Chapter 4: The Divine Crossbow Emerges

Chen Mu had originally intended to personally demonstrate the use of the harness on his own prized Akhal-Teke horse. However, Chen Xingtian was concerned that his injuries had not yet fully healed, and Zhao Lai also feared that the fiery steed might harm its master again. Persuaded by the two, Chen Mu reluctantly agreed to let General Zhao Lai try the harness first before it was fitted onto his own horse.

He could understand their feelings. After all, he was the Crown Prince—the future of the entire Great Xia Dynasty—and it was only natural for those around him to exercise caution.

By regulation, such innovations were to be presented to the Emperor, Chen Xingtian, for inspection before anything else. Yet this time, Chen Xingtian voluntarily entrusted this authority to Chen Mu. After all, these inventions were his brainchildren, and only he could truly judge their merits and flaws.

When Li Heng presented a saddle, a pair of stirrups, and a repeating crossbow, even Chen Mu could not help but marvel quietly. This was truly craftsmanship worthy of the imperial household! The quality far exceeded what he had imagined.

The saddle was made of thick, resilient cowhide, smooth and pleasing to the touch. The stirrups were forged from the finest steel this era could produce, burnished to a bright gleam. The repeating crossbow was crafted entirely from premium hardwood, its components joined tightly and solidly, the mechanisms smooth and agile, with some joints specially reinforced with steel. As for the bolts, Li Heng had specially ordered twenty, each of sturdier hardwood and thicker than ordinary crossbow bolts, their heads capped with iron, wickedly sharp.

Li Heng watched as Chen Mu examined the items over and over in silence, a knot of anxiety forming in his chest. The Emperor attached great importance to these things—not only because the ideas came from the Crown Prince, but more importantly, because they pertained to the very fate of the Xia Dynasty.

With this in mind, Li Heng couldn’t help but step forward and bow respectfully to Chen Mu. “Your Highness, I have commanded the most skilled artisans of the Ministry of Works to forge this saddle, these stirrups, and the repeating crossbow. Please advise if there is anything amiss.”

Chen Mu glanced at him, making no effort to conceal the admiration and affirmation in his eyes. “Excellent, Minister Li. You have truly fulfilled your commission.”

Only then did Li Heng breathe a great sigh of relief, thanking him before stepping aside. With Chen Mu’s approval, Chen Xingtian and Zhao Lai each gave the items a simple inspection and found no issues.

Now came the moment that drew every eye: the trial.

After listening to Chen Mu’s explanation, Zhao Lai successfully fitted the saddle and stirrups onto his warhorse. The animal was clearly unaccustomed to the new equipment and only settled after Zhao Lai alternately threatened and coaxed it for quite some time. Then, following Chen Mu’s instructions, Zhao Lai placed one foot in the stirrup, gripped the saddle, and with a powerful thrust of his other leg, easily vaulted onto the horse’s back.

Witnessing this, Chen Xingtian could not help but clench his fists. “Excellent!” he exclaimed.

Even judging from this single mounting action, Chen Xingtian could see how effective the saddle and stirrups were. In the past, officers and cavalrymen had to find a raised spot and struggle, clinging to the horse’s neck to mount with great difficulty; the less agile even required assistance. Horses, too, were often startled in the process, sometimes injuring their riders.

Yet with the aid of the saddle and stirrups, Zhao Lai had mounted with effortless ease—something even he himself could scarcely believe. After a brief daze, his confidence in the equipment beneath him soared.

“Hyah!” Zhao Lai pulled the reins and, following Chen Mu’s prior instructions, gave the horse’s belly a gentle kick with both feet. The warhorse shot forward like an arrow released from the string.

Standing aside, Chen Xingtian praised Chen Mu’s invention effusively, his admiration evident. “Father, your praise is too generous,” Chen Mu replied modestly. “It is best we await General Zhao’s judgment.”

After all, to him, the saddle and stirrups were hardly worth bragging about.

“From the first moment I saw these, I knew they were extraordinary. Your Highness is truly a genius,” Li Heng chimed in at just the right moment.

Before long, Zhao Lai rode back from the distance and, dismounting before the group, spoke in a voice trembling with excitement. “Your Majesty, this is a divine treasure!”

Zhao Lai, unlike Chen Xingtian, was a general who had spent years campaigning. He understood perfectly what a transformation this would bring for the cavalry. This set of equipment not only greatly relieved the physical strain of riding, allowing easier control of the horse, but also simplified mounting and dismounting, vastly improving cavalry mobility. If necessary, riders could swiftly transition between mounted and foot combat, and even stand in the saddle to fight, concentrating their strength on wielding weapons.

Was this not a divine artifact?

“Your Majesty, I recommend immediately ordering the Ministry of Works to mass-produce saddles and stirrups for the army and train our cavalry in their use…” Zhao Lai, animated, described the wonders of the saddle to Chen Xingtian.

Chen Mu could only smile wryly. If a mere saddle and stirrups caused such excitement, what would happen when they witnessed the repeating crossbow?

After some time, the overjoyed sovereign and general finally remembered Chen Mu, left standing aside with the other “divine artifact” in hand.

“My son, you shall demonstrate the repeating crossbow,” said the Emperor.

Chen Mu smiled and did not decline. He took up a handful of bolts—eight in all, no more, no less—and loaded them into the repeating crossbow. Then, raising the weapon, he took aim at a distant tree and swiftly worked the mechanism.

Eight bolts shot out in rapid succession, their steel heads flashing coldly in the sunlight as they sliced through the air. All eight buried themselves deep in the trunk, the force so great that leaves showered down from above.

Such a demonstration required no repetition.

“Father, General Zhao, please observe,” Chen Mu said calmly, lowering the crossbow, his manner as serene as ever.

This time, unlike the excitement over the saddle and stirrups, the entire scene fell utterly silent.

Chen Xingtian, Zhao Lai, Li Heng, and even the attending eunuchs were all struck dumb with shock.

Eight bolts in rapid succession! To these men of antiquity, it was a staggering, world-shaking revelation.

Imagine: while the enemy was still laboriously loading a single bolt, Xia soldiers could already have felled eight foes with ease! In this era, such a repeating crossbow was a supreme weapon of the battlefield. Wherever the Xia army equipped with these crossbows marched, their enemies would surely be paralyzed with fear.

And all of this was thanks to Chen Mu.