cotton-padded coat blueprint
The crisis at the armory was like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond.
The incident caused a brief ripple in the Black Stone Fortress camp, but was quickly suppressed by General Huo's iron fist and Wang Ji'an's strict discipline.
The tragic fate of the two spies:
One of them had half of his ribs shattered by the wolf king with the flanks.
Another person had their wrist bitten off by Lan Ying.
The Ministry of Works-issue poison and fuses found on them became the most direct and irrefutable evidence.
General Huo's face remained ashen; he merely ordered the evidence to be sealed away without immediately taking any action.
But the generals in the tent all understood that this blood debt would be repaid with interest sooner or later.
As Shen Yan watched the traitor being dragged away, a cold glint flashed in her peach blossom eyes.
Then he put on that cynical smile again.
He moved closer to Ling Zhan, who was squatting on the ground studying the poison residue.
"I'm talking about Li Wang Da Hua... cough, Madam Ling,"
He quickly changed his tune, feeling that calling her by her old nickname "Big Flower" from back then was a bit incongruous.
"What's going on? This is clearly a scheme to destroy us, they're really going all out."
Ling Zhan stood up and dusted off his hands.
The sound was calm and even.
"The 'Bone-Eating Green' special supply from the Jiangnan Branch of the Ministry of Works has a fuse that was modified from a defective product rejected by the Ordnance Bureau. The clue is clear, but it is not useful for the time being."
Her gaze turned toward the central command tent.
"General Huo has his reasons. But what about Xiao'er..."
Mentioning Shen Xiao, Shen Yan's smile faded slightly, and a barely perceptible anxiety flashed deep in his eyes.
The boy he raised is fighting desperately in that snowstorm!
He scratched his hair in frustration, causing his carefully styled bun to tilt slightly.
"Damn it! When Tiger gets back, I'm going to..."
"Father, Brother Xiao is a lucky man, and Heaven will always protect him."
Shen Hong walked over at some point.
Her clear voice carried a comforting power.
He glanced at the crooked hair bun and silently reached out to straighten it for Shen Yan.
Shen Yan was stunned for a moment.
Looking at his second son, who had an otherworldly air about him and seemed untouched by worldly concerns.
Then I thought of Big Tiger, whose fate was unknown in Buffalo Valley.
The restlessness in my heart was strangely suppressed.
He raised his hand and ruffled Shen Hong's hair, earning a helpless look from the boy.
His tone became more composed: "Yes, good people are always blessed! Your older brother is a tough guy!"
He seemed to be encouraging himself, or perhaps he had just thought of something.
Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she grabbed Ling Zhan's wrist.
"Let's go find General Huo! I've come up with a brilliant idea!"
The atmosphere inside General Huo's tent remained heavy.
Shen Yan barged in without a care in the world.
Following behind were Ling Zhan, who looked completely calm, and Shen Hong, who was as quiet as still water.
"General Huo!"
Shen Yan got straight to the point, his peach blossom eyes gleaming with shrewdness.
“Build a city! Right in Buffalo Valley! I wholeheartedly support this! Moreover, I will not only support it, but I will also buy land in the valley! I will buy a large piece of land for my son!”
General Huo and Wang Ji'an were both taken aback.
Buying land?
What is this Shen Yan up to this time?
"Buy land?" General Huo frowned.
"Yes! Buy land!"
Shen Yan said firmly, "Plant my Shenji Workshop's uniquely cultivated 'Snowy Cotton'! This cotton is cold-resistant, high-yielding, has long fibers for warmth, and low water absorption! It's much better than those coarse-wool sheep on the grassland!"
He became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing wildly.
"I'm going to build a workshop in the valley! I'll use this snow cotton to produce the finest winter clothing! It'll be light, warm, and most importantly, waterproof! Wearing it, our soldiers can lie in the snow for three days without getting soaked or freezing!"
General Huo and Wang Ji'an's eyes lit up instantly!
The northern border region is bitterly cold.
