novelraw Chapter 733 - 713: The Long Spear
Chapter 733 - 713: The Long Spear
Inside the weapons arsenal of the Red Sand Mine, there were numerous weapons. The Beiman, known for their immense strength, favored heavy weaponry such as long spears, twin hammers, and double maces. The Ningzhou soldiers, however, were most skilled at wielding long spears. Fang Chuning’s most renowned weapon was also the long spear. Among the Beiman, the Beiman King was held in great reverence, thus many warriors used twin hammers and double maces in emulation of him. Long spears were primarily equipped by the heavy cavalry. After being smelted at the Red Sand Mine, these spears became incredibly sharp and durable, capable of piercing through any armor on the battlefield. Lan Ningzhen desired a long spear crafted from the ore of the Red Sand Mine.
The Beiman long spears were often forged according to the physique of the warriors and maintained a uniform length. Lan Ningzhen, having competed with Dugu Jing on multiple occasions, also used long spears, but she preferred ones longer than the Beiman’s standard and tailored to her accustomed weight.
Lan Ningzhen’s prestigious status left the young soldier tasked with showing her around the arsenal exceedingly nervous. It was his first time encountering the famed Goddess, and in his excitement, he eagerly guided her through the entire collection at the arsenal. Among the items, there was a batch of shields and weapons designed specifically to counter the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s heavy riders. Lan Ningzhen frowned slightly—these were lethal tools against the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry.
The rows upon rows of weapons crafted from Red Sand ore were enough to make any military general covetous, and Lan Ningzhen was no different. She gazed intently, wishing for countless hands of her own to pocket all of them at once.
"Miss Lan, is there a specific weapon you are looking for? Whatever we have in the arsenal, you’re welcome to take with you!" The young soldier flattered her earnestly. Noble ladies from Fox City rarely came to the weapons arsenal, and it was typically someone from the Second Prince Manor who conducted the inspections. To see such a stunning beauty here was a rarity indeed, and the young soldier was deeply smitten and fawning.
The arsenal certainly wasn’t short of weapons; whatever Lan Ningzhen fancied could undoubtedly be accommodated.
Lan Ningzhen smiled and asked, "I like long spears. Can they be custom-made?"
"With so many long spears here, you can pick any one you like. All of these are freshly made and have no owners yet."
Lan Ningzhen feigned a look of distress and said, "But these long spears are all identical, mass-produced for the frontlines. I prefer something customized, with a unique mark of my own."
The young soldier pondered for a moment. In truth, fulfilling the Goddess’s request for a custom long spear wasn’t a major issue. However, with the Great King deliberately making things difficult for the Second Prince, seeking control of the mines, the smelting factories were overburdened. Everyone was fully engaged in producing weapons for the frontlines. Should a long spear be crafted specifically for Lan Ningzhen, tongues might start wagging.
"If it’s too much trouble, forget it—perhaps I’m just being greedy," Lan Ningzhen sighed, disappointment written across her face.
The young soldier quickly said with a laugh, "Miss Lan, I can’t make the decision myself, but it’s likely not an issue. You can consult General Xiu Li."
This was, after all, a minor matter. When General Xiu Li heard Lan Ningzhen’s request, he was a bit surprised. "Mr. Helian just mentioned wanting to have a long spear crafted for you. It seems you and your fiancé truly are of one mind."
Lan Ningzhen froze momentarily, not expecting Xie Jue to have mentioned her preferences to General Xiu Li. Moreover, she had never explicitly expressed her longing for a spear while in the arsenal. How could he have known?
Why specifically a long spear?
Xie Jue said nonchalantly, "General, you may not know this, but Anning has a penchant for wielding weapons. I don’t have many worldly goods to offer, so I thought I’d come to the arsenal today to commission a long spear for her as a betrothal gift. I hope you won’t laugh at me."
"The two of you have been granted marriage by the King— a perfect match of talent and beauty. A mere long spear is nothing! When is the wedding? We’ll make sure it’s crafted before then!"
"The wedding is set for August," Xie Jue replied. The date had been mutually decided, taking into account that the summer campaign had to conclude before marriage arrangements could proceed.
"Alright, that’s no problem!"
Lan Ningzhen stood beside him, staring at him as though seeing Xie Jue for the first time. She had rarely seen him go out of his way to please anyone.
First, his pride made it so that very few in this world were worthy of his effort. Second, his aloof nature meant he had little interest in making friends.
He only bothered to ingratiate himself with someone if they held value for him. And when he did so, it was only because his gains outweighed the offering.
Like his entry into the Second Prince Manor—it was no different.
Lan Ningzhen hadn’t anticipated that Xie Jue would put thought into guessing her desires. "Why would you gift me a long spear?"
Having never been the recipient of such partiality, and well aware of Xie Jue’s nature, Lan Ningzhen felt a pang of anxiety. The more cherished she felt, the more frightened she became. What if all his affection and tenderness turned out to be a pretense, deliberately performed to achieve some ulterior motive? What then?
After the Lunar New Year, she’d known that Xie Jue would deliberately approach her to make her stay. Lan Ningzhen had calculated his intentions step by step, savoring her small victories and triumphs gleefully.
See? No matter how composed or strategic you are, you can’t slip through my fingers.
But now, why did she feel this subtle mix of anger and sorrow at the thought of his gestures being as false as the deep affection Helian Feng had pretended to show?
Was she asking for too much? Or was her greed insatiable?
"I saw how your spear was broken during your duel with Dugu Jing. Each time you’ve come to the Second Prince Manor, your gaze lingers on that spear taken from the Ningzhou Battlefield. I could tell you liked it. So, how about we craft a replica of that spear for you?"
That was Fang Chuning’s spear.
Though it was unclear how it ended up in Beiman and was treated as a trophy, every time Xie Jue saw it, he thought of its owner with worry.
Lan Ningzhen’s emotions surged tumultuously. Xie Jue had always had a keen eye for observing and assessing others. Whenever she glanced at that familiar weapon, what exactly had Xie Jue been thinking?
"Anning?"
"Ah..." Lan Ningzhen snapped back to reality and smiled. "Alright, thank you."
Xie Jue reached out and lightly patted her head. He and General Xiu Li still needed to make a trip to the mine. Lan Ningzhen was left waiting at the arsenal, as outsiders were not permitted to enter the mines. Even as the Princess’s sister, Lan Ningzhen could only wait at the base of the mountain for Xie Jue to return with news about the mine.
Since Xie Jue had proposed creating a replica of Fang Chuning’s spear, Lan Ningzhen naturally sketched a near-identical design, with precise specifications for size, weight, and even aesthetic details. She demanded that the spear, though made from Red Sand ore, look as similar as possible.
The young soldier took the blueprint and remarked, "This design isn’t particularly common in Beiman. Is it from Yanyang?"
"How do you know?" Lan Ningzhen raised an eyebrow and glanced at the seemingly unremarkable young soldier.
He chuckled. "Every year, we collect numerous shields and weapons used by Yanyang soldiers from the battlefield to study and dismantle. We’re quite familiar with the armaments of both sides. But why does Miss Lan take such a liking to Yanyang’s weapons?"
Feigning nonchalance yet with a touch of innocent mischievousness, Lan Ningzhen replied, "My brother-in-law’s estate has an identical spear. I heard it belongs to a famous general from Yanyang. I simply like it. Wouldn’t it be an insult to Yanyang for us Beiman to possess something they hold dear?"
"...That does make sense!"