Chapter 343: Definitive News

"Please rest assured, Your Highness. The craftsmen are all skilled now, and the number of Flintlocks produced each month is increasing," Wang Ying said, cupping his hands.

Zhao Xu nodded upon hearing this. This was correct; as long as the craftsmen on the Assembly Line were skilled, efficiency would naturally increase significantly.

Next, accompanied by Wang Ying, Zhao Xu walked around the Nanfang District.

In these two months, the number of Hydraulic Drills seemed to have increased by another fifty.

The number of stoves for the Blast Furnaces and Graphite Crucibles had also increased quite a bit.

The workshop for Iron Mold Casting was bustling with activity.

Clearly, they were busy manufacturing the commercial version of the Artillery.

Seeing that everything was operating in an orderly fashion, he felt satisfied.

As the two walked and talked, a guard from the Nanfang District walked in and said, "Your Highness, Zou Rong from the Works Bureau requests an audience."

"Zou Rong?" Zhao Xu was taken aback.

Last year, he had sent Zou Rong to Wuan County to oversee the construction of the Lengbao.

During this time, Zou Rong would send people to report the progress of the Lengbao's construction to him from time to time.

Now, eight months had passed in the blink of an eye.

According to Zou Rong, the Lengbao was now roughly completed.

In another three or four months, the Wangfu Army would be able to move in.

"Let him in," Zhao Xu said.

Since the construction of the Lengbao had gradually entered its final stages, Zou Rong would occasionally return to personally report on the Lengbao to him.

Before long, led by a guard, Zou Rong walked in.

But unlike before, Zou Rong's face was now clouded with a hint of worry.

Seeing Zhao Xu, he bowed and continued, "Your Highness, the Northern Di scouts have been appearing more and more frequently lately, and their numbers are growing. Most importantly, some soldiers have been attacked."

"The Northern Di Cavalry attacked the Wangfu Army?" Zhao Xu frowned.

Since the heavy snow blocked the mountains, the Northern Di had been unable to pass through Yanshan to reach Yancheng.

But after the snow in the mountains melted completely in March,

the Northern Di scouts appeared once again.

However, it seemed to be because of the peace talks with Da Song.

Although the Northern Di scouts came to investigate, they did not attack the Da Song soldiers they encountered.

It was just unexpected that after only a few months, the Northern Di people could not resist taking action.

"Yes," Zou Rong nodded solemnly.

"Hasn't the Northern Di already sued for peace with Da Song?" Wang Ying looked confused; he spent his days in the Workshop and was rather slow to react to such matters.

Zou Rong gritted his teeth and said, "The empty words of the Northern Di are just as untrustworthy as those of the Xiliang people."

As the three were talking,

another guard came to report that Yang He requested an audience.

Zhao Xu's brow furrowed even deeper. Today it was Zou Rong first, then Yang He.

Generally, these two would not come to the Workshop District to find him unless there was an urgent matter.

After waiting for a while, Yang He arrived in a hurry, his expression much like Zou Rong's.

Seeing Zhao Xu, he bowed and said, "Your Highness, I fear something is going to happen. The Northern Di merchants have not come to Yanguan for two days; it seems they have unilaterally closed the Border Market."

Hearing this, Zou Rong said sternly, "Your Highness, the movements of the Northern Di are not right."

Zhao Xu nodded slightly. Combining this with the intelligence Xu Ke had given him, he vaguely guessed something.

The main purpose of the Northern Di opening the Border Market was to gather intelligence on the Artillery.

If the Northern Di now truly had the ability to build Artillery, the Border Market would naturally have no reason to exist.

Just as he was thinking this, another guard came to report that Xu Ke had arrived.

Zhao Xu was surprised, but he still let Xu Ke in.

However, he had Yang He and Zou Rong step aside for the moment.

"Your Highness, this subordinate has confirmed that the Northern Di are indeed researching and building Artillery. The one helping the Northern Di research and build the Artillery is that Missionary from the Ross Kingdom," Xu Ke said with a grave expression.

After a pause, he continued, "However, in order to investigate this matter, a mole the Four Courts had bought in Jincheng was exposed. After handing the information to our people, he was captured by Northern Di soldiers. Our people hid and fled for several days, traveling by night and resting by day, before they could send the intelligence back."

"No wonder the Northern Di suddenly turned hostile; so that's why," Zhao Xu said.

He then told him what Yang He and Zou Rong had said.

Xu Ke did not deny it. "The Northern Di likely wanted to do the same as Your Highness—to catch us off guard with Artillery. Now that they know they have been discovered, they are naturally ashamed and angry."

Zhao Xu snorted; this was the true face of the barbarians.

They could plant moles in Yanzhou, but when he countered them, they couldn't save face.

However, if the Northern Di wanted to turn hostile, then so be it; it was far better than missing this intelligence.

Otherwise, if the Northern Di were to suddenly march south with many Artillery pieces, he feared he would be caught off guard.

Having learned the cause and effect, Zhao Xu was no longer nervous.

He only needed to wait quietly for changes to see if the Northern Di were truly going to eat their own words.

Or if this was just a vent of anger and the matter would pass.

But even so, he had to strengthen his reconnaissance of the Northern Di.

At the same time, the most important thing was to prepare for defense.

After sending Xu Ke away, he called Zou Rong over.

The only loophole in Yan Commandery now was the location of the Lengbao.

He needed to ensure the Northern Di could no longer pass through the area controlled by the Lengbao.

Otherwise, just like before, the rampaging Northern Di Cavalry would make it impossible for him to focus on development.

"Can the Artillery be mounted on the gun emplacements of the Lengbao now?" he asked.

"Yes," Zou Rong nodded, "what hasn't been finished yet are some of the storehouses and barracks inside the Lengbao."

Hearing this, Zhao Xu nodded; this meant the defensive structure of the Lengbao was fine, and as such, he could dispatch soldiers there to garrison it.

Garrisoning while continuing to build.

After clarifying the matters regarding the Lengbao, Zhao Xu left the Workshop District and went straight to the North Camp.

He told Chang Wei about the new movements of the Northern Di.

"I haven't had my fill of fighting Xiliang yet, and now the Northern Di have delivered themselves to our doorstep; perfect, let them have a taste of the Flintlock Bullets," said Chang Wei.

Seeing that Chang Wei was a bit overconfident, Zhao Xu said at this moment: "You might also get a taste of the Northern Di's Artillery Cannonballs."

"How could the Northern Di have Artillery..." Speaking to this point, Chang Wei suddenly froze, "Your Highness, you aren't teasing me, are you?"

Zhao Xu shook his head and told him the intelligence obtained by Xu Ke.

Chang Wei's expression immediately turned serious, "They really have had a stroke of blind luck, but what kind of thing is this Ross country? Why have I never heard of it?"

"That is a long story, and I will explain it to you slowly in the future," Zhao Xu said, "For now, you should think about the Lengbao, select soldiers, and head there to garrison it."

"Yes, Your Highness," Chang Wei acknowledged.

Zhao Xu continued: "At the same time, it is impolite not to reciprocate; if the Northern Di Cavalry dares to cross the Yanshan to raid our soldiers in Yan Commandery, the Prince's Mansion's Cavalry cannot just watch. Let them use these Northern Di Cavalry to practice, to build up their courage, so they won't be afraid when they encounter Northern Di Cavalry on the battlefield in the future."

Chang Wei scratched his head, silently feeling pity for the Cavalry.

The targets they were facing this time were real Northern Di Cavalry, not the straw targets set up on the Drill Ground.