Chapter 751: Matters Regarding the Strengthening of Knight Warhorses

This cup of Jier's was the Ping Guo Jiu he had requested; inside the silver cup was a pale golden, transparent liquid, with only a small amount of fruit pulp sediment at the bottom. Draining the wine in one breath, Jier felt a jolt of energy; the drink had been specially chilled beforehand and was exceptionally refreshing.

It is not advisable to drink much at noon, so only one cup of this slightly alcoholic beverage was prepared. Jier downed his Ping Guo Jiu in one go, while Mr. Scott only took a light sip of his own drink and signaled for Jier to begin eating.

Jier's lunch was a large platter of pan-seared meat steaks served on a special tray; several different types of steaks were still sizzling, and the aroma of grease filled the entire room. Mr. Scott ate much less; although he had claimed to be hungry earlier, his appetite was not even a third of Jier's.

Jier cut a small piece of mutton, skewered it with a fork, dipped it into a spicy sauce, and then popped it into his mouth.

The cook's skills were quite solid; the mutton, marinated with spices, had a strong savory flavor that perfectly masked the gamey smell of the raw meat. The animal fat on the steaks had also been seared to just the right temperature to bring out its fragrance, and with the assistance of various spices, it was delicious.

He then cut a piece of beef steak. This piece of beef was a bit tough, likely because it had been seared first and had spent too much time in the frying pan, causing the moisture in the steak to be lost. So, while it was fragrant, the texture was much worse.

The best part was actually a whole piece of freshly slaughtered chicken steak. As soon as Jier tasted it, he could tell that the steak had been pounded with a small mallet before marinating. This broke the internal muscle fibers of the steak; although it felt like it had lost its chewiness and the seared chicken steak was a bit soft, it was actually very tasty, especially when paired with the spicy sauce.

Neither Jier nor Mr. Scott said anything while eating; one was truly hungry and focused on his meal, while the other was thinking about future matters.

For Jier and his team, Duoen Town was a relatively peaceful and stable supply point where the people could slightly ease the tension and fatigue from being attacked and walking for many consecutive days.

At the same time, there had to be an opportunity to mourn and release the grief for the friends and relatives who had died.

Jier had heard and seen many young people crying in secret last night and this morning. Some also took out their friends' ashes during this leisure time; several acquaintances would gather together, holding small bags containing ashes in their hands, forming a circle to recount the experiences of these past days.

And for Jier, this place provided the best convenience for replenishing his team's supplies.

If he hadn't encountered a safe and friendly town later, and if Duoen Town didn't exist, it would have been much harder for him to find a safe place for these hundreds of people to settle down.

This place also did a good job of helping him and his team deal with the various looted goods they were carrying, to a barely satisfactory degree. There was no need for everyone to carry them on their backs and shoulders, leaving everyone exhausted and burdened on the road.

Later, with the new large livestock and second-hand carts replenished here, many of the team's supplies could be conveniently loaded onto the carts. Each person only needed to carry a small amount of personal items, which even increased the distance they could walk each day.

"Knight Jier, how was this lunch? I hope our Merchant Guild's food did not disappoint you."

Mr. Scott finished his meal; there were still some root vegetables left on his ornate plate, as well as fresh local herb leaves used for seasoning.

Jier, however, had eaten all the meat steaks, and even the sauce used for dipping had been wiped clean along with the steaks. He picked up his Mujiupei, gulped down the last of the ale, and then wiped his mouth before replying.

"It was alright. It would be even better if the beef steak's time in the frying pan could be managed well."

"I will relay this to the cook."

After he finished speaking, he pulled the rope behind him to have someone come in and clear the things away.

Jier greeted him, walked out of the room, and had Mr. Scott's subordinates let the next people come up to the conversation room.

By the time Jier had arranged for the remaining two people to do what they needed to do, it was already the hottest time of the afternoon. Mr. Scott indicated that he was going to take a nap, and after saying goodbye to this middle-aged Merchant, Jier had Mr. Scott's subordinates lead him to the place where the Tianxuecao armor was being made.

