Jiang Tài Píng thought carefully for several moments before he answered. "Do you have any intention of increasing the size of your residence?"
That simple sentence rocked Liu Tián Qǔ world metally. Liu Tián Qǔ never realized that she sat there over five-minute thinking of the possibilities then canceling out each idea one by one. Most of the ideas she came up with require introducing modern technology, which was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
Finally, Liu Tián Qǔ answered the question her commander asked her. "Not right now. However, I don't want to cancel out that possibility completely. I think I should first focus on my residence as it is. There is much to be taken care of right now. We will discuss future possibilities at a later time."
"Since you have no intention of expanding just yet. Then with the size of your residence, I would say anywhere from one to two hundred house guards is sufficient enough." Jiang Tài Píng replied.
"How many house guards do most of the nobility maintain?" Liu Tián Qǔ inquired.
"The Emperor does not allow any House to keep more than five hundred house guards in the Imperial City. Families located outside of the Imperial City, of course, keep more house guards." Jiang Tài Píng explained.
"Most of the nobility in the Imperial City only keep about two to three hundred guards in their residences or manors. The rest of their guards or trained warriors are garrisoned outside of the Imperial City. Other than the Imperial Family, no one is allowed to maintain a garrison within one thousand and thirty li of the Imperial City." Jiang Tài Píng informed Liu Tián Qǔ.
"I looked through the barracks. It seemed capable of holding way more than 1000 house guards. Or was my judgment off?" Liu Tián Qǔ asked Jiang Tài Píng once again her suspicion against the Chen Family was triggered.
"Definitely capable," Jiang Tài Píng answer firmly agreeing with Liu Tián Qǔ. "Just with the underground barracks alone, the residence can hold thousands of guards."
"Underground barracks?! What underground barracks?! I didn't see an underground barrack!? Nor did I see it on the blueprints of my residence that the Chen Family gave me!" A dumfounded Liu Tián Qǔ gawked at Jiang Tài Píng mouth open wide in shock.
"Blueprints? What do you mean?" A confused Jiang Tài Píng asked.
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"Um...the map of the residence."
"Oh, you mean the Draft of Residence."Jiang Tài Píng said, nodding in understanding.
"Yeah...that." Liu Tián Qǔ answer weakly. While furiously thinking inwardly,'This Chen Family was definitely up to no good. I better take time to comb through my residence. This residence is just too suspicious. How the hell is this a small residence when you can hide away thousands of warriors in the residence! Ah!? I better not get accused of something because of this "Small so-called Residence." Maybe I should casually mention it to Wang Fèn Yǒng so I can be covered.'
"Well, the underground barracks are not exactly hidden, if you want we can go take a look now." Jiang Tài Píng began to pick up hints of Liu Tián Qǔ dissatisfaction.
Liu Tián Qǔ released a long sigh and said, "We will do that later." Pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts.
Just as Liu Tián Qǔ began to speak, Zhou Yù entered the lounge carrying a tray with a fresh pot of tea. "I would like to go with five hundred house guards. I will leave all the detail to you. That is your specialty I know nothing of how to go about it."
Liu Tián Qǔ paused, and they waited as Zhou Yù cleared away the old pot of tea, replacing it with the fresh pot of tea. When Zhou Yù finished and was getting ready to carry away the old teapot. Liu Tián Qǔ called her, "Zhou Yù."
Zhou Yù looked up and met Liu Tián Qǔ's eyes with a nod signifying she was paying attention. Liu Tián Qǔ said, "Last night when we put away all the money I told you to put ten thousand gold in gold certificates aside. Do you remember that?"
When Zhou Yù nodded, Liu Tián Qǔ then said, "Will you bring that money to me now?"
Zhou Yù nodded once again and set the tray with the old teapot on the table momentarily as she went to carry out Liu Tián Qǔ 's request.
As they waited, Liu Tián Qǔ continued, "I will give this ten thousand gold into your care. This money will be used to hire warriors to secure the residence, to arm them, and to train them. I want you to build the strongest toughest house guards you possibly can. I don't care if you hire the warriors from the martial world or from elsewhere. Arm them with the best lastest armor that you can and train them to the best of your ability."
Jiang Tài Píng looked at Liu Tián Qǔ in shock. Normally when building an army in the Northern Lands, warriors of the martial world were never a consideration. Usually, people would look for experienced warriors from the various established armies.
However, Liu Tián Qǔ knew from the memories of her predecessor. The army Jiang Tài Píng built in her past life. It was an army built mostly of warriors from the martial world. The army that Jiang Tài Píng built shook the foundation of the Tolling Lands. Liu Tián Qǔ also knew from the various documents, movies, books, and web novels she saw and read in her last life that many crouching tigers and hidden dragons could be found in the martial world.
Zhou Yù finally came back carrying a small plain flat rectangular dark stained wooden box. In the box were ten gold certificates of one thousand gold each. Liu Tián Qǔ had picked up the teapot and was refill the teacups, so she gestured for Zhou Yù to hand the box to Jiang Tài Píng. Zhou Yù gave the box to Jiang Tài Píng after which Zhou Yù once again retrieved the tray with the cold pot of tea bowed and retreated from the room.