Chapter 108: Preparing for the Exploration

Early the next morning, at the appointed time, Du Long rode to the southern gate of the capital city astride the great lion, accompanied by Xia Qinglian and Princess Huofeng. Master Ou Yezi and his disciples, numbering several dozen, were already waiting there.

Due to the hurried nature of this journey, Du Long decided against bringing a large escort. With the great lion, Xiao Lie, by his side, he was confident he would not fear any bandits along the way.

“Brother Ou Yezi! Sorry to keep you waiting!” Du Long said apologetically, bowing slightly.

“Heh heh! I just arrived myself, brother,” Ou Yezi replied with a wave of his hand. “Let me introduce you—this is my eldest disciple, Lü Hai. Among all my pupils, he is the one who has truly mastered my forging techniques.” He then pulled forward a sturdy, honest-looking man.

“Master Lü Hai, it’s a pleasure! From now on, the manufacturing of weapons in Fengli Commandery will rely on you,” Du Long said courteously, bowing in return.

“Heh heh! Your Highness, you flatter me. Under my master’s orders, I will give you my full support!” Lü Hai chuckled bashfully. His dark face flushed, making him look even more sun-kissed. He was a simple and lovable fellow, somewhat resembling the burly Tieniu, though a size smaller.

“All right! We still have a thousand miles to cover. Let’s ride hard first and talk at leisure later,” Ou Yezi said impatiently. This forging fanatic was clearly preoccupied with the unique weapons they intended to produce in Fengli Commandery.

Thus, the group of several dozen set off, galloping southwest. Du Long and the two stunning beauties rode the great lion, naturally drawing countless envious gazes.

“Brother Ou Yezi, I don’t see any forging tools with you this time. Will all the equipment be acquired in Fengli Commandery?” Du Long asked curiously from Xiao Lie’s back.

“Haha! Brother, I’ve been at this a long time, forging divine weapons for many. Do you think I’d be without even a simple spatial ring?” Ou Yezi said with pride, shaking his right hand to reveal a large, conspicuous ring on his ring finger.

“I see!” Du Long nodded in understanding.

Amid their light-hearted chatter, the dozen or so riders sped away toward Fengli Commandery.

Such a large endeavor could not be kept secret from the major powers, especially since Du Long’s great lion had long been marked by interested parties as a prime target. Inside the southern gate of the capital, spies immediately relayed the information.

At the Fan Mansion, Chancellor Fan De pondered over the news for a long moment before speaking gravely, “They’ve actually managed to recruit that stubborn old master Ou Yezi! This former waste of the Du family is becoming more inscrutable by the day. It seems he wants to develop his own elite cavalry in Fengli Commandery.”

“Hmph! Starting only now, a new regiment of ten thousand won’t affect the grand scheme. We can largely ignore it. But, Black Hawk, you must dispatch people to keep a close eye on Fengli Commandery and see what tricks that brat Du is playing!”

“As you command!” Black Hawk, who had remained silently near Fan De like a shadow, immediately bowed and set off to make arrangements.

******

Without a large escort and carrying only several days’ worth of rations, Du Long and his party made good time, reaching Fengli Commandery’s city in just two and a half days—a pace even cautious enough to spare Xiao Lie from full gallop.

Within the city lord’s mansion, steward Fu Bo had not expected Du Long to arrive so swiftly from the capital. It was only when Du Long and his group of dozens entered the main hall that Fu Bo hurried over upon hearing the news.

“Young Master! You’re back again? And who are these people?” Fu Bo asked in a rush, eyeing the impressive company with curiosity.

“Come, Fu Bo, let me introduce you. This is Master Ou Yezi, the world’s finest craftsman, and these are his top disciples. I’ve come to Fengli Commandery to establish a secret weapons forging factory for our territory. You must assist Master Ou Yezi and his disciples fully and ensure the factory’s construction is completed swiftly,” Du Long said directly, as there were no outsiders present.

“A secret weapons factory?!” Fu Bo was stunned. He knew such a project would entail terrifyingly large expenditures—a bottomless pit of costs. “Good heavens! Young Master, our territory is so small—do we really need such a factory? Our entire income might not cover the costs!”

“We have three gold mines as a base. The top priority now is to find more metal ore veins. Once we can mine our own metal ores for weapons production, the cost of running the factory will be drastically reduced,” Du Long explained, repeating what the enchanting spirit lady had taught him.

“Metal ore veins?!” Fu Bo’s eyes brightened. “Young Master, just recently, our mining exploration teams reported finding a metal ore deposit. They even brought back some samples. I’ll fetch them at once!”

