Chapter 255 Fresh Style to Yuyang

The valley where the gunpowder workshop was located was remote.

However, due to the relocation of many craftsmen and their families, as well as the frequent transportation of raw materials, a yellow mud road was formed in the wilderness.

The carriage went straight all the way and stopped in a valley.

"Ma'am, it's here."

Yang Sixi pointed to the valley near the river and the villages gathered nearby and said:

"The valley is where the fireworks workshop is located, and the craftsmen and their families live in the houses in the village."

Hualan looked at the scene in front of her and nodded repeatedly.

This is very much like a farm.

The only difference is that the farm produces grains and fruits, while the farm in front of us produces fireworks and firecrackers.

"Do you know why the Marquis built this workshop here?" Hua Lan asked casually as she walked towards the manor.

Yang Sixi naturally didn't understand this.

But there was no need for him to explain, because the next moment, everyone heard a loud "boom".

There was a loud bang from the nearby valley, like a sudden thunderclap.

Such a loud explosion seemed to be right next to her ears, and Hua Lan was immediately frightened.

At the same time, she also understood why Yang Wenyuan placed this fireworks workshop here.

Houses in Bianjing City were extremely expensive, and the same was true for the mountains outside Bianjing City.

Those are the private places of dignitaries. If you do this every now and then, you will definitely offend the people around you.

Chang Qing took the opportunity to step forward and explained:

"Young Master wants to come up with some new styles of firecrackers, so it's inevitable that they'll make a lot of noise, but there are already some finished products."

"Oh?"

Hualan was now interested. She thought that Changwu's wedding was coming up soon. If there were some nice firecrackers here, she could celebrate with them.
"What style? It's not as big as today's, right?"

Although louder firecrackers are better, if they were really used at a wedding with such a loud noise, it would probably scare the guests.

Chang Qing had also done his homework here. While asking Yang Sixi to get the finished product, he said:
"Not all of them are this kind of firecrackers. There are also firecrackers called 'fire starters' that can emit fireworks, and there are also firecrackers called 'three-level waves' that make sounds, and 'ground rats' that do not make sounds and spin on the ground..."

Since it is a fireworks workshop, it naturally has to come up with some new firecrackers to make people believe it.

Therefore, in addition to studying gunpowder, Yang Wenyuan also provided ideas for craftsmen and created many novel fireworks.

I just have to wait until the end of the year to make a name for myself in the city of Bianjing, which will help me recoup some of my losses.

Changqing was worried that Hualan would be dissatisfied with the huge cost of making fireworks in this workshop, so he introduced it in a very detailed manner, describing one by one the styles of firecrackers that he had memorized at the last minute.

Hualan, Cuichan and Caizan nodded repeatedly after hearing this and couldn't help but feel excited.

Soon, Yang Sixi led people and came over, holding several large boxes.

"Madam, these firecrackers look better when set off at night." Changqing was worried that Hualan would be dissatisfied with the products of the fireworks workshop, so he even took the weather into consideration and reminded her softly.

Cuichan immediately gave Changqing a glare in anger:
"You're the only one who talks too much. Don't you think we girls don't know this? I just brought it here to have a look and plan to release it when we get back to town!"

Seeing Changqing and Cuichan singing the same tune, Hualan did not expose them. She turned her head and glanced at the valley. Seeing that the road leading in was rugged, she did not intend to dirty her clothes and go explore it herself. She nodded and said,
"Then take them all with you and wait until night falls to see them."

After saying this, Hua Lan thought of the Changwu wedding again, so she turned to Yang Sixi and asked:

"Are these new styles of firecrackers still in stock? My cousin is getting married soon, and I want to bring some to celebrate."

Yang Sixi nodded quickly and responded:
"Madam, we have quite a bit of it here. It's all stored in the secret vault under the manor. We'll just wait until the weather gets cold before sending it all to Bianjing."

Hualan micro-point:

"Then bring some over. It will be enough for a wedding."

Yang Sixi went to prepare happily.

Until night fell.

The countryside, dotted with stars, glows brightly.

After dinner, Hualan led the maid to arrange the firecrackers in the yard, ready to see what kind of fireworks this somewhat mysterious fireworks workshop could produce.

"Cui Chan, you go!" Hua Lan, with a cloak hanging behind her, retreated to the eaves with the maids and old women, and handed the fire starter in her hand to Cui Chan.

Cuichan took the fire starter with full confidence.

As for lighting firecrackers, it’s not like I haven’t played with them when I was a kid.

