Chapter 356: Draining the Nation's Coffers
"With Grandpa Deaf here, I can save myself the trouble of drawing structural diagrams. The Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon has a complex structure. If Grandpa Deaf can paint this divine cannon and bring it into the real world, measuring it will be much easier and simpler. Refining it will also become much simpler."
Qin Mu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Deaf had been selling paintings for months without making a single sale. Qin Mu helped him sell for just a short while, and the money he earned was more than Deaf had made in his entire lifetime, causing this Prince of Tian Tu to sigh with emotion, lamenting the degeneration of human hearts.
Now that he had no worries about food or clothing, Qin Mu invited him back to the Imperial Academy to help, and he didn't refuse.
Arriving at the Imperial Academy, Qin Mu, without resting, immediately gathered his team and assigned tasks.
From Little Jade Capital came Qing You, You He, and You Yun; from the Dao Sect came Sect Master Lin Xuan and ten Daoist priests with profound mathematical skills; plus the mathematical experts from the Imperial Academy, the Imperial Design Bureau, and the Heavenly Saint Cult; and Village Chief. In total, twenty-six people, along with Dragon Qilin, were responsible for drawing the diagrams from the Golden Book and organizing the spatial mathematical models.
—Dragon Qilin's mathematical skills were not low either, not inferior to those old Daoist priests.
Dragon Qilin was moved to tears. Finally, he had found a reason not to be put on the dining table, so he naturally worked twice as hard.
Qin Mu didn't need to personally oversee the Golden Book scrolls. He devoted all his energy to manufacturing the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon.
Wang Muran, Mu Qingdai, and Long Yu were assigned by Qin Mu to work alongside the mathematical experts from the Dao Sect, Imperial Academy, Design Bureau, and Heavenly Saint Cult to organize the spatial mathematical models and formation models of the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon. Gu Linuan was also among them.
Many of the Imperial Secretary Supervisors from the Imperial Academy's Heavenly Records Tower were also masters of formations, proficient in various spells and divine abilities, almost walking repositories of techniques. Qin Mu also invited them.
The Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon was originally an eye technique called the Sun-Shooting Divine Eye, which was obtained by the State Preceptor of Yan Kang and stored in the Heavenly Records Tower. Therefore, the Imperial Secretary Supervisors were also needed for guidance.
Qin Mu exchanged ideas with the Imperial Secretary Supervisors of the Heavenly Records Tower for several days, mastered the formations and structure of the Sun-Shooting Divine Eye, transformed the Sun-Shooting Divine Eye into the formation sequence for the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon, and then constructed the cannon body.
Deaf observed from the sidelines. After Qin Mu finalized the structure of the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon, Deaf immediately began to paint.
Even though he was revered as the Saint of Painting, it still took him five days to paint this divine cannon.
After Deaf finished painting, he took the completed blueprint to the outskirts of the city, chose an empty space, and unfurled it. Instantly, a terrifying cannon platform a hundred zhang tall appeared, covering a vast area of about a thousand mu.
Unlike other true essence cannons, this Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon designed by Qin Mu had no barrel. It looked like a huge platform.
On both sides of the platform were two frames. The frames extended from the sides of the platform, showing arc-shaped patterns, and at the top was a thick axle.
The two axles were symmetrical but not connected. At the ends of the axles were semi-circular forks, with an eighty-zhang gap between them. Floating in the middle of the forks was a divine eye blazing with fiery light, occasionally rolling around.
When the eye opened, flames spewed out.
When the eye closed, it rotated in place on the platform.
This was the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon that Qin Mu had designed based on the Sun-Shooting Divine Eye!
Hundreds of mathematical experts immediately swarmed around, climbing to various parts of the huge cannon platform to measure, calculate, and decompose it. They broke down the massive divine cannon into individual parts and components, recording the structure, length, and dimensions of each part and component without allowing the slightest error.
The formations on each part and component also needed to be measured, which required a massive amount of calculation.
