The female prisoner was fierce

Meanwhile, east of Dongshuang County, in the direction of the Jurchen Tiger Tribe.

The convoy churned through the thick snow, heading east.

Wanyan Chuyu rode a pure white warhorse, leading a large caravan slowly toward her tribe.

The convoy consisted of thirty-six large trucks, all fully loaded.

The first ten vehicles were all equipped with iron pots, iron plows, hoes, sickles and other farm tools, which were the most scarce items in the Tiger Tribe.

The Jurchen tribes lacked both salt and iron, and their iron smelting technology was very underdeveloped. They also did not find many valuable iron mines within their territory, so they generally relied on trade for exchange.

Originally, we were going to Yanbei City.

But after Yanbei City was destroyed, Dongshuang County, the closest place, became the best location.

In terms of price, it was originally very expensive.

Making a good pot required trading two sheep, not to mention sturdy and durable cast iron farm tools, which was something we never dared to dream of before.

The dozen or so carts in the middle were carrying over a hundred bolts of thick blue cloth, twenty sets of semi-finished pulley crossbows, a full two hundred catties of purified saltpeter, and fifty jars of strong liquor.

The last few vehicles were all completely wrapped in tarpaulins. Inside were ceramic jars containing divine punishment, as well as horseshoes, parts of the finished Gaoqiao saddle, and blueprints, all gifts from Xiao Jianyang.

"Princess, we've really struck gold this time!"

Wanyan Hu rode alongside him, his mouth agape in a wide grin, his face a crescent shape from smiling broadly.

"In the past, when we did business with Han Chinese merchant caravans from the south, they were so stingy that they dared to ask for three top-quality fox pelts from us for a broken pot."

"Lord Xiao is quite something; his prices are fair, and his goods are ten times better than those of the caravans."

Wanyan Chuyu nodded slightly, a hint of gratitude appearing in her beautiful eyes.

They made a killing. Ironware, saltpeter, spirits, crossbows, divine punishment…

Which of these items isn't a hot commodity that can greatly boost the tribe's strength?

Not to mention the blueprints for horseshoes, saddles, and stirrups—those were things that could double the combat power of the entire Jurchen cavalry, and no amount of money could buy them.

Wanyan Chuyu was very grateful and immediately gave the order in a deep voice:

"Be careful, everyone, don't cause any trouble on the road."

"If these things are intercepted by the Northern Barbarian cavalry, we'll be in big trouble."

Wanyan Hu immediately patted his chest vigorously:

"Don't worry, Princess!"

"We've brought over a thousand elite brothers to escort them. Even if a small group of cavalry comes, or even a thousand men, we can protect the goods and charge back!"

Wanyan Chuyu nodded slightly, but still shook her head and said:

"It's best to be cautious, let's keep going."

Wanyan Hu:

"Yes, Princess."

Without another word, the convoy sped off toward the tribe.

We traveled north for three whole days.

Along the way, they passed several Jurchen herder camps, and the herders, seeing such a long Han caravan, all curiously gathered around.

"My God, so many big carts? Are they all Han Chinese goods?"

"Look at that pot! It's so shiny and black, much thicker than the broken pots in our tribe!"

"And that fabric, it feels so smooth, it would be perfect to make a new outfit for the child for the New Year."

The herders surrounded the convoy, pointing and whispering with envy in their eyes.

Besides the herders, the farmers were equally shocked and delighted.

They rarely see Han merchants throughout the year, and even when they do, the goods are ridiculously expensive, making them unaffordable for ordinary herders.

Now that everyone sees the princess bringing back so many good things, they all feel that following the Tiger Tribe is a promising future.

Wanyan Chuyu did not linger, only instructing her personal guards to distribute a few bags of salt to the poorest herders before continuing on her journey.

The closer she got to the tribe's main city, the more certain she became.

That was the right move!

Because when those people saw these supplies, the eagerness in their eyes was genuine.

The things Xiao Jianyang gave us are enough to allow the Tiger Tribe to take its strength to the next level in just a few months!

On the evening of the fourth day, the convoy finally arrived at the main city of the Tiger Tribe.

Although it was just a tribe, it still had tens of thousands of people, only its national strength was very weak.

