Now, Wei Tong not only didn't go there, but actually stayed in Xiliang Commandery.
This is very problematic!
He glanced thoughtfully at the distant city wall and instantly had a clue: Wei Tong was probably eyeing the cement used to build the city.
Logically speaking, Great Ning Guard should have received the news long ago, so it's a bit unreasonable that they're only showing interest now.
Lin Yi had an idea and summoned Mi Zhu.
"What? Wei Tong has his eye on cement?" Mi Zhu frowned. This was not good news. It was not a good thing to refuse the emperor's request.
He is currently in charge of most of the industries in Xiliang Commandery, so he naturally knows the huge profits in the cement industry and the extraordinary benefits of cement, both of which are extremely important.
Once it falls into the hands of Great Ning, our lord will be in a somewhat passive position.
Seeing his worried expression, Lin Yi smiled and shook his head, saying dismissively, " Zizhong, don't worry. Li Anlan can't take this cement for free; he'll have to offer enough benefits in exchange!"
As long as he doesn't give in, Li Anlan will be helpless; at most, he'll just hate himself even more.
As for sending troops to attack, he really didn't have the guts, because although his current strength was great, it wasn't strong enough to sweep across all directions.
"Does our lord really intend to give him cement?" Even Jia Xu's pupils constricted; this was no good decision.
He knew one thing clearly: once Great Ning acquired this cement, its national strength would undoubtedly increase significantly.
At least among the Northern Barbarians and the southern chieftains, neither side could easily threaten the heartland of Great Ning, since they would have to fight tooth and nail to breach such a city wall.
Imagine if Dayu Pass and Mountain and River Pass were both ten zhang high (approximately 33 meters), Tuoba Wanli probably wouldn't even have the courage to glance at them; he would have turned around and left immediately. This is because the Northern Region Barbarians ride warhorses, not celestial horses, and they can't fly.
Therefore, compared to mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops, cement is much cheaper.
However, the strength of cement is so great that it can make the city wall as solid as a rock. This stuff is truly extraordinary, and if it were given to Great Ning, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"It's alright!"
Lin Yi nodded slightly and smiled, "Haha, don't worry so much. Cement is also graded. Recently, Pu Yuan's Heavenly Craft Workshop has developed a type of cement that's only slightly better than glutinous rice and clay, which is perfect for selling!"
"Hehe, isn't this a trap?" Zhou Cang's eyes darted around, and for some reason, he seemed somewhat eager to try it out.
The thought of tricking the emperor makes me inexplicably excited, even a little excited.
Mi Zhu had been busy calculating the accounts, glared at him and said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by 'cheating'? This is normal trade, my lord. It's a willing buyer and a willing seller. No one is forcing them to buy!"
Forehead!
Chen Qun stared in horror at Mi Zhu and Zhou Cang, then silently moved away. These two were ruthless swindlers.
Just then, a burst of cheers suddenly erupted outside, startling Lin Yi. He frowned and asked, "What's going on? Why is it so lively outside all of a sudden?"
"My lord, today is the Double Ninth Festival!" Chen Qun said with a smile.
Holy crap!
Double Ninth Festival?
Lin Yi was taken aback after hearing this explanation. He hadn't expected that the Double Ninth Festival existed in this world. This was truly interesting.
He laughed and asked, "What does the Double Ninth Festival commemorate?"
"My lord, the people here consider nine to be the extreme number, a yang number, and the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the union of two yangs, hence the name Double Ninth Festival. It is also said to be the day of ascension to immortality. On this day, people make pastries to worship the gods and also show respect to the elderly, in order to prevent the separation between heaven and earth," Chen Qun explained.
Well?
Lin Yi's lips twitched. He hadn't expected the Double Ninth Festival to be interpreted this way. He really hadn't thought of it. However, although it was a bit far-fetched, it also made sense.
With a thought, he looked at Wang Yue and said in a deep voice, " Wang Yue, send the fastest warhorse from the Net to deliver some pastries to my old man. Remember to be respectful to the elders!"
ah?
Wang Yue felt a chill run down his spine. It had taken the Crown Prince several days to get to Xiliang Commandery back then, and even with the roads now repaired, it would probably still take more than a day.
Half a day has already passed, and the pressure is immense.
Jia Xu said irritably, "Old Wang, why don't you just send a message back by carrier pigeon and have someone buy one and deliver it? Have you gone stupid from practicing martial arts? You don't even know how to use things properly!"
ah?
Wang Yue's eyes lit up. "Holy crap, how come I didn't think of that?"
He glanced at his lord, wondering if this clever tactic was reliable, and whether his lord would be angry.
"That's settled then. Buy a few more, and give one to each of the elders in the family. We're not short of money!" Lin Yi waved his hand, speaking with great generosity.
It's just some pastries, it doesn't cost much. We should at least respect holidays and care for the elderly.
Wang Yue breathed a sigh of relief and quickly sent someone to make arrangements.
At this moment, Lin Yi suddenly became interested in this world; he at least wanted to experience the Double Ninth Festival.
Thinking of this, Lin Yi couldn't help but look at his trusted confidants and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've gone out for a stroll. How about we go and see this brand-new Xiliang Commandery today?"
In recent days, various buildings in Xiliang City have been completed one after another, and the entire Xiliang City has taken shape. A brand new Xiliang has risen from the ground.
Even the new Xiliang Prefectural Governor's Mansion has been renovated. It only needs to be ventilated for about half a month before I can move in. These days, there are no harmful materials, so there's no need to release any formaldehyde.
"Haha, my lord, with such refined tastes, how could I, Jia Xu, be left out?" Jia Xu chuckled. He certainly couldn't miss out on this free meal.
"I've been so busy these days, it's time to get away and relax."
I agree!
They've been on edge these past Tiandu, and now that they can finally relax, there's naturally no problem.
After disguising themselves as scholars, the group headed towards the bustling marketplace, while members of the Net organization followed them, eliminating any potential risks.
Wow!
"There's a battle going on up ahead, and yet there are so many people here?" Mi Zhu was both amused and exasperated. Were these people really going this far for the festival?
Everyone was dumbfounded. The newly built streets of Xiliang City were more than five times larger than before, yet they were still blocked. This was simply too outrageous.
How come there are so many people here? I don't think there were this many people here before.
Even Lin Yi was taken aback; this was clearly illogical. He pulled over a local resident and asked, "Fellow villager, why are there so many people today? I don't think there were ever this many people in Xiliang City before?"
The fellow villager glanced at Lin Yi, and although he looked somewhat familiar, he didn't think much of it.
"Hehe, this young master doesn't know, does he? I heard there's a war going on at Little Pine Mountain, so many merchants and wealthy people from Ningchuan Commandery have come here to stay temporarily."
"With the Crown Prince in charge, we're incredibly secure. Yesterday, I even took a stroll around the city gate of Dayu County, and there wasn't a single enemy in sight; our Crown Prince wiped them all out."