Getting serious, Liu Tián Qǔ asked the four men sitting before her, "Have any of you got around to taking a good look at where the land for the Garrison is located?"
The replies of all four men declared that they did check out the land where the Garrison would be built.
"If you checked out the land where the Garrison is to be built and understand the current events that had happened of late, and still can't understand why I wish to build a garrison city on that specific piece of land, then I must say I am a bit disappointed," Liu Tián Qǔ said in an effort to deliberately ruffle the feathers of Jiang Tài Píng's friends to see how they react.
Jiān Yīn Àn and Jiang Tài Píng rose from the table and walked over to a roughly drawn map of the area where the Garrison was to be built. Hēi Tài Yáng and Hēi Tài Yún remain seated. They stared at their new Young Lord as if trying to see into the Young Lords brain. Their staring was beginning to freak Liu Tián Qǔ out. However, Liu Tián Qǔ calmly picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea before beginning to explain what was on her mind.
"I may be reading more into the situation and worry for nothing. However, there has been several things that have been bothering me ever since I heard of how Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā retrieved the melded ore from the nine unidentified groups as the Emperor commanded of her. From what I have learned, it's been many, many centuries since the Sunken lands and the Tolling Lands displayed hostilities toward each other. So it really bothers me that one of the unidentified groups that snuck into the Tolling Lands to secure smuggled ore was a general of the Sunken Lands. The other eight groups have yet to be identified, and one of the groups was even annihilated." Liu Tián Qǔ saw the Hēi brothers exchange a look. However, no one seemed to understand her drift as of yet, so she continued.
"We all know that the Melded Ore drew the attention of Josper and Leandore. I could be wrong, but for some reason, I feel as if that the Melded Ore has also drawn the attention of The Sunken Lands. The Tolling Lands have natural barriers that protect the Tolling Lands from the north and the East. However, the same cannot be said for the west and the south. I feel its not a bad idea for the Imperial City to have an extra layer of protection." Understanding flickered to life in the eyes of the men. Before Liu Tián Qǔ could finish speaking the Hēi brothers had also joined Jiān Yīn Àn and Jiang Tài Píng in front of the map.
"I understand," Jiang Tài Píng nodded and said. Jiang Tài Píng pointed at the main roads that connected the west, south, and east to the Imperial City.
"Although I was aware of these roads leading to the Imperial City. Providing an extra shield for the Imperial City was not on my agenda, so I didn't pay closer attention. I was wrong. My wife and children are now in the Imperial City. If the worse should happen, this Garrison City could be used as a blockade to halt or slow down the advance of an invasion into the Imperial City. That would grant me enough time to safely extract my family and friends from the Imperial City if need be."
Liu Tián Qǔ stood up from her seat and turned to face the four men who stood around the crude map. "Good, big brother understands my intention. I have no family. However, I was fortunate enough to meet big brother, big brother Fèn Yǒng, Little Dumpling, Aunty Gao, Zhou Yu, Uncle Zhou, and several other people who have been very good to me. I feel uneasy about the resources that have been discovered in the Tolling Lands as of late." Liu Tián Qǔ said thinking of the Knell Stones and Melded Ore. Just these two things were enough to bring war. The butterfly effect was already in flux, and Liu Tián Qǔ wanted to be prepared for any event.
"Asledan and Nadeline have been silent. However, we do not know for sure if they, too, were one of the unidentified nine groups that attempted to carry melded ore out of the Tolling Lands. If we become unfortunate enough to have to face off against Asledan, Nadeline, Josper, Leandore, and the Sunken Lands before the Emperor has finished preparing, I believe the Garrison city that we are planning to build would be of great help. My new family and friends are all in the Imperial City. Therefore I must to do my part." Liu Tián Qǔ explained.
"The Garrison city would halt the advance of any armies attempting to invade the Imperial City from the south and west. The natural barriers of the north and the east would hinder those countries greatly as well. This may not happen, and I may just be overthinking things. However, it's better to be safe than sorry," Liu Tián Qǔ said, quoting a proverb from an Irish novelist from her previous life.
As the men walked back over to the table to reseat themselves, Liu Tián Qǔ was focused on Jiang Tài Píng, so she missed the meaningful and faint nods that were exchanged amongst Jiang Tài Píng martial brothers.
Unbeknownst to Liu Tián Qǔ these men where given double orders, they were sent to help Jiang Tài Píng, but if the Young Lord that Jiang Tài Píng decided to serve proved to be unfitting. The men were under orders to bring Jiang Tài Píng back by any means necessary.
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However, the foresight of the Young Lord proved that this was not an ordinary Young Lord. Nor was his eyes the eyes of an immature child. For now, they decided to stay and keep close watch.
This had not happened in Jiang Tài Píng's previous life. Then again, Jiang Tài Píng did not decide to serve a thirteen years old child in his past life either. The butterfly effect was in flux, and things were changing.
