The First Lackey Under The Empress

Facing Zhao Du'an's inquiry, the two "students" in the room didn't respond immediately.

Gongshu Tianyuan propped his cheek, feigning deep thought, staring at the arc on the paper, lost in the novel calculation methods.

Chen Huoshen held the crude drawings, his face flushed red.

Zhao Du'an threw out too much at once, leaving the two dazed and disoriented.

Clearly, they needed some time to digest it.

“It seems it's not needed for now.” Zhao Du'an smiled contentedly, clapped his hands to attract their attention, and said:

“So, now, can you try to create this new type of firearm?”

Chen Huoshen excitedly said:

“Give me two… no, one night, and I can refine the musket drawings into a preliminary form.”

Gongshu Tianyuan said confidently: “As long as he can draw it, I can build it.”

“Good,” Zhao Du'an said, “In that case, how about we start by building this musket?”

Chen Gui couldn't wait to dedicate himself immediately, seeing the firearm about to be advanced once more in his hands; how could he, who had devoted most of his life to this, not be excited?

He only said with trepidation: “This official certainly has no objections, but the Divine Craftsman…”

Gongshu Tianyuan's expression was serious and earnest, and he said:

“I will go all out.”

He paused, adding:

“Not for the Divine Mechanism Camp, but for my cultivation.”

As a Craftsman God Artificer, to improve, one needs to create objects that are recognized.

If this firearm can truly be promoted, it will greatly benefit Gongshu Tianyuan's cultivation.

In other words, Zhao Du'an's visit today was not to have him repay a favor, but rather to deepen the favor he owed.

Whether it was this novel knowledge or the opportunity to enhance cultivation and break through realms, they were all weighty matters.

“Envoy, I won't thank you with mere words; leave this matter to me!”

Gongshu Tianyuan patted his chest to guarantee.

Zhao Du'an smiled and waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to be so serious, and then instructed the two:

“Regarding the new type of firearm, this is a military secret. Manufacturing it will be difficult to conceal, but I hope the drawings and other secrets remain in your bellies. Before the experiment is successful, I don't want a fourth person to know.”

Gongshu Tianyuan readily agreed, full of confidence.

He stated that no thief could enter the Celestial Master Mansion to steal.

Chen Huoshen's heart stirred, recalling the incident of the "fire lance" being stolen by the Jing Prince's mansion spies—as the chief official of the Firearm Bureau, he had undergone multiple investigations.

If it were leaked again… he would be derelict in his duty.

Thinking of this, he repeatedly guaranteed that he would never allow the nation's important weapon to be stolen.

Zhao Du'an, however, wasn't nervous. On one hand, he actually hoped someone would come to steal it.

On the other hand, even if the musket drawings were stolen, it wouldn't matter.

Because he had only taken out the "matchlock musket" this time, while still holding the more advanced "flintlock musket" back.

This was to prevent any further accidents.

Anyway, the flintlock musket only changed the ignition method; the rest of the manufacturing process was not much different from the matchlock musket. He would first order the research on the matchlock musket.

After success, switching to the flintlock wouldn't be delayed.

Immediately, the three agreed that the two would cooperate in developing the new type of firearm.

Outwardly, they would only say that Zhao Du'an had used his connections to invite the Divine Craftsman to be a “consultant.”

“I hope that you can make a batch of finished products as soon as possible, preferably within this month, or early next month. Even if you use some artificer methods, make a batch and conduct a drill in the army to verify it.”

Finally, Zhao Du'an said.

The two immediately agreed, guaranteeing they would complete it.

With drawings and artificer-level craftsmanship, making a small batch was not difficult.

The difficulty lay in how to mass-produce it with mortal craftsmen later.

Chen Huoshen was already looking forward to the sensation that the new type of firearm drill would cause later.

Not to mention the lords of the Privy Council, even the current Empress would be greatly surprised, right?

Thinking of this, when he looked at Zhao Qian'shi again, it was with more respect than anything else.

He thought:

“Now, countless mediocre people in the Capital Garrison slander and question him.

When they know what kind of changes Zhao Qian'shi has brought to the Divine Mechanism Camp, they will understand that Zhao Qian'shi's arrival is clearly a blessing for the entire Capital Garrison, and even countless soldiers. How foolish was their previous resistance.”

Zhao Du'an finished his instructions and prepared to leave when Gongshu Tianyuan suddenly stopped him:

“Envoy, please take this to my junior sister to try and see if it's suitable.”

He conjured a palm-sized wooden box as if by magic, smiling and said:

“I just finished making it and was about to send it over.”

Zhao Du'an was stunned for a moment, opened the box, glanced at it, was slightly surprised, smiled, put the box into his sleeve, and nodded:

“Alright. You guys be busy.”

Turning around and walking out of the room, he thought, who said the disciples of the Celestial Master don't understand worldly affairs?

… …

“Lord! You've come out!”

As soon as Zhao Du'an walked out, he first heard the voices of the two “door gods.”

After nodding, he was surprised to see Jin Jian, the Divine Craftsman, sitting on a large water tank in the courtyard, swinging her little legs gently, waiting idly.

Qian K柔 explained:

“The Divine Craftsman came over just now. When she learned that you had important business inside, she didn't go in.”

So polite? The last time you sneaked into my house to peep at me taking a bath, you weren't like this… Clearly, you're worried about being discovered by Gongshu Tianyuan, right… Zhao Du'an frantically complained.

