dignified manner. The girl smiled after hearing what Zhong Hongzhang said, "The Manufacturing Bureau sells a four-wheeled carriage for at least 5,000 taels of silver, and no bargaining is allowed. It is simply the most profitable business in the Han Empire. However, they only sell one water-fire machine for 800 taels of silver, which is less than one-sixth of the price of a four-wheeled carriage. I see that the manufacturing process of the water-fire machine is not simpler than that of a four-wheeled carriage, and it is even more complicated and laborious. The cost is not much cheaper. The Manufacturing Bureau has such manpower, but instead of being busy making four-wheeled carriages to make more money, it is willing to invest its manpower and energy in this relatively unprofitable water-fire machine. Second uncle, what do you think Yan Liqiang wants to do..."
"Uh..." Zhong Hongzhang frowned slightly under the gaze of the girl next to him, then stroked his beard, thought for a while before speaking, "I heard that the water and fire machine was invented by Yan Liqiang and Zhang Yourong, the world's number one master of mechanisms. Even the Lingshan Sect's Qianji Hall admits this. For this reason, many people now compare Yan Liqiang's attainments in the art of mechanism research with Zhang Yourong, and believe that Yan Liqiang's realm in the art of mechanism research is not inferior to Zhang Yourong. Yan Liqiang asked the Manufacturing Bureau to manufacture the water and fire machine. If he didn't want to make money, he naturally wanted fame. Wherever the water and fire machine spreads, his reputation will naturally spread. A good reputation will naturally bring countless benefits to a person, just like now, there are already two masters of mechanism research in the world!"
"Of course what Second Uncle said is right, but for some reason, I always feel that Yan Liqiang asked the Manufacturing Bureau to go to the trouble of making a water-fire machine, perhaps for other reasons!"
"Oh, according to what you said, Ruolan, if Yan Liqiang is not after money or fame, then why?"
Zhong Ruolan frowned slightly and said, "Perhaps, he just wants to make the water lighter more popular, so that more people can use it and know about it. He doesn't even mind if someone buys it and imitates it to make money from the gun manufacturing bureau!"
"Based on my life experience, a person must have a purpose when doing something. If Yan Liqiang did this for money or fame, then it must be because of a greater purpose. But if someone else buys this water fire machine or imitates it, no matter how they use it, it has nothing to do with him. Even the Prime Minister and the Northwest Transport Commissioner can buy it and find someone to imitate it for use, and he has no right to interfere. So why is he doing this and taking the trouble to do so?"
Zhong Ruolan sighed, "This is exactly what I am confused about. I think about it over and over again, but I still don't know why he does this. I really can't see through this person..."
"It's okay. If you don't understand, you can read it slowly. We came to Pingxi County this time just for him. Although there are many talented people among the younger generation of our Zhong family, the head of the family has chosen many young people this time. In terms of age, ability, appearance, and other conditions, only you, Ruolan, stand out and are the most capable of taking on this responsibility. You are suitable to come to Pingxi County with me!" Zhong Hongzhang looked at his niece with a meaningful look, "This time, the important task is placed on you."
Hearing Zhong Hongzhang's words, Zhong Ruolan's eyes moved, and a layer of bright clouds flew on her face. She was extremely beautiful, but her expression was still calm. She even said with a hint of determination and arrogance on her face, "Don't worry, Second Uncle. The head of the family had already talked to me before I came. The head of the family said that this Zhong family is not the Zhong family of one person, but the Zhong family of all Zhong family members. I am also a member of the Zhong family. I know what to do..."
"That's good. Looking at the young talents of this generation in the Northwestern states, no one can be compared with Yan Liqiang. Last time I saw him from a distance at Tianchi, from a distance, Yan Liqiang was still a handsome young man with an upright figure!"
"Second Uncle..." Zhong Ruolan's face turned even redder, and she said coquettishly...
“Hahaha, no more, no more. When you meet Yan Liqiang, you’ll know that your uncle didn’t lie to you…” Zhong Hongzhang laughed all of a sudden, and then sighed, “The Lu family of Pingxi County is really lucky!”
The black carriage was moving slowly through Pingxi City. After a while, it arrived at another street in Pingxi City. It was almost time to eat. At the door of a newly opened "Yan's Charity Hall" on that street, many beggars and old and young were queuing up with bowls and chopsticks to get porridge, vegetables and steamed buns at the door of the charity hall. After receiving the food, they squatted on the roadside and ate with relish...
When the black carriage passed by Yan's Charity Hall, the window of the carriage opened again. The people inside took a look at the sign of "Yan's Charity Hall" and did not stop the carriage, but continued to move forward.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the black carriage and the attendants arrived at the door of a quiet mansion in the wealthy area of Pingxi City and stopped. An old man in butler's clothes and more than a dozen servants were waiting respectfully at the door. As soon as the people in the carriage got off, they welcomed them in...
(End of this chapter)