However, when she arrived at the open space where the firecrackers were placed, she looked at the cannon barrel that was thicker than her arm and immediately looked embarrassed.

'This... How can it be so big! '

To be on the safe side, Cuichan decided to entrust such an important task to someone she could trust:

"Changqing, come on!"

At home, Cuichan calls him "Master", but in front of others, she still calls him "Changqing", and Changqing is happy to listen.

"Eh!"

Changqing's voice came immediately from the gate of the courtyard, and he happily took the fire starter from Cuichan's hand. After getting a white eye and a pouty smile in return, he couldn't help but light the fireworks.

“Sizzle~Sizzle~!”

The sound of burning fuse suddenly rang out in the courtyard.

"Ah! It's going to explode, get inside!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and after a series of creaking sounds of doors opening and closing, the figures under the eaves suddenly disappeared, and Hualan and others quickly hid in the house.

But then another head popped out from the gap in the door.

“Chu-shua~pa!”

“Chu-shua~pa!”

"..."

Unlike the series of explosions of ordinary firecrackers, this new type of fireworks initially made a sharp sound like a bamboo whistle, and then exploded into the air, painting the sky brilliantly.

The trees are full of fireworks and the clouds are full of mist, which is really gorgeous and beautiful.

"Wow! It's so beautiful! I've never seen it before!"

"Yes, you are worthy of being the master!" Yang Wenyuan: Good licking!
"..."

There were brilliant fireworks reflected in her beautiful eyes. Hua Lan was also very surprised for a moment, and at the same time she was a little angry with Yang Wenyuan:

"This thing has been kept secret from me. I guess the master wanted to give me a surprise, but he didn't tell me in advance, so I got to see it in advance."

Yang Wenyuan: Why didn’t I think of that? Why didn’t I think of that!
To be honest, Yang Wenyuan had never thought about this.

After all, he and Hualan are already an old married couple, and they have almost forgotten about the option of doing something new.

'Should I pretend to be unaware and act surprised when I see these fireworks in winter?'

But it’s just a thought.

What happened today will definitely reach Yang Wenyuan's ears. If I pretend then, I will probably be ridiculed by the official.

For a moment, looking at the fireworks in the sky, Hualan's mind was filled with many happy worries.

"Alas, it's not a good thing that my husband is too clingy. I have to think about how to accommodate him." Thinking of this, Hualan's face was full of smiles, and she couldn't help laughing foolishly.

"Girl, what are you laughing at? Why do you look so silly?" Cui Chan said suddenly.

Hua Lan immediately adjusted her face and suppressed her smile:
"Did I laugh?" "Yes, I saw it clearly."

"How can you see clearly at this late hour? You are seeing things wrong."

"I read that right!"

"Did you hear me laugh?"

"……No."

"That means no smile."

The success made Cuichan look tangled. Hualan hid her achievements and fame and prepared to leave. However, before leaving, she thought of something and turned back to Cuichan and said:

"Wait until the fireworks are over, and then go and clean the yard. If you don't, you won't be able to sleep tonight."

"Ah? Girl, why do you want me to go? It's not..."

"That's fine too. You and Changqing can go together."

Three days later.

After the ceremony, Hualan returned to the boat, but there were five more boxes of fireworks and firecrackers than when she came.

Seeing the new and interesting toys her sister brought back, and the maids describing them vividly, Rulan, as the most curious and adventurous girl in the family, naturally opened the box without hesitation.

That night.

On the ship sailing to Youyang, a series of fireworks would explode from time to time, brilliantly filling the night sky.

"It's a fun thing, it brings joy!"

Looking at Minglan and Rulan playing happily under the fireworks at night, Old Lady Sheng said with a smile:
"Wenyuan just likes to think about these things. You should not stop him, lest there be any rift between husband and wife."

Seeing Hualan was about to argue, Old Lady Sheng teased again:
"You can't let him do what he wants. He'll end up spoiling you and putting your dowry into it."

"grandmother!"

Hua Lan blushed and deliberately shook Old Lady Sheng's hand to tease her:

"Granddaughter, I am not that kind of person!"

Anyway, the official never asked me for it!
Even if...even if the official wants to ask for it at that time, then...

That also needs to be discussed!
At least you have to leave some money for your children!
……

According to the regional division in later generations, Youyang belongs to Jiangsu.

However, the current Jiangsu Province does not have the grand occasion of the "Thirteen Guardians" later on, and only the big city of Nanjing stands out in the surrounding area.

It only takes an hour or so to walk from Youyang to Jinling.

Obviously, Youyang cannot develop a large business, so it is just a county town of medium size.