It was the same horse area he had arrived at in the morning. From a distance, Jier saw Tianxuecao in the stable, shaking its neck and bullying other horses.

Because of its overly robust physique, Tianxuecao always gained the upper hand in fights with other horses. It was only when the other horses lowered their heads and retreated to the corners of the stalls that this fellow would hold its head high, continuously lifting its front hooves to stomp on the ground, as if celebrating yet another 'conquest' of a stable full of horses.

Since the Grooms in the stable knew that this horse was a young Knight's beloved steed, they dared not go up to drive it away, nor did they dare to pull it away and tie it up. They could only gather outside the stable fence, shouting words.

Seeming to know that these people were scolding it, Tianxuecao rushed to the side of the stable fence several times, using its mouth to bite at the Grooms who were speaking about it.

"Run! It's biting over here!"

"It knows we're scolding it!"

The Grooms scattered in a panic, moving away from the fence, while Tianxuecao could only angrily use its neat, white teeth to tear at the wooden fence, biting off large patches of the surface of the log-built fence.

Not far away, the Craftsman apprentices who had brought their tools were working busily while watching this scene with amusement.

"This horse is really lively; I guess it hasn't bullied other horses any less before."

"This is a warhorse used for fighting. Although it looks like it hasn't been strengthened by any means yet, it already has some of the look of a Knight's warhorse."

Two Craftsmen were working while discussing this Knight's warhorse.

Jier happened to walk over at this moment, so he greeted them and asked: "This Craftsman, do you know anything about the methods for strengthening horses?"

Seeing that it was Knight Jier, this middle-aged Craftsman hurriedly bowed, then rubbed his hands on the leather apron at his waist and said cautiously: "I have only seen some strengthened horses and heard relevant rumors; specific matters are only known to those in your Knight circle."

"It's fine, I'm just listening. You should know, looking at me, that I come from the Northwest Province in the north. This is my first time in the Southern Province. You should also know from my age that there are many things I don't understand yet; perhaps I don't even know as much as you do."

Seeing that Knight Jier was indeed a young man with a youthful face, and that he did not speak with the superiority and arrogance of a different class, this middle-aged Craftsman relaxed his caution slightly, resumed his work, and explained it to Knight Jier.

"Sir Knight, I only know some simple situations. First of all, horses are generally divided into four categories."

"The first category is the Draft Horse used for pulling carts and plowing fields; these are the most numerous. Most are those with poor breeds, whose height, weight, and stamina are not good enough, and they are classified into this category. Of course, some excellent horses that have been injured and lost their previous abilities after being cured also mostly end up with this fate and result."

"The second category is the horses used by the Cavalrymen who generally fight in wars. They all have sufficient stamina and are the kind that can march long distances. Among these, the prairie horses of the Western Province basically all meet this requirement."

At this time, another middle-aged Craftsman took over the conversation: "That's why I heard the Western Province has the strongest conventional military force; any Noble Lord there can easily summon hundreds of Cavalrymen. However, they are often at war there, always fighting the Dwarf on the border, and both people and horses die on the battlefield, so not many people know about this. I have been there before, shoeing horses for the large number of Cavalrymen in their fortresses."

Jier was quite curious about the battles between Humans and Dwarf in the Western Province, but he had already heard similar stories from Xueya Site, viewed from the perspective of a trapped Caravan guard. He didn't need to hear about the war scenes again; he was more curious about how this middle-aged Craftsman, who had participated as a member of the logistics personnel for Horse Armor, viewed the war there.

Perhaps the other party's story could give him another chance to learn more about the local war.

But that was another matter; the middle-aged Craftsman who had been speaking earlier brought the conversation back.

