4.10

Qiao Chen stood before the table and painted. From time to time, he would look up at Xiao Qinan as he studied the gun in his hand. It seemed like it was a soldier's nature to study weapons no matter the time and place they were in.

Qiao Chen's gun, in fact, was based on the modern fireworks' design. There was a flint stone within the barrel. You had to rotate the end of the barrel to strike the flint and ignite a small fire. This fire, in turn, ignited the gunpowder. Once the gunpowder exploded, the powder bombs would be shot out and explode shortly. However, this type of barrel gun wasn't as accurate nor as long ranged as a hand gun. Furthermore, it could only be fired twice before it had to be reloaded with gunpowder and ammunition. In the ancient times, however, this was already an extremely powerful device.

Qiao Chen was originally reluctant to make this kind of object in such an ancient setting. He was afraid that someone would use it to hurt people on a massive scale. However, when he thought about it, he figured that as time went on and technologies developed, these things would appear in this universe sooner or later. Moreover, it was people who killed people, not the weapons who killed people. Furthermore, even if he didn't make such a gun, swords, spears, and the like were all things that could still hurt people. Lastly, this wasn't a wuxia (martial arts) world. Killing wasn't really against the law. Whoever held the most power meant that they could kill as they pleased.

Qiao Chen was thinking about how to fully take advantage of the gun's use. Then, he thought about how Cheng Jingrui arranged people to monitor and investigate his men and had an idea. Qiao Chen smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" Xiao Qinan hugged Qiao Chen from behind.

Qiao Chen put down his brush. Then he turned around, hugged Xiao Qinan back, and asked, "You've looked at the gun for the whole day now. Have you come up with anything yet?"

"I can't see what's inside." Xiao Qinan really wanted to take apart the gun, but he was afraid of damaging it. He was also reluctant to break such a thing.

"I'll draw up the design plan for you. You can commission someone to make it for you. Produce as much as you want. Furthermore, you should publicize that fact that you have it too. Spread the word far and wide. I've already told you how to manufacture this barrel gun, so this shouldn't be too difficult for you."

"Why do you want to spread the word? Won't it make your situation at the Cheng family home more difficult?"

"I have my own reasons. You'll find out later."

After Xiao Qinan returned home, he immediately had people begin manufacturing the guns based on Qiao Chen's designs in large quantities. Then, he had his soldiers demonstrate the strength of their newly created guns in front of a crowd. Everyone in the crowd was in awe.

The fact that Qiao Chen shared the manufacturing method and designs to the Xiao family had also been spread. After Prince Yong An heard of this, he was extremely anxious and angry. He summoned Cheng Su to admonish him. He yelled at Cheng Su until he vented some of his anger out. Then, Prince Yong An gave Cheng Su an ultimatum: bring me the weapon's blueprints or else. Cheng Su was anxious and worried. He couldn't see Qiao Chen and he didn't have the strength or backing to force his way into the Hanwu temple. He was at hit wit's end.

As a result, he was very well behaved with Madame Shu every day. Madame Xu, on the other hand, was forced to swallow the bitterness and suffering. Fed up with her suffering, she paid a lot of special attention to Cheng Su and persuaded him to invite the Old Madam back. She convinced him that if the old lady was here, then Madame Shu wouldn't be able to live so well. Qiao Chen would never stay in Hanwu Temple and just leave his mother to suffer such abuse, so he would definitely return to the official home.

Cheng Su thought about it and felt that it made sense. He had asked Madame Shu to retrieve Qiao Chen from the Hanwu Temple several times now, but she always refused. He was a man, and couldn't do anything to his wife in case such actions tarnished his reputation. However, if his mother returned… Then it would be quite fine if a mother-in-law were to 'teach' her daughter-in-law the family rules and traditions.

Therefore, Cheng Su immediately wrote the letter and sent it with someone to bring the Old Madam back to Luodu city.

——-

Cheng Jingrui was in the Honyun Teahouse's private room. He already drank two pots of tea when the talented person he was waiting for walked in late.

"It's quite difficult to meet with you, Gentleman Zhang."Cheng Jingrui looked for Zhang Guangyao four or five times before he was finally able to meet him today.

