Chapter 682 The Enemy in Heyin
The sixteenth year of Jian’an, June.

Hei Xiong, who was promoted to Duke of Wei, led the ministers and officials to Wuyuan to escape the summer heat. On the other hand, Liu Bei, who was recommended by Hei Xiong as Duke of Liao, brought Zhao Yun and Sun Qian with him.

The climate was mild and cool, and dukes, officials and their children often went hunting with the Xiongnu and Xianbei nobles, training in archery, tempering their character and exercising their military capabilities.

Liu Bei liked his current life very much, but a document from Liaodong disrupted his happy life.

Because he was summoned, he led Zhao Yun to see Black Bear. Sun Qian went ahead to inquire and met Liu Bei outside the camp. He comforted Liu Bei and said, “It’s not a bad thing. The Queen of Yingzhou, Himiko, sent an envoy to pay tribute.”

Liu Bei had heard of Himiko, and the two sides had conflicts and established stable trade channels.

But he did not like Himiko. According to the messenger, she was a witch who served the gods and was elected queen by her people.

He usually wears a mask and does not reveal his face.

He was accompanied by more than a thousand maids when he went in and out, and his behavior was the same as that of Duke Wei a few years ago.

Anyway, Liu Bei didn’t want to provoke such an evil enemy, nor did he want to move to Yingzhou, so he maintained friendly and trade relations.

Seeing that Sun Qian said it was not a bad thing, Liu Bei asked: “But did Cao Cao become enemies with him?”

“Yes, Cao Ren attacked her country and killed many people. The queen sent an envoy to beg the Duke of Wei for protection.”

Sun Qian sighed as he spoke: “Cao’s army is as brutal as ever. I heard that wherever they cross the border, all the houses in the villages are burned down, and all the men, young and old, are killed, and only the women of marriageable age are captured. This time, I heard that they abducted most of the queen’s maids.”

Liu Bei was puzzled: “Does this queen have no magical skills at all?”

Sun Qian shook his head: “There is no special skill. The country has suffered great damage and has expelled the queen. The queen sent an envoy to beg Duke Wei, not only to curb Cao’s army, but also to ask Duke Wei to send troops to help her restore her country.”

After several years of trade between the two sides, the general situation in the country also reached the Yamatai Kingdom.

Liu Bei had no doubts and went to see Black Bear immediately.

Liu Bei was not very interested in the Duke of Liao recommended by Black Bear, but Black Bear forced his way through.

Even so, Liu Bei did not take the initiative to use the identity of Duke of Liao.

Near the shogunate headquarters, the huge airship was hovering on one side, like a strange beast from the mountains and seas sleeping.

The shape of the airship was not uncommon to Liu Bei, who had been to the East China Sea. It was like a giant whale in the sea.

The paint scheme is similar, blue on top and white on the bottom, except that the belly is painted with fish scales, and each piece of blue and white fish scales is more than ten feet square.

There is a dragon pattern painted on the head of the airship, and after takeoff, long curtains hang down on both sides, like dragon whiskers.

The Yuanshi battleship is embedded in the belly of the airship.

When Liu Bei arrived, Hei Xiong was drinking alone in the cabin, with Zhong Yao holding a glass of wine beside him.

“Your Excellency, Duke Liao requests to see you.”

“welcome.”

The voice of a servant was heard outside. Black Bear answered and stretched out his hand. Zhong Yao beside him handed over a glass bottle of wine, and the whole person disappeared.

Soon Liu Bei strode in, wearing light, exquisite straw sandals, walking in the cabin corridor covered with fine cashmere felt.

“Wei Gong.”

Liu Bei bowed and saw Black Bear sitting by the window. The double-glazed window was open, letting in cool breeze.

“Please take a seat, Lord Liao.”

Black Bear extended his arms in invitation, and handed the official document sent from Liaodong to the other side: “I really want to go to Yingzhou to have a look, but the world is in turmoil. Even here, there are people plotting rebellion.”

Liu Bei was shocked. He had a history of sending secret messages on his belt. He looked at Black Bear seriously and asked, “Who is the one who is plotting rebellion?”

“The Duke of Liao will know about it later. After we deal with them, I will send the Duke of Liao to Yingzhou.”

Black Bear said indifferently, not allowing Liu Bei to argue: “The airship can travel two thousand miles a day with the wind. If we don’t stop day and night, we will reach Liaodong in a few days. If they miss Lord Liao in the future, I will bring them to visit him. Lord Liao should stop interfering in the affairs of the country.”

Liu Bei restrained his expression and guessed, “Is it possible that the Right Wise Prince is plotting a rebellion?”

“It was my good brother who told the tale.”

