"If this continues, a Second Layer building will likely be completed next year."
Over the next few days, the three of them seized the opportunity to head out at night once more, practicing their gunmanship in the wild mountains near Chang’an.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the dark of the night, the gunfire flickered and gun smoke billowed.
Perhaps haunted by visions from a past life, Li Yan found the flintlock utterly lacking, especially due to its nurous weaknesses.
The gunpowder would fail when dampened, it lost accuracy beyond a few dozen ters, and the loading process was exceedingly cumberso... Compared to what the Captain Bureau used, it wasn’t even in the sa league.
Of course—despite this—he still practiced earnestly.
With his eye power, arm strength, and sll superpower, he soon gained accuracy, capable of hitting targets within a few dozen ters wherever he aid.
Wang Daoxuan was the worst at it and wasn’t very interested, only wanting to hit targets within ten ters.
Sha Lifei, however, was wildly enthusiastic.
Even without Divine Skills and progressing slowly compared to Li Yan, he practiced repeatedly, fully imrsing himself in it.
Naturally, troubles followed.
"Brother, we’ve run out of ammunition."
Holding the flintlock and staring at the empty ammunition bag, Sha Lifei felt deeply distressed.
"It’s gone then."
Li Yan shook his head. "Just bear with it for now. The Ancient Zhou tomb gunpowder case is still under investigation by the Captain Bureau, and the situation is too tense at the mont. Even if we could find a way, it’s not worth the risk now."
The ammunition for this kind of flintlock wasn’t complex to make.
Oilcloth, gunpowder, and either lead or iron bullets.
With these three components, one could manufacture them by hand.
"I see... alright then."
Scratching his head, Sha Lifei felt an itch all over his body.
Of course, even if he wanted to do sothing, he couldn’t afford the distraction.
As the New Year approached, the three of them beca busier.
Sha Lifei still hung around with Luo Faqing, moving through the hos of various wealthy individuals in Chang’an, and he was almost out of relics to sell.
Wang Daoxuan, aside from taking on a few small jobs, spent the rest of his ti preparing for the New Year.
In previous years, all by himself, he would just post New Year pictures, replace a couplet, and eat a al of dumplings to celebrate.
But now with two more people and having moved into a new residence, there seed to be an endless amount of work to do.
The house needed hiring idle folk from the neighborhood for cleaning...
Each of the ho’s divine protectors needed to be replaced and each matched with couplets.
For the Kitchen God, it was "Speak of good things above, bring auspicious events below," in the courtyard was posted "Gardens filled with the light of spring," on the stairs "Ascend step by step," and by the well "An inexhaustible supply."
Even on the flour vat and rice vat were posted "Flour white as snow" and "Rice gold as gold"...
Sha Lifei laughed, saying he acted like an old woman.
Wang Daoxuan just stroked his beard and smiled, a trace of lancholy occasionally flashing through his eyes.
As for the New Year’s food, there was no preparation at all.
A few days after Zhang Shitong brought New Year’s gifts, Li Kongqing also arrived, returning so New Year’s gifts as well. Though fewer in number, all were high-class pastries from the Prince Mansion.
Sha Lifei wanted to eat them, but Wang Daoxuan took them all, saying they had to wait until the New Year, when they would offer sacrifices to their Ancestor and forefathers, and then they could feast...
In the following days, visitors ca intermittently.
First was the Crimson Yaksha, who brought live chickens and ducks that villagers had given, saying their community couldn’t consu them all, so he decided to bring them...
Then ca people from the Five Elents of Chang’an City.
Aside from those he never dealt with like the Carriage Shop and Cao Gang, Feng Feiyan, Tie Shigu, and even the broker Hall Master Bai Ruoxu, all sent a New Year gift.
These naturally all required returning the favor.
Sha Lifei prepared another set and personally delivered each one.
Although it was botherso, this was the custom.
As for Li Yan, he was mostly not at ho.
The Drum King competition team finally ca together...
...
Yongning Square was located in the east of the city, just two streets away from the original East Market. The residents here weren’t wealthy, but they still had so family assets.
Manager Wan was an elder of the Xianyang Craftsn Guild and a craftsman of the Mystical Sect, with connections to the Taixuan Orthodox Sect, so naturally, his networking needed no ntion.
When it was known that he wanted to participate in the Drum King competition, a wealthy rchant from Chang’an didn’t hesitate and offered his large triple courtyard house.
"Brother Zhao!"
When Li Yan arrived, he just saw Zhao Lvzi squatting outside the door.
His eyes filled with surprise, he went up and gave him a bear hug, laughing heartily, "You, always disappearing without a trace, no news for months!"
