Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 41 Tendon Feather Armor, Weaponry Manufacturing Expert

"Okay, let's stop talking and go back to the camp! The banquet has been prepared there, with fragrant mutton, boiling kumis, and everything else. I'll welcome you!" Hua Zheng said with a smile.

Soon, everyone returned to the base.

Alia and Hulan were led by the maids to the tent that had already been arranged for them.

Zhao Shuo and Hua Zheng were in another tent, enjoying their own world.

"Ashuo, do you know?"

Hua Zheng personally poured Zhao Shuo a cup of mare's milk and said, "Since you left for the expedition, many children have been born on the grassland, much more than in previous years."

Zhao Shuo smiled slightly and said, "That's because my father Khan pacified the eastern grasslands. With the arrival of peace, couples are more settled, and pregnancy becomes easier."

A stable environment can affect a person's hormones and increase the chances of pregnancy. This is the reason behind the post-war baby boom.

In fact, not only humans, but also livestock will have a higher fertility rate.

Afterwards, Hua Zheng talked about some trivial matters.

For example, Jochi's eldest son, Orda, was born.

For example, Ogedei's wife, Bolahezhen, was too soft-hearted and a bitch. After Ogedei left, Bolahezhen was unable to control the situation. The internal fighting between Ogedei's four concubines continued, almost resulting in death, and even alarmed Borte to deal with it personally.

For example, among the craftsmen in Zhao Shuo's territory, there was a particularly outstanding craftsman named Sun Wei. The improvement in distilled liquor technology was mainly due to his contribution.

Zhao Shuo also talked about some interesting stories about the Western Expedition, such as the process of subduing Jin Shanshan.

The couple seemed to have endless things to say and talked for more than an hour.

Zhao Shuo had already eaten his fill, and after washing up, the two of them simply lay on the couch together and chatted privately.

Hua Zheng said, "Su Lun has told me several times that he wants to fight on the battlefield. You must take him with you on the next expedition so that we can achieve great things."

Su Lun is the youngest son of the veteran general Su He. He was not enlisted in the army last year. Now fourteen years old, he is considered the youngest warrior on the grasslands and can fight in the battlefield.

Zhao Shuo nodded slightly and said, "Su Lun learned martial arts from me, and he is indeed quite impressive. How has he been performing recently?"

Hua Zheng also admired Su Lun very much. She said, "It's not just that this kid has good martial arts skills, but he's also very smart. This time when you were away on the expedition, Su Lun helped me a lot. Now I've handed over the management of the workshop to him. However, he's not interested in this and still wants to make a name for himself on the battlefield. Oh, and that Sun Wei was discovered and promoted by him. He's quite good at judging people."

Zhao Shuo said, "Indeed, Su Lun is considered half a disciple of mine. He is much stronger than his two brothers. I feel a little sorry for him in the workshop."

Hua Zheng leaned on Zhao Shuo's chest and said, "And Su Na, she..."

As Hua Zheng was talking, Zhao Shuo didn't want to continue the warm atmosphere. He stroked Hua Zheng's soft back and gradually moved down.

Hua Zheng's fair cheeks flushed slightly, her body became hot, her breathing became faster, and she stopped talking halfway through.

Zhao Shuo curled the corners of his mouth and lowered his head to kiss Hua Zheng's cheek and ear.

"Hua Zheng, other families have given birth to many children, shouldn't we have one too?"

In the warm and dark cashmere quilt, Hua Zheng's eyes suddenly widened, and after a moment of hesitation, they flashed with light.

She didn't say anything, but with a gentle smile, she stretched out her arms and hugged her husband's neck.

The warmth and fragrance of the harbor flooded Zhao Shuo's cheeks. For a moment, Zhao Shuo could no longer bear it.

……

……

The next day, Zhao Shuo and Hua Zheng were both in high spirits and with smiles on their faces, they went to inspect the workshop together with twenty attendants.

"Greetings to the Prince Consort and the Princess!"

Upon hearing that Zhao Shuo and Hua Zheng had arrived, Su Lun hurriedly brought his sister and several craftsmen in charge to pay their respects.