He said to the two: “You wait for me here, I'll be right back.”

Then, he gave Jin Jian a “you know” look, and the two walked out of the courtyard.

… …

Inside the Celestial Master Mansion, on a tree-lined path.

Zhao Du'an was rarely strolling side by side with Jin Jian.

“Why did the Divine Craftsman come over? Could it be that you knew I was coming? Did you come to see me specially?”

Zhao Du'an smiled in a particularly harmless way:

“Has the subsequent dividend come out?”

“……” Jin Jian's body, which had been walking with her head down, suddenly stiffened, and she pulled away a distance in place, guarding her purse around her waist vigilantly, shaking her head frantically:

“There is no! There is no!”

Then, she explained:

“I came to find Senior Brother to see if that thing has been made yet.”

“This?”

Zhao Du'an looked disappointed, and then took the box out of his sleeve and threw it out:

“Your senior brother asked me to give it to you.”

Gongshu Tianyuan was probably already aware that Jin Jian was hiding outside the door, so he gave him the thing as a favor.

Jin Jian subconsciously reached out and grabbed the box in her hand, looking at him vigilantly, without moving.

Zhao Du'an smiled and said: “Open it and take a look? Is it suitable?”

Jin Jian hesitated for a moment before opening the small box and taking out a pair of gold-rimmed full-frame glasses from it.

Gongshu Tianyuan's craftsmanship was indeed extraordinary, and the things he made were almost no different from what Zhao Du'an had drawn.

As for the crystal-ground lens axis distance, diopters, etc… they had also been adjusted early on.

Jin Jian curiously looked at the novel toy, and at Zhao Du'an's urging and hint, carefully put them on.

With two large crystal lenses fixed on her delicate nose bridge.

The girl's dazed, unfocused eyes gained focus.

“唔！！”

Jin Jian was stunned, and then her eyes widened suddenly.

She looked in surprise at the originally blurred world, which suddenly became clear.

She subconsciously looked around, then walked forward, and then exclaimed.

She suddenly stopped, her hands subconsciously supporting her glasses.

“Hehe, a little dizzy, right? It's like this when you first put them on. As long as you see things clearly, you'll get used to it after a while.”

Zhao Du'an smiled, admiring the eyeglass girl from another world, and reminded her.

Jin Jian nodded in disbelief, and then looked at him seriously, and said:

“Thank you.”

Zhao Du'an said with a smile:

“Thank your senior brother, I can't make this thing by myself.”

Jin Jian shook her head and said: “That's different.”

Zhao Du'an teased: “If you have to thank me, then there must be some indication, right?”

Jin Jian squeezed her shriveled purse, gritted her teeth, as if she had made a great determination:

“Next time you ask me to do something, I… I'll give you a 20% discount!”

“…… 50%.”

“30%!”

“60%!”

“40%……”

Jin Jian sighed and said helplessly: “50% then.”

“It's settled.”

Zhao Du'an laughed out loud, which was a rare moment of joy recently.

Jin Jian looked at him curiously:

“Speaking of which, what are you doing with Fifth Senior Brother this time?”

“Making something fun.” Zhao Du'an didn't explain, but asked:

“Is Divine Craftsman Jin Jian very busy lately?”

He saw that the girl's dark circles under her eyes had worsened.

Jin Jian, who had transformed into an eyeglass girl, nodded, and said seriously:

“I'm stepping up my cultivation. The Buddhist-Taoist competition is coming soon, and I might be fighting.”

“Buddhist-Taoist competition?” Zhao Du'an was stunned.

In his mind, a flash of inspiration, he blurted out: “That tradition?”

The last time in the palace, when the Empress gave him the “Six Talisman Armor,” she said that the two major Taoist and Buddhist artificer sects had a tradition of competition.

It has a long history.

The gambling martial arts competition between the Great Yu Royal Family and Martial Emperor City was modeled after the Buddhist-Taoist competition.

It is said that in each competition, the two families will send out outstanding disciples of the current generation to participate, and the outcome will affect the ranking of the two major sects.

It is also a major event in the entire Great Yu Dynasty's cultivation world.

Each session attracts great attention.

“When is it?” Zhao Du'an couldn't help but ask.

Jin Jian's voice was ethereal:

“It's this autumn, well, there's probably only one or two months left. Delay it, and it'll be early winter at most.”

Fuck… that's soon… Zhao Du'an was greatly surprised and said:

“Then you still have the mind to wander around here?”

Jin Jian said quietly: “Wasn't I seeing you out?”

I thank you… Zhao Du'an said calmly:

“I didn't plan to go out yet. I thought you wanted to talk to me alone.”

“……!” Jin Jian's eyes were resentful, and she turned her head and left.

What a waste of time!

“Wait, what exactly is that competition about, tell me about it, hey?”

Zhao Du'an shouted a few times, but the girl ran faster and faster, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“Tsk… this silly thing, still representing the Celestial Master Mansion…”

Zhao Du'an curled his lips, thinking, can this win?

However, why is there a little expectation in my heart?

Shaking his head, he thought that he could watch the excitement at any time, and his top priority was to handle the affairs of the Divine Mechanism Camp.

The so-called new type of firearm drill is naturally not just a performance, but also a part of the plan.

Zhao Du'an looked up, looking at the high and clear blue sky in autumn, and whispered:

“You have to be sensible.”