The most arrogant in history

Chapter 346 Beware of thieves every day!

Gongsun Erniang frowned:

"I received news from our spies that our chariot pulley crossbow has been copied by Xiahou Chang. The spinning wheel and loom, the cultivation of rapeseed and chili peppers, and the oil pressing technology have all spread to the Central Plains and Jiangdong."

Ye Kun breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "So what?"

"That means there is a traitor in Yizhou! If there is no traitor, how did these technologies get out?" Gongsun Erniang rolled her eyes.

"Is there a traitor?" Ye Kun also frowned.

"I also think there is a traitor." Zhuge Feng nodded and said:

"Xiahou Chang is now determined to imitate us, so he will naturally spend a lot of money to bribe our people, or send in traitors through other means."

Gongsun Erniang said: "We should search the entire territory to investigate Xiahou Chang's spies and prevent the technology from being leaked."

"Junior sister, Mr. Zhuge, please listen to me."

Ye Kun was very calm and said, "If we conduct a large-scale search for the traitor now, it will inevitably cause a stir in the city and implicate some innocent soldiers and civilians. So, I don't plan to do that."

Finding traitors is not only a military activity, but also a political activity, and some people may take the opportunity to make false accusations and frame others.

If we're not careful, tens of thousands of people will be dragged in and the place will be littered with corpses.

Ye Kun didn't want to disturb others.

Ye Kun had no intention of blocking technologies related to people's livelihood, nor could he block them.

For example, how do you block the technology of using an ox to pull a plow?

When merchants from all over the country saw the people of Yizhou plowing the fields, they would naturally become interested. They would secretly note down the shape of the wooden plow, and then go back to imitate it. In three to five years, it would spread throughout the country.

What Ye Kun wants to block now is the gunpowder and firearm technology!

This is the core technology.

"Should we just let it go?"

"That's not it." Ye Kun smiled faintly:

"Our core technologies now are iron smelting, porcelain, glass, gunpowder, and musket production. I have heavily guarded these areas, with several walls and defense lines, and strictly prohibit anyone from approaching. Especially the gunpowder technology, I operate it separately, and I believe it will not be leaked."

Gongsun Erniang curled her lips: "But the other techniques have already been learned."

Ye Kun smiled and said, "Junior sister, you have to understand that there is no technology in this world that will never be leaked. It's just a matter of time. Since Xiahou Chang is so humble and eager to learn, I might as well give him a big gift."

Zhuge Feng and Gongsun Erniang were both stunned.

Ye Kun smiled and said:

"I will print out the blueprints for the spinning wheel and loom, the curved plow, the waterwheel, the ventilation stove, the bean paste and chili sauce making technology, the biogas digester technology, and the solar stove technology, and give them to Xiahou Chang!"

"Brother, are you crazy?"

"I'm not crazy. I want to launch a propaganda campaign to let the people of the Central Plains know how incompetent Xiahou Chang is!"

Ye Kun looked at Gongsun Erniang:

"Junior sister, you immediately lead the craftsmen to make a thousand flying lanterns. Then I will use the flying lanterns to send these materials to Chang'an City and Luoyang City and give them to the people for free."

Flying lanterns are also called Kongming lanterns.

Gongsun Erniang pondered and said, "Is it worth doing this?"

"Of course it has value. It benefits the people by loving all and not attacking others."

Ye Kun chuckled: "This is also a good way to promote our Yizhou and attract people from the Central Plains to come and join us."

Gongsun Erniang shrugged and went to prepare the lanterns.

Ye Kun wrote several more promotional materials and asked the woodblock engraving master to speed up the engraving.

On the leaflet, Ye Kun cursed Xiahou Chang for being cruel and ruthless and not caring about the lives of the people. He hoped that the people of the Central Plains would rise up when he raised an army to attack Xiahou Chang.

There are also various techniques and drawings that are also printed using woodblock printing.

Gongsun Erniang was very troubled.

According to Ye Kun's request, this flying lantern has to fly several miles before it can cross the border and land in Xiahou Chang's jurisdiction.

