The results displayed at Five Thunder Temple were brief—but profoundly shocking.
Yan Lide left with a heavy mind, already resolved to find an opportunity to visit the temple in person.
Li Jing and Li Shiji were both illustrious generals of the realm.
They expanded Tang's borders, and they wrote treatises for future generations of military thinkers.
In times of advance, they deterred foreign states; in times of peace, they were worthy of enshrinement in the Martial Temple.
This was what such dukes and great generals should do—and should enjoy.
As for the techniques of gunpowder from Five Thunder Temple—how to refine its mixtures, how to train specialized craftsmen, how to explore other uses for the substance—
The Directorate of Works possessed deep experience and master artisans.
Moreover, Yan Liben, Yan Lide's younger brother, had seen the cannon in the light screen and sketched it.
Though its internal structure and casting materials remained unclear, at least there was now a concrete direction for experimentation.
Yan Lide felt that, now that gunpowder's power had been confirmed, establishing a dedicated Gunpowder Office within the Directorate of Works would be most appropriate.
Hmm… calling it the Five Thunder Office wouldn't be bad either.
Li Jing and Li Shiji departed together, chatting and laughing.
Gunpowder had finally borne fruit; one long-held wish had been fulfilled.
As for whether gunpowder would actually be used in battle formations, neither general was particularly concerned.
After all, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing had once crushed the Xiongnu despite no great disparity in arms.
Today's neighboring states were inferior to Tang in soldierly courage and armor alike. The two generals had little reason to take them seriously.
Consider Li Jing's surprise raid on Yinshan when destroying the Turks—three thousand light cavalry capturing Dingxiang.
At the time, Dingxiang held at least fifty thousand Turkic horsemen, yet they were routed in a single engagement. In such circumstances, even gunpowder would have been unnecessary.
"If later generations truly build machines that soar into the heavens,"
Li Jing said with a smile, stroking his beard,
"they'll surely remember the two of us."
"That is indeed something to look forward to," Li Shiji replied, gazing skyward.
"I wonder if our names might one day be written among the stars."
Hou Junji stood at a distance, watching their group with a sigh.
When Yan Lide left, he didn't spare Hou Junji a glance.
When Li Shiji and Li Jing departed, they treated the Duke of Lu as if he didn't exist at all.
In the end, the one who stopped before Hou Junji was Li Shimin himself.
"Come," the emperor said. "Let's walk."
So Hou Junji accompanied His Majesty with great care, chatting about recent travels as they made their way back.
"You handled the Hexi matters very well," Li Shimin said.
Hou Junji nearly burst into tears. He hurriedly credited everything to the emperor's farsighted wisdom.
As for his earlier intention to request another campaign when departing Hexi—it had already been thrown somewhere beyond India.
He had only been away from Chang'an for four months, yet somehow he'd returned to find himself unloved by both aunt and uncle alike.
If he were to lead troops on campaign for over half a year… wouldn't his fate become entirely unpredictable?
The demonstration site lay north of the city, and on their return they passed by Xuanwu Gate.
Li Shimin paused briefly and spoke as if in passing:
"Had it not been for Junji back then, how could there be me today?"
Hou Junji instantly felt sweat pour down his back.
If this had been spoken lightly, he could have responded in at least ten ways to please the emperor.
But Li Shimin's tone was utterly flat, devoid of inflection.
That frightened him far more.
"Had it not been for Your Majesty pacifying the realm," Hou Junji replied at once,
"how could there be today's Great Tang—how could there be a century-long flourishing age?"
He dropped to his knees immediately, not daring to raise his head.
He could feel the emperor's gaze upon him—searching, measuring—without a word spoken.
After several agonizing breaths, Hou Junji heard Li Shimin suddenly laugh.
"If you truly think so," the emperor said,
"then all the better."
"Come, come. Stay in the palace today and dine with me. The imperial kitchen's sweet-and-sour fish isn't something you'll find outside."
Ruler and minister walked on together, talking and laughing.
Hou Junji felt the silk lining of his robe soaked through, clinging unpleasantly to his back.
Yet his heart finally relaxed.
He knew the emperor's temperament well. If something strange passed without explanation, that usually meant it was over.
And judging from this attitude…
So in the future, I actually dared to act brazenly toward His Majesty?
Hou Junji shook his head inwardly, suddenly admiring his future self's courage.
This was an emperor later generations would praise as unmatched in the art of war.
And he, Hou Junji—what exactly was his level, to dare behave so freely?
Kaifeng. The same imperial garden as before.
Zhao Guangyi looked at the oddly absorbed Zhao Kuangyin and the heavily guarded garden, feeling helpless.
"Brother," he said,
"if you're planning to hunt birds again, please allow your younger brother to take his leave."
He knew his elder brother's hobbies all too well.
Zhao Kuangyin chuckled and merely gestured for him to sit.
He could clearly see his brother's desire for the throne, and since last year he had been repeatedly reining him in.
This year, he had been even harsher.
Last month, eunuchs from the Prince of Jin's residence had actually dared to petition for two massive logs—each thick enough for two men to embrace—to be taken from the imperial timber yard for furniture-making.
Seeing his brother slide into extravagance, Zhao Kuangyin responded with a ruthlessly strict edict:
"Break the large into small. Or would you prefer I break your head instead?"
That was the source of Zhao Guangyi's lingering resentment.
Zhao Kuangyin didn't care. He simply smiled.
"Wait and see."
The probing oversteps of ritual between his brother and Zhao Pu—Zhao Kuangyin saw them all, remembered them all.
After much thought, he chose a simpler solution.
Let his brother watch the Immortal Mechanism Light Screen together with him.
