Chapter 33 Mass production of weapons and armours
Of the people who came, other than the Lord City Lord and Baron Belil, there were also some who came because they heard the news like chairman Cruise.
Most of them were heads of large companies that had connections to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, among them was the Falcao Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Fuller Morgan.
Without an exception, these people showed their concern on the Frestech Chamber of Commerce suddenly moving their factory. The key point of their concern was naturally whether this move would affect their orders with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.
When they learned that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce would be moving to the Sandton Manor not far away and would be able to resume production in just a week, many people were assured.
After exchanging greetings, people’s eyes naturally fell onto Count Sean and Baron Belil.
Most of them were looking at Baron Belil.
These people were all well informed people of Banta City, so how could they not know the situation of why the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was suddenly moving.
It should be said that Baron Belil’s sudden unreasonable request made everyone very surprised.
The Frestech Chamber of Commerce clearly had prospects, so even if the Stagg Family didn’t place importance on them, they shouldn’t act like this and basically break all relations with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.
Baron Belil still looked very careless in front of everyone. Seeing everyone focused on him, he gave a laugh before coming in front of Xu Yi, looking at him as he said, “Chairman Xu, giving Count Sean some face, I’ve given you a few days time. But don’t blame me for not reminding you that if you don’t finish before the deadline, I won’t be giving you any face.”
Hearing this, the surrounding people couldn’t help knitting their brows.
What grudge did this Baron Belil have with Xu YI? Why did he go against the Frestech Chamber of Commerce like this?
Xu Yi’s face was calm, as he nodded with a smile and said, “The Lord Baron can be assured, with our current speed, we can finish by the day after tomorrow. We won’t be delaying the plans you have with this piece of land.” 𝙗𝒆𝒅𝒏𝙤𝒗𝒆𝙡．𝙤𝒓𝙜
Baron Belil gave a slight nod, “That is more like it. If you delay my matters, there aren’t any good consequences for you.”
Everyone knit their brows even more.
Based on the information they obtained, this matter had been Baron Belil being unreasonable from the start. Now that he had said all this in front of Xu Yi, even the people who had normal relationships with Xu Yi found it hard to keep their hearts calm.
But the people here were all well experienced, no one would refute Baron Belil to his face.
This fellow clearly looked like a playboy and looked unreasonable. If they said anything against him, not only would it have no use, they would offend the Stagg Family behind him for no reason, no one would be that foolish.
Xu Yi looked at Baron Belil and suddenly asked, “Lord Baron, I have a question for you.”
“What is it?” Baron Belil said in an uncaring voice.
“Are you certain you won’t regret doing this?”
Count Sean who had only greeted Xu Yi after coming here and not said anything else slightly raised a brow, as he looked at Xu Yi in surprise.
This Xu Yi, he looked like he had been calm about this matter on the surface, but based on his question, it meant that he did have a bit of rage in his heart.
Everyone else was a bit surprised, as they thought that Xu Yi’s question didn’t have any politeness at all.
Baron Belil was surprised before giving a cold laugh and disdainfully saying, “Regret? Why would I regret this? I say, Xu Yi, although your Frestech Chamber of Commerce has developed at a good speed and earned quite a bit in a year, you shouldn’t overestimate yourself. Your Frestech Chamber of Commerce is only a small company in Banta City, what qualifications do you have to make me feel regret? Asking this kind of question, don’t you find it funny?”
Xu Yi looked at Baron Belil for a while until he felt uncomfortable being stared at like that. He angrily looked at Xu Yi who looked away with a faint smile, “Alright, I understand. Many thanks for the Lord Baron’s answer.”
Baron Belil looked at Xu Yi in surprise before saying with a cold snort, “Xu Yi, from the things that I don’t want to see on the newspapers, I thought that you would at least be a smart person. Now that I look at you, you don’t seem that smart.”
The Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s factory being moved, whether it was in Banta City or the surrounding cities, this was a large piece of news.
In a normal situation, the newspapers of the city would cover it and delve into the reasons.
But this time, the ten newspapers of these cities only made a simple report like it was a normal piece of news.
As for the reason why the Frestech Chamber of Commerce suddenly decided to move, they unanimously reported it as a future development plan the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had prepared beforehand.
The reason why these ten newspapers were so unanimous, other than it being Xu Yi’s request, naturally it was because Count Sean and Karma City’s City Lord Count Anaris.
Baron Belil was of course aware of this, so he praised Xu Yi as a smart person.
Right now to him calling him not intelligent, Xu Yi was too lazy to argue it. He just revealed a smile at him and ignored him, turning to talk the other merchants that came.
When he and everyone else confirmed that this was a plan for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s future development, everyone began to scatter. At this time, Count Sean finally came over.
