Chapter 20: Showing Off His Talent
The fifth day of the second month, one quarter after noon.
Xu Chong rode a good horse and brought another horse to Yang's house. Shen Kuo found that Xu Chong also had a shovel, a pickaxe and a crossbow hanging on the side of his horse, which was a bit funny.
"Xu Jieji, we are now investigating the Kinki area. Do we need to bring such weapons?"
"Brother Shen, I'm sorry to have made you laugh. The butcher who threw the kitchen knife at the hat monster fell down with a crooked mouth and squinting eyes. My brothers in the camp all said that it's better to bring a useful weapon. The arrows are soaked in dog blood, so it's easier to deal with if you encounter it."
"If you see it, be sure to shoot at the part below the hat monster where the smoke is rising."
"Oh? Brother Shen has cracked it?"
"Not yet. Just think about its structure carefully. The part where the white smoke is gushing out is the weakest part. If you shoot it, you will probably not be able to ascend."
Shen Kuo did not explain further, he just got on his horse and rode forward, with Xu Chong following closely behind.
The two men did not need to go to the military chief to report for duty. They each rode their own bicycles to Yongqiu County to inspect the dome that collapsed during the solar eclipse.
Shen Kuo had a good horse, and the two of them could finally ride side by side. After leaving Zhuque Gate, they arrived at Yongqiu County in more than an hour. At this time, heavy snow began to fall, and the surroundings were covered with white.
From a distance, you can see that the three-layered mound is still there, and it doesn't seem to be seriously damaged. Lao Bao has been studying the soil of the mound, but he has not found anything. As for the footprints left by the invisible evil spirit walking on the snow, there is no way to detect them.
Shen Kuo had done his homework before he set out. He looked through the materials of Yang Wei De's family and learned the regulations of the imperial dynasty's altar. This three-story earthen altar is quite majestic: the first floor is 9981 feet wide, the second floor is 54 feet wide, the third floor is 27 feet wide, each floor is 27 feet high, and the total height of the three floors is 81 feet. The burning altar is located in the inner altar's Bagua Bing area, and the burning altar is 12 feet high.
This three-story Altar of Land and Grain has been here since the reign of Emperor Taizong. Because it is not far from the capital, it can be reached by carriage in half a day.
There is no wall outside the earthen altar, and there is a small sacrificial temple at the intersection. Normally, no one takes care of it. Only one month before the sacrifice on the second day of the second lunar month, the palace will send people to check it and pull out the weeds. If there is any minor damage, they will just find some mud nearby to fill it up and compact it.
When the two of them arrived at the foot of the round hill, there was no one there. A few days ago, Kaifeng Prefecture and Yongqiu County sent people to investigate, but naturally they found nothing. They also said that it was unnecessary to investigate the affairs of the underworld, so they dispersed.
The two men got off their horses and tied the reins to a wild tree in front of the ramp. Then they walked up the hill. It was said to have collapsed, but it was actually fine, just a crack. Of course, for the royal sacrifice, there is nothing more unlucky than the collapse of the altar.
Shen Kuo walked up to Xu Chong's horse, took out the crossbow hanging on the side of the saddle, and without drawing the bow, he just aimed at the top of the hill with the mountain-watching weapon.
Xu Chong was curious: "Brother Shen, do you feel like shooting an arrow?"
Shen Kuo: "Don't laugh, Xu Jie, I can't fire this crossbow. I'm just curious about the use of this mountain and the ruler beside it."
"Oh, you're talking about this. This thing is very useful. It can distinguish between distant and near enemies. If the enemy is far away, you can't aim the arrow and must raise it higher. If it is 150 steps away, you can leave some room. If it is 200 steps, you can aim at the top of the mountain and the arrow and then aim at the target, and you can hit it."
"So? Xu Jieji, you hold this crossbow and aim the arrow at Yuanqiu Ding."
As he spoke, he handed the crossbow to Xu Chong. Xu Chong didn't know what he was thinking and could only follow his instructions. Shen Kuo took out a string with a copper coin hanging on it and went around to Xu Chong's side to measure the angle between the vertical line and the mountain. After measuring for a long time, Xu Chong's hands were a little sore, and then he finished. Shen Kuo wrote down the measured angle secretly, and the two walked up the ramp together.
A crack extended from the top to the ramp, about a foot wide, narrower in some places. Xu Chong jumped over with a nimble body and wanted to turn around to help Shen Kuo. But Shen Kuo had already squatted down to check the crack under his feet.
"How could this soil foundation compacted with mud and stones crack? Was it flooded last year?" Shen Kuo asked.
"Mr. Bao happened to ask me to investigate this matter. This place is low-lying, and the river often breaks the dike during the spring and summer flood seasons. It floods every three to five years. But there was no flooding last year."
"How it shook then."
"It's strange. The adults on the round hill at that time clearly felt the vibration of the invisible evil spirit's footsteps every time it took a step, but the imperial guards guarding the round hill didn't feel any vibration. It is said that this evil spirit came to destroy the country, so people who have nothing to do with the country can't feel it."
"Is that true?"