The soldiers' greatest enemies were often not the swords and arrows of the Di people, but the ever-present cold and dampness!
If such a cotton-padded coat truly existed... its value would be immeasurable!
"Is Patriarch Shen really telling the truth?" Wang Ji'an asked excitedly.
When did I ever boast?
Shen Yan raised his chin and then added, "Of course, the cotton-padded clothes must meet my standards! Warmth and practicality are fundamental, but they can't make you look like a clumsy bear! They must be... well, presentable! Stylish! So that people can immediately tell that they are the elite of our Northern Frontier!"
He subconsciously straightened his clothes, striving for perfection.
General Huo did not pay attention to Shen Yan's last emphasis on "aesthetics".
He was more concerned with the enormous strategic value behind the proposal to be disgusted with the people!
Use local resources to establish sustainable logistical support!
He said in a deep voice, “Patriarch Shen is a man of great wisdom and righteousness! If this cotton-padded coat can truly be made, then Master Shen will be a great benefactor to the Northern Frontier Army! However… the construction of the city within the valley is still in the planning stages, and the purchase of land, planting of cotton, and construction of workshops…”
So that's why!
Shen Yan slapped his thigh and finally threw out the crux of the matter, "General Huo, you have to release them! Release the veterans who are willing to stay!"
"A veteran?" General Huo and Wang Ji'an were taken aback again.
"Yes! Veteran!"
Chen Yan's thinking is clear.
"I've heard that many veterans, who fought alongside you for half their lives, are homeless and can only languish in the barracks until they die of old age. Think about it, if Buffalo Valley really becomes our territory, that place is warm and has geothermal energy. We need manpower for cotton planting, herding, and city building! Why not let those veterans who want to settle down retire, take their military merits and savings, and settle down in the valley! Give them land! Build them houses! Settle them down! And let them marry foreign wives..."
He paused, his eyes gleaming with a shrewd yet practical wisdom.
"Injured? No problem! My Chenji Workshop needs people! Spinning, weaving, cutting, sewing, warehouse management—there's something for everyone! The wages are generous; we'll never shortchange them! Let them have a decent job to support themselves and their families!"
"More importantly!"
Shen Yan lowered his voice, a hint of cunning in it.
"Encourage them to intermarry with the foreign tribes they have submitted to! Di women are capable, and herder women know how to raise cattle and sheep! Once they start a family and have children, their hearts will be completely rooted in the valley! This is true commitment! It's more effective than sending any number of soldiers to guard it! Over time, we'll be intertwined, and there won't be any distinction between Di and Han people anymore. We'll all be people of our new city!"
The tent was completely silent.
General Huo and Wang Ji'an were both stunned by Shen Yan's bold and highly feasible idea.
This is not just about solving the problem of veteran resettlement.
It will also provide the most reliable and welcoming population foundation for the future new city!
This is the most perfect implementation plan for Ling Zhan's "City Building Strategy"!
Ling Zhan listened quietly from the side, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
I'm disgusted by this peacock.
The pragmatism and survival wisdom in their minds are indeed not to be underestimated.
He proposed "veterans returning to their hometowns," "disabled resettlement," and "inter-ethnic marriage."
It almost perfectly matched the optimal solution for population stability and integration that she had deduced in her mind.
General Huo suddenly stood up.
He was so excited that his hand holding the cane trembled slightly, and he stared intently at Shen Yan.
"Patriarch Shen! Your words are truly enlightening! Wang Ji'an!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Draft the regulations immediately! All veterans who have served in the northern frontier for ten years, are homeless or voluntarily stay, and veterans whose injuries do not affect their basic work can apply for discharge and will be given priority for resettlement in the future Buffalo New City! They will be granted land, housing, and household registration! Those who are willing to intermarry with other ethnic groups who have submitted will receive additional rewards! The injured will be given priority for employment by Shen's Workshop! This policy will be implemented immediately after the survey of Buffalo Valley is confirmed and the construction of the city begins!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" Wang Ji'an's voice was loud and clear, full of enthusiasm.