"We will be raising an army of sixty to eighty thousand. I'm not sure if I should stop at sixty or proceed to eighty. I want to talk this over with brother Wang Fèn Yǒng first." The eyes of the men popped open, and they all looked at the Young Lord in shock with wide eyes. Liu Tián Qǔ inwardly smirked at finally getting a visual reaction from Hēi Tài Yún.
"No one has ever raised an army that big on the doorsteps of the Emperor." Jiān Yīn Àn said in shock to the daring Young Lord. Who is this, Young Lord? And where does he get the courage to act this wildly? What a very unusual Young Lord.
"If we are going to build a garrison city big enough to halt an invasion in its tracks, then I want to do it right." Liu Tián Qǔ said, with a nonchalant shrug.
"This is a garrison city we are talking about, so of course, our army would have to be bigger. Moreover, the garrison must be big enough to support the additional warriors that would be sent to help halt an invasion, the citizen who will flee to the garrison seeking protection, and let us not forget the people who would already be living in the garrison city. Building a big garrison city and not enough men to man it would prove to be more harmful than helpful."
Jiān Yīn Àn looked at the bold Young Lord and said with a sly smile, "Then let's go with eighty thousand warriors and a garrison city, this will be interesting."
For a long time, Liu Tián Qǔ and the men discussed the matter. By the end of the conversation, Jiang Tài Píng's martial brothers had warmed up to the unusual Young Lord.
However, although she hid it well, Liu Tián Qǔ was still very uncomfortable in the presence of Jiang Tài Píng's martial brothers.
If there was one thing, she understood immediately. It was that everything she did would be reported to Jiang Tài Píng's martial uncles and elders. So instead of leaving it as the elephant in the room. Liu Tián Qǔ decided to address that matter.
Liu Tián Qǔ looked over to Jiang Tài Píng's and said, "Big brother, a disguised messenger bird post was discovered in Liu Residence. I don't know why it was disguised because personal messenger bird posts are not illegal. It not in bad condition, but you may need to fix it up a bit. I'm sure your martial uncles and elders are worried about you. When you get a chance, fix it up a bit so you can send and receive messages from them. It's not good to let the Elders worry too much."
Liu Tián Qǔ acted like she didn't see Hēi Tài Yáng, Jiān Yīn Àn, Hēi Tài Yún staring at her as though they wanted to crack open up her head to inspect her brains and see what she was thinking.
"Okay, younger brother, I will make sure to take care of this matter right away." Jiang Tài Píng answered. A short while later, Liu Tián Qǔ departed the Jiang Garrison.
Over the next two days, Liu Tián Qǔ worked close with Manager Kuo and Elder Kuo to transport the large grove and tea garden.
They decided to combine the groves and make one big grove on the top of the hill. The tea garden was placed a short distance from the grove. Liu Tián Qǔ also had Manager Kuo and Elder Kuo bury a small Knell Stone next to the root of each tree, shrub, bush, and plant that they replanted.
Although they did give the Young Lord odd looks for asking them to bury small stones near the roots of everything they replanted, the grandfather and grandson duo didn't question her weird request and just did what the Young Lord asked of them.
Liu Tián Qǔ had long realized that as long as the knell stones didn't come into contact with her bare skin, nothing weird happened. During the first week, Liu Tián Qǔ had hurried to the market and bought treated leather. She then hurried to Lady Wu Yǐn Rán. Liu Tián Qǔ had sketched out the design of leather gloves she wanted Lady Wu Yǐn Rán to make for her.
Lady Wu Yǐn Rán had made her several beautiful pairs of leather gloves. It was those gloves that Liu Tián Qǔ used to pick out small knell stones. She knew she had to be the one to pick out the stones she wanted to be buried next to the roots of everything replanted. It would be a complete waste of time if she allowed the grandfather and grandson duo to do it, and they ended up burying regular stones next to the roots.
Liu Tián Qǔ didn't want to place anything near the vineyard. She already had plans to build a small winery and wine press next to the Vinyard. She also wanted to increase the size of the vineyard later on. Elder Kuo and Manager Kuo worked fast and well together, they were done before the end of the second day.
Throughout the day, Liu Tián Qǔ thought about Little Dumpling. Though Liu Tián Qǔ often sent him fruits and letters, she missed him. Since everything was completed a day early, and the following day would be the last day before her guest and servants returned to Liu Residence. Liu Tián Qǔ decided she would spend that day with Little Dumpling.
With that thought in mind, Liu Tián Qǔ quickly left her residence and hurried to the woodshop that helped her craft the Yo-yo's, before they closed for the day.
The Yo-yo had become all the rage in the Imperial City. Even grown men were seen walking the streets of the Imperial City, flicking a Yo-yo down its string and catching it as it rolled back up the string. Many of the Nobles of High Society was seen playing with them as well.
Liu Tián Qǔ had ordered extra Yo-yo's and gifted them to Zhou Yu, Sōng Hé Píng, the housekeeper and the Butler. For a while, the butler had become obsessed with the Yo-yo. It had tickled Liu Tián Qǔ pink to see the Butler obsessed with the Yo-yo.