Chapter 884: General Cao, Focus on the Key Points
Cao Wenzhao, clad in heavy armor, stood in an open space outside the south city gate, gazing up at the hot air balloon floating in the sky, his mind a whirlwind of questions.
He extended a hand, pointing toward the sky: "What *is* that contraption?"
His nephew, Cao Bianjiao, popped his head out from behind him: "Uncle, I haven't seen anything like it either."
Cao Wenzhao's brow furrowed. He continued to stare upwards.
His eyesight was exceptionally keen; he could clearly make out, from afar, a wicker basket hanging beneath the towering balloon. Inside it, a woman clutched tightly to the basket's rim with both hands, screaming...
Cao Wenzhao shook his head, his face a mask of solemn disapproval: "To hoist a woman into mid-air, terrifying her into shrieking like that. What kind of monstrous torture is this?"
Cao Bianjiao: "Uncle, you were just full of questions, and *this* is what you find strange? Shouldn't you be wondering how the thing is flying so high in the first place?"
Cao Wenzhao: "Huh? Now that you mention it, I suppose you're right."
As they spoke, the city gates swung open.
Before he could finish his greeting, a corpulent figure behind him surged forward with surprising, almost weightless, speed. Drifting past Fan Shangzheng in a wide arc, he ran towards Cao Wenzhao with arms outstretched, sobbing loudly as he ran: "General Cao, I've waited for you so long! Now that you're here, this king can finally rest easy!"
Cao Wenzhao: "Hm? The Prince of Fu?"
The hefty man was indeed the Prince of Fu. He was adorned in opulent robes, and his charge was surprisingly forceful, as if the very ground trembled with each thundering step. He rushed forward, weeping and wailing, looking as though he intended to cling to Cao Wenzhao's leg.
But as he reached Cao Wenzhao, Cao Wenzhao abruptly sidestepped by half a pace. The Prince of Fu's forward lunge met only air, and he landed on the ground with a resounding thump, followed by a tremendous crash...
Cao Wenzhao: "Your Highness, please maintain your composure."
The Prince of Fu, still sprawled on the ground, felt tears of grievance welling up: "Finally, the Guanning Iron Cavalry has arrived! Only the Guanning Iron Cavalry can bring such peace of mind. Lately, Henan has been plagued by bandits, each more vicious than the last. They constantly threaten to boil this king alive and devour him! This king is so terrified! It will all be fine now that the Guanning Iron Cavalry is here."
Cao Wenzhao's face betrayed a fleeting expression of disdain, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by his usual stoic and serious demeanor. He turned to Fan Shangzheng.
Fan Shangzheng merely shrugged: "His Royal Highness the Prince of Fu is always like this. You'll get used to it."
Cao Wenzhao clasped his hands in a respectful salute to Fan Shangzheng: "This humble general has been ordered to Henan to suppress bandits. Passing through Luoyang, I have come to request some military provisions."
It was standard practice for the Ming army to carry only a few days' rations when deployed, with local prefectures supplying the rest. Thus, his request for grain from Fan Shangzheng was entirely reasonable and proper.
Fan Shangzheng nodded: "Very well, no problem. Please encamp your forces in the open grounds south of the city. This official will arrange for your provisions."
With their official business concluded.
Cao Wenzhao finally pointed to the balloon still drifting in the sky: "Why throw a woman up there just to terrorize her? Listen to her shrieks; she sounds utterly miserable."
Fan Shangzheng's face flushed with embarrassment: "Oh? That's my humble wife; she's having a grand time, actually."
A fresh swirl of questions instantly erupted around Cao Wenzhao's head: "That's what you call 'having a grand time'?"
Fan Shangzheng: "Clears throat... Well, you see..."
Cao Wenzhao: "What exactly *is* that thing?"
Fan Shangzheng's spirits perked up: "Ah! This is a remarkable device brought by Mr. Bai Yuan, called the 'Reconnaissance Hot Air Balloon.' Before a battle, a scout is sent up in it, floating high into the sky. From there, they can survey dozens of li in every direction, making traditional scouts almost redundant."
