The World Online

The 2nd day of the third month was destined not to be a normal day.

“System Announcement: Congratulations player Di Chen for becoming the second player in the China region to upgrade to grade 2 town, rewarded 1000 credit points!”

“System Announcement: Congratulations player Di Chen…”

“System Announcement: Congratulations…”

It was as Ouyang Shuo had expected. Handan Town had followed closely behind Shanhai Town, using just 6 days time to upgrade from a grade 1 town to a grade 2 town.

The surprises did not end there. In the next three days, Chun Shenjun, Feng Qiuhuang, Bai Hua, Feng Qingyang, and Zhan Lang all had also upgraded to grade 1 towns, and the Chinese server welcomed a wave of new grade 1 towns.

Bai Hua’s Consonance Village became the 5th village in China to upgrade to a grade 1 town; not an exceptionally strong black horse, but not a weak one either. The positions of the Six Tyrants of Handan had been totally destroyed after being challenged by Ouyang Shuo, Xiongba, and Bai Hua. They became a part of history. However, as individuals, Di Chen and Chun Shenjun were still very strong and couldn’t be underestimated.

Just as everyone was focused on the newly upgraded towns, Shanhai Town’s secondary base Beihai village sneakily upgraded to a grade 1 town. The day that Beihai Town upgraded, Ouyang Shuo transferred all of the 200 fishermen in Shanhai Town over to Beihai Town. At the same time, he activated the 4th stage expansion of the salt pan fields, increasing the area to 5000 mu. Beihai Town had become the territory’s salt base, fishing base, and navy camp.

After settling Beihai Town, Ouyang Shuo started building his second secondary village. He decided to build the new village on the other side of the canyon. It and Shanhai Town were on adjacent sides of the canyon, blocking the only ocean opening into Lianzhou Basin.

The secondary village was called Quishui Village, its village chief was Zhao Dexian. The original vice secretary of the Agriculture Division, Sun Yannong, took over the duties of Zhao Dexian, and became the new Secretary of the Agriculture Division.

Events were similar to when Beihai Village was built, as Zhao Dexian took 50 basic level administrative personnel and skilled talents. Military-wise, infantry squadron vice-captain and also first squad Sergeant Zhang Daniu was rushed over to build the village protection force.

This time, along with Zhao Dexian went 350 farmers and 100 logging workers. Qiushui Village was built on the east side of the canyon and was the intersection of Lianzhou Basin and Lingnan. There were forests everywhere and timber and trees were plentiful. Henceforth, the future Qiushui Village would act as the agricultural and logging base of the territory.

5th of March, lunar calendar 14th day of the year, 9 AM in the morning, Shanhai Town office.

”How are the preparations for tomorrow’s Lantern Festival going?” Ouyang Shuo asked.

As the first Lantern Festival for Shanhai Town, Ouyang Shuo placed a lot of importance on it and acted as the leader of the organizing committee. The actual work was done by the Culture and Education Division, Resource Division, and Security Division. The Culture and Education Division focused on lantern riddles, the Resource Division on the lanterns and prizes, and the Security Division on maintaining law and order.

”Replying to sire, all preparations are going well.” The one who answered was the vice leader of the preparation committee, Xu Shuda.

When Ouyang Shuo and Bing’er went to Jiao State temple festival earlier, he had the thought to organize one in Shanhai Town. Unfortunately, to do that required a lot of resources, and based on their current situation it was not practical.

That is, until one day when he was having a casual chat with Xu Shuda he raised this regret. Xu Shuda, being a scholar, was well-versed in traditional culture and folk performances. He said that even though they couldn’t hold a temple festival, they could hold a Lantern Festival.

There was a reason why he put in so much time, money, and resources into this. A Lantern Festival could raise spirits and also the culture index in the territory. Out of the four indexes, the culture was the hardest to increase. Hence to make it easier and help establish the foundation for upgrading to a city, he wouldn’t drop any chance to increase the culture index.

Holding various traditional performances and festivals, be it temple festivals, the Lantern Festival, dragon boating, or the Mid-Autumn Festival, could all help raise the culture index.

After dealing with the Lantern Festival, Ouyang Shuo left the manor and went to the weapon workshop. It had been three days since he passed the to the advanced blacksmith Wang Gao, and Shuo wanted to see his progress.

