Chapter 2310 - 2050: Recruiting Members into the Ranks

"Huh? They’re getting married? I really didn’t know." Taishi Ci said a bit awkwardly. He had been drifting at sea for the past few years, so he wasn’t aware that this group was planning to marry. But then again, Taishi Ci remembered that Fa Zheng had been talking about marriage for many years.

Mi Fang and Taishi Ci exchanged glances, and Taishi Ci said, "I’ll bring Xingba’s share. Luckily, there’s quite a bit of gold and silver this time. We’ll melt them into gold bricks and silver bricks, preparing eighty-one pieces for each couple."

"That works, it’s a local specialty after all." The Mi family hadn’t gone through the fall from grace seen in the past generations, so Mi Fang was still quite the wealthy tycoon, with no real concept of money. Coming from the lineage of the Five Great Merchants, he had no idea of greed or stinginess.

"It’s just a local specialty, and it’s simple to make. The only thing to think about is what to engrave on each brick." Taishi Ci nodded. People of their stature certainly gave local specialties, and the items had to look nice and be practical.

"That’s easy. My family has experts who make these things. I’ll take you there later, and you can choose the design you like, and we’ll make that." Mi Fang said rather casually. After all, if talking about tycoons, saying that their Mi family was as rich as a nation wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

"Then I’ll trouble Zifang. I’ll count on you then. Wen Xiang, you’ll come with us later." Taishi Ci patted Mi Fang’s shoulder and said as a matter of course, then turned to Xu Sheng and reminded him, since Xu Sheng had also achieved Inner Qi Manifestation and should go to Ye City to register it.

"With the life-risking friendship between the two of us, this isn’t a problem. Later on, I’ll prepare a share for Xingba like yours, or like mine." Mi Fang said carelessly, patting his chest to assure, without feeling any issue.

"Alright." Xu Sheng nodded, knowing that Taishi Ci was giving him a push.

However, the most awkward part for Xu Sheng right now was that he could barely sense his legion talent. But possibly because his method of achieving Inner Qi Manifestation was somewhat unorthodox, Xu Sheng hadn’t yet unlocked his legion talent.

{"Maybe it requires the heat of battle, during an emotional surge, to unleash his legion talent. Otherwise, there’s a chance it would remain as it is."} Xu Sheng thought helplessly. He was just one legion talent away now.

Xu Sheng was highly valued by Gan Ning from the start, and indeed had exceptional talent. So Gan Ning groomed him as a deputy. Naturally, individuals like Gan Bao, Gan Lan, and Gan Xing were also heavily cultivated. But during the Battle of Malacca, all these people perished.

Now, Xu Sheng was the only one left with any hope of becoming a commander. Having achieved Inner Qi Manifestation now, if a legion talent also emerged, with his years of experience following Gan Ning in battle, it would be no issue for him to become a fleet commander.

After the gathering of familiar faces finished eating and drinking, Lul Jun personally escorted Taishi Ci out of the Lul Family Shipyard. Then, after scheduling the time to go with Lul Ji, he calmly returned to the Lul Family Shipyard.

{"Just another fifty billion coins, and I can make a real Seventh Generation Ship. Should I consult with Marquis Chen? But Marquis Chen would surely reject it. He even thinks the Seventh Generation Ship is expensive. If I tell him I plan to build a warship estimated at six hundred billion coins, he might beat me up!"} Lul Jun thought with a twitching face.

{"But I really want to make one. Ugh, why am I so lacking in money? I must build one."} Lul Jun thought rather irritably, as the complete Seventh Generation Ship was becoming an obsession for him.

{"Maybe I should try to fool Taishi Ci and the others into continuously investing money. With the navy’s situation, a hundred billion coins would be spent quickly. In that case, they can’t just watch a hundred billion coins go down the drain. But I’d probably get beaten to death..." Lul Jun thought quietly. He really, really wanted to build that invincible warship.

Especially after seeing Zheng Hun and Ma Jun’s design of the super Heaven and Earth Essence-steam power engine in Ye City. The almost stable output of Ultimate Inner Qi Manifestation power seemed perfect as the power core for his Seventh Generation Ship.

Although the price was rumored to be twenty billion coins, Lul Jun sincerely felt that was nothing compared to the hundred billion. If he spent five to six hundred billion coins on manufacturing the Seventh Generation Ship, then Lul Jun didn’t mind spending another twenty billion on such a power core. In any case, he wanted the best.

{"I’m doing it. One has to do things in life that leave no regrets, but the money is indeed a problem. Where can I get such a large amount of money, and so many high-quality steels? Without Marquis Chen’s approval, it’s impossible, as getting three tons of premium steel is another issue."} Lul Jun thought with some frustration, realizing his Seventh Generation Ship was full of pitfalls.