Qin Mu's design of the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon did not include every single component. He only designed the main body of the divine cannon. However, it was impossible to have a single foundry large enough to cast such a massive divine cannon in one go.
Therefore, to refine it, it had to be broken down into individual parts and components, forged separately, and then assembled.
This was also the reason Qin Mu needed so many mathematical experts.
Coordinating so many people for measurement and calculation was itself a science, allowing no room for error.
Qin Mu simply invited Emperor Yan Feng out of the capital to coordinate the cooperation among the mathematical experts. The emperor's injuries had healed, but they were severe. His divine hideaways were tattered and still needed recuperation, and his cultivation base had not yet recovered.
Qin Mu and Little Poison King Fu Yuanqing had treated him, but the medicine was too strong, causing considerable trouble for both him and the State Preceptor of Yan Kang. Emperor Yan Feng still held a grudge.
"Your Majesty, these mathematical experts are all people I invited. They are not Your Majesty's subjects. If something displeases you, Your Majesty cannot say 'off with their heads,'" Qin Mu advised.
Emperor Yan Feng laughed. "I am not that tyrant who always has 'off with their heads' on his lips. Rest assured, my dear minister."
Officials from the Ministry of Works arrived, including Shan Youxin, the Master of the Heavenly Crafts Hall, and others who had come down from the front lines. The war on the grasslands no longer required their services, so the State Preceptor of Yan Kang had sent them back to the capital.
"The State Preceptor is currently attacking the Golden Palace of Loulan. When we returned, the battle had not yet begun," the Minister of Works reported to Emperor Yan Feng.
Qin Mu immediately gathered the Ministry of Works officials for discussion. After a while, the Minister of Works reported to Emperor Yan Feng: "Supervisor Qin thinks the five foundries Your Majesty provided are too small, and the distances between them are a bit far. He plans to dismantle the five foundries and build a new one by the river."
Emperor Yan Feng fumed, "Dismantle my five foundries? These foundries were built with real gold and silver! He spends money so lavishly, as if it's not his own! I want to cut off his head!"
The Minister of Works smiled. "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? All the foundries in our Yan Kang Kingdom were designed and improved by Supervisor Qin."
Emperor Yan Feng's expression softened. "He is indeed a capable man. His head will be noted for now."
A moment later, Qin Mu dispatched tower ships to dismantle the five foundries and transport them to the banks of the Tu River. Ling Yuxiu's leadership and coordination skills were not weak, so Qin Mu invited her to help coordinate and dispatch tasks for building the new foundry.
Qin Mu also ordered the transport of various divine metals, divine materials, and heavenly treasures from the national treasury to the new foundry.
Emperor Yan Feng, meanwhile, was busy coordinating and dispatching the many mathematical experts to avoid errors, devoting all his energy to this task.
Over ten days later, the mathematical measurements of the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon were completed. The many mathematical experts integrated their work, using their primordial qi to form individual parts and components. They assembled tens of thousands of parts and components together, perfectly matching without the slightest error, forming a complete Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon.
On the other side, Qin Mu had almost emptied the national treasury. He also dispatched ship after ship of mystic gold, mystic iron, and mystic copper from various mines across the land. Outside the new foundry, various treasures were piled up like mountains.
The new factory had already been started. Qin Mu designed new furnaces with even fiercer firepower. A hundred tall metal mechanical giants forged the mystic gold and mystic iron, stacking the refined gold, silver, copper, and iron neatly.
Emperor Yan Feng came to his senses and summoned the Minister of Works. "What's left in my national treasury?"
The Minister of Works hesitated for a moment. "To answer Your Majesty, there's basically nothing left. Supervisor Qin has even emptied the rat holes of their materials!"
Emperor Yan Feng walked into the new foundry. Inside, the factory was bustling with activity. Various new machines were starting up. Furnaces blazed with fiery light, powering the mechanical giants. Large and small boilers also emitted steaming hot air and dazzling light.
"The daily consumption of medicinal stones in the new factory is equivalent to the daily consumption of a medium-scale war," the Minister of Works said.
