Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years

Chapter 346: Chapter 346: Gunpowder

After Xie Ming’an left, the days slowly passed.

He wasn’t in the habit of writing letters, it seemed, so Shen Ningning had to wait for his return to learn the outcome.

In the meantime, the sweet potatoes planted by Dong Sanhua had become a great success.

Shen Ningning quickly recommended Dong Sanhua’s method to the Emperor.

Although Mr. Zhang Liu was grief-stricken that his life’s work had been burned to ashes, many commoners were still going hungry.

The Emperor no longer hesitated, immediately ordering the Chief Eunuch to begin preparing hothouses and cultivating soil for the sweet potatoes.

Shen Ningning took all the sweet potatoes grown in Xiangyun Village and distributed them as relief aid.

The people around the Capital City were finally able to eat a full meal, every meal.

While waiting for Xie Ming’an to return to the capital, Shen Ningning not only went to the palace to practice calligraphy with Mo Lingwei, but also paid closer attention to his illness.

Strangely, ever since the moment the golden pearl had turned into a sun and appeared in the sky, Mo Lingwei had rarely suffered from his chilling ailment again.

The Emperor believed this was surely an auspicious celestial sign, and so he became even more convinced by Shen Ningning’s words.

The little one was also working hard, tilling the soil for the Golden Pearl Tree.

This tree was far more finicky than the Cloud Tree had been.

It didn’t seem to like much rain, so whenever the spirit rain fell in the Immortal Realm, its growth would slow slightly.

But when the sun came out in the Immortal Realm, it would rapidly sprout brownish, chestnut-like fruits.

Shen Ningning already had over sixty of them. She believed that it wouldn’t be long before she collected a hundred, enough to make the dark clouds disperse and the sun reappear.

It would bring an end to this world of ice and snow.

It was nearly November. As the world turned toward winter, the already cold winds grew even more piercing.

Consequently, the National Academy canceled its classes.

Shen Ningning had no choice but to resume her studies with the mad scholar.

In her spare time, she visited Jiang Zhi several times.

She’d heard that Jiang Zhi had joined the Fire Soldier Camp, where she was buried in her studies day in and day out, too busy to spare a moment.

The little one visited several times, and each time, Jiang Zhi was in the middle of reciting formulas.

"Two mace of sulfur, one tael of yellow lead..."

Each time she visited, Shen Ningning felt it would be rude to interrupt, so she would just sit obediently to the side and listen to her recite.

But the more she listened, the more familiar the ingredients Jiang Zhi listed sounded.

Shen Ningning walked to the table and curiously peered at the small amount of powder Jiang Zhi was using for her studies. A piece of paper was pasted nearby, on which was written: Gunpowder.

Just as she reached out her little hand to touch it, Jiang Zhi’s expression changed drastically.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Ningning, don’t touch that, whatever you do!" She was so frightened she forgot to maintain her boyish voice. She darted over in a single bound and carried Shen Ningning to a safer spot.

The little one blinked her big, innocent eyes.

"Jiang Zhi, is it poisonous?" Since no one else was around, she didn’t bother hiding Jiang Zhi’s identity.

Jiang Zhi smiled. "Not poisonous, but it’s more powerful than any poison!"

"On my very first day here, the Young General found an old master to teach me. I never would have guessed it, but the master made one small mistake and blew an entire house to smithereens with gunpowder!"

"Don’t underestimate this small amount of stuff. It’s enough to make enemy armies tremble in fear. In fact, Changliu Country has sent spies here many times just to steal the formula for it."

Shen Ningning was amazed. "Gunpowder is really that amazing?"

"Of course! In small amounts, you can make fireworks. In large amounts, it’s a powerful weapon that can conquer cities and seize territory!" Jiang Zhi’s eyes shone as she said this.

She added, "If the master who teaches me is free later, I’ll introduce you to him."

"You’ll understand when you see him. He’s worked with gunpowder for thirty years, and for thirty years he’s been meticulously careful, day in and day out. But he’s still had three accidents, and they blew the hair right off his forehead."

Jiang Zhi’s description was so vivid that Shen Ningning couldn’t help but giggle.

She covered her mouth with her little hand, her eyes sparkling. "If it’s so dangerous, why do you still want to learn?"

Jiang Zhi replied at once, "I wish I could learn even faster. I didn’t understand before, but now that I’ve been exposed to it, I realize the allure of gunpowder is truly endless."

