Although Tubo, Tujue, and Khitan were hostile to the Tang dynasty, they still had people in charge of diplomacy in the Tang dynasty.
Naturally, diplomats were in charge of intelligence gathering.
Most of the intelligence they had collected was about a certain official or a relative.
This included things in the palace and what the emperor of the Tang dynasty liked.
Since last year, the intelligence they collected pointed more to the Li Family Zhuangzi.
They said that Li Yi took out something from Li Nong the day before yesterday. They drew the blueprint and sent it back. They couldn't bring the real thing because they would be stopped.
They said that Li Yi took out something yesterday and continued to draw the blueprint and send it back.
They said that Li Yi asked the people to dig ice to make money. He also gave them tools to stand on ice and tools to drill ice.
They said that Li Yi asked the people of Chang 'an to make money by rubbing mud. The people had a better life and had more money to spare.
They said that the fireworks made by Li Yi could be used to bomb the enemy. They were very powerful. Even if they bought them, they would only be watched.
They said that Li Yi took the chickens and ducks on Zhuangzi to Henan Province. A large area east of Taihang Mountains had been attacked by locusts. The chickens and ducks were dealing with it.
Before two days of peace, an even more frightening news came out. Li Yi made a big ball that could fly people in the sky.
How could the envoys from other countries not know what the commoners could think of?
This big ball was deadly. The Military forces of the Tang dynasty prepared a large number of people. How should they deal with it?
Both sides agreed to set up a formation and look for opportunities to kill.
However, the Tang dynasty flew over and specifically looked for flags to attack. How could they command?
No, they couldn't let the Tang dynasty have it. No, they couldn't just let the Tang dynasty have it. They wanted it too.
Whether they wanted to fight the Tang dynasty or other countries, the envoys were all thinking about the new thing.
"It's right to dismiss the workers. It's useless to keep them." Yao Chong went to Earthly Paradise for dinner. Wei Zhigu didn't come today.
"Yuanzhi, don't keep thinking about it," Lu Huaishen advised.
He understood how much Yao Chong had worried about the matter of Baigong, how much trouble he had caused.
"Now that it's spread all over the city, we haven't seen the real thing, so we have to think of a way." Zhang Shuo changed the topic back to business.
"But a ball that can make people fly must have its drawbacks. Like a flying lamp, it can only move with the wind. "
Lu Huaishen followed the topic.
Yao Chong looked at the lantern light outside. "I'm not sure how many people we can kill, but I do know that as long as the wind blows towards the enemy, they will definitely be on tenterhooks.
It was fine during the day, but when the wind blew at night, would the soldiers be able to rest peacefully? Who isn't afraid of being ambushed in the dark? "
Yao Chong realized that the ball's deterrence might be greater than its actual combat strength.
"It's best if it's not easy to copy. Otherwise, I'd rather not create it to equip the army than let the enemy learn it."
Lu Huaishen spoke his mind. He was afraid that the Tubo and Turks would use hot air balloons to cause trouble in the Tang dynasty.
"The wind is too strong. If it blows away, can the ball still fly back?"
Zhang Shuo frowned. He knew about the Kongming Lantern.
A kite needs to be connected by a string. How long does the ball need to be connected by a rope?
"I haven't seen it yet, so I don't know where to start. Ask His Majesty to take one to the palace and have a meal."
Yao Chong realized that there was nothing to discuss at the moment, so he didn't say anything.
Zhuangzi was eating, and the 500 Winged Knights went to get their food. The topic of discussion was the hot air balloon.
"When I went up today, the wind was blowing towards the east at a height of 200 feet. But when I rose to 300 feet, it was blowing towards the southeast. When I reached 500 feet, it blew towards the west."
"I noticed that too, but when I was 100 feet, the wind blew towards the north, and when I reached 500 feet, it blew towards the northwest."
"Is it because the greater the difference in height, the more obvious the change in direction of the wind?"
