Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Western Beijing, the logistics base of the Shenwu Army.

Far from the bustling martial arts arena, this place is filled with a different kind of tense yet orderly busyness.

The air was filled with a strange mixture of smells: the smoky aroma of roasted grains, the greasiness of cooked meat, and the earthy smell of fired clay.

Occasionally, one can hear the rhythmic clanging of the giant steam-powered millstone, which is the "steam-powered noodle production line" that Zhao Tie had just introduced.

Xiao Chen, Zhao Tie, Xu Guangqi, and a middle-aged scholar named Song Yingxing who had just been promoted were standing in front of a long table.

Song Yingxing had a lean face, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, the kind of light that comes from someone who has dedicated themselves to honing their craft.

He was recruited from Jiangxi by Xu Guangqi. A fragment of the manuscript of "Tiangong Kaiwu" convinced Xiao Chen that this man was an indispensable piece of the puzzle for the industrial development of Daxia.

On the table were a few inconspicuous items: several dark brown square discs wrapped in oiled paper; several sealed earthenware jars, their mouths sealed with layers of tung oil and linen, and stamped with the seal of the Ministry of Works of the Great Xia Dynasty; and a pile of oddly shaped iron tools and leather goods.

"Your Majesty," Song Yingxing said, pointing to the dark brown cube, "this is 'military rations' that I and Mr. Xu produced based on ancient records and combined with new processing methods. The main ingredients are newly produced wheat flour, soybean flour, and oil from Cizhou, mixed with a small amount of salt and sugar, and then baked and pressed at high temperature."

Zhao Tie picked up a piece, weighed it in his hand, and found it as hard as a stone. He then tapped it on the table, producing a dull "thud".

"You think you can even chew this? You might break your teeth before you starve to death."

"No need to chew."

Xu Guangqi chuckled, casually rinsing a small piece of food with water from his canteen. "Just add water, and it will soften in a moment, ready to eat. It also keeps well. I've roughly calculated that a two-ounce piece of dry ration contains the same calories and satiety as half a pound of ordinary military rations! Moreover, it doesn't spoil easily and can be stored for over a year without any problem!"

Xiao Chen picked up a piece and tried to break it, but it wouldn't budge; its hardness was astonishing.

He nodded, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "Good. Hard enough, not easily broken, and easy to carry. This is the 'compressed biscuit' I want. From now on, when marching into battle, each soldier will carry ten biscuits, along with a water bag. They can fight for three to five days without food! I want the soldiers of Great Xia to have provisions in their pockets and not be afraid!"

He then pointed to the sealed earthenware jars: "And this one? It smells more tempting than those biscuits."

"Your Majesty, this is 'Sealed Meat Broth'."

Song Yingxing skillfully used a small hammer to break open the seal on the earthenware jar, peeled off the oil paper, and immediately, a rich and mellow aroma of stewed meat wafted out, instantly masking the surrounding earthy smell. Inside the jar were chunks of meat, a deep reddish-brown color, soaking in a thick broth that had already solidified into a jelly.

"Our research has revealed that food spoilage is mostly caused by air and bacteria. Therefore, we use earthenware jars to store cooked food, seal them while they are still hot, and then seal the openings with tung oil and lime to prevent air from entering. After repeated experiments, this method can preserve food for several months or even a year!"

Song Yingxing explained, "In addition, I also tried adding a little spirits and spices to the jar, which not only enhanced the flavor but also further prevented spoilage."

Xiao Chen picked up a spoon, scooped up a piece of meat, and put it in his mouth.

The meat is tender and savory, and while it may not be as luxurious as delicacies from land and sea, it was a delicacy in the ancient military corps where oil and salt were scarce.

He chewed it slowly, feeling the real energy.

"Great! That's wonderful!"

A gleam of joy flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "With this, my army will no longer have to live like beggars, scavenging wherever they go, or barely surviving on rotten rations! The logistical burden will be reduced by at least half! Soldiers who are well-fed will have the strength to fight for me!"

Logistics has always been a fatal weakness in ancient warfare. Insufficient supplies were often the primary cause of an army's collapse.

The two inventions promoted by Xiao Chen—compressed biscuits for portable staple food and sealed canned food for food preservation—will completely change this situation and enable the army's sustained combat capability to achieve a qualitative leap.

