157: Everything is ready

“What about Zhang Wenfeng?” Lin Yue asked. He hadn't seen Zhang Wenfeng since he took up a post in the Wild Crane City garrison.

“Zhang Wenfeng is still a Squad Leader, but he, like Hou Da and Wang Hu, has become an Initial-stage Martial General,” Feng Cai said.

His village was improving in all aspects, and he was wondering how it should develop next when his Lord returned!

Along with him came the order to expand the town, from a Level 1 town to a Level 3 town, which would require at least ten years of effort.

His current state was like when he had just finished a favorite game, feeling a bit empty and bored, and then a new Boss suddenly appeared, making him incredibly excited!

“What about the village’s defensive strength currently?” Lin Yue asked, considering whether to transfer Zhang Wenfeng’s squad to garrison here, in case any Mountain Bandits came to harass them when the village upgraded to a town.

“Currently, the village has three hundred Level 1 Guards, all of whom are high-ranking Soldiers, responsible for protecting the village’s safety around the clock.

The Level 2 Guard has one thousand men, all of whom are mid-ranking Soldiers. They farm during busy seasons and Guard the village the rest of the time!” Feng Cai said with a smile.

Three hundred high-ranking Soldiers, a hundred of whom had full helmets, full armor, and crossbows, were enough to deal with petty thieves. Moreover, there were a thousand mid-ranking Soldiers on rotation, plus some defensive fortifications, making the village safe and secure!

“Send someone to tell Zhang Wenfeng to bring his squad back, and dispatch all Guards to be on alert,” Lin Yue said after a moment of thought.

He had previously seen some players’ experience posts on game forums, where after players established a village, Government forces would quickly come to encircle and suppress them, or Mountain Bandits would come to plunder.

This was a test of the players’ strength, and many failed the test, leading to their newly established villages being breached, and countless villagers forced to become refugees amidst the chaos.

As for upgrading to a town, players knew nothing, but Lin Yue guessed that Mountain Bandits would still come to plunder. This was the game’s mechanism, and he did not want any accidents to occur during this process!

“I now have the authority to upgrade my Fief to a town. Start preparing some timber and stone for the expansion.

Once Zhang Wenfeng’s officials arrive, we will upgrade the village to a town!” Lin Yue said.

In the game, when a Level 1 village upgraded to a Level 2 village, it would automatically upgrade once the population reached the requirement. However, if players wanted to upgrade a Level 3 village to a Level 1 town, it required more than just the population condition.

It required three conditions:

Firstly, the population must reach 10,000 people.

This was also the maximum population for a Level 3 village.

Secondly, prosperity must reach 1000.

In the game, each time a new building was constructed or an existing one upgraded, it would increase prosperity. Even building residential houses would increase it, albeit by a small amount.

Thirdly, it required three thousand taels of silver.

Lin Yue guessed this was to prevent inflation of in-game currency. After all, players could always get silver and copper coins from various chests, which were distributed by the game system. Over time, Great Qin would inevitably experience currency devaluation, so some rigid conditions were set to reclaim some silver and achieve balance.

He had not upgraded the village to a town earlier for these reasons.

Firstly, his baron’s authority was insufficient. If he risked upgrading his Fief to a town, he would be punished, leading to dismissal and loss of his title, a risk he dared not take.

Secondly, he did not have three thousand taels of silver. A clever housewife cannot cook without rice, which was why he had delayed the upgrade.

But now he had been conferred the title of viscount, his Fief expanded, which was officially recognized expansion! The Fief granted to him by Great Qin!

These conditions targeting players would therefore disappear!

They were ineffective against him!

This was also why he had returned; he wanted to personally witness Houjia Village upgrading to a town!

“Understood!” Feng Cai stood up excitedly and said, “My Lord, this old man began preparing stone and timber as soon as we upgraded to a Level 3 village. We can upgrade at any time!”

“You truly haven’t disappointed me.

Now, notify Zhang Wenfeng to return. I don’t think Fan Changling, City Lord and Commandant Chen Dubao, Commandant will have any objections,” Lin Yue said.

“Understood!” Feng Cai said with a smile, then walked out to instruct the Guard to quickly notify Zhang Wenfeng.

Lin Yue took a sip of wine and then walked out of the tavern, realizing it was already dark.

“Feng Cai, those three people I brought back just now, arrange their accommodation and have them meet me tomorrow,” Lin Yue instructed, then walked towards the center of the village.

“Understood!” Feng Cai replied.

Lin Yue walked alone through the village. Before going to bed, he still had one thing to do: the Golden Terrace!

The Golden Terrace could be summoned once every three months. Three months had passed since Li Hong was last summoned, and now the summoning opportunity had refreshed!

Although the historical figures summoned by the current Golden Terrace did not have very good attributes, they were still talents and worth a try.

【Golden Terrace (Incomplete) (Level 1, 24%), Village Talent Probability +1.5%, Villager Aptitude Slightly Increased, High or Special Talent Attraction Probability +1.5%.

Recruit Talents: Available!】

【Does the player wish to use the Recruit Talents function of the Golden Terrace (Incomplete)?】

“Use it!”

【Consuming 100 taels of silver from the player, summoning begins!】

The Golden Terrace emitted a dazzling golden light in the night, and then the information of three people appeared in Lin Yue’s mind.

The attributes of these three people were similar to those of Li Hong and the other two last time, probably due to the low level of the Golden Terrace.

Lin Yue carefully examined the information of the three and finally chose a Brocade-Clad Guard from the Ming Dynasty.

【name: Shen Qin

Martial Power: 46

Intelligence: 48

Command: 38

Politics: 25

Charm: 31

Description: A Brocade-Clad Guard centurion during the 20th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty. Skilled at gathering Intelligence, fond of torture, meticulous, and mysterious.】

“I am Shen Qin, greetings, My Lord!” A plain-looking middle-aged man walked up to Lin Yue and bowed.

“Good, follow me,” Lin Yue said. This was the only half-step Martial General among the three, and the best choice.

Lin Yue walked all the way to the Lord’s Mansion, where Xia Qing and Xia Lian were still playing around daily.

“My Lord!” The two, seeing that Lin Yue had returned, quickly rose and bowed.

“Hm, I returned in a hurry this time and didn’t send a letter. Please arrange accommodation for Shen Qin first,” Lin Yue said with a smile.

“Yes,” the two replied, their faces flushed with shyness, and they quickly lowered their heads, guiding Shen Qin to the guest room.

Lin Yue, meanwhile, entered his room alone and began his cultivation.

Only the last chapter of The Art of War remained to be cultivated. His mental energy had recovered, and he was ready to experience this immersive military strategy teaching once again!