This is not just a resettlement order, but a ray of hope that ignites the hopes of countless veterans!
Shen Yan raised his eyebrows smugly.
It's as if I can see vast cotton fields and soldiers wearing cotton-padded clothes that he designed (and they had to be beautiful!).
He noticed that Ling Zhan seemed to be looking at him with a slightly different expression.
My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly turned my face away to brush off the dust.
"father."
Shen Hong's clear voice rang out, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.
"If there is indeed a geothermal vein in Bison Valley, may I find a secluded spot in the valley to build a small temple for quiet cultivation and enlightenment? It can also be used to pray for the people of the new city."
Without a second thought, Shen Yan waved his hand.
"Build it! It must be built! Build the best one for my Hong'er! Pick any place you like! Dad will pay for it!"
He always unconditionally fulfilled his children's requests.
General Huo nodded with a smile.
“Young Master Shen is of noble character. If he could cultivate himself in the new city, it would be a blessing for the people.”
Ling Zhan looked at Shen Yan's nouveau riche face, which seemed to say, "I'm rich, so my son can spend it however he wants."
Then look at Shen Hong's quiet, clear, and seemingly untouched-by-the-world appearance.
His lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
This father-son duo is truly... peculiar.
Rumble—!
The rapid, thunderous sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, then abruptly stopped outside the tent.
Accompanied by the painful neighing of warhorses and the heavy thud of people falling to the ground!
The tent curtain was suddenly flung open.
A gust of wind, mixed with the stench of blood, sweat, and the chill of ice and snow, swept in!
The two guards practically dragged him along.
They rushed in carrying a figure covered in blood, as if he had been pulled out of a pool of blood!
The man's arm was twisted strangely.
His face, which had turned purple from the cold, was covered in blood and frostbite.
One eye was swollen shut, while the other, bloodshot, stared intently at General Huo.
His lips trembled as he screamed with his last ounce of strength, his voice broken like a shattered bellows.
"General...General! We've been ambushed in Buffalo Valley! It's...it's 'Snow Hawk'! Captain Wang...Captain Wang...he's seriously wounded! He's dying!!"
He coughed violently, coughing up blood froth mixed with icy shards.
"Captain Shen... Captain Shen... to save the captain... drew away the pursuers... alone... rushed... rushed into 'Soul-Shattering Gorge'... snow... avalanche... buried them all!!"
"What?!"
Bang!
A piece of mutton-fat jade pendant hanging from Shen Yan's waist slipped from his hand, fell to the ground, and shattered into pieces!
The smug smile on his face was as fragile as ice.
Instantly it cracked and collapsed, the blood color fading away at a visible speed, leaving only a horrifying pale white.
His body swayed, as if he had been struck hard by an invisible hammer.
Ling Zhan's aura suddenly plummeted to freezing point!
The guard closest to her shivered as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Her hands, which were at her sides, clenched tightly.
The knuckles make a sickening "crack" sound from excessive force.
The pale blue veins on the back of his hand were prominent.
General Huo tightened his grip on his cane.
The rough wooden crutch groaned under the strain.
For the first time, his once vigorous face showed an almost ferocious rage and regret.
Shen Hong's clear eyes instantly lost all their luster, becoming empty and blank.
It felt as if a piece of my soul had been forcibly ripped out.
The next second, he silently stepped forward and extended his slightly cool hand.
He gently supported Shen Yan's slightly trembling, cold, and stiff arm.
The tent was deathly silent.
The only sounds were the scouts' heavy, dying breaths and the occasional crackling of the charcoal brazier.
This made the boundless despair seem even more deafening.
"Save them first!"
Ling Zhan nodded in a deep voice to the military doctor who rushed in.
Bison Valley, outside of Broken Soul Gorge.
The wind and snow were like a raging white beast, roaring and tearing the heavens and earth apart.
Visibility was less than ten steps.
The hard snowflakes crackled as they hit the leather armor, instantly numbing the exposed skin.
Shen Xiao's team was like trapped beasts stuck in a white swamp, every step extremely difficult.
