Jinzhan. Fu felt embarrassed when she wanted to say these two words, because they were too vulgar. She didn't have a full name, because a woman's full name was basically useless, and the military commander Fu Yanqing was too lazy to give her one; she only had a nickname, Jinzhan. When she was a child, some people called her Da Jinzhan, which was even more unpleasant.
When Fu was born, Fu Yanqing was very happy and gave her a golden cup as a toy. Then the nurse first called her Jinzhan, and later the elders around her also called her that, and it became her nickname. Fortunately, I heard that there are children from ordinary families named Goudan Shugen, saying that the lower the name, the easier it is to raise a child; Fu's family was a wealthy family, so they were embarrassed to do so, so they named her Jinzhan to get by.
No one has called her by this nickname for many years. Even her father Fu Yanqing doesn't call her by this name now. Her wet nurse and biological mother have both passed away. Maybe only Fu Yanqing remembers this name, but who knows if he has forgotten it. Anyway, the emperor doesn't know this name.
You don't need to write anything, just tell Jingniang that these two words are the answer. Fu knew how to write that kind of secret letter but she didn't write it. She didn't keep the things sent to her, she just remembered them in her heart.
She believes that you can find anything in a person, but no one can find what is in your heart. Only what you think in your heart is free and has no restrictions.
Although there are only two words, Jingniang had to run from Tokyo to Huainan to deliver the message in person. Perhaps these two words contain a lot of content. At least Fu Shi herself thinks that this nickname is more important. In this world, if Fu Yanqing forgets it, then only she will remember it.
When Jingniang arrived in Yangzhou, Huainan, it was already September, and the season had entered late autumn and early winter.
Jinzhan, Jingniang also whispered in his ear: It's her nickname.
Guo Shao understood immediately, remembering that she had said in the letter that she wanted to know her name. Now that she had said it, it not only proved that she was not angry at Guo Shao's rudeness, but responded to him. Before the Shouzhou battle, Guo Shao was indeed in a very low mood and did not take time to think about anything. He wrote the letter on impulse. He thought he was going to die at the time, so it was okay to say it before he died.
When a person's life is threatened, it is easy to do things that he would not do under normal circumstances. It is okay to be killed by someone's knife without paying attention, but the process of knowing that you are going to die and slowly waiting for that moment to come is really terrifying.
But it's all over now.
The word "Jinzhan" contains so much. Guo Shao can think of some things immediately, but there are still some things that need to be savored slowly. The heart of a woman is like a needle in the sea.
Guo Shao sat by the window with his eyes closed and stopped talking. For a moment, he didn't care about Jing Niang's "Please allow me to indulge in my fantasy first."
Unexpectedly, before he could fully experience the feeling, his sweet dream was disturbed by a report from his personal soldiers: the emperor summoned him.
Guo Shao quickly stood up and went to the bedroom to find his official uniform to change into. Turning around, he saw Jingniang and Yang looking at each other. Guo Shao said, "This is Jingniang, Yang Niang, you can trust her. I'm going to see the emperor first."
He brought a personal soldier with him, followed the general who reported the news on horseback, and came to the palace of yesterday. However, today they were not in the main hall, but in a smaller room that looked like a teahouse.
There were no civil or military officials, only two people: Chai Rong, who sat at a wooden table on the upper throne, and Wang Pu, who sat below. There was only one person beside the emperor, not Wei Renpu, but Wang Pu. Wang Pu should be in his fifties, but he looked very old.
Guo Shao was flattered to be summoned by the emperor in private. He kowtowed and said: "I am summoned to meet Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live forever."
"Get up, get up." Chai Rong's words were not as majestic as usual, but rather gentle.
When Guo Shao climbed up carefully, he glanced at the emperor from the corner of his eye, but saw that he had a very deliberate smile on his face. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Guo Shao gritted his teeth and stood below with his hands hanging down, waiting for the emperor's questions.
Unexpectedly, it was Wang Pu who spoke first. Wang Pu asked in a friendly manner: I heard that when General Guo attacked Shouzhou, he blew down the city wall several feet wide. It seems that he used the Taoist alchemy term "gunpowder" to make it collapse. How did General Guo do it
Chai Rong immediately said in a friendly way: Since ancient times, military generals have had some unique skills. Deputy Envoy Wang, please don't force your question. If Guo Shao doesn't want to talk, then forget it.
Wang Pu said: There are still many important towns and cities in Huainan. If we can blow them up in the same way, we can save a lot of time in Huainan. It is related to the military and national strategy.
Chai Rong said: We can't force them. If there is a city that cannot be conquered, we can just send Guo Shao.
Ancient military generals all had some unique skills that they planned to pass down among their family. These were things that would make a family of military generals famous, and they would never be willing to pass them on to others. Just like famous craftsmen in various industries, they would not teach all their skills to their apprentices. Some skills were passed down from generation to generation only to sons, and legend has it that Qi Jiguang of the Ming Dynasty wrote down his own set of skills for training and managing the army because he had no successors. Otherwise, these would be his private skills that could not be disclosed.
That was why Chai Rong acted so timidly. In fact, he respected his own military generals. Otherwise, once the emperor's majesty was revealed, he would have to say something.
