The Empress’ Livestream

Chapter 700: The Lord Would Never Return the Man She Borrowed (IV)

Pulsation: What’s the streamer drawing? A ship?

No one else was in the tent with her, so Jiang Pengji diverted some attention to answering the audience’s question.

Streamer V: These are ships, but I have very little knowledge regarding ships in ancient times and limited reference material regarding ancient battleships.

Jiang Pengji could be considered well-read. She had read random books in almost every category, and quite a number of them included descriptions of ships.

She picked out the contents one by one, then converted words into pictures and drew them down on paper.

However, the battleships of her own imagination were very different from actual battleships.

Streamer V: Not only does a strong marine corps require elite troops, but strong indestructible battleships are needed too. From what I understand, the technology for shipbuilding is still rather backward at the moment. Most ships are fishing vessels for civilian use and can only sail along the rivers or in shallow water. As for war… small ships like that are almost useless. We still need to construct battleships for military use. Otherwise, the marines will not be complete.

Jiang Pengji had entrusted Qi Kuang with the task of training marine troops, but she still needed to resolve the battleship problem by herself.

My Only Wish is to Lie with Jiang Pengji: Building ships from just your imagination? I feel like that plan will flop! How about you get something as a reference?

Jiang Pengji’s eyes flashed… Get something as a reference?

It wasn’t a bad idea.

The next day, Jiang Pengji summoned Feng Zhen.

She said, “Since you’ve convinced Qi Kuang to come over to our side, I shouldn’t bother someone else regarding related matters. Sorry for troubling you again, but I want you to find me a master of shipbuilding.”

Feng Zhen was speechless. Whatever drowsiness that remained in him disappeared completely.

Jiang Pengji said crossly, “Can a marine corps with no battleships be considered a marine corps?”

Feng Zhen felt that his lord was the bane of his existence. Did she think a master of shipbuilding was so easy to find?

Jiang Pengji conceded, “If you can’t find a master of shipbuilding, it’ll suffice to find me a battleship.”

Feng Zhen laughed resignedly, his brows so deeply furrowed that they almost looked entangled.

His lord was deliberately making fun of him.

Judging from his small size, he couldn’t even find paddles for her battleship, nevermind a whole battleship.

He laughed self-mockingly and said, “My lord, if you want a battleship, you just have to tie me up into a bundle and throw me into the river as a tribute to the river god. Maybe you can obtain one in exchange.”

“Oh please, I’d be worried that the river god would complain to me about you stealing his wife. Even the fishes would be dissatisfied with you as a meal if you were thrown into the river, given how little meat you have on you.”

Jiang Pengji suppressed her laughter and “reluctantly” let Feng Zhen off.

“Nevermind, I’ll let you off for now. After all, there’s no rush yet. We can put the battleship issue aside temporarily.”

Feng Zhen bowed with a smile. As if pleading for leniency, he said, “Thank you for your mercy, my lord.”

Sweet Fermented Cat-shaped Rice Ball: Brothers and sisters, now it’s our time to shine. Look at us, Streamer, we are your backup force.

Spectacle Circles: With Mommy Baidu and Daddy Google, even a grandmaster of shipbuilding will kneel before us and admit defeat!

Not the Stars of Yesterday After All: Although we can be the middlemen and help the streamer do research, the livestream doesn’t allow us to send pictures. We can only describe with words, and it is quite a hassle doing things that way. How about this, Streamer, you try to get ahold of a battleship, then we’ll suggest modifications using the battleship as a foundation? It should be more appropriate this way… By the way, where can you buy a battleship?

Cold Ripples: I remember seeing on the news a while ago that our nation still has shipyards that use wood. I wonder if any informed gurus can provide some clues? I will buy tickets out of my own pockets and fly there by plane immediately. The old craftsmen there would probably be considered masters of shipbuilding back in the streamer’s era. Even if they don’t specialize in building battleships, there must be similarities. Anyone with relevant information can send me a private message. Thank you!

