Chapter Twelve: The Repeating Crossbow Is Completed, and the Two Qiao Sisters Visit Once More

Several days later, at the foot of Mount Tu.

The group of burly men now sported unkempt beards, faces covered in dust and grime, their clothes riddled with holes. Looking back at Tu Mountain, their hearts still raced with lingering fear—this trial had been a contest of life and death.

It had even surpassed that.

They had been forbidden from making fires, compelled to achieve their objectives with only the resources they could scavenge themselves. Survival was no easy feat; hunger and scant meals were commonplace, and a single misstep could spell doom.

Out of two hundred men, five had perished!

And this was with Chu Feng among them.

"Train hard in peacetime, bleed less in war. This is only the beginning; this time we were tested by nature, but next time, it could be killing on the battlefield."

"If any of you are cowards, leave now," Chu Feng swept his gaze over the men. His conduct during this period had won even deeper respect from them.

No one spoke; all were resolute.

"Enough. Everyone, wash up and change into clean clothes. We're returning to the manor," Chu Feng commanded, pointing to the clothes prepared nearby.

……

Half a month later, back at the Chu family manor.

Green shoots had begun to sprout in the fields—symbols of hope for the people, who longed for a bountiful harvest. Chu Feng had insisted that every field in the manor be cultivated with the thinning method, and the crops were thriving.

Returning to the military camp, the men felt as though they had been away for years.

"All right, the training is over. Each of you will receive three thousand coins and have a day to rest. Those with families, go home to them. Those without, enjoy yourselves for a day."

"Dismissed!" Chu Feng declared in a clear voice.

After dealing with camp affairs, he trimmed his bristling beard, changed into fine clothes, and finally returned to his residence. It had been a while since he'd been back, and he intended to check on the progress of the crossbows.

A long while later, within the residence.

Butler Li looked worriedly at the now gaunt and tanned Chu Feng. "Why would a noble son like you go off to the barracks to rough it?" he thought.

In the main hall, Chu Feng sipped his tea.

"Butler Li, has anything significant happened in my absence?"

"Nothing much—oh, but two young ladies came looking for you. They identified themselves as the daughters of General Qiao Rui of Shouchun Bridge and asked me to convey their message," Butler Li explained.

"General Qiao's daughters? Two of them?" Chu Feng frowned, muttering uncertainly, "Could it be the Two Qiaos?"

"And their appearance?"

"Stunning—unparalleled beauty," Butler Li exclaimed.

"Could they really be the Two Qiaos?" Chu Feng raised an eyebrow. But why would they seek him out? Could it be because of Qiao Rui? But he didn't know Qiao Rui, let alone the Two Qiaos.

He couldn't make sense of it. He vaguely remembered that Lü Bu would soon return Qiao Rui, likely as a gesture to appease Yuan Shu. But Qiao Rui wouldn't live much longer—Yuan Shu was about to recklessly attack Cao Cao, and Qiao Rui would not escape death. The Two Qiaos would be left alone and helpless at such a young age; it was a pitiable fate.

Chu Feng hesitated at the thought.

Never mind, let things take their course. For now, the greater good came first. Even if he wished to protect the Two Qiaos, he lacked the ability to do so.

"Butler Li, take me to the artisans' workshop," Chu Feng said cheerfully, finishing his tea in a few quick gulps.

……

The artisans' workshop was located to the north of the estate.

In ancient times, even commoners were considered artisans, as they couldn't afford to buy baskets or containers and had to weave their own. The workshop was sizable, with blacksmiths to the left, carpenters to the right, and nearly all equipment crafted there involved collaboration between the two trades. The work system was well-organized.

"Master!"

"Master!"

Everyone they passed stopped to greet him.

Chu Feng nodded in acknowledgment, then asked, "Butler Li, how many people are in the workshop now?"

"Master, there are forty-six blacksmiths and eighty-three carpenters. All the key components are under our control, and all skilled artisans are managed in a closed system," Butler Li reported.

Chu Feng was fierce with Yuan Shu, but when it came to matters he oversaw, he was meticulous and thorough.

"The expansion has been rapid!" Chu Feng praised. "But time waits for no one. Keep attracting artisans from every county—this is the foundation of dominance."

"Yes, Master," Butler Li replied.

After passing through several layers of inspection, they were about to enter the workshop's core room when a cry of excitement sounded from within—it seemed something had succeeded.

Chu Feng pushed the door open. "What has succeeded?"

"Master, you came at the perfect time! Look at this crossbow. We've worked day and night, carefully crafting it," the head craftsman said excitedly.

"It's ready? That was quick!" Chu Feng said, taking the military crossbow.

The weapon felt solid in his hands. He aimed at a target thirty paces away in the room. Thud—the arrow struck with tremendous force, deeply embedding itself. Its destructive power was formidable.

Of course, the repeating mechanism wasn't a simple trigger pull. Instead, it used a sunken latch design: after firing, one only needed to pull the side lever to re-cock the string.

After all, without gunpowder, the crossbow relied entirely on the tension of its string; one couldn't expect a rapid, continuous "rat-a-tat" of arrows.

"Master, this is the quiver—each holds ten arrows. This allows for rapid fire and reduces the time needed to reload," the craftsman explained.

"Excellent. All who participated in developing this crossbow will receive fifty bushels of grain as a reward," Chu Feng announced grandly—he never stinted on rewarding merit.

"Thank you, Master!" the artisans exclaimed, overjoyed.

Fifty bushels—this was only the reward.

"But there are still some flaws. I need you to carve fine grooves at both the rear and front ends of the crossbow bolts. They must be perfectly aligned, with zero tolerance for error," Chu Feng instructed, demonstrating the aiming position and pointing to the two spots.

Three points in a line—to improve accuracy.

Ancient crossbow bolts rarely had such features, relying on volume rather than precision.

"That won't be difficult," the head craftsman assured him.

"Also, I need you to produce fifty sets of crossbows as quickly as possible, along with sufficient arrows. I will use them for training," Chu Feng added.

"Rest assured, Master. We will work day and night if needed to fulfill your request."

"Good. As for standard configuration: each crossbow must meet the accuracy requirements, and each set must come with four quivers, designed for easy carrying."

"Of course, as long as you work for me, you and your families will have food and clothing, and no one will dare mistreat you," Chu Feng said gravely.

"We will give our utmost!"

Chu Feng nodded, then left with a crossbow and several dozen arrows. As he departed, he made sure to speak loudly, "Butler Li, when we return, see that their families receive new clothes and some meat."

"Yes, Master," Butler Li replied, moved.

He even wondered if his young master had long since recovered from his former illness.

Afterward, with Butler Li accompanying him, Chu Feng both inspected the products and won the loyalty of the artisans—money and grain spent on this were trivial.

He was just preparing to return to the barracks when a family servant hurried over.

"Master, the daughters of General Qiao have come again. They are waiting in the residence and insist on seeing you no matter what."