Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 388 Ge Rong's Ambition

"Don't worry, it won't strike you with lightning." Chen Baxian glanced out the window; the sky was still full of stars.

"Was it an earthquake?" Dugu Xin asked loudly, rubbing his buzzing ears.

"It wasn't an earthquake, it was an explosion." Ren Yuan's expression changed, and he quickly stood up and said, "There's a problem with the workshop."

"Go check it out!" Everyone scrambled to their feet and rushed to the workshop. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Zu Geng and the flying chariot were both unharmed.

Then look at Gao Huan sitting on the ground, still not recovered.

At this time, Ge Rong also sent his younger brother Ge You to inquire about what had happened.

Gao Huan said to the newcomers, "It's nothing, we're just testing the Thunder Chariot."

"What? Is it that powerful?" Ge You touched his bald head, incredulous.

"It was probably just a coincidence that triggered the thunderstorm," Zu Geng hurriedly explained. "Normally, it shouldn't be this severe."

"Isn't that a rocket?" Gao Huan asked curiously, "How could it attract lightning?"

"Isn't that obvious? Haven't you heard of heavenly thunder stirring earthly fire?" Ren Yuan then said in a serious tone, "Earthly fire can naturally stir heavenly thunder, as long as it can reach the sky."

"I see." The group from Xindu City were completely shocked and basically believed everything he said.

~~
Inside the Grand Palace.

"Excellent! No wonder it's called the Royal Salute. That was a brilliant shot!" Ge Rong exclaimed with delight upon hearing Ge You's report. "It's ten thousand times more powerful than the original trebuchet!"

"Yes," Ge You said, looking shocked. "My head is still spinning. If it hadn't been shot into the sky, wouldn't it have blown the city wall down in one shot?"

"Of course!" Ge Rong exclaimed gleefully. "With these trebuchets, taking Luoyang will be a piece of cake! What can Erzhu Rong possibly use to fight me?"

"When the time comes, we'll shoot an arrow and scare him so badly he'll wet himself!" Ge You said with a beaming smile, "If it's really like what you said, we can just follow behind him with a rope and tie him up."

"How many times have I told you? You should call me Imperial Brother." Ge Rong scolded him with a stern face. Despite being emperor for so long, only tonight did he truly feel like he was going to be emperor.

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty must bestow upon me the title of Prince in the future." Ge You quickly nodded and smiled apologetically.

"We'll see how you perform." Ge Rong laughed heartily.

~~
That night, Ge Rong had a wonderful dream all night long. He dreamt that he defeated Erzhu Rong, blasted open the gates of Luoyang with a cannon, and was welcomed into the Forbidden City by princes and nobles. Empress Dowager Hu even cried and begged to make him empress...

"At such an old age, you still don't know shame..." Ge Rong was talking in his sleep and having a sweet dream when he was pushed up by a palace maid.

"Your Majesty, the donkey meat sandwich is ready. Eat it while it's hot. It's time to go to court."

"Hmm." Ge Rong sat up with a bang and said boldly, "I'm getting a little tired of donkey meat sandwiches. When we get to Luoyang, I'll have some spicy soup with them!"

Even so, he still ate eight baked buns and two large bowls of donkey meat soup in one go, and only then did he feel full and refreshed. He strolled around and went to the front to attend court.

The court was as noisy as ever, with ministers shouting and chatting. Some even took out sesame cakes from their pockets and ate them while talking... Actually, they also liked to eat donkey meat sandwiches, but once His Majesty scolded them, saying, "What kind of class are you to be eating the same kind of sandwiches as me?"

So from then on, they dared not eat stuffed buns in front of Ge Rong anymore...

This morning's conversation naturally revolved around the loud noise from last night.

"I was doing that at the time, and that thing really shocked me."

"Haha, you're not good to begin with, but you really got some serious action last night. I thought the government troops were coming."

"The camp was in complete chaos, and it took half the night for things to calm down."

"Where did that sound come from?" someone asked. "Thunder, I guess," a general said, licking the sesame seeds off his fingers after finishing his sesame seed cake. "I was on night duty last night and saw a flash of white light in the sky, followed by that loud bang."

"It's only been a few months and there's already thunder?"

"Spring thunder," the general said.

"No, no, there were stars all night, how could there be thunder..."

"What is that? It can't be God farting, can it?"

"Hahaha!" Everyone laughed so hard they were doubled over.

"Stop making wild guesses." At this moment, Ge Rong turned around from behind the screen.

"Oh my, His Majesty has arrived!" Everyone quickly sat up straight and respectfully greeted the emperor with their hands clasped.

"Your Majesty, do you know how that sound came about in the afternoon?" a minister asked.

"Of course," Ge Rong nodded and said, "It was arranged by me."

"I see." Everyone suddenly realized that only a demigod could create such a commotion.

So they showered him with praise, saying, "Your Majesty's divine skills have improved again; you will soon be invincible!"

"You've flattered the wrong person. To be precise, it's the sound of royal cannons," Ge Rong said calmly.

"What Royal Salute?" The ministers had never heard of this name before.

"Ahem." Gao Huan coughed and explained for Ge Rong, "His Majesty named his super invincible thunderbolt car the Royal Salute."

"Oh, so that's what it is." Everyone suddenly realized that they had been ripped off by Gao Huan under the guise of building trebuchets these past few days.

Everyone was waiting to see them make a fool of themselves, but they actually pulled off something big.

"No wonder it's called the Thunderbolt Cart, it really does sound like thunder."

"Really?" Some people found it hard to believe. How could the imperial court possibly abandon such a powerful trebuchet?

"Whether it's true or not, you gentlemen will know once you see it with me." Ge Rong said casually, "Minister Gao and the others are ready and will demonstrate it for everyone again on the spot."

"That's good." The ministers then followed Ge Rong to the drill ground behind the Grand Palace.
Then everyone saw a magnificent chariot lying in the center of the training ground, its body entirely crimson with bright yellow accents. Its body was like a crouching tiger, its head like a soaring dragon, its horns forged from black iron, the tips gleaming coldly.

The vehicle also features a pair of wind and thunder wings on both sides, and instead of four wheels, it has four dragon claws made of the same black iron.

This monster, a combination of dragon and tiger, was terrifying and unforgettable simply by standing there.

Ge Rong was ecstatic, rushing over to touch and stick things on everything. This was his dream car; it was love at first sight.

"Good, good, good! This will be my carriage from now on!" he announced happily. Then he instructed Zu Geng, "Mr. Zu, hurry up and do it again, let these guys see what it's like."

“Yes, Your Majesty and all the officials, please step back,” Zu Geng replied.

"No problem." Everyone immediately moved as far away as possible, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

Zu Geng nodded to Ren Yuan and the other three, and led them into the car.

Once everyone was seated and had fastened their safety belts, Zu Geng gave the order in a deep voice: "Light the fire!"

(End of this chapter)