Chapter 230: This Business Must Be Done

"Clang."

The bullet struck the heavy armor, emitting a metallic ringing sound.

The Heavy Armored Infantry remained unscathed; only a tiny groove was dented into the thick armor by the bullet.

Several envoys from the Kokand Kingdom were stunned.

"How did it not cause an injury?"

"Our Kokand Kingdom also has heavy armored cavalry, but the bullets from fire muskets crack our armor wide open."

Xiao Moting then explained, "The armor worn by your Kokand heavy armored cavalry is not as sturdy as ours, which is why it was pierced by the fire muskets."

The heavy armor he now had his soldiers wear was forged from the white cast iron sent by Bai Wei.

White cast iron is iron produced through modern purification techniques; it is much sturdier than the brittle, impurity-rich pig iron of ancient times, and fire muskets cannot pierce it.

Last time, because the Snow Mountain was steep and slippery, the Heavy Armored Infantry were ill-suited for mountain combat and moved slowly, so Bai Wei used white cast iron to make a steel plate, letting Xiao Dabao use the steel plate as a giant shield to lead the charge, which was the only reason they blocked the fire musket bullets of the Rakshasa Bandits.

Fire musket bullets can pierce ancient pig iron, but against modern white cast iron, the effect is about the same as an air gun—they simply cannot move it.

After demonstrating the heavy armor, Xiao Moting had people bury a landmine and pushed a flatbed cart over it.

"Boom."

With a loud bang, the flatbed cart was blown into the sky by the landmine.

The several envoys from the Kokand Kingdom all widened their eyes, their mouths agape, unable to speak.

"This object is called a landmine," Xiao Moting introduced. "If you bury it under the soil and someone steps on it, it can blow them up and injure them."

Luosang was the first to recover, his face full of shock.

"This is a divine object! A divine object indeed!"

The remaining envoys also chattered incessantly, wearing expressions of disbelief.

Although they were not speaking the Daliang language, Bai Wei could tell from their expressions that they were marveling at the landmine.

Luosang was exceptionally excited.

The power of this landmine was far greater than that of the Matchlock Team!

He had not expected Beijiang to possess such a powerful weapon!

With this, the Kokand Kingdom would have the capital to resist the Rakshasa army.

He hurriedly turned around and tentatively asked Xiao Moting.

"Are you also willing to provide this divine object to our Kokand Kingdom?"

Xiao Moting raised an eyebrow. "Envoy Luosang, when did I ever say I would give them to the Kokand Kingdom?"

"Ah?" Luosang was stunned. After coming to his senses, he became anxious. "Prince of Beijiang, didn't you just say you would provide us with equipment?"

Bai Wei was also taken aback, not knowing what Xiao Moting was up to.

"Prince of Beijiang, the Kokand Kingdom has already submitted to you; you cannot refuse to save us." Luosang was desperate.

The Rakshasa Kingdom's army had already reached their royal city.

If Xiao Moting did not provide equipment, their kingdom would perish.

Only then did Xiao Moting speak slowly, "I can sell these pieces of equipment to you. In consideration of the Kokand Kingdom being a vassal state of Beijiang, I can give you a discount."

"Dis... discount?" Luosang couldn't react for a long time; he had never heard this term before.

He thought for a moment and tentatively asked, "Does that mean a price reduction?"

"Correct." Xiao Moting reached out and took out a list. "This is the price list; take a look."

Luosang hurriedly took the price list, as if he had found a treasure.

The several envoys beside him also crowded around to look.

"Selling arms? He... he can even turn this into a business?" Bai Wei was also shocked, admiring Xiao Moting to the point of prostration.

The price list separately enumerated the prices of the equipment and weapons.

One set of heavy iron armor: four hundred taels of silver.

One iron saber: fifty taels of silver.

One iron long spear: fifty taels of silver.

One landmine: one thousand taels of silver.

While the several envoys were surrounding the price list, Bai Wei tugged at Xiao Moting and lowered her voice.