Although Su Lun had just turned fourteen, he was already quite tall, about the same height as Hua Zheng and only half a head shorter than Zhao Shuo. He had rosy lips and white teeth, and was quite good-looking. In the future, he could easily become an idol in a few years. But now, the youthfulness of his face was still quite noticeable.

"Greetings to the Prince Consort and the Princess!"

Su Lun's sister Su Na glanced at Zhao Shuo, then quickly lowered her head, with a faint blush on her cheeks, like the morning glow in the sky at this moment.

This was a strikingly beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure. She wore a tight-sleeved shirt, a long Mongolian skirt, and a black leather belt around her waist. Her skin was whiter than snow, and her eyebrows were long and slender, arching. Her nose was small and delicate, her lips were plump and rosy, and her hair was black and shiny, as smooth as silk, tied with a single fur band, tucking it behind her ears and head.

The most eye-catching thing is her pair of heterochromatic eyes.

Her left eye was amber, a lighter shade than the typical Mongolian eye, with a gentle, warm hue. Her right eye was an icy blue, clear and deep, like a mysterious lake hidden deep within the grasslands. Her eyes were clear and bright, like two pearls on the grassland, gleaming brightly.

It stands to reason that with Suna's looks and Su He's status as a thousand-household leader, there must be a long line of young talents pursuing her.

However, heterochromatic eyes were so rare on the grassland that the young talents were frightened by them, and no one came to propose marriage.

Old Su He is really worried about his daughter's marriage.

When he discovered that Zhao Shuo didn't mind Su Na's heterochromatic eyes, he was both surprised and delighted. Otherwise, why would Old Su, who was so quiet and not the type to curry favor with others, bring up this marriage so many times?
Now Su Na obviously knows that her marriage with Zhao Shuo is almost certain.

She was originally aloof and indifferent, but now she couldn't help but feel shy.

"I've seen the consort!"

A dozen or so craftsmen in charge followed closely behind and paid their respects to Zhao Shuo and Hua Zheng.

"No gift."

Zhao Shuo nodded and said, "Su Lun, Ana, we are all family. Just call me Big Brother."

"Su Lun doesn't dare!" Su Lun quickly and firmly refused.

Originally, Zhao Shuo taught Su Lun martial arts, and Su Lun looked up to Zhao Shuo as his master. At first, he called Zhao Shuo "Big Brother" according to their seniority, but he always felt that it was disrespectful and inappropriate.

Now that we have finally changed Zhao Shuo's address to "Prince Consort", how can we change it back?
But Suna didn't dare to answer, her face slightly red and her head lowered.

Of course she likes Zhao Shuo.

Given Zhao Shuo's stature, appearance, bravery and status, it is no exaggeration to say that any invitation he sends to any woman on the grassland will receive a warm response.

Su Na, who grew up with Zhao Shuo, naturally admires and loves Zhao Shuo.

Now that she knew her father wanted to marry her to Zhao Shuo, Su Na felt happy, nervous, and vaguely inferior.

Especially since Zhao Shuo's wife, the beautiful and noble Princess Hua Zheng, was right in front of her, she didn't dare to look up at Zhao Shuo.

She felt like a thief trying to tarnish the light of the sun and the moon.

Zhao Shuo didn't know about Su Na's complicated thoughts. He looked at Su Lun and asked, "Su Lun, how is the workshop going now?"

Although Zhao Shuo already had five workshops: sheepskin processing, wine making, ironware, bows and arrows, and salt processing, each of them was small. Before Zhao Shuo set out on his expedition, he had only fifty-six people in total.

Su Lun said, "According to the Prince Consort's instructions, we have invested the profits from the workshop's production in expanding it and hiring skilled craftsmen from the Central Plains. Now, you can see that the size of each workshop has at least doubled. Even the number of employees has increased to 192. How about I take you and the princess for a tour first?"

Zhao Shuo said, "No rush. Is Sun Wei, the guy who improved the purity of the distilled liquor, here?"

"I, Sun Wei, pay my respects to the Prince Consort."

