Castle of Black Iron

This former internal guards head was just a fierce immortal general. However, he was always conscientious and considerate. What was more, as he had been the internal guards head for long, Hong Yukun had concluded a systematic method to manage those maidens and guards in Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. Zhang Tie was quite right in having such a person take charge of the production of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament.

The Dragon Emperor’s Medicament was produced in a valley with beautiful green hills and crystal river. Being about 10 miles away from Apricot Blossom Valley, the valley called Cloudriver Valley covered over 20 square miles. The entire Cloudriver Valley was the special supply base of greens and grains for Dragon Emperor Pavilion. It was filled with various fruits, herbal plants and herds of cattle, sheep, chickens and ducks. Because they were all provided for Dragon Emperor Pavilion, they were all of the best quality. In order to guarantee their quality, special farmers being affiliated to Dragon Emperor Pavilion were dispatched to Cloudriver Valley to take care of the plants and animals. Besides, a battalion of immortal soldiers was responsible for its safety.

In Hong Yukun’s opinion, Cloudriver Valley was just the logistics supply place of Dragon Emperor Pavilion. Besides good environment and strict management, it was just farmland for plants and a ranch for cattle and sheep which was nothing different from rural villages outside Dragon Emperor City. If Zhang Tie didn’t ask him about this place, Hong Yukun would never feel like mentioning it.

( Boxno vel. co m ) Cloudriver Valley was affiliated to Dragon Emperor Pavilion. Even though Hong Yukun had served as the internal guards head of Dragon Emperor Pavilion for so many years, he just took a glimpse at Cloudriver Valley when he passed it dozens of years ago. He just ignored it most of the time. What was an immortal general doing over there, farming or herding?

Especially during the period when Dragon Emperor had disappeared, Cloudriver Valley was almost forgotten. Besides maintaining the basic operation, Cloudriver Valley had almost deteriorated into an average mountain village.

However, in Zhang Tie’s opinion, Cloudriver Valley was a good place, an ideal place for producing Dragon Emperor’s Medicament.

Cloudriver Valley was featured by good mountainscape, qualified water and air, sufficient reiki and juicy fruits. Those people spent a lot of efforts in renovating the terrain and water irrigation projects of Cloudriver Valley. They planted many kinds of plants here and even designed large-scale rune array underground and among the mountain ranges here. As a result, this region could gather reiki and regulate its temperature itself for higher yields. There were dozens of fruits and berries, some herbal plants gardens in Cloudriver Valley. Many kinds of fruits were especially cultivated by Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace, which were local specialties of Cloudriver Valley.

The annual output of fruits and berries in Cloudriver Valley could easily reach over 10,000 tons.

When the Forbidden City was under construction, Zhang Tie had designed the blueprint of a castle; meanwhile, he had people build Cloudriver Castle in Cloudriver Valley according to the blueprint especially for producing Dragon Emperor’s Medicament.

After the castle was completed, Zhang Tie handed it to Hong Yukun and asked him to select personnel to manage Cloudriver Valley so as to produce Dragon Emperor’s Medicament over there.

Hong Yukun indeed didn’t let Zhang Tie down. A few months after he took over the mission, he had produced the first batch of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament. Zhang Tie was pretty satisfied by the effects of those Dragon Emperor’s Medicament. The hundreds of vials of medicament that Zhang Tie gifted Wu Qiankun and Emperor NvWa Palace also came from the first batch of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament which was produced in Cloudriver Castle.

Besides Cloudriver Valley, Zhang Tie also had Hong Yukun take charge in a workshop of crystal glass of Heavenly Craftsmen Department in Dragon Emperor City. In other words, Hong Yukun was also responsible for the production of the vials of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament.

However, Hong Yukun felt disappointed as he didn’t know the value of those things being processed and fermented by fruits. In Hong Yukun’s opinion, those things that Zhang Tie let him produce were just a drink with a curious package. Even though Zhang Tie said it was a medicament, Hong Yukun would think that he was kidding——perhaps that medicament is only a bit effective to relieve baby cough.

It was reasonable for Hong Yukun the former internal guards head of Dragon Emperor Pavilion to be unhappy after being dispatched to a valley as an owner of a small workshop.

Watching Hong Yukun’s aggrieved look, Zhang Tie almost burst into laughter.

“Yukun, didn’t you taste the medicament that I let you produce in Cloudriver Castle?”

“Ahh? Your Majesty, you told me they were very important and didn’t allow me to use them. Therefore…” Hong Yukun whispered as he took a glimpse at Zhang Tie, “Once a vial was broken as some medicament spilled out. I dipped my fingers and tasted it. It was a bit sour and sweet. But I didn’t know its effect!”

Hong Yukun’s answer made Zhang Tie want to laugh and weep all at once.

Hong Yukun’s conscientious temperament made Zhang Tie reassured. However, when one person was too meticulous, he might go to extremes. Previously, Zhang Tie thought that Hong Yukun had long known that the medicament that he was producing was special; however, given his look, Zhang Tie suddenly realized that Hong Yukun might have not even tasted a complete vial of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament since the beginning. That was also the reason why Hong Yukun felt being ignored and disappointed.

