Chapter 163: The Wheat is Ripe
Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW
Twenty fire lances were laid neatly on the ground.
After assigning the logistics to Pang Yukun, Xiao Ming turned his gaze toward the line of bronze tubes. Unlike the heavy cannons he’d developed, these fire lances were narrow at both ends and bulbous in the middle—primitive firearms, more like oversized metal muskets than true artillery.
The bore was tiny, and their effective range? Not worth mentioning.
Clearly, the recent insult from the barbarian envoys had stung Emperor Xiao Wenxuan—he’d been furious enough to actually send these over. But to Xiao Ming, the yellow-gold sheen of these fire lances didn’t say “weapon.” It said “coinage.”
No wonder some emperors in history had melted them down into currency.
“Your Highness,” Pang Yukun asked, “what should we do with these? Should we send them to Cangzhou?”
Xiao Ming smiled. “No need. Twenty fire lances… that’s enough raw brass to cast a real cannon. Send them to the machinery department instead.”
“As you command,” Pang replied.
He was never one to argue about matters he didn’t fully understand.
Xiao Ming was rather pleased with how the emperor had handled things this time. He’d expected a drawn-out affair—letters scolding Prince Shu, delays, more letters… and endless waiting.
But to his surprise, Xiao Wenxuan had acted swiftly—resolving the crisis first, and dealing with Prince Shu later. Apparently, getting humiliated by the barbarians really does light a fire under people.