Lin Yi helped Pu Yuan up and said in a deep voice, " Pu Yuan, I know you are skilled in forging weapons. From today onwards, you will be the head of the Heavenly Craft Workshop of my Xiliang Iron Cavalry, specializing in forging weapons and equipment for Xiliang!"
"Yes, sir!"
Pu Yuan nodded; crafting weapons was exactly his forte, so of course there was no problem.
The fact that his lord had even established a special Heavenly Craft Workshop was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise to him; he had truly encountered a wise ruler.
"That's right!"
With a thought, Lin Yi took out a blueprint from his pocket and said in a deep voice, "This is a curved plow. You should urgently make some to plant potatoes and sweet potatoes. This is a great deed."
In addition, I'll give you a sample of the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow, as well as blueprints for a three-piece cavalry set. These will greatly enhance our army's strength. Finally, forge a batch of your signature divine sword as well."
It is said that Pu Yuan mastered the art of forging divine swords because he was skilled in refining steel and quenching techniques, which enabled him to create powerful weapons.
Such talent should not be wasted. If the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow could be restored, it would be an absolute great achievement.
As for the three-piece set for horseback riding, this is the standard package for cavalry. With it, the combat power of 100,000 Xiliang Iron Cavalry will surely explode, slaughtering the barbarian cavalry without leaving a single survivor.
Pu Yuan's face darkened, and he forced a dry laugh, "My lord, I simply cannot do so much by myself. You need to find me some helpers, otherwise I really can't manage!"
"I'll have Ma Chao help you with this. You'll select some people from the army. These weapons are of great importance, so the news must not be leaked. You need to be careful to keep it confidential!"
Lin Yi knew he couldn't do it alone, but what he had in abundance was people.
He now commands approximately 60,000 to 70,000 Yellow Turban Army, who come from all walks of life, enough to gather enough manpower to forge weapons.
Looking at the blueprints in his hand, Pu Yuan's eyes lit up. These blueprints looked simple, but their function was extremely important. No wonder the lord valued these things so much.
He solemnly replied, "Thank you, my lord. I will certainly not disappoint you!"
"I naturally believe in the divine swordsmith Pu Yuan!"
Lin Yi laughed heartily. If he couldn't trust someone known as a master swordsmith, then he couldn't trust anyone.
Even Jia Xu couldn't help but exclaim, "I've heard of Pu Yuan's reputation; he truly deserves the title of 'Divine Sword Craftsman.' The three thousand divine swords of Xie Valley Pass are renowned All Under Heaven, but it's a pity I've never seen them in person. Now I finally have the chance to witness them firsthand."
"Strategist, you flatter me!" Pu Yuan blushed, feeling unworthy of such high praise from his lord and strategist.
Watching the two still praising each other, Lin Yi was both amused and exasperated. The ancients were truly humble.
He instructed, " Pu Yuan is in charge of the weapons, Ma Chao is in charge of the army, and Chen Qun is in charge of the prefecture. So, the campaign against Tuoba Yu will require you Jia Xu, to strategize."
Although the army is not yet ready, the pre-battle preparations cannot be neglected.
It is essential to obtain all kinds of intelligence, such as route maps and enemy troop deployment maps, and to conduct extensive reconnaissance in order to find the enemy's weaknesses.
Jia Xu nodded confidently, "My lord, rest assured. I previously sent Wang Yue's Net into Great Yu Mountain and also dispatched men into Tuoba Yu's territory. I believe we'll have news soon."
The existence of the Net undoubtedly reduced his workload; he only needed to send people out, and a steady stream of news would come back.
Lin Yi nodded slightly and smiled, "These can be arranged, but the person who knows Tuoba Yu best is still in my Xiliang, so we can't waste resources."
"Is my lord referring to the White Asura?" Jia Xu's eyes lit up, and he smiled.
"Indeed, the old man has been confronting Tuoba Yu here for so many years; he's probably the one who understands Tuoba Yu best."
The person who understands you best is undoubtedly your enemy, because they are constantly looking for your weaknesses. Tuoba Yu's former enemies were White Asura and the Prince of Beining Commandery, and these two were definitely the people who understood Tuoba Yu best.
Since that's the case, then it's necessary to go and see him.
Jia Xu nodded slightly and whispered, "This old man suddenly intervened yesterday, helping us eliminate quite a few people. He handed over all their valuables to us, leaving us only their land. It seems the old man has approved of our lord."
"Well, in that case, let's go see the old man. We need his help with some things," Lin Yi said in a deep voice.
He had previously received some information that the old man had tens of thousands of the Asura Army under his command, and his strength in Xiliang Commandery was considerable. It seemed that it was time to go and talk to him.
Since they've taken the initiative to be friendly, I, as a junior, shouldn't be too arrogant; it's better to be more proactive.
After lunch, Lin Yi headed straight for White Garden, intending to have a serious talk with the old man.
However, when he saw the luxurious manor in front of him, Lin Yi immediately wanted to explode. This old man was simply too much! He lived in a luxurious manor, while giving him, the young master, to live in a pigsty!
This White Garden is far superior to my own dilapidated prefectural residence; they're not even in the same league.
Jia Xu's face turned green. He whispered, "Your Highness, why don't we go back and mobilize our troops, and just seize this place? It's such a waste for the old man to live in such a nice place all by himself."
ah!
The guards at White Garden were startled. Had this guy gone mad? Was he actually trying to rob the general's mansion?
No, this seems to be the Crown Prince's strategist.
The guards were caught in a dilemma: should they resist if the prince wanted to seize it?
Lin Yi rolled his eyes at Jia Xu, then looked at the guard and said in a deep voice, "Go and inform Old Master Bai that this young master requests an audience!"
At this moment, White Garden was bustling with activity, with everyone in the entire White Garden participating in the vigorous potato planting.
The old man stood with his hands behind his back, his long white hair fluttering in the wind, looking like an old sage, ethereal and otherworldly, drawing everyone's attention.
However, the moment he opened his mouth, all his composure vanished.
"You fucking better watch out, this seed is more precious than you."
"Even if you guys get hurt, it's fine, but this potato can't be hurt, or I'll castrate you all!"
"Plant potatoes today, plant sweet potatoes tomorrow!"
"What does '3,000 jin per mu' even mean? We're aiming for the highest yield of 8,000 jin per mu!"
"Eight thousand catties can support countless people. Even if you kept having babies at home, you could still afford to raise them all."
"This is the hope of the people of the North. Anyone who dares to shirk their duty will be wiped out by me."
The old man had a powerful voice, like thunder, which made everyone tremble. He was a ruthless man.
If he seizes upon his mistake, the consequences could be dire.
No one dared to hesitate; everyone worked with all their might, afraid of making a mistake.
Only one person was somewhat dissatisfied, and that was Zhou Cang.