Chapter 78

"Ha, just kidding, no way!" Yueyang tried to hold back his laughter, shaking his head. "I wouldn't dare joke with you, Brother Zhao. Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?"

"Then tell me, what are all these things on your list? Steam engines and parts, steam hydraulic presses, three open-hearth steel furnaces, a factory, a small cement plant, and all driven by steam engines, plus a bunch of other junk I don't even know what they are. Are you sure today isn't April Fool's Day?" Zhao Santong's face was grim as he waved the paper in his hand.

"Brother Zhao, I'm not lying to you, I really need these things!" Yueyang looked aggrieved.

"You're not lying? Do you think my house is a museum? These things have been obsolete for over a hundred years. Where am I supposed to find them for you?"

Zhao Santong was almost amused. The kid wasn't lying, and the state wouldn't prohibit these items, but no sane person would want such junk, let alone pay a high price for it. Even the most dilapidated township enterprises wouldn't want these things that had been obsolete for over a hundred years.

Seeing Zhao Santong's disbelieving expression, Yueyang became anxious. He took out his bank card and waved it. "Brother Zhao, even if I'm lying to you, the RMB won't lie to you. How about this, I'll transfer thirty million to you first. Once you get me these machines, I'll pay the rest. What do you think?"

"Damn, you really plan to buy this garbage?" Zhao Santong took a deep breath. The kid was right; even if he was lying, the money wouldn't lie. "Are you planning to open a museum of modern industry? Why else would you buy all this junk?"

Yueyang shook his head with a bitter smile. He didn't want to, but if the jade pendant hadn't malfunctioned, he wouldn't be buying these things. What was most troubling for Yueyang was that the portal was too narrow, and everything had to be disassembled to pass through. It looked like he had a lot of work ahead.

For the sake of the money, Zhao Santong decided to take on the job. He shook his head. "Sigh, forget it. I'll try to figure something out. I don't know if anyone will even make these antiques. What era are you living in, playing with steam engines? Do you really think you can time-travel back to the 19th century?"

Zhao Santong didn't realize that his muttering was half-right. Yueyang could indeed time-travel, but to the 17th century.

But Zhao Santong then said seriously, "Brother Yue, everything else is fine, I can get it done in three months. But the gunpowder factory is a different story. The equipment is easy to get, but you need a special permit from the state. Even though it's black powder, it's still gunpowder, you understand?"

"I understand!" Yueyang thumped his chest. "Brother Zhao, as long as you get me the equipment, I'll handle the location and permits myself!"

"Can you do it?" Zhao Santong looked at Yueyang doubtfully, his expression uncertain. In any country, someone who could openly run a gunpowder factory wouldn't be simple. This stuff was too sensitive, especially in China, where private gunpowder factories were almost non-existent.

Seeing Zhao Santong's almost accusatory expression, Yueyang didn't bother to explain. He said helplessly, "Whether I can or not, you don't need to worry. I'll handle it myself."

Seeing Yueyang's confident demeanor, Zhao Santong didn't bother to question him further. He nodded. "Alright, I'll contact you in three months. I'll send you the final price after everything is done!"

After parting ways with Zhao Santong, Yueyang drove his truck to the steel plant several times. When he met Jia Wenmao again, he noticed that the man had gained some weight in the past few months. He teased, "Old Jia, you've put on some weight since I last saw you. Did I not give you enough tasks?"

Hearing Yueyang's words, Jia Wenmao waved his hands. "No, no, fewer tasks are better. Too many and my heart can't take it. You'd better get your treasures out of here quickly. If the police see, I won't be able to explain myself no matter how many mouths I have."

"What? You've finished all those things?" Yueyang was delighted.

"Of course, they're all in the warehouse. You'd better take them away quickly! I have a family to support. What will they do if I get arrested?" Jia Wenmao led Yueyang to the warehouse as he spoke.

When Jia Wenmao opened the warehouse door, rows of dark objects were revealed before Yueyang. If a military enthusiast familiar with ancient Chinese weapons were to see them, they would exclaim, "Tiger Squat Cannons!"

