In the blink of an eye, it was sunset again.
In a hidden valley behind the Green Wood Stronghold, Ning Yi walked out with a few attendants. The air was still filled with the dry smell of fire.
"Write it down." Ning Yi, who had just carefully inspected the situation of the Lu Liang Mountain blast furnace and the craftsmen but did not raise any opinions, now spoke in a low voice.
"… The direction of the blast furnace research is not just to produce better swords and weapons. Instead, it is to further find the theory and train of thought to increase the temperature, further remove the carbon content in the iron, and produce more flexible and tougher iron. Every characteristic of steel has its uses, and we need to master these characteristics. At present, there are two main directions: first, higher temperature; second, when the molten iron is introduced into the mold, we need to pursue fewer impurities and fewer bubbles. The standard is … at least half the thickness of the elm cannon, at least twice the amount of gunpowder of the elm cannon, and not explode after firing … first, we will use this as our goal to accumulate experience. "
The attendants beside him used a fine charcoal pen to write these down in a small notebook. Ning Yi thought for a moment. "Call Master Qin over tonight. I want to talk to him."
The blacksmiths of the Green Wood Stronghold were, after all, people of Lu Liang. Ning Yi had just arrived, even if he gave orders, they would not understand. Only the few craftsmen who followed this time, because they had worked in Takeshi's research and development compound for more than a year, could keep up with Ning Yi's train of thought. After this was done, the group of people turned out of the valley. In front of them was a sparse forest and an earthy yellow mountain path. The scenery of Lu Liang Mountain did not give people a bright and beautiful feeling. At first glance, it only gave people the feeling that it was barren. Trees, stones, wolves, animals, and people were all sparsely scattered. Mountain ridges and mysterious creeks spread silently among them.
Red Ti's figure was coming from the side of the mountain slope. She was dressed simply, wearing a dark green blouse and long skirt. Just by looking at her attire, one could tell that she was an ordinary peasant girl. However, among the peasant girls, her figure was relatively tall, and the spirit of a martial artist far surpassed that of an ordinary person. At first glance, one would feel that there was a cheerful vitality in her footsteps. In addition to the ancient sword in her left hand, she was a simple yet heart-stirring heroine.
The setting sun shone on Ning Yi's side. The woman in the middle of the gravel and grass on the mountainside stopped for a moment. She raised her left hand that was holding the sword to her forehead and squinted her eyes to look in this direction. She seemed to be smiling. Ning Yi smiled and said to the people beside him, "You guys can go." Then, he walked towards Hong Ti.
"Are you done looking at the furnaces?" Hongti asked as she approached Ning Yi.
"Yes, I'm done."
"I don't understand these things, so I found some blacksmiths and had them fiddle with this. Every now and then, I would scare them and act as though I was going to kill them. Now, I'm pretty good at using swords and spears. It's very useful. I don't know if it suits you. "
"They're basically familiar with it. As for the rest, I have to slowly explore." Ning Yi smiled and held Hong Ti's hand. The two of them walked forward side by side. "You've met them. What do you think?"
"I did as you said and didn't express my opinion. However, what they said was very good. Grandpa Liang only asked me to ask for your opinion." The woman raised her hand that was holding the sword and smiled as she stroked her hair. Ning Yi looked at her simple smile and smiled as well. The woman could be the chief of Green Wood Fort for so long not all because of Liang Bingfu. She actually had her own opinion, but she didn't want to say it now. So, he asked, "What do you think?"
