The next morning, the saddle and stirrups, meticulously forged overnight, were finished. As Changsun Dechong personally attached these pieces of equipment to his warhorse, even though he was no longer a young man, the Minister of War still bore the demeanor of a battle-hardened general.
He gently stroked the warhorse's mane, his eyes revealing a deep and gentle look. Chang Sun Dechong keenly noticed that the horse seemed to have unprecedented vitality and vigor due to the blessing of the new equipment.
Chang Sun Dechong gently stroked his warhorse's mane, as if touching fine silk, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. He knew that with this sophisticated equipment, they would be unstoppable on their future expeditions. The warhorse seemed to sense this eager anticipation, gently wagging its tail and neighing deeply and powerfully, as if responding to Chang Sun Dechong's anticipation.
Chang Sun Dechong jumped onto the warhorse and felt the close fit between the saddle and his body, as well as the solid support provided by the stirrups. He firmly believed that even soldiers who had never ridden a horse would be able to control the warhorse with ease after a short training.
As Chang Sun Dechong galloped through the military camp, his heroic figure, fully armed, quickly captured all attention. The soldiers cast their gazes in admiration and yearning, whispering to each other in awe of the seamless harmony of his steed and equipment, as if they were destined for the battlefield.
Chang Sun Dechong's face was filled with sincere pride and satisfaction. He knew very well that this honor not only belonged to him personally, but was also a recognition of the hard work of the entire Ministry of War. It was the highest reward from His Majesty for their loyalty and efforts.
Because these two sacred objects were bestowed upon them by His Majesty, Changsun Dechong was secretly glad that the decision to send his daughter to the palace was a wise one.
When the other ministers learned that Zhangsun Dechong's Ministry of War had obtained precious and sacred items such as war horse feed, stirrups and saddles, they were all jealous but could only watch helplessly and do nothing.
After all, His Majesty rarely attended court, and the magical items Changsun Dechong had obtained were all brought out of the palace by his daughters, and were all given to them by His Majesty Chu Fan. But it was impossible for him and his companions to obtain such items. After all, as long as His Majesty was not in court, they could not even see His Majesty.
These ministers quietly began to formulate their own plans. Those with daughters of marriageable age no longer rushed to find husbands, and even those already engaged cleverly found excuses to avoid the issue. Meanwhile, families without daughters were even more active, selecting attractive women from their side branches and adopting them as their own. They all held the same hope, awaiting the next time His Majesty would recruit women to the harem, hoping their daughters, or "daughters," would be chosen.
While Chang Sun Dechong and the others were busy, Chu Fan also sighed in his bedroom. Stirrups, saddles, and horseshoes were the three main components of a warhorse, but Chu Fan only took out the stirrups and saddle. As for the horseshoes, Chu Fan didn't dare to give them to Mu Yunfeng and the others.
Chu Fan knew very well the value of horseshoes.
Faced with the current predicament of Wei's weak national strength and scarcity of war horses, saddles and stirrups are enough to greatly enhance Wei's combat effectiveness.
After all, stirrups and saddles alone were of limited use to the Xiongnu, a people on horseback. Even if the Xiongnu had mastered the art of making stirrups and saddles, it would have been difficult to significantly improve their combat effectiveness. Furthermore, the Xiongnu simply didn't have enough iron to make saddles and stirrups.
However, for the Wei cavalry, with stirrups and saddles, they had the strength to compete with the Xiongnu cavalry.
But Chu Fan really didn't dare to hand over the horseshoe. Even though Chu Fan knew the extraordinary nature of the horseshoe, it not only greatly increased the fighting power of the warhorse, but was also an invaluable protector of the warhorse.
On the battlefield, warhorses are the warriors' wings, their speed and strength crucial to victory or defeat. However, the harsh conditions of the battlefield often take a heavy toll on these brave creatures, especially as the frequent collisions of hooves with the hard ground can easily lead to wear and tear, and even breakage.
In Chu Fan's memory, he had personally witnessed how war horses without horseshoes stumbled and fell on the battlefield, and some were even unable to continue fighting due to serious injuries.
But the advent of the horseshoe revolutionized this situation. Its ingenious attachment to the hoof not only significantly enhanced its wear resistance but also effectively dispersed impact forces during galloping, significantly reducing the risk of injury. During countless thrilling charges and retreats, the horseshoe served as an impenetrable line of defense, guarding the horses' every stride and empowering them to be even more fearless and indomitable on the battlefield.
It was because Chu Fan knew the importance of the horseshoe that he did not dare to take out such a sacred object.
However, the number of war horses possessed by the Wei State was extremely scarce compared to that of the Xiongnu. If the Xiongnu had acquired horseshoe technology, they could have built an invincible cavalry unit with their vast number of war horses and the aid of horseshoes. After all, horseshoes do not require as much iron as stirrups and saddles.
It is hard to imagine how those brutal Huns would use the horseshoes to further enhance the combat effectiveness of their war horses if they fell into their hands, thus posing a more serious threat to the State of Wei.
This was definitely not a scene Chu Fan had hoped to witness. After all, the system didn't specify that the mission would be completed if Wei was destroyed by another nation. Imagine if the Xiongnu annexed Wei in one fell swoop. Wouldn't he die, and wouldn't this journey through time be in vain?
This is why Chu Fan firmly supports Mu Yunfeng and his men. Only when Mu Yunfeng and his men grow stronger can the Wei Kingdom be stabilized. At the same time, only when their strength continues to increase will their inner desires gradually expand.
In the days that followed, Chu Fan continued to play with Changsun Pinting and the other four girls, not paying much attention to the disaster victims and the border situation. After all, if there was any sign of trouble, Changsun Pinting and Mu Xi would definitely report it to him immediately.
At present, Changsun Dechong is busy with disaster relief, while Mu Yunfeng is fully committed to guarding the border and ensuring national peace. The State of Wei is methodically restoring its former prosperity and order.
After Changsun Dechong had properly arranged the warhorses, he immediately returned to join the flood victims. After all, Changsun Dechong's primary responsibility was to provide disaster relief. As for the specific matters of stirrups and saddles, he could safely leave them to trusted generals.
Watching the victims' toil, Changsun Dechong felt a surge of heartfelt relief. His Majesty's meticulously planned plan included a crucial initiative: the construction of three fortified citadels on three sides of Kaifeng. These citadels would not only provide immediate shelter for the affected, but also serve the long-term purpose of protecting Kaifeng, ensuring the stability and tranquility of the imperial capital.
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