On the 21st day of the twelfth lunar month, the day of the ice skating competition was approaching. A group of people was training on the ice.
There weren't many children, and the people who were skating were no longer the rich people from the beginning.
Instead, they found the male servants or hired helpers at home to practice and relied on them for the competition.
Before dawn, Li Chengqi got up and patrolled the area to check on the situation of the guards before heading to the workshop.
At the first glimmer of dawn, Li Dan and Imperial Concubine Doulu were helped to wash up.
Li Yi began the inspection for the day. As usual, Li Dan accompanied his wife and looked around curiously.
"Where's Li Yi? I'm looking for Li Yi. " Yao Chong finished cleaning up half an hour later than Li Yi. He ran to Li Yi's courtyard and saw Li Chengqi sitting on a chair by the door.
"What do you want to do by inspecting the Imperial Consort?" Li Chengqi didn't intend to move aside or stand up.
"When will she recover?" Yao Chong looked anxious.
"Minister Yao, why don't you eat first? If her gastrointestinal tract isn't good, she should eat porridge. If her gastrointestinal tract isn't good, she should drink milk. Brother Yi said that milk is more nutritious than porridge, but milk will irritate some people's stomachs."
Li Chengqi didn't intend to eat. He wanted to keep watch.
Yao Chong looked around and revealed a smug smile, "King Song, do you know how to make use of people?"
"Scheming against others?" Li Chengqi looked at Yao Chong and gave him a mocking answer.
Yao Chong took a deep breath and recovered.
"King Song, the skill of a hundred craftsmen requires the strength of a hundred craftsmen. Li Yi might have some ingenious ideas, but how much can a single person do?"
Yao Chong said as he took out something from his sleeve.
Li Chengqi yawned, "Doing something is beneficial to the people. Minister Yao, the Confucian arts you learned can't tolerate the Mohist arts?"
"I'm here to let Li Yi know that there are countless capable people in the world, and Boss Mo is proud of his small skills."
Yao Chong took out another item. Previously, it was a paper box the size of half a bar of soap. This time, he took out a lighter.
He crouched down and put the box on the ground, opened the lid, and took out a roll of velvet paper, which was used to start a fire with a flint.
Then, he flicked open the lid of the lighter with a ding.
"Bang!" Li Chengqi jumped up from his chair, dashed forward, and kicked the paper box away.
"Prime Minister Yao, you dare to assassinate me?"
Yao Chong was taken aback. He looked at the lighter in his hand and then at the cardboard box that was kicked away. "King Song, are you trying to frame me?"
"What do you want? Did you ignite it … Boom! "Li Chengqi stared at Yao Chong and asked.
"As expected, King Song's mind is nimble. This minister calls upon hundreds of craftsmen to come up with new things. Someone used saltpeter, sulfur, wood shavings, and honey to create something that can produce sparks and explode mud and stone.
In the cardboard box just now, only sparks could be seen. If it was ignited at night, it would be a real firework. Wealthy families would definitely be willing to buy it.
It can be used to create mud and stone. If there is enough of it, it can be used in wars. How does it compare to Li Yi's? "
Yao Chong introduced the item that he brought along and explained the formula.
Li Chengqi looked at Yao Chong carefully. After a dozen breaths, he pulled Yao Chong, picked up the cardboard box that was kicked away, and walked forward.
When they arrived at the second small square in Zhuangzi, he placed Yao Chong's cardboard box on the ground and looked at it.
"Prime Minister Yao Chong, step back. God knows if this will explode. Let me light it." Li Chengqi gestured for Yao Chong to step back.
Yao Chong slowly stepped back and looked at the cardboard box with his hands in his sleeves.
Li Chengqi reached into his pockets. He had quite a few pockets in his clothes.
He took out his lighter, squatted down, and prepared to jump out at any moment. Then, he stretched out his hand, lit it, and ran.
The tinder burned very quickly and went into the cardboard box.
Then, the cardboard box spurted out a puff of smoke and sparks. In less than a breath, it was gone.
