Isolated town in northern border region

The Chu emperor abandoned the assassination plan.

When the leader of the secret agents crawled out of the Imperial Study with his head covered in blood, he had only one thought in his mind!

It's good to be alive!

Not long after, the secret guards who had been lying in wait in the northern frontier received an emergency order to withdraw.

Those faces disguised as merchants, beggars, and coachmen disappeared silently into the streets and alleys of Youzhou in the middle of the night.

Only a few hidden agents remained, whom Qian Wanli had already identified, but Xiao Lie had given instructions.

"Keep them. Feed them well, don't let them starve to death."

Xiao Lie was not surprised by this.

Jiang Min and his "engagement" have spread throughout the land. As long as the Chu Emperor isn't stupid, he knows that killing someone at this moment would be tantamount to provoking both the Jing Kingdom and the Northern Frontier, which would be digging his own grave.

So Xiao Lie wrote a memorial to the throne in a proper and respectful manner.

The memorial was written in a humble manner, with respectful wording and a sincere tone.

He said he was getting married, but the northern frontier was bitterly cold, and he couldn't even afford the dowry. He hoped that His Majesty, as his uncle, could "show some mercy".

The words were filled with caution, perfectly capturing the demeanor of a poor relative coming to borrow money.

But at the end of the memorial, the tone shifted abruptly...

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you bestow upon me the title of King of the Northern Frontier, granting me the right to inherit the title without fail, so as to appease the people of the Northern Frontier."

Of course, Xiao Lie did not forget Xiao Yu's wife and children.

"Furthermore, since the eldest prince Xiao Yu was buried in the northern frontier, according to the rites, his family should keep vigil. We earnestly request that his wife and children be allowed to go to the northern frontier to keep vigil for three years, so as to comfort our elder brother in the afterlife."

Bisu's eyes widened as she watched him finish writing the memorial.

"Your Highness, you call this 'showing a little mercy'?"

Xiao Lie blew the ink dry, folded the memorial neatly, sealed it with wax, and handed it to her.

"What do you know? This is called asking for an exorbitant price and then trying to bargain."

He knew, of course, that the Chu Emperor was absolutely unwilling and might even secretly curse at him alone in the imperial study.

But Xiao Lie wanted the Chu Emperor to know that he only wanted a royal title and did not want to rebel.

As long as the Chu Emperor doesn't pressure him, he can stay peacefully in the northern frontier and not cause trouble for the court.

As for Xiao Yu's wife and children, they were of no value to the Chu Emperor.

As Xiao Lie had predicted, the Chu Emperor's reaction was exactly as he had expected.

Three days after the memorial was sent to the capital, the Chu Emperor gritted his teeth and approved it—"Granted."

Some in the court objected, saying that the Northern Frontier King was a state within a state, and setting such a precedent would lead to endless troubles.

Emperor Chu appeared tough on the surface, saying that Prince Ning, Xiao Lie, had made outstanding military achievements, but as soon as court was over, he himself transformed into a desktop cleaning master in the imperial study.

"A bunch of idiots! I was just putting on an act, and now you're not going to object anymore?"

"Fool! Incompetent minister! Traitorous scoundrel!"

"If we don't give it to him, will he give up his kingship?"

"Even without the title of King of the Northern Frontier, the Northern Frontier still belongs to him!"

From that day on, Xiao Lie was no longer the Prince of Ning.

He was the King of the Northern Frontier of the Great Chu, ruling over the military and political affairs of the five states in the Northern Frontier, a hereditary title.

Even if he dies one day, his son can take over.

What the Chu Emperor didn't know was that Xiao Lie didn't take the imperial edict to heart at all.

The person who made Xiao Lie respectfully observe etiquette was the one who came with the imperial edict.

When Xiao Yu's wife, Madam Shen, got out of the car carrying their child, Xiao Lie's eyes were slightly red.

"Sister-in-law, you must be tired from your journey."

"The wind is strong in the northern border region, let's go into the city first."

As soon as they settled in, the two sat under the sycamore tree, while the child chased butterflies all over the yard.

Xiao Lie remained silent for a while.

"My elder brother said before his death that he did not wish to be born into the royal family in his next life."

He said, "My wife and children... I'm begging you."

Shen lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Did he feel pain when he passed away?

Xiao Lie shook his head.

"It doesn't hurt. It's very calm."

Shen raised her head, and tears finally fell.

"Your Highness, this child... I don't want him to return to the capital."

I don't ask him to be outstanding, I only ask that he be safe and sound.

"Your Highness, could you please pretend that he never existed in the Northern Frontier?"

Xiao Lie nodded.

