My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

A wind had started to blow outside the palace at some unknown time.

The early spring night breeze still carried a chill, blowing in from outside the open palace doors, causing the jade beads on Shu Jingwei's crown to gently collide and make a soft, tinkling sound.

Shu Jingwei's gaze slowly swept across the faces of the officials.

The flickering candlelight clearly illuminated the fear, doubt, and unease in their eyes.

"My beloved subjects," she began, her voice not loud, yet clearly penetrating everyone's ears.

"Everyone has probably heard of my elite troops, who are invincible. In just over a month, they wiped out the entire rebel faction."

She spoke casually, even picking up her wine glass and nonchalantly stirring the tea leaves floating on the surface with the lid.

But a hint of smugness couldn't help but surface in the corners of his eyes and brows.

The ministers looked at each other, wondering what Shu Jingwei meant by suddenly saying this.

Ignoring everyone's reactions, Shu Jingwei continued speaking, a hint of amusement in her voice: "I'm sure everyone is quite curious about my new iron, isn't that right?"

She paused, then listened with satisfaction to the sudden heavy breathing below.

"Today, I will show you what I'm capable of."

After saying that, he slightly raised his chin and gave a wink to the head of the Imperial Guards.

Upon receiving the order, the commander turned and waved towards the outside of the hall.

Two imperial guards carried a long table made of rosewood steadily into the room.

A sheet of iron was laid on the table, on which a string of copper coins, about a dozen in total, was neatly arranged and tied with a rope. Under the candlelight, the coins gleamed with a dim, coppery light.

The table was placed in the center of the hall, and it collided with the ground with a heavy thud.

Everyone's eyes widened, and they became subtly excited.

Especially the newly arrived military officers, drawn by the training methods and the power of the new iron, all leaned forward, craning their necks to watch intently.

For a moment, even the sky seemed to be ignored.

On the screen above, Lin Ye also saw the live broadcast feed.

Is it Xintie...?

He turned his head and glanced at the children's area.

Xiao Douzi and Duo Duo were completely immersed in the world of picture books. The two little ones were huddled together, giggling as they turned a page, and chattering away while poking at the book with their fingers.

Lin Yechong whispered to the nanny who had come with Duoduo, "Take good care of them, I'm going out for a bit."

The nanny nodded in agreement.

Lin Ye turned and walked out of the children's area.

We then followed the navigation robot toward the industrial technology history area.

There are many methods for iron smelting in this library.

……

Fengde Hall.

After the long table with copper coins was set up, another guard stepped forward. He walked to the table and raised his sword.

It was a new iron knife, the blade was slightly narrower than an ordinary knife, and the color was not silvery white like an ordinary iron knife, but had a layer of dark blue-green.

The blade gleamed coldly in the candlelight, sending a chill down one's spine at first glance.

"Ho—"

The guard took a deep breath, flicked his wrist, and a flash of light appeared on his blade.

Without any other movements or gathering of strength, he simply and decisively slashed down at the string of copper coins.

"Snap."

A very light and crisp sound rang out.

The string of copper coins broke neatly in the middle, and one by one they tumbled onto the table, bounced a few times on the iron sheet, and then scattered.

The break is neat and smooth as a mirror.

The hall fell silent for a moment, then a collective gasp filled the air.

Copper coins are made of copper. Although they are not as hard as iron, they are not tofu either. Swords and knives used by the Great Flame could still cut a nick in them.

However, to cut it in two with one stroke, one would need a force of at least 100 jin (50 kg).

But the way the guard swung his sword just now was clearly nonchalant, as if he were just casually swinging it.

Shu Jingwei took in everyone's shock, her smile widening and her eyes sparkling.

She slowly picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and said, "My dear ministers, look, there's more."

As soon as she finished speaking, another guard stepped forward.

The guard changed into the full suit of armor he wore during the war.

Upon closer inspection, although the style of his armor was the same as before, the luster of the armor plates was exactly the same as that of the sword—

They are all made of new iron.

He stood in the center of the hall, hands behind his back, chest out and head held high, like an iron tower.

The guard who had been holding the knife sheathed it and turned to take a bow and an arrow from his companion.

Then he stepped back several dozen paces, facing the armored guards from a distance.

The hearts of all the civil and military officials in the hall were in their throats at the same time.

What are they trying to do? Are they going to kill someone right here in the palace?

Some of the more timid officials began to shrink back, fearing that the arrow might miss its mark and pierce them instead.

The guards with bows stood still, drew their bows, and aimed the arrows at their armored comrades opposite them.

Then--

"Whoosh!"

A sudden, deafening sound rang out!

The arrow, like a silver-white lightning bolt, tore through the stagnant air in the hall, carrying a sharp whistle as it hurtled straight toward its target!

Then came a loud "clang!"

The piercing clang of metal echoed throughout the hall.

The arrowhead struck the armored guard squarely in the chest, sending up a shower of sparks.

The armored guard was knocked back a step by the force of the arrow, but only a step.

He stood firmly on his feet.

A faint white mark appeared on the chest plate, which was almost invisible when wiped with a fingertip.

And then look at the arrow tip—

The ordinary iron arrowhead cracked open!

The hall was deathly silent.

It was so quiet that you could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the hall.

Then, someone shouted "Bravo!" and immediately a thunderous roar of applause erupted.

"good!"

"These swords are so sharp they can cut through iron like mud! And their armor is impervious to blades and spears!"

"With this new iron, Your Majesty has no reason to worry about unrest throughout the land!"

"God bless the Great Flame! God bless His Majesty!"

Cheers rose and fell, one wave higher than the next.

The ministers, who had just been terrified, were now flushed with excitement, wishing they could compose a poem on the spot to praise the invincible power of this weapon.

But their excitement wasn't entirely due to awe.

Many more people's eyes gleam with greed.

They are the heads of powerful families, and the most shrewd group of people in the world.

They knew better than anyone what such impenetrable armor paired with swords that could cut through iron like mud meant on the battlefield.

It means one person can fight against a hundred.

It means that wherever the iron cavalry passed, not a blade of grass would grow.

This means that whoever masters the forging method of this new iron will be invincible in this great flame!

"Your Majesty!" A lean middle-aged man sprang up from his seat, his movements so swift it was as if he had springs under his buttocks.

His throat was dry, his voice tight, and his eyes were fixed on the new iron armor. His Adam's apple bobbed several times before he managed to squeeze out a complete sentence:

"May I ask Your Majesty, may we also... possess this new iron?"

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the meaning couldn't be clearer.

This is exactly what Shu Jingwei was waiting for.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, her fingers slowly tracing the rim of the wine glass, and pursed her lips, feigning a troubled expression.

"My dear Wang..." she drawled.

"Do you know how many rare ores would be needed to make a set of swords and armor from this new iron?"

She paused, leaned forward slightly, and the jade beads on her crown swayed forward with a clatter.

"And how many skilled craftsmen will be needed, working tirelessly day and night to forge and hammer these pieces?"

Her voice softened, tinged with a sigh.

"Even with the entire nation's resources, I can barely muster enough for my own elite troops..."

She spoke with such seriousness, every word conveying the helplessness of "It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I really can't."

It was as if every new piece of iron equipment was made with gold and the lives of craftsmen.

But what is the reality?