490: Chapter 490 Confidentiality

"This is... paper?"

Lin Xiao examined it carefully and confirmed that the layers pasted tightly inside were indeed paper!

Seeing the Prince approach, Xie Yu and the rest of the engineer squad were very excited.

"Your Highness, this paper-pasted great shield has truly performed a great service!"

Lin Xiao looked at the smug Xie Yu and asked, "Did you come up with this?"

"There was no other way. Our engineer squad doesn't have high martial arts or enough strength to use traditional great shields."

"I asked Yao Gang to help me make a shield that could block heavy crossbows within two hundred paces and, at critical moments, withstand at least one strike from a Grandmaster."

"Yao Gang made it for me, but it was too heavy; in the end, it took three of us just to barely lift it."

"But without a shield for my Tower of Ares, standing on the third floor is too dangerous."

"So I consulted my master and then tried to think of ways myself, testing various materials one by one..."

Once Xie Yu started talking, he couldn't stop.

At first, he used leather, but discovered that using too much leather made it heavy, and the results were only average.

Later, he imitated the Great Gan army, using bamboo and rattan to try to reduce the great shield's weight.

But the weight didn't decrease much, and it was still fragile.

When he asked Mu Wanying to help test it, a spear strike with thirty percent of her internal energy pierced straight through it.

Only then did Xie Yu realize that traditional manufacturing materials wouldn't work; he needed to find another way.

After consulting quite a bit of information, Xie Yu learned about a type of paper made from mulberry bark that was very flexible and tough.

After sending people to find it, Xie Yu kept testing it; if one layer wasn't enough, he used three; if three weren't enough, he used four.

Later, when the Daoist Fangfengzi joined the arsenal and discovered what Xie Yu was researching, Fangfengzi offered a strategy.

Use cowhide, raw hide without tanning, just smoked directly; the strength would be top-notch.

Relying on Fangfengzi's suggestions, it was as if Xie Yu had opened up his Ren and Du meridians!

Not long after, this great shield made of mulberry paper, raw cowhide, and a small amount of linen was successfully created!

Although it wasn't light, at least the engineer squad could lift it individually.

"Brother-in-law, you really have to admit, that crazy Daoist you brought back really has some skills!"

Xie Yu said quite satisfiedly, "With him here, many of our material problems have been solved easily!"

"Brother, it's Daoist Fangfengzi, not a crazy person." Xie Juner corrected him helplessly.

"It's about the same!" Xie Yu said nonchalantly.

Lin Xiao silently held the paper shield, his heart surging with waves of emotion.

This Xie Yu... actually thought of using paper to withstand powerful impacts?

For someone like him from the modern era, this was certainly normal, but on the Tianwu Continent, it was an extremely bold innovation.

It was equivalent to creating a "bulletproof vest"; he was already utilizing material structure to disperse impact force.

Then there were the thunder-balls and lightning-fire bombs that had displayed such might this time.

These crude gunpowder weapons had been developed by the arsenal itself, without him having specifically taught them.

In fact, crude gunpowder was not a secret on the Tianwu Continent.

Whether it was the poisonous fire of the Xuanji Sect or the gunpowder used to detonate the Yangquan dungeon last time, it proved that there were people among the populace who knew how to make gunpowder.

It was just that the people of this world had not yet fully mastered the proportions of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, nor the manufacturing processes.

But if his arsenal continued to invest, the birth of black powder would likely happen within a few years, or even sooner!

Lin Xiao had originally planned to wait until the world was at peace before orderly promoting the advent of thermal weapons, as industrial production would be needed.

But now it seemed that some things were inevitable in the torrent of history.

If he wanted to take it slow, his enemies wouldn't!

Since that was the case, even if he didn't use black powder, he had to grasp it in his own hands first and guard against other forces creating it first.

Just like learning from the Khitan this time, the island nation seemed to have stolen quite a bit of technology from the previous dynasty; there was no guarantee they wouldn't have the Xuanji Sect's gunpowder manufacturing methods.

Regarding firearms, he had to sound the alarm; he could not have any wishful thinking!

Otherwise, the Zhenbei Army and the people of the Northern Territory might pay a tragic price!

"The engineer squad has performed a great service this time; when we return, I will reward you all handsomely."

Lin Xiao pondered for a moment and said, "Information regarding the thunder-balls and lightning-fire must be treated as top secret by the Zhenbei Army arsenal starting today; it must not be leaked."

Hearing Lin Xiao's serious tone, the group of engineers all expressed their compliance.

They not only didn't resent such a prohibition, but they actually felt quite pleased.

Because a sense of pride from being valued by the Prince welled up within them.

Lin Xiao understood in his heart that most people had a base instinct—they loved to show off.

A verbal warning was not enough; when he returned, he had to establish a dedicated department for firearm manufacturing and formulate confidentiality measures.

Lin Xiao even had to consider starting to form a "shadow unit" to monitor these personnel involved in classified matters.

About half a day later, General Zhao Kuan's main force finally arrived.

Upon seeing the tragic battlefield and learning of the battle situation, General Zhao Kuan's eyes were filled with shame and regret.

"Your Highness, I misjudged the situation. Please punish me!"

General Zhao Kuan ignored the persuasion of the officers and soldiers and knelt on the ground.

As a result, a large group of officers behind him, along with the soldiers, also knelt on the ground.

The soldiers only hated themselves for not providing support in time, which led to so many brothers and comrades dying.

"Brother Zhao, why are you doing this too?"

Lin Xiao said loudly, "If the main army was too exhausted, coming would only have been sending you to your deaths. The decision you made was not wrong."

"If you truly feel you are at fault, then from now on, you should use practical actions to serve the common people even more."

"Soldiers do not only receive military pay when fighting; not fighting does not mean you have nothing to do!"

"When I passed through Hanyang, I saw that there were still many injured civilians."

"What you need to do now is to go to Hanyang as quickly as possible, search for survivors, and assist the medical team in treating the wounded."

"Instead of being here, one by one, hanging your heads in dejection and asking me for punishment!"

"Even if I were to execute all of you, the common people of Hanyang would not come back to life!!"

These resonant words caused General Zhao Kuan and the soldiers to be greatly shaken!

An unprecedented sense of responsibility and mission caused them to quickly pull themselves together.

"Brothers! The Prince is right, the refugees in Hanyang are still waiting for us!"

"We must save as many as we can! General Zhao, let's go!"

General Zhao Kuan wiped his face and shouted, "All troops, listen to my order! No rest, advance to Hanyang at full speed!"

Watching the vast Zhenbei Army heading to Hanyang for rescue, the surviving commoners all showed expressions of being moved.

One must know that it was already spring, and the temperature had risen.

Disaster relief in Hanyang would not be a one or two-day affair; if one were not careful, there was a risk of an epidemic outbreak.

Lin Xiao naturally had to return to Hanyang to take a look, but not now.

The situation with the hundred thousand Qing Kings Army was still unknown; he had to return to Baishui Prefecture first.

"Husband, I have a request."

Before returning, Xie Juner looked imploringly, "Could you allow me... to take two people back to Baishui Prefecture?"

"What people?"

Lin Xiao was a bit puzzled; if they were ordinary characters, Xie Juner shouldn't need to ask him.