Sun Rong, former Demon-Suppressing Envoy of the Demon-Suppressing Department, pays respects to the Duke

Nanny Sun had always been one to speak startling words.

Her actions were often difficult to judge by common sense.

Moreover, she was a person from the City Lord’s residence, which gave her ample opportunity to slip into the Duke’s estate and deliver messages.

Could it be?

Their breathing quickened.

But before they could ask further, Nanny Sun said calmly, “I am also a former member of the Demon-Slaying Division.”

“That letter delivered to the Duke—I was the one who sent it.”

She paused, sighed, and while Xu Xia and Yun Wanyi were still struggling to process this information, added, “Take me to see the Duke.”

“There are some words I wish to speak to him as well.”

...

Inside the military camp, the atmosphere, which had been somewhat festive, changed completely after Wu Xingzhou's humiliating retreat.

A deadly silence fell.

Wu Xingzhou knelt on the ground, carrying thorny branches on his back, recounting one by one the reasons for the defeat in battle. He particularly described Zhou Xiong’s attitude toward Wanqing.

On the surface, Zhou Xiong seemed to cherish her greatly.

Yet, on the battlefield, he did not hesitate to order his troops to loose arrows.

A volley of ten thousand arrows, and Wanqing was killed instantly!

Having lost his support, Wu Xingzhou was hunted down all the way.

“Your Grace, this general is guilty. Please punish me!”

Ren Tianye frowned slightly.

He did not impose any punishment on Wu Xingzhou, after all, even if a scapegoat were needed, it should not be this man.

Ren Tianye was merely shocked.

Quite shocked.

“This land of Yunjing has nearly been corrupted into a wasteland by Liu Ruyan and her Alliance of Hearts—yet it has produced a man like Zhou Xiong, pure and untainted?”

“But...”

“How truly rare!”

Ren Tianye marveled, a spark of excitement gradually kindling in his heart.

His march south had been too smooth, almost making him forget the fighting strength of his two hundred thousand troops. Of course, he hoped battles would incur no losses, but when faced with true confrontation, Ren Tianye was more than willing to take the gamble.

He motioned for Wu Xingzhou to rise and said, “In that case, the approach to taking Pukou City must change. It’s time to show the city the might of our imperial army.”

“Our campaign includes a good number of giant red cannons.”

“They will be just the tool to breach the walls.”

Wu Xingzhou nodded firmly and petitioned again, “Your Grace, let this general charge at the forefront once more.”

He had thought it through clearly.

Pukou City also had giant red cannons of no lesser power. Thus, the coming hard-fought battle would undoubtedly be an artillery duel between both sides.

Charging to the front would be fraught with danger.

Cannons are far less merciful than swords and arrows.

But Wu Xingzhou needed this opportunity.

Ren Tianye did not hesitate: “Good. From now on, I still appoint you as the vanguard. Concentrate the giant red cannons to firmly blast open a section of the city wall.”

“Once the wall is breached, I will order troops to enter through the gap.”

“Yes!”

Wu Xingzhou knelt again, ready to accept the order, when a voice suddenly sounded outside the tent: “Your Grace, I’m afraid the city walls of Pukou cannot be easily shattered by the power of the giant red cannons.”

The tent flap was lifted. Xu Xia and Yun Wanyi, their faces filled with panic, entered first. Beside them walked Nanny Sun, aged but sharp-eyed and spirited.

Nanny Sun remained calm and composed, without any trace of fear for entering without permission. Instead, she said, “Your Grace, from what I know, Pukou City—and even Yunjing—possesses a miraculous substance called solidifying plaster.”

“It is bluish-gray in color, fine as dust.”

“Mixed with mountain spring water and stirred evenly, then combined with crushed stone and gravel, it can be shaped and laid down in no time.”

“This material is unique. At first, it is soft as mud, but within a few hours it gradually hardens. It does not crack under the sun nor soften in the rain.”

“What’s more alarming: after several days, it becomes harder than bluestone. Hammers cannot break it, and blades can barely scratch it—far superior to traditional glutinous rice mortar or lime mixtures.”

“And Zhou Xiong, the defending general of Pukou City, used this substance to replace the original walls, making the city as solid as iron.”

“Your Grace, your giant red cannons may find it no easy task to destroy its foundation in a short time.”

Nanny Sun spoke slowly. Ren Tianye listened with a slight furrow of his brow. Though her description was obscure, he recognized in an instant what it was.

Cement!

It was undoubtedly cement!

And he knew the strength of cement all too well. Even if the level of development in this ancient era meant it could not be as strong as in later generations, still it could not be underestimated.

“At the level Liu Ruyan has developed over about twenty years, this cement probably reaches the quality of ordinary Portland cement—perhaps even finer.”

“A city wall built with this kind of cement, being a single monolithic structure, would indeed be difficult for even the giant red cannons to breach.”

This was another instance of a product surpassing the current productive forces. But this time, Ren Tianye no longer felt the immense pressure he had encountered upon first seeing firearms.

His bearing remained relaxed.

He looked Nanny Sun up and down and asked, “Who are you? How do you know about the cement in Pukou City?”

Nanny Sun took a deep breath, knelt to the ground, and said, “Former Demon-Slaying Envoy Sun Rong pays homage to Your Grace.”

...