"And this too."

Zhao Tie pointed to the pile of ironware and leather goods on the table, "Your Majesty, these are the 'modular pack animals' and 'standardized grain bags' designed by me and Mr. Song."

The grain sacks were all the same size and shape, forming neat rectangular blocks that fit perfectly into the specially made wooden frame.

The wooden frame, with its ingenious design, could be quickly and easily fixed to the backs of mules and horses, or hung on the four-wheeled carriages modified by Zhao Tie and equipped with spring shock absorbers.

"In the past, the transportation of grain and fodder was chaotic. The bags were of different sizes, and loading and unloading relied entirely on manual labor, which was time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to damage and leakage."

As Zhao Tie demonstrated, he explained, "Now, all grain sacks and ammunition boxes are the same size! A horse-drawn cart can carry a fixed number of grain sacks, making extremely efficient use of space. A mule can carry a standard weight of pack animals. Loading and unloading speed is more than five times faster than before!"

Xiao Chen walked to the side, where dozens of sturdy mules and Mongolian horses were tied up.

Several soldiers in uniform are demonstrating rapid loading and unloading.

They quickly and neatly stacked standardized grain sacks on the pack rack like building blocks, then secured them with special belts and buckles. The whole process was smooth and efficient, and the loading of a mule was completed in less than a minute!

"This is the 'mule-based transportation system'."

Xiao Chen summarized, his gaze sweeping over the technicians present, "Primarily animal power, supplemented by human labor, but the core is—standardization and modularization! It's about efficiency!"

He turned to Zhao Tie, Song Yingxing, and Xu Guangqi, his tone solemn: "I order you to immediately establish the 'General Bureau of Military Supplies.' This bureau will be specifically responsible for the production and quality inspection of standard military rations, canned goods, clothing, tents, and medicines. All products must meet the standards promulgated by the Academy of Sciences, be uniformly numbered, uniformly allocated, and with responsibility assigned to specific individuals!"

"At the same time, a 'supply force' will be formed. Instead of temporarily conscripting civilians, specialized mule and horse transport teams will be trained and placed under the command of the Divine Might Army! They will not only learn to drive vehicles and care for livestock, but also to transport supplies in harsh terrain, protect materials, and even defend themselves with their pistols and daggers in skirmishes, vowing to protect the supply line to the death!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the three replied in unison, their eyes full of enthusiasm.

Xiao Chen walked outside and looked at the supply train convoy training in the distance.

Caravans of mules, carrying standardized supply crates, moved steadily across the rugged terrain of the simulated battlefield.

The cart tracks were clear and straight, and the procession was neat and orderly, forming a stark contrast to the old-fashioned, scattered labor transport teams.

In his mind, images of modern logistics units pulling trucks and carrying rocket launchers from movies and TV shows from his previous life came to mind.

Although it is still very primitive and still uses mules and horses, the systematic and standardized logistics concept has already taken root here.

"Your Majesty," Mo Qi appeared silently behind him, handing him a secret letter, "News has come from General Han Lie that several troublemakers in the Nine Borders, led by Wang Jizu, have begun to secretly collude, seemingly trying to resist the reorganization, and there may even be other plans."

Xiao Chen's lips curled into a cold smile, his gaze still fixed on the marching supply train: "Let them coordinate. The higher they jump, the harder they fall. Perfect timing to wipe them all out in one fell swoop, saving me the trouble of dealing with them one by one."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers who were carrying cans and tying up ration bags, his voice steady and powerful:

"Tell Han Lie to go ahead and do his thing. My logistics are all set."

"As long as the supplies are sufficient, my guns and cannons can reach anywhere and feed there!"

"Using mules and horses is just the first step. What I want are railways and steam locomotives... However, that will take time and require the support of steel and coal."

"But now, I have enough biscuits and canned meat, a standardized transportation system, and enough guns and soldiers."

"It's time for the world to change."

The autumn wind swept across the plains west of Beijing, fluttering the banners of the Divine Martial Army and also stirring Xiao Chen's clothes.

The revolution in logistics, like spring rain, though silent, will nurture the most powerful war machine.

And its sharp edge will soon be aimed at those opponents who are still sleeping in their old dreams.