It was impossible for him to find its effects if he only tasted it by finger.

“What about those maidens who were processing medicament in Cloudriver Castle? Didn’t they ever taste it or tell you about the effects of those medicaments?”

Hong Yukun answered with a solemn look, “All the maidens in Cloudriver Castle are most loyal to Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace. They dared never taste it without Your Majesty’s consent. Additionally, I’ve arranged at least 3 supervisors for each step of the entire process. Nobody dared do that as everything is in compliance with the strictest requirements!”

“Not bad, I like your work attitude!” Zhang Tie spoke highly of Hong Yukun with a smile, “I have a piece of news for you!”

“Go ahead, Your Majesty?”

“The medicament that you’re producing is Dragon Emperor’s Medicament. Before you came here, I’ve just made a trade with Emperor NvWa Palace in Yangxin Palace. Emperor NvWa Palace would pay us 1 million earth element crystals for 1 million vials of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament that you’ve produced in Cloudriver Castle!”

Hong Yukun watched Zhang Tie with wide eyes and open mouth as he thought Zhang Tie was joking with him. He stammered, “Your Majesty…1…1..1 million earth element crystals…for…1…1 million vials of that medicament which is fermented by fruits and a bit average herbal medicine?”

“The raw materials are average; however, it doesn’t mean that the medicament made of them is average. Something could turn stone into gold. The mysteries in the universe could not be fully understood by us!” Zhang Tie watched Hong Yukun, saying, “Each vial of medicament that you produced in Cloudriver Castle could at least match an earth-element crystal. It won’t be long when the annual output value that Cloudriver Castle could produce would shock the president of Earth-Treasures Department. Those vials of medicament are more precious than element crystals. Do you know why I dispatched you to Cloudriver Castle now?”

“Your…Your Majesty, are you sure…”

“If you feel aggrieved staying in Cloudriver Castle, I could give you a profitable job in Earth-Treasures Department or let you be the general manager of the Forbidden City. I will assign someone else to take over the production of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament in Cloudriver Castle. Do you like it…”

After rolling his eyes for a second, Hong Yukun finally understood it as he instantly became thrilled like being drunk, kneeling down and kowtowing towards Zhang Tie, shouting, “I…I wish to stay in Cloudriver Castle and complete my mission at the request of Your…Your Majesty. After coming back, I will…will recruit some more people and expand the scale of the production of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament…”

“No, we don’t need to expand the scale of production of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament for the time being. In the current stage, we will only produce a bit over 4 million vials. It’s the quantity that we announced to the outside. The well-made medicament will be stockpiled in the warehouses of Cloudriver Castle. Don’t let its stockpile exceed 8 million vials, namely 2 years’ production capability in Cloudriver Castle. Am I clear?”

After thinking about it for a second, Hong Yukun nodded.

“Good. When a thing is rare, it becomes precious. Additionally, we couldn’t be that unscrupulous given the overall strength of Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace in case of trouble!” Zhang Tie nodded as he warned Hong Yukun. Closely after that, he asked, “How many stockpiles are in the warehouses of Cloudriver Castle?”

“Less than 2 million vials!”

“Hmm, control the production capability…”

“Given the significance of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament, I’m afraid about its safety by producing it in Cloudriver Castle…”

“Don’t worry. I will have Commander-in-Chief Huang dispatch one camp of Dragon’s Teeth Army to Cloudriver Valley!” Zhang Tie said as he watched Hong Yukun seriously, “From now on, if any problem occurs, you and the others in Cloudriver Castle should take care of it yourselves. Life comes first. Even if we lose Dragon Emperor’s Medicament, as long as we’re alive, we could produce as many as possible. If you couldn’t handle something, someone would handle it for you…”

Hong Yukun’s eyes turned wet at a stroke as he was really moved by Zhang Tie’s words. After wiping off his tears, Hong Yukun took in a deep breath, answering, “Your Majesty, trust me, I swear to manage Cloudriver Castle well. Being given such a vital position at such an old age by Your Majesty, I will have no pity even dying in Cloudriver Castle…”

“Live well. Dragon Emperor Immortal Palace will have its heyday in the future!” Zhang Tie plucked up his courage as he added, “The date of delivery of the first batch of medicament is the first day of next month. Prepare 100,000 vials of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament. Someone will get it by then. I’m after that you will not feel such relaxed after next month as more and more people would come for you. I allow you to freely use 1,000 vials of Dragon Emperor’s Medicament that you produce in Cloudriver Castle monthly as your personal benefit. Over these days, you’ve worked so hard. Therefore, your official rank should also be promoted. Let’s make it two ranks higher. I will notice the Immortal Generals Department to complete the relevant procedure for you…”

“Thank you so much, Your Majesty…” Hong Yukun couldn’t stand kneeling down and kowtowing towards Zhang Tie again as his wrinkled face was covered with tears. At this moment, Hong Yukun finally felt that he got his heyday…