Fang Er left the imperial palace and did not return to Fang Family Manor.
Instead, he went directly to the workshops.
Zhao Gang and the craftsmen were all standing in the courtyard of the blacksmith workshop.
Heads were bowed, and no one even dared to breathe loudly.
Craftsmen deserting.
This was a disgrace!
Fang Er provided them with a life free from worries about food and clothing; they only needed to work diligently.
Yet, even then, some betrayed him.
In ordinary times, collective punishment was normal for such an offense.
These craftsmen were all guessing how Fang Er would punish them.
When Zhu Zi returned, he brought the Heavenly Fire Army and surrounded the entire workshop.
Fang Er looked at the Heavenly Fire Army outside the workshop.
He said nothing.
He walked straight in.
Arriving in the courtyard of the blacksmith workshop.
He looked at the people standing before him.
Zhao Gang!
Present.
Zhao Gang stepped forward when Fang Er called his name.
Regarding Ma Ping's matter, it is not your fault, and you did well to recognize the severity of the situation in time and report it to Zhu Zi.
Therefore, you are rewarded with two strings of cash.
Sir, it is my fault. I failed to notice Ma Ping's unusual behavior.
Zhao Gang looked ashamed.
He was the foreman of the blacksmith workshop.
His subordinates had betrayed him, and he hadn't noticed anything.
This made him feel very guilty towards Fang Er.
Enough, if I say it's not your fault, then it's not your fault.
Fang Er waved his hand, signaling him to return to his position.
Then he looked at the craftsmen responsible for the gunpowder preparation.
You have all disappointed me!
Ma Ping was merely responsible for assembling bullets, yet he was able to infiltrate your ranks and record the gunpowder preparation formula!
This shows that you did not realize the importance of gunpowder, nor the seriousness of this matter!
Therefore, I fine each of you two months' wages. Do you have any objections?
Fang Er's tone was stern.
But to these people, it sounded like heavenly music.
Two months' wages would indeed make their recently improving lives difficult again.
But it was only two months of hardship!
They were the ones who made gunpowder. Apart from Fang Er, no one understood its importance better than they did!
Yet, this very thing was stolen from under their noses. If this were in the Ministry of Works.
Then, they would have faced certain death!
Thank you, my lord, for your great kindness. We are all convinced!
Several craftsmen knelt on the ground and said to Fang Er.
Get up, and let this not happen again!
Furthermore, from today onwards, no one other than you is allowed to enter or leave the gunpowder workshop.
Those who violate this will be killed!
This was Fang Er's first issuance of a kill order!
However, none of the craftsmen objected. They considered this entirely reasonable!
For from the day they left the Ministry of Works, they had become Fang Er's personal property!
They could be beaten or punished as he saw fit, and even Li Shimin could not say anything.
After dismissing everyone else.
Fang Er kept Zhao Gang and the craftsmen who were manufacturing firearms.
The lathe started, and they worked for eight days straight!
Fang Er left the workshop and returned to Fang Family Manor.
He fell into a deep sleep.
In the past few days, he had slept less than two hours each day.
He was truly exhausted.
But it was all worth it.
When Fang Er woke up, there was only one day left until their departure.
On the training ground.
Fang Er stood on a high platform, looking at the three thousand Heavenly Fire Army soldiers before him.
He did not give a pre-battle mobilization speech.
He simply announced the list of personnel who would be deployed.
Zhu Zi's First Battalion.
Ma Chao's Second Battalion.
Liu Meng's Third Battalion.
Plus the eighteen Yan Yun Riders.
A total of 2118 men.
Sun Zhou's battalion was assigned to guard the cement kilns.
Zhao Hu's battalion was assigned to guard the workshops and Fang Family Manor.
After announcing this, he let them prepare themselves.
The Heavenly Fire Army was very excited.
After a hundred days of hard training, they finally had an opportunity to earn merit!
On that day, the selected two thousand Heavenly Fire Army soldiers rode home to visit their families.
At the same time, it was to see their families one last time before going to the battlefield.
Perhaps, this was a farewell to be repeated no more.
The next morning.
Fang Er arrived at the entrance of the training ground early.
All the selected Heavenly Fire soldiers were ready for deployment.
Each man had two horses.
And all of them carried a chest.
As for what was inside the chests, no one knew except Fang Er and the craftsmen like Zhao Gang who were personally involved.
Even Zhao Gang and the others did not know what they were for.
They only knew that Fang Er attached great importance to those items.
Every component was personally assembled by Fang Er.
The eighteen Yan Yun Riders had also bid farewell to their families and were waiting there.
March!
With Fang Er's order.
The more than two thousand men and four thousand warhorses slowly moved out of the military camp!
After leaving Fang Family Manor, they began to gallop!
Apart from weapons and ammunition.
There were no other supplies or provisions!
Not even cannons were brought!
If something could be solved with money, it was not a problem!
If it couldn't be solved with money, then it would be solved with bullets!
The mighty procession moved eastward along the Wei River.
Two days later, the army reached Kaifeng Commandery and then turned north.
Without stopping, they traveled three hundred li a day.
Finally, four days later, Fang Er's army arrived at Hejian Commandery!
The Heavenly Fire Army was ordered to encamp outside the city.
Fang Er, accompanied by the eighteen Yan Yun Riders, entered Hejian Commandery City in broad daylight!