Chapter 209 – Hitting the Bullseye? More than a Hundred Steps! (Part 2)
In this era, crossbows do exist and have undergone several developments, but their drawbacks are too significant. The shooting range is still short, the crossbow is heavy, inconvenient to carry, and requires specific environmental conditions; otherwise, maintenance is tricky. Overall, the production process and costs are high…
For various reasons, only a small number of people can afford these crossbows, and they haven’t been implemented on a large scale.
Even if they were, Jiang Pengji wouldn’t regard them.
She fiddled with the half-finished crossbow in her hands, the arms, bow, string, and mechanism more or less meeting the specifications she provided.
After her improvements, the time to load arrows was significantly reduced, which in turn enhanced the crossbow’s maneuverability and flexibility.
“I wonder what the cost price of this completed crossbow is and how much time it takes to make… If the cost is high and production is time-consuming, with the current manpower in the carpentry shop, large-scale production is simply impossible. Moreover, this needs to be a closely guarded secret, so more craftsmen can’t participate in the production…” Jiang Pengji pouted, furrowing her brow in dissatisfaction with the situation.
However, she currently doesn’t have many people under her command.
Even if she outfitted each person with an improved crossbow, based on her family’s resources, she could probably afford it.
To avoid attracting attention to the improved crossbow, Jiang Pengji wrapped it in white cloth and left Liu Residence with a dozen differently sized arrows.
“To the farm!”
Liu Residence wasn’t suitable for testing the improved crossbow; it wasn’t because she feared the servants would blab about the secret, nor because she was worried about accidentally hurting someone, but rather because the estate lacked a spacious area to conduct experiments. According to her calculations, this improved crossbow had quite a range.
This time, instead of riding a horse herself, she sat in a carriage, letting the driver take her there.
With Meng Hunyun, the expert, the training of the troops was now officially on track and showing significantly better results than before.
As she got off the carriage, she happened to see a group of troops training shirtless, carrying a three-foot-long log on their shoulders, running step by step past her. At the back of the line was the petite Nong Qin, also dressed in coarse clothing, sweat covering her body and her lips pale.
Nong Qin had clearly noticed her, her eyes shimmering slightly, yet even more resilient.
Jiang Pengji smirked slightly and called out as she passed, “If you’re tired, you can stop for a break; after all, you’re a weak woman.”
She emphasized the word “weak.”
Nong Qin’s eyes widened at that, but after a moment, she gritted her teeth and lowered her head, running past her, her footsteps heavy and slow. The fabric on her shoulder was worn by the log, and her skin was rubbed raw, bleeding—a pitiful sight.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Pengji chuckled lightly, “Adjust your breathing, stay steady behind them; I’ll be waiting for you at the practice field.”
Hearing her words, Nong Qin took a deep breath, and her footsteps became more determined than before, less wavering.
Meng Hunyun, who had been following closely, wouldn’t allow anyone to slack off. Upon seeing Jiang Pengji, he quickly stepped forward and saluted, “I pay my respects to the Young Master!”
“No need for such formalities; I’m here for a reason today. After their training, have everyone gather at the practice field.”
At that moment, Meng Hunyun noticed the peculiar object wrapped in white cloth that Jiang Pengji was holding, which vaguely resembled a bow.
Before he could guess, Jiang Pengji asked, “How has Nong Qin’s training been these past two days?”
Meng Hunyun replied instinctively, “Though she is a woman, her willpower is astonishing. Some of the troops have made rude comments, but I’ve already dealt with them. However, it seems Nong Qin has some worries and doesn’t communicate much with others; even after training, she keeps working hard…”
If it were a man studying so diligently, Meng Hunyun would simply feel gratified and call him a real man.
But Nong Qin was a woman, and her fierceness in training exceeded that of many men, making him admire her even more.
“Ever since she arrived, some people have been saying hurtful things behind her back,” Jiang Pengji sneered coldly, speaking plainly, “They’re just some derogatory and disdainful remarks. Nong Qin has faced hardships, and her character has already formed. Her determination to train hard is a good thing; at least it’s not a quiet sob.”
To Jiang Pengji, crying was a sign of weakness second only to suicide and not worth advocating.
Can crying solve problems?
No, it only emboldens the oppressors and leads to more suffering.
Nong Qin was ridiculed and humiliated, yet she chose to focus on training hard to regain her standing instead of weeping. That was a huge improvement.
Meng Hunyun had an awkward expression.
The folkways of Dongqing were relatively open, but in many people’s minds, women should be associated with domestic skills.
Why train like a brute doing heavy tasks?
With delicate skin and limbs as thin as bamboo poles, where’s the strength in that?
After Nong Qin arrived, she indeed sparked quite the controversy.
There were those who liked to gossip and who overstepped, making lewd comments about Nong Qin that made her face flush with anger.
Meng Hunyun could speak up a bit, but he couldn’t always be there to protect her, and there were times he couldn’t cover her completely.
He muttered, “It’s my incompetence…”
Jiang Pengji chuckled sarcastically, calmly retorting, “What does this have to do with you? Nong Qin trains hard, and she’ll find her own way to redeem herself. No need for you to apologize! To earn others’ recognition, only your strength matters. What does it matter if you’re a woman? Here, we’re all about the fists! Being too protective will only make others overlook her efforts. Just keep an eye on her without being too excessive, and for the rest, don’t worry.”
When Nong Qin beats up everyone who looks down on her, let’s see who would dare to belittle her again!
If they still do, then she should beat them up twice!
The troops are all about fists; gender doesn’t matter here.
If gender were truly a concern, how is a big man who loses to a woman any better than a weak girl?
If you can’t even defeat a woman, what are you training for? Just go home and pick up a needle to learn embroidery slowly!
Tsk!
A bunch of spoiled brats, all needing a lesson!
As they arrived at the practice field, Jiang Pengji spotted Nong Qin standing apart from the crowd, her face taut, sweat mixing with dust, her eyes sharp and guarded. A nearby man tried to talk to her but was silenced by her icy glare.
Observing this, Jiang Pengji approached and asked, “Do you see the target over there?”
The area was fenced off for training; while the facilities were simple, the spaciousness made training convenient.
Her question received a scattered response from the group, but Nong Qin’s voice rang out loud and confident.
“I see it!”
Jiang Pengji glanced at the men, whose morale had increased but was still somewhat scattered, then at Nong Qin, whose face had thinned noticeably.
She beckoned with her fingers at Nong Qin, saying, “Come over here and find a way to stand here and hit that target.”