From the moment Xiao Lie stepped out of the courtyard, there was no longer any princess or young prince in the world.

Just as Xiao Lie was still feeling sad, Qian Wanli brought some incredibly good news!

In the dead of night, Qian Wanli, accompanied by three old craftsmen covered in coal dust, knocked on the back door of the government office.

When Xiao Lie was pulled out of bed by Bi Su, his hair was still messy, but when he heard the words "the steam engine is finished," he instantly woke up.

"Walk."

Inside the factory, a steam engine as tall as two people stands in the center of the building.

The fire in the furnace was burning brightly, and the water in the boiler was making a bubbling sound.

Steam gushed out of the pipe, pushing the piston, which in turn drove the flywheel, which slowly rotated faster and faster, becoming more and more stable.

Xiao Lie walked to the machine, looked at the rotating connecting rod, and gently touched it.

It is warm, stable, without shaking, without jamming, and without leaking air!

"Did it work?"

"It actually worked!"

He spoke softly, as if afraid of waking something.

Old carpenter Qin Wuye stood behind him, his face covered in coal dust, but his eyes were red.

"Your Highness, this old man and his apprentices have tried it over a hundred times."

"Eighteen flywheels broke, the pistons exploded seven times, and the old man's eyebrows were burned off."

"We've tried everything—pure iron, laminated steel, and even wood-clad steel—but either it can't be driven, or it breaks after a few rotations!"

"But thankfully, I remembered a type of wood my master used to talk about. That stuff is harder than steel, and it's also resilient!"

He touched his bald brow bone and grinned.

"Finally, we've gotten this living ancestor moving!"

Xiao Lie turned around, looked at the old carpenter with a weathered face, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Uncle Qin, you are the true ancestor of our Northern Frontier!"

"Damn it, even I'd like to give you one!"

"And what kind of wood is it? It's so amazing!"

Fifth Master Qin waved his hand, his face full of fear.

"Your Highness! I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"

"That timber is ironwood from the deep mountains of our northern border region. It's incredibly hard; even a bear could only scrape off a bit of bark with one slap!"

The success of the steam engine signified that northern Xinjiang had officially entered a new era.

Xiao Lie stayed in the factory for two days and two nights.

He locked himself in his study and wouldn't see anyone, except for Bisu, who would bring him meals and leave them at the door every day.

When they came to collect it again the next day, only a few bites of the food had been eaten, but the table was covered with papers full of drawings.

He wrote down a plan for the application of steam engines in northern Xinjiang, with each point clearly defined and detailed.

The first one is the railway.

Steam engines are used to power vehicles that travel on railway tracks.

It can transport goods, troops, and grain at a speed several times faster than horse-drawn carts, and at a fraction of the cost.

Xiao Lie drew a line on the map.

From Cangzhou to Youzhou, from Youzhou to Yunzhou, and then from Yunzhou to Shuozhou and Daizhou, it forms a loop that runs through the five prefectures of northern Xinjiang.

This is the lifeblood of the northern frontier; it must be the first to be built.

The second item is forging.

A steam-powered forging hammer possesses power far exceeding that of human strength.

The steel forged with it is not only faster than by human labor, but its hardness is also many times greater.

Xiao Lie drew a hollow steel pipe on the blueprint, three meters long, fifty centimeters wide, and fifteen centimeters thick!

He wants to build a "giant cannon" that belongs to the northern frontier!

Xiao Lie had considered making guns directly, but the industry in the northern border region was just starting out, and they couldn't even carve rifling. They could only make an old-fashioned matchlock gun to play with.

However, that thing had a similar range to a large crossbow, and it was more troublesome to load. Equipping the entire army with it would not only be time-consuming and laborious, but would also require time to train them from scratch.

Moreover, gunpowder is easy for Xiao Lie to make: 75% saltpeter, 10% sulfur, and 15% charcoal.

Charcoal can be produced in the northern border regions by themselves. As for saltpeter and sulfur, there is plenty of saltpeter soil on the grasslands, but in this era, it is called "ground frost".

Why not just build a few giant cannons and mount them on every city tower in the northern frontier? Then, whoever comes to attack the city will have to hear the sound first!

Article 3, Pumping and Drainage.

In northern Xinjiang, as coal and iron mines are mined deeper and deeper, groundwater seeps out, and it's impossible to drain it all by manpower alone.

Steam-powered pumps could work day and night, eliminating the worry of water accumulation in the mine.

Article 4, Irrigation.

The northern border region is bitterly cold, but the land along the banks of the Canghe River is extremely suitable for cultivation.