Fu Bo soon returned, holding a chunk of ore. Without hesitation, Ou Yezi stepped forward to examine it. At a glance, his eyes widened. “Black玄 Iron?! This is excellent for forging weapons—much harder than ordinary steel!”

Du Long’s eyes lit up. “Fu Bo! Bring the people who discovered this metal vein to me immediately! I want to question them!”

“Right away! They just returned yesterday from the Monster Beast Forest and are likely resting in the mansion now!” Fu Bo agreed and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped, turned, and stared at Ou Yezi in astonishment. “You… you are the world’s top craftsman, Ou Yezi?”

Du Long gave a wry look at the forgetful steward. He had clearly introduced Ou Yezi’s identity earlier, yet Fu Bo only just realized it now after all the hustle.

“That’s right! It’s me,” Ou Yezi said proudly, stroking his beard.

“Well…” Fu Bo blinked and glanced at Du Long, then stomped his foot in surprise before departing to attend to his duties. His steps were noticeably lighter than before.

At first, Fu Bo had been worried that Young Master Du was about to squander a fortune again, but now his mind was at ease, and his pace reflected that relief.

Fu Bo’s unusual behavior left Du Long and Ou Yezi somewhat puzzled. They exchanged a glance and shook their heads with a smile.

Soon, Fu Bo returned with two men. “Young Master, these are the newly appointed mining team leaders, the Wu brothers. You two, greet your lord.”

The two men bowed respectfully, their voices trembling. “Greetings, Lord Du, the Blue Sky Prince!”

“You have our thanks for discovering the ore! Please rise and speak,” Du Long gestured for them to stand.

“Thank you, Lord Du!” the two men stood.

“What are your names? Where do you come from?” Du Long smiled. “Also, just call me lord. That ‘Blue Sky Prince’ title is a mouthful.”

“My name’s Wu Dahǔ,” the elder brother said.

“And I’m Wu Erhǔ,” the younger added.

“We’re brothers from Fengli City. When the Blue Sky Prince Lord slew dozens of corrupt officials who harmed the people, he also created many jobs for the locals. The people of Fengli Commandery deeply appreciate your great kindness, which is why they address you so respectfully,” Wu Dahǔ explained.

“Heh! Seeing is believing. I’d heard in the capital that you were known as the Iron-Blooded Lord of Fengli Commandery, but I didn’t expect you to be so loved by your people. It truly commands my admiration,” Ou Yezi said with a smile, stroking his beard.

“Heh, you flatter me,” Du Long replied, a little embarrassed.

“This gentleman! The Blue Sky Prince Lord is ruthless with evildoers but generous to the weak and poor. For years, the people of Fengli Commandery have suffered and finally have a lord who brings hope. Naturally, they support you wholeheartedly and wish you to remain their lord forever,” Wu Dahǔ continued gratefully.

“All right, Brother Dahǔ, let’s set that aside. Tell me how you found these ores, the location of the vein, and roughly how much there is,” Du Long said, cheeks flushed from the praise. He hurried on, fearing he might become dizzy if the compliments continued.

“Yes, Lord Du! We both used to prospect for mines. Recently, we heard the lord’s mansion was recruiting talents and volunteered. The steward appointed us leaders of two mining teams. We were promptly sent out to search for gold veins. When we ventured about two hundred miles into the Monster Beast Forest, we found this metal vein. To be honest, we only know gold well. This black, shiny metal was unfamiliar, so we didn’t investigate the vein’s size thoroughly and just brought back some samples,” Wu Dahǔ explained at length.

Du Long suddenly recalled that when he left the territory, he instructed Fu Bo to recruit not only miners but also experienced prospectors to seek gold veins specifically. He hadn’t ordered them to explore other metal ores yet.

“Good. Fu Bo, besides intensifying the search for gold veins, don’t overlook metal veins like this one. They must be thoroughly examined and mined. Let Master Ou Yezi appraise all ore samples to help us prioritize extraction,” Du Long instructed, following the spirit lady’s advice.

“Yes, Young Master! Understood!” Fu Bo responded respectfully.

“Two hundred miles out! It’s still early. Fu Bo, arrange a lavish lunch for us immediately. Skip the wine for now. After we eat, we’ll head out to inspect the mine,” Du Long decided quickly.

“Yes! I’ll arrange it right away!” Fu Bo hurried off.

“Wu brothers, stay and dine with us. Afterward, we’ll head out together to explore the mine. Once we confirm the vein’s reserves, I’ll reward you accordingly,” Du Long said with a smile.

“Thank you, Blue Sky Prince Lord!” the Wu brothers replied excitedly, though the title still felt awkward on their tongues.