"I have two brothers who I met in the military department: Yan Xiu and Wang Sheng. They were on duty in the imperial guard at the time and were also guarding the bottom of the hill and on this slope. I asked them and they both said they didn't feel the vibration. However, Lord Wen and Lord Bao felt it, and Lord Bao also found it quite strange."
Shen Kuo did not answer, but walked up in deep thought. When he reached the top, he looked back at the sloping road with a suspicious look.
"Why has this rammed earth platform remained intact despite repeated flooding over the past hundred years?"
"If you ask me about this, you will know. Lord Bao ordered to check the records of this platform, so I checked carefully. In the past, it was repaired every three years, and each time it was measured to be 17 or 18 feet lower. However, it was hit by floods eight or nine years ago, so the Imperial City Department found a monk from Daxiangguo Temple to take a look. The monk gave me some advice and said that if it is flooded again, at most the surface soil will be damaged, but it will not get shorter. So we only need to send people to add a few baskets of soil to the top of the dome in the first month of each year to compact it."
"What kind of monk?" Shen Kuo asked anxiously.
"I also asked what kind of monk he was, but those who knew said that he was the monk who fished out the iron ox from the Yellow River more than ten years ago. However, I am a foreigner, and the more I heard about the story of the iron ox being fished out of the Yellow River more than ten years ago, the more confused I became. It has nothing to do with the case, and it has not been investigated, so I can't answer you, Brother Shen."
"Haha, as soon as you mentioned the iron ox being fished out of the Yellow River, I knew it. I guess it must be him." Shen Kuo said with a smile.
"Do you know that monk?" It was Xu Chong who was confused.
"If you hadn't left early yesterday and accompanied me to carve the stamp at the gate of Daxiangguo Temple, you would have seen it."
"By the way, Master Shen, how do you know that the hill hasn't gotten shorter? Is it by using the crossbow to measure the hill?"
"This is the Pythagorean method of mathematicians. I first measured the angle between the mountain and the vertical line, and then measured the distance uphill. I measured a total of 270 feet. According to the Pythagorean method, the square of the chord minus the square of the leg can be known. It matches Mr. Yang's record of 81 feet high and 260 feet long at the base, and the angle is not wrong. The two are compared and confirmed."
"Sir, you are so great. I don't understand what you are saying any more."
"This method is similar to your shooting at distant enemies on the battlefield. Xu Jieji, where are the footprints left by the invisible evil spirit?"
"Sir, follow me."
Xu Chong led Shen Kuo to the edge of the Altar of Land and Grain, from where they could see the endless snow. They could see two rows of footprints extending into the distance in the snow, which looked like they did not resemble dog footprints, but each one was as big as a tabletop.
Shen Kuo was also quite surprised.
Of course, he didn't believe that the Star God of Misfortune had destroyed the Altar of Land and Grain, and naturally he had preconceived the possibility of various scams, but when he really arrived at the scene, he couldn't help but question his judgment. Logically speaking , the emperor and all the officials were at the Altar of Land and Grain at that time, and the court officials were all well-educated and knowledgeable pillars of the country. If there was a flaw, how could they not see it?
"Let 's take a look."
Shen Kuo rushed down the ramp and jumped over the crack. He was eager to solve the mystery, so he moved more agilely.
When I ran down to the huge footprints, I couldn't help but hesitate. This footprint was so impressive. Even though it was left six days ago, it was still half a foot deep in the snow and about seven or eight feet wide.
"Xu Jieji, what a scene it was at that time."
Xu Chong walked towards the footprints of the evil spirit step by step. He could see a mess of human footprints in the snow around the footprints of the evil spirit. They were obviously made by the investigators later, but no footprints dared to go deep into the footprints.
"Mr. Bao asked me to question seventy-nine people, and their stories were basically the same as what Mr. Bao saw himself. I saw footprints coming from afar... Every time a step was taken, there was a dull sound, and the hill was shaking, but I could not see the giant dog in the air."
"Falling here?"
"Oh, two footprints appeared on the left side, and then two footprints appeared on the right side, as if a giant dog really came."
"Are there any orders in which the two footprints fell on one side?"
"Yes, but the time difference is not that big."
Shen Kuo walked to the giant footprints. Xu Chong saw that the situation was not good. Before he could shout, Shen Kuo had already jumped into the footprints. With a plop, he stepped into the snow below.
"Mr. Shen, you'd better come out quickly. Don't step on me."
"How can we not step on it?"
"The Star Lord of Misfortune is an ominous star, so be careful not to get tainted with bad luck."
"Do you also believe in bad luck? How can you find out where these footprints came from without stepping in?"
"Hehe, we were born in the military, so we naturally don't believe in bad luck. But after the butcher in the Pig Slaughter Alley suddenly had a stroke... I'm still a little scared. He does a business where he doesn't hesitate to do anything."
Shen Kuo ignored him and squatted down to check.
"Has it snowed in the past few days?"
"That was the heaviest snowfall that day. Strangely enough, after the Sheji Mound cracked, the snow stopped and continued to snow until last night, which lasted about three or four hours."
Shen Kuo probed with his fingers and found mud an inch below, indicating that the snow from this morning had indeed covered the bottom.