The main city is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, with hundreds of yurts connected together. The outer perimeter is surrounded by wooden fences and moats. When the tribal soldiers on guard see the flags from afar, they immediately open the camp gates.

Then, upon seeing the large quantity of supplies, they cheered with delight:

"The princess is back!"

"The princess's caravan has brought back many things!"

The news spread quickly, and the tribe's elders and leaders came out to greet them.

Wanyan Muzhen, the chieftain of the Tiger Tribe and father of Wanyan Chuyu, also walked out of the main tent, leaning on his wolf-head cane.

He was nearly fifty years old, his face etched with the marks of time, and his temples already gray.

After the Wei River Incident, the tribe declined year by year. The Northern Di demanded tribute every year, and the surrounding large tribes would come to oppress them from time to time. He was so worried that he couldn't sleep at night and sighed countless times in the middle of the night, "The Wanyan clan is finished!"

Therefore, he looked extremely haggard.

"Yu'er, you're finally back."

Wanyan Muzhen looked at his daughter with a smile, then his gaze swept over the long convoy, and he froze:

"This... so much stuff, you went to Dongshuang County and brought back so much stuff??"

"Father, let's go back to the tent and talk."

Wanyan Chuyu dismounted, took Wanyan Muzhen's arm, and walked inside, saying as they went:

"My daughter brought back tremendous good news for the tribe this time."

Wanyan Muzhen was puzzled.

But he didn't ask any more questions and followed them into the main tent.

The guards then filed in and began unloading the goods.

Bring the samples in and place them one by one on the felt mat.

A dark, thick iron pot, a sharp iron plow, a smooth, dense blue cloth, a well-sealed bottle of strong liquor, and a pulley crossbow gleaming coldly.

And there's also the crucial Heavenly Punishment Gunpowder.

Wanyan Muzhen picked up an iron pot, tapped it, and it immediately produced a dull sound.

His expression immediately turned to one of utter astonishment. He carefully examined the surface with his hand, then exclaimed in surprise:

"Great iron! Really great iron! It's far superior to anything our tribal blacksmiths forged! This pot can be passed down for generations!"

The elders nearby also picked up the items and examined them, their faces lighting up with delight.

"This is truly fine iron. Even the Han merchants rarely sell this kind of iron. I never expected there to be so much of it."

"And these fabrics are also of excellent quality and extremely rare."

The crowd's excitement intensified.

These fabrics are also extremely rare.

The Tiger Tribe has been lacking iron and cloth for a long time, and with these things, getting through the winter will be much easier.

"Father, this is nothing."

Wanyan Chuyu picked up the pulley crossbow and said with a smile:

"Let me show you the power of this pulley crossbow."

After he finished speaking, everyone moved to the training ground outside the tent out of curiosity.

Wanyan Chuyu had a wooden stake erected eighty paces away, with three thick bear skins hung on it.

"Eighty steps?"

Wanyan Muzhen frowned:

"Yu'er, our best horse bows are lucky if they can pierce a single layer of animal hide at sixty paces. Can these Han crossbows even do that at eighty paces?"

He said that, but he was a little hesitant inside.

After all, the crossbow looks really strange.

Without explaining, Wanyan Chuyu gripped the crossbow with both hands, braced his knees against the stock, and easily drew back the bowstring and nocked an arrow.

Aim, pull the trigger—the movements are executed in one fluid motion.

call out! !

In a flash, the crossbow bolt flew out with a sharp whooshing sound.

puff! !

A muffled thud.

Then, everyone took a closer look.

Then we saw that the crossbow bolt had actually pierced through three layers of bear hide and sunk half a finger deep into the wooden stake behind it, with the fletching still trembling slightly.

silence!!

The entire venue fell into dead silence!

Everyone present stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.

An elder of the clan rushed over in three strides, grabbed the crossbow bolt, and pulled it out.

"Hiss~~ It's so deep!!"

It took a lot of effort to pull it out.

Then, looking at the bloodstains and animal hide on the arrow shaft, he gasped sharply:

"Eighty paces, and it can actually pierce three layers of bear skin? That's more powerful than our hard bow! And it's so easy to draw the bowstring, even women and children can do it??"

"A divine artifact!!"

"A divine artifact!!"

Wanyan Muzhen also walked over quickly, touching the arrow holes in the wooden stake, his expression changing repeatedly.