"Boss! Ahead! The ridgeline!"
A seasoned veteran roared, his voice breaking in the howling wind.
He pointed to a vague, relatively gentle snow slope on his left.
That was the only possible route to the relatively safe highlands.
Shen Xiao wiped away the frost that was sticking to his eyelashes.
As I looked in the direction the finger was pointing, a glimmer of hope rose in my heart, but my pupils suddenly contracted!
At the top of that seemingly gentle snow slope, dozens of ghostly white figures appeared silently!
They blended into the wind and snow, with only the curved blades in their hands reflecting a cold, faint light.
The leader was as agile as a hawk.
With a ferocious snow hawk mask covering his face, he was none other than the most elite snow scout of the Di people – the "Snow Hawk"!
"Scatter! Find cover! It's a 'Snow Hawk'!"
Shen Xiao's roar was like a thunderclap, instantly tearing apart the howling wind and snow.
It's too late!
Almost at the same time Shen Xiao issued the warning, those snow-white figures moved!
They didn't rush down in a swarm, but rather like a well-trained pack of wolves.
They split into three groups, with two groups flanking from the flanks with lightning speed.
Using the slope of the snow, they instantly cut off Shen Xiao and his group's possibility of retreating to the sides and rear!
Meanwhile, the middle group, led by the leader of the snow hawk mask, swooped down from its high position!
Even more frightening is...
They did not charge blindly, but rather in groups of three, with the front line holding thick leather shields to block any stray arrows that might come.
Taking advantage of the momentum of their forward charge, the people in the back row suddenly threw out lassos and grappling hooks with heavy iron caltrops!
"Watch out for the lasso!"
Lieutenant Wang was the son of Wang Ji'an, and he roared.
He swung his sword and cleaved a rope that was being flung at him; the caltrops grazed his arm armor, sending sparks flying.
His personal guards were not so lucky.
A lasso was precisely placed around his neck, and the immense pulling force instantly dragged him to the ground.
Immediately afterwards, several curved blades slashed down fiercely!
Blood splattered on the pristine snow, only to be instantly covered by the wind and snow.
The battle erupted instantly and was extremely fierce.
The soldiers of the Northern Frontier Army fought bravely, relying on their bravery and superior armor.
Swords flashed in the wind and snow, and each clash of weapons produced dazzling sparks.
However, the "Snow Hawks" tactics were extremely cunning and ruthless. They used the terrain and their numerical advantage to constantly divide and squeeze the Shen Xiao squad into a narrow, dead-end area sandwiched between huge ice walls and steep rocks.
"BOOM—!!!"
A deep, guttural thud.
It sounded as if the earth was groaning, coming from above everyone's heads!
Immediately following was a continuous roar, like ten thousand horses galloping!
"avalanche!"
Shen Xiao and the leader of the snow hawk mask looked up almost simultaneously, a hint of horror flashing in their eyes!
The massive snow waves resembled a white torrent of death.
It cascades down from a higher ridge, carrying with it gravel and ice.
With an aura of annihilation, it crushed down on the chaotic crowd below!
In the face of life and death, neither side cared about fighting! The instinct for survival overwhelmed everything!
"Charge towards the entrance of Broken Soul Gorge! Quickly!"
Shen Xiao's eyes were bloodshot.
Pointing to the only relatively low-lying gap that might avoid the main impact of the avalanche—the Broken Soul Gorge!
The terrain there is complex, filled with jagged rocks and deep ice crevices; it is a dangerous place.
But at this moment, it is also the only way to survive!
Everyone, whether they were from the Northern Frontier Army or the "Snow Hawks," was running frantically in that direction!
The terrifying shockwave from the avalanche had already stirred up the loose snow on the ground.
Like a white tsunami, it was right behind everyone!
"ah--!"
A soldier from the outlying northern frontier army was struck by a tumbling snowball and vanished instantly.
A snow hawk was thrown into the air by the blast wave, screaming as it crashed into a sharp icicle and was smashed to pieces.