"Xu Jieji, I heard from Lord Yang that the footprints were still smoking at the time? What did the testimony you asked say?"
"The witnesses said that they first saw footprints in the snow collapse, clearly made by a giant creature, and then white mist seeped out from the footprints."
"Is it white smoke, not black smoke?"
"It was white smoke, just like the white smoke that rises when hot iron is put into water. The man said that the fire dog must have been as hot as a branding iron when it blocked out the sun, so it is worthy of being called a fire dog."
"No one saw the fire dog, so how can you say it's there?"
"Although seeing is believing, I clearly saw these footprints. Besides, didn't the prophecy also say 'the hidden fire dog will shake the country'? It already said that it was an invisible fire dog."
"Is there any grass or trees here?" Shen Kuo asked as he looked at his fingers, which were covered with a light layer of black ash.
"There is grass. The area around this round hill is actually the property of the palace. Although it is open, it also serves as a pasture for the cavalry of the Imperial Guards. Therefore, the nearby villagers are responsible for taking care of it and not allowing cattle and sheep to graze on it. Every autumn, when the grass is cut, some grass stubble is left. Tender grass will grow in the spring."
Xu Chong was quite careful. He asked all the questions Shen Kuo wanted to know. These investigations also made him more convinced that it could not be a man-made conspiracy, and it must be the invisible fire dog who came.
Shen Kuo put the ashes to his nose and sniffed.
"Master Shen, every time you step down, the snow sinks more than half a foot. The weight is here, it can't be fake, right?"
"The snow sank more than half a foot, just to show you. Why did the snow sink five or six inches, but the soil underneath didn't sink at all?"
"Since it is a divine object, it must have some magical powers. Maybe it's just snow?"
"Why does the ground shake when I just step on snow?"
"this……"
Xu Chong felt that Shen Kuo was clearly just arguing. How could he delve into the affairs of the underworld?
"Have you ever thought if there was fire under the snow, would it have the same effect?"
"There's a fire down there? How...how is this possible?"
Shen Kuo jumped out of this footprint and into the footprint in front of him, and found the shallow grass ash below again. He pieced together all the details in his mind, and things seemed to be moving towards a certain possibility, but there were still many twists and turns that were not self-consistent.
Xu Chong also hurried over and said, "Master Shen, if there is a fire below, how do we light it one by one?"
“Good question.”
"Could it be gunpowder?" Xu Chong suddenly thought of it.
"If it was gunpowder, there would be a smell of saltpeter and sulfur, but I didn't smell it. Moreover, gunpowder must have black smoke, and the burning speed is too high, so it is not easy to form footprints."
"Is it carbon? Or lard?"
"Carbon stone or lard burns too slowly to create a footprint effect, and it is difficult to burn completely, leaving carbon marks and floating stains."
"Then, is there anything else in the world that burns without leaving ash and smell?"
"I traveled around the world a few years ago. In Yan'an Prefecture, I saw local people find a kind of flammable water from a large swamp. It burns very quickly and cleanly, leaving very little embers, and has a slight smell that dissipates quickly."
"Flammable water?"
"I even gave it a name in my notes at the time: Petroleum. Meaning: Combustible water found in sand and gravel." He took out the notebook he carried with him, quickly turned to that page, and handed it to Xu Chong.
The cover of the notebook was inscribed with "Dream Pool Essays", and on the first page it was written: "There is oil in Yan'an. It was said in the past that Gaonu County produced oily water, which is this. Oil is produced from sand and gravel at the edge of the water, and it mixes with spring water and emerges."
"I have heard of it being used by the governor of Yan'an Prefecture, but I have never heard of this thing."
"This thing is rare, but it is also mentioned in ancient books. It is called fierce fire oil. It only emerges from the depths of the swamp. It is like water and oil, thicker than water and lighter than oil. It is slightly black. It will disappear quickly if not used, so it is not easy to store. I only know about it by chance."
"How to verify?"
"We must first get the oil and then test it. This must be done before the last big snowfall of the year."
"Where can I buy this...oil?" Xu Chong frowned.
"Is there a Zoroastrian temple in Bianjing?"
"Yes. It's on Yulin Street, where we went together, and it's just outside Fengqiu Gate to the east."
"In the Zoroastrian temples of the Western Regions, people routinely worship the God of Fire, and they often use oil to start fires. If Brother Xu goes there, perhaps he can buy some to verify it."
"Okay, I'll do it right away."
Xu Chong was in a hurry to lead the horse, probably because he didn't want to sit here and watch the footprints with Shen Kuo while drinking the wind.
"Wait a minute, I've thought about it again and again. If the mastermind behind this really used oil, they might have gotten it from the Zoroastrian temple."
"Then I will go to Lord Bao and ask him to send a team of men to capture the foreign monk living in the Zoroastrian temple and interrogate him."
"No need, no need. The matter has not been investigated yet. Besides, we should not alert the enemy. Xu Jieji should go and buy it in plain clothes. And ask if anyone has bought it recently."
"Leave it to me."
Xu Chong said as he turned around and mounted his horse, then turned back and said, "Brother Shen, don't forget the time to close the city gate."
"Thank you for the reminder, Xu Jieji."
