Chương 147: "Artifact"

First picture: Bright armor.

Two curved iron plates were drawn on the front and back of the chest, labeled: "Breast Protection Mirror, made of wrought iron, thin yet tough."

The shoulders and arms are decorated with movable nail plates, with the words: "Can be wielded flexibly without jamming."

The overall design is simple and practical, protecting key areas while ensuring flexibility.

As Liu Ce drew, he muttered to himself, "The leather armor these days is like paper, and the iron armor is too heavy. This Bright Light Armor is made of wrought iron; it's lightweight and sturdy—perfect!"

Second image: Mo Dao (陌刀).

Long handle, wide blade, note: "Approximately 10 feet long, weighing 35 catties, for use in breaking through enemy lines and cutting down horses."

This is a powerful weapon against cavalry.

Historically, the Tang Dynasty's Mo Dao (陌刀) troops were known for their ability to "shatter both men and horses," and bringing them out now would be absolutely shocking.

Third picture: A horizontal sword.

Short and compact, "three feet seven inches long, can be held in one hand, suitable for both cavalry and infantry, and sharp for slashing."

This is a conventional weapon; it needs to be mass-produced and deployed.

After finishing drawing the weapon, Liu Ce rubbed his wrist and then remembered the cavalry's weakness.

Eastern Han cavalry didn't have stirrups; they had to rely entirely on their legs to grip the horse, making them prone to falling off during battles. Without horseshoes, they would become lame after galloping a long distance.

"It needs to be solved!" He continued drawing.

Fourth picture: horseshoe.

Curved iron plate, marked: "Nailed to horseshoes to prevent wear and tear, enabling cavalry to conduct long-distance raids."

Fifth picture: Stirrup.

Two small iron rings, "hanging on both sides of the saddle, so that your feet can be firmly planted and you can stand firmly in battle."

Sixth picture: Saddle.

It has raised sections at the front and back to prevent slipping and reduce fatigue from prolonged sitting.

These three things combined can multiply the cavalry's combat power several times over!

Finally, Liu Ce drew the curved plow.

The plow frame is curved, and the plowshare is triangular. It is labeled: "The plow frame can be adjusted for depth, and it can be pulled by one person and one ox. It is less strenuous than a straight-shaft plow and yields 50% more per mu."

This thing is extremely important for land reclamation.

The migrants were currently using straight-shaft plows, which required two oxen and three people to pull, making them inefficient and exhausting. Once the curved-shaft plow was widely adopted, the efficiency of land reclamation would skyrocket.

As Liu Ce drew, he muttered to himself, "With these, the cavalry's fighting strength will increase several times over, and the efficiency of land reclamation will improve. Let's see who dares to challenge our Youzhou then!"

He drew until midnight, and a stack of drawings lay on his desk.

Although the lines were rough—Liu Ce wasn't an art student in his previous life and his drawing skills were average—the key structures and dimensions were clearly marked.

The details are clearly explained, including how the armor plates of the Mingguang Armor are assembled, the angle of the blade of the Mo Dao (陌刀), the nailing method of the horseshoes, and the adjustment mechanism of the curved plow.

The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside the window; it was already midnight.

The study door was gently pushed open, and Cai Yan came in carrying a tray with a bowl of steaming porridge on it.

"Husband, take a rest," she said softly.

Liu Ce looked up and realized his eyes were sore and his neck was stiff. He took the porridge, took a sip, and felt the warmth slide from his throat to his stomach.

"Thank you, Yan'er."

He laughed and said, "I've finished painting it. I'll go to the workshop to start work tomorrow."

Cai Yan glanced at the blueprints on the table. Although she couldn't understand them, she could sense Liu Ce's dedication. She said softly, "My husband, you've worked hard."

"It's not hard work."

Liu Ce shook his head and said, "For Youzhou, for you all, it's worth it."

...

The next morning, Liu Ce rushed into the workshop as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

He was holding a stack of blueprints in his arms, his eyes shining, and he was full of energy.

The craftsmen had just started working when they saw him in this manner and quickly surrounded him, saying, "My lord, is there something new again?"

"This is a real treasure!" Liu Ce spread out the blueprints all over the table.

He first pointed to the Bright Light Armor: "This is called Bright Light Armor, and it's several times stronger than the leather armor you currently make! The breastplates on the chest and back are made of newly refined wrought iron; they're thin but hard, able to block arrows without weighing you down. The movable plates allow for flexible arm and leg movements, so you can wield your sword without hindering your combat skills!"