"Xiao Moting, you really have a way with things! You can even sell equipment like this; when did you prepare this price list, and why didn't I know?"

Xiao Moting smiled faintly, his body turning slightly to lean closer to her.

"While you were changing clothes just now, I took the time to write a price list."

"Bai, I know you wanted to give them equipment so they would have the ability to resist the Rakshasa Kingdom."

"However, although the Kokand Kingdom has expressed its submission to me, they are not of my own people after all, so one must be on guard. Making them spend silver to buy equipment serves two purposes: first, it increases revenue for Beijiang, and second, it absorbs the resources of the Kokand Kingdom."

"Moreover, the territory of the Kokand Kingdom is mostly grassland, their military is strong, and they raise countless sturdy horses. That is why I wanted to sell equipment to them."

"If you do not agree, I will not do this business and will give the equipment to them instead."

Upon hearing this, Bai Wei shook her head repeatedly.

"No, no, this business must be done! It absolutely must be done!"

She admitted that she had indeed not been as thoughtful as Xiao Moting just now.

Although she could help Beijiang obtain these pieces of equipment and landmines, giving such a large pile of things away for free was indeed a loss.

Furthermore, just as Xiao Moting said, the Kokand Kingdom was a foreign race; what if giving them things for free just fed them, and they turned around to bite back?

"Xiao Moting, you have thought this through very carefully; this is exactly how you should sell arms."

Xiao Moting smiled. "All of this is to your credit."

Bai Wei's face flushed red.

She had thought Xiao Moting was a dull person, but she hadn't expected him to be quite good at coaxing people.

At this moment, several envoys from the Kokand Kingdom had also finished their discussion.

"Prince of Northern Suppression, we would like to purchase the equipment on this list."

"As for those Landmines, we would like to buy two hundred; would that be acceptable?"

Bai Wei glanced at Xiao Moting; currently, the Saltpeter Mine in Beijiang was in extreme shortage, and there was not much Explosives refined in the Warehouse, with only about a hundred Landmines made and stored as backup weapons.

But at one thousand taels of silver per Landmine, if this business deal were not made, it would be a missed opportunity.

Xiao Moting's expression was calm, "That is acceptable. However, the production of Landmines takes time; I will sell you one hundred first, and for the remainder, we shall sign an order, and I will have them shipped to you next month."

"Very well, then it is settled."

Luosang nodded repeatedly, agreeing without a moment's hesitation.

Just kidding!

The power of these Landmines was simply heaven-defying!

Even if he only received one hundred first and transported them back to his country, he could still severely punish the Rakshasa army.

Both sides reached an agreement and immediately signed the contract.

Fearing that Xiao Moting might go back on his word, Luosang pressed his handprint on the agreement without any hesitation.

He ordered eight hundred sets of Iron Armor, three thousand Iron Sabers and Iron Spears in total, as well as two hundred Landmines, costing over five hundred thousand taels of silver in total.

Although hundreds of thousands of taels of silver were spent in the blink of an eye, the money was well spent.

"This is the order for the first batch of equipment," Luosang said with a fawning smile, "After the equipment is transported back to the country, the King may come to buy more."

"Rest assured," Xiao Moting said in a deep voice, "As for this equipment, however much you want, we have."

In the Beijiang Warehouse, there was stock of Iron Armor, Iron Sabers, and Iron Spears.

Xiao Moting immediately ordered the Military Supplies Officer to bring out this batch of equipment.

A large pile of Iron Armor and Iron Sabers filled the drill ground.

There were also dozens of wooden crates, the insides lined with thick cotton and straw, containing the Landmines made by the craftsmen.

Luosang was overjoyed, but immediately, he was troubled again.

A single set of Iron Armor weighed over a hundred catties; how was he to transport so many weapons back to the Kokand Kingdom?

Just then, a rumbling sound came from afar.

Luosang looked up, instantly stunned, and pointed over.

"This, what is this thing?"