The Hidden Beauty

Chapter 114 Offering suggestions
"Captain! Governor!"

Pei Qing's knock on the door was hurried and flustered.

Meng Tingzhou went out to open the door, and Pei Qing clasped his fists and said, "Commander-in-chief, it seems that a large number of people are coming towards us from the southeast."

"Stay here and don't go anywhere." Meng Tingzhou said this and hurried downstairs.

He immediately gathered with his soldiers to look at the map.

Meng Tingzhou asked calmly: "How many people are there?"

Xu Jing replied: "About 10,000 people."

"What about us?"

"Three or four thousand."

No one present said anything, but they all gasped secretly.

Meng Tingzhou did not want to mobilize the Black Armor Soldiers unless it was absolutely necessary. After all, he had already returned the tiger talisman to the emperor, and he did not want to be charged with deceiving the emperor so soon.

Meng Tingzhou tapped the map with his fingertips: "How long will it take for the black armor soldiers to arrive?"

"At least three days, at most five days."

"It seems that the Black Armored Soldiers are of little use to help a nearby fire." Meng Tingzhou seemed to be thinking about something. "But I have fought in battles where the few were against the many before."

Pei Qing said, "Commander-in-chief, the enemy is coming with great force, and I'm afraid they have made all the necessary arrangements. We are trapped in the post station, and I'm afraid we can't move forward."

Everyone looked at each other.

They were not afraid of fighting, but this situation was like being caught in a jar, with no ability to resist.

"There is always a way." Meng Tingzhou was slightly uneasy but did not show it. "We are facing a powerful enemy. Don't panic."

With his words, the soldiers felt reassured and their expressions eased a little.

Jiang Shiwan suddenly pushed the door open and said, "I have a way, maybe you can give it a try."

When everyone saw her, they all looked strange and ignored her.

Meng Tingzhou frowned: "Didn't I tell you not to move around?"

Jiang Shiwan walked up to him and pointed at the place he was pointing at calmly: "We are trapped in the post station and can't move forward, but did you notice that the post station is located on a higher part of the mountain?"

Seeing Meng Tingzhou looking at him, Jiang Shiwan continued, "The other side does have a lot more people than us, but our natural geographical location also gives us a lot of advantages."

Xu Jing didn't expect such a delicate and delicate woman to be able to talk so much. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "It's true that we are on high ground, but do you know how slippery this snow is after it freezes? Let alone fighting, it's almost impossible to move."

Jiang Shiwan smiled slightly: "It is the frozen ground that can save everyone's lives."

The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. Was this woman really talking nonsense?
Meng Tingzhou knew that she must have her reasons for saying that: "Go on."

Jiang Shiwan glanced at him, then glanced at everyone present: "Have you heard of pedals?"

"pedal?"

She nodded. "Yes, my grandfather once wrote in a military book that the pedal was a tool used by some people in the north to carry people and chase animals in the ice and snow. Based on his description, I know what the pedal looks like."

She stretched out her hand, and Meng Tingzhou immediately took a pen and handed it to her.

Jiang Shiwan quickly outlined a few steps on the wooden table, and then a one-meter-long pedal that looked like a boat appeared in front of everyone.

"This is……"

“Is this the pedal?”

Meng Tingzhou asked: "You mean our people should wear these pedals and slide on the ice and snow to fight?"

"Yeah." Jiang Shiwan didn't comment, "But the premise is that everyone needs to practice first, otherwise it's easy to fall." Xu Jing thought this pedal was incredible and didn't approve of it: "Commander, will this thing work?"

Meng Tingzhou glanced at him and said, "Do you have a better idea?"

His face flushed, and after a long while he managed to utter: "I am incompetent."

Meng Tingzhou looked at Jiang Shiwan, then at everyone in the room, and said loudly: "We are facing a powerful enemy. Today, the Governor's Office is trapped here. This is a critical moment for the Governor's Office. I hope you will do your best."

"Go cut down bamboo and wood immediately, make pedals, and be ready for battle at any time in the shortest possible time!"

All the soldiers knelt down and said, "We obey your orders!"

As the snow gradually stopped, Meng Tingzhou led his men to cut down bamboo and wood. Jiang Shiwan personally demonstrated how to make simple pedals using bamboo strips and ropes. After making the template, he let the others follow suit.

It only takes about half a day to cut down the bamboo and wood, but making the pedals is the most time-consuming.

Many people have never seen this kind of thing, so Jiang Shiwan needs to correct them from time to time.

Her hands were so cold that they turned red and she almost lost all feeling in them.

Meng Tingzhou saw this and was deeply moved.

Jiang Shiwan did not back down, but instead urged him to take some soldiers to practice sliding on the pedals first.

Soon, there were screams of someone falling down due to slipping on the pedals outside.

This caused the person who was working on the pedal inside the house to burst out laughing.

By the second half of the night, accompanied by cheers, all the pedals were ready.

Xu, who had been cursing during the day, walked in with a head full of snow and wind: "This weather is so damn cold!"

"General Xu, how many times did you fall?"

"Me? I can slide with a knife after falling down three or five times. Don't tell me, after learning to slide on the pedals, I can walk very fast! Just think about it, an army of 10,000 is just a waste!"

Xu Jing was talking big in a self-important manner, but when he saw Jiang Shiwan concentrating on counting the number of pedals under the candlelight, he stopped talking awkwardly, neither going forward nor backward.

After Jiang Shiwan confirmed the number, he rubbed his hands. He was not surprised to see Xu Jing and the others: "General Xu, you have worked hard."

Xu Jing forced a smile.

"It's getting late, everyone should go to bed early."

She had no intention of staying. She had been working with her head down for so long that her back could hardly stand up straight.

She had just returned to the room and hadn't sat down yet when she saw Meng Tingzhou coming in with a basin of hot water: "You must be exhausted, come over and wash your hands and feet."

Jiang Shiwan didn't expect him to bring her water: "You... bring her water?"

Meng Tingzhou looked calm: "Everyone is busy today. I left two people to cook, but they can't handle it."

He held her red, frozen hands and dipped them into the water: "Your hands have been scratched by the bamboo splinters and have several cuts on them."

Her hands were always white and tender, and they looked particularly shocking after some scratches.

Meng Tingzhou gently washed her clean, dried her, and applied medicine to her: "Where did Doctor Mei get this? It will help the wound heal faster."

Jiang Shiwan could hear the distress in his tone and said lightly, "It's just some superficial injuries, nothing serious."

Meng Tingzhou handed her a basin of clean hot water and reached out to take off her shoes.

"Don't..." Jiang Shiwan didn't expect him to do it, and immediately blushed and said, "Do you want me to take off my shoes and wash my feet? I can do it myself."

Meng Tingzhou motioned for her to look at his hands, which had just been medicated: "Do you think you can do it yourself now?"

Jiang Shiwan shook his head: "That's not possible... I can't ask you to take off my shoes and wash my feet."