Castle of Black Iron

Zhang Tie’s meritorious deed in the western theater of operations could really glorify his forebears.

According to the regulation of Taixia Country, people couldn’t be awarded a title of nobility unless they had killed demons. The title of nobility acquired by Zhang Tie’s dad was almost the only one that could be awarded by Xuanyuan Hill. Being inferior to prince, duke, marquis, count, viscount and baron, this title of nobility was not awarded according to the heavenly fortune ranking. It symbolized great honor and was used to award those people who had made great contributions to humans in the holy war although having not killed demons on the battlefield.

Zhang Tie’s dad and mom were both awarded which indicated that the country appreciated them for having such a great son.

Besides solving the problem of grain shortage facing the theater of operations at the critical moment and making people reassured, Zhang Tie also invented Fiery Oil and all-purpose medicament as well as founded the first air force of humans in this age…

Zhang Tie invented the battleplanes that were serving the air forces of Taixia Country, along with their dual-drive engines and the Fiery Oil. Even the “Airpilot Guidelines” and “Air Combat Manual” adopted by the pilots of air forces were compiled by Zhang Tie based on his own experience. In a sense, Zhang Tie was the father of human air forces in Black Iron Age.

When Zhang Tie’s dad and mom became noble members of Taixia Country, Meng Shidao officially took the office of prime minister in Xuanyuan Hill in July and became one of the top 3 chancellors of Taixia Country.

If it were before, Zhang Tie would worry that Meng Shidao might bring more stress to Huaiyuan Palace and his family after becoming the prime minister of Taixia Country; however, he didn’t worry about it now. Because Zuoqiu Mingyue, the ruler of the western theater of operations of Taixia Country and one of the top 3 chancellors, officially sent a request to Xuanyuan Hill to have Fiery Oil listed as the storage of the 6 top warehouses of Taixia Country in the same period.

Given Zuoqiu Mingyue’s prestige, the moment he sent the official request to Xuanyuan Hill, it had aroused the attention of the rest of the world. Because any increase or decrease of materials in the top 6 warehouses of Taixia Country was a major event that was concerned with the stability of the country. Since the end of the first holy war, the storage materials of the top 6 warehouses had remained unchanged. To a certain degree, the action of including Fiery Oil as one storage material of the top 6 warehouses meant that Taixia Country would include the application of Fiery Oil into national policy.

Not only Zuoqiu Mingyue, even those commanders of the top 4 armies of Taixia Country, Lord Guangnan Mansion, Northeast Military Region, sectors and forces under the affiliation of Heavenly Fortune Sect, major clans, provincial governors and prefectural governors across Taixia Country even Human Rune Instrument Manufacturing Masters Union had sent official request to have Xuanyuan Hill include Fiery Oil into the storage materials of the top 6 warehouses across the country.

As it was very important for the country to vary the materials storage of the top 6 warehouses, its procedures were very strict. Generally, the first step for increasing or decreasing materials storage of the top warehouses was that the material should form a huge momentum, a strong foundation in use and a high support rate among the people. Second, at least one provincial governor should send an official request to Xuanyuan Hill. Third, it would be negotiated by the top 3 chancellors of Taixia country. After reaching a consensus among the top three chancellors, the decision would finally be made by Xuanyuan Hill before being issued.

As the military committee chairman of Taixia country, Zuoqiu Mingyue’s official request pushed the procedure directly to the remaining two steps. As long as the top 3 chancellors reached a consensus and the crown prince agreed with it, the proposal would finally be fixed.

Nobody dared doubt that Zuoqiu Mingyue’s proposal had any issues. Because any discerning people would see the prospect of Fiery Oil. Additionally, with the invasion of demons, Fiery Oil had spread over the country within 1 year in an overwhelming manner, arousing the attention of numerous people.

After Zuoqiu Mingyue posed his proposal, the deputy prime minister had agreed with this opinion very much. The last person who determined whether Fiery Oil would be included as storage of top 6 warehouses of Taixia Country would be Meng Shidao who had just been promoted to prime minister. As long as the top 3 chancellors had agreed with this proposal, the crown prince who had the broad seal of Xuanyuan Hill would definitely not refuse it given such a case. Even Emperor Xuanyuan would not veto their consistent opinion if he came back, not to mention the crown prince. Otherwise, all the people across Taixia Country would doubt that the crown prince didn’t have the ability to supervise the country; instead of suspicioning the abilities of the top 3 chancellors. As long as the crown prince was normal in intelligence, he would not dig a hole to bury himself in this case.

Everybody was paying special attention to Meng Shidao’s decision.

In the entire July, Xuanyuan Hill was in a weird atmosphere. When Meng Shidao had just become the prime minister of Taixia Country and numerous members of the Gobbling Party started to cheer up, Meng Shidao faced the first problem, namely, whether they would have Fiery Oil as the storage of the top 6 warehouses in Taixia Country.

Firey Oil belonged to Zhang family and Zhang Tie, who was still the grand elder of Huaiyuan Palace. The vendetta between Meng Shidao, the Gobbling Party and Huaiyuan Palace was known across the world. As long as Zhang family’s Fiery Oil entered the storage of top 6 warehouses, Zhang family’s rise and decline would be related to the safety and stability of Taixia Country. By then, nobody would dare offend Huaiyuan Palace or Zhang family…

If Meng Shidao agreed with that proposal, he would create a powerful enemy for himself; if not, this new prime minister’s moral standing would be deteriorated in the mouths of the public and the reputation and prestige that Meng Shidao had spent great efforts in building over these years would suffer a devastating strike…

Everybody in the world was waiting for Meng Shidao’s final decision.

Everybody was waiting for the good show, except for Zhang Tie.

Besides grains, soon after the corns started to be reaped, all the Fiery Oil bases across the theater of operations that had been completed in the past half a year had been in busy operation. The first batch of Fiery Oil was soon dispatched to all the arsenals across the country. The arsenals which had been longing for Fiery Oil soon produced the first batch of Fiery-Oil equipment by 3 shifts around the clock.

On July 29th, Zhang Tie himself escorted the first batch of Fiery Oil equipment to the frontline corps from the rear end of the theater of operations.

Standing at the fore of the airboat, Zhang Tie watched the clouds and billows flashing backward. At the same time, he was thinking about Fiery Oil. Fiery Oil was important for both Taixia Country and Zhang family. Previously, Zhang Tie thought that the all-purpose medicament would first enter the storage of top 6 warehouses of Taixia Country; however, he had not imagined that Fiery Oil entered the storage of top 6 warehouses ahead of the all-purpose medicament and became an important resource for combating demons, which attracted the attention of all the people in the world…

‘Would Meng Shidao refuse it?’

It might be difficult for others to make such a decision, except for Meng Shidao…

At this moment, Lu Yanyu hurriedly came out of the hatch door behind Zhang Tie.

Watching Zhang Tie’s back, Lu Yanyu took in a deep breath as he tried his best to recover his composure. At the same time, he slowed down his footsteps.

“General, I’ve just received the news. 10 minutes ago, Xuanyuan Hill has already officially issued a new decree and had listed Fiery Oil as the storage of top 6 warehouses of Taxia Country. The new decree would be delivered to all the provinces across the country through the National Farming Ministry on the same day. Congratulations, general…”