Watching the horse carriages leave, Count Sean said, “Not bad. Moving such a large factory is a very complicated matter and in such a rushed situation, I thought that you would be in a panic. But looking at you now, it seems like you’ve already arranged everyone and I really have to praise you for it.”
“Lord Count is overpraising me.” Xu Yi said with a modest smile, “For you to specially come here, it shouldn’t be just to see how our move is going, right?”
“This is one of the reasons.” Count Sean pointed at the office in the distance, “Let’s sit down and discuss the rest.”
Xu Yi had his doubts. If he really wanted something, why did he call him to the City Lord’s Manor?
The two walked into the office that hadn’t been moved yet. Xu Yi poured the water before sitting down.
Count Sean paused for a second before pointing out the window and asking Xu Yi, “What do you think of those little fellows in the city guards?”
Xu Yi was surprised, he never thought that Count Sean would begin with the city guards that came to help with the move.
Thinking about it, Xu Yi said with a nod, “Very good. I can see that they are very strong. If our Lampuri Kingdom’s army had this kind of quality, perhaps our Lampuri Kingdom could spread our name across the entire Sines Continent.”
“You’re overexaggerating.” Count Sean waved his hand, “There are many things that decides a nation’s power, the quality of a soldier is only one aspect. Other than this, there is also equipment, logistics, and other important things. And among this, the thing that raises battle strength the most is equipment.”
Xu Yi was surprised.
Count Sean was not someone who liked wasting words, so what was the meaning of discussing equipment with him?
After considering it, Xu Yi could only gave a forced nod, “Un, I agree.”
Count Sean kept asking, “Xu Yi, your Frestech Chamber of Commerce uses production magic machines to make iron magic machines like the Magic Fan, the Magic Rice Cooker, and others, right?”
“Un, it is indeed like this.”
“Then you…..” Count Sean looked at Xu Yi and paused before saying in a casual voice, “To develop a magic machine that mass produces weapons and armours shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
Xu Yi’s hand trembled and he almost dropped the cup of tea.
After calming himself, Xu Yi asked Count Sean in a deep voice, “Lord City Lord, what do you mean?”
“What? You don’t understand what I said?” Count Sean looked at Xu Yi and said in a serious voice, “Let me ask you, do you have confidence in researching a production machine that have the same efficiency as the Magic Fan or the Magic Rice Cooker that can produce armour and weapons for soldiers?”
Xu Yi was silent and only after a while did he reply with difficulty, “In theory…..there is no problem. We have many production magic machines including the Magic Punch Press, so we just need to change them a bit and we’ll be able to form a simple armour production line. As for weapons…...it’ll depend on what kind of weapons.”
Count Sean’s eyes lit up as he kept asking, “For example, bows and arrows?”
“If it’s bows…..I don’t understand what materials are used for bows, so I can’t reply. But as for arrows, if we’re just making steel arrowheads, it isn’t as hard as making screw bolts, it could even be considered simpler. As for shafts…..If you want a pure steel arrow shaft, it will be a bit more troublesome. But if you just want to make an alloy shaft or a plastic shaft, it isn’t that hard. Although researching the magic machines will be a bit troublesome, I don’t think there will be a problem. But to develop these things, it will hinder our development of magic machines for civilians, so I feel that……”
“Wait a minute……” Count Sean was a bit confused as he raised a hand for Xu Yi to stop. After thinking about it, he asked with knit brows, “What are these alloys and plastic you mention? Why have I never heard of them before?”
Xu Yi was stunned before he reacted. He had replied based on the standard of earth, but he had forgotten that the people of this world didn’t know much about materials used in machines.
The alloys are at least being used in the Magic Rice Cooker and the Magic Bread Maker right now, but as for plastic…...Currently it was being developed in the Night Song Tribe and it would take some time before it could be revealed.
“These two things are some special materials, it’s different from basic materials with different effects. Like the material used in our Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s Automatic Magic Rice Cooker and Magic Bread Maker, it is a special steel alloy that our company researched. This alloy that I’ve named the Steel Leaf Alloy is lighter than normal iron, but it isn’t weaker and it doesn’t rust.”
“Then wouldn’t the effects be better if this Silver Leaf Alloy was used to make weapons and armours?” Count Sean immediately asked.
Xu Yi hesitated a bit, “This…..I wouldn’t dare promise it because there are many limits to armours and weapons being used by soldiers. We haven’t conducted a limit test with this Silver Leaf Alloy, so we can’t guarantee if it can take the demands of being forged into armour or weapons.”
“Since you have the Silver Leaf Alloy, then perhaps there are other steel alloys like you mentioned? Then of these steel alloys, there should be another alloy that is more suited for making armour and weapons, right?” Count Sean was a bit unwilling to give up.
“There….should be.” Xu Yi could only helplessly shake his head.
