On the twenty-third day of December, at the hour of Chen (around seven in the morning), the Emperor announced during the morning court that a demonstration of new types of weapons would be held in the Imperial Training Ground that afternoon.
All civil and military officials, as well as those not on duty, were required to attend. After the demonstration, he had a very important matter to proclaim to the world.
The officials who had colluded with Ke Biping believed that the Emperor would bring up the matter of adopting children during the morning court today. Having been informed of this in advance yesterday, they had prepared their speeches overnight and had a multitude of reasons for opposition ready.
To their surprise, the Emperor did not mention the matter. Instead, he abruptly announced the demonstration. Several officials swallowed the words that had risen to their throats. After all, they had prepared their speeches and reasons; regardless of when the Emperor brought it up, they would simply oppose it.
According to Prince Ping, the Emperor intended to adopt not only children of commoners but also people from other countries. What an absurd notion! How could the royal family of Tianzhao dare to mix with the low-class, lowly people of other nations?
If the Emperor wished to adopt children outside of the royal lineage, he should adopt the children of officials who had contributed to the nation and the court. Perhaps this could even inspire officials to work harder for the court and the Emperor.
At the hour of Wei middle (around two in the afternoon), Ke Bitez, along with his family and everyone else including Lu Yuzhi, headed towards the Imperial Palace. The three pets, seeing that everyone was leaving and none would stay to accompany them, became extremely restless.
Su Muqing guessed that without familiar people around, the three pets would surely wreak havoc in the Regent's Mansion. Later, at her request, Ke Bitez had to agree to bring the three pets along.
However, for the safety of others, Ke Bitez repeatedly emphasized that they must be kept under strict watch. Beasts were still beasts; if they injured someone or caused trouble, it might affect the upcoming enfeoffment of Su Muqing and her younger brother.
Su Muqing understood the gravity of the situation and nodded solemnly, promising to watch them carefully. She also added that the three were very intelligent and would not harm others without reason.
Then, in front of Ke Bitez, she lectured the three pets earnestly. Su Muqing's interactions with the pets were much like how she treated children, which made him want to laugh.
How could beasts obey like humans? Indeed! There were no perfect people in this world. Looking at it this way, the Regent suddenly felt he might have overestimated Su Muqing. Her behavior at times didn't seem that intelligent.
When everything was ready, the group left the Regent's Mansion. Ke Binah and Lu Yuzhi were still sitting on the shoulders of the black bear. Leng Ren and Leng Feng rode horses alongside the Regent. Su Muqing, with the little milk bun, the Princess Consort, and the young princesses, rode in a carriage. Feila followed closely beside the carriage. Their group was too large, so their pace was slow. The eagle had already flown to the palace gates and was circling overhead, waiting. In the middle of the procession were two more carriages, carrying the secret weapons to be displayed.
This peculiar and eye-catching procession astonished everyone on the streets. They traversed the First Avenue of Rongcheng City, heading directly towards the Imperial Palace.
Although this era lacked developed networks, news spread within the same city at a remarkable speed. As such, the Emperor had only announced the demonstration in the morning, and by noon, large crowds of curious onlookers had begun to gather on the streets.
Even many merchants and vendors, upon hearing the news, went directly to the vicinity of the Imperial Training Ground to find the best spots for their stalls. Most people were drawn along, following the procession, just to witness the rare spectacle.
By the afternoon, as the procession reached the large square in front of the palace gates, most of the citizens of Rongcheng were following behind. The distant restaurants, tea houses, streets, and alleys were packed with people.
This unprecedented scene delighted the shopkeepers and street vendors alike. With so many people out to watch the spectacle, they knew they would have to eat and drink, and it was certain they would make a fortune today!
The perimeter of the large square was lined with soldiers carrying swords. Fortunately, ordinary citizens harbored a natural fear and deference towards the Imperial City. Therefore, they only dared to follow to the edge of the square and then voluntarily stood at a distance, craning their necks to watch. Otherwise, if so many people had rushed forward, the entire square might have collapsed under their weight.
When the group arrived at the palace entrance, the Emperor, Empress, and the consorts and noble ladies of the palace had already formed a long queue of carriages. Su Muqing's carriage was summoned to the middle of the line, driving behind the Imperial Dowager's carriage.
