On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

There was an atmosphere in the Baigong Pavilion that was completely different from other places in Qixia Garden.

The scent of sandalwood and orchid was replaced by a complex mixture of strong metals, minerals, sulfur, saltpeter and various chemicals.

The air was dry and slightly dusty, and light filtered through the high windows, casting clear beams of light on workbenches covered with tools and parts.

There is no chirping of birds and no music here, only the sound of metal colliding, the friction of utensils, the burning of flames, and an almost stagnant atmosphere of concentration.

Chu Xiling sat in front of a large rosewood workbench.

The indigo work clothes were spotless, and the gauze on his left arm had been removed, leaving only a light pink scar winding across his fair skin like a sleeping young snake.

Her black hair was simply tied back with a silver hairpin, revealing her smooth forehead and cool profile.

Behind the glass goggles, the focused eyes, sharp as an eagle's, were carefully observing a rice-sized crystal gleaming with a faint blue luster in the palm of the hand through a specially made copper magnifying glass with a spiral adjustment knob.

"Refractive index 1.76, hardness 9, extremely high melting point..." She whispered to herself, her voice cold and calm, as if she was stating a fact that had nothing to do with her.

Holding a special tungsten steel probe between his fingertips, he scratched the surface of the crystal extremely lightly, leaving an almost invisible mark.

"The impurity content is less than 0.03 parts per million, which meets the requirements for focusing lenses."

She put down her magnifying glass and crystal, picked up her charcoal pencil, and quickly wrote down the data on a piece of parchment spread out and covered with complex geometric figures and formulas.

The drawing is marked with "high-precision sight core component parameters".

"Ling'er..." Lin Zhen's voice came from the door.

He was not wearing his usual clothes, but a dark suit with a thin cloak of the same color. He had obviously just come from the training ground, and there was still a trace of sweat and a bloody aura on his body.

Chu Xiling didn't look up, but just responded, "Husband."

His fingertips were still sketching quickly on the drawing.

Lin Zhen walked to the workbench and scanned the dazzling array of items on it: precision vernier calipers, various types of files and chisels, a glass bottle filled with colorful powders, several oddly shaped metal ingots, and the crystal that she had just put down, which was sparkling with a faint blue luster.

"Is this a diamond?" Lin Zhen picked up the crystal, which felt cold and hard to the touch.

"Yes." Chu Xiling finally stopped writing and looked up at him. "It comes from the deep veins of Black Stone Mountain. It's extremely rare and hard. It can be ground and cut, and it can also focus light."

"Focus?" Lin Zhen raised his eyebrows.

"Hmm." Chu Xiling pointed to a complex lens structure on the blueprint. "The grenade launcher has a range of 300 steps. However, its accuracy is still insufficient due to wind and visual errors. If we add this sight with a diamond lens core and a fine copper lens barrel, the scale can greatly improve the first-shot hit rate."

"You mean to use the Burning Sky Thunder for precise sniping?" Lin Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Not really." Chu Xiling shook her head. "This mirror can also be used for long-range observation, mapping terrain, improving muskets, and even for civilian exploration and tunnel excavation." She paused, a glimmer flashing in her cold eyes. "Killing is not its original intention. Precision is the essence of a sharp weapon."

Lin Zhen was silent for a moment, then put down the diamond: "Sure enough, it has to be you."

"It's my job." Chu Xiling lowered her eyelids and continued to mark on the drawing.

"Does the injury still hurt?" Lin Zhen's eyes fell on the scar on her left arm.

"It hurts occasionally, but it's nothing serious." Chu Xiling's voice was calm, and her fingertips unconsciously brushed across the scar.

"Chengxuan..." Lin Zhen looked at Chengxuan who was standing beside him.

"Yes!" Cheng Xuan responded quickly. "Madam takes her medicine, baths, and acupuncture every day without interruption. The military doctor says her recovery is excellent."

"Yeah." Lin Zhen nodded, his gaze turning to the other end of the workbench, where several specially made double-layer lead boxes were placed. "How is the civilian conversion of stabilizers progressing?"

Chu Xiling put down the charcoal pencil, walked to the lead boxes, and opened one of them.

Inside the box was not the prototype of the Burning Sky Bomb, but several black blocks with irregular shapes and rough surfaces.

"Diatomaceous earth, stabilizer No. 3, mixed with nitroglycerin, in a ratio of 70:30. This reduces impact sensitivity to one thousandth, enhancing plasticity. This material is used for mine blasting and rock blasting, increasing efficiency fivefold and safety tenfold."

She opened another lead box, revealing a powdered mixture. "This is a slow-release formula. It slowly releases energy when it comes into contact with water. It can be used to loosen frozen soil and dig canals without damaging foundations."

"Very good." Lin Zhen's eyes flashed, "Is the Ministry of Industry interested in this?"

"The Minister of Works sent someone to insinuate something three days ago," Chu Xiling said in a cold voice, "saying that the country's most important assets should be used with caution, but the needs of the people should not be neglected either."

"Song Zhenglin, that old fox..." Lin Zhen sneered, "How should Ling'er respond?"

"I am only saying that this is the order of His Highness. Everything is subject to His Highness's decision." Chu Xiling said.

"Ling'er handled the situation well," Lin Zhen praised. "This product benefits both the country and the people. The formula shouldn't be given away lightly. It can be produced exclusively by the Fenlei Division. The Ministry of Industry will purchase it as needed, with 30% of the profits going to the government treasury and 70% invested in the Institute of Gewu for further research and development."