Guo Shao listened to their singing and finally understood what Chai Rong and Wang Pu were trying to do. This emperor and his ministers really acted like a duet, cooperating very well, as if they had rehearsed it.
Damn, I have to say it out loud. The emperor has already said that. If you don't accept my toast, you will be punished.
There was no other way. He could say it, but he had to hint at how painful it was to let it go. Guo Shao then looked miserable, as if his heart was being taken away. Chai Rong sighed twice when he saw this.
Guo Shao then said: "It was not easy to get this." After saying this, he slightly tilted his head.
Wang Pu immediately waved to the two eunuchs at the door: Go, go, stay away.
At this time, Guo Shaocai said: "As long as Your Majesty needs it, I am willing to offer it to Your Majesty. But I have some words to advise you."
You can say it, Chai Rong said generously.
Guo Shaodao: Your Majesty is no less capable of civil and military affairs than Emperor Taizong of Tang. You are naturally not afraid of the northern nomadic cavalry. You only need to fight with a large army to break the harassment of the nomadic cavalry. But when your Majesty unifies the world in the future, the world will be peaceful and the world will enter a peaceful era. I am afraid that future generations will be content with peace and will not know how to fight. If they cannot fight in the field, they can only rely on high walls and strong cities to resist foreign humiliation. Once this method of destroying a strong city is passed on, it will be even more difficult for future generations to defend the city and the wall. The right way is a double-edged sword. It is sharp when used, but it can hurt you if you are not careful.
After hearing this, Chai Rong nodded and praised: Zhao Kuangyin said that you care about the world, what did you say
Wang Pudao: Every man has a share of responsibility for the rise and fall of his country.
Yes, yes. Chai Rong smiled and said, you are right, this method cannot be leaked.
Guo Shaosui said: I am usually interested in Taoism, although I only know the basics, but I love to visit those hermits and masters. This method was obtained in Huashan. The Taoists used it to hide the fire, and it was only after I thought of using it to blow up the city.
Guo Shao then explained the preparation and proportion of the gunpowder. He even explained the method of filtering the saltpeter impurities and boiling and crystallizing it into a solid state. At that time, many personal soldiers were involved in the production of gunpowder for the twelve coffins. If Guo Shao did not explain these processes, if someone was asked about it, it would make the emperor unhappy, but he still kept it in reserve.
He neglected to mention the group method for testing the power of gunpowder; this seems simple but is actually useful. Charcoal and sulfur both have impurities, and the ratio should vary depending on the origin. Although the ratio of active ingredients will only affect part of the explosive power, the group test does not require too many people, so only Zuo You and a few others were present.
There is another trick that Guo Shao deliberately didn't mention. When he had people bury the gunpowder, he asked his personal soldiers to go into the tunnel and tamp the soil on all sides, and then seal the tunnel with soil to make it airtight. Unless someone with supernatural powers can understand the reason, who can understand the reason? Gunpowder is explosive, and if it is not tamped and sealed, the power of the explosion will be hard to say.
It is not easy to succeed immediately just by knowing the formula of gunpowder. It is normal for people who have never done it to fail in actual operation. Anyway, it is not Guo Shao's fault at that time. It is others who did not do well in some unclear places. It cannot be blamed on the gunpowder itself.
Guo Shao decided to keep some of the things he had learned after considering the pros and cons. He originally thought that handing over all his knowledge to the court for control would be beneficial to the process of unification, but then he remembered that who knows what will happen to Zhao Kuangyin in the future? Zhao Kuangyin was already a military general and an important official, and he might get these things in the future; without Zhao Kuangyin, there would be other military generals who might turn against him. Things are unpredictable, so why not keep some of the things he had learned and see how they turn out
Guo Shao added: "We can't rely too much on this method when attacking a city. For a city with thicker and stronger walls than Shouzhou or a city with poor underground conditions, it may not collapse. It may work well if used occasionally, but if it is used all the time, the generals defending the city will be prepared and may not let us bury the medicine with peace of mind. Even if we spend a lot of effort to blow it down, we may not be able to attack."
Wang Pudao: General Guo is right. The army wins by its regular tactics, and clever strategies are only auxiliary.
Chai Rong praised: Guo Shao's loyalty and bravery are commendable.
Guo Shao was delighted after hearing this. The emperor's words seemed to be spoken casually, but there was a word of loyalty in his commendation. The emperor often commended military commanders, and there were always some particularities.
At this time, a civil servant came to the door and said: "Your Majesty, the envoy of the Southern Tang Kingdom has arrived." Wang Pu was writing what he had just written, and at this moment he stopped writing and turned to Chai Rong and said: "The envoy of the Southern Tang Kingdom must be here to ask for peace. Why don't you let him present the letter first to see what the conditions are, and there is no need to rush to summon the civil and military ministers."
Chai Rong nodded calmly. Wang Pu then said: "Go and bring the envoy up and have him present the letter of credence."
After hearing this, Guo Shao said: "I'd like to take my leave."
Wang Pu said: It's not a secret, so why not General Guo stay here and serve the emperor today.