"Let's see tomorrow and fly higher. If that's the case, we can adjust the height and change the direction."
The Winged Knights discovered a secret in their conversation. As long as they were familiar with the height and direction of the wind.
After the hot air balloon flew out without a rope, it could still fly back.
When it flew over the enemy's head, it could choose the right height and turn back. The process would be slower, but it could still cause damage to the enemy.
When the wind was too strong, it couldn't fly.
Li Yi, who was eating in a private room, talked about his new idea.
"Make a batch of Kongming lanterns. Make them a little bigger, put alchemical fire oil in them, and then take a plate of incense and light it on the rope of the holder inside.
When the incense is burned there, the rope will be burned, and the lamp or candle will be tilted. The alchemical fire oil will be ignited, and the fire will burn the paper.
The burning alchemical fire oil will fall from the sky and ignite the enemy camp below.
Many Kongming lanterns will fly off, fly far away, and waste things.
But in a battle, if it's successful at the critical moment, the enemy camp will be in chaos. "
Li Yi talked about his new idea. If both sides fought, it would succeed once.
"No, if the enemy sees it, they will copy it. Tubo always likes to sneak attack the Tang dynasty."
Li Chengqi heard this and thought that it was a good idea. A large number of Kongming lanterns flew with the wind, and some of them fell down.
No one thought that if they reminded the enemy, the enemy would gather the Kongming lanterns for one attack.
When the wind was right, they would release them to burn the Tang dynasty's army provisions and other things. The Tang dynasty's losses would be more than the cost of making the Kongming lanterns.
Li Longji nodded. "Yes, don't say it, lest it gets out."
"Ah!" Li Yi thought that it made sense. He didn't know how much money the Turks had, but Tubo had craftsmen, fields, and oil.
If Tubo wanted to make them, they could definitely make them.
Nothing happened that night. The next day, the craftsmen in Zhuangzi made two more hot air balloons.
The Winged Knights continued to test the balloons. The length of the rope was controlled at two hundred feet, and they could only use up the rope at most.
This time, more people heard the news and came to watch. They couldn't enter Zhuangzi, so they watched from outside Bashui.
The hot air balloons were big enough to see them rise.
This included the envoys from the various countries. When they saw the three balls moving up and down today, their worries were written all over their faces.
The people of the Tang dynasty cheered when they saw the balloons, as if the Tang dynasty would destroy all the surrounding forces tomorrow.
Li Longji's morning court session ended, but Yao Chong and the other two didn't leave.
"Your Majesty, I heard that the Li Family Zhuangzi has a new item. It's a ball-shaped item with a basket under it and a person in the basket. Do you know …"
Yao Chong asked directly.
Before he could finish, Li Longji nodded. "Yes, a hot air balloon. The Winged Knights are training it. In the future, they will look for suitable weather and opportunities to attack the enemy on the battlefield."
"Is it easy to make?" Lu Huaishen was worried.
"It's easy. The Li Family Zhuangzi is easy to make. The alcohol used can't be made by others, and the alcohol burner can't be made by others." Li Longji understood what the old official was thinking.
Zhang Shuo asked, "How much will it cost?"
"I'll pay for it. You don't have to worry."
Li Longji didn't mention the cost, and he didn't want the national treasury to pay for it. Zuo Zang took the money, and the imperial court had to supervise.
How could Li Yi's Zhuangzi be controlled by others? Moreover, the cost was divided into the cost of materials and the cost of technology.
The materials weren't expensive, but the technology was hard to come up with by Li Yi.
Oh, it wasn't easy.
"Your Majesty, we'd like to see it." Yao Chong was helpless when he heard that Li Longji didn't want to use the imperial court's money.
The previous gunpowder was not controlled by the imperial court. It was dangerous.
Now, the hot air balloon was not controlled by the imperial court. A hot air balloon with gunpowder could float from Zhuangzi to the Imperial City …
"Tomorrow morning, I'll send the Winged Knights to bring one over." Li Longji agreed.
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