The Regent also rode his horse to the front of the procession. Leng Ren and Leng Feng continued to guard the carriages containing the weapons. As for Lu Yuzhi and Ke Binah, because the black bear was too enormous and might startle the horses and cause a commotion in the procession, the two still walked at the very end.
After the two groups converged, everyone followed the palace procession directly to the training area – the Royal Imperial Training Ground. The training ground was located in the suburbs on the edge of the Imperial Palace and was vast in size.
Normally, it was a place where royal children learned to ride horses and shoot arrows. Nearby, there were also dedicated racecourses, shooting ranges, and various arenas for competitions and drills.
By the time the palace procession arrived slowly, a large number of officials had already gathered in the largest training arena. The outermost perimeter was filled with onlookers, primarily wealthy families from Rongcheng.
They had sent their servants and attendants early to secure good positions. Today was a major event, and it was rumored that all the young talents, princes, and young masters of Rongcheng would be participating. Such a rare opportunity had also drawn many young ladies from secluded households who rarely ventured out.
For them, watching the spectacle was merely a pretense. If they were fortunate enough to be noticed by a prince's heir or the son of an official, and secure a good marriage, their wait would not have been in vain.
After the palace procession had fully entered the training arena, the common people were also allowed in, but they were only permitted to stand on the outer fringes.
The Emperor and Empress, with the assistance of palace attendants, alighted from their carriages. Su Muqing, following the consorts and noble ladies behind, also disembarked.
Everyone in the field knelt together to pay their respects to the Imperial Dowager and the Empress. After the important figures were seated, the rest of the attendees proceeded to their respective seats.
Su Muqing and her companions were seated to the side of the Empress. The little milk bun was held by Wan Yan'er, sitting beside her. Seeing the scene filled with thousands of people, she couldn't help but press her forehead. She should never have agreed to the Regent's request for a demonstration; she never expected him to create such a grand spectacle.
In fact, from Su Muqing's perspective, thermal weapons were not native to this world. A few shots from her, or the detonation of a few stones, would have been sufficient to create a significant deterrent. However, her father, the Emperor, insisted that she perform well so that any objections to her enfeoffment as a princess could be silenced.
The idea that "all the world belongs to me, and I can do whatever I wish" only played out in television dramas and was something only tyrants dared to do. Emperors in reality were not able to do as they pleased.
With such a grand setup now, the prepared weapons were likely insufficient. It seemed she would have to secretly add some more later. Otherwise, sticking to just two items would be too monotonous. With so many eyes watching, how embarrassing would it be if the event fell flat!
Su Muqing exchanged a glance with the Emperor, then rose from her seat. With graceful demeanor, she stepped forward and stood below, requesting the Emperor to issue the command to begin the demonstration.
The Emperor cleared his throat and began his speech, "My dear officials, today's event is one where I, like all of you, am merely an audience. The one who will truly demonstrate the new types of weapons is Su Muqing and her… team members."
As the Emperor's words fell, everyone's heads collectively turned. They could only see Su Muqing's back. The woman was slender, dressed in a neat riding outfit, and knelt straight on the steps covered by a red carpet.
The officials below began to whisper amongst themselves in twos and threes.
"Whose daughter is this? Why is her seat to the right of the Empress? Has the Ministry of Rites made such a grave mistake, and are they not afraid the Empress will seek retribution later?"
"What does a mere seat matter! What is strange is what capability she possesses to earn such favor from the current Emperor, and to organize such a grand event specifically for her?"
"It seems even the Prime Minister and the Grand Tutor do not recognize this woman."
Officials who were unaware of the situation turned to look at the high-ranking imperial officials seated above. Meanwhile, others who were informed were discussing different matters.
"This must be the adopted daughter the Prince mentioned…"
"It must be! Humph! A young girl of barely ten years. I want to see if she has three heads and six arms to gain the Emperor's favor!"
"Lord Fan is right. We shall simply wait and see. Unless she has made immense contributions to the nation and the court, it is not so easy to become a princess…"
"Silence, my dear officials. I will not say much more. Muqing, the stage is yours." The Emperor stopped the noisy officials and then instructed Su Muqing and her group to begin the weapon demonstration.