Speaking of why Lul Jun needed premium steel, it was a situation soldiers discovered later. The Hundred Forged Steel that Chen Xi made back then might not have matched the nurtured standard weapons, but after nurturing, the quality of Hundred Forged Steel was better than the standard weapons.

At this point, Chen Xi realized that nurturing is indeed a physical change. However, compared to high-quality steel, the ratio of iron, carbon, and other elements is closer to the standard. Naturally, after nurturing, it is better than standard weapons of inferior quality. Essentially, high-carbon steel and low-carbon steel are not the same...

On the other side, Taishi Ci, who learned that Gan Ning had not died in battle, was full of spirit. Since Gan Ning was alive, he wanted to help rebuild the navy, so that Gan Ning would have a strong navy upon his return.

"Degui, bring some quality navy from Jing-Xiang!" After returning, Taishi Ci immediately sought out Cai Mao. He wanted to expand the navy, and although ships are very important for a navy, so are the people. In his view, Cai Mao is an excellent naval officer who can be their ally.

"Alright, after all, I still have some old subordinates. But why not recruit directly in Donglai of Mount Tai," Cai Mao asked with a hint of excitement despite his confusion, "And haven’t you gone to the Lul Family to buy ships? Have you acquired the ten Seventh Generation Ships?"

"No, the Lul Family hasn’t built any more Seventh Generation Ships due to high costs, but I’ve already paid the deposit, and once the Lul Family begins production, it should be completed by early next year. However, the current Seventh Generation Ship is not the complete version; I suggested the other party make two custom full versions," Taishi Ci nodded and explained.

"Oh, that’s good news. When getting this ship, the Lul Family mentioned it’s a trimmed version. So a complete Seventh Generation Ship should be stronger by thirty percent," Cai Mao said with a delighted expression.

"It’s not just thirty percent stronger, but much more. However, since it’s not yet built, I can’t be sure how much stronger," Taishi Ci said with a smile. "Alright, let’s not discuss this anymore. Degui, take the time to return to Jingzhou and bring your former subordinates here. Although we have the navy temporarily assigned by Zhou Yu, it’s still somewhat unnerving to use them."

"I will send a letter back to Jingzhou right away and find a way to bring my old subordinates here," Cai Mao didn’t hesitate or delay. The treatment on Liu Bei’s side is excellent, coupled with Liu Bei’s formidable strength and momentum to unify the land, so Cai Mao has no extraneous thoughts.

As for coveting the position of Naval Commander, to be honest, since losing to Zhou Yu, Cai Mao no longer hoped for it. Previously, as someone who reached Qi Refining to Gang, he could firmly hold the Jing-Xiang Navy primarily because he had a knack for naval battles.

But after he, Huang Zu, and Zhang Yun were effortlessly defeated by Zhou Yu, Cai Mao realized that this era no longer belonged to them. The younger generation had come up, and his once-proud naval command skills were no longer up to par.

With his strongest naval command not being able to make an appearance, his other capabilities, such as strength, were even less impressive. Therefore, after being recruited by Li Youu and coming under Liu Bei’s rule, Cai Mao’s past arrogance in Jing-Xiang had completely disappeared.

As the head of the Cai Family, he wasn’t foolish; he clearly understood when to lower himself and when to hold his head high.

Thus, from the time he came under Liu Bei’s rule, Cai Mao saw clearly that the other side only needed him to fill a gap in the navy.

Under such circumstances, Cai Mao naturally knew that if he obediently did what he was supposed to, given Liu Bei’s temperament and the situation with the navy’s officers, he wouldn’t be shortchanged in any respect.

Conversely, if Cai Mao held onto the idea that he was the Jing-Xiang Navy Commander, thinking others should listen to him, once he was used up, it’s obvious where he would end up.

This is also why, since coming under Taishi Ci’s command, Cai Mao has always done his job without vying for anything. Even if Taishi Ci made mistakes in naval affairs, Cai Mao only pointed them out privately, showing him due respect.

Taishi Ci also clearly saw all of this. He had no knowledge of Cai Mao’s past and only judged him by his current behavior. As a person who believes in repaying kindness tenfold, Taishi Ci naturally treated Cai Mao with respect.

Recruiting soldiers at the Donglai Port in Mount Tai and in Eastern Wu may have some differences, but not too much. Mentioning this to Cai Mao means that Taishi Ci is telling Cai Mao to build his own base.

Especially with the particular notification to Cai Mao to recruit from Jing-Xiang, the intention is obvious. As a commander, having one’s own trusted aides is the real start. Without even a trusted aide, even if one holds an official position, it’s nothing but an empty shell.

This is also why Cai Mao was full of gratitude. Taishi Ci’s special mention of this matter means that this time Taishi Ci genuinely included Cai Mao in his circle, rather than just treating him as an assistant for teaching. This means Cai Mao is truly counted as part of this group.