Chapter 134
Chapter 134
The third contest was a military engagement, where the Count of Xuanwu's Estate and the Count of Jinhai's Estate would each mobilize one hundred elite soldiers for battle. However, as warhorses were exceedingly expensive, cavalry was not permitted. The elite soldiers of both families, excluding cavalry, would line up in an open field, a *li* apart, then charge and fight to the death. The contest would end only when one side was completely wiped out or surrendered. Battles between nobles were this brutal.
One of the reasons the Count of Xuanwu's Estate and the Count of Jinhai's Estate had become mortal enemies was the great number of lives lost in these military contests. While victory was determined by battle formations and the quality of the soldiers, an even more crucial factor was their weapons and armor. With a high probability of losing the second contest, in which Jin Mucong was participating, the third contest became especially important.
Until now, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate had suffered forty consecutive years of defeat in these military contests. It wasn't because their combat skills were inferior to the Count of Jinhai's, nor was it because the warriors of the Jin Clan lacked courage. It was because their weapons and equipment were subpar. The iron ore produced on Geumsan Island was of far better quality than that from Mang'ae Island. The ore from Mang'ae Island had a high sulfur content, making the iron forged from it relatively soft. Moreover, the Count of Jinhai's Estate possessed iron-smelting techniques superior to those of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. The swords they forged were incredibly sharp, and their armor was exceptionally sturdy.
Thus, whenever the two houses clashed, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate was naturally at a disadvantage. The difference in skill between their soldiers was not significant, but being outmatched in equipment forced the soldiers of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate to fight with even greater bravery and fearlessness.
But everything changed when Shen Lang arrived at the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. There was nothing his computer didn't contain. He possessed hundreds of thousands of words worth of data on iron-smelting techniques. Removing sulfur when smelting iron ore? A simple task. What was most remarkable was the technique for smelting steel. To the people of this world, the steel-smelting technique Shen Lang provided was nothing short of revolutionary.
Steel was a type of iron, and iron was called iron, but the two should not be considered the same. For instance, two men might both be hard down there, but while one can barely hold up his trousers, the other can lift a ten-*jin* weight with his. (Meaning, though both are iron, their hardness differs.)
* * *
“Following the data and designs the Young Master provided, we have forged one hundred sets of helmets and armor, and three hundred combat swords. However, we have kept them secret and not yet distributed them to the soldiers!”
After reporting the situation, Jin Hui handed over a combat sword. The moment Count Xuanwu took the sword, he could tell it was distinctly different from the ones they used before. For one, the blade had a special pattern, and its edge glinted with a blue light. Jin Hui brought another sword and said.
“My Lord, this is a combat sword from the Count of Jinhai's Estate. Please test it.”
Count Xuanwu swung the sword in his hand with all his might.
*Clang!*
A large chunk of the blade from the Count of Jinhai's sword immediately broke off. In contrast, the new combat sword of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate was only slightly dulled.
“A fine sword. Remarkable.”
Count Xuanwu exclaimed in admiration. He couldn't tell how much superior the new combat sword was to the ones the Count of Xuanwu's Estate had used before. It was much harder, even compared to the sword of the Count of Jinhai's Estate. Next, Jin Hui brought a suit of armor and placed it on a wooden mannequin.
“This is the armor of the Count of Jinhai's Estate. It is much sturdier than the armor we used to use.”
Without exerting excessive force, Count Xuanwu struck the mannequin with a single blow, like an ordinary elite soldier would.
*Clang.*
The effect of the new combat sword was astonishing. The armor of the Count of Jinhai's Estate was split open. It wasn't as effortless as slicing through paper, but he had certainly been able to cleave the armor without much effort. Count Xuanwu trembled. He couldn't believe how sharp and hard the new combat sword was.
It was only natural. Steel and iron differed in strength and durability; even if both were iron, they were on different levels. Furthermore, quenching could further increase the hardness of steel, and reheating it in a fire could enhance its durability.
Next, Jin Hui brought the new steel helmet and armor designed by Shen Lang and fitted them onto the mannequin. Count Xuanwu took the combat sword from the Count of Jinhai's Estate and struck the new armor on the mannequin.
*Clang!*
Sparks flew from the point of impact. The new armor designed by Shen Lang was only left with a scratch; it wasn't broken in the slightest, not even a crack was visible. The blade of the Jinhai sword, however, had chipped immediately. It was an exceptionally strong and durable suit of armor. The steel sword, helmet, and armor designed by Shen Lang were far superior to their opponent's equipment.
Count Xuanwu looked at Shen Lang with an expression of disbelief.
‘How can this man be so incredible? It seems there’s nothing he can’t do. It’s one thing to be knowledgeable about dyes, but to have such profound expertise in the specialized field of iron smelting… Is he truly a gift from the heavens?’
With the new armor and swords, there was no need to worry about the third contest. By winning two of the three duels, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate would surely win the dispute over Geumsan Island. Though everyone expected the Count of Xuanwu's Estate to be defeated, the outcome was, in fact, already decided.
* * *
Shen Lang stood before a large map.
“We will certainly win the dispute over Geumsan Island. However, a master of Go should not be intoxicated by the victory before him, but must think of the next move, and the move after that, and the move after that! If we only react defensively to whatever move Zhang Chong makes, we will never be able to defeat them.
The fact that everyone expects us to lose the Geumsan Island dispute already gives us a huge advantage. With that mindset, the enemy will not plan for the next stage. This allows us to seize the initiative, switch from defense to offense, and draw the enemy into our rhythm.
Therefore, what we want is not just victory in the Geumsan Island dispute, but to gain the upper hand on the future chessboard and crush Zhang Chong in a single blow. Furthermore, even if it requires some hardship, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate must completely escape the crisis of the New Government policy. We must place all our resources and weight on the next move, the move after that, and the move after that, following our victory in the Geumsan Island dispute!