"Supervisor Qin also designed an energy source for the divine cannon: fifty-six of the most powerful furnaces. The medicinal stones consumed in a single startup are about the same as what the State Preceptor took when he campaigned against the Barbarian Di Kingdom."
Emperor Yan Feng was dumbfounded. After a long while, he slowly said, "It's as if it's not his money being spent. Where is Supervisor Qin? I want to ask him if spending money feels good."
"Supervisor Qin has gone drinking with the princess."
The Minister of Works said cautiously, "He said he owed someone a drink, and that person had been waiting for many days. Since there was basically no work for him here, he decided to go treat that person to a drink to avoid owing a favor. The princess heard about it and went with him. A little fox also tagged along. Supervisor Qin said there was no good wine, so the princess brought some tribute wine from the palace."
Emperor Yan Feng fumed, "I was invited here by him, busy running around, and he, on the other hand, goes off drinking himself, drinking my wine, and taking my daughter out to indulge in pleasure! I want to cut off his head!"
The Minister of Works quickly said, "Your Majesty, the Sun-Shooting Divine Cannon hasn't been built yet..."
Emperor Yan Feng said magnanimously, "His head will be noted for now."
The Minister of Works said, "Supervisor Qin said we cannot owe wages. He has already written a list and asks Your Majesty to take a look."
Emperor Yan Feng glanced at it and flew into a rage. "So much money? He's emptied my national treasury, where am I supposed to get the money? I want to cut off his head!"
The Minister of Works quickly said, "Your Majesty, the Barbarian Di Kingdom has been broken, and the Wolf Ju Xu Kingdom has also been conquered. Then we will have money."
Emperor Yan Feng's anger turned to joy, and he laughed. "Supervisor Qin's head will be noted for now. I cannot mistreat these Heavenly Craftsmen. When we have money, we will pay them. Is there any news from the northern frontier?"
"To answer Your Majesty, the Heavenly Strategy General has sent a report of victory. The royal court of the Wolf Ju Xu Kingdom has been broken, and the king has surrendered. The Heavenly Strategy General is stationed in the Wolf Ju Xu Kingdom, while the Crown Prince is escorting the Wolf Kingdom's king here. He should arrive either today or tomorrow."
Emperor Yan Feng nodded and smiled. "Yu Shu causes much less worry than his elder brother."
"Supervisor Qin..."
Emperor Yan Feng raised his hand. "Don't mention him! Talk about someone else, something else."
"Grand Sacrificial Official Gu Linuan asked the Ministry of Revenue if he could get an advance on one month's salary..."
"No money!"
Emperor Yan Feng sneered. "Grand Sacrificial Official Gu has always been a schemer. How could he be short of money?"
"Lord Gu really has no money."
The Minister of Works laughed. "He spent his entire fortune to redeem the Junior Guardian Sword. I heard that the Saintess of the Heavenly Saint Cult brought the Junior Guardian Sword to ask him if he wanted to get it back, so Lord Gu went bankrupt. Moreover, Lord Gu contributed to the measurement of the divine cannon this time, so he wanted to get an advance on his salary."
Emperor Yan Feng was surprised. "Wasn't the Junior Guardian Sword with Supervisor Qin? How did it end up in the hands of the Heavenly Saint Saintess... Bah, you mentioned him again! I want to cut off your head! I'm not bankrupt; the entire nation is bankrupt! Where else do I have money? All of you come asking me for money. I've already sold off most of the things in my palace. The only things left are my dragon robe and dragon throne that I haven't taken out to sell! I really have nothing left to sell!"
The Minister of Works smiled apologetically. "Your Majesty, once we unify the grasslands and the snow plains, money will naturally not be scarce. Moreover, Supervisor Qin has improved the foundries, manufacturing various tower ships and machinery, selling them to merchants. Money will flow into the national treasury like water..."
Emperor Yan Feng sighed. "His head and your head will both be noted for now. Who is Supervisor Qin drinking with, taking my precious daughter along?"