Jiang Pengji finished scolding Feng Zhen. Glancing at the bullet-screen comments, she felt a warmth in her heart.

Feng Zhen didn’t know why, but his lord had a dark sense of humor.

Did it really make her that happy to bully him?

Before he opened his mouth to ask, a messenger spoke from outside the tent. “My lord, there is an envoy outside the tent requesting an audience with you.”

“Let him in.”

After a while, some rustling sounds were heard. One corner of the tent flap lifted. An armored soldier entered.

“Greetings, Magistrate Liu. I’m here under the orders of my lord.”

“Oh? And your lord is?”

“My lord is Xu Pei, the county chief of Zhe County.”

Having said this, the soldier presented her with an invitation letter.

Seeing this, Feng Zhen, who was beside her, quickly rose to take the letter, before passing it to Jiang Pengji.

Jiang Pengji took it, only then realizing that the invitation letter was rather heavy. By the feel of it, it wasn’t ordinary bamboo slips either.

Not only was the material used tasteful and the workmanship exquisite, but the invitation letter was fumigated with expensive spices as well. It had a lasting, pleasant fragrance.

In the words of the audience of the livestream, it was probably the so-called romance of the petit-bourgeois.

Jiang Pengji lifted a hand to unroll the delicate bundle of bamboo slips and read through its contents in detail, then looked at the sign-off. Xu Pei of Zhe County.

The other party was inviting her and Liu She to attend the alliance meeting tomorrow. It was phrased politely, and one couldn’t feel any dislike for its author.

“Go back and inform your lord that I will arrive on time with my father for the alliance meeting tomorrow,” she said.

Jiang Pengji looked down and put the fragrant roll of bamboo slips aside.

The soldier did not leave. Instead, he hesitated for a while, deliberating over his words.

“My lord admires Magistrate Liu for your youth and courage, and he has prepared a banquet for you at his tent. Do you mind gracing the banquet with your presence, magistrate?” asked the soldier.

Jiang Pengji lifted an eyebrow. Someone with her intelligence could definitely see through Xu Pei’s actual intention to secretly campaign for votes.

Even though she and her father were just here as bystanders and had brought few troops along, their votes mattered a lot.

As long as he could get them on his side, Xu Pei would gain some guaranteed bargaining chips.

Half smiling, she said, “Since Brother Xu is holding a banquet especially for me, how could I not go? It’s my honor. Go back and inform your lord first, I will go over after I shower and change. Otherwise, it will be rude of me to go over hastily…”

Upon hearing this, the soldier was visibly delighted. He bowed and exited the tent.

Feng Zhen’s eyes lit up upon hearing about the banquet. His Adam’s apple moved quickly as if he was thinking of something.

Jiang Pengji extinguished his enthusiasm.

“Don’t even think about it, you are not going along.”

Feng Zhen’s expression froze and looked inexplicably twisted.

The audience, which had looked on the whole time, couldn’t help but laugh out loud. They even typed out his thoughts for him.

Feng Zishi the Scrupulous: My lord, if you bully me anymore, I will not comply…

Li Hanmei the Ugly: *continuous weeping* My lord, you are so mean, always bullying me. *hits you in the chest and weeps some more*

The atmosphere in the livestream changed abruptly. It seemed as if demons and monsters were dancing wildly. Jiang Pengji almost thought that she was in a nightmare.

Feng Zhen said, “Then who are you bringing along, my lord?”

“Jingrong,” Jiang Pengji said. “He has been busy managing the military camp for the past two days and is exhausted. It’s a free banquet, there’s no point of not eating and letting it go to waste.”

Feng Zhen knew that he had no chance.

However…

He said, “My lord, don’t forget to bring a bottle of liquor back for me.”

Feng Zhen hadn’t drunk at all recently, so he was craving alcohol desperately.

Jiang Pengji agreed, half amused. She replied, “I won’t leave you out, don’t be such a loser.”