Su Muqing bowed, rose, and went onto the field. Lu Yuzhi and Leng Ren were already prepared on the field. In front of the three, a table was placed, covered with a red cloth that reached the ground.
Lu Yuzhi and the other two unveiled the red cloth, and everyone finally saw what was placed on it. On the tables in front of the two black-haired individuals were objects that were entirely black, tube-shaped, and varied in length.
These were, in fact, various models of handguns, light machine guns, and long-range sniper rifles. As for the white-haired individual, in addition to the strange objects on the table, there were two larger items beneath the table. These were the Barrett and Gatling guns that Su Muqing had secretly added just now.
Ke Bitez knew the power of bombs, yet he still did this. Did they have a personal vendetta? It seemed he would have to ask the Regent about it later. After all, they would be serving in the same court in the future. Although it was necessary for criminals to be executed, if those officials harbored resentment, wouldn't it just add to their troubles?
Su Muqing hesitated for a moment at her spot, then nodded slightly towards them before turning to find the Regent. In fact, she also intended to avoid the upcoming executions by firing squad.
Lu Yuzhi and the others were soldiers. Killing enemies and bad people were not difficult tasks for them. Therefore, when he heard that death row inmates would be used, he didn't find it strange.
Upon receiving Su Muqing's instructions, Lu Yuzhi and the other two simultaneously picked up the handguns in front of them. They quickly loaded the magazines and cocked the guns, raising them and pulling the triggers at the death row inmates in front.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Leng Ren and Leng Feng each took care of three inmates next to them. Lu Yuzhi was responsible for the four in the middle. Ten lives were thus extinguished within a mere few seconds.
The sudden sound startled everyone present into silence. The scene remained quiet for nearly a full minute. Then, a wave of heated discussion erupted.
The ladies present were terrified by the sound. They quickly covered their mouths with handkerchiefs, and some were even reduced to tears.
The men, especially the officials from the Ministry of War or the military generals in the court, suddenly became interested in the subsequent demonstration.
"What is that thing? It can kill people with just a few squawks?"
"It is indeed strange! This old man only heard the sound. The young lady just mentioned it was a gun, but I didn't see any gun!"
"Did you see what that ghost device was? Could it be some method of killing with sound?"
"No, perhaps it's just a bluff. We'll know for sure once we see the death row inmates later."
After the first round of executions, Ke Bitez dispatched twenty soldiers to check on the condition of the death row inmates. The soldiers carried wooden planks forward, placed the death row inmates on them, and carried them away.
Only one of them ran forward to report the results he had seen. "Reporting to Your Majesty, all the death row inmates are deceased. They all had a blood hole in their foreheads and no other wounds on their bodies."
Seeing the excitement of everyone on the field, the Emperor nodded with satisfaction. "Good! Continue!"
Upon hearing the Emperor say "continue," the discussion on the field immediately ceased, and everyone stared intently at the next weapon. A few brave and high-ranking generals even left their seats to move closer to the three individuals.
The second item to be demonstrated was the light machine gun, with each magazine holding seventy-five bullets. This type of gun had less recoil and was much lighter, allowing them to hold it.
They loaded the magazines and held them up. As the red cloth fell, the three began to fire towards the front.
Suddenly, the field was filled with the sound of "tut tut tut..." The generals who were closer could see sparks emanating from the front of the tubular object. The death row inmates, who were tied up fifty meters away, were immediately riddled with bullet holes.
After the gunfire stopped, Lu Yuzhi and the other two engaged the safety locks on their machine guns. The generals looked at each other. The sound was quite loud, but they wondered about its power.
Without knowing who took the first step, suddenly the surrounding generals, as if driven mad, ran towards the death row inmates. The civil officials and the onlookers, on the other hand, fell into a long silence once more.
The Emperor, sitting at the head of the table, secretly patted his chest. The Empress and the Imperial Dowager were also somewhat startled. Especially the Empress, her gaze towards Su Muqing was filled with complexity. Could this truly be her daughter? And where did she obtain these killing instruments?
In fact, for the past two nights, she had also been repeatedly having a strange dream. In the dream, she, the Emperor, and Su Muqing were present. And everything in the dream was as Su Muqing had described; they were a loving family. This also proved that she was indeed her daughter.
Touching her slightly startled heart, the Empress suppressed those thoughts. Her daughter had finally found her parents; she couldn't keep doubting her like this, as it would chill her heart.
