Wei Yao strode inside, examining the crossbow from head to toe, marveling, "Is this the legendary ballista developed by the Julu Kingdom? But it looks quite different from the ones from Julu Kingdom."
His tone was somewhat unsteady, as if he were floating on clouds, his feet not firmly planted on the ground.
Zheng Quchi walked in with Yuwen Sheng and Wang Zebang. She patted the technologically advanced weapon that combined steel and wood, raised her chin and said, "This is not a triple-bow ballista, it's called a heavy crossbow!"
"Crossbow? Is it the same as a cannon?" Wei Yao and Wang Zebang asked almost simultaneously.
Although Yuwen Sheng didn't speak, his questioning look, marked by a raised eyebrow, followed immediately.
"Of course they are different."
Zheng Quchi didn't rush to explain to them. Instead, he looked up and searched the warehouse. The warehouse not only contained heavy crossbows, but also a number of technical personnel. However, the heavy crossbows were too large and obstructed their view.
She saw two craftsmen inspecting the components of each heavy ballista on scaffolding, following her instructions, so she went up to them and called out, "Masters, come here for a moment."
The craftsmen, who were concentrating on their work, turned around when they heard someone call out. The first thing they saw was Zheng Quchi, and their serious expressions were visibly filled with excitement: "Craftsman Zheng!"
They stopped what they were doing and ran over as fast as they could.
Wei Yao and Wang Zebang exchanged a glance, both revealing an amused expression.
I already knew that these craftsmen adored their wife; anyone who could win her favor would be so happy they'd faint.
They glanced at their general again. The three of them were just like background figures standing there. They were clearly there, but the other party ignored them and focused all his attention on the lady.
Zheng Quchi looked at them with a look of relief: "You've worked hard, is everything going smoothly?"
"Successfully, successfully. The task assigned to us by Engineer Zheng will be completed on time. We are very honored to be entrusted with such an important task by Engineer Zheng. This time, just assembling the equipment for Engineer Zheng has already benefited us for a lifetime..."
Seeing that the two were about to express their deep admiration, Zheng Quchi quickly stepped aside to let the people behind him pass.
"I'm sorry to have kept you busy, but since General Yuwen is here to inspect, I would like you to give them a proper briefing on the current progress of the work."
Gaa—
When their gazes were drawn to the people behind Engineer Zheng, they felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them from head to toe. Their eyes widened suddenly, and their enthusiasm and pent-up emotions seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand, forcing them to swallow their words and leaving them with "indigestion."
"General Yuwen..."
Wasn't the general dead? Who is this? No, this is clearly General Yuwen! Look at that familiar ghost mask—
The two men's legs went weak and they knelt heavily on the ground, kowtowing frantically, afraid that the other party would blame them for not recognizing him and ignoring that he had not greeted them properly.
"General, spare my life—"
Unexpectedly, Yuwen Sheng was as kind and gentle as a compassionate bodhisattva. He said, "Did we scare you? It's our fault for not giving you a heads-up before coming over."
The two hurriedly stammered, "No, no, no, we just now..."
Seeing that the other person was terrified, Zheng Quchi quickly said, "Don't be afraid, he's not a ghost, he's a person, he's not dead..."
After giving a rambling explanation that didn't get to the point, Zheng Quchi had no choice but to stop. He then reorganized his words before saying, "In short, our God of War of Ye Kingdom has returned. Don't be afraid, he's here to protect us."
Upon hearing this, the two craftsmen and the surrounding workers who had been alarmed were stunned.
...To protect them?
Yes, General Yuwen is the God of War of Ye Kingdom. With him by his side, Ye Kingdom has been able to stand firm.
After a long while, their expressions changed, and they, along with the laborers scattered throughout the warehouse, all respectfully bowed to Yuwen Sheng, saying, "Greetings, General Yuwen!"
Yuwen Sheng didn't care about these people's fear and avoidance of him. Their thoughts were never important to him. It was just that being treated so sincerely was quite a novel experience.
"I am definitely not a ghost."
He smiled and glanced at Zheng Quchi, then said, "Madam treats you all like fellow countrymen, so I am just following her wishes. There's no need to be too reserved."
This was the first time he had ever spoken such polite words to unimportant people; his consideration and empathy made him seem like a completely different person.
Those present suddenly realized that their Engineer Zheng was actually General Yuwen's wife. They...they were actually husband and wife?!
I had a strange, disorienting feeling that my understanding had been shattered.
Yes, they already knew about it, but only now, faced with the reality, did they feel a strong sense of shock as "it is said" became "truth".
No, how could two people who are so different become a couple?
Although this should be considered a good thing... it's just that the general right now seems to be afraid of his wife... Damn it, are they crazy? How could they think the general is afraid of his wife!
No, that's absolutely impossible!
Seeing that they all seemed to be trembling and had even forgotten to get up, Zheng Quchi looked at Yuwen Sheng's fake mask of a smile hiding a knife and immediately frowned and said, "Stop smiling and speak properly."
This reprimand, though not loud, was so stern that it made the warehouse almost silent; no one dared to utter a sound.
Yuwen Sheng looked at Zheng Quchi, whose expression was serious. After a long while, he suppressed his smile and said calmly, "Get up. Continue what you were doing. Didn't you hear what Madam just told you?"
Swoosh—
Everyone immediately stood up as if it were a military order, their movements no slower than those of a well-trained army, and then they began to "busy" with their own tasks.
So he really was afraid of his wife...
The two craftsmen dared not leave this hellish scene and could only grit their teeth and look at Craftswoman Zheng. She smiled innocently, looking like a kind old man, while General Yuwen's eyes were fixed on her, loyal and persistent, as if he would not mind how she did things as long as she was happy.
Suddenly, their hearts settled down.
There may be no such thing as unwavering loyalty until death in this world, but there is definitely something that can subdue something else.
"General, there are a total of 230 crossbows here. 230 have been assembled and 221 have been inspected. The remaining 19 will be completed tonight, and we can conduct field drills and make final adjustments tomorrow," the craftsman said.
Zheng Quchi continued, "This time when I came to Wubao, I brought a total of fifty craftsmen. They were all loyal and righteous men who volunteered to come with me to support the Wubao battle. They were in charge of dismantling and transporting the equipment. These days, they have been working day and night in the warehouse to prepare for the battle."
Upon hearing this, Wei Yao and Wang Zebang both abandoned their previous nonchalance. They had initially thought these were just ordinary craftsmen recruited by the court, but they hadn't expected that these people were patriots who were willing to contribute their efforts. They didn't seek any personal gain; they simply hoped that Ye Kingdom could become better and stronger.
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