"I understand." Chu Xiling replied.

"How is the construction of your Institute of Gewu going?" Lin Zhen asked.

"The site chosen is the old site of the Xishan Observatory. The blueprints are ready. We need 50,000 taels of silver and 100 craftsmen. We need at least 10 people who are proficient in the study of things, mathematics, and craftsmanship." Chu Xiling spoke clearly.

"Approved." Lin Zhen said without hesitation, "Ask Li'er for the money, ask the Ministry of Works for the craftsmen, and ask the Ministry of Personnel to post a notice to recruit talented individuals. All those with real talent and scholarship will be treated generously, regardless of their background."

"Thank you, husband." A barely perceptible light flashed in Chu Xiling's cold eyes.

"Ling'er, accompany your husband for a walk." Lin Zhen suddenly said.

Chu Xiling was slightly startled, then nodded: "Okay."

The two walked out of the Baigong Pavilion and walked slowly along the corridor.

The warm spring sun shines on my body, dispelling the chill and dust in the workshop.

Chu Xiling habitually lagged behind Lin Zhen by half a step, but her eyes involuntarily fell on the sprouting plants in the courtyard.

"Ling'er, look at this crabapple tree, it's blooming so beautifully." Lin Zhen stopped under a crabapple tree.

Chu Xiling looked up and saw flower buds dotted on the branches, alternating between pink and white, tender and juicy in the sunlight.

"Well...it's very good." Her voice remained calm.

"Does Nanchu also have crabapples?" Lin Zhen asked.

"Yes, there is a wild crabapple tree on the southern slope. When it blooms, it covers the entire mountain." Chu Xiling said, "But it's not as precious as this one."

"Whether precious or not, the flowers are always beautiful when they bloom." Lin Zhen picked a budding crabapple and handed it to her, "Give it to Ling'er."

Chu Xiling looked at the flower branch handed to her, a trace of surprise flashed across her cold face, and then turned into a very faint, almost imperceptible ripple.

She hesitated for a moment, then reached out to take it: "Thank you, husband."

"Ling'er, do you know why I gave this flower to you?" Lin Zhen looked at her.

Chu Xiling held the flower branch, feeling a slightly cool touch on her fingertips, and the petals were soft and tender.

She was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I don't know."

"The crabapple has no fragrance." Lin Zhen's eyes were deep. "Yet its color is pure and elegant, its nature is tough and cold-resistant. It doesn't compete for spring or beauty, but blooms silently, creating a scene in itself. Just like Ling'er, with her single-minded focus and ingenuity, she casts thunder in silence."

Chu Xiling's hand holding the flower branch tightened slightly, her cold eyes drooped, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes.

She didn't say anything, but carefully put the crabapple blossom in her sleeve.

"Let's go." Lin Zhen turned around and continued moving forward.

Chu Xiling followed silently, and the crabapple petals in her sleeve gently rubbed her wrist, bringing a slightly itchy touch.

She looked at the tall black figure in front of her, and in the depths of her cold eyes, something seemed to be quietly melting.

The snowstorm in Beiyan, the smoke from the Cliff of Broken Souls, the roar of the Sky-burning Thunder... at this moment, they all seemed to have faded away.

Only the fragranceless crabapple blossom in my hand and the person giving me the flowers are real and warm.

......

On the east side of Qixia Garden, the atmosphere of "Jinyu Hall" is completely different from other courtyards in the garden.

It lacks the solemnity of Qixia Garden, the tranquility of Baigong Pavilion, the serenity of Tingxue Tower, the liveliness of Xichun Pavilion, and the gentleness of Biboxuan. Instead, this place is filled with a bright and warm atmosphere of wealth.

In the courtyard, several precious crabapple trees are in full bloom, with pink and white flowers weighing down the branches, looking gorgeous in the sunshine.

Under the corridor, there is an exquisite glass wind chime hanging, which makes a crisp and pleasant tinkling sound when the breeze blows.

The air was filled with a rich rose scent, mixed with the fragrance of freshly brewed Longjing tea before the rain, and a faint hint of sandalwood from the precious wood deep in the warehouse.

Zhang Li wore a pomegranate red satin jacket with gold embroidery all over it, and a horse-faced skirt of the same color embroidered with lotus patterns. Her hair was piled high with crows, and a red gold, kingfisher feather and ruby-studded hairpin was inserted diagonally. It swayed with her brisk steps, reflecting a dazzling light.

On her bright and beautiful face, a pair of phoenix eyes looked around with a sharp and shrewd look, like the most precise abacus beads, always calculating the gains and losses.

At this moment, she was standing in the center of the main hall of "Jinyutang", directing several maids to arrange the newly arrived goods.

"Be careful! This South China Sea coral tree is a rare treasure! If it gets even slightly damaged, you won't be able to compensate even if you sell it!" Zhang Li's voice was crisp and clear, with unquestionable authority. "Put it on the top shelf on the east side! Yes! Right there! Move the pair of Jun kiln azure-glazed plum blossoms down there!"

"Yes, Madam!" The maids in charge responded quickly and efficiently.

"And this 'Suzhou Embroidery Double-Sided Screen'... unfold it! Yes! Move aside! Don't block the light! Look at the stitching! The color combination! Wow... this is top-notch!" Zhang Li's fingertips brushed across the smooth satin, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Carry it to the inner room! Place it next to my rosewood step-out bed!"

"Li'er..."