Castle of Black Iron

Like the production of all-purpose medicaments, the output of the first phase of high-power alcohol in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory was only 50 tons. It was like throwing the stone to clear the road. Zhang Tie needed time. He needed this production base to produce high-power alcohol as fast as possible. The main function of this production base of high-power alcohol could be used to display the high performance of this sort of alcohol.

As long as the high-power alcohol entered the market, such a low output might only meet the demand of a prefecture in Youzhou Province. Given the huge market in Taixia Country, the urgent demand for such useful items could definitely be anticipated in the future. Therefore, the second topic that Zhang Tie and Deyang Immortal talked about was about the cooperation between Zhang family in Jinwu City and Heavens Fortune Sect. They wanted to build a larger production base of high-power alcohol in the territory of Heavens Fortune Sect.

The annual output of the new production base of high-power alcohol should be at least 10 million tons.

The production and layout of the large-scale industrial base was a professional learning, which required experts with professional backgrounds to be responsible for selecting a site, designing and optimizing assembly lines and the construction of corresponding railways or highways. Zhang Tie was not worried about these issues. Given the ability and resources of Heavens Fortune Sect, they could easily deal with such things. Zhang Tie just gave a drawing of raw materials fermentation tank that he had designed to Deyang Immortal, which was the core component of the entire production base of high-power alcohol. As long as the raw materials fermentation tank could produce high-power yeasts constantly, the base would be able to produce alcohol constantly.

If Heavens Fortune Sect was highly efficient, they could put this base into use before this autumn harvest. By then, they could take advantage of a large number of straws.

As the catastrophe of bloody figures had spread over Taixia Country, the holy war was posing increasingly greater influence to Taixia Country. Nobody knew what would happen in Taixia Country half a year later. Although it was super fast for this high-power alcohol base to be put into use in half a year, both Zhang Tie and Deyang Immortal had a sense of urgency.

Now that Huaiyuan Palace could discover that Heavens Reaching Church might play tricks on grains supply, the Heavens Fortune Sect could discover it too. Zhang Tie had to admire the smartness of influential figures in Heavens Fortune Sect once again. According to Deyang Immortal, within the sphere of influence of Heavens Fortune Sect, the agricultural production and grains supply of all the clans being affiliated to Heavens Fortune Sect were always manipulated by the business groups of Heavens Fortune Sect. Heavens Fortune Sect had been preventing from foreign grains like preventing from thieves; especially the flow-in of foreign grains. As Gold and Power Law was a “black hand” for imperial households of Taixia Country to involve in the affairs about the other 6 tops sects in Taixia country, Heavens Fortune Sect had to prevent Gold and Power Law and the Agricultural Ministry from penetrating in grains production within their sphere of influence. Therefore, although the clans of Heavens Reaching Church could have their grains and grain seeds circulate across Taixia Country, they could barely have their grains and grain seeds penetrate into the sphere of influence of Heavens Fortune Sect.

Actually, besides Heavens Fortune Sect, all the other 5 top sects were also preventing the imperial court and the agricultural ministry of Taixia Country from involving in the grains supply within their sphere of influence. They would never put the vital industry of grains production in the hand of others.

This might be the only good news that Zhang Tie had heard over these years.

Zhang Tie was not sure which step would the overall situation of Taixia Country evolve to, better or worse. If a grain crisis broke out on a large scale in Taixia Country, grains would be the most important resource. By then, the imperial court of Taixia Country would be afflicted by the deteriorated overall situation. By contrast, the top 6 clans of Taixia Country had numerous grains. How would the imperial court maintain balance with the 6 top sects by then? As long as this equilibrium was broken, the chips and strengths of both parties would be reversed. Taixia Court would not be able to suppress the other 6 top sects by then. What would happen then?

The moment Zhang Tie thought about the above problem, he would be faintly worried.

‘I’m definitely not the only person who could see this step and have such a concern.’ Zhang Tie thought. Why didn’t Commander Cheng of Northeast Military Region attend Zhang Tie’s rotating chakra ceremony? Because Commander Cheng had been making an inspection across Northeast Military Region; especially the major grain producing areas and urging all the provinces within his territory to accomplish the spring plowing of grains. As a result, those agricultural officials in Northeast Military Region were in a general turmoil.

Over the past 2 decades, it was the first time for Commander Cheng to care about grains production within the Northeast Military Region.

As the commander of Northeast Military Region, he must have been noticed by Xuanyuan Hill about something.

As a countermeasure, Zhang Tie’s family also spent millions of gold coins in expanding irrigation works, reclaiming fertile farmland and founding villages around Jinwu City.