Old Li leaned closer to take a look, then frowned and said, "My lord, isn't this iron plate too heavy? Won't the soldiers be unable to run while wearing it?"

"rest assured!"

Liu Ce patted his chest and said, "Using our newly refined wrought iron, the breastplate is only half an inch thick. The entire suit of armor weighs only about fifty pounds, several pounds heavier than your old leather armor with iron plates, but the protection is several times stronger!"

He then pointed to the Mo Dao and Heng Dao: "The Mo Dao is about ten feet long, specifically designed to deal with cavalry; one strike can sever a horse's leg! The Heng Dao is lightweight and suitable for close combat. Both should be made according to standardized templates; the blades must be sharpened, and the quenching must be done properly! All of these must be forged using the 'crucible steelmaking method'!"

The craftsmen stared at the blueprints, their eyes wide with amazement.

Next up is the cavalry three-piece set.

Liu Ce pointed to the horseshoes and stirrups: "These iron plates are nailed to the horseshoes, so the horses can run a thousand miles without limping. These small iron rings are hung on the saddle, so the cavalrymen can step on them and stand up to wield their swords in battle, and they are not easy to fall off."

Finally, there's the curved-shaft plow: "This plow is called a curved-shaft plow, and it's less strenuous than the current straight-shaft plow. One person and one ox can pull it, and the depth can be adjusted; it can be used in both dry and paddy fields. It's perfect for displaced people settling in the fields!"

The artisans became more and more excited as they looked at it.

Old Li rubbed his hands and said, "Lord Marquis, these blueprints are amazing! It's just that we need to figure out how to make the armor plates of this Mingguang armor and the stirrups secure."

"Just try it!"

Liu Ce immediately approved the plan, "Let's make a sample set first: the Mingguang armor will be made to my dimensions, one Modao and one Hengdao, a set of horseshoes, stirrups, and a saddle, and a curved plow as well! Use the best wrought iron as the material, and if we don't have enough manpower, we'll pick strong men from the refugees to learn!"

He raised his voice: "Whoever produces a qualified sample first will be rewarded with ten catties of fine salt and two jars of good wine!"

"Yes, sir!" the craftsmen replied in unison.

The workshop immediately erupted in excitement.

The blacksmiths gathered around the blueprints for the Mingguang Armor, studying how to assemble the armor plates; the carpenters pondered the wooden frames for the saddle and the curved plow; and the new apprentices assisted them.

Liu Ce moved among them, answering questions from time to time.

"Use rivets to secure the nail plates, not wire, as it breaks easily!"

"The stirrups should be welded to both sides of the saddle, at knee height for the rider!"

"The plowshare of a curved plow needs to be sharpened, and the plow frame should be made of hard jujube wood for durability!"

The charcoal fire roared, the hammers clattered, and the workshop was filled with steam.

As Liu Ce watched the craftsmen busily working, he thought to himself: Once these divine artifacts are made, the military strength and land reclamation efficiency of Youzhou will reach a new level.

More than ten days later, the sample was finally produced.

On the drill ground west of the city, newly forged equipment stood in a row: gleaming armor leaned against wooden stakes, flashing coldly in the sunlight. Longdao (a type of long-handled sword) and Hengdao (a type of horizontal sword) were stuck in the sand, their blades gleaming coldly. Beside them were matching high-bridged saddles and horseshoes, and a curved plow lay quietly by the edge of the field.

Liu Ce stood in the middle, followed by eager craftsmen.

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and others also came, all wanting to see just how amazing the "divine artifact" that their lord had been working on for half a month really was.

The sounds of horses' hooves and human voices could be heard in the distance.

"My lord! I've arrived!"

Cheng Yaojin's loud voice appeared before the figure.

He strode into the training ground, his eyes immediately fixed on the long, ten-foot-long broadsword. He rushed over in three steps and picked it up with one hand.

"Good heavens!"

Cheng Yaojin weighed the knife in his hand.

"This knife is impressive! It must weigh thirty or forty pounds, right? Powerful!"

Liu Ce laughed and said, "Zhijie, the Mo Dao weighs thirty-five jin and must be wielded with both hands. It's specifically designed for breaking through enemy lines and cutting down horses, not for you to wield with one hand!"

As soon as he finished speaking, dust billowed up in the distance.