He had fought a lifetime of wars and knew all too well what this meant.

Ordinary herders can use it after a few days of training, and it's so powerful. If hundreds of them were equipped, the tribe's combat strength would double!

Do not!

It could even multiply several times over!

Wanyan Chuyu spoke calmly, as if discussing a trivial matter, and continued:

"Father, everyone, this is just a pulley crossbow."

"What's truly powerful is divine punishment."

"Divine punishment???"

Wanyan Muzhen suddenly looked up and asked curiously:

"Is that the divine object you're talking about that blew up the gates of Dongshuang County and killed thousands of Northern Di people?"

"Exactly."

Wanyan Chuyu nodded and said:

"Father, let's find an open space so I can demonstrate for you."

Wanyan Muzhen:

"it is good."

He immediately gave the order, and the group then arrived at a barren slope outside the main city.

The surrounding area was a vast, snow-covered forest, very quiet, with only the howling north wind blowing.

Wanyan Chuyu ordered everyone to retreat fifty paces away, then took out a pottery jar of divine punishment, lit the fuse, and threw it forcefully towards the pile of rocks below the slope.

The fuse hissed and sparked.

Everyone present held their breath, staring intently at the dark, round pottery jar.

then…

boom!!!!

A deafening roar suddenly erupted!

The ground trembled violently, and rubble mixed with dirt was blasted into the air, with black smoke shooting straight into the sky.

Several tribal soldiers who were nearby lost their footing and fell flat on their backs in the snow.

"Protect the King!!"

With the exception of Wanyan Hu, all the generals in the tribe instinctively stood in front of Wanyan Muzhen, their muscles tense and their faces filled with horror.

Then, when the black smoke dissipated and everyone went over to take a look, they all gasped in shock.

All I saw was...

A huge crater, half a meter deep, was blasted into the bottom of the slope. The surrounding rocks were all shattered into pieces, and the dead sheep that had been released beforehand were blown to pieces, with bits of flesh splattered everywhere.

"This...this..."

A tribal general's lips trembled, and he almost knelt on the spot, exclaiming in shock:

"This...this is heavenly lightning!"

"That's terrifying! If this had exploded in the main city, many of our people would have been killed or injured!"

"The Northern Di people were defeated by this thing? No wonder more than a thousand of them are gone."

"Outrageous! How could such a miraculous object exist in the world?!"

Even the so-called warriors of the Tiger Tribe turned pale at this moment, their legs spinning as they stared at the huge pit.

They used to think it was just a rumor, believing that the Han people were just making things up.

But now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I realize that this is something no ordinary person can withstand.

It's simply a divine object!!

Wanyan Muzhen stood by the pit, remaining silent for a long time.

His hands trembled slightly, half from fear and half from excitement.

Xiao Jianyang was actually willing to trade such a terrifying thing and even form an alliance with them.

What does this mean?

"This means that our Tiger Tribe finally has the confidence to challenge the Northern Barbarians!!"

"My Wanyan clan finally has the chance to reclaim its former glory!!"

Thinking of this, his expression became even more excited, his eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his body even trembled slightly.

Upon returning to the royal tent, everyone's expression changed.

Many who previously thought it was risky for the princess to form an alliance with the Han people now dare not speak up.

With such a powerful tool in hand, anyone who isn't a fool would know how to choose.

Wanyan Chuyu was not surprised; on the contrary, this was an expected reaction.

Then, sitting on the felt rug, he recounted in detail everything he had seen and heard during his trip to Dongshuang County.

After the great victory at Tiger Ridge, Xiao Jianyang annihilated over a thousand elite Northern Di troops with only a few hundred soldiers, killing Harbala and Baturu.

The journey continued until Dongshuang County was orderly, the people had land to cultivate and food to eat, and the soldiers were disciplined and never disturbed the people.

Finally, regarding Chu Yiran's suturing skills, she used strong liquor for disinfection, which could save critically wounded soldiers who were on the verge of death.

There are also horseshoes, high-bridged saddles, and double stirrups, which can double the combat power of cavalry.

Finally, there are Xiao Jianyang's various methods of governing the people, such as distributing land, establishing literacy classes, and setting forth three rules.