Therefore, the selection of materials and manufacturing of flying lanterns must be meticulous.

After a day of experimentation, Gongsun Erniang used pig intestine casings and oiled silk as the cover, and bamboo skin as the frame to make a larger flying lantern.

In terms of fuel, Ye Kun used alcohol and fish oil to prepare a solidified fuel that is light and durable.

According to actual flight tests, this flying lantern can fly for half an hour, float ten miles, or even farther.

The flyers and materials are mounted on the inner wall of the lampshade.

After everything was ready, Ye Kun sent troops to deliver the flying lanterns to the Phoenix Mountain defense line and the Jieting defense line, and asked the local garrison generals to arrange for their release.

Hundreds of lanterns rose into the sky in the dark night, riding on the west wind and drifting towards Xiahou Chang's camp, shining like the bright moon.

The local people and the garrison all screamed: "This is Ye Kun's magic, Ye Kun's magic is coming again!"

The garrison commander had no idea what this thing was, so he immediately ordered, "Shoot the thing down from the sky!"

But the flying lanterns are over a hundred meters in the air. How easy is it to shoot them down?

Some lanterns floated into the cities of Chang'an and Xiangyang.

The leaflets on the lanterns and various technical drawings and materials were all seen by the people.

But under Xiahou Chang's iron-fisted rule, the common people didn't dare say anything when they saw it, and could only praise Ye Kun in their hearts for his good scolding!

Soon, these leaflets and technical materials were sent to Luoyang.

Xiahou Chang looked at them one by one and cursed angrily: "Ye Kun, you are bullying me too much!"

The leaflet was stamped with Ye Kun's seal and read:

"Xiahou Chang, I'm giving you these technical materials. I hope you can study them carefully and benefit the people. Don't let me down. I also wanted to give you the gunpowder, artillery and musket technology, but you're too stupid to learn them, so forget it!

I also have the skill of clairvoyance. If you castrate yourself to thank the world, I can teach you the skill right away!"

There were also some leaflets that listed Xiahou Chang's crimes and instigated the people of the Central Plains to rebel.

What’s even more abominable is that Ye Kun said in the leaflet that the people of Yizhou have been eating salt at will for a long time, but you, Xiahou Chang, still sell salt and iron at such high prices. You are worse than beasts and are squeezing the people dry!

Xiahou Chang was angry because what Ye Kun said was true!

Our own technological development and economy are not as good as others!

The counselors stepped forward and said, "My king, we can also imitate the flying lanterns and scold Ye Kun back!"

"Bullshit!" Xiahou Chang was furious:

"If we follow Ye Kun, we will be led by the nose. Wouldn't that make people laugh at us? The best thing to do now is to fight to the death and eliminate Ye Kun!"

A counselor said, "Your Majesty, I have a plan that can bring peace to the world!"

Xiahou Chang glared: "Hurry up and tell me!"

The counselor nodded and said, "We can send 300 soldiers to sneak into Yizhou among the caravans and lurk in various places. When Ye Kun goes out, we can kill him with hidden arrows. Then, we can destroy Yizhou without losing a single soldier!"

"What a brilliant idea! What a brilliant idea!"

Xiahou Chang was so angry that smoke came out of his nose: "Ye Kun is now the King of Hanzhong, and he owns a thousand miles of territory. How can he go in and out without defense?"

The counselor clasped his fists and said, "You can be a thief for a thousand days, but you can never be on guard against thieves for a thousand days. As far as I know, Ye Kun often takes his wife out of the house to get close to the people and understand their sentiments. As long as we have reliable assassins, this task can be accomplished!"

The other counselors also nodded and expressed their support.

Assassinating opponents was a very common method during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It was a way to achieve great results with a small investment and often had miraculous effects.

Xiahou Chang calmed down, thought for a while, and finally nodded:

"Then let's give it a try. Immediately select a group of loyal soldiers, pay them a lot of money, start training them, and send them to Ye Kun's territory one month later. Mainly Hanzhong, Chengdu and Chongqing, waiting for the opportunity!"