A short and stocky young man, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with a shrewd and capable look on his face, stood up and greeted Zhao Shuo again.

"So you're Sun Wei. I've heard your name so many times since I was in Western Xia, it's like thunder in my ears!" Zhao Shuo praised Sun Wei as he looked him over. "I don't deserve it. I'm just a craftsman. This humble name is truly insulting to your Majesty," Sun Wei said respectfully, bowing his head.

Zhao Shuo said, "That's not true. If the craftsmen had done their job well, they would have achieved wealth and glory, and left their names in history. If we had some good Mongolian craftsmen in defeating Western Xia, we wouldn't have lost so many brave lives."

Sun Wei said: "I will definitely remember the Prince Consort's teachings and become a good craftsman."

"By the way, Sun Wei, where are you from?"

"Your Highness, I am from Hunyuan Prefecture, Xijing, Jin."

"How old is this year?"

"Twenty-four."

"Who else is at home?"

"Mother, two younger brothers, and a younger sister."

……

After chatting about family matters for a while, Zhao Shuo asked, "It's about three or four thousand miles from Datong to the Hulunbuir grasslands, right? You left your hometown and came to such a distant place. Was it mainly for money?"

Zhao Shuo asked the Wanggu tribe to search for skilled craftsmen from the Central Plains for the grasslands. Since the best craftsmen were controlled by the Jin Empire, the Wanggu tribe had no other options but to recruit from the common people. Unexpectedly, the Wanggu tribe proved so resourceful that they even managed to find them in Datong.

"It's really all about money."

Sun Wei smiled bitterly and said, "When I was little, I was naughty and active, and I loved to use my brain. When I grew up, I liked to invent new things and became quite famous in Datong.

But last year, my mother fell seriously ill and needed a lot of money for treatment. The court exploited her severely, so even I couldn't make much money.

That's why I accepted the Wanggu tribe's invitation and left my hometown to come to the grassland to make money. I have two brothers who support my mother, and the Wanggu tribe also left me 100 taels of silver as a settlement allowance. Even if I die, it won't be a loss.

The Jin Dynasty had a shortage of copper, and after its founding, Jiaochao quickly became the main currency in circulation throughout the country, while silver was only used by nobles and wealthy businessmen.

However, with the excessive issuance of Jiaochao, the currency depreciated more and more rapidly, and the people became more and more resentful, so the Jin Dynasty court had to carry out currency reform.

Forty-four years ago, the Jin Emperor issued an edict that silver ingots weighing 50 taels should be minted in increments of 1 to 10 taels, to facilitate the military and civilian population. From then on, silver became one of the legal tenders of the Jin Empire.

Of course, the resettlement fee that the Wanggu tribe gave to Sun Wei had to be real money.

Zhao Shuo looked at Hua Zheng and said, "Sun Wei has made such a great contribution to improving the distillation technology. Have you rewarded him yet?"

Sun Wei took the initiative to answer, "The princess is generous and has rewarded me with twenty taels of silver."

"Twenty taels is a little too little. Well, I will give you another eighty taels, making it a total of one hundred taels."

"Thank you, Prince Consort!"

Sun Wei showed an expression of ecstasy, bowed respectfully and kowtowed to express his gratitude.

One hundred taels of silver was the settlement allowance given to Sun Wei by the Wanggu tribe. In other words, it was the price of his life. At least in Sun Wei's mind, one hundred taels of silver was more than enough to buy his life.

Now, Zhao Shuo rewarded him with another one hundred taels, which far exceeded Sun Wei's best expectations. How could he not be ecstatic?
The other craftsmen in charge all had eyes filled with envy.

One hundred taels of silver!
This is one hundred taels!

The purchasing power of silver during the Jin Dynasty was such that one tael of silver was roughly equivalent to 3,000 yuan in modern times. One hundred taels of silver was worth 300,000 yuan! Even in modern times, this was a considerable fortune. Even more so in ancient times when productivity was underdeveloped.
Zhao Shuo said to the stewards, "You can spread this message. From now on, all the craftsmen in my workshop who make a major breakthrough will be rewarded according to this rule. Even if there are no major breakthroughs, but only minor ones, they can still receive a reward."