"I can't help it. There are too many things for me to do daily and there are even more people who wish to meet with me as well. Please forgive me for neglecting you, Gentleman Cheng." Zhang Guangyao carried an air of indifference and arrogance as he sat opposite of Cheng Jingrui and asked, "Please do tell me, why has Gentleman Cheng repeatedly, and with such urgency, tried to meet me?"

"I want to talk business with you." Cheng Jingrui got right to the point.

"You want to talk business? With me?" Zhang Guangyao said with disdain. "To tell you the truth, and don't take offense Gentleman Cheng, but you don't have much in any of those shops of yours, so with matters pertaining to business…How about we forget it instead?"

Even though Zhang Guangyao's words did upset Cheng Jingrui, he tried to keep calm and continued, "I'm not talking about business, shop wise. It's actually about a different, but rather huge business venture."

"Then you talk about it first, and I'll see if I'm interested. I don't make business ventures with every little thing that pops up." Zhang Guangyao raised his hands and said.

"You should have heard about those guns that the Xiao family manufactured some time ago, right?" Cheng Jingrui asked.

"I have." Zhang Guangyao nodded and said. "There shouldn't be a single person in Luodu city who doesn't know. After all, it's quite the powerful weapon."

Cheng Jingrui produced a gun from his sleeve, put it on the table, and said, "This is the business that I want to do with you."

"This kind of business…" Zhang Guangyao looked at the gun in his hand and said, "The production of this kind of product isn't cheap. Who would buy it? What kind of civilians would be able to buy it and store it at their homes? High officials or nobles wouldn't be fine either. So who else, besides an army like the Xiao family's, would be able to?"

"Can you manufacture it? If you can, I know someone who would definitely buy it." Cheng Jingrui said.

"To be honest, this is just a gun. It's not that much different than a firecracker tube. It's quite simple. You know, I think that Gentleman Cheng's shop products are much more unique. Now those things are out of this world, so why can't you make this yourself?" Zhang Guangyao said mysteriously.

"Why would I come to you, if I could manufacture it?" Cheng Jingrui honestly couldn't make it. Even though he studied the gun, there were still a lot of things that he didn't understand- especially the internal mechanics.

"Can't you ask Cheng Jingyun to do it? After all, he is your older brother." Zhang Guangyao asked with a puzzled look.

"You don't need to concern yourself with these kinds of things. Just tell me whether you want to take part in this business venture."

Zhang Guangyao put the gun down and pushed it back to Cheng Jingrui and said, "Sorry, but I can't join you in this business venture. I think you should find someone else."

"Didn't you say that this was easy to make? Why don't you want to do it?" Cheng Jingrui frowned.

"This isn't that hard to make, but the main point here is who will buy it? Furthermore, if we offend the Xiao family over this matter, then how can the Zhang family thrive in Luodu city? It's a fact that common people, since ancient times, do not pick fights with the officials."

"I already said that you don't have to worry about no one buying it. You just make it. I'll do the selling, and I will take care of everything."

Zhang Guangyao still shook his head and said, "If I really did do this, wouldn't this just tell the Xiao family to mark me as an enemy from now on? We are merely a merchant family. We only dabble in business. We can't compare to yours, who has such a strong backer and support. If something went wrong, then the consequences would absolutely and definitely fall upon me not you."

Cheng Jingrui saw that Zhang Guangyao was still unwilling, so he calmly threatened, "You fear offending the Xiao family so greatly. Don't tell me that you aren't afraid of offending Prince Yong An while you're at it? I'll tell you the truth now. This is something that Prince Yong An commanded me to do. If you don't agree then I can guarantee to you, Zhang Guangyao, that the Zhang family won't have a moment of piece in Luodu city even if you hadn't offended the Xiaos."

Zhang Guangyao's face sank after he heard Cheng Jingrui's words. He stood up and paced back and forth and looked like he found the situation to be extremely difficult to handle.

In reality, Prince Yong An didn't know anything about Cheng Jingrui seeking out Zhang Guanyao or this 'business venture'. Cheng Jingrui wanted to set everything up and complete it all before he notified Prince Yong An or even invited him to help.