Yes, these were the famous Tiger Squat Cannons from the Ming Dynasty. These cannons were light, weighing from 39 to several dozen pounds, and were very effective against large-scale enemy charges, which is why they were favored by the Ming army. However, the Tiger Squat Cannons Jia Wenmao made were different from those of the Ming Dynasty. Due to the limitations of craftsmanship and materials, the Ming Dynasty's cannons had 7 to 12 iron hoops to prevent the barrel from bursting. But these issues were no longer a problem, so the iron hoops were removed.

Seeing these cannons, Yueyang's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile. He ran over and caressed them, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

Looking at Yueyang's beaming face, Jia Wenmao said, "Boss, as you requested, I've made sixty 30mm, forty 80mm, and twenty 100mm Tiger Squat Cannons. They can't compare to modern artillery, but they can fire explosives and various types of ammunition without any problem."

"Good, very good!" Yueyang patted the cannon at his feet, nodding in satisfaction. "I'll move them out right away. Don't worry, no one will come to check on you."

"Let's hope so!"

Jia Wenmao felt his boss was becoming increasingly strange. First, he made armor and weapons, then muzzle-loading rifles, and now cannons. If these things weren't from several centuries ago, Jia Wenmao might have thought his boss was planning a rebellion.

Yueyang didn't care about Jia Wenmao's thoughts. He drove his truck and loaded the armor, weapons, and Tiger Squat Cannons onto it, then transported them to his yard in the suburbs. When night fell, he spent the whole night moving the weapons, armor, and a batch of food to the Ming Dynasty.

When the sky began to lighten, Yueyang returned to Yue Family Village, exhausted. He went to his room, but there were no longer the Linglong sisters to serve him. They had moved to the new home in Yingzhou City with most of the villagers. Only a manager and a few servants remained to manage the village.

Lying in bed, Yueyang was too tired to sleep. He caressed the jade pendant in his hand, looking at the cracks on it, feeling a mix of emotions. With a heavy heart, he fell into a deep sleep, not waking until the afternoon.

Yueyang went to the training ground and immediately saw Shunbao training the soldiers. As the drill instructor, Yueyang was responsible for the city's defense, so he had assigned three thousand infantry to Yingzhou. Now, Wulizhai had only one thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry. Worried about the small number of troops, Yueyang had recruited three thousand new soldiers and entrusted them to Shunbao for training.

"Attention... chest out, head up, stomach in, no moving. If anyone moves, my stick won't be gentle!" Shunbao, in full armor, walked slowly among the new recruits, holding a large stick. Around him, many soldiers with wooden sticks patrolled, ready to strike any new recruit who moved or acted improperly.

"Ha ha... looks like everyone is training enthusiastically!" a voice rang out on the training ground.

"Master... you're finally back!"

Shunbao, who had been walking with a stern face, immediately broke into a sunny smile and ran over to Yueyang. The quick change in his demeanor left the soldiers staring in amazement. Many couldn't believe that the stern instructor had such a hidden side.

"Damn, sycophant!" Many new recruits cursed in their hearts. They didn't know that this was a habit Shunbao had developed over the years, having been Yueyang's servant for over a decade. Seeing his master, he naturally had to smile, a reflex by now.

Seeing Shunbao approach, Yueyang asked, "Shunbao, what's Wu Chengfeng up to?"

Mentioning him, Shunbao, who had been smiling, realized that Yueyang wasn't there for him. He huffed. "That guy is still training his cavalry outside the village. He probably won't be back until evening. Does Master need him? Should I send someone to call him back?"

"No need!" Yueyang waved his hand, looking at Shunbao and the rows of new recruits behind him. "Continue training the new recruits. In a few days, Master will take you to科尔沁, and you need to perform well!"

"Master... are we really going to bring the young lady back?" Hearing that he would be going with Yueyang again, Shunbao was delighted. Yueyang taking him along meant he was still highly regarded.

"Of course, why would Master lie to you? We'll prepare and set out in a few days!" Yueyang patted Shunbao's shoulder, speaking with confidence.

PS: I recommend a new book, "The Supreme War Emperor" by Shixi Linmen. If you're interested, give it a try!

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