novelraw Chapter 757 - 750: Do You Think I’m a Sick Cat?
Chapter 757 - 750: Do You Think I’m a Sick Cat?
Beyond Baye Feng’s inherent combat power, there is an unexpected skill that was a pleasant surprise for Lin Wanwan.
That skill is that he actually knows Chinese characters!
Well, it makes sense. After all, he studied with Tang Seng’s disciple, and since the teacher admired Chang’an civilization so much, there’s no reason not to learn Chinese characters.
Knowing how to read saves Lin Wanwan a lot of trouble; although she could start an intensive literacy class, it ultimately takes time and effort. It’s better if he already knows how.
The mountain base, equipped with sufficient manpower and resources, alongside the boosts from reinforced concrete and explosives, is now basically completed.
Lin Wanwan gave Baye Feng a specially customized vertical version of the traditional civilian military training manual, and then handed over the armed department she brought back for him to train, appointing him as the guard captain.
Because Baye Feng is only working for Lin Wanwan out of commitment, such a proud person with the ability to seize a tribal leader isn’t going to sign a servitude contract. Naturally, Lin Wanwan didn’t expect him to sign such a document.
Lin Wanwan had him sign an employment contract that did not comply with Great Tang’s laws; as long as it constrained Baye Feng, it was sufficient.
He could take a telescope and so much pepper without being greedy or lustful, traveling thousands of miles through hardships to Mao County to fulfill a ten-year promise, which sufficiently proves his exemplary character.
Lin Wanwan naturally felt assured and adhered to the principle of trusting those she employs and not employing those she distrusts.
She aimed to provide Baye Feng with ample space to showcase his abilities. Recruiting such a person as the guard captain was truly challenging.
The people in Xingluo were no match for him, and Lin Wanwan certainly didn’t misjudge him.
He also brought his sister Baya Naba to join her; Naba is both his sister and his soft spot.
Entrusting Naba to Lin Wanwan’s care was an assurance of his sincerity.
Though Lin Wanwan couldn’t treat Naba like a second Qingyu, she offered her the stature of a noble lady.
According to Great Tang’s laws, it was prohibited to sign a servitude contract for children of a different surname, nor could one arbitrarily change their surname. Upon reaching adulthood, whether to sell themselves was their choice.
In reality, within the large Gate Valve, no one adhered to this rule, because raising people for no reason was impossible.
However, for Lin Wanwan, this was trivial. The cost of raising Naba was considered part of Baye Feng’s salary.
Given Baye Feng’s capabilities, comparing him to Liang Mingzhe employed by her in modern times posed no issue.
With Lin Wanwan’s immense wealth comparable to states in Great Tang, such an expense was negligible.
Her biggest challenge in Great Tang was not being able to recruit outstanding talents even with wealth, as they were monopolized by the entrenched scholar-gentry class.
Now, with difficulty, she managed to bring someone from the Western Regions, naturally treating him with the honor of a "national figure."
Baye Feng was genuinely curious about the civilian military training manual Lin Wanwan handed him, having to admire the Han people’s wisdom. The Village Lady he needed to serve for ten years had many secrets indeed.
But accustomed to silence, he habitually kept everything in his heart. From the surface, one wouldn’t guess his mind was filled with questions.
Lin Wanwan was quite pleased with how swiftly her armed forces were growing, having Baye Feng, people from Starfall Organization, and Lin Family Manor clan members around. Regular scholarly forces were no longer a threat to her.
The group that had been monitoring her was discovered by Baye Feng, and naturally, Lin Wanwan became aware as well.
She wrote to Xiao Chong, who indeed was in the know.
It turned out it was a tail brought back from Chang’an with its main base in Yu Yao, specifically the Yu Family of Yu Yao, which Xiao Chong had already reprimanded.
Lin Wanwan was puzzled. That area had forces repeatedly opposing her, and last time, Qingyu’s capture was related to the forces there, with traces of the Yu Family of Yu Yao.
Could it be that they were naturally incompatible?
Lin Wanwan couldn’t help but suspect a connection to the historical enmity left by the Lin’s Direct Lineage with whom she impersonated.
However, as the Direct Lineage had perished without a trace, there was no way to inquire, leaving her to slowly search for clues from the families formerly allied with the Direct Lineage.
Nevertheless, Lin Wanwan didn’t have the patience for their intrigues and schemes.
She preferred an overwhelming approach, strengthening her own forces without error. Any grievances and animosities can bring it on; she will eliminate one if they come alone, a pair if they come together.
With explosives and modern steel as boosts, complemented by knowledge from Friends of Military and Civilian Dual-use Talent, assembling a few landmines and grenades wasn’t an issue.
If defending the house, anyone daring to provoke would be left without return.
The other party’s repeated provocations, though they had Xiao Chong cleaning up afterwards, still left Lin Wanwan dissatisfied. If the tiger doesn’t show its power, you take me for a sick cat!
Courtesy demands reciprocation; Lin Wanwan also felt it was time to show the Yu Family of Yu Yao some colors.
Simply relying on Xiao Chong’s suppression, people wouldn’t dare provoke Xiao Chong but wouldn’t fear her, the nominal Village Lady.
Now she would let them experience the high-tech iron fist from a thousand years hence, making them realize she’s not easy to provoke either.
Transforming crude mines, cannons, and firearms wasn’t difficult; in modern times, the risk was too high and the rewards too low. But in Great Tang, it’s different; no need to bear modern legal risks, yet able to enhance one’s combat power—truly perfect.
Lin Wanwan went to great lengths to purchase resources in the modern era, then returned to Great Tang, taking Baye Feng and her armed department to modify, successfully producing several crude mines and grenades.
Receiving these weapons of formidable destructive power, Baye Feng was undoubtedly shaken.
However, Lin Wanwan did not assign the task of counterattacking the Yu Family to Baye Feng but instead entrusted it to Liu Rushi, along with these weapons.
She wanted to find out whether Liu Rushi now truly belonged to her or was Xiao Chong’s person. If they genuinely served Xiao Chong, this batch of weapons would certainly end up in Xiao Chong’s county government, and Lin Wanwan would know how to proceed.
Xiao Chong couldn’t obtain these as Lin Wanwan did, starting from scratch, while Lin Wanwan directly acted as a space-time broker.
Initially, Lin Wanwan thought Xiao Chong would ask her to transport things from the modern era, akin to smuggling grain.
Unexpectedly, he never mentioned it, seemingly focused solely on people’s livelihood, with food becoming increasingly abundant. He wasn’t putting any thought into the military.
Lin Wanwan naturally wasn’t aware that Xiao Chong already had Dugu Di handling these matters.
He simply didn’t want to involve Lin Wanwan; after all, the most feared aspect was vulnerability to being choked. He preferred slower steps, ideally self-production.
Such national key assets should not rely on external force; self-reliance ensures longevity and stability.
Having related knowledge is already a superb boost, with no need to obtain directly.
If it were necessary to fully utilize the Space-Time Gate boost, it would mean handing Lin Wanwan over to the court, which Xiao Chong naturally wouldn’t do. He still hoped she could happily be her carefree Village Lady, and her small moves were enough to protect herself.
As for Great Tang’s mission of territorial expansion, it was carried by the sons of Great Tang.