“Very good!” Count Sean slapped the table and broke out in laughter. Then he slapped Xu Yi’s shoulder and said in an excited voice, “I just wanted your Frestech Chamber of Commerce to develop a magic machine that I needed, but I never thought that you have so many useful things. Xu Yi, ah Xu Yi, I really never thought that you hid so many treasures. If I didn’t ask, were you even planning on telling me?”
Xu Yi said with a bitter smile, “Lord City Lord, this is after all our company’s business secret. If it wasn’t for you asking, how could I reveal it that easily?”
“Business secret?” Count Sean shook his head with a smile, “In the face of the kingdom’s benefits, what are some business secrets. Alright, Xu Yi, I’ll give you two choices right now. The first is to agree to me and research the magic machines that I mentioned for the kingdom, while also developing those alloys and plastic that you mentioned. The second choice is to reject me and let your Frestech Chamber of Commerce run its course. What is your choice?”
Xu Yi couldn’t only give a helpless bitter smile, “Lord City Lord, do I have a choice?”
Chapter 34 You’re not suited to be the queen
Of course Xu Yi didn’t have a choice.
If he rejected Count Sean’s request, then that would mean that Xu Yi would lose the support of Count Sean.
And even if Count Sean’s support wasn’t important, the support of those who prompted him to make this kind of request to Xu Yi was very important.
Count Sean could say that it was for the benefit of the entire Lampuri Kingdom, which meant that this request didn’t just come from Count Sean alone, making Xu Yi unable to reject it at all.
But by accepting Count Sean’s request, it meant that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce would be entering the arms industry that Xu Yi always resisted.
Although with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce developing and people accepting the power of the magic machines, Xu Yi had already expected this day to come, so he had made preparations in his heart.
But no matter what, he never expected it to come this early.
The magic machines for normal people haven’t even been popularized in the Lampuri Kingdom and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was already getting into the arms industry.
Most of the advanced technology on earth was associated first to the military, before it was gradually used by citizens. Xu Yi suddenly found that perhaps this was the fate of the machine industry.
It was like this on earth and it wasn’t an exception on the Sines Continent.
So after Xu Yi agreed to Count Sean, not long after, he adjusted his resistance mentality and began raising them.
But when he saw Seveni appear in front of him and discussing what kinds of weapons and armours are used by the army, Xu Yi couldn’t adjust and felt a bit uncomfortable.
“Your highness queen, I thought that you focused on the citizens, but I never thought that you dabbled in the military as well. It really…..lets me feel a contrast.” Xu Yi looked at Seveni’s gentle face as he spoke.
“Contrast? Why?” Seveni looked at Xu Yi in surprise.
“Because I feel that…...for a beautiful girl like you, it’s more suited to care about the lives of the citizens. But if you were to be related to the ice cold weapons, it is a bit strange.” Xu Yi honestly said.
“You think that I’m beautiful?” Seveni saw Xu Yi nod and revealed a faint smile as she said, “Many thanks for your praise. Indeed, compared to ice cold things like weapons and cruel military matters, I rather like care more about people’s lives. But there’s no other choice, since you call me your highness queen, I have no way of avoiding these things.”
“You want to take the throne?” Xu Yi couldn’t help asking.
After asking this, he found that asking this was a bit too rash.
This kind of question, how could he be worthy of asking this.
It was a good thing that Seveni only looked at Xu Yi in surprise. She didn’t look angry as she tilted her head to think before asking Xu Yi, “If you want the truth, I haven’t thought about it. Of course, no one would believe this.”
“I believe it.” Xu Yi quickly said, “Because I feel that you’re really not suited to being a queen.”
“Is if because I’m not worthy?” Seveni asked back.
“No, it’s not that you’re not worthy, rather you’re not suited.” Xu Yi sincerely said, “Although I haven’t had much contact with you, I feel that you’re a very calm and kind girl, this kind of disposition isn’t suited to being a queen. Actually, I’m a bit confused about how your highness developed this kind of personality growing up in the royal family.”
“This is your misconception.” Seveni shook her head, “As the queen, how could I possibly have the personality you speak of? Alright, let’s stop this nonsense and talk about business.”
Seveni clapped and took out a sheet of paper which she spread on the table in front of them.
“Do you see this? This is the current armour being used by the imperial guards. You should be able to understand the measurements written on this.”
Xu Yi looked it over and nodded, “I can understand, but it isn’t enough with just this design. It’s best if you give me a real set of armour.”
“That’s no problem, I will have someone send over several sets of armour with different specifications over.” Seveni nodded. She looked at Xu Yi carefully looking over the blueprint and said, “How about it? Do you have confidence?”
Xu Yi looked over it again before standing up and revealing a confident smile, “Your highness, did you forget how I replied last time you asked this question?”
