Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 253

These disciples' talent in mechanical arts was really lacking, and they also went astray: since the research and development was based on needs, they should naturally go and observe the farming process themselves, ask the old farmers about their farming techniques, and understand the difficulties encountered in farming.

Once you have a sufficient understanding of farming techniques, you can start to have a basic idea of ​​what the new mechanical beast should look like.

Amu had used these simple principles before, but it seemed that the excessive pressure made him feel burdened, and he became overly immersed in the workshop.

After emphasizing the importance of focusing on the needs themselves during the innovation process, Lu Wei gently patted the other person's shoulder to ease his pressure.

Amu walked away thoughtfully, and Lu Wei went to the craftsmen's workshop again.

Since joining the Farmer's Clan, Tie Wen, the head of the Casting Clan in Jicheng, has worked in Dazeshan and Jingxian. He is now well-off. With the support of the Farmer's Clan, the Casting Clan has also recruited many new disciples. It can be said that the development of his lineage of the Casting Clan far surpasses that of other lineages he has interacted with.

Besides serving the government workshops, the artisans' workshops also had a constant stream of work forging armor and weapons. They received a reward for each finished product they crafted from the ore provided by Jing County.

According to the conventions of this era, craftsmen had to leave their own numbers on weapons and armor. If defective products were found or there were too many defective products, Tiewen would clean up the house according to the rules of the craftsmen without Xiao He having to intervene.

Occasional defects can be understood as coincidence, and the punishment is within a certain range. However, once the number of defective products reaches a certain threshold, the most severe punishment is to send the craftsman to the furnace as a sacrifice...

This sounds extremely cruel, comparable to the torture of branding with hot irons, but it was the consistent family rule of the Casting Family. Now that the Casting Family of Jicheng has been merged into the Farming Family, this family rule has become the highest form of punishment for the craftsmen.

Tiewen was a man of few words, but he knew very well that the foundation of their craft lay in their skills. If the skills of their group were to be questioned because of a few bad apples, it would be a matter of jeopardizing their very existence.

The harshest punishments must be set out there to ensure that every craftsman is fully focused when forging.

The main force of the Ji Ran family from Jicheng, who had once joined the Zhu family in seeking refuge with the Nong family, remained in Yan. Lu Wei knew that their ordinary business dealings were extremely difficult under the Qin rule of law. However, with the support of the Nong family in Daze Mountain, the situation in Yan had not deteriorated, and it was sufficient to maintain the status quo there.

Lord Xia Kui would occasionally arrange for A Shan to return to Yan to communicate with the local disciples, and A Shan was always in charge of the disciples in Yan.

Yan Shen personally oversaw the management of the armor and weapons reserves in Jing County, and there was no limit to the quantity of these items.

Li Zuoche and Peng Yue were in charge of military equipment in Jing County. Their achievements were praised by Li Mu, and Lu Wei found no problems after reviewing them.

The standing army maintained by Jing County, including the navy, numbered five thousand, which was a considerable number. The other soldiers were engaged in both farming and fighting, working part-time while also fighting.

Jing County was thriving, and under the cover of Dong'ou Jun Ouyang Yao, the Qin people did not notice anything unusual.

Therefore, the uprising here was much easier than that at Dazeshan.

Li Zuoche and Peng Yue even boldly devised a plan in advance to launch an attack from this location to directly seize Shouchun, and then attack westward to quickly take back the former Chu territory from the Qin people. They also sent out a large number of peasant wanderers to conduct detailed reconnaissance of the planned route and environment, making their rebellious intentions obvious.

Lu Wei added several methods to the plan to mobilize the people of Chu, which could be seen as tacit approval for the plan to continue to develop...

This greatly fueled the enthusiasm of Li Zuoche and Peng Yue. They had a three-year rebellion plan and a five-year strategy. In their eyes, the power of the Qin state was not invincible.

Everything was going smoothly at the Jingxian rebel base, which pleased Lu Wei.

The historical process I've planned in advance means success is just waiting for the right opportunity!

------

In Licheng, Mi Lian, having changed out of her usual dress and into a sharp men's outfit, met Ying Bu again based on information from the disciples of the Four Mountains Hall. The latter was surprised by the princess's male disguise.

