Zhao Xian told Zhao Cheng that the crossbow bolts had markings and the angle had been adjusted, so they could be aimed and fired at any object.

Crossbow bolts can be aimed, which is not possible with ordinary bows and arrows, thus greatly increasing the accuracy of shooting.

Crossbows are easier to use than regular bows and arrows. Once the preparations are complete, the crossbow is ready to fire. Pull the trigger and the crossbow bolt will be released.

Zhao Cheng raised his crossbow, aimed at the center of the tree trunk, and pulled the trigger. With a crisp "bang," a crossbow bolt flew out.

The crossbow bolt flew extremely fast, hitting the center of the tree trunk precisely.

The soldiers rushed forward to check and found that the crossbow bolts were deeply embedded in the tree trunk and could not be pulled out.

The crowd cheered. The crossbow bolt was incredibly powerful; at such a distance, half of the bolt was embedded in the tree trunk—an effect that ordinary bows and arrows could not achieve.

Zhao Cheng increased the distance: eighty paces, one hundred paces, one hundred and twenty paces... the distance grew farther and farther, but the crossbow bolt still had the power to pierce the heart. When the distance was increased to one hundred and eighty paces, the arrowhead could still penetrate the tree trunk, only with less force. However, if it hit a human body, it could still cause fatal damage.

Zhao Xian then tested the bow and arrow that Li Xue had brought back for him. This type of bow and arrow could only cause some damage within eighty paces.

Based on Li Xue's description, it can be calculated that the effective range of the enemy soldiers' arrows should be around 110 paces, beyond which they would have little killing power.

The crossbows they manufactured themselves had an effective range of over 180 paces, which was at least 70 paces longer than the range of the enemy soldiers' bows and arrows. This kind of lethality was absolutely overwhelming.

If such crossbows were used on the battlefield, it would be an absolute one-sided massacre.

After the crossbow was successfully tested, Zhao Xian had his soldiers assemble the crossbows themselves, and each soldier was equipped with one.

Next, Zhao Xian instructed the carpenters and blacksmiths to continue making crossbow parts, preparing to assemble three hundred crossbow bolts and hand them over to Princess Li Xue.

Just as Zhao Xian was speeding up the production of crossbow bolts, two luxurious carriages drove by, immediately attracting people's attention.

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and Princess Li Xue got off the carriage. Several fully armed guards also got off the carriage and stood behind Li Xue.

Li Xue said she would send someone over in three days, so how come she arrived with her guards only a day later?

"Greetings, Princess." Zhao Xian immediately stepped forward and bowed.

"Young Master Zhao, there's no need for such formality. You won't need to be so polite when you see me in the future. I originally agreed to send someone over in three days, but I couldn't wait any longer, so I came here specifically to see if the bow and arrows have been made yet."

It seems that Princess Li Xue is an impatient person. This kind of personality is good, as it makes her relatively easy to get along with.

“Princess, there is no need to worry. I have already made a crossbow and tested it just now. It can kill with one shot at a distance of 180 paces,” Zhao Xian said.

Li Xue was taken aback; she thought she had misheard.

"What did you say? It can kill with a single shot from 180 paces away? It's that powerful. The bows and arrows we use now are no longer effective beyond 80 paces."

Zhao Xian smiled, took a crossbow and handed it to Li Xue. Li Xue took the crossbow and examined it carefully.

"Because we couldn't find suitable materials to forge high-strength bows and arrows, we had to make crossbows instead. Their power far exceeds that of ordinary bows and arrows, and they are more than capable of dealing with the barbarian soldiers," Zhao Xian explained.

Li Xue didn't say anything. She took the crossbow and left, intending to find a place to test its power.

Soon she saw the big tree and prepared to use it as a target to test her crossbow.

Li Xue had practiced martial arts since childhood, and she knew how to use almost all weapons and equipment at a glance, including crossbows.

She loaded an arrow and prepared to test it when she suddenly noticed several arrows stuck in a part of the tree. Feeling a little strange, she went over to investigate.

To her astonishment, these arrows must have been fired from crossbows; the depth to which they penetrated the trees indicated their immense power.

Another point is that the arrows are densely packed in one place, which indicates that the archer's technique is very skilled and he is definitely a sharpshooter. It seems that there is a master here.

Li Xue silently turned around, took a hundred steps forward, then suddenly turned around, and a crossbow bolt flew out, hitting the center of the tree trunk.

By this time, a large crowd had gathered around, all watching Li Xue shoot an arrow. The moment Li Xue turned around and shot the tree was truly beautiful, and many people couldn't help but applaud.

Li Xue remained calm and walked another eighty steps forward. She turned around again, shot an arrow, and hit the tree again, winning applause from the crowd once more.

This time, he retreated twenty paces, making a distance of two hundred paces from the tree, then raised his crossbow and fired the third arrow.

The third crossbow bolt also hit the tree. The point of impact was below the first two bolts, and the force was significantly less, but it still had some killing power.

After shooting the three arrows, Li Xue was overjoyed. She walked up to Zhao Xian and cupped her hands in greeting.

"The crossbows made by Young Master Zhao are incredibly powerful. With such a weapon, the soldiers at the front are no longer afraid of the powerful bows and arrows of the foreign kingdoms. On behalf of the soldiers at the front, I thank Young Master Zhao."

"Your Highness is too kind. It is our duty as citizens of the Great Northern Dynasty to share the burdens of the court and relieve the difficulties of the soldiers at the front. We should do our part."

“Young Master Zhao, I’ll probably be staying in Narcissus Village for the next few days. Could you please make me a batch of crossbow bolts so I can take them back with me?”

“Alright, no problem. However, this place is a remote and impoverished area with harsh conditions. It would be a real injustice for the princess to stay here.”

"Young Master Zhao, you're too kind. I travel frequently and don't have high requirements for accommodation; any place to stay will do."

“Alright, I’ll make the arrangements for the princess now.” After saying that, Zhao Xian led Li Xue and her guards toward the workshop.

There are dormitories in the workshop, so arranging for Li Xue and a few others to stay is not a problem. However, given Li Xue's noble status, it would indeed be a bit unfair for her to live in such a dormitory.

Li Xue didn't care about this. She selected three connected rooms in the workshop, and the guards unloaded many items from the carriage and began to decorate these rooms.

That's fine too; the guards helped the princess arrange her room, saving themselves a lot of trouble.

Before long, the three rooms were set up. Li Xue lived in the middle room, and the guards lived on either side.

Now that the princess has settled in, I must take good care of my defenses. With ten guards and a skilled fighter like Zhao Cheng, my safety is not a problem.

However, these alone are not enough. Since the princess has moved into the village, the entire village must also have security measures in place.