One incident after another left everyone in the tent speechless, their bodies instinctively tensing up.

"Father, uncles and elder brothers."

Wanyan Chuyu's gaze swept over everyone, and she said solemnly:

"Xiao Jianyang is no ordinary bandit leader."

"He understands military affairs, governance, and creation; he's simply unfathomable!!"

"A person like this is destined for greatness. Forming an alliance with him is not about us helping him, but about our Tiger Tribe benefiting from it."

"With him keeping the Northern Di in check in the west, our tribe can take the opportunity to recuperate and build up our strength."

"The Northern Barbarians have oppressed us for so many years. The hatred of the Wei River and the humiliation of paying tribute every year should no longer be endured!!"

At the end, the tent fell silent.

indeed.

After the Treaty of Wei River, we suffered too much humiliation, which was unavoidable.

But now that there's a solution, we can't continue like this.

A moment later, Wanyan Muzhen slammed his hand on the table and said in a deep voice:

"Convene a tribal assembly! All leaders and elders of tribes with more than one hundred households must attend!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!!"

The ministers and generals present responded loudly, placing their right hands on their left chests, and then left to make the announcement.

Half an hour later, the meeting began.

The tribal assembly lasted for a full hour.

At first, two or three conservative clan elders raised objections, saying they were afraid of provoking retaliation from the Northern Di and that the Han people could not be trusted.

But when the pulley crossbow, divine punishment, iron pots and cloth were laid out before them, and when the benefits of trade and the advantages and disadvantages of alliances were presented one by one, everyone fell silent.

If they don't form an alliance and continue to be exploited by the Northern Barbarians, their tribe will collapse sooner or later.

Forming an alliance, with weapons, supplies, and allies, might even allow one to grow stronger.

Everyone can see the difference!

"I agree to the alliance!"

At the final moment of the meeting, when it came time to vote by show of hands, Wanyan Hu was the first to stand up, raise his right hand, and shout in a deep voice:

"With these good things, what are we afraid of from the Northern Barbarians! They bullied us before because our weapons were inferior."

"Now we have crossbows, divine punishment, and horseshoe saddles—it's hard to say who's afraid of whom!"

"I agree!"

A middle-aged general then spoke up, saying:

"The Northern Barbarians demand cattle and sheep hides from us every year, and they rob us of our women and children. This grudge should have been avenged long ago!"

"Since Lord Xiao is so capable, forming an alliance with him would be a worthwhile investment."

Seeing this, the other clan elders also nodded in agreement.

After all, there isn't much risk involved.

Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Wanyan Muzhen immediately made the decision:

"Okay! It's settled then!"

"Starting next month, eighty warhorses, 15,000 catties of high-quality iron ore, three hundred top-grade furs, and fifty baskets of medicinal herbs will be sent to Dongshuang County each month in exchange for ironware, cloth, salt, and military equipment."

"The Tiger Tribe and the Xiao Family Army have formed a permanent alliance of offense and defense."

"If the Northern Di invade our tribe, the Xiao family army will send troops to support us; if the Northern Di attack Dongshuang County, our Tiger Tribe will mobilize all its cavalry to its aid!!"

"Anyone who disobeys will be executed along with their entire clan!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the royal tent bowed in unison, their voices booming:

"As the clan chief commands!!"

"As the clan chief commands!!"

The meeting has now concluded.

After the meeting, Wanyan Chuyu had just stepped out of the royal tent when Wanyan Hu caught up with her.

"Princess, wait a minute!"

Wanyan Hu chased after him, his expression somewhat serious.

"What's up?"

Wanyan Chuyu stopped in her tracks, her face full of curiosity.

"That's right. His Majesty said that you should spend more time with Mr. Xiao Jianyang, and try to get to know him better."

"For the sake of our Jurchen Tiger tribe, Princess, the King said he is sorry for you, but hopes you can do it."

As Wanyan Hu spoke earnestly, a hint of reluctance and sorrow crept into his originally serious expression.

"Understood, I know what to do."

Wanyan Chuyu smiled and nodded, then left without saying anything more.

She naturally knew how to do this, and marriage was also an important means of binding each other together.

But we can't rush it!

"Before that, we need to test the other party's attitude."

As she pondered this, a plan began to form in Wanyan Chuyu's mind.