So Zhao Guangyi could understand clearly:
See? Heaven's mandate truly rests with your elder brother. Stop entertaining those little thoughts.
Chengdu's prefectural offices were equally bustling.
Liu Bei was radiant.
The campaign in Nanzhong had progressed even more smoothly than expected.
The newly arrived Jin Emperor Xuan—Sima Yi—worked hard offering strategies, yet time and again, local figures Li Hui and Zhang Ni would find flaws in his plans.
Whenever Sima Yi was left speechless by their rebuttals, Liu Bei felt particularly pleased.
Meanwhile, Feng Xi and Zhang Nan, who commanded the troops, never acted rashly. Their strategy emphasized one thing only—steadiness.
"Big Brother," Zhang Fei asked with a grin,
"are those 'Three Yis' impressive?"
"Three Yis?" Liu Bei was momentarily confused.
"Sima Yi, Wu Yi, and Zhang Ni," Zhang Fei laughed loudly.
"Big Brother brought hardly anyone south, yet half of them are named Yi!"
Liu Bei shook his head. He didn't quite grasp his third brother's sense of humor, but replied:
"Perhaps sharing the same name makes Sima Yi and Wu Yi closer."
"When they lead troops, they strike directly at the enemy's vital points—very swift."
Thinking of it, Liu Bei felt a bit conflicted. He wondered how Wu Yi would feel in the future, knowing that because of Sima Yi, even his name would later be altered to avoid taboo.
"As for Zhang Ni," Liu Bei continued,
"he endures hardship alongside his soldiers. He has the bearing of a fine general."
Every time Liu Bei saw Zhang Ni, remembering how the man would later have to borrow money just to seek medical treatment while fighting for the state, his heart ached.
Thus, Liu Bei never begrudged rewards after Zhang Ni's battles—stirring such loyalty that Zhang Ni resolved to give his life for Emperor Liu.
"But the greatest merit in this campaign," Liu Bei added,
"belongs to Physician Zhang."
He clasped his hands toward Zhang Zhongjing.
"Without the anti-parasitic powders and disease treatments, who knows how many soldiers would have died to miasma, fevers, and venomous creatures."
To prevent soldiers from drinking raw water, Liu Bei had even added two units of military inspectors, strictly ordering that water must be boiled before consumption.
The results were clear. In the entire Nanzhong expedition, fewer than a hundred soldiers were incapacitated by disease.
Zhang Zhongjing returned the salute, neither claiming credit nor deflecting it—merely saying it was his duty.
"And Jin Emperor Xuan?" Zhang Fei asked curiously.
Liu Bei tilted his head, considering.
"Wu Yi will temporarily oversee Nanzhong affairs, assisted by Li Hui and Sima Yi."
"I've given Zhuge Liang's Nanzhong strategy to Li Hui, instructing him to negotiate with the tribes inclined toward Han, and to restore the Shendu trade route."
"And as for Sima Yi…"
Liu Bei's expression turned subtly amused.
"I left him a list—sent over by Liu Jiyu."
That list had once been quite long.
But after the victory in Jingxiang and Liu Bei personally leading troops south, many names had softened their stance and been crossed out.
Those remaining… could only lament their failure to seize opportunity.
At that moment, the familiar light screen slowly unfolded once more.
[Lightscreen]
[Hey hey hey! Greetings, honored viewers!
No long preamble today—let's hit the gas!
Picking up from last time: after Li Jing annihilated Tuyuhun, Tang faced no further obstacles in its western campaigns.
From that point on, the Tang dynasty officially began its rapid territorial expansion—
or rather, the swift recovery of lands once held by the Han.]
Ganlu Hall.
Hou Junji sat in his chair, suddenly feeling like crying.
It really wasn't easy…
He no longer remembered what the sweet-and-sour fish tasted like that day in the palace.
But afterward, Fang Xuanling was no longer perpetually busy. Li Jing and Li Shiji could always be found.
Life had returned to normal.
The only oddity was that now and then, old friends would look at him with expressions difficult to decipher.
Still, His Majesty had not abandoned him.
This Ganlu Hall—he had finally returned.
Hou Junji's excitement infected no one else.
Su Dingfang and Li Shiji exchanged a look, neither yielding.
Both suspected that this time, the light screen's protagonist would almost certainly be one of them.
Li Jing sat calmly, smiling, watching the younger men quietly compete.
Sun Simiao spoke softly with Li Shimin, seeking a new site to study pathology—close to the Court of Judicial Review, yet sufficiently secluded.
Qin Qiong, his health slightly improved, was chatting with Yuchi Jingde, his meaning clear between the lines:
The Tang dynasty will soon need men everywhere. Even these old bones of mine want to lead troops again—Jingde, you'd better step up.
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were discussing the imperial examinations in hushed tones.
It was already early July. Li Shimin intended to announce the examination reforms at court in three days.
Many details would surely provoke debate, and the two needed to maintain unified footing.
When the light screen appeared, they wordlessly set the matter aside and began copying:
[Server Chat Log]
Fatebound: Glorious are the deeds of the Li Erfeng, vast and towering—
through a thousand ages, unmatched, one alone.
BearerOfRuin: Viewed horizontally, Byzantium and Persia bled each other dry, Arabia quietly gathered strength, not yet risen, while Tang ascended— a true world beacon of the seventh century.
FinalPhalanx: This history is well-known. Reduced to one line:
our ancestors never wasted words—
if the opponent refused to submit, they fought until he did. Winning hearts through virtue has existed since antiquity; as for what exactly this 'virtue' is…
each ancestor had his own interpretation.
Li Shimin leaned back comfortably, a smile spreading across his face.
Go on, he thought.
Say more. I like this.