"The third category of horses is the kind you are riding now, Sir Knight. Stronger than ordinary prairie horses, their stamina, load-bearing capacity, weight, energy, and even their aggressive personality and fighting ability are superior to the warhorses used by ordinary Cavalrymen. This kind of horse is often chosen as a heavy cavalry mount, and it is also an excellent seed for Knights to breed warhorses. It's not that ordinary horses aren't good, it's just that I've heard that strengthening horses is not easy, and there are quite a few casualties among horses in this process. And the cooperative training between Knights and horses cannot be completed in a short time."

"Therefore, only this kind of excellent horse with potential can better accept 'strengthening'?"

Jier asked.

"Yes, Sir Knight. Only warhorses that have undergone horse strengthening can truly be called a Knight's fighting partner. Hmm, perhaps you have already felt it? When you are armored and riding this, uh, its name, my lord?"

"Tianxuecao, a type of dangerous wild grass in the Western Province. That is its name." Jier added.

"Oh, when you are armored and riding this Tianxuecao to fight, you may have already felt that, compared to yourself, this warhorse is the one that most needs to be protected, right?"

Jier smiled: "Of course, otherwise what would everyone be busy with right now."

"Yes, yes."

Everyone speaking looked at Tianxuecao, and at this moment, seeing its master arrive, Tianxuecao also put away its savage appearance of wanting to bully everyone it saw, and obediently paced back and forth in the stable, flicking its tail and shaking its head.

If everyone hadn't seen its fierce appearance earlier, who would have thought that this obedient-looking warhorse was the same one as just now.

"And warhorses that have undergone horse strengthening possess stronger physiques, load-bearing capacity, and power and speed in jumping and charging. They are also smarter and can understand a Knight's commands to make many combat adjustments. Most importantly, they can wear heavier and more comprehensive Horse Armor, ensuring their own and the Knight's survivability on the battlefield and their combat advantage over ordinary Soldiers."

This goes without saying; ordinary Cavalrymen already have a great combat advantage over infantry, and an iron 'chariot' with armor weighing hundreds of kilograms and a total weight easily exceeding a ton, charging forward, naturally has an overwhelming advantage over ordinary infantry.

An all-around crushing.

Jier had seen the warhorses of Knight Kela and Knight Lanisha. He sometimes felt that his own combat ability was only slightly stronger than the two Knight warhorses. Of course, this was under the condition that he did not use various means and was not wearing armor.

"So, how do you do this strengthening in the Southern Province?"

Jier used a trick; he did not say he was unfamiliar with this method of warhorse enhancement, but merely inquired about the methods here in the Southern Province.

The middle-aged Craftsman who had been introducing this matter clearly knew something about it, though it was unclear whether he knew it personally or had heard it from others.

"My lord, I have heard that there are many methods of enhancement, but they are all held by many factions and organizations. A Knight I served previously had a warhorse that was a sturdy Coastal Horse; it could swim for long periods and even cross the sea while wearing light Armor. That lord used many kinds of Magic Potion to make his warhorse very strong, increasing its height, weight, and making its body robust. It is even said that the horse's own hair could resist the encroachment of Magic Power and withstand mysterious magic attacks!"

"Oh! That powerful? Using Magic Potion?"

Jier stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then asked: "What other methods are there? Just tell me what you have heard."

"Oh, my lord, there are many things I have heard. I once heard that old Knight lord mention casually that in the Central Province, it is popular to use terrifying methods to 'Monster-ize' warhorses, or even 'Magic Beast-ize' them. Besides these terrifying methods and Magic Potion methods, it is also said that one can find Mage lords and have them cast mysterious Magic to enhance the horses."

"The church seems to have methods too."

"Not 'seems to,' they definitely do." The middle-aged Craftsman nearby suddenly interjected, and he continued: "When I was working for the army in the Western Province, I saw Priest lords of the Chumu God Church perform methods to make a warhorse chosen by a meritorious Knight grow larger and brighter, becoming a Divine Steed."

"Oh? There is such a method; I have never heard of it."

Jier's eyes lit up, but he immediately realized that he did not know anyone from the Chumu God Church, and only meritorious Knights had access to such methods; he had no way.