"I don't want to talk about that Squire He," Hong Ti said. "What he said is very good. How to use the enlistment order, which lord's connections, how to take care of the entire route after it's done, how many people they have outside Mount Lu Liang. How much money we can earn in a year, and how much he can give to Lu Liang. "It sounds very good. If it was in the past, I would really want it. However, we can't guarantee that he will do it. There's a saying that goes, Qi something … Behind them is the Qi Clan. I suddenly thought of it … "
"The Qi Clan is not a match." Ning Yi smiled and said, "That's right. The Qi Clan's influence is in the area south of Mount Lu Liang. In terms of business, they're the most influential. "However, if we really cooperate with them, in the end, whether he gives us any benefits or not will depend on his mood. There's no need to talk about it. "
"However, in this way, he might cause trouble for us outside the mountain. After all, they're very powerful." Hong Ti frowned and said, "There's also Wu Shengjun and Dong Pang 'er. According to them, if we join the army, we will have a backer. They will take good care of their own people. "However, if it's not our own people, they might also do something bad. "There are also some people who have a very good attitude. They can help with the enlistment order and don't ask for much. "As for the Tiger King, I think that Miss Lou is very knowledgeable …"
The two of them walked along the winding mountain path towards the small forest in front of them. Sunlight peeled through the gaps between the trees. In a place where there were only the two of them, the forest seemed tranquil and warm. Ning Yi talked to her as they walked.
"Some things depend on the concept, and some things depend on the degree. "From the beginning to the end, Green Wood Village is open for business. If they are interested, they can all come. Indeed, all parties have the ability to monopolize and fall out with each other. However, this kind of monopolization is still manageable in their own territory. There are at least a hundred forces doing business with the Qi Clan. If they fall out with each other, how much face do they have to lose? "It's the same with the army and Tian Hu. "Of course, we can't rule out the possibility of them flying into a rage out of humiliation. However, before that, as long as they can make things clear, there aren't many who would casually fall out with each other. "But when you mentioned Tian Hu, I can roughly guess what they said …"
"That Miss Lou, you know Liheng, right?" Red Ti asked.
"You also know that when we were in Hangzhou, her father and elder brothers died in my hands. "After the chaos, I thought she died on the way to escape. "Now that I think about it, the incident with the little rattling horse should also have started because of her."
"She's very capable." Red Ti nodded. She recalled the scene in the Green Wood Village's main hall in the afternoon when that woman spoke frankly in front of her. From the timing and convenience of the cooperation, to the foundation of mutual trust, to the core that the Tiger King wouldn't interfere with the operations of Green Wood Village, to the future business plans, the resources that the Tiger King currently controlled, and so on … At that time, the two men called Yu Yulin and Tian Shi who were present were almost overshadowed by her presence. If they were in each other's shoes, without Ning Yi around, she would really carefully consider the other party's opinion.
Of course, it was a different matter now. "Other than wanting to persuade me face to face, I heard that she was also active at the foot of the mountain at the same time. She contacted the King of Chaotic Mountains, Luan Heifeng, and the others. If things didn't work out, she might force her way up the mountain. "It's really impressive that a woman can do this. Why don't we call someone to … "
Red Ti didn't continue. Ning Yi smiled instead and said, "Like I said, some things depend on the concept, and some things depend on the degree. "If things don't work out, she can find someone to force you to cooperate, or send an expert to challenge you like Dong Pang 'er did. These are all good ideas. "However … let her do what she wants. Don't worry about her … There's no enmity between us that I have to kill her. Back in Hangzhou, she helped her family manage the business. She's capable, but overall, she's still a little childish. "For her to be able to do this much, I'm sure it must have been hard on her."
Ning Yi sighed. Then, he recalled the past and smiled again. "Actually, back in Hangzhou, she was very enthusiastic when she hosted Tan'Er and I. "It's just that the people in her family had problems with their brains during the war … It's just fate. "Many things are like this. There's no need to kill everyone on sight."
"You killed her father and brother, and now you're saying this." Red Ti tilted her head and looked at him. "I wonder how she would feel if she heard this."
"What could I have done back then? What could she have done now? Since it's a knot that can't be untied, there's no need to think too much. "
As he said this, Ning Yi smiled and leaned toward Red Ti. There was no one else in the forest. Their lips touched. Then, Red Ti, whose face was slightly hot, hugged Ning Yi and buried her forehead in his neck. She was a woman from the mountains. Since she had already promised to Ning Yi, she wasn't that shy. She didn't know much about holding hands, hugging, and kissing, but she was happy from the bottom of her heart for the feeling of being with her lover. As for what Ning Yi wanted to do to her, she was just happy and satisfied.