Mi Lian had learned some internal energy and martial arts, but her strength was very poor, about the same as that of an ordinary wandering swordsman who had just entered the martial arts world. In addition, she had no fighting experience, so her personal strength was basically negligible.

But her imposing presence made her appear dignified and elegant when facing Ying Bu, a renowned warrior in the Chu army, though her muscles were somewhat frail.

"Young Master..." Ying Bu thought for a long time, but still addressed Mi Lian as "Young Master" at the last minute.

"Yes, Yingbu, Xin'er's condition has already been treated by a skilled physician." After the other party finished bowing, Mi Lian raised her hand in the air to indicate that there was no need for further formalities, and then told him about her younger sister Mi Xin's condition.

Upon hearing this, Yingbu breathed a sigh of relief. He had fulfilled his mission entrusted to him by the Queen, and after more than two years of getting along, he had also begun to develop a fatherly affection for the little princess.

He was naturally unworthy to express these feelings, but serving the sisters Mi Lian and Mi Xin was the meaning of the rest of Ying Bu's life, which he had made up his mind to do.

"Young Master's prior planning in the farmhouse was truly ingenious, but..." Ying Bu lowered his eyes, a chill creeping over the wound on his neck: "That leader of the Four Mountains Hall is quite a capable young girl. What is her relationship with you, Young Master?"

Mi Lian raised her eyebrows slightly: "It was Hall Master Ji who took me into the Four Mountains Hall. According to my status, I am currently her subordinate."

"How can this be!" Ying Bu exclaimed instinctively upon hearing this, "Young Master's status is...expensive, how can he be someone else's subordinate?"

“Anything is possible in times of chaos.” Mi Lian spoke with composure, turning away from Ying Bu, unwilling to continue the conversation. “Right now, we need to go to Zui Meng Lou. My father left me with a few trusted bodyguards, and they are currently staying at Zui Meng Lou. I need you to escort me to retrieve them.”

"I will obey your command, my lord!" Ying Bu stood up straight and gave Mi Lian the most standard Chu military salute.

"Drunken Dream Pavilion was originally arranged by my father to be an aid to me, under the jurisdiction of Hua Ying, the sister of General Ji Bu of the Shadow Tiger Legion, but I don't like the atmosphere there."

As they walked, he explained the information he could share. Without needing to observe Mi Lian specifically, she could sense the sudden surge of ferocity and murderous intent that Ying Bu displayed when he heard Ji Bu's name.

'The Shadow Tiger Legion and the Thunder Leopard Legion are both elite units in the Chu army. Their two commanders should be cooperative partners, but it seems they harbor personal grudges.'

The remnants of the Chu army should all be her subordinates, and also tools to protect herself and her sister in the chaotic world. Mi Lian was somewhat troubled by her emotional understanding of Ying Bu Ji Bu's grudge, but she did not show it, and only asked directly about the reasons behind it.

Ying Bu never felt he was wrong about his hatred for Ji Bu, so he did not hide it from the princess: after the fall of Chu, one of them believed in using bloodshed to inspire later rebels, while the other wanted to preserve strength to rebuild the country in the future.

Yingbu at most looked down on Jibu's cowardly actions; the fundamental reason he hated him was:

The two sides could have gone their separate ways if they had made different choices, but Ji Bu actually fired a rocket without authorization and destroyed the suspension bridge, forcibly preventing him from leading the Lei Bao Legion, who were determined to fight to the death for their country, to fight the Qin people. As a result, although the soldiers of the Lei Bao Legion survived the war, they were regarded as cowards like Ji Bu, and in the end, they all became beggars, drunkards, and gamblers!

Those people should have died on the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide, becoming heroes sung about by the people of Chu with glory... instead of being trampled on like this!

Mi Lian did not hastily comment on the reasons for the hatred between the two: although from a personal point of view, if Ying Bu had died on the battlefield, no one would have saved his sister or become his subordinate.

She didn't know how to resolve hatred, so remaining silent was the safest option: no matter how much the two fought, as long as they obeyed her orders, there would be no problem.