However, he could go back and ask Bata'er Jiaoshi to see if the Agricultural God Church had any methods for enhancing horses, though he did not hold much hope for this. The Agricultural God Church, after all, had powers related to agriculture; even if they had horse enhancements, they were likely enhancements for Draft Horses, such as adding stamina or strength or something similar.

Simple enhancements like that would make it very difficult to create a formidable Knight warhorse in a balanced way.

It is not enough to just have great strength; stamina must also keep up. With enough stamina, speed must also be sufficient. At the same time, the robustness of the body is also an important link; otherwise, if the horse cannot wear heavy Horse Armor and its protection cannot be raised, it will easily be injured or die, failing to pair with a Knight to become a key factor in dominating the battlefield.

Of course, Jier did not think he could eat a Fatty in one bite. He had a letter of recommendation written by Knight Lanisha in his hand, which he could take to the capital of the Northwest Province, Fengqin Castle, to find someone to help him enhance his warhorse.

It is just that distant water cannot quench near thirst; in this war, it is estimated that Tianxuecao will not be able to become a qualified Knight warhorse.

Of course, he himself is not a qualified New Knight-rank Warrior either; it is enough for him and his warhorse to team up and make do with the current situation.

After talking for a while longer, Jier stopped disturbing the busy Craftsmen. After briefly checking the Horse Armor in preparation and feeling that it could probably be finished by tomorrow at the current progress, he rode his horse out of the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild and returned to the open space on the south side of the town.

"The Knight lord is back!"

As soon as Jier returned, he saw various supplies piled up in the middle of the open space, as well as new tents set up around the perimeter.

"How is it? These supplies are cheap goods I bought at a low price in Duoen Town. Although some are second-hand, the Merchants selling them didn't want trouble, so they shouldn't have fobbed me off with junk."

Mr. Bafute was busy with people around this batch of newly arrived supplies. After hearing Jier's words, he walked over and said: "Around noon, many wagons transporting goods arrived one after another. As soon as these people arrived and saw our men approaching, they unloaded the goods directly onto the ground. At first, everyone was startled, but Siter the guard went up to ask and found out it was the things you, Knight, had bought in town."

"They wouldn't even answer where the things were bought; they just unloaded the goods. Once the things were unloaded and counted, they got on their wagons and left. It was really strange."

Seeing Mr. Bafute's puzzled expression, Jier smiled: "It is quite strange, but there are all kinds of people in the world. With more strange people, there are naturally more strange Merchant Guilds. With more strange Merchant Guilds, even stranger things are no longer strange."

"That's quite convoluted."

"But no matter how strange everything in the world is, it has appeared, hasn't it? There are reasons within it; no need to delve too deep."

Jier shrugged and let Mr. Bafute continue to count the supplies on hand. Some things that could be used directly, such as iron pots and other tools, were distributed immediately for everyone to use.

The newly bought donkeys also needed to be arranged for care, and at the same time, they would take over the previous work of Jier's and Xueya Siter's horses, freeing them up. Xueya Siter's grassland horse could continue to be ridden by Bata'er Jiaoshi, while of the two horses Jier brought from the Northwest Province, one could continue to help him pull the wagon, and the other, which he had previously ridden to fight the Harpy Monster, could be ridden by Xueya Siter.

As for his wagon, Jier arranged for one of his Armed Civilians, selecting the one who looked most reliable, to drive his wagon on the subsequent journey.

When Jier found Bata'er Jiaoshi in the middle of the Yingdi, the Priest had a sullen expression, sitting by the campfire and staring blankly at the Hushin Statue of the God in his hand. Xueya Siter leaned against the wagon to the side, shrugged at Jier who was walking over, indicating that he did not understand the Priest's current situation.

"How is it? Any results from the communication with the Great Agricultural God?"

Jier flipped his cloak and sat on a small folding wooden chair by the campfire; he had bought this chair at a market in a certain town on his way south.

Bata'er Jiaoshi sighed and glanced at the warrior Jier.

He slowly opened his mouth.