Cheng Jingrui pushed, "You should think this over carefully. Prince Yong An is currently more popular than the Xiao family. Furthermore, there are the common people supporting Prince Yong An too. If you don't take advantage of the current situation and support the winning side then…."

"I can make it for you. However I do have one request." Zhang Guangyao sat down with determination and said, "I can secretly manufacture this for you, but you can't tell anyone that it was I who did this for you. You have to tell everyone that it was you or other people on your side who manufactured it. You cannot tell anyone that I did it. I cannot afford to offend either Prince Yong An or the Xiao family. My family cannot be openly hostile to the Xiao family."

"Yes, I will agree to your request." Cheng Jingrui didn't expect Zhang Guangyao to be so timid even though he was a man from the modern world. How could he side with Prince Yong An without openly confronting the Xiao family? In any case, the Xiao family would be done with sooner or later. However, Zhang Guangyao's request was exactly what he wanted anyways- all the credit goes to Cheng Jingrui himself.

"I have another request. As long as you agree, then we can consider this matter settled." Zhang Guangyao said.

"Tell me."

"You have to pay up front, then I'll make everything for you. How ever much money you put in is how much I'll make."

"How much do you want?"

"How about giving 100,000 liang first? Then I'll be able to produce as much as possible with that amount."

"100,000 liang?" Cheng JIngrui exclaimed in surprise. "You don't need to make so many."

"100,000 liang might not even be able to pay for the production of that many. Even though the design is simple, it's the materials inside that are difficult to obtain. Why else did I say that the cost of production was far too high for ordinary people to buy?"

"Didn't you say that it was just a firecracker tube?"

"In theory, it is similar to a firecracker tube, but this gun isn't exactly the same as a firecracker tube. I always have to study it in depth. Furthermore, don't I have to earn some money for doing all this hard work? If you don't have 100,000, then there really is no point in doing business with you."

"You…" Cheng Jingrui wanted to use Prince Yong An's name to reduce the price, but Zhang Guangyao interrupted him before the words reached his mouth.

"Ai-yah, don't use Prince Yong An to try and pressure me again. Even though I cherish my life, I am also a man who loves his money. If you pressure me until I'm too anxious then I might as well join the Xiao family instead. "

Cheng JIngrui was worried and afraid that it wouldn't be so easy to explain to Prince Yong An if Zhang Guangyao was pressured until he joined the Xiao family. Furthermore, he had made a lot of money before, so it was better to just pay out the 100,000 liang. "Well alright. When will you begin production?"

"I'll begin when you send the money."

"I'll send you the money by this time tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Cheng Jingrui left the teahouse after the two agreed.

Zhang Guangyao stood by the window and watched as Cheng Jingrui's carriage rode off into the distance. Then he walked over to the next room and respectfully greeted the man who sat in it, drinking tea. "Teacher."

"Well done." Qiao Chen put his teacup down and said. "Do as I taught you before. If he says something you don't understand, then you don't have to answer him. You just need to look at him cryptically. Then come back and tell me about it. I'll teach you how to deal with it."

"Yes, teacher." Zhang Guangyao's respectful demeanor was completely opposite to the arrogant appearance he had with Cheng Jingrui.

Zhang Guanyao was Zhang Hong's youngest son. He loved painting since he was a child. Ever since he saw Qiao Chen's painting, he had always wanted to learn from Qiao Chen. In fact, Qiao Chen was only two or three years older than him, but he still insisted on becoming Qiao Chen's student.

Qiao Chen didn't accept him as an official apprentice, but he did occasionally give Zhang Guangyao some pointers on his paintings. Therefore, Zhang Guangyao began calling Qiao Chen 'teacher'. He wouldn't change the way he addressed Qiao Chen, so Qiao Chen had no other choice but to let Zhang Guangyao call him that.

Zhang Guangyao was very clever. Furthermore, he did accidentally fall into the water when he was painting over a year ago. After he was rescued, he had a high fever for several days.

After Qiao Chen found out about these circumstances, he began to lay out his trap. Cheng Jingrui only found what Qiao Chen let him find. His next stage of plans was to have Cheng Jinrui and Prince Yong An unknowingly walk, step by step, into his trap.