"Thank you for your generosity, Prince Consort!"

All the craftsmen bowed in thanks, their faces filled with joy.

It was only now that Zhao Shuo asked Sun Wei the crucial question: "Are you proficient in forging armor?"

Sun Wei said, "Armor is a vital military weapon, and I haven't studied it much. However, if you master one technique, you can master all techniques. If your Majesty gives me a set of ready-made armor, I should be able to imitate it. However, I'm afraid your Majesty won't care about just one or two sets of armor. If you build more, I'm afraid the iron will be difficult to obtain. I do have a suggestion."

"What proposal?"

"I've heard that the Jin army has a kind of paper armor made of paper. It's much cheaper and easier to make than iron armor, and it's not much weaker than iron armor. It only has two drawbacks: it's not suitable for rainy weather, and it's easily damaged."

If this were the Song Dynasty, Zhao Shuo would have agreed to Sun Wei's proposal. But this was Mongolia, where not only was iron in short supply, but paper was also extremely scarce.

However, when conditions permit in the future, I can let Sun Wei study paper armor and cotton armor, especially the cotton-iron composite armor of the Qing Dynasty.

The strength of an army's combat effectiveness is determined by the quality of its armor.

Zhao Shuo looked at Sun Wei and shook his head. "You've seen our conditions. Paper isn't necessarily as easy to come by as iron. Opening a papermaking workshop would require a lot of manpower, which would be uneconomical. Besides, the cheapest papermaking material is bamboo, and the yield of bamboo on the grassland is not high."

"Uh... I have another idea, but it's not very mature yet."

"Whatever you can do, just tell me. If anything goes wrong, it will be my fault, not yours."

Sun Wei said: "I have always had an idea to create a special kind of armor called tendon and feather root armor.

This kind of armor is made of the tendons of bison, wild horses and gazelles, woven together with the feathers of birds of prey and wild geese, without using a single pound of iron or a single piece of paper.

Moreover, it is light, flexible and elastic, has strong impact resistance and good defensive performance, and is probably better than iron armor and paper armor.

I have no raw materials and no way to experiment, so I don't know if it will work. There is no shortage of these things on the grassland. Why don't you let me give it a try, Prince Consort?"

Become!

A faint smile appeared on Zhao Shuo's lips. These were the words he had been waiting for!

In fact, Zhao Shuo had seen an introduction to Sun Wei in later historical records.

Sun Wei is a famous military equipment manufacturing expert in history!
According to historical records, Sun Wei joined Temujin's army seven years later. Three years later, he invented the "tendon and feather armor." Temujin personally tested it, but his arrows were unable to penetrate it, so he rewarded Sun Wei handsomely.

However, Zhao Shuo was not sure whether this Sun Wei was the Sun Wei recorded in historical records.

Moreover, Sun Wei is still young, and it is not known whether he has the idea of ​​creating tendon and feather armor now.

That's why he tried it out, but he didn't expect that this Sun Wei was really the Sun Wei recorded in history, and at this time, he already had the idea of ​​making tendon and feather armor.

What a surprise!

Zhao Shuo immediately made the decision, "Go ahead and give it a try. Feel free to do so. I'll give you whatever you need. If you manage to make the tendon and feather armor, I'll not only reward you with another 100 taels of silver, but also give you two beautiful female slaves from Xixia."

Talents like Sun Wei must not be missed.

In addition to money, he also has to be given a home.

With generous rewards and beautiful slave girls serving him, I'm afraid you can't drive him away even with a stick!

"Thank you for your generosity, Prince Consort!"

At this moment, light seemed to shine from Sun Wei's eyes.

Don't mention dreams, values, or status.

For a young man in his twenties like Sun Wei, money and beautiful women are the most attractive rewards.

It is difficult for a man to devote himself 100% to his career before he has money and a woman.

Sun Wei's needs were simple and straightforward, and Zhao Shuo could obviously meet them.

(End of this chapter)