Helian Jue's reward was like a stone thrown into a seemingly calm lake, stirring up ripples in the deep waters of the royal court.
Su Nian didn't wear the fine cotton dress; she remained in her drab, drab slave clothes. In this environment, being too conspicuous wasn't a good thing; only by keeping a low profile could one survive long enough. However, she silently accepted the box of medicine; the wound on her fingertip did indeed heal much faster under its effects.
The spying by Madam Lan's maid that time made Su Nian even more vigilant. She knew she had attracted the attention of certain people, or rather, their jealousy. Alai's resentment, Madam Lan's apprehension, and other possible lurking gazes were like invisible threads, wrapping around her.
She needed to quickly establish herself and demonstrate something that would make Helian Jue feel "more valuable to keep her alive than to eliminate her." Mere caution and a little cleverness were far from enough.
The opportunity soon arrived in an unexpected way.
That day, while Su Nian was cleaning the outer room of the study, she overheard a conversation between Helian Jue and Wule, the foreman in charge of weapon forging. Wule's voice was filled with fear and helplessness:
"Your Majesty, it's not that I haven't tried my best, it's just that... the new batch of arrowheads are prone to cracking after quenching, and three or four out of ten are ruined! Lord Kumoti is pressing us hard, but... a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice!"
Kumoti? That name again. Su Nian recalled the accounting issues discussed during the previous meeting. It seemed that this Lady Lan's brother not only controlled taxes but also military equipment?
Helian Jue's voice was devoid of emotion: "The reason."
"Your Majesty, the main problem is... the quality of the iron ore. The iron ore from the veins we commonly use has more impurities, making forging extremely difficult. Uneven heating during quenching also easily causes cracks. Unless... unless we can find a purer source of ore, or..." Ule's voice lowered, as if he dared not say more.
"Or what?" Helian Jue pressed.
“Or perhaps there is a better forging method, or… perhaps by improving the shape of the arrowhead, we can make up for the lack of material…” Ule’s voice grew softer and softer, clearly feeling that the hope was slim.
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat. Improve the shape of the arrowhead? Wasn't this exactly the direction she could try? Although she wasn't a weapons expert, as an astronomical writer, she had researched a lot of information about the era of cold weapons in order to write novels with an ancient background, and had some basic understanding of the types and characteristics of arrowheads.
She stopped what she was doing and listened intently.
There was a moment of silence inside, as Helian Jue seemed to be thinking. Then, he said coldly, "I will have someone investigate the matter of the mineral source. As for the improvement... I'll give you ten days. If there's still no improvement, you can forget about being the director of the workshops."
Ule took his leave in a hurry, and his footsteps faded into the distance.
Su Nian took a deep breath, knowing this could be both an opportunity and a huge risk. A "Princess of Southern Xia," knowledgeable in weapons manufacturing? That was highly suspicious. But if it succeeded…
She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to take the risk. She straightened her clothes, walked to the study door, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, this servant... may have a few rudimentary ideas about arrowheads."
The study fell silent for a moment.
Immediately, Helian Jue's icy voice rang out: "Come in."
Su Nian entered the study, still keeping her head down, not daring to look directly at the man on the throne.
"Speak," Helian Jue said succinctly.
Su Nian carefully chose her words, trying to express herself in language understandable in this era: "When I was in Nanxia, I saw some different types of arrowheads. Some were designed to penetrate armor, while others were designed to draw blood... Perhaps we could make different shaped arrowheads according to their different uses, instead of using a uniform design. For example, against enemies with thick armor, we could use triangular or quadrangular arrowheads with blood grooves, which have stronger penetrating power and cause wounds that are harder to heal; against targets with no armor or light armor, we could use shovel-shaped or barbed arrowheads to enlarge the wound and accelerate blood loss..."
As she spoke, she secretly observed Helian Jue's reaction. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest, his face expressionless, but his eyes were focused intently on her.
Su Nian mustered her courage and continued, "In addition... regarding quenching, I once read in a miscellaneous book that the water temperature, the angle and speed of immersion in the water can all affect the final result during quenching. Perhaps... we could try quenching in stages, or use different media, such as oil... Of course, this is just my wild idea, and whether it will be useful or not still needs to be verified by the craftsmen."
She dared not be too specific or ahead of her time, only offering some ideas and directions. After speaking, she held her breath, awaiting the verdict.
Silence fell over the study once again.
Helian Jue's gaze lingered on her for a long time, sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to peel off her skin to see how many "unexpected skills" were hidden inside.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "You seem to know a lot."
Su Nian's heart tightened.
But his next sentence was: "Ule".
The craftsman supervisor, Ule, who had been waiting outside the door, hurriedly ran in.
“She heard everything.” Helian Jue pointed at Su Nian. “Try it according to her idea. I want to see results within ten days.”
Ule paused for a moment, glanced at Su Nian who was still hanging her head, and his eyes flashed with surprise and confusion, but more than that, there was relief and a trace of eagerness to grasp at a lifeline. He quickly bowed and said, "Yes! Your humble servant obeys!"
