Sudden Incident, Urgent Rescue

A week later, everything slowly got on track.

The dock expansion had entered a steady phase. The workers had grown used to the rhythm of leaving early and returning late each day, and the sounds of hammers and work chants had become the background music of Dragon Ascending Town's mornings.

Construction on the Artillery Batteries was also progressing in an orderly fashion. The foundations for the two Artillery Batteries had already been leveled, and at this pace, they would be completed in another month.

The academy's foundations had been dug, and the craftsmen had begun building the walls. Shui Ruoyan went to the construction site every day to make a round and supervise the progress.

The City Guard's training had also fallen into place. Shui Ruolin and Xue Mingyuan packed the training schedules for the two battalions full: running drills in the morning, saber practice before noon, formation practice in the afternoon, and rotating night watches in the evening.

Though those new recruits were so exhausted they cried bitter complaints to the heavens, not a single one quit—six Silver Soul Coins a month in military pay was far better than farming.

The navy's training was also in full swing. Ma Sanbao got up at five every morning, leading the sailors through sail drills, cannon drills, and naval battle drills. After a month, the coordination among the five ships had begun to look the part.

Xiao Yun could finally relax a little.

That afternoon, the sunlight was just right, and the sea breeze was gentle. Xiao Yun sat in the pavilion in the backyard of the Lord's Mansion. Before him sat a pot of tea and several plates of snacks. The flowers in the garden were in full bloom, and a few butterflies danced gracefully among them. In the distance came