Chapter 180: Confidant
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Finally agreed. Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief. Because they mentioned Ban Jian, she asked about the progress of the bed crossbow’s production process, “Last time, Fourth Brother said he couldn’t find a suitable place to build the bed crossbow. Is there any progress now?”
The model could be made in the mansion, but the actual bed crossbow had to be made in a secluded and safe place outside the capital. Otherwise, if it was discovered, the consequences would be unpredictable. So everyone was cautious, but the problem had to be solved, or else all the effort with the plans and Ban Jian would be wasted.
Fu Mingzheng smiled gently, “As for this, Father has already discussed it with Ying Wang and made proper arrangements. Ying Wang is responsible for providing the place and funds, while we are responsible for the manufacturing. He only asks about the technical aspects and craftsmen, but his people must guard and train the bed crossbow operators.”
Mingzhu sighed. She didn’t understand why her father made such a choice. In her opinion, it was equivalent to handing the entire bed crossbow over to Yuwen Chu. But now that things had come to this, there was no point in saying more. She was worried about how things would turn out.
“With the blueprints and models in hand, mastering the technology is only a matter of time. No matter how you look at it, he has the upper hand. It feels like he’s always suspicious of our family rebelling.”
“It’s a trade-off, a mutual supervision. He is, after all, a prince. It’s impossible, both emotionally and logically, to completely hand over such a major weapon to his subjects. After all, providing the territory also carries risks.” Fu Mingzheng looked at her worried expression and couldn’t help but laugh, “They say girls become more outgoing after marriage. I thought you would be swayed by him, but I didn’t expect you to turn back. It’s comforting to see that you haven’t been completely swayed by him.”
Father and Brother are better at assessing the situation and bargaining than I am. If I can’t control it, I might as well focus more on the core technology and make sure that even if someone gets the blueprints, they can’t steal the technology. Mingzhu made up her mind and said, “Please Fourth Brother, bring Ban Jian to me. I have something to discuss with him.”
Fu Mingzheng sent someone to call Ban Jian and reminded her, “I can’t stay long, I have to go out to entertain guests. There are a few things I need to tell you. Yuwen Chu may be trustworthy or not. You don’t have to be too obedient to him, but you also need to know your limits. If you’re too obedient, you’ll spoil him. If you always oppose him, you won’t be a good couple. Constantly bickering will exhaust both of you. If he treats you well, you should cherish it. If he treats you badly, don’t show mercy. Always remember that your parents raised you not to let others take advantage of you. That way, you can have a good life. Understand?”
Suddenly, Mingzhu’s eyes turned red, and she quickly turned away so that Fu Mingzheng wouldn’t see the tears welling up in her eyes. These words, I’m sure Fourth Brother wanted to say to her in her past life, but he never had the chance, right?
“Why are you crying? Stop trying to frame me! If people find out, they’ll say I’m bullying you again.” Fu Mingzheng shook his head and took out another brocade box from his sleeve. “This is a wedding gift Shen Ruilin asked me to give you.”
Inside the brocade box was a seemingly inconspicuous dark green bead the size of a pigeon egg. Seeing this familiar bead, Mingzhu couldn’t help but feel emotional. “Night pearl*?”
* written as mingzhu
“I heard that this pearl is not an ordinary night pearl. It has a calming effect. I don’t know where that silly boy got it from.” Fu Mingzheng glanced at her with some disdain. “There’s no one dumber than you. Even a duck that’s about to reach your mouth can fly away. It’s such a plump and delicious duck, I feel sorry for you.”
The night pearl felt slightly cool to the touch, carrying a familiar and comforting scent. Mingzhu tightly grasped the pearl, naturally aware of its benefits; Shen Ruilin had also given her this in her previous life. Later, when he escorted her Mother and nephew to safety over a thousand miles away, she returned the pearl to him. He had been silent for a long time then, saying faintly, “Since I’ve given it to you, it’s yours. I’ll keep it for you, and in the future, I’ll use it to buy a house for my aunt and nephew.”
Such a good person, yet she and he were never fated. It was perhaps fortunate that they weren’t, as she shouldn’t have schemed against him; he deserved a girl who truly loved him. Otherwise, how could one reap good karma? Mingzhu smiled, sincerely saying, “It’s good if it’s gone. He’s been so good to me; I shouldn’t have treated him like that.”
“Tsk, you’ve actually turned over a new leaf. Are you sure you’re not pretending to be virtuous because you can’t get what you want?” Fu Mingzheng shook his head and walked away.
Mingzhu carefully placed the pearl into the box, and after sitting alone for a moment, Ban Jian arrived. Perhaps because he had been independently leading the team for some time, or perhaps because Fu Mingzheng had been too cruel to him, he appeared much more mature and stable now. He no longer behaved recklessly towards Mingzhu, and instead respectfully bowed and greeted her.
Mingzhu smiled and gestured for Su Lan to bring out the gift for him. “This is wine from the Western Regions, bestowed upon His Royal Highness Ying Wang by the Emperor during his reign. His Highness has treasured it and refused to drink it until now. This time, it was given to my father as a gift. Knowing that you enjoy drinking, I saved a bottle for you. Care to try?”
The exquisite crystal bottle held wine as red as blood, reflecting a dazzling ruby-like brilliance in the sunlight. Ban Jian couldn’t help but gulp down some saliva, and before Su Lan could let go, he snatched the bottle and held it close, looking at Mingzhu affectionately. “Your Highness, rest assured, I will definitely heed His Highness’s words and build the bed crossbow well.”
Mingzhu shook her head. “I’m not worried about that. I have a few other ideas I want to discuss with you. I ask you, after a bed crossbow is made, shouldn’t it have more than one function? For example, if we slightly modify its structure or arrows, it can serve other purposes. In other words, one crossbow, multiple uses. Do you understand?”
Excitedly, Ban Jian slapped the table and exclaimed, “Yes! Your Highness truly understands me! I’ve been thinking about this these days. This big guy costs so much silver and manpower, but it can only clumsily move around on the wide plains with only one function. It’s really too wasteful! I’ve thought of a few ways myself, but I couldn’t figure them out. Since Your Highness has said so, you must have some ideas. Can you share them with me?”
Mingzhu dipped her finger in tea and casually drew a rough sketch on the table, prompting him. “I’ve heard that wealthy people in Jiangnan enjoy using a ‘wishful bed’ when they travel. When dismantled, it’s convenient to carry as chairs and tables, and when put together, it becomes a bed for rest. Perhaps our bed crossbow can be like this? One bed becomes two, or even three or four?” In the past, there were several volumes of drawings hidden in Yuwen You’s study, with the first being the large bed crossbow and the subsequent ones being derived from it. They were all very interesting and could fully ensure the crossbow’s mobility and flexibility, making it versatile. However, having learned from past experiences, she was determined not to easily give away these drawings again.
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