Cao Wenzhao pondered this for a moment, then instantly felt a surge of admiration: "I see! Truly impressive!"
Cao Bianjiao was also taken aback: "How amazing."
Cao Wenzhao: "The scout's eyesight must be truly remarkable."
Cao Bianjiao: "Uncle, are you truly impressed by the scout's eyesight? Shouldn't you be impressed by the effectiveness of the device's reconnaissance?"
Cao Wenzhao considered this carefully: "Oh? Now that you put it that way, I suppose you're right."
Everyone present was speechless.
Cao Wenzhao: "Governor, can such a device be arranged for my army?"
Fan Shangzheng's face showed embarrassment as he shook his head: "Ah, this isn't government property; it belongs to Mr. Bai. I can't arrange for it for you. Even my own wife has to pay thirty taels of silver for a single use."
Cao Wenzhao: "Who is Mr. Bai?"
"That would be me, the militia instructor here." A flash of white appeared behind Fan Shangzheng, and Bai Yuan emerged, clad in flowing white robes. He flicked open the folding fan in his hand with a flourish, revealing two prominent characters: "Gentleman."
Cao Wenzhao couldn't help but exclaim: "How dashing!"
Bai Yuan was overjoyed: "You find me dashing as well?"
Cao Wenzhao: "The fan, I mean."
Bai Yuan: "Can you please just focus on the main point?"
Cao Wenzhao: "Oh? Now that you mention it, I suppose you're right. Let's stick to the important matters, Mr. Bai. Is that Reconnaissance Hot Air Balloon yours?"
Bai Yuan: "It is."
Cao Wenzhao: "This device is truly remarkable. If launched into the sky before a battle, no enemy force could ever ambush our side. Nor would we fall into traps during an advance. This device could fundamentally alter the dynamics of warfare."
Bai Yuan: "As expected of General Cao, you immediately grasped its strategic significance. I acquired this specifically for reconnaissance. Last time, when Lao Huihui launched his raid on Luoyang, his cavalry moved as swiftly as my scouts. By the time my scouts returned to report the bandits' arrival, Lao Huihui himself was already upon us. I realized then, this simply wouldn't do..."
Cao Wenzhao nodded: "That truly is a problem."
For years, he had campaigned across the north and south, suppressing bandits wherever they rose.
Yet the bandits were cunning, constantly traversing mountains and valleys, slipping through ravines, and scrambling up slopes. Cao Wenzhao had found this endlessly frustrating. Now, seeing this formidable "Reconnaissance Hot Air Balloon," he couldn't help but be deeply tempted.
Cao Wenzhao: "Mr. Bai, how much would it take for you to part with this magnificent device?"
Bai Yuan smiled and shook his head: "It's not for sale. This is something we need for our own use."
"To do *what* with it?" Cao Wenzhao pointed to the sky. Another woman's shriek echoed from above: "So high! So terrifying!..."
Fan Shangzheng sighed: "My humble wife is screaming again. Oh dear, how embarrassing. I'll have someone bring her down."
Bai Yuan: "The thirty taels of silver for her usage hasn't run out yet. Let her 'play' a little longer."
Fan Shangzheng: "Oh, right, of course."
Cao Wenzhao: "I see. It would indeed be unreasonable to bring her down before her time is up."
Cao Bianjiao broke into a cold sweat: "Uncle! Is *that* what you're concerned about? Mr. Bai just said it wasn't for sale, but then he mentioned the thirty taels of silver for its use hadn't expired. You should be noticing that obvious contradiction!"
Cao Wenzhao: "Hmm? Now that you point that out, I suppose you're right."
He snapped his gaze to Bai Yuan: "You just said it wasn't for sale, yet for thirty taels of silver, you let a woman 'play' with it? Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for this general?"
Bai Yuan: "It's for rent, not for sale."
Cao Wenzhao: "I see. That actually makes sense."
"Makes sense, my foot!" Cao Bianjiao sprang forward: "Mr. Bai, you're the militia instructor here, aren't you? Your duty is to protect your homeland and fight against bandits! Given that, you should be renting this 'reconnaissance-thingy-light' to *us*! We're here to suppress bandits in Henan!"
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