They talked about some trivial things in the forest. Then, they walked to the edge of the forest and sat down to look at the scenery below. Red Ti was used to living in the mountains. She found a nest of rabbits. She ran to the weeds piled up with rocks and dragged out a fat female rabbit. Her body was also stained with mud and grass. She didn't look like a martial arts master. However, under the setting sun, she pulled the rabbit's ear and raised it for Ning Yi to see. It made Ning Yi feel especially warm.
There were a few small rabbits in the pile of rocks. Red Ti didn't catch them. She just hugged the big rabbit and sat with Ning Yi by the edge of the forest for a while. When she got up to leave, she thought about it and let go of the big rabbit in her hand.
"Don't get caught again," she said as she squatted there with a faint smile.
Ning Yi watched from the side.
The two returned to the village and had dinner with Liang Bingfu. At night, Ning Yi stayed in the same courtyard as them. He stayed in the guest room, and Red Ti stayed two rooms away from him. At night, the courtyard was lit up. Ning Yi asked someone to come over to discuss business. Red Ti and her sisters and aunts in the courtyard dealt with all kinds of trivial matters. Occasionally, they would walk under the eaves.
After the blacksmith leader with the surname Qin left, Red Ti knocked on the door. She brought hot water and a face towel. She was strict with others, but she didn't covet pleasure in her private life. Except for the necessary maids who helped with the affairs of the village, she did most of the things in life herself. Sometimes, when she was free, she would help the women in the courtyard to pick vegetables and cook. It was very natural for her to bring water for Ning Yi to wash his face. Of course, in the entire village, apart from Ning Yi, Liang Bingfu was probably the only one who received such treatment.
Under the yellow light, the two were like ordinary children in the mountains. They sat in the room and chatted happily for a while …
Liang Bingfu stood under the eaves and looked, then went in again …
Under the dark sky, it was really a small, small courtyard …
*****
"It looks like the Blood Bodhisattva of Green Wood Village doesn't want to talk to us!" Yu Yulin said in the same room that night.
"It looks like she doesn't want to talk to anyone." At a table not far away, Lou Shuwan rested her chin on her hand. Nobody knew where she was looking, but her expression was relaxed and her tone was relaxed. "But I can tell that what I said actually moved her a little."
"Miss Lou, do you think she's waiting for a good offer?" Yu Yulin asked as he picked up a teacup and took a sip.
"It's possible, but it doesn't seem like it," Lou Shuwan said. "Waiting for a good offer is the right thing to do, but she's already left us hanging for so long. Logically speaking, if she's willing to meet us today, she should have an idea. Now it looks like this Blood Bodhisattva is actually very forceful. She's not willing to cooperate with anyone and doesn't want to attach herself to anyone. She just wants to do business like before … You can't tell from the surface …"
Lou Shuwan murmured and said, "General Yu, Third Prince, do you think she's really the Blood Bodhisattva? She's such a young woman, how did she create such a situation? When I saw her today, I thought she was really powerful, but I really didn't expect … "
"It's her," Yu Yulin said. "Miss Lou, you're a woman and don't know martial arts, so you can't tell. Third Prince, Mister Qiu, and I can vaguely feel it. It's just that her cultivation is too high and she's close to returning to her natural state. Or perhaps she doesn't have the intention to kill anymore. That's why you can't tell, Miss Lou. "
"She can still kill without the intention to kill?" Lou Shuwan asked curiously.
Yu Yulin thought for a while. "For ordinary people, it's just that they don't see it too much. They do everything according to their heart, and there's no contradiction or confusion. That's it."
