In a chaotic world of infrastructure development, a woman's path to survival after being reborn

Su Li went to oversee the preparation of dry rations, while Zhao Zexuan was also busy, ordering the soldiers to gather all the craftsmen in the building to discuss shipbuilding.

"Does anyone have a way to build a batch of ships in a short period of time?" Zhao Zexuan asked.

Upon hearing this, the craftsmen exchanged glances, and the two leading craftsmen, Zhang and Li, stepped forward to ask, "What kind of ship does the general require?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan stood up, pointed to the boat moored to the side, and said, "Is it possible to build this type of boat?"

The two craftsmen, Zhang and Li, took a closer look and observed carefully. Then they whispered to each other and said, "I'm afraid it won't be easy. If we had some time, we might be able to make it, but the general needs it urgently, so it might be difficult."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan frowned slightly and then said, "If I give you more soldiers to assist you, can you speed things up?"

Upon hearing this, craftsman Zhang said, "It will be faster, but it still can't be completed in just a few days, after all, the construction of these ships is complex."

Looking at the boats adrift in the floodwaters outside, Zhao Zexuan remained silent for a long while before saying, "Is there any other way?"

Hearing Zhao Zexuan say this, Zhang and Li, the craftsmen, frowned and looked at each other. Then, Li boldly suggested, "There is another way, but it may not be as safe as this kind of ship."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan perked up and asked, "I wonder which method you mean?"

Only then did craftsman Li dare to say, "It's a bamboo raft. Although it's not as safe as a real boat, it can still carry a lot of people and float on the water."

Upon hearing this, the craftsman Zhang chimed in, "Yes, General, if you want to build a batch of boats in the next few days, bamboo rafts are the best choice. Moreover, bamboo rafts are simple to make and don't require much material."

Upon hearing the suggestion from craftsmen Zhang and Li, Zhao Zexuan didn't hesitate for long before saying, "Alright, let's make bamboo rafts."

"We don't have much time left, so I'll trouble the two craftsmen to lead everyone to work harder and finish this in the next few days. I'll prepare all the materials for you as soon as possible, and I'll also send some soldiers to help you."

Zhao Zexuan was sincere, and Zhang and Li, the craftsmen, understood the tension of the situation, so they respectfully said, "General, rest assured, we will do our best."

……

The craftsmen went down to prepare the tools, and they were about to start work. Zhao Zexuan also summoned the generals to discuss countermeasures.

“The craftsmen have already provided a plan. We need to transport the materials back as soon as possible and start construction sooner. Does anyone have any other good suggestions?” Zhao Zexuan said.

Thanks to the boats confiscated last time, we now have the opportunity to go out and collect the materials needed to make a bamboo raft. Otherwise, even if we had a thousand ideas, we would have to keep them to ourselves.

Mo Bei and Mo Nanhou, who were standing nearby, immediately replied upon hearing the question, "Master, we know where there is bamboo."

Upon hearing this, all the generals looked at the two of them with expectant eyes. Mo Bei then said, "There is a large bamboo forest on the mountainside of Daze Mountain. There are bamboos there, and we may be able to obtain them from there."

Upon hearing this, the generals became excited and said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and bring the bamboo back and leave this place as soon as possible. For some reason, we feel uneasy, as if something is going to happen. We just want to get out of here quickly."

Zhao Zexuan thought so too, and said, "Let's wait until dawn before setting off. Be careful, and don't be reckless if you encounter danger. Safety is the most important thing."

……

The departure was settled, and everyone was very busy in the next few days. By now, everyone had learned of the departure and, aside from the initial shock, had fully digested and accepted it. Everyone was preparing for it.

The soldiers were transporting materials back and forth every day. The process was a bit bumpy, but fortunately nothing bad happened. However, some changes in the past few days made everyone a little impatient.

While discussing the deployment of personnel on the bamboo raft with the generals, a soldier rushed over to report the situation. Zhao Zexuan and the others thought there was an enemy attack, and they all became serious and immediately went on high alert.

Fortunately, this time the soldier did not delay and explained directly: "General, we have spotted several magnificent ships outside. Judging from the situation, they are probably passing caravans or noble families, not an enemy attack."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan and the others did not lower their guard. They solemnly went to the window and observed everything in front of them.

Several magnificent ships could indeed be seen in the distance. Zhao Zexuan ordered his soldiers to be on high alert. Regardless of whether there was any hostility, it was always better to be cautious.

The water was calm, and several large, magnificent ships were on board. There weren't many people on board, but those inside were all strong and powerful, and it was clear from their appearance that they were quite capable.

This group of people looked different from the bandits from before, so Zhao Zexuan and the others dared not relax.

The people on the ship also noticed Zhao Zexuan and his group's movements, so they became on guard, and the situation became somewhat tense.

The large ship was moving very fast and soon arrived. Zhao Zexuan and the others stood on high ground and quickly saw the people on the ship. Upon seeing the leader, Zhao Zexuan remained silent for a moment before ordering the soldiers to retreat and not to stop them.

The group on the ship were not at ease. They noticed the gazes coming from all directions and knew they had entered someone else's territory, so their expressions became somewhat serious.

The people on the ship were indeed from prominent families in Kyoto. Among them, the head of the Pei family was sitting in the center of the ship, with a group of his children and grandchildren accompanying him.

The Pei family descendants noticed the commotion around them and asked somewhat anxiously, "Father/Grandfather, there is a force nearby that should not be underestimated. We've probably entered their encirclement."

Upon hearing this, the Pei family head remained calm and instructed, "Tell your men to be vigilant, but not to show any signs of resistance. First, find out what those people's purpose is. As long as their lives are not threatened, do not take any action."

Upon hearing this, the Pei family members who were waiting nearby remained silent and stood guard.

As the ships drew closer, the standoff between the two sides became increasingly apparent. Knowing that his side was at a disadvantage, the head of the Pei family spoke up after a moment's thought: "We are unaware of your identities and have offended you. We are merely passing through and have no other intentions. We hope that you will show leniency."

When these words reached Zhao Zexuan's ears, he looked at the boats in the water, pondered for a moment, and then whispered to the general beside him.

Upon receiving the order, the general immediately carried it out, opening a window next door and replying, "Since there's no ill intent, leave quickly and don't linger, or we can't guarantee we won't do something."

Upon hearing this, the head of the Pei family quickly assured him, "We understand, we'll leave immediately!"