As Black Bear spoke, he picked up a polished glass magnifying glass from the table and handed it to Liu Bei. This thing is also called Yangsui.

In the past two years, Hedong has started to produce glass. The craftsmanship is primitive and there are all kinds of colors.

The production of Yangsui also increased dramatically. This is the most practical fire-starting tool among the people.

Liu Bei was no exception. He paid attention to the clarity and light transmission of Yangsui. He himself had a piece of Yangsui that was as clear as water. He took the Yangsui handed over by Black Bear and found that this Yangsui was polished thinner, not as thick as most Yangsui.

Black Bear grabbed the bottle and poured wine for Liu Bei: “As usual, if I am attacked here, I will raise the airship to avoid the chaotic soldiers. If someone sets fire to the airship with Yangsui at this time, how can I survive?”

Liu Bei took the wine glass with both hands and said solemnly: “Bei, I really don’t know.”

“I know that Duke Liao has nothing to do with this matter.”

The black bear smiled, but Liu Bei couldn’t laugh at all.

At this time, the servant outside came to the door and said, “Sir, Zong Zheng and others have boarded the cabin.”

Black Bear raised his wine glass and took a sip, then looked at Liu Bei and said, “Thank you, Lord Liao, for telling the ministers. I will upgrade my cabin and set sail right away.”

“Yes.”

Liu Bei agreed and, out of politeness, took the wine that Black Bear gave him. He also knew that it was good wine.

Black Bear also went to the command room, while Liu Bei went to the lobby on the second floor of the cabin.

Along the way, he found some servants in blue clothes checking glass and corners to look for fire sources.

Black Bear came to the command room, where he could see the internal structure of the airship through the glass.

He stretched out his hand and grabbed the internal space. One tenth of the purified air was immediately recalled and turned into cards. The air density inside the airship decreased, and the entire huge airship shook gently.

The people walking and standing in the cabin reached out to hold onto the wall.

Then the combustion chamber pretended to release hot air, and the propellers on the wings and tail of the airship began to rotate slowly.

Each propeller is powered by six level five Taoist soldiers who are stuffed into a cylinder wearing only simple clothes. They use their arms to shake the crankshaft, which is amplified by gears and drives the wood paddles to rotate.

The two steam engines in Yuanshi are the real power providers, while the three Taoist-powered propellers are only responsible for slightly adjusting the course.

As the black bear systematically drained the air from the airship, the airship gradually rose into the air.

Without hydrogen and helium, we can only use this cheating method to get into space.

Liu Bao observed the earth through the window. Although it was not the first time, the shock in his heart was still beyond words.

Inside the hall on the second floor of the cabin, everyone looked at each other and saw that many people did not get on board, and the most important thing was that Zhong Yao did not come.

In view of Liu Bei’s remarks, everyone was silent.

When taking off, everyone suffered from an instinctive sense of uneasiness, and only when the airship was flying normally did many people gradually recover.

The airship was too big and too obvious a target.

Ma Chao, who had secretly dispatched troops, had already arrived outside Wuyuan City. More than 3,000 cavalrymen came to the shore and were about to board the ship. They all looked at the airship rising into the sky, all speechless.

In the suburbs of Heyin City, across the river from Wuyuan City, the officials, Xiongnu nobles, and Xianbei nobles who were abandoned by Black Bear were also watching the airship.

The Xianbei King Budugen felt uneasy, but he forced himself to remain calm.

In the half month since Duke Wei came to Wuyuan, he had conducted test flights every three to five days, and the farthest he had flown was over Yinshan Mountain.

At that time he also flew together and saw the true appearance of the land beneath his feet.

Ma Chao had already begun to lead his troops across the river. The sudden gathering and appearance of the army caused panic among the people nearby, and they all fled to Heyin City.

Ma Chao crossed the river and transported most of his 3,000-plus troops over at once.

Unable to wait for the follow-up, Ma Chao pointed his spear at Heyin City and said: “Zhong Yao is plotting a rebellion. According to the order of Grand Marshal Wei Gong, the enemy is in Heyin City!”

And Zhong Yao was tortured to death yesterday at midnight.

Basically, everything that should and shouldn’t be said has been said.

Black Bear didn’t really wrongly accuse this guy, but he didn’t expect that Zhuge Jin, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, would also be dragged into the pirate ship.

Not only Zhuge Jin, but also people like Zhou Yu were involved.

Many people have been apprehensive since the airship first flew last August. If Black Bear had a large number of airships, the world might become new and exciting for many people, and they could explore it at their leisure.

But for conservative people, such a world is no longer suitable.

Not to mention Duke Wei, even if the black bear who patrolled the counties in an airship now called himself the God of Heaven or the Emperor of Heaven, no one would object.

(End of this chapter)