Yao Chong took out another cardboard box and said, "King Song, choose this."
Li Chengqi looked at the size of the cardboard box and nodded. He placed it further away, lit it, and ran.
"Boom ~" This time, there was a big commotion. The smoke was still as thick as before.
"When this thing is big, it can startle horses and also explode people." Yao Chong raised his chin slightly, signaling Li Chengqi to praise it.
Li Chengqi looked at Yao Chong again and said, "The person who can make this is not bad. He can come to Zhuangzi and learn from my Brother Yi."
"Learn? It's Li Yi who learned it from someone else, right? "Yao Chong expressed his disdain.
"Sigh!" Li Chengqi shook his head. He reached into his pocket and took out an item that was about an inch thick and a meter long.
There was a linen cover on the outside of the item. He took it off and tore a piece of paper at the bottom.
He tore it open and revealed a line.
He looked around and carefully placed the item vertically on the ground. He even shook it a little to make sure that it wouldn't fall.
Then, he took a deep breath, squatted down, lit the lighter, and moved closer to the line.
As soon as the lighter was lit, he jumped out, covered his ears, and shut his mouth.
Yao Chong didn't understand. He was stunned. You lit a big incense? Lit it from the bottom?
"Boom ~ ~" With a loud sound, the item on the ground flew up into the sky. Yao Chong's vision blurred and he looked up.
"Boom ~ ~" With another sound, Yao Chong's body trembled violently. His ears were buzzing.
After a while, the pieces of paper fell from the sky. Yao Chong was still in a daze.
"Prime Minister Yao Chong, Prime Minister Yao, wake up." Li Chengqi walked over and called out to Yao Chong while holding back his laughter.
"This … This … What is this?" Yao Chong opened his mouth and pressed his ears as he asked with lingering fear.
"This is Brother Yi's Second Kick, and he wants to sell it too. Prime Minister Yao, what do you think of it?" Li Chengqi smiled.
At this moment, a group of children ran over. The first one that Yao Chong brought had sounded, and when the children heard it, they thought that someone was playing with firecrackers.
But when they saw the scattered pieces of paper on the ground and saw Li Chengqi, they turned around and ran away.
Yao Chong's expression changed. He pursed his lips and frowned at the same time.
"This … This item is too dangerous. It should be handed over to the royal court." Yao Chong said.
Li Chengqi reached into his pocket and took out an identical item. Yao Chong shuddered, "King Song, you … You want to harm an official?"
"Prime Minister Yao, don't you want it? Here, take it and play with it." Li Chengqi passed it to Yao Chong.
Yao Chong took a step back and said, "Don't, be careful not to blow it up. The item that I took was blown up when they were making it. They used heavy objects to smash it, and your item fell to the ground …"
"So, you didn't pay attention to the safety of production. Even so, you still want Brother Yi to hand it over to the royal court? Which workshop do you want me to blow up?" Li Chengqi chuckled.
The children ran over again and carefully cleaned up the scraps of paper in the small square with a brush and broom.
Yao Chong and Wang Chong didn't say a word as they watched on.
When the children were almost done, they reached into their pockets and took out firecrackers. Pah! Pah! It was thrown up.
"What is it this time?" Yao Chong asked casually.
"Brother Yi was afraid that the children would be hurt by my firecrackers, so he specially made a small item that won't hurt anyone. It's called a firecracker." Li Chengqi explained patiently.
"I still have some matters to attend to in the royal court. I'll take my leave first." Yao Chong turned around and prepared to leave.
He was here to show off, and he couldn't help but feel that someone had made something incredible.
Yet, before he could show it off to the person in question, King Song had already bragged about it. Even now, his ears were still ringing.
"Prime Minister Yao, aren't you going to eat breakfast? If you have any difficult matters to decide, why don't you ask my Brother Yi? "Li Chengqi continued attacking him verbally.
You can't make things, but you can't handle political matters either.
"I'll eat." Yao Chong hesitated for a moment before deciding that he couldn't leave on an empty stomach.
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