Considering that there was no pier in Youyang that could accommodate large ships, Hualan and her group got off the ship in advance before approaching Youyang, and changed to a horse-drawn carriage to travel by land.

Although the flag of the marquisate was not hung in order to reduce flattery along the way, and the personal guards were sent out separately in advance, the trip was still a large scale and attracted the attention of many people.

Yuyang.

Shengfu.

The Sheng family is not well-known outside, but in Youyang, it is a famous wealthy family.

My ancestors started out as merchants.

Then, the family started with the old man of the Sheng family, who was a top scholar in the imperial examination. Now, with Sheng Hong, a "high-ranking official" in Beijing, as the family's supporter, the family's influence in the local area can be said to be first-class.

Therefore, the Sheng family mansion occupies a very large area.

Of course, limited by their reputation as a wealthy merchant family, they did not dare to be too presumptuous, but compared with the surrounding families, they still stood out from the crowd.

Rich families in the countryside like to build their houses against hills.

In this way, one only needs to buy the mountain land behind and then build a fence around the hill. Then, even if the house seems to be presumptuous, others will not be able to say anything.

What's wrong with me building a few yards on my own land?
It’s not connected!
Of course, it all comes down to personal connections.

The Youyang Sheng family not only has this, but it is also very big!

You know, the Youyang County Magistrate is only a seventh rank...

In the officialdom, each official has his own level of social interaction, plus there are classmates and friends to deal with. Unless the Youyang County Magistrate does not plan to be promoted in the future, he has to at least give face.

Close to Sheng Mansion.

Hualan and her group got off the carriage.

At the same time, at the gate of Sheng Mansion.

Old lady Sheng Da from the main branch of the Sheng family, Sheng Wei and the rest of the family were already waiting at the door.

"Mother, it's our second grandmother in person." Old lady Shengda was old, and her eyesight was blurry. She couldn't see the person's face clearly from a distance, so Sheng Wei reminded her.

"Ah."

Old Lady Shengda nodded, and then asked in a low voice:
"Is your niece sure she's here?"

Sheng Hong had already sent a letter to the first wife, in which he mentioned that not only Mrs. Sheng and her two daughters, Rulan and Minglan, would be coming, but also Hualan, who happened to be leaving Bianjing on the same route.

Although Hualan still has the title of the daughter of the Sheng family, she has already married, not to mention that her current status is unusual, so she naturally cannot be treated as usual.

The merchants pay the most attention to these.

Since Hualan was a child, Sheng Wei had often gone to Sheng Hong's house to give gifts, and had also attended Hualan's wedding, so naturally he recognized her appearance.

He nodded imperceptibly and said softly:
"We're here. I just got off the carriage."

"We'll be there once we get there. I heard they were in danger on the river on their way here. Although they weren't seriously injured, they came here to celebrate Changwu's wedding. Now that they've been hit, we should take the initiative to welcome them."

After saying this, Old Lady Shengda immediately greeted everyone and went out to greet them with a smile.

"Oh, sister-in-law, why did you come out in person!"

Old Madam Sheng had just finished her hair with her granddaughters and was about to go home, but she saw Old Madam Sheng, whom she hadn't seen for a long time, coming out to greet them. She was surprised and delighted, and hurried forward to support Old Madam Sheng's arm, saying with concern in her tone:

"You're not feeling well, why did you come out to greet me in person?"

Old Madam Shengda smiled indifferently and said enthusiastically:
"It's okay. I know my own body well. Moving a few steps won't cause any harm."

As he spoke, he looked up past Old Lady Sheng and looked at Hualan, Rulan, and Minglan behind him:
"You came back with such a big crowd this time, and even brought your granddaughters with you?"

"But what?"

Old Madam Sheng laughed and added softly:
"It's not good to bring them all, we have to give one at home."

Old lady Shengda nodded.

She knew that Molan had not come yet, but she didn't care much.

"Greetings, Great Grandmother!" Seeing Grandma Sheng looking at them, Hualan, Minglan and Rulan hurriedly bowed in greeting.

Hualan and Rulan were fine, as they had also gone back to Youyang with their father and mother to see the place a few years earlier.

Only Minglan felt a little unfamiliar with this great-grandmother whom she had never met.

"Is this Ming girl?"

Old Madam Shengda also noticed Minglan's embarrassment and smiled at her:

"I always heard your grandmother mention you in her letters. Now I see that you are really just like Ru Yatou!"

However, he only spoke briefly and called everyone inside to talk.

(End of this chapter)