“You,” Helian Jue then looked at Su Nian, “go with her. Explain your ‘wild thoughts’ to Wule.”
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat. Send her to the artisan workshop? This…is this appropriate? It's practically a man's world there, and…
"What?" Helian Jue's voice turned cold. "You're unwilling?"
"No! This servant obeys!" Su Nian immediately replied. She knew she had no right to refuse.
Following Ule out of the core area of the royal court and towards the artisan workshops on the edge of the court, filled with the lively atmosphere of daily life, Su Nian's feelings were complex and indescribable. She hadn't expected Helian Jue to involve her so directly. This was both a sign of trust and a deeper test.
The workshop was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of hammering, forging, and the shouts of the artisans. The air was thick with the mingled smells of coal, metal, and sweat. Su Nian's arrival drew countless surprised, curious, and even hostile glances. A woman dressed in slave clothes, brought to such a place by the workshop supervisor himself, was simply too incongruous.
Ule was clearly embarrassed, but he dared not disobey Helian Jue's orders. He took Su Nian to a relatively quiet corner and found several experienced old craftsmen.
Su Nian wasn't intimidated. She knew she had to bring something real. She picked up a twig and roughly drew several arrow shapes she remembered on the ground: a triangular pyramid-shaped armor-piercing arrow, a barbed hunting arrow, a flat shovel-shaped arrow for wounding... and briefly explained the characteristics and applicable scenarios for each type of arrow.
At first, the old craftsmen's eyes were filled with doubt and disdain, but as they listened to Su Nian's clear explanation and looked at the simple yet ingenious patterns on the ground, their eyes gradually changed from doubt to contemplation, and they even began to ask some questions.
"...If the three-sided blade had sharper edges, it might indeed be easier to penetrate leather armor..."
"Bloodline... that's worth a try, it drains blood quickly..."
"Quenching... oil? I've never tried that before..."
Su Nian didn't adopt a superior attitude. Instead, she used a tone of discussion and exchange, combining her limited knowledge with the craftsmen's rich practical experience to continuously refine her ideas. She knew how to conceal her shortcomings, only mentioning the direction and principles, leaving the specific implementation to the professional craftsmen to explore.
Ule watched from the sidelines, his initial surprise gradually replaced by a hint of excitement. He felt that the idea proposed by this woman from Southern Xia might actually solve their current predicament!
For the next few days, Su Nian spent most of her time in the artisan workshop. Ignoring the smoke and the strange looks, she focused intently on discussing and experimenting with the artisans. Her hands were worn raw again, and her face was covered in coal dust, but she was completely oblivious.
Helian Jue didn't inquire about it again, as if he had forgotten about it. But Su Nian knew that he must be keeping an eye on it in secret.
The tenth day has passed, and the deadline has arrived.
Ule, accompanied by several craftsmen, nervously entered Helian Jue's study, carrying a wooden tray. The tray contained several newly crafted arrowhead samples, as well as wooden planks and leather armor for testing.
Helian Jue picked up a three-edged armor-piercing arrow, its arrowhead gleaming coldly, its edges sharply defined. He glanced at it and casually handed it to Batu beside him.
Batu understood, picked up the powerful bow, nocked a new arrow, aimed at the wooden shield covered with thick cowhide standing not far away, drew the bow to its fullest extent, and shot an arrow!
"laugh--!"
With a muffled thud, the arrow pierced through the cowhide and nearly an inch-thick wooden board, its tip protruding from the back! The arrowhead itself was only slightly deformed and not cracked!
Helian Jue's eyes sharpened instantly.
He tested several other types of arrows, and they all performed much better than the previous standard arrows!
Uller and the craftsmen knelt on the ground, trembling with excitement.
Helian Jue lowered the arrow and his gaze fell on Su Nian, who had been standing quietly in the corner with traces of coal dust on her face.
He stared at her for a long time, his gaze complex and unreadable.
Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying throughout the study:
"Order that the foreman of the workshops, Ule, be rewarded with fifty sheep and twenty slaves for his meritorious work in supervising the construction."
Ule excitedly kowtowed in gratitude.
Helian Jue paused, his gaze still fixed on Su Nian, and continued:
"As for you..."
Su Nian's heart jumped.
"From this day forward, you are permitted to freely enter and leave the artisan workshop to assist Ule in improving military equipment."
Free access to the artisans' workshops! Assist in improving weaponry!
This is not just recognition, but an unprecedented level of authority and...trust?
Su Nian stood there, stunned, almost unable to believe her ears.
However, Helian Jue's next words plunged her heart into despair once again.
He stood up, walked up to her, and looked down at her, his eyes as deep and cold as a still pool.
"Don't disappoint me."
"And don't let me... find any fault with you."
His tone was calm, yet it carried a chilling undertone and an undeniable warning.
Su Nian understood that she had gained something, but she was also standing on the edge of an even more dangerous cliff.
She lowered her head and replied respectfully:
"Yes, this servant...will remember."
(End of Chapter 105)
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