novelaction Chapter 1365
Chapter 1365
In an instant, Mai Zhide's entire back was soaked with sweat, and even without a cold breeze blowing in, he couldn't stop shivering.
It's not surprising that he reacted this way, nor is it because he's timid. If he were timid, he wouldn't have gotten involved in the money exchange business.
The main problem is that Qian Jingguang's idea was too outrageous; this guy actually planned to use dangerous materials like gunpowder and kerosene.
It should be noted that, due to the special nature of color-changing ink, it was originally placed in a core position within the Ministry of Industry.
If gunpowder were actually used, it would be tantamount to blowing up the entire Ministry of Works, and the charges would probably be no less serious than those against the money shop case.
So after a brief moment of panic, Mai Zhide quickly came to Qian Jinguang's side.
He grabbed his collar, his expression ferocious, and said in a stern tone:
"Are you crazy? You're going to blow up the entire Ministry of Works! No way, I absolutely won't allow you to do something so insane!"
"If we really do as you suggest, given His Majesty's temperament, even if the money exchange case isn't exposed, neither of us will survive!"
Although Mai Zhide grabbed his collar, Qian Jinguang was not angry; on the contrary, he remained very calm.
He didn't even forcefully pry Mai Zhide's hand away; he simply patted it to signal him to let go, and then explained:
"When did I say we were going to use gunpowder? I just said we have the capability to get these things, but we will never choose gunpowder."
"This thing is something that the imperial court explicitly forbids the private possession of. Only the Ministry of Works and the Academy of Science and Technology in the Ming Dynasty are qualified to use it."
"But the Academy of Science and Technology never deals with outsiders. If we use it, everyone will guess that it was someone from the Ministry of Industry who destroyed the ink."
"I said, I just want to live. I'm not crazy, and I won't take on another crime just to get myself out of trouble!"
Upon hearing Qian Jinguang's explanation, Mai Zhide released his grip on Qian's collar and looked at him with suspicion.
"So what exactly do you want to say? Just say it!"
"It's easy!"
Hearing the impatience in Mai Zhide's tone, Qian Jinguang didn't hide anything and directly revealed what he was thinking.
"Of course, we use kerosene! Gunpowder is only available to the Ministry of Industry and the Academy of Sciences, but kerosene is everywhere in the hands of the people, right?"
"Ok!"
Mai Zhide nodded, but didn't say anything. He just kept staring at Qian Jinguang, wanting to hear what he would say next.
Qian Jinguang maintained a smile throughout, looking completely confident as he faced Mai Zhide's gaze.
Then, under Mai Zhide's gaze, Qian Jinguang slowly began to speak:
"If there is an explosion at the Works Department, then we are all responsible. But what if the Works Department just accidentally caught fire?"
"It's dry and windy here, isn't it normal for a fire to start from a leak? Even if someone is held accountable, it's just dereliction of duty at most."
"Indeed, the two of us failed to manage the minutiae of the ministry properly, which led to the fire at the ministry. No matter how you look at it, we are to blame."
"If the court pursues the matter, we must accept it. Even if the court doesn't pursue it, we must take the initiative to resign!"
It has to be said that people who work in officialdom are different; everything they say has a positive energy to it.
He was the one who set fire to the evidence that could have killed him, yet he spoke as if he felt incredibly guilty and remorseful.
Mai Zhide, being an official himself, naturally understood the meaning behind Qian Jingguang's words, as he was well-versed in such matters.
At the same time, compared to his previous guess about gunpowder, Qian Jingguang's current plan was clearly more acceptable.
After all, an explosion in an important department of the imperial court had never happened before in history; on the contrary, fires and floods had occurred several times.
During the Han Dynasty, the Luoyang Southern Palace and the Shangshutai were destroyed; during the Tang Dynasty, the Hanyuan Hall and the Shangshu Province were destroyed; and during the Song Dynasty, the fire spread from the imperial palace to the Chongwen Academy, destroying almost all the precious books.