Zhao Lvzi was a bit shy, scratching the back of his head, "I’ve been staying in the mountains, taking people to look for spirit wood, just ca out recently."
"Today you can’t just leave easily, we must drink to our heart’s content!"
Li Yan said with a smiling face, putting his arm around Zhao Lvzi’s shoulder, "Co co co, accompany to see what that Divine Tower looks like."
"No, no, I’ll wait outside for you."
Zhao Lvzi hurriedly shook his head, standing his ground, refusing to move.
It was their family ancestral teaching of the engaged treasure lineage; they feared bringing in unlucky and evil qi, hence they never entered another’s doorway.
Truth be told, whether it was Li Yan or Manager Wan, both were from the Mystical Sect; they could tell if there was any evil qi at a glance and naturally didn’t mind.
But Zhao Lvzi, true to his na, was as stubborn as a mule.
His father had made him swear never to enter the Qinling nor leave Guanzhong; the young man had strictly abided by that, no matter who persuaded him, let alone ancestral teachings.
Li Yan reluctantly said, "Alright, just wait for , don’t run off again!"
"Okay," Zhao Lvzi nodded seriously.
"Greetings to Young Hero Li!"
Before even entering, Manager Wan’s apprentice hurried out to greet him, bowing and gesturing with his hand, "Master is busy inside, all helpers have arrived, please follow ."
The residence was indeed large. As Li Yan followed him walking all the way, he hadn’t even approached the backyard when a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
He could sll a special scent in the backyard.
The aura circulated, almost vaguely forming a situation!
He quickened his pace, and as soon as he entered the backyard, his eyes lit up.
The occasion for this Drum King contest was the Divine Tower of East Village.
The so-called Divine Tower wasn’t actually a tower but was made of timber, similar to a shrine, yet in the style of a temple.
Normally, it was about the size of a sedan chair.
During community parades, n would lift the Divine Tower, beating drums and gongs, put up a show, and parade through the streets.
At this mont, quite a few people had gathered in the courtyard.
What was more eye-catching were three Divine Towers, one large and two small.
The largest one in the middle was the height of two n, resembling a small house, with a hip-and-gable roof, flying eaves, and brackets, Four Beams and Eight Pillars complete, and the carrying poles on both sides as thick as a sea bowl.
The two smaller ones at the side were also larger than the usual Divine Towers.
"Goodness!"
In the yard, a tall and burly man opened his mouth wide, "It’s fine to talk about the two Martial God Towers, Manager Wan, but isn’t your Wen Shen Tower too big?"
"The ordinary Wen Shen Tower needs sixteen people to carry, yours would need forty or fifty, right? I didn’t bring that many brothers."
"That’s right!"
An older man with a rugged face and white beard cheerfully said, "Young Brother Wan, you just won’t listen, using up so much good wood, making asure each one with Lu Ban’s ruler, all the dinsions have to be auspicious."
"Just building a Divine Temple doesn’t even need these specifications, and you wouldn’t listen; now see, it can’t even be lifted!"
"What do you old coot know?!"
Manager Wan huffed, "This ti it’s not just people from Shan State; teams from all states are participating. Magic Veins converge, the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, each showing Divine Skills. If we don’t pull sothing fierce, won’t people laugh at us?"
Saying that, he went forward and patted the Divine Tower, his eyes full of pride, "Just relying on the Divine Tower won’t beat others, so I asked a lot of favors this ti. Do you know why it needs to be this big?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Manager Wan smiled, "Because we need to hide people inside, and during the event, curtains will be drawn on both sides. I’ve invited Huayin’s Left Family Troupe to use their ultimate Eight-directions Projection Technique at night, dazzling and divine-like accompanying!"
"The orchestra is the Xianyang Luo Family Troupe; they will be dressed in cloth armor, carrying flags on their shoulders, the drums of Qin and Han displaying majesty, and also we have my little brother Li’s Divine Drum to bolster our montum, that should overwhelm them!"
"And don’t worry about the carriers, I’ve run around Xianyang and Chang’an, there are plenty of strong n, just need Brother Lu to train them a bit."
Hearing his explanation, everyone was eager to try.
"Good!"
The stout man clapped and laughed, "Manager Wan has such spirit, how could we back down? Rest assured, at that ti, we’ll make sure the Divine Tower is steady and secure!"
Li Yan was also taken aback, not expecting such a large scale, but his interest was even more piqued.
It seed the procession would have hundreds of people.
And there were also competitors from other states.
Just thinking about it, one could tell how lively it would be...
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