The two arrived at Zuimeng Tower during the day. Mi Lian handed her jade pendant to the maid at the door to pass on to Hua Ying. Soon after, another maid, dressed in slightly more luxurious clothes, respectfully invited her upstairs.

In the room on the fourth floor that originally belonged to Mi Lian, Hua Ying anxiously paced back and forth, clutching her jade pendant. When Mi Lian, dressed as a man, entered with Ying Bu, she was stunned for a moment, but upon closer inspection, she recognized the princess, who had grown considerably since their separation. She immediately rushed forward with joy, wanting to hug her.

However, Mi Lian's gesture of taking a step back caused Hua Ying to freeze instantly...

Chapter 294 Before the Battle of Shu Mountain

After deliberately avoiding Hua Ying's embrace, Mi Lian smiled slightly and walked past Hua Ying naturally, confidently placing herself in the position of the hostess in the room where she had once lived.

"Sister Huaying, it's been a long time."

Mi Lian sat down with a relaxed demeanor but meticulous attention to aristocratic etiquette in every detail of her movements. Ying Bu, who came with her, leaned against the door and stood guard, closely monitoring the actions of Hua Ying and the others inside the room.

Hua Ying still feels guilty about losing the princess, and she has always kept the image of the young thief who kidnapped the princess in her mind, always thinking that she must recognize and catch him if she encounters him again.

But now, watching Mi Lian's actions, she couldn't help but compare the princess to the thief from a few years ago, and their words, actions, and expressions even seemed to vaguely overlap...

On the other hand, as the most beautiful courtesan of Zuimenglou, Huaying has always been very sensitive to makeup and clothing. The princess's current men's clothing is clearly similar to that of the person who kidnapped her!

Not to mention the nonchalant "long time no see," as if the princess hadn't been kidnapped but had left on her own years ago...

The strange occurrences quickly calmed Hua Ying after her initial panic. She glanced at Ying Bu by the door, a thought suddenly occurring to her, and a habitual smile appeared on her face as she tried to ease the awkwardness.

"Your visit, young master, truly brings honor to our humble abode, Zuimenglou."

As she spoke, she swayed her body and came to stand in front of Mi Lian, turning her back to the door and trying to make eye contact with the princess. However, Mi Lian's reaction was simply to shake her head: "Sister Hua Ying, there's no need to be nervous. Ying Bu is the commander of the Thunder Leopard Legion. He is just as loyal to the Chu Kingdom as you are."

Hua Ying turned her head again. She had thought that the burly man with the tattoo on his face was an accomplice of the thief who was monitoring the princess, but she never expected that he was also a former member of the Chu Kingdom.

When Ying Bu met the woman's gaze for the second time, he glared back impatiently: because she was Ji Bu's sister, how could he possibly give her a pleasant look?

So, does that mean the princess is now completely free?

"Princess... what exactly happened?" Hua Ying turned her gaze back to Mi Lian, her mouth agape in surprise several times. After thinking for a long time, she still awkwardly asked her directly about how she disappeared.

"The State of Chu has fallen. I am the eldest princess of Chu, and I need to find a new way out for Chu."

Mi Lian was indeed kidnapped at first, but now she has deeply understood the importance of striving to change herself from that experience. However, she doesn't need to mention this to her subordinates, as the princess needs to maintain her dignity: "There will never be any hope if I just stay in the Drunken Dream Pavilion, so I made other choices."

"What is the princess's choice?" Hua Ying pressed on, her actions immediately displeasing the princess.

If King Xiong Qi was Mi Lian's mentor during her childhood, then Ji Yan became her new role model after the fall of the Chu Kingdom.

In the Four Mountains Hall, Ji Yan wouldn't be constantly questioned by the disciples about the reasons for his actions.

Ji Yan is the daughter of Lord Xinling. Among her subordinates are former retainers of Lord Xinling, including Zhang Er, the chief steward of the Four Mountains Hall. All of them treat Ji Yan with utmost respect. As for herself, she is the legitimate princess. Even if Hua Ying was indeed ordered by her father to take care of her, does that mean she can control her?

"Sister Huaying, those servants that Father entrusted to me last time, are they still in Zuimeng Tower?"

