Chapter 17: Developing Gunpowder

Li Ruoshui was left speechless by Zhao Huan’s words. He opened his mouth, somewhat helplessly, and said, “How can the rules set by our ancestors be changed so lightly?”

Zhao Huan rolled his eyes and replied, “No, I’m not changing them lightly. When it comes to our traditions, we must keep their essence and discard their dross. Only then can our Song Dynasty endure and flourish, and only then can I achieve glory on par with Emperor Qin or Han Wu.”

Since the founding of the Song by Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, the dynasty had favored civil officials over the military. This had greatly suppressed internal rebellions, but it also left the Song with weak military might and the smallest territory in all dynasties.

At Zhao Huan’s declaration, the gathered generals felt their blood surge with excitement, while the civil officials betrayed faint unease.

“Your Majesty…” Li Ruoshui tried to say more, but Zhao Huan interrupted him.

“Zong Ze, I’ll leave this matter in your hands. For now, you’ll also serve as Minister of the Armaments Department and begin preparations immediately. I’ll give you one month. In one month’s time, I must see this thing equipped by our troops,” Zhao Huan instructed him.

Zong Ze accepted the silk scroll Zhao Huan handed over and glanced at it. Unlike the diagrams Zhao Huan had given him before, this time it was a list of ingredients—sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal… It looked more like a recipe for medicine.

“Your Majesty, what are these things for?” Zong Ze asked, puzzled.

“To make gunpowder. I only know it’s made from these three things. The exact proportions will require experimentation. Remember: this substance explodes violently when exposed to fire. When you have people experiment, be extremely careful—do not be reckless, and don’t let anyone get hurt,” Zhao Huan warned.

Zong Ze had heard of saltpeter—it was often used by those Taoist priests in their alchemy. But he’d never guessed it had such power. No wonder he’d heard tales of copper furnaces exploding during their concoctions. The thought sent a chill down his spine.

“Also, you can round up some Taoist priests to help with the research. They’re skilled in this sort of thing, and now is the time for them to serve the country and put in some effort,” Zhao Huan added. Zhao Huan was well aware that Taoism flourished in the Song, but had brought little good—indeed, the feudal superstitions had led to his own historical self’s misguided attempt to defeat the Jin army with so-called ‘Six Jia soldiers,’ resulting in the city’s fall and his own capture.

Though that disaster would not be repeated now, Zhao Huan still felt a lingering resentment. Since the chance had come to deal with those Taoist priests, he wasn’t about to let it slip by.

Zong Ze was a clever man; he caught the meaning behind Zhao Huan’s words immediately. Though he didn’t know what the priests had done to offend Zhao Huan, he understood well enough that their days of comfort were over.

By the time the council ended, it was already afternoon. Leaving the imperial library, Zhao Huan was hit by the biting cold wind of the first lunar month and shivered. The weather truly was frigid.

His personal eunuch, Wang Shuo, hurried to drape a blanket over his shoulders and asked in his shrill voice, “Sire, where will you spend the night?”

Only then did Zhao Huan recall that he was now a married man, and his wife was none other than Empress Zhu Lian, who had tried to escape at the very beginning.

“I’ll spend the night with the Empress,” Zhao Huan decided. The previous night, he’d spent the whole time at the Imperial Guards’ camp preparing for the Jin invasion. Now he realized—he was the Emperor, with three palaces, six courts, and seventy-two concubines at his disposal. The thought made him laugh; who would have expected that a homebody from the future would come here and find himself surrounded by beauties?

Arriving at Zhu Lian’s Ziwei Palace, he was greeted at the door by an overjoyed Empress.

“Your Majesty, you must be tired. I made you a bowl of lotus seed and white fungus soup. Drink it while it’s hot, it’ll soothe your fatigue.” Smiling sweetly, Zhu Lian offered him the bowl herself, having sent all the maids away so she could wait on Zhao Huan personally.

Looking at his elegant Empress, Zhao Huan recalled how, during the Jingkang Incident, she’d been captured alongside him by the Jin army. Unable to endure their officers’ humiliation, she had taken her own life en route. The memory stabbed at his heart. He accepted her offering, but set the bowl aside without drinking.

Zhu Lian, seeing him take the soup only to put it down, grew anxious. At that moment, Zhao Huan took her hands in his.

“These years by my side have been hard on you,” he said, moved by emotion.

Zhu Lian was taken aback by his sudden tenderness. In her confusion, tears began to stream down her cheeks. She knelt hurriedly and sobbed, “Forgive me, Your Majesty. Yesterday I acted foolishly, fearing Bianjing would fall, so I sent the little eunuch with a message. Please, grant me mercy…”

Zhao Huan’s unusual warmth had frightened her. She had heard that the eunuch messenger had been beheaded and his head displayed as a warning. Was Zhao Huan here now to depose her as well? Terror gripped her heart.

“Get up and speak,” Zhao Huan said, surprised by Zhu Lian’s reaction.

“Your Majesty, I confess my guilt, please forgive me!” Zhu Lian only knelt more firmly.

Zhao Huan stepped over and helped her up. “I’m not angry about yesterday. If anything, I feel ashamed that I couldn’t protect my people and my own wife, allowing enemies to reach our very doorstep.”

Hearing this, Zhu Lian studied his face cautiously. Confirming that he was sincere, she finally relaxed and tried to comfort him. “Your Majesty, you’ve already done an excellent job. The Jin army has been driven back, and word has spread through the palace that you are a ruler to rival Qin or Han Wu.”

Zhao Huan couldn’t help but shake his head. Even in the depths of the palace, it seemed there were no secrets—his words from the morning had already reached the Empress by nightfall. Clearly, he’d have to tighten up his security.

The thought passed in a flash. He turned to Zhu Lian and said, “Leave the matters ahead to me. But the rear, the inner court—you are the mother of the nation, so I entrust it to you.”