I call the next move the Mang'ae Island Strategy. Phase one: our target is the Hidden Yuan Society. Phase two: others will simply think we are trying to make money, but in reality, we will create a source of income on Mang'ae Island to resolve our debt crisis. Phase three, I call the Pig Herding Strategy. At a critical moment, Mang'ae Island will become a giant bait and a trap! We will lure our enemies to Mang'ae Island, ensnare them in a trap, and let them die there! Phase four, I call the Raging Wave Strategy. Or, you could call it the Strategy to Become King Beyond the Sea.
Once we succeed up to the fourth phase, we will not only be able to completely crush Zhang Chong, but we will also be able to definitively escape the crisis of the New Government policy that our estate faces. From then on, we will no longer have to worry about the king holding the blade of the New Government over our heads, and we can shift from a passive, defensive posture to an active, offensive one!”
Count Xuanwu felt as if he were in a dense fog, unable to comprehend all of Shen Lang’s strategy, but he could grasp the stages of the plan Shen Lang would employ in the future. Shen Lang had reported some of the stages in writing to his father-in-law. It was a highly complete and feasible strategy. Count Xuanwu had read the report, slapping his knee in admiration.
On the chessboard of strategy, being even one step ahead of the enemy was a remarkable feat. Yet Shen Lang, while taking one step, was planning four steps ahead. While everyone else was planning their strategy for the Geumsan Island dispute, Shen Lang had already dug a political grave for Zhang Chong and was paving a smooth path for the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. Looking at Shen Lang, a single thought arose in the minds of Count Xuanwu and Old Master Lin.
‘His wisdom is almost demonic!’
Shen Lang continued.
“There is no such thing as a perfect plan in this world. For this plan to be a complete success, our plans must be executed flawlessly. We must follow the four strategic phases one by one, but in the process, we must also be prepared for unforeseen circumstances and have the flexibility to respond nimbly to any problem. For practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.”
“Lang, from now on, you shall manage all the resources and personnel of the estate. Including myself.”
“Yes! Our most important task right now is still to focus on the Geumsan Island dispute. The three contests! We will certainly win, but we must still give it our all. The Geumsan Island dispute will determine the future fate of our Count of Xuanwu's Estate. If we lose this dispute, all the phases I just mentioned will become meaningless, and the Jin Clan's century-old enterprise will be utterly ruined.
Only by winning the Geumsan Island dispute can we deliver a sharp slap across our enemies' faces and plunge a sharp knife into their hearts. When they are in disarray, we can create a situation that forces them to dance to our rhythm.”
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Jin Zhong reported.
“Young Master, Xu Qianqian requests an audience. She says it is an urgent matter that cannot be delayed!”
Count Xuanwu and the others were startled.
‘Isn't Xu Qianqian already dead?’
Shen Lang, however, felt a sense of relief.
‘So that woman didn't die after all!’
Although Shen Lang had used a special method on the paper with the secret formula to warn Xu Qianqian that Zhang Jin would kill her, he had only planted a seed of salvation, not expecting that she would definitely survive. He hadn't been certain whether Xu Qianqian would truly live or die.
* * *
A few minutes later, Shen Lang met Xu Qianqian. She was so gaunt she looked like a different person. She used to have a full figure, but now she was as slender as a fragile willow. Yet, rather than looking haggard, she appeared strangely alluring. Moreover, her entire being was in a state of extreme excitement, like a blazing fire.
“Shen Lang, the pirate king’s son, Qiu Xiao, has ordered his men to throw poisoned corpses into the wells of your family’s fief to create an epidemic. Four hours ago, they said they would poison a total of eight wells in Chuna Village. They met me, and they found out who I am.”
Upon hearing her words, Shen Lang felt a chill run down his spine. For Qiu Xiao to resort to such a measure was an act completely devoid of humanity. Shen Lang immediately gave an order.
“Jin Hui, take our masters at once and hunt down those pirates. Do not let a single one live. Before you kill them, find out which wells they threw the poisoned corpses into, then throw in a large amount of quicklime to boil the wells. After that, seal those wells completely and use special funds to dig new ones.”
“Understood!”
Jin Hui departed to carry out his orders.
At that moment, Mulan walked out and said.
“Husband, I’ll go with them.”
Shen Lang nodded, and Mulan followed them out. From beginning to end, she did not spare Xu Qianqian a single glance. In an instant, only Shen Lang and Xu Qianqian were left in the room. A man and a woman, a former husband and wife, were left alone.
* * *
Xu Qianqian tried to stand tall, straightening her back and neck to appear dignified. She was like a mother hen, ready for battle at any moment. The person she was preparing to fight was Shen Lang. She felt a mix of self-pity and resentment, but also a strong sense of pride. Because of her tip, she had saved many people in the fief of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, so she felt she had a slight upper hand. Moreover, just moments ago, she had single-handedly killed five pirates. She thought Shen Lang was very clever, but she believed that after her transformation, she was no less than him.
Shen Lang said nonchalantly.
“Xu Qianqian, have you just killed someone?”
Hearing his words, Xu Qianqian was stunned.
‘He, he can even tell that? Just how sharp is Shen Lang?’
“Your eyes are extremely excited, as if possessed, and there’s red blood on the corner of your mouth, which suggests you were recently injured.”
Xu Qianqian tried to calm herself and, with all her might, spoke in a composed tone.
“I will have my revenge.”
“Good!”
“I will kill Zhang Chong and his son, Zhang Jin, and leave them with no place to be buried.”
“That is also good!”
“Can you do that?”
“I can. But are you willing to pay the price for revenge?”
“I am willing to pay any price.”