Seveni was a bit surprised. She thought about when Xu Yi wanted to develop those Magic Punch Presses, she had asked this question to Xu Yi.
Back then Xu Yi’s response was, of course!
“Then that’s good.” Although Seveni’s smile wasn’t as bright as Still’s, it was still as warm as the winter sun, “I hope that chairman Xu can live up to your word. I can tell you ahead of time that if you finish this cooperation with the royal army, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce will become an important partner of the royal army, being able to receive support from the royal family in terms of military.”
“The specific benefits?” Xu Yi asked.
“I don’t know for now. But at least your Frestech Chamber of Commerce won’t be swept out again by Baron Belil like this time.” Seveni’s smile had a bit of teasing in it.
Xu Yi couldn’t help giving a snort, “Your highness queen, you’re wrong about that. It’s fine if it is inconvenient for you and his majesty to act, but our Frestech Chamber of Commerce is an important partner of the agricultural department, so for the agricultural department to do nothing this time, I really am disappointed.”
“The agricultural department can’t do anything.” Seveni helplessly said, “The Stagg Family is the noble family with the most territory in the kingdom, so close to half the grain taxed each year comes from the Stagg Family. Do you think that the agricultural department will go against the Stagg Family for you and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce?”
Xu Yi knit his brows, “That isn’t right. Although the Stagg Family are the nobles with the most territory in the kingdom, it can’t compare to the royal family, right? Why is it that the Stagg Family has close to half the taxed grains?”
“This is because the territory of the royal family is land that belongs to the kingdom, it’s different from the territories of nobles. The Stagg Family can depend on their labour force to open up farmlands and increase their productivity, while harvesting large amounts of grains, but it is different for the royal family. This is because first, we don’t have a way to recruit that many people to open up more farmland.”
Seveni said this before looking at Xu Yi with a gaze of deep meaning, “Now do you know why royal father places such importance on your Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s agricultural magic machines?”
Xu Yi understood before looking at Seveni and complaining.
“Your highness, since our Frestech Chamber of Commerce is this important, you and his majesty should have come out for us. Otherwise we will be too disappointed.”
Seveni gave a helpless bitter smile, “There’s no other way, royal father has his difficulties. And as for me…..Right now I really am helpless. Other than that, in our royal family…..there are different voices.”
Xu Yi looked at the exhausted looking Seveni and couldn’t help shaking his head, “So I say that not a normal person can sit on the throne. Alright, your highness, I was just casually complaining, you don’t need to put it in your heart. As for the magic machines this time, I represent the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to agree. Give us some time and we should be able to develop them.”
“Alright, then I represent royal father in thanking you.” Seveni gave the bow of a noble woman, which scared Xu Yi.
This was her first time giving Xu Yi such a serious bow, so it could be seen how much importance she attached to this project.
After sending Seveni off, Xu Yi looked at the blueprint on the table. He rolled it up and thought about it before giving up the idea of putting it in the office, while putting it into his chest.
Although there was a new office in the Sandton Manor where normally if someone didn’t have Xu Yi’s approval, they couldn’t just charge it, this was a matter that had to be kept secret. So unless there was a need, Xu Yi didn’t want to easily reveal this matter.
After making some calculations in the office, Xu Yi opened the door and left. He took a breath of the fresh air outside and he felt his muddled mind clearing up.
If it wasn’t for the faint machine sounds in the manor, this manor Viscount Sandton had left behind was a well decorated place.
Looking around at the two large factories, Xu Yi revealed a smile. The Frestech Chamber of Commerce was on a new beginning.
After a week of work, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s factory had finally been moved from the Stagg Family’s territory.
Of course, the only thing that was moved were the machines inside the factory. As for the factory, there was no way to move it.
As for the four large and small factories left on the land, Baron Belil was even shameless enough to ask for compensation from Xu Yi.
This is because he felt it wasn’t acceptable that these were factories left by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, which required him to spend time and money to demolish. So he requested compensation from the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to demolish them.
For his shameless and unreasonable request, Xu Yi of course didn’t agree.
Baron Belil kept pestering and even threatened Xu Yi, but Count Sean who had received the news directly reprimanded him and forced him to give up.
Thinking of how Count Sean was indecisive when Baron Belil drove the Frestech Chamber of Commerce from his territory and now showed his support, not even hesitating to reprimand Baron Belil, Xu Yi understood that it was definitely because the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was stepping into the arms business.
And this was one of the main reasons why Xu Yi decided to let the Frestech Chamber of Commerce step into the arms business.
To establish a real magic industry empire on the continent, the arms business was not something he could avoid.
When thinking about what to do, Xu Yi suddenly had an idea. His brows slightly jumped up as he called into the air, “Agnes, come out.”