Chapter 779: So Clueless About People
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiangheng couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah!"
So, they planned to build an ironworks here!
The benefits of an ironworks were self-evident: it could be used to forge weapons, firearms, and cannons.
In other words, Shangnan County was fulfilling the "making military preparations" proposal from his Ten Proposals and Eight Regulations.
What could he say?
How incredibly efficient!
Lu Xiangheng was overjoyed beyond measure. He had never encountered local officials so compliant. Among the five circuits, eight prefectures, and nine provinces under his jurisdiction, not a single one embraced his policies with such zeal.
He rushed like the wind into the county yamen, where he found Luo Xi and Zheng Gouzi hunched over... eating!
Li Daoxuan, however, was not at the table. He sat motionless in a chair nearby, like a statue, not even blinking—utterly terrifying.
He cleared his throat, making a soft sound.
The two men eating looked up. Luo Xi was delighted: "Ah! Governor Lu has arrived! Why didn't you send word? This subordinate would have come out to greet you! Oh, come quickly, sit down, and join us for a meal."
Lu Xiangheng thought to himself: "Now you suddenly understand social etiquette? You know to invite me to eat, but you didn't think to invite Li Daoxuan?"
He turned to Li Daoxuan, who sat by himself, and asked, "Li Daoxuan, why are you sitting over there? Have you eaten? Would you like to join us?"
Li Daoxuan remained silent and still, maintaining his wide-eyed stare, without a single flicker in his gaze.
Lu Xiangheng felt a shiver. Had Li Daoxuan been driven mad with anger?
With that thought, he felt too awkward to sit down and eat, even though he was a little hungry. He could still endure, so he spoke: "This official already ate on the march."
Luo Xi responded, "Oh? You've eaten? What a pity! Li Daoxuan's logistics team just delivered a fresh batch of provisions. Look, this is newly arrived lunch meat, and it smells so delicious."
Lu Xiangheng broke into a cold sweat inwardly: "Are you serious? You're eating food sent by Li Daoxuan, yet you don't invite him to eat with you? Is that any way to treat someone?"
Terrifying, these military men, utterly terrifying.
"Ahem!" Lu Xiangheng quickly changed the subject: "Your Shangnan County is developing quite well."
Luo Xi chuckled, "Yes, it's quite good, all thanks to Li Daoxuan. He provides both funds and effort."
Lu Xiangheng thought: "Don't mention Li Daoxuan again! He's staring his eyes dry next to you! Not blinking, they really would dry out, without a single tear left."
Lu Xiangheng continued, "Shangnan County is doing splendidly. We can extend these efforts to Wuguan Pass, Shanyang County, and Shangzhou City. This official will inform the officials in those places to learn from you. I only wonder if Li Daoxuan still has enough resources..."
Zheng Gouzi eagerly interjected, "He does! As long as Governor Lu gives the word, our people can immediately go to those counties to assist with their development."
Lu Xiangheng mused: "Li Daoxuan is too angry to speak, and you, his subordinate, can't even read the awkward atmosphere, rushing to answer like that. So tactless."
Never mind, the atmosphere in this room is suffocating; I'd best make my exit!
Lu Xiangheng said, "Indeed, keep up the good work."
With that, Lu Xiangheng ran out. He truly couldn't bear someone staring so intently, wide-eyed and motionless, it was truly unsettling.
He hadn't run far from the county yamen when a messenger arrived again: "Report! The rebels are heading towards Miejia Gully and Shiquan Dam."
Lu Xiangheng commanded, "Reinforce them at once!"
"Report! The rebels are ravaging Kangningping and Lion Mountain."
Lu Xiangheng ordered, "Divide the troops and reinforce them!"
"Report! The rebels are advancing simultaneously on Taiping River, Zhumu Bian, and Jingkou."
Lu Xiangheng exclaimed, "I...!"
He suddenly remembered something, spun around, and ran back into the Shangnan County yamen. He grabbed Luo Xi, who was munching on lunch meat: "Dispatch troops at once! This official will deal with the rebels at Miejia Gully, Shiquan Dam, Kangningping, and Lion Mountain. You will deal with the rebels at Taiping River, Zhumu Bian, and Jingkou."
Luo Xi protested, "Hey, hey, hey? This subordinate hasn't finished his meat yet... oh, oh, oh... it just arrived, a fresh delivery..."
Lu Xiangheng exploded in anger, "Li Daoxuan sent this food, and he hasn't had a single bite, but you're happily eating it? You won't eat anymore. Get ready for battle immediately!"
Luo Xi was speechless.
Zheng Gouzi followed out from behind, laughing heartily, and dragged Luo Xi away, "Alright, alright, you'll still have lunch meat to eat on the march!"
With that, he flicked his wrist and tossed a bamboo box to Lu Xiangheng.
Lu Xiangheng opened the bamboo box to find a perfectly square, brick-like block of meat: "Hmm? Is this the lunch meat Luo Xi was talking about?"
Zheng Gouzi added, "Just heat it up, and it's ready to eat. It's truly delicious."
After saying that, he had already pulled Luo Xi towards the barracks to gather the soldiers for battle.
Lu Xiangheng shook his head, holding the bamboo box, and returned to his Tianxiong Army, quickly ordering his soldiers to set off for battle...
Before departing, what about the three thousand captives?
Lu Xiangheng's head spun with vexation!
Just then, a man wearing a Blue Hat approached: "Sir, if you have no way to accommodate these three thousand captives, why not entrust them to us? We need some people for heavy labor here. We have plenty of grain to feed these fellows."
Lu Xiangheng's eyes widened in surprise: "What???"
That evening, the Tianxiong Army halted halfway to Miejia Gully to rest and prepare a meal. Lu Xiangheng's personal guards helped him heat the lunch meat and respectfully presented it to him.
Lu Xiangheng took a small bite, and his expression immediately relaxed: "Hmm? This stuff is actually quite tasty. No wonder that fellow Luo Xi likes it so much."
While Lu Xiangheng watched Li Daoxuan with wide, unblinking eyes, Li Daoxuan's Co-sensing, of course, was not in that body. At this moment, he was in Xi'an.
Xi'an, outside the North City Gate.
A brand new train station stood proudly not far outside Xi'an's North City Gate.
A new sign hung on the train station: "Xi'an North Station."
The bottom left corner of the sign also bore a small inscription: "Prince of Qin's Residence."
In front of the train station, a new railway stretched northward, disappearing into the horizon...
This railway was the Xi-Yan Railway, built by the Prince of Qin's heir, who had invested heavily in its construction.
Currently, it only stretched for twenty li, as the latter half of the tracks hadn't been laid, making it impassable.
Now, the most challenging part of this railway project was the Wei River!
The Wei River was not wide, less than a hundred meters!
Stone bridges, wooden bridges, suspension bridges, and other types of bridges had long been built over the river.
But none of these bridges could bear the weight of a heavy train.
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