Over these years, they had reclaimed about 1400 million square meters’ land around Jinwu City. This year, the total area of the arable land near Jinwu City would reach 2100 million square meters.

Zhang Tie stealthily spread a lot of No.1 earthworms in the arable land near Yanghe Prefecture and Jinwu City. Besides, he handed a batch of mutated quality soya beans, rice, wheat to Zhang Yang and told him to have people sow them all this year.

Besides establishing cooperation with Heavens Fortune Sect, Zhang Tie also made secret talks with the representatives of Gold and Power Law and Supreme Court and reconciled with them.

Interestingly enough, both Gold and Power Law and Supreme Court extended the olive branches to Zhang Tie once again.

Gold and Power Law invited Zhang Tie to join them once again by providing the title of bright golden dragon head to him. The Supreme Court provided Zhang Tie with the title of procurator in chief, with which, Zhang Tie could manage all the Buildings of Brightness and all the bounty criminal hunters across Taixia Country.

Zhang Tie declined all the invitations of Gold and Power Law and Supreme Court politely.

After the real identity of Han Zhengfang was exposed to the public, the position of Gold and Power Law almost dropped out of the top 7 sects of Taixia Country as it was suffering from condemnations from all parties. During the past 2 months, Zhang Tie learned that the top 6 sects had assigned elders to hold two conferences; however, Gold and Power Law was excluded from both conferences. This could never be possible a few years ago. However, now, it became possible. Gold and Power Law was pushed aside by the other top 6 sects of Taixia Country. That was to say, the other top 6 sects might elbow Gold and Power Law out of the name-list of the top 7 sects of Taixia Country. Zhang Tie had been betrayed by Gold and Power Law, if he agreed to join Gold and Power Law which was squeezed out by the other top 6 sects, Zhang Tie must be muddle-headed.

‘What’s bright golden dragon head? Is that cooler than being a boss?’

Although Zhang Tie declined the invitation of Gold and Power Law, he still recommended his elder brother Zhang Yang to join Gold and Power Law. It was still very profitable for Zhang Yang to join Gold and Power Law if it was regarded as a pure commercial alliance or commercial guild. Whereas, as Emperor Xuanyuan was too arrogant and urged to found a sect which was on equal footing with the other top 6 sects of Taixia Country, Gold and Power Law became neither fish nor fowl. Commercially, it was profitable for Zhang Yang to join Gold and Power Law as the boss of Jinwu Business Group.

When the representatives of Gold and Power Law left Youzhou Province, Zhang Tie’s elder brother Zhang Yang had become the bright gold manager of Gold and Power Law, which granted him with one more halos.

Gold and Power Law was very satisfied with such a result too. Whatever, it was Zhang Tie’s elder brother who joined Gold and Power Law. From another perspective, it indicated that Zhang family had agreed to reconcile with Gold and Power Law. Powerful organizations such as Gold and Power Law preferred to have people such as Zhang Yang who was a businessman and had knights and powerful forces on his back; because the purer the businessman was, the more he would understand the value and power of gold coins and the more he would be able to integrate with Gold and Power Law. This was also the doctrine of Gold and Power Law.

From a perspective, the fact that Zhang Yang joined Gold and Power Law indicated the balance between Zhang family in Jinwu City, the imperial court and the other top 6 sects in Taixia Country.

Besides, Zhang Tie asked Donder to leave Gold and Power Law and join him.

Both Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory and Iron-Dragon Sect required a reliable person who was proficient in economy, management and could get along well with all parties. Zhang Tie considered it carefully as he found that Donder was the most suitable person.

Of course, Gold and Power Law agreed on letting Donder join Zhang Tie’s Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory.

Zhang Tie let Donder be his general steward of Iron-Dragon Sect. With that title, Donder had a great power. In one word, Donder was entitled to care about the daily necessities, the taxation and management of 10 cities being affiliated to Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory and the management and development of millions of square miles under the name of Zhang Tie. Even Donder had not imagined that he could have such a day and such a great power. If Zhang Tie’s territory was regarded as a small country in a subcontinent, Donder’s title was equal to the prime minister of that small country.

Zhang Su, who was Zhang Tie’s cousin, also joined Zhang Tie.

To be honest, Zhang Su had the best cultivation gift among Zhang Tie’s peers. Actually, Zhang Su’s cultivation gift was even greater than that of Zhang Tie and Zhang Yang; additionally, Zhang Su was wise, courageous and brave to shoulder responsibilities. Of course, Zhang Tie would keep such a good cousin on his side.

Zhang Tie felt that his family should have some more knights. His cousin Zhang Su should be one of the most promising people for promoting to knights in Zhang family…

The greater Zhang Tie’s layout was, the more helpers would he need…