Mingguang armor came out during the Three Kingdoms Era and was regarded as the best armor in China during the time of cold weapons. Its creation methods were complicated, and it was the most expensive armor in Chinese history. At first, only generals and nobles could wear it. By the time of the Tang Dynasty, the strength of the country had risen enough to give the armor to its elite forces and raise their defensive ability.

On the front and back of the armor was an oval metal piece which people called ‘the circle guard’. Its perfect arc could cause arrows to slip off and hence protected the soldiers wearing it. Even the strongest bow and the most penetrative armor-piercing arrow could not punch through the circle guard of the Mingguang armor.

A set of Mingguang armor weighed 36 kg and hence was suitable for cavalry use. If you combined that with the strongest powered horse lancer, it was invincible. Ever since obtaining the Manual, building a heavy cavalry force and reigniting the honor of the Tang army had become a thought in Ouyang Shuo’s mind.

Sadly, the moment he walked into the weapon workshop, Wang Gao gave him bad news, ”Sire, I have studied the armor, and understand the production method of this armor. Based on the current capabilities of the weapon workshop, mass production of this armor is highly difficult and requires sire’s help.”

”Please advise!”

”First, the leather part of the armor needs the coordination of a tailor. Second, the process is complicated and as the number of people in the workshop is too few, just making the chest area will take us 5 days. Lastly, this armor takes too much iron, and the scale of the current mines won’t be sufficient.”

Wang Gao was obviously excited to start production of the Mingguang armor, and he cherished this opportunity. Hence, he needed to inform Shuo of all the problems that he faced.

”How many people does the weapon workshop have?” Ouyang Shuo didn’t rush to answer his question and instead asked him for more information.

”Including me, there is 1 advanced blacksmith, 1 intermediate blacksmith, 4 basic blacksmiths, and 5 apprentices.” Originally the number of basic blacksmiths and apprentices was a higher number, but after the two secondary villages took some of them away, this was what Shanhai was left with.

Ouyang Shuo locked his brows. The crafting of the armor needed the cooperation of the weapon workshop, tailoring shop, quarry, and Combat Logistics Division, as well as the Household Registration Division. With only Wang Gao, it seemed impossible to arrange such a complicated task. The best method would be to open a new division to be in charge of armor making.

The plan was set, and Ouyang Shuo smiled. ”I understand the current problems. At 2 PM, bring Xu Kun from the workshop to my manor, we have something to discuss.”

At 2 PM, Ouyang Shuo gathered all the managers and secretaries that were involved in the armor making for a meeting.

They were the Material Reserves Department Director Tian Wenjing, Combat Logistics Secretary Zhao Youfang, basic metal quarry manager Yuan Shaoping, Household Registration Secretary Zhou Haichen, Construction Secretary Zhao Dewang, master tailor Mu Qingsi, and weapon workshop manager Wang Gao, along with his assistant Xu Kun.

”I have gathered all of you here for one thing, which is the cooperation of Mingguang armor manufacturing. I have decided to set up an Armory Division. The secretary will be Wang Gao, and Mu Qingsi will be the advisor.”

”To help with the work of the Armory Division, I’ll announce a few orders. Zhao Dewang!”

”Present!”

”Construction Division needs to build a workshop within three days that can house a tailor shop and the weapon workshop to act as the workplace of the Armory Division.”

”Yes, I promise to complete the mission!”

”Yuan Shaoping!”

”Present!”

”Expand the basic mining field to an advanced mining field, and the workers to at least 400.”

”Yes, I’ll do it!”

”Zhao Youfang!”

”Present!”

”Get all the leather, tendons, and the necessary items, and pass them all to the Armory Division. Also, find a reliable source to get enough leather and tendons for continuous production.”

”Yes!”

”Xu Kun!”

”Present!”

”You are the manager of the weapon workshop and in charge of teaching the apprentices. Transfer every basic blacksmith to the Armory division.”

”Yes, I promise to complete the mission!”

”Zhou Haichen!”

”Present!”

”Categorize all the workers in the Armory Division as military personnel who are never allowed to leave. The Armory Division will be in charge of this matter.”

”Yes, I promise to complete the task!”

The series of orders overwhelmed everyone. The new Armory Division Secretary Wang Gao’s blood was boiling. It was clear that with such arrangements, the problems that he listed in the afternoon would be easily solved, and that he was much closer to the day where Mingguang armor would be mass produced.