"In the Fire Soldier Camp, once we go to battle, we have to carry the gunpowder, charge to the front lines, and wait for an opportunity to throw it. One wrong move, and we sacrifice our lives. But—"

Jiang Zhi paused and pointed to a towering pillar outside.

The pillar was very tall, about two stories high.

Shen Ningning walked outside and tilted her head back to look.

Beneath the overcast sky, in the icy wind, the towering pillar was a dark bronze, densely engraved with countless names.

Jiang Zhi gazed up, her eyes filled with what looked like yearning.

She murmured, "The soldiers who sacrificed their lives can have their names carved here, to be immortalized for all time in the history of Cangyun Country."

"To be fortunate enough to be remembered by future generations... just thinking about it makes my blood race."

Jiang Zhi smiled at Shen Ningning.

Her pretty face was filled with a heroic air. "Ningning, I’ve found something I aspire to and love. Of course I have to give it my all!"

Shen Ningning felt inspired by her spirit.

The little one said at once in her soft, sweet voice, "Okay! Jiang Zhi, I know you’ll be a great success!"

At first, Jiang Zhi beamed with a happy laugh.

But soon, her smile faded, and she sighed softly.

"It’s just... Cangyun Country’s fortunes are ill-fated. First the drought, and now this heavy snow. There aren’t many ingredients left in the national treasury to make gunpowder."

Shen Ningning blinked her long, lush lashes, deep in thought.

’In my Immortal Realm,’ she thought, ’there’s finished gunpowder... enough to fill half the great hall!’

’And even if I took it all out, the Immortal Realm would just automatically and endlessly restock itself.’

The little one scratched her cheek.

’Should I find a chance to donate it to Uncle Emperor?’

’But my gunpowder doesn’t seem to be exactly the same as the kind Jiang Zhi is making.’

That evening, after returning home, the little one opened a packet of gunpowder in her Immortal Realm and carefully examined the ingredients inside.

It had one more ingredient than Jiang Zhi’s formula: three taels of saltpeter.

’Does that mean my gunpowder works differently?’

Shen Ningning decided to find a chance to test it herself first. If there were no issues, she would then donate it to her Uncle Emperor.

「November 3rd.」

Second Madam Xie was released from prison.

When Shen Ningning came to the Xie Mansion for dinner, she saw Second Madam Xie for the first time in a long while.

Her face was gaunt, and she had grown much thinner.

Three months of hardship in prison had changed her completely. The combative, competitive fire in her eyes was gone.

The moment she saw Shen Ningning, Second Madam Xie looked like a mouse that had just seen a cat—utterly terrified.

During dinner that evening, Second Madam Xie kept her head down, clutching her bowl and focusing only on eating.

She didn’t dare say a single word to Shen Ningning.

She grew even more fearful, especially when she remembered that even Consort Rong had been no match for the little girl and had been sent to the Cold Palace because of her.

After dinner, Second Madam Xie took the initiative to speak, her tone fawning as she addressed them in front of Shen Ningning.

"Regarding the witchcraft incident, I was truly in the wrong. I’ve done so much wrong, and I’ve come to realize my mistakes."

"Eldest Brother, Husband, Ningning, starting tomorrow, I ask you all to supervise me."

"I will go to the ancestral hall every day to clean and repent before our ancestors. From now on, I will behave myself and never cause trouble again."

Xie Suzhi took Shen Ningning’s little hand and said coolly, "Let’s hope you mean what you say."

After they left, Second Madam Xie hurriedly turned to look at Second Master Xie’s expression.

To her surprise, Second Master Xie was even colder than Xie Suzhi.

He wouldn’t even give her a proper look.

"Repenting to our ancestors isn’t your punishment. It’s so that you can hopefully live with your own conscience."

"Stop doing such sordid things, and try to set a good example for Yuan Jiu."

"Otherwise, how could I possibly have the nerve to ask Eldest Brother to bring Yuan Jiu home?" After speaking coldly, Second Master Xie was helped away by a young servant.

Second Madam Xie felt a pang of distress, but what surprised her even more was something else.

’Second Master Xie... Xie Dizhi... he can stand up?’

She hurriedly called a maidservant over to inquire.

The maidservant said, "It’s all thanks to our Commandery Princess. She brings the Divine Doctor every day to perform acupuncture on the Second Master. She even has spring water from the mountain heated up so he can soak his legs. The treatment is working wonders!"

Second Madam Xie’s eyes flickered as she murmured to herself, ’That Shen Ningning... is she really that capable?’

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!