While maintaining the polite form of address, Mi Lian's tone was noticeably colder, and she brought up the real reason for her arrival. As for Hua Ying's follow-up questions, she simply ignored them as a warning.

The princess's change made Hua Ying extremely uncomfortable. In her memory, the princess was still the little girl who would drowsily sleep in her arms in the carriage.

Even now, although the princess has reached adulthood and is considered an adult like me, she still lacks experience in the ways of the world.

Seeing the princess's majesty made Hua Ying feel gratified, but she was more worried that the princess might have been deceived.

Teenagers in this age group are most prone to impulsiveness and are also most easily deceived.

With a conflicted mind, Hua Ying said, "Yes, half of them are in the Drunken Dream Pavilion, and the other half are out searching for the princess."

“Then recall everyone. I need to command them personally.” After expressing her stance in a way that brooked no refusal, Mi Lian glanced at Ying Bu. After a few breaths of thought, she still feigned composure and asked, “General Ji Bu should have been to Zuimenglou, right? Where is he now?”

“Ji Bu is also on his way to find the princess. I will contact him immediately so he can come back and pay his respects to her.” Hua Ying nodded, but her heart was still conflicted, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Does the princess intend to leave Zui Meng Lou?”

“That’s right, but I’m going to Daze Mountain. I can come anytime.” Having retrieved her belongings based on her status, Mi Lian’s tone was no longer so forceful. Hua Ying was just a subordinate. If she could abide by the duties of a subordinate and not rely on the supervisory authority granted to her by Xiong Qi to govern her, Mi Lian could certainly get along with her.

As long as the other party treats me the way I treat Ji Yan, that's fine.

Even a princess like her knows when to keep quiet and serve Ji Yan. Can't Hua Ying keep quiet when serving herself?

"Go to the Zhu family patriarch at Daze Mountain?" However, Hua Ying obviously couldn't just ignore the orders and follow them without asking questions.

She may have guessed from various signs that the princess didn't want to be managed by her, but her sense of responsibility made her feel that she couldn't really let the princess 'make a fuss'.

“It’s the Four Mountains Hall.” Mi Lian stood up sullenly, preparing to leave.

After two years, Hua Ying finally found the princess again. Faced with Mi Lian's plan to leave so soon, she tried her best to persuade the princess to stay at Zuimeng Tower for a few more days.

However, Mi Lian had rushed to Licheng early in the morning, hoping to visit his sister Mi Xin at Gonggong Hall on his way back that evening. How could he possibly choose to stay?

She couldn't go wherever she wanted with Ji Yan, but with Hua Ying, relying on her status, she didn't want to be restricted in any way.

After saying "Get out of the way" twice in a low voice, just as Ying Bu was about to bring out her twin weapons to play their role, Hua Ying reluctantly stepped aside to see her off...

In any case, at least they now know the princess's whereabouts, and she is safe in the mountains and marshes of the countryside.

I need to send a message to Master Zhu to inquire about the situation!

"Why waste so much time with a place like Drunken Dream Pavilion, young master?"

Ying Bu continued to address Mi Lian as "Young Master" and remained silent throughout Mi Lian's conversation with Hua Ying, which pleased Mi Lian.

Therefore, when the brave general complained after leaving the Drunken Dream Tower, she mimicked Ji Yan's slight smile:

“I have heard that Ji Bu has many friends in the Chu army. He is sociable and his reputation for keeping his word has grown considerably in the martial arts world in just two years. Winning him over will allow us to better gather the old Chu troops and martial arts figures and put them to our use.”

"He's just a coward," Yingbu said disdainfully, turning his head away as he heard the princess praising the man.

“Ji Bu has his role, and Ying Bu has his role.” Faced with the emotional fluctuations of the only subordinate she could command for the time being, Mi Lian’s pupils darted around as she thought and slowly uttered, “In terms of trust, I certainly trust General Ying Bu more, so I will keep you by my side to handle matters.”

"Haha, my lord, rest assured. I will never run away from difficulties like that coward!" Upon receiving the princess's assurance, Ying Bu's mood immediately improved. Mi Lian breathed a sigh of relief at his performance: the easiest people to control are the most useful; this rule is indeed true.