Lieutenant Wang was at the forefront.
They were about to rush into the relatively safe area at the mouth of the gorge.
Suddenly, a hard block of ice, the size of a millstone, was ejected from the avalanche torrent.
It slammed into his back like a cannonball!
He was charging forward with all his might, and there was no way for him to dodge!
"careful!"
At the critical moment, Shen Xiao's pupils shrank to pinpoints!
He found the right angle.
Like a cheetah pouncing on its prey, it charged out from the side with all its might.
The muscles in his shoulders and arms bulged instantly, and with a brute force, he slammed into Captain Wang's side!
Bang!
With a dull thud, Captain Wang was knocked to the side and stumbled forward!
Boom! Crack—!!!
The massive, millstone-sized block of ice whistled past Shen Xiao's raised shoulder armor.
With immense power.
It slammed hard into a sharp rock about half a person's height behind Captain Wang's original position!
The solid ice collided violently with the rocks, shattering them with a deafening roar!
Countless sharp stones and ice fragments of varying sizes.
Like a swarm of enraged wasps, or the scythe of death, they shot out in all directions with a piercing sound!
"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"
Several pieces of stone with sharp edges.
Like poisoned fangs, it pierced deeply into Captain Wang's unsuspecting back and thigh!
Blood spurted out instantly!
One of them was a fist-sized rock with jagged, serrated edges.
It carried terrifying kinetic energy and embedded itself deeply near his lumbar spine!
"Well--!"
Lieutenant Wang let out a short, sharp groan, as if his throat had been choked.
My entire lower body went limp as if all the bones had been removed.
He spat out a mouthful of bloody foam mixed with fragments of internal organs.
He looked like a discarded, tattered sack.
He collapsed heavily onto the cold snow, and the glaring crimson quickly spread beneath him.
"Captain!!!"
The surrounding soldiers stared in horror, letting out heart-wrenching screams.
"Take him away! This is a military order! Quickly! Get him into the gorge!"
Shen Xiao's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper being rubbed.
Yet it carried an iron will and an unquestionable authority!
He swung his knife backhand, a flash of cold light.
He fiercely snapped the reins of his Di horse!
Then, with a palm strike imbued with grief and rage, he slammed it hard on the horse's rump with all his might!
"Hiss—!"
The warhorse, in pain, let out a long, mournful neigh.
Like an arrow released from a bow, it charged wildly towards the pursuing "snow hawks"!
"Stop it!"
The leader of the Snowhawk Masks was furious.
The sudden charge of the horses threw the pursuing troops into disarray.
Several screams rang out.
The sturdy horse was instantly felled to the ground by several curved blades, its blood staining the snow red.
Take advantage of this moment of chaos, bought with lives!
Shen Xiao took one last deep look at Captain Wang, who was being dragged desperately towards the gorge by the soldiers.
He turned around resolutely, without the slightest hesitation!
He unleashed the last of his strength.
Heading in the exact opposite direction from the safe zone at the entrance to the Broken Soul Gorge—
That vast, desolate, death slope, completely exposed to the main torrent of the avalanche.
They fled for their lives!
"Chase him! Kill him! Don't let him get away!"
The Snowhawk Mask leader's roar was filled with the fury of being mocked.
Some of the pursuers, blinded by rage, instinctively changed direction and chased after Shen Xiao's retreating figure.
A white torrent of death.
With terrifying power capable of crushing mountains and deafening roars, it finally arrived!
The enormous snow waves resembled a jade pot poured out by a celestial being.
In an instant, Shen Xiao's tiny figure, which was running wildly, along with those "snow hawks" that were chasing after him, were captured.
Completely swallowed up!
All that remained in my field of vision was white—rolling, roaring, boundless, and devouring everything.
"Boss—!!!"
At the mouth of the gorge, the surviving soldiers clung tightly to their comrades who were trying to break free and rush back.
A cry so piercingly mournful it was almost unbearable.
They were engulfed by the devastating roar of the avalanche.
It seemed so weak, so hopeless.
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