The wicked husband nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he wanted.
"Grand Commandant," Zizhen stepped forward and said, "besides improving the arrows, we've also made improvements to the firing mechanism. The range is now four hundred paces, and the accuracy is much higher."
"Excellent!" the wicked man exclaimed joyfully. "Now even with iron armor, they can't withstand our attack! Pass down the order to immediately organize the craftsmen to begin production. Remember, it must be kept secret. After spring arrives, let these fools see what the divine weapons of Qin are all about!"
Just then, another spy rushed in: "Reporting to the Grand Commandant! News has come from Wusun that the Yuezhi have been secretly mobilizing their cavalry. They seem to be preparing to march south after spring..."
"Hmph!" the wicked man sneered. "Just as I expected. These barbarians really know how to play their cards right. But..."
His eyes flashed with a cold light: "Let them run wild for a few more days. Once the new weapons are all deployed to the battlefield, let's see how arrogant they can still be!"
Meanwhile, in the royal city of Shule.
"Your Majesty!" A general rushed into the hall. "Scouts report that the Qin army has reinforced its troops at the border to 50,000. Moreover, they seem to be secretly assembling some new weapons..."
The King of Shule's expression changed. He had long heard that the Qin army's weapon called "Honeycomb" was incredibly powerful, and that even the Right Wise King of the Xiongnu had died at its hands.
"There's no need to panic," the Yuezhi envoy reassured them. "We have prepared enough armor. Besides, this is a joint effort by multiple nations; even if the Qin army has some new weapons, they can't stop our iron cavalry!"
The King of Shule nodded, but worries remained in his heart. This gamble was a matter of life and death; success would bring him great fortune, while failure would lead to utter ruin.
"By the way," the messenger added, "our king has already sent blacksmiths to forge new shields for you. These shields are made of multiple layers of cowhide and iron plates, and even a swarm of arrows won't be able to penetrate them!"
Just as everyone was discussing countermeasures, a scout rushed into the hall: "Report! Qin army scouts have appeared outside the city! They seem to be gathering intelligence..."
"Kill them!" the King of Shule declared resolutely. "We must not let the Qin people discover our preparations. Otherwise, they will strike first before spring even arrives!"
The entire Western Regions were shrouded in a chilling atmosphere.
Everyone knows that once the snow melts in the spring, this land will surely witness an earth-shattering battle!
Meanwhile, the Qin army was also making preparations in full swing.
"Pass down the order," the wicked man said to Zhang Erhe, "order the border troops to be on high alert. Especially at all key passes and strategic points, deploy heavy troops. Also..."
He pointed to several locations on the map: "These strategic points should all be covered with sentries. Any unusual activity should be immediately signaled with beacon fires!"
"And one more thing," he said in a deep voice, "send a message to Meng Tian and Wang Li. Tell them that after spring, there will likely be another fierce battle. Tell them to prepare!"
Outside the window, the cold wind howled and snow fell heavily.
This winter is destined to be a sleepless one. When spring arrives and flowers bloom, this land will surely be ravaged by bloodshed!
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