The small Qiaochuan Port became unusually lively.
Three hundred infantry and three hundred cavalry from Gaojia Village were all gathered around the port.
The Heyang County militia, stationed at Qiaochuan Fortress, looked at their worn-out weapons and then at the heavily armed Gaojia Village Militia. Jealousy and envy flashed in their eyes…
Zhang Yuanwai, walking past them, lowered his voice. "Don't worry! Bai Jiaxu has already promised me. If we diligently study the ideological lessons, they'll equip us with the same gear as Gaojia Village in the future."
The Heyang Militia rejoiced at the news.
At this moment, the clouds in the sky parted, and Dao Xuan Tianzun's golden hand descended from the heavens, placing a mountain of flour right on the port.
Bai Yuan gave the order, and the workers, who had been preparing, rushed forward to carry the flour and load it onto the cargo ships.
The large cargo ships, with their broad hulls, easily accommodated the entire mountain of flour. The ships barely dipped as they were loaded, with plenty of space left for passengers.
Xing Honglang and her people boarded the ship, taking positions at various points, ensuring the safety of the cargo. At the same time, another warship began boarding. Besides the original hundred crew members, several hundred Gaojia Militia soldiers filled the deck and cargo hold.
Li Dao Xuan took a look and realized that the two warships weren't enough to carry the full force of the three hundred cavalry and infantry. He extended his hand and summoned another cargo ship.
The people at the port cheered loudly. "Dao Xuan Tianzun has bestowed us with yet another celestial ship!"
Only Bai Yuan wore a slightly awkward expression. "Dao Xuan Tianzun, the speed at which you grant ships is too fast. We can't train enough sailors in time."
Of course, Li Dao Xuan understood this, but cargo ships were simple to operate. They didn't need cannons or specialized sailors. He knew Bai Yuan could handle the situation.
As expected, Bai Yuan soon found a helmsman to control the newly granted ship. He had already prepared by having other sailors "shadow" during the previous training, so it wasn't difficult to find another capable one.
With the additional ship, the loading process became easier. The warships would only carry personnel, while the cavalry's horses were placed on the new cargo ship. Only a few people would accompany the horses. The three ships finally managed to transport the entire force.
Thus, the Gaojia Village Navy set sail toward Shanxi's Ancient Ferry.
As the people of Heyang County Militia watched the three ships sail away, they suddenly noticed a massive convoy approaching from the northwest. This new force was even larger than Gaojia Village's. The convoy numbered over two thousand people, with oxen and horses pulling countless supplies. At the front, a horse-drawn cart stopped, and through the open curtains, they could see a young woman's delicate face.
Gao Yiye had arrived!
This was Gao Yiye's first time coming to the Yellow River. When the cart stopped at the port, she quickly jumped out. "Wow, what a huge river!"
Qiu Ju and Dong Xue, who had followed her, were also seeing the Yellow River for the first time. Their faces were filled with awe and admiration.
Bai Yuan approached with a smile. "I didn't expect Saintess to come personally. Was it necessary for you to come all the way for a workshop?"
Gao Yiye chuckled. "I didn't need to, but I wanted to see the Yellow River, so I just tagged along."
She turned and pointed at the long convoy behind her. The workers had already started unloading large quantities of cement. A group of Blue Hats quickly began laying out the site, marking the boundaries for the ironworks workshop.
Meanwhile, the Yellow Hats were busy leveling the land. The construction site was already becoming a hive of activity.
The Heyang County Militia at Qiaochuan Fortress watched this scene and couldn't help but gossip. "Gaojia Village always does things on a grand scale. Every time they act, they bring thousands of laborers. It's always such a massive operation."
"Of course, they have Dao Xuan Tianzun backing them. They don't even need to worry about the cost of labor."
"What exactly are they building here?"
Zhang Yuanwai approached them. "I heard from Bai Yuan that Gaojia Village is building an ironworks to produce cannons, so they can equip their ships with them."
The Heyang Militia were shocked. "What? They're building cannons? That's impressive! Will they bring those cannons to Qiaochuan Fortress and set them up here too? Maybe we'll get to play with cannons as well."
Zhang Yuanwai laughed and scolded, "Cannons aren't toys! They're only for when bandits attack from the river. If we're lucky, we'll never need to use them."
As they were talking, another group of riders galloped toward the port. The leader was none other than the Heyang County Magistrate, Feng Jun.
As soon as he arrived, he dismounted and rushed to Gao Yiye. "Saintess! What is going on here?"
Gao Yiye smiled. "As you can see, we're building an ironworks."
Feng Jun raised an eyebrow. "I heard that this isn't just any ironworks. It's for manufacturing cannons?"
Gao Yiye nodded. "That's right. Dao Xuan Tianzun said that transporting cannons from Gaojia Village was too troublesome, so to make things easier, we decided to build a cannon workshop here. Of course, there was some disagreement among the blacksmiths in Gaojia Village. They didn't want to come, so they drew lots. Those who ended up coming were a bit upset and cried twice."
Feng Jun wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was worried. In the past, the cannons produced by Gaojia Village were under the jurisdiction of Chengcheng County, and that was Liang Shixian's problem. But now, the cannons were being built in Heyang, and that meant it was his responsibility. This could easily be seen as something rebellious, and the imperial court could make a big issue out of it.
But he knew he couldn't stop it.
Looking at the workers from Heyang County—the Yellow Hats, who were happily digging—he realized they were relying on this money to feed their families. If he forbade the construction, he would offend both Gaojia Village and the local populace.
What was he supposed to do?
Gao Yiye pointed to the sky. "Feng Jun! Don't worry. Dao Xuan Tianzun is watching from above."
Feng Jun looked up at the sky. A low cloud hovered overhead. He immediately performed a deep bow. "I humbly report, Dao Xuan Tianzun. I understand your protection of the people, but such actions will surely attract the attention of the court. If the blame falls on me, my entire family could be punished. Please, Dao Xuan Tianzun, show mercy and grant me a way out."
Li Dao Xuan smiled, understanding that Feng Jun was coming directly to him for help. He was smart enough to know that this was the best way to resolve the issue, instead of engaging in petty schemes.
"Yi Ye, tell Feng Jun that he should bring his entire family to Heyang County. No one will be able to harm him or his kin."