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Chapter 275: The Dingxiang Wang Family
Chapter 275: The Dingxiang Wang Family
As Lu Hai Kong was busy clearing out bandit forts, Li Xiong, accompanied by Dian Wei, arrived at the Dingxiang Wang Family.
On this trip, Lu Hai Kong intentionally paired Dian Wei with Li Xiong. After months apart, this formidable duo reunited, and with Dian Wei's presence, Li Xiong felt a sense of security, leading his team directly to the Wang Family.
However, Li Xiong didn't rush into the Wang Family's residence. The relationship between the fort and the Wang Family was somewhat delicate, and Li Xiong's cautious nature prevented him from making such a reckless move.
Upon reaching Dingxiang Prefecture, Li Xiong found a place to settle and sent an invitation card to the Wang Family, informing them of his intention to visit.
The Wang Family took Li Xiong's invitation seriously and prepared a grand reception to welcome him. This gesture from a fort towards a county-level noble family demonstrated the fort's respect for Li Xiong.
The fort had changed significantly over the past few months. Previously, it was known for its brutality and terror, especially in the eyes of the Wang Family, who remembered how it had swiftly annihilated a lord's manor guarded by two thousand troops.
Initially, the Wang Family feared and avoided provoking the fort. But as months passed, their attitude shifted as they learned about the fort's transactions with the Qiang Yin noble families. They were aware of the trading relationship but didn't initially grasp its magnitude.
However, after months of observation, the Wang Family realized the immense scale of the transactions between the fort and the Qiang Yin noble families. Not a single member of the Wang Family's upper echelon remained unmoved by the lucrative opportunities.
In just a few months, the total trade between the fort and the Qiang Yin noble families approached ten million gold, with terrifyingly high profits. Each of the noble families earned tens of thousands of gold within three months, showcasing the enormous potential of this lucrative venture.
The Wang Family had been seeking a channel to approach the fort but hadn't found one yet. Previously, Li Xiong's presence in Qiang Yin provided a potential connection, but with his departure for the grasslands, the Wang Family was temporarily without a direct link to the fort.
They had been considering sending someone to the fort but hadn't taken action yet. Unexpectedly, Li Xiong arrived before they could make a move.
Li Xiong's arrival was met with a grand reception, and in this atmosphere, his proposal for a trade agreement was readily accepted.
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Li Xiong's progress was smooth, and Lu Hai Kong's efforts were equally impressive. On the third day, he cleared two medium forts, and on the fourth day, Lu Hai Kong once again took command from Pan Feng.
There was no other choice; Pan Feng was strong in combat but incurred significant casualties. Lu Hai Kong made a promise that when attacking the large fort, he would return command to Pan Feng.
Although Lu Hai Kong's combat style was steady and methodical, showcasing technical and artistic prowess, his overall combat strength was far inferior to Pan Feng's. When attacking the large fort, Lu Hai Kong had no choice but to let Pan Feng take command.
After all, Pan Feng had two more warrior traits than Lu Hai Kong. Once those traits were activated, Lu Hai Kong's strength paled in comparison.
However, Lu Hai Kong's command was impressive during the medium fort campaigns.
In Qiang Yin, there were only about a dozen medium forts, and one of them, originally located within Lu Hai Kong's fortified walls, was taken down by Lu Hai Kong. The remaining forts were scattered across Qiang Yin, mostly hidden deep in the mountains.
Lu Hai Kong had a map of Qiang Yin County, which allowed him to know the location of almost every fort in the county. The real challenge was traveling with the Elite Guard.
The Elite Guard, numbering in the hundreds, faced difficulties moving through the mountains and forests. A significant portion of Lu Hai Kong's time was spent on these arduous journeys.
With less than ten medium forts remaining, Lu Hai Kong cleared them at a rate of approximately two per day over five days.
Despite Lu Hai Kong's cautious approach, the Elite Guard still suffered the loss of several dozen members over four days. There was no other way; the Elite Guard was strong, with each member possessing a strength of thirty, but they were still human.
Additionally, the Elite Guard's equipment was inadequate. Their best gear was the weapons they held, with little to no armor. They didn't even have leather armor, let alone plate armor, and the only protective gear they had were the makeshift wooden shields they carried.
These shields were hastily crafted by Lu Hai Kong with the help of the Bandit Guard. Their simplicity was evident, and in a situation where the enemy had a numerical advantage and better equipment, Lu Hai Kong's ability to eliminate nearly ten forts in four days, with only a few dozen casualties, was already impressive.
In reality, Lu Hai Kong's fort wasn't impoverished to the point of being unable to arm the Elite Guard. On the contrary, the fort's financial strain was due to Lu Hai Kong's allocation of funds for military construction.
With the funds Lu Hai Kong had allocated for military construction, he could fully equip the Elite Guard and even arm a significant portion of his troops. However, money couldn't instantly transform into equipment.
The Qiang Yin noble family, while enjoying smooth transactions with Lu Hai Kong, remained tense. If Lu Hai Kong were to request military equipment, they would panic, and their strength wouldn't allow them to acquire quality gear.
Lu Hai Kong's fort had plenty of good equipment blueprints, but the lack of growth in the Blacksmith Camp hindered their production. With the current capabilities of the Blacksmith Camp, it would take years for Lu Hai Kong to equip his entire army.
The shortage of manpower in the Blacksmith Camp was unavoidable, but the situation was improving with ongoing recruitment and training.
On this trip back, Lu Hai Kong could prioritize arming the Elite Guard, which was the fort's current ground combat elite.
Chapter end
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