Cheng Shan took the blueprints and sat down, carefully pondering the materials.
Xiangbei then took out finely ground charcoal powder, saltpeter powder, sulfur powder, a lump of yellow clay, and several paper tubes rolled from rice paper, laying them out in front of Cheng Shan.
"Mix 74.64 parts of saltpeter, 13.51 parts of charcoal, and 11.85 parts of sulfur evenly. Load it into this paper tube, ignite it, and you'll create explosive capable of splitting mountains and rocks.
If packed in an iron casing — just one explosion could cause dozens of casualties, so extreme caution is required during testing. Keep it far away from any source of ignition, even a spark.
I share this recipe because it's needed to blast open a passage to the underwater iron ore. However, I earnestly request everyone present today to guarantee with their conscience that this knowledge won't be shared with anyone else.
I hope to avoid using it in warfare unless absolutely necessary because it would be an unfair reaper of human lives."
Chengmo swiftly opened the cabin door, observed the surroundings for a moment, closed the door, and returned to Xiangbei 's side.
"Little girl Xiaobei, thank you for your wholehearted trust. I, Chengmo, swear by the name of Cheng, that I will never use this in warfare without your permission."
Here, the seven chiefs and Cheng
Yuan, all in unison, knelt before Chengmo and Xiangbei Tong, said, "We will follow Your Grace and Your Lady to the end, no matter life or death!"
"I trust your integrity, and by handing it over to you, there's no need for an oath. I only hope that you act with a clear conscience." Xiangbei 's true concern was the potential threat of pirates at sea.
She feared a repetition of the historical events that occurred in the Celestial Empire. Therefore, she did not strictly prohibit its use in warfare, stating only that it should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Turning to Cheng Tian and the others, she said, "I am not a princess, and you need not swear loyalty.
The usage will be determined by your prince. However, mining and road construction are indispensable aids. In its production and use, extreme caution is required, with strict adherence to safety regulations."
"Get up, all of you. Don't trouble yourselves. Miss Tong is indeed not yet a princess," Chengmo's words finally relieved Xiaobei.
Being called a princess in person was genuinely embarrassing, but why did she feel a bit disappointed when he solemnly declared that she wasn't one?
Not letting her dwell on it for long, the young prince spoke again, "Chengmo assures everyone now, that when she comes of age, this prince will marry her and bring her back to you!"
"Chengmo, you..." Xiangbei feeling both embarrassed and awkward, stamped her foot, opened the door, and ran off, leaving behind a room full of laughter.
"Stop, don't let people laugh at me. Everyone, go about your tasks." After giving instructions, Chengmo chased after Xiangbei as she ran down the ship.
Xiangbei blushed for a moment but didn't really get angry when Chengmo caught up with her on the wooden boardwalk. The couple happily walked along the beach. Xiangbei felt like she was propelled by the gears of destiny, and moments like this were truly rare.
As the waves brought in a large amount of seaweed, the soldiers piled them high on the rocks while clearing the bay for the anchored ships, emitting a strong sea scent. Xiangbei remembered her seaweed glue, so the pleasant leisure time came to an end.
She asked Chengmo to arrange for a stove, and she started directing the process of making glue right there. In fact, she had no experience. It was back in her sophomore year when an old professor, passionate about intertwining history with the history of chemical development, vividly described ancient islanders who boiled seaweed to make glue, mixed it with sand and volcanic ash, and constructed the earliest "cement" dock. After millennia, it still remained intact and in use, so she wanted to give it a try.
When Cheng Dian approached them, followed by a small team carrying coal blocks, yellow clay, and a large iron barrel, he handed over an iron tool. "Ou coal imprint!" Xiangbei suddenly looked up and quickly walked over to uncover the grass curtain covering the iron barrel. Sure enough, it was a three-eyed coal stove, and it looked exactly like its modern counterparts.
No wonder Cheng Dian, at such a young age, could lead a team on his own. It's impressive that he could accurately create a physical object based on a single blueprint.
"How is it? Any shortcomings? I followed the blueprint to make it. That thing you mentioned, the asbestos to be inserted between the furnace and the outer layer, is something I got from Rain's people. They said there are many rocks over at the North Camp that can be pulled into fibers."
"Exactly, that's it! In ancient times, someone made fire-resistant garments using it." Xiangbei speculated that Chengdian's mention of the North Camp was probably also in this volcanic geological zone, but she wasn't sure how far away it was from here.