Tai Cang City, though called a city, had low walls. The city's length and width spanned over twenty miles. The people of Tai Cang lived within the city at night, while during the day, many of them ventured outside the city to cultivate the land.
Strictly speaking, the common people did not own their own farmland. All the land was state-owned, and all the harvested grain was distributed by the royal court. This was because in the vast wilderness, small kingdoms like Tai Cang had no right to be self-sufficient.
The main water source for the people of Tai Cang City was the Hai Xiu River, which originated from the Fu Chong River north of Tai Cang. The Hai Xiu River was a tributary of Fu Chong, flowing through Tai Cang's land. Because of this, the Ant Zhan Kingdom and Pu Bi Kingdom, which had once inhabited this land, both established cities along the Hai Xiu River, and Tai Cang did the same centuries later.
When Tai Cang City was first built, a branch of the Hai Xiu River was incorporated into both Tai and Cang cities. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Tai Cang people had easier access to water. However, the Fu Chong River often harbored terrifying river beasts, so the tributaries didn't have much of a supply of small fish—this was a regrettable fact.
Ji Xia stood on the banks of the Hai Xiu River, observing the rows of brown trees that lined the riverbank. The scenery was serene and pleasant.
"The Cang Guard's military camp being built here is an excellent choice," Ji Xia thought. "Not only is water easily accessible, but they can also occasionally hunt large beasts that venture out of the dense forests."
Ji Xia watched as craftsmen moved back and forth, carrying massive stones. Under the craftsmen's instructions, the stones were cut into slabs with huge axes and placed into a large pit that had already been dug. The slabs were arranged at the bottom and edges, then firmly glued in place with a viscous adhesive.
"This glue is made from the sap of the Oak Fish Tree," explained Lu An, head of Tai Cang's Craft Bureau. "After many years of experimentation, the Craft Bureau added numerous materials and applied various processes to create this adhesive. The Oak Fish Glue has exceptional bonding properties, and what's more remarkable is that it can adhere to almost any material. Once it sets, even ordinary blades and swords can't cut through it."
Lu An was the head of Tai Cang's Craft Bureau. Many of the city's buildings, walls, and even the royal palace had been constructed by their hands. Since Tai Cang had almost no foreign allies and its resources were scarce, the craftsmen of Tai Cang had developed a remarkable talent for discovering creative uses for common materials. Though they could not create luxurious or elaborate buildings, their work was always practical and reliable.
For instance, the royal palace in Tai Cang was built more than two hundred years ago by these very craftsmen. Made entirely of stone, the palace had withstood centuries of storms and had not sustained a single crack.
The water reservoir now being built was similarly simple in structure. A large pit had been dug in a low-lying area, waterproofed with stone slabs, and three water channels were dug to create a rudimentary dam. When the dam was opened, water from the Hai Xiu River would fill the entire reservoir.
Ji Xia nodded and spoke to Lu An: "There can be no mistakes here. This reservoir is crucial to Tai Cang's survival. Perhaps the fate of our nation depends on it."
Lu An bowed respectfully but couldn't help but inwardly complain: The monarch is clearly an outsider. Such a simple task—how could it possibly go wrong? But I don't understand why we're putting so much labor into this reservoir. Thousands of Cang Guard soldiers and hundreds of craftsmen are working tirelessly on it.
Ji Xia watched the craftsmen at work, feeling deeply moved. No wonder Tai Cang had survived for over two hundred years in such a dangerous and barren land. This nation and its people were extraordinary in every way.
Tai Cang's officials were diligent, working tirelessly to ensure the nation's survival. Tai Cang's soldiers followed orders without hesitation, ready to sacrifice their lives to defend the country. The people of Tai Cang worked hard without complaint, always knowing that the kingdom was watching over and protecting them.
Even now, the craftsmen working on the reservoir were meticulous in every detail. The Oak Fish Glue was applied with extreme care, making sure to fill even the smallest cracks without spilling a drop.
"Perhaps only in such a perilous world, like the boundless wilderness, could a people so united, so desperate to survive, and so eager to become strong, be born," Ji Xia murmured to himself.
Lu Shuangyin, standing beside Ji Xia, voiced his concern: "Tai Cang is about to face its greatest calamity. The Pigeon Dog Kingdom is nothing compared to the true threat—Great Symbol Kingdom. I haven't slept for nights, and I constantly dream that our officials and soldiers are slaughtered by the Great Symbol's experts, while our people are enslaved and devoured by Zhou Qing."
Ji Xia turned to face Lu Shuangyin, his expression somber. Just then, Ji Qianqing, dressed in armor, stood nearby. Her bright red hair and stunning features added to her commanding presence.
She spoke softly: "I have a feeling that I will soon break through the Heavenly Obstacle and ascend to the Divine Power realm. When that happens, I'll infiltrate Zhou Qing and kill their monarch. With Zhou Qing's treacherous nature, their country will surely descend into chaos. Perhaps their internal strife will be the perfect opportunity for us to strike."
Ji Xia furrowed his brows. "Kill the monarch of Zhou Qing? Their monarch is already a Divine Power expert. You just broke through to the Divine Power realm—do you plan to assassinate him amidst thousands of soldiers? Do you wish to become the next Qing Fu Ren?"
Ji Qianqing bit her lip, remaining silent.
She knew that assassinating a Divine Power expert surrounded by an army would be nearly impossible, but she also knew that the Great Symbol Kingdom was like a dark cloud blocking Tai Cang's sun. Once they sent their experts, Tai Cang would have no hope of survival.
She had already made a secret resolution: to risk everything, even if it meant dying in the process, to secure a future for Tai Cang.
Ji Xia could see the determination in her eyes and knew what she was planning. He spoke sharply: "Stop thinking about that. The Great Symbol Kingdom's forces won't arrive for at least two months. In these two months, all we can do is strengthen the nation."
He clenched his fists and added, "The stronger Tai Cang becomes, the greater our hope will be."
A fierce light flashed in Ji Xia's eyes: "If we are strong enough, even if we can't solve the problem posed by the Great Symbol Kingdom, we can deal with Zhou Qing, the root cause of all our troubles."
Ji Qianqing stared at Ji Xia, his handsome and imposing figure, and for a moment, she felt as if he had become a stranger. Is this still the same Ji Xia who once squandered his time and was mocked by the people as the useless crown prince?
She had no idea when this reckless young man had grown into a leader who would risk his life to lead his army into battle, sit firmly on the throne, and issue commands with such authority. He could even casually speak of eliminating a kingdom like Zhou Qing.
"Has the great wind protected you?" she wondered.
"Or perhaps it's the passing of the Merchant Kingdom's monarch that awakened you," she thought quietly to herself.
She gripped the hilt of the Qing Jun sword at her waist. She knew, more than anyone else, that Ji Xia had taken on a responsibility far heavier than any of them, and that burden weighed more with every passing day.