Chapter 3: Immortals Lend Their Aid

Chen Mu felt a surge of pride in his heart. Of course they hadn’t heard of it! There were plenty more things they’d never encountered, and in time, he would let them witness them all.

Though he thought this to himself, such words could hardly be spoken in front of Zhao Lai.

“If our army could be equipped with these repeating crossbows, then pacifying the northern frontier would be as easy as reaching into a pocket for Great Xia. With the repeating crossbow, and paired with the saddle and stirrups His Highness mentioned, I swear I would not let the barbarians approach our borders by so much as a step!”

Zhao Lai was visibly stirred, once again affirming to everyone the feasibility of Chen Mu’s ideas.

Not only Zhao Lai, but even Chen Xingtian, the emperor himself, was deeply intrigued by the repeating crossbow Chen Mu described. After all, according to Chen Mu, such a weapon could greatly enhance the military’s combat prowess. A strong army was vital for the stability and expansion of the nation; such an opportunity could not be missed.

“My son, can you truly craft such a repeating crossbow?” Chen Xingtian’s gaze towards Chen Mu was unconsciously tinged with anticipation and urgency. “If our dynasty could possess such a divine weapon, what worry would there be about the barbarians? What worry for the peace of the northern frontier?”

Chen Mu smiled. A mere repeating crossbow—something that had been played out thousands of years ago in Huaxia. For a doctoral graduate in engineering, this was child's play.

“I can draw up the schematics within two days. The Ministry of Works need only follow the design to forge it.”

“Excellent! Excellent!” Chen Xingtian exclaimed in excitement, praising him repeatedly. He then turned, looking at the eunuchs standing nearby. “Summon the Minister of Works for an audience!”

“As you command!” The young eunuch was efficient; in less time than it takes incense to burn, he returned with an elderly man in tow.

“Your servant, Li Heng, Minister of Works, greets Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Chen Xingtian handed the designs for the saddle and stirrups to Li Heng, then explained the matter of the repeating crossbow.

“These items—can your Ministry craft them?”

Li Heng was momentarily stunned by Chen Mu’s drawings, lost for words.

He stood dazed for a long while before responding. “Your Majesty, my Ministry boasts many skilled craftsmen, and we often fabricate ingenious devices. Forging these should pose no great difficulty. But I wonder, what materials do these things require? If the requirements are too stringent, I fear…”

“Saddle and stirrups need only ordinary wrought iron and leather,” Chen Mu interjected. “The repeating crossbow requires hardwood, but if materials are limited, similar substitutes will suffice. We must produce as many as possible to meet military needs. The bolts are special, though; unlike ordinary arrows, the repeating crossbow’s bolts must have a layer of wrought iron wrapped around the tip, lest the power of the crossbow shatter a purely wooden bolt.”

“I understand,” Li Heng replied, accepting the charge and promising to quickly craft a set for Chen Xingtian to inspect.

Meanwhile, Chen Ya made no effort to hide her admiration.

“Brother, you’re amazing.” The girl cheerfully wrapped her arms around Chen Mu’s. “How did you come up with all these things?”

Chen Ya was not the only one curious. Chen Xingtian, Zhao Lai, and all those present eagerly awaited an answer. Only Chen Ya voiced the question outright.

Could a fall really have inspired such genius ideas?

Chen Mu coughed awkwardly, rubbing his nose.

“Uh… while I was unconscious, I vaguely saw a white-bearded immortal before me. It was he who taught me these things.”

He had no other choice. He certainly couldn’t tell Chen Xingtian that his son’s soul had been kicked somewhere else and he was Chen Mu from another world. If he said such things, he’d be taken for a lunatic, forced to swallow handfuls of bitter medicine prescribed by the Imperial Hospital.

Though the explanation sounded absurd to Chen Mu himself, these ancient people, so backward in their thinking, believed it wholeheartedly.

“So it was divine assistance!” Chen Xingtian nodded with conviction. “It seems my son has turned misfortune into blessing.”

“Heaven bless Great Xia! Heaven bless the Emperor! Heaven bless the Crown Prince!” The others in the hall, as if on cue, knelt and shouted in unison, which greatly pleased Chen Xingtian.

Chen Mu watched all this, somewhat speechless.

It seemed that at any time or place, flattery was a reliable way to win favor with those in power—and a useful method for setting the atmosphere.

Now, Chen Mu understood that his pressing task was to quickly draw the repeating crossbow’s schematics.

Once the Ministry of Works had actually forged these items, he believed the people here would see him in a new light.

To these ancients, living in an era of technological backwardness, the repeating crossbow might seem a mythical artifact, as incredible as fairy tales. But for Chen Mu, a doctorate in engineering, it was merely a simple introductory machine. Its principles were straightforward, and with ordinary crossbows as reference, Chen Mu had the designs ready by the following day.

Even though he already knew of the repeating crossbow’s power, when Li Heng, nearly seventy years old, saw the completed schematics, he was stunned—his eyes widened in astonishment, and he lavished praise upon the plans.

“Your Highness, since I entered service at the Ministry of Works, I have seen many marvels and met countless skilled craftsmen, but never have I encountered such ingenious devices. Truly, it is a blessing that the Crown Prince is guided by a divine being!”

Chen Mu merely smiled at this.

If the drawings alone could astonish them so, what would they say when they witnessed its actual power?

“Minister Li, you flatter me. I must trouble you to forge these items as soon as possible, so I may report to my father.” Chen Mu spoke with refined courtesy. He was no fool; he understood his position. Though he was the Crown Prince, there was no harm in treating the court officials with respect.

After a polite exchange, Li Heng departed for the Ministry, brimming with enthusiasm, as if ten years younger.

Chen Mu had full confidence that his inventions would perform as expected. He had studied history and knew how incredible the craftsmanship of ancient artisans could be. The artisans of Xia lacked only creativity. With Chen Mu’s arrival filling this gap, he had no worries about their ability to manufacture.

As expected, two days later, the Ministry announced that the first set of horse gear and the first repeating crossbow were complete.

Chen Xingtian was overjoyed, and at once led Chen Mu and Zhao Lai to the hunting grounds, eager to witness the marvels of these inventions firsthand.