As the first light of dawn filtered through the wooden windows of Murong Estate, Zhao Ming stirred awake. Today was an important day—his meeting with Governor Kong. But before that, something equally important demanded his attention.

  A messenger from the workshop had arrived earlier with a message—the crossbow prototype was completed.

  Without wasting time, Zhao Ming dressed and made his way toward the Murong Trading House workshop. The cool morning air carried the scent of wood shavings and burning coal as he stepped into the bustling workshop. Inside, Uncle Qian and Wen Tao were already waiting for him, their faces filled with a mix of exhaustion and excitement.

  "You're just in time," Uncle Qian greeted, wiping his hands on a cloth. "We’ve finally finished it."

  Wen Tao stepped forward, carefully presenting the weapon—a sleek, wooden crossbow with an intricate metal mechanism attached to its top. Unlike traditional crossbows, this one had a magazine-like structure sitting above the bowstring, meant to feed arrows automatically after each shot.

  "We followed your suggestions and worked on the arrow feeding mechanism," Wen Tao explained. "Now, instead of getting jammed after two shots, it can fire five arrows in a row before needing to be reloaded."

  Zhao Ming’s eyes gleamed with interest. "Let's test it."

  They moved to the shooting range behind the workshop, where wooden targets were set up at varying distances. Zhao Ming took the crossbow, feeling its weight in his hands. It was slightly heavier than a standard one, but still manageable.

  He pulled the trigger.

  Thwack! The first arrow shot forward with deadly precision.

  Thwack! The second followed almost instantly.

  By the time the fifth arrow was fired, a neat row of bolts was embedded into the target.

  The workshop workers let out murmurs of approval.

  "Impressive," Zhao Ming said, lowering the weapon. "This is a major step forward."

  However, just as they were about to reload and test it again—

  Snap!

  A metallic clicking sound echoed. The mechanism jammed. The lever refused to reset, leaving the crossbow stuck in place.

  Uncle Qian and Wen Tao frowned, quickly examining the weapon.

  “It seems…” Wen Tao muttered, adjusting the gear alignment. “The internal mechanism is still fragile. After a few rounds of firing, the tension on the metal parts becomes too much, and they break under stress.”

  "That means it's still not reliable in a battlefield scenario," Uncle Qian sighed. "If soldiers can't depend on it during combat, it’s useless."

  Zhao Ming thought for a moment. “But at least we’ve made progress. The design works in theory, and we’ve proven it can fire five shots consecutively.”

  Uncle Qian nodded. “Yes, but now we need to reinforce the mechanics. Maybe use stronger materials for the internal parts, or adjust the tension in the trigger mechanism.”

  Wen Tao agreed. “We’ll work on reinforcement and maybe test different materials for the key moving parts. If we fix the durability issue, this weapon could be a game-changer.”

  Zhao Ming considered the options. "I'll be meeting with Governor Kong this afternoon. I’ll bring one prototype with me to show him our progress. This will buy us time to continue refining the design."

  Uncle Qian and Wen Tao exchanged glances and nodded.

  "Alright," Uncle Qian said. "We'll make another one just in case."

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  Zhao Ming smirked. "Good. If we can perfect this, the Murong Trading House might just hold the key to a revolutionary weapon."

  With that, he turned and left the workshop, knowing that his next challenge awaited—his meeting with the governor.

  As the carriage rolled to a stop in front of Governor Kong’s residence, Zhao Ming stepped out, adjusting his robes while ensuring the crossbow prototype was safely secured in its case. The weapon was too important to be displayed openly—its very existence was meant to be kept highly confidential.

  The familiar gate guards stood at attention, and one of them, Sergeant Wang, recognized him immediately.

  "Master Zhao, here to see the governor?" Wang asked with a polite nod.

  Zhao Ming returned the nod. "Yes. I also have something to present—under strict secrecy. I need to speak with Aide Chen before I proceed."

  Sergeant Wang’s eyes flickered with curiosity, but he knew better than to ask questions. He gestured toward a junior guard. "Take Master Zhao inside and inform Aide Chen."

  Zhao Ming was led through the courtyard of the governor’s estate and into the reception hall. The air was cool and carried the faint scent of ink and aged scrolls. Several officials were going about their duties, but Zhao Ming remained silent, keeping his attention on his surroundings.

  After a few moments, Aide Chen arrived, his usual composed expression giving way to mild surprise when he saw Zhao Ming holding a long wooden case.

  “I was under the impression that today’s meeting was about the eastern hill settlement and the refugees,” Aide Chen said, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t expect you to bring…” His eyes flicked to the case. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Zhao Ming nodded. “Yes. The crossbow prototype was finished just this morning. Since I was already scheduled to meet Governor Kong, I decided to bring it along. But given its sensitive nature, I can’t show it freely here. I’ll need a more private location.”

  Aide Chen's brows furrowed slightly, realizing the implications. “Understood. We’ll use one of the wing rooms instead of the main office—it’s more secluded.”

  He gestured for Zhao Ming to follow him, and they walked through a side corridor, where Aide Chen led him into a quiet, private chamber. The room was smaller than the main office but was lined with bookshelves, giving it the feel of a study rather than an administrative hall.

  “I’ll inform the governor,” Aide Chen said before stepping out. “Wait here.”

  As Zhao Ming adjusted his seating, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor. Expecting it to be Governor Kong or Aide Chen, he turned toward the entrance—only to see a familiar face step inside.

  Lu Qianyi.

  The young woman, dressed in simple yet elegant scholar robes, entered with a curious expression. Her sharp gaze immediately landed on Zhao Ming—and the wooden case he was holding.

  “You?” she said, folding her arms. “What are you doing here?”

  Zhao Ming raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I be asking you the same?”

  Lu Qianyi sighed. “I was summoned by Governor Kong. My father left for Luoyang, and before leaving, he told me to assist the governor however I can.”

  Lu Qianyi stepped into the room, her sharp gaze immediately landing on the wooden case beside Zhao Ming. She arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

  “So, the prototype is ready?” she asked without preamble.

  Zhao Ming smirked. “You don’t seem too surprised.”

  She shook her head and took a seat across from him. “Of course not. I was there when my father introduced the project to you. I knew you’d make progress sooner or later.” She leaned forward slightly. “The real question is—how well does it work?”

  Zhao Ming tapped the case lightly. “It can fire five arrows in succession before the mechanism jams. We’re still working on improving the feeding system.”

  Lu Qianyi nodded, her expression thoughtful. “That’s better than I expected. Even getting two consecutive shots was difficult when we tried to replicate the design.”

  Zhao Ming studied her. “You seem invested in this. More than I thought you’d be.”

  She exhaled softly, her fingers tapping against the table. “Because I understand what’s at stake. My father might not say it outright, but I know why he was so interested in this weapon.”

  Zhao Ming remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

  She looked him in the eye. “War is coming.”

  His expression didn’t change, but she could tell he agreed.

  “The Han court is rotting from the inside,” she went on. “Factions are forming. Warlords are gathering strength. When the cracks finally break open, whoever controls superior weapons will have an edge.”

  Zhao Ming nodded slightly. “And yet, you still helped bring this to the Murong Trading House. You’re aware that once it’s perfected, others might try to take it?”

  Lu Qianyi scoffed. “Of course. But that’s exactly why secrecy is important. If the wrong people get their hands on this first, the balance of power could shift drastically.”

  Zhao Ming studied her carefully. “You sound like you have someone in mind.”

  She hesitated for a moment before sighing. “You already know the answer. The Eunuch faction, the regional warlords, even certain members of the imperial family—they’re all vying for power. Any one of them would kill to get their hands on an innovation like this.”

  Zhao Ming exhaled slowly. He had considered all of this before, but hearing it from Lu Zhi’s daughter only confirmed his concerns.

  “We’ll have to be careful,” he finally said. “This weapon could change history, but only if it ends up in the right hands.”

  Lu Qianyi gave a small smirk. “And you think you can decide that?”

  Zhao Ming returned the smirk. “I don’t need to decide—I just need to make sure it’s not the wrong hands.”

  Before Lu Qianyi could respond, the door opened, and Governor Kong Rong entered, accompanied by Aide Chen.

  Their conversation would have to wait.