Lou Shuwan lowered her eyes and thought for a while. Then, she said, "I'm more curious about why Zhu Biao wanted to challenge Sha Wanshi today. Can he challenge the Blood Bodhisattva if he defeats Sha Wanshi? Also, what did the Ning guy do today … "
She was so concerned that she almost muttered the last part to herself. Yu Yulin frowned and looked at Tian Shi, who was lost in thought and did not participate in the discussion. After a while, he said, "Impossible. Zhu Biao's martial arts skills are definitely not enough to challenge the Blood Bodhisattva. If we're talking about a challenge … I'm afraid the Inner Demon has to do it herself. "
"Impossible …" Lou Shuwan said softly. She still found it hard to accept that Ning Yi's martial arts skills were so high. Then, she said, "No matter what, we still have to do what we have to do. General Yu, I think the Blood Bodhisattva is tempted by my suggestion. More bargaining chips are with you and the Third Prince. "Tomorrow, you and the Third Prince will visit her. In short, build a good relationship. It's fine even if it's just a casual chat. Third Prince, it's all up to you now."
Today, Lou Shuwan went up to the mountain with benefits. As for the marriage alliance, she had to see the reaction first before bringing it up. After all, the person was the person in question. She couldn't just say, "Our Tiger King wants to have a marriage alliance. Please marry our Third Prince." The other party was a woman. If she became angry out of humiliation and turned hostile, she would really lose everything. Tian Shi's emotions weren't right after he saw the other party. He looked up from his daze. His words were exceptionally masculine.
"No problem, I know what to do." He then added, "Military Advisor Lou, you're also very good. I'm only now impressed by you."
Lou Shuwan smiled charmingly. "If there's a need, I'll visit her too. But most importantly, I still have to contact Luan Sanlang and the others. If things don't work out, we'll get more people to share the cake. Third Prince, she's a woman after all. No matter how strong she is, she'll still want someone to rely on. You have to work harder. "
Tian Shi smiled so widely that his teeth were exposed.
When Yu Yulin and Tian Shi left, Lou Shuwan stood up and sent them to the door. She crossed her hands in front of her and smiled as she watched the two of them go back to their rooms. Then, she looked into the darkness in the distance. Although there was already some movement on the other side, she still couldn't figure out what Ning Yi was up to.
In the following days, Tian Shi began to visit the Blood Bodhisattva frequently. Lou Shuwan, on the other hand, constantly met with the people on the various mountains and urged the Lu Liang Bandits outside the Green Wood Stronghold to form an alliance. In her mind, halfway through the plan, someone would intervene. At least, Ning Yi should have noticed her actions and tried to stop them. Because of this, she anticipated all kinds of troubles and prepared all kinds of countermeasures. She even imagined that Ning Yi would send someone to kill her. She was a weak woman, so this should be the easiest way to break out of the situation.
As a result, on the night of the third day, she woke up with a start. She sat on the bed with her back against the wall and stared at the moonlight shining through the window. She was lost in thought for almost an hour. She had a vague illusion that the person Ning Yi sent to kill her would come in through the window, or that it would be Ning Yi himself …
However, the person who wanted to kill her never came.
Three days later, the commotion outside the Green Wood Stronghold had become more and more intense. The tentacles of various forces had also extended on a large scale. The 'King of Chaotic Mountains' Chen Zhenhai, the 'Black Skeleton King' Luan Sanlang, the Fang Yiyang brothers, and the other big shots of Lu Liang Mountain, under Lou Shuwan's manipulation and persuasion, all felt the urgency and danger. Under such an atmosphere, the other forces in Lu Liang Mountain had also been alerted, and they all began to contact and negotiate with these people.
In the midst of this bustle, somewhere in Lou Shuwan's heart became exceptionally quiet. She felt that something could happen at any time, but she also faintly felt that the other party had not noticed her actions at all … Because of everyone's response, only the people in the courtyard led by Zhu Biao, who practiced martial arts all day, strolled around, and basked in the sun, did not do anything at all. As for Ning Yi … he still did not appear in her sight …
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