After discussing the death row inmates for a long time, the generals allowed soldiers to carry their bodies away. Then, as they walked, they continued to loudly express their opinions.
At this point, the Emperor didn't need to send anyone to check. The generals returned as a group to the Emperor and meticulously described the condition of the death row inmates to him. Being rough men, their descriptions were bloody and direct. This caused the Imperial Dowager, the Empress, and the palace consorts to leave.
If the Regent hadn't cleared his throat to remind them, they likely would have continued their extravagant descriptions. Seeing that a group of important figures had been talked away, the generals grumpily returned to their seats, waiting for the next weapon that would dazzle them.
Next to be demonstrated was the Barrett. Lu Yuzhi moved the table aside, adjusted the support legs, and then crawled onto the ground to adjust the scope.
Seeing his peculiar movements, the generals could not restrain their restless hearts and again came forward to surround him. This time, they were even closer. Some even imitated Lu Yuzhi and lay on the ground.
To demonstrate its power more directly, death row inmates were not used this time. Instead, a large, thick stone was placed fifty meters away.
This was also Lu Yuzhi's first time using the Barrett. Su Muqing had told him that this weapon had a great deal of recoil and warned him to be careful not to get hurt.
Lu Yuzhi aimed at the stone in front of him and pulled the trigger. After a "~" sound, the stone emitted a series of "clang clang clang" explosions.
The two generals who were closest were startled by the air pressure generated by the Barrett's recoil and rolled to the side. They had truly felt a strong force flying towards their faces.
When they stopped and looked up, where was the large stone? The sky was filled with billowing smoke and dust, and the shattered rock fragments flew everywhere.
Upon witnessing this scene, the entire audience once again fell into a suffocating silence. People looked at the distant billowing smoke and then at the weapon at Lu Yuzhi's feet, falling into contemplation.
That was an entire large stone! To be blown to pieces like that, what terrifying power! If it hit a person, wouldn't it turn them into fragments?
Those officials who had initially underestimated the weapon demonstration, after seeing this astonishing power, no longer looked at Su Muqing with such disdain.
Regardless of where this woman obtained these weapons, her capabilities could not be underestimated. If Tianzhao could possess a batch of such weapons, wouldn't dominating the region or even unifying the world be within reach?
Ke Biping sat at the head, tightly gripping one side of the low table. He had initially thought she was just an ordinary commoner, but he never expected her to possess such strength.
No wonder the Emperor had confidently spoken of enfeoffing her as a princess that day; it turned out they had a trump card. Looking at it this way, this woman named Su Muqing was indeed difficult to deal with.
Because the previous scene of the machine gun sweeping down the death row inmates was too bloody, many of the noble ladies and ladies of the court chose to leave. However, because Lu Yuzhi was the one demonstrating in the field, even though Ke Bixiang felt disgusted in her heart, she still couldn't bear to leave.
Suddenly! She remembered that these weapons seemed to have been provided by that woman named Su Muqing. She never expected her to have the means to obtain such powerful items.
If her imperial uncle proposed to ennoble her as a princess at this time, it was likely that none of the civil and military officials would object. Even if her father contacted those officials to oppose it, the outcome would likely be difficult to achieve.
The mere thought that this woman not only stole her beloved but was also about to surpass her in status made Ke Bixiang feel stifled.
Last night, her mother had advised her to be patient. If necessary, she would beg the Imperial Dowager to allow both her and Su Muqing to marry Lu Yuzhi. As long as they could marry successfully, who could gain favor in the future would be uncertain.
At the beginning, she might have to condescend to be a secondary consort. But once her elder brother ascended to that position, it was not impossible for her to become the main consort in the future. Ke Bixiang felt slightly better thinking about this.
Hmph! For now, let her have her moment of glory. The mountains are high and the rivers are long; we'll see how things turn out later!
While Ke Bixiang was lost in her daydreams, her elder brother, on whom she placed great hopes, was currently staring intently at Su Muqing like an infatuated fool. It had to be said that the siblings were truly alike; their thoughts were astonishingly consistent.
One hoped that after her brother ascended the throne, she could leverage his power to become the main consort. The other was fantasizing about enacting a dramatic scene of snatching love when he ascended the throne!