Chapter 157: A Thousand-Gold Reward

The excitement on Shihuang's face grew even more intense. He simply gave a heavy nod without uttering a word.

At that moment, Meng Di also gifted Shihuang a fine horse for his travels. Upon parting, Shihuang bowed solemnly.

After he departed, Bai Gui looked at his retreating figure and said with a smile, "With this move, my lord will surely secure Shihuang's unwavering loyalty. I congratulate my lord on gaining such a fierce general. I imagine that today's reward of a thousand pieces of gold will spread throughout the southern region before long, and by then, even more people will rush to offer their allegiance."

Hearing this, Meng Di shook his head slightly and spoke with a hint of helplessness, "The men under my command are far too few right now; it feels as though they are nowhere near enough. If spending this gold can attract more talent, it will resolve my most urgent needs."

At this point, he changed the subject and inquired about another matter. "By the way, during this visit, I also wish to meet Master Gongsun. I heard from Liuxia Tuo that he has built some strange furnaces, and I am eager to witness them for myself and see what is so unusual about them."

Hearing this, Bai Gui smiled and offered a reminder as well, "This Master Gongsun has a rather eccentric temperament and despises interference from others. It took a great deal of effort to invite him to Huaicheng. Now, many craftsmen are already learning the art of ironworking from him."

"I presume it won't be long before Huaicheng is able to forge iron armor and iron swords. Furthermore, Liuxia Tuo's method of training troops is somewhat overly harsh, though I am aware this stems from my lord's intentions."

"However, I would still suggest dividing these soldiers into two groups. The elite can form one army, while the younger and slightly less capable ones can be organized into a separate force. Only by having both offense and defense in this manner can we ensure a sufficient military strength."

Hearing this, Meng Di nodded in deep agreement, yet he also perceived a deeper meaning behind these words. "Could it be that recent movements from Ran Yi's side have you worried that a war might break out in the future?"

"Indeed. Although the other side currently relies mostly on probing maneuvers, as our influence continues to grow, many will inevitably view us as a juicy piece of meat. We cannot afford not to take precautions." Bai Gui said with a measure of concern.

Meng Di thoroughly approved of such prudent preparation for the future and immediately agreed, "Just recently, the Qi army has retreated. Even if they regroup and fight again, it will take some time. I shall stay in Huaicheng for a few more days and settle this matter definitively before anything else."

***

Shortly thereafter, Bai Gui led Meng Di toward the sword-casting furnaces. As they drew near, billowing black smoke filled the sky, revealing a small fortress in the distance with tall, thick walls that would be difficult to breach even with heavy siege crossbows in a short span of time.

It was evident that Bai Gui had constructed this to deter anyone harboring greedy intentions toward the place. Noticing the look of surprise on Meng Di's face, he explained, "Since there are iron ore deposits right on this mountain and black stone is abundant nearby, a considerable workforce is required here. Consequently, spies have frequently been sent to reconnoiter. To prevent any accidents, the craftsmen who were recently building the city walls of Huaicheng have all been transferred here."

After inspecting the surroundings closely for a moment, Meng Di remarked with a sigh of appreciation, "With Mr. Bai overseeing things here, I have been spared an immense amount of effort. At this rate, within a few years at most, I will command an army of tens of thousands equipped with iron armor and iron swords. When that day comes, we can truly spread our wings and accomplish great things."

Filled with soaring ambition, he struck his horse's flanks and galloped forward.

However, as they approached, more than a dozen soldiers suddenly swarmed out to block their path, and the leader shouted sternly, "This is a restricted area. Halt, whoever you are!"

Just then, Bai Gui hurried up from behind, retrieved an iron tally from his waist, presented it to the guards for inspection, and explained, "No one is allowed to enter or leave here without a token—not even myself. I trust my lord will not take offense."

Meng Di minded not at all. Vigilance among the guards was a virtue, so he praised them instead, "I never imagined Mr. Bai had such an orderly way of managing troops. These soldiers appear dutiful and conscientious; they deserve a reward."

Upon entering the compound, they saw several thick chimneys continuously venting black smoke. Close by, a man in his fifties was carefully observing the furnace fires while directing the surrounding craftsmen to feed black stone into the blazing depths.

Bai Gui signaled with his eyes, indicating that the elderly man was Gongsun Ye. Meng Di did not step forward to question him immediately; instead, he looked around with keen curiosity. The workers here were divided into three groups: one dedicated to controlling the furnace fires, another responsible for adding the black stone, and a third taking turns operating a massive bellows. Their division of labor was impeccably organized. The furnaces themselves were particularly striking—tall and thick—which explained the towering chimneys seen from the outside.

Filled with curiosity, Meng Di involuntarily stepped a little closer. Noticing movement from the corner of his eye, the old man turned his head and rebuked him irritably, "Where did this ignorant brat come from? What are you doing crowding so close? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

***

That tone offered absolutely no saving of face, leaving Meng Di momentarily embarrassed. At the same time, he could feel the scorching heat radiating from the furnace, stinging his skin and making him realize just how extraordinarily high the temperature inside really was.

Though Gongsun Ye's words had been remarkably blunt, it was clear he was merely acting out of concern for their safety to prevent any accidents.

Therefore, Meng Di did not press the matter and simply took a step back. Gongsun Ye glanced back once more, saw the group standing nearby, shook his head slightly without another word, and resumed directing the busy craftsmen below.

After a short while, Gongsun Ye appeared thoroughly satisfied with the furnace's temperature. He gave a few final instructions to the artisans, turned around, walked over to Bai Gui, and cupped his hands in a salute. "I wonder what brings you here today, My Lord?"

At this moment, Bai Gui stepped back half a pace and introduced Gongsun Ye, "This is the master of Huaicheng, Lord Meng of the State of Lu. He has come specifically today to pay his respects to Master Gongsun."

Hearing this, Gongsun Ye's expression shifted slightly. He had not expected the young man he had just scolded to be a nobleman, largely because he had been so deeply engrossed in his work that he had failed to notice their attire.

Taking a closer look now, Gongsun Ye realized that his previous remarks had been highly improper. Despite his difficult temperament, he was well aware that showing disrespect to a nobleman warranted punishment. He hastily spoke up, "This humble one greets Lord Meng. I spoke out of turn just now and caused offense. I beg Lord Meng to forgive me."

Meng Di chuckled, offering a semi-jovial response, "Since Master Gongsun has offended me, shouldn't you offer some form of compensation to make up for it?"