Steam-powered pumps can lift river water to higher ground and irrigate thousands of acres of farmland along ditches.

With water, grain production in northern Xinjiang could double.

Article 5, Textiles.

Steam engines drive looms, and one machine is equivalent to a hundred textile workers.

Xiao Lie paused when he wrote this line, thought for a moment, and then crossed it out.

"This matter needs to be postponed until the railway is completed, so as not to impact people's livelihoods."

Article 6, Cellar Economy.

Xiao Lie listed a separate page at the end of the plan.

The entire population of northern Xinjiang was mobilized to dig deep cellars in every household.

The cellar was 15 feet deep, and the fireplace was heated by burning coal.

Winters are long in northern Xinjiang, but the temperature in cellars can be kept above zero, making it entirely feasible to grow some cold-resistant vegetables.

When spring arrives, these off-season vegetables will be transported to the south by rail, becoming a steady source of income.

After finishing all this, Xiao Lie called Zhou Xun to his study.

"After I leave, you are in charge of handling the affairs of the northern frontier."

Zhou Xun was taken aback.

"Your Highness, where are you going?"

"To scout out the way for the Northern Frontier," Xiao Lie said, taking a sip of his tea. "And, incidentally, to escort the Princess home."

He pushed a thick stack of plans in front of Zhou Xun.

Zhou Xun opened it and gasped in shock.

Railways, pipelines, steam forging hammers, and cellar economy—everything was planned in extremely detail, with even the timeline and division of responsibilities for each step listed out.

"Your Highness, this is..."

"Development plan for northern Xinjiang for the next year."

Xiao Lie put down his teacup.

"Just do as I say, you don't need to ask for instructions on everything."

"If you're unsure about something, discuss it with Shen Chongyuan and Qian Wanli."

"Let Fifth Master Qin focus on improving the steam engine; he's a living bodhisattva in our northern frontier."

Zhou Xun remained silent for a moment, then closed the plan and solemnly bowed to Xiao Lie.

"Your Highness, I obey your orders. Please proceed with caution on your journey."

Xiao Lie waved his hand, stood up, walked to the door, and glanced back at him.

"By the way, there's no need to hide anything about the northern frontier."

"Whether it's building a railway or a factory, there's no need to hide it; it's best to let everyone see it!"

"The more people see it, the more people can't figure it out, and the less the Chu Emperor dares to act."

A knowing glint flashed in Zhou Xun's eyes.

"Understood."

But then, a question arose, and he quickly followed a few steps.

"Your Highness! Why aren't you hiding that steam engine? It would be terrible if someone stole it!"

Xiao Lie waved his hand casually.

"No need! Even Master Qin and the others built those blueprints separately, so the blueprints are long gone."

"Besides, the flywheel inside relies on our northern Xinjiang specialties, so it's okay if they learn it."

As Xiao Lie left, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The morning light shone on him, casting a long shadow.

Bisu had already packed her things and was standing next to the carriage waiting for him.

"Your Highness, shall we go?"

"Walk."

Xiao Lie mounted his horse and looked back at Youzhou City one last time.

Xiao Lie only brought one hundred Canglang cavalry and three hundred Trapped Camp soldiers with him on this trip.

Luo Daniu and Xiao Xiong didn't bring any of them; instead, they brought several young junior officers.

Bisu sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked out at the receding fields, unable to help but sigh.

"Your Highness, our Northern Frontier is truly beautiful."

"It's much more lively than when I first came!"

Xiao Lie rode his horse alongside the carriage and smiled.

"The best is yet to come!"

The route he planned was completely different from the route Jiang Min had taken.

Jiang Min traveled directly north from the capital, passing through the heart of the Central Plains and entering the northern frontier.

This time, however, Xiao Lie chose a detour.

He would travel in a large circle around the Great Chu, visiting all sixteen prefectures except for the capital.

Jiang Min was fully aware of this.

She sat in the carriage, flipping through the secret report that the Bureau of Folklore had just sent, a smile playing on her lips.

"Is Your Highness planning to take a detour to tour the world?"

Xiao Lie replied through the carriage curtain.

"Princess, watch your words!"

Jiang Min lifted the carriage curtain.

"What? Is the ambitious King of the Northern Frontier afraid of breaking the law with his words?"

Xiao Lie raised his chin.

"Hmph! My realm extends far beyond the State of Chu!"

Jiang Min was quite taken aback by this, and let out a slightly annoyed snort before closing the carriage curtain and falling silent.

In the past, Princess Minyue was the one who could manipulate others at will, but in front of Xiao Lie, she was always completely outmaneuvered!

"Hmph! I'd like to see what you're up to along the way!"