Once the military reform arrangements had been decided, order after order was immediately issued from Luo Chong. The soldiers of the Shence Guard battalion that had followed Luo Chong south earlier were also assigned to various garrisons as instructors, responsible for training the soldiers there to use the new firearms.
At the same time, with the arrival of Great Mandate Year 3, the Han Tribe's industrialization was gradually accelerating. Aside from the construction projects throughout the south, the biggest undertaking was the industrial layout of the southern region.
For the south to develop industry, it needed coal and steel. Coal had already been discovered in Chengkang Commandery and Qian Commandery, in the middle and lower reaches of the Liuyang River, while the former territory of the White House Tribe also had a hematite mine.
With both coal and iron mines in the same place, how could there be any fear of lacking steel?
Luo Chong had constantly urged them to open a railway connecting Qian Commandery to Taigang Commandery because the iron ore in Taigang Commandery was manganese iron ore. If that mine could be developed, the Han Tribe would be able to produce heavy-duty steel rails made from manganese steel.
But if they only needed ordinary carbon steel, then the resources within Qian Commandery's own jurisdiction would be more than sufficient.
Last year, Gu Ji and Tian Hong of the White House Tribe had, at Luo Chong's behest, traveled around the southern region of the Han Tribe. Along the way, they visited various places, broadened their horizons, and learned of the Han Tribe's strength. Thus, before they had even returned, they had already decided on the road to lead their entire tribe into joining the Han Tribe. By now, the matter had long since been settled.
Thus, toward the