……

Dongshuang County, County Government Workshop.

Eight days have passed since Wanyan Chuyu left.

The county's reorganization, city defense, and land redistribution are gradually getting on track.

Xiao Jianyang was finally able to free up his hands and start working on the most basic industrial products.

At that moment, he was hunched over his desk, drawing kiln blueprints on hemp paper with a charcoal pencil.

Standing next to him was Zhou Laogen, the most famous stonemason in the county, and three old kiln workers who had spent half their lives firing brick kilns.

The group craned their necks, staring at the blueprints for a long time, but the more they looked, the more confused they became.

"Lord Xiao, what you've painted... is it a kiln?"

Zhou Laogen scratched the back of his head, looking bewildered, and muttered:

"But this kiln looks so strange, it's different from the kilns we use to fire bricks."

"This is a cement kiln."

Xiao Jianyang didn't even look up, continuing to fill in the details as he spoke:

"The product produced by burning is called cement. When ground into powder, mixed with water, and dried, it becomes harder than bluestone."

"What???"

Zhou Laogen and several kiln workers were completely stunned, as if they had heard something utterly unbelievable, even contrary to common sense, and said incredulously:

"You can burn stones and mud, grind them into powder, add water, and they'll harden?? And they'll be harder than bluestone??"

After repeating it once, an old kiln worker shook his head repeatedly, rejecting it, saying:

"Impossible, Lord Xiao. I've been firing kilns for thirty years and have never heard of such a strange thing."

"Mud, once fired, becomes bricks; how can it become something harder than stone?"

"Yes, Lord Xiao, you haven't been deceived, have you?"

The group of people chimed in, each expressing their disbelief.

You can't blame them; cement is something that is far beyond the comprehension of people in this era.

Xiao Jianyang put down his charcoal pencil, raised his head, and said calmly:

"Whether it's true or not, we'll know once we fire a kiln."

"Make it according to my ratio: 70% limestone, 20% clay, and 10% coal. Crush and mix them, then load them into the kiln and calcine at high temperature."

"Cook it, grind it into a fine powder, and you'll know whether it works or not after one test."

"this……"

Zhou Laogen and the others exchanged glances. Although they were still uneasy, Lord Xiao had never made empty promises.

If they can create something as sinister as divine punishment, maybe this cement is real too?

But this is just too unbelievable!!

"Alright! Since Lord Xiao has said so, we'll do it!"

Zhou Laogen gritted his teeth and immediately made a guarantee:

"I'll take some men outside the city to collect limestone and dig clay right away!"

"Um."

Xiao Jianyang nodded and continued to give instructions:

"Find more manpower and build the first kiln as soon as possible."

"clear!"

Upon receiving the order, the two quickly got to work.

The news spread quickly.

The county government directly conscripted two hundred laborers to quarry stone, dig clay, transport coal, and build kilns, and they got to work in a great mood.

When the people heard that Lord Xiao was going to make something new, they were very curious and worked extra hard.

after all.

Every new thing Lord Xiao makes is extremely useful.

In just three days, the first cement kiln was built in the workshop area in the west of the city.

The raw materials are crushed and mixed in proportion, loaded into the kiln, and fired.

The fire raged for two days and two nights, and the kiln workers took turns guarding it, never daring to relax for a moment.

On the day the kiln was opened, the workshop was surrounded by layers upon layers of people.

Soldiers, civilians, and even Bai Huatong, Bai Muyi, Zhao Daniu, and others all came to join in the fun.

"Lord Xiao, is this thing really harder than stone? I just don't believe it."

Zhao Daniu rubbed his hands together, looking very curious.

Bai Muyi stood beside Bai Huatong, her eyes also fixed on the kiln entrance.

She had witnessed too many of Xiao Jianyang's amazing methods during this time, but this was the first time she had ever heard of cement.

"Brother, do you think it will work?"

She asked softly, her beautiful eyes darting around, showing a lot of suspicion but also a clear level of trust.

Because it was Xiao Jianyang who spearheaded this project.

Bai Huatong squinted and said in a deep voice:

"Lord Xiao is always confident in his actions, just wait and see."

Bai Muyi:

"it is good."

Just then.

"Open the kiln!!"

Suddenly, the kiln workers' shouts rang out.

Then, the kiln door was slowly opened, and a wave of heat, accompanied by white smoke, gushed out, causing everyone to retreat in unison.

Only after the temperature dropped did I dare to approach and take a closer look inside.

Inside, there was a bluish-gray clinker.

He knocked twice, and it made a loud banging sound.

"Quick, grind it into powder!"

Zhou Laogen hurriedly shouted.

"yes!"

Immediately, several craftsmen came up and brought out the raw materials, finely ground them with a stone mill, sifted out fine powder, and filled two large basins.

Then add water according to the ratio, stir to make mortar, pour half of it onto the stone slab and smooth it, and build a small wall about half the height of a person on the other half.

"That's it??"

Zhao Daniu leaned closer and reached out to touch it:

"It's soft and mushy, like mud, and doesn't look like it can harden."

Xiao Jianyang had already arrived by then.

Upon seeing this, all eyes turned to them.

Xiao Jianyang nodded slightly, then came over and carefully examined the cement before giving instructions:

"No one is allowed to touch it without my order."

"It has to wait a full day and night until it's completely dry before it counts."

Upon hearing this, the crowd dispersed with some skepticism, but ultimately none of them were very optimistic.

Many people didn't sleep well that night, their minds preoccupied with that pile of "mud".

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the workshop was already packed with people. The cement had been prepared. Zhou Laogen was the first to rush forward, swinging his hammer and smashing it against the small wall.

Bang! !

A muffled thud, sparks flying everywhere.

Then, the heavy iron hammer was bounced back, making Zhou Laogen's palm go numb.

Looking at the wall again, there were only some broken pieces, not even a pit, it was as solid as if it were made of iron!

"This...this..."

This scene left Zhou Laogen wide-eyed in disbelief.

"impossible!"

He muttered to himself and then slammed the hammer a few more times.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

This time, even after seven or eight blows, the wall remained sturdy, with only a slight surface wear.

"Again!"

Unwilling to give up, he picked up the chisel again and used the hammer to chisel hard.

It took a long time to carve out a small dent.

Hard! So hard!

Zhou Laogen knelt down with a thud, repeatedly bowing to Xiao Jianyang, his voice trembling:

"Lord Xiao! You are truly a genius! This cement is even harder than bluestone!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding area instantly erupted in chaos.

"Really? Harder than a rock??"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! Let me see! Let me touch!"

Then, the crowd surged forward, reaching out to touch the cement wall.

It's so cold!

hard!

The sound it made when tapped was like a dull thud from a stone, leaving everyone completely bewildered.

"My goodness, is it really hard?"

"Mud powder, mixed with water, turns into stone?! Isn't that magic?!"

"Lord Xiao is amazing! He can do everything!"

"Unbelievable! How could this powdery substance become so hard?! It's divine magic!!"

The people chattered amongst themselves, their faces filled with shock and admiration.

Bai Huatong stepped forward, running his fingers along the rough cement wall, feeling its hardness, and remained speechless with shock.

After a moment, he let out a long breath, looked at Bai Muyi beside him, and whispered:

"Xiao Yi, did you see that? That's real skill."

"Being good at fighting is nothing; being able to create things, bring peace to the people, and enrich the country—that's what makes a person capable of great things."

Bai Muyi, standing beside him, nodded, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xiao Jianyang not far away, her eyes sparkling.

Great!

That's amazing!!

She discovered that this person always seemed to offer new surprises and was always unfathomable.

I don't know when, but the light in her beautiful eyes grew even stronger!

Ignoring the astonishment of the crowd, Xiao Jianyang immediately gave the order:

"Build five more cement kilns to produce cement day and night."

"The first batch of cement will be used to reinforce the weak sections of the city wall. We will apply a cement layer to both the inside and outside of the city wall, and then build four cement arrow towers."

"Then we built the main road, from the North Gate to the South Gate, and paved the entire street with cement."

"Finally, someone was arranged to count the damage to the mud-brick houses of the villagers and repair them with cement in batches."

"Yes, Lord Xiao!!"

Stonemason Zhou Laogen and the other craftsmen responded in unison, their voices full of enthusiasm.

With such great things, we won't have to worry about rain and snow eroding and battering when building city walls and houses!

……