Two more days passed, and the ship arrived near Ze'a Prefecture. However, the fleet had no intention of stopping there; instead, it bypassed the Ze'a Prefecture dock and headed toward Shan Pass County.
Mu Ning stood on the deck, feeling the chill in the air. "It's getting cold. Could it be about to snow?"
Dong Si's face carried a trace of worry. "Perhaps. I hope our lord's side goes smoothly."
Mu Ning had only learned two days ago that Jiang Jin was building a dock on Xunfeng Island. She tried to reassure him. "They're all experienced in construction. It should be finished quickly."
Her face was full of anticipation. "In just a few months, our lord has taken three counties, built his own dock, fleet, and... navy."
Dong Si looked inscrutable. "Although the Jinyang Navy was only recently established, it now holds nearly a thousand troops. The ships aren't bad either—we have two large warships."
"It's just that we're a bit short on smaller and mid-sized vessels," he added, with some regret.
While small and mid-sized ships couldn't carry much supplies, their combat capabilities were not to be underestimated.
Small ships were agile to operate, easier to maintain, and required fewer crew members.
In short, each type had its own strengths and weaknesses.
Mu Ning agreed. "No rush. They'll increase over time. We've already traded with Ze'a Prefecture and Daqing Prefecture, and maybe later we can even trade with Sizhou."
Dong Si glanced at her with approval. "You've got good ideas."
Mu Ning felt a little embarrassed. "You flatter me."
"I really want to see Xunfeng Island," she couldn't help saying.
Dong Si smiled. "There will be a chance later."
Remembering something, Mu Ning asked, "Did the lord give instructions on where to settle these commoners?"
Dong Si nodded. "In the villages."
He sighed. "Earlier, many people in the county towns wanted to move to the villages. But after Shan Pass County and the other county were built, the workshops started recruiting. Once people joined the workshops, they no longer wanted to go to the villages."
Most of the refugees Jiang Jin took in were farmers. They had spent their whole lives working the land and didn't know how to do anything else.
So when they heard about the villages, they all wanted to go there and wait for spring plowing.
It didn't matter whose land they farmed. Before, the land they worked hadn't been theirs either—it was all rented from aristocratic families.
But now, farming Jiang Jin's land meant not only free housing and a wage, but also no risk of profit or loss.
Back then, when they farmed, they had to hand over at least seventy percent of the harvest, and even more in bad years, because the aristocratic families refused to take losses.
So they worked their backs bent and their hair grayed year after year, yet still couldn't afford enough food, warm clothes, or to raise their children properly.
But the wages Jiang Jin offered were enough for them to eat their fill, dress warmly, and even send their children to school.
That was, until the industrial zones in Shan Pass County and Chunrong County started recruiting.
Only then did the commoners realize: it didn't matter if they had no skills—the workshops would teach them. As long as they were hardworking and not lazy, they could earn between 150 and over 200 copper coins a month.
Winter lasts several months—how much could they earn in that time?
Going to the villages now meant no land to farm, and thus no wages.
Besides, the cities were truly safer.
With that comparison, any family that had a member working in the industrial zone no longer wanted to move to the villages.
Fortunately, the city's housing was built according to a plan, with enough houses for everyone.
Jiang Jin had no objection to this. After all, the workshops needed workers too.
By the time spring came, farming in the villages would also come with wages, so naturally people would compete for those jobs.
Mu Ning smiled. "That's good. Are the villages all finished?"
"Probably about done," Dong Si said, uncertain. He had been away for quite a while.
The ship's speed slowed, gently approaching the shore.
"Are we docking around here?" Mu Ning looked toward the rugged, uneven mountains in the distance.
Dong Si nodded. "We'll dock here and cut straight through the mountains to Shan Pass County…"
On Xunfeng Island, Jiang Jin was now inspecting the newly finished makeshift dock, nodding with satisfaction.
Several small boats were moored at the dock, steady and secure.
Jiang Jin summoned Xie Nanxiao and gave him instructions. "I'll return tomorrow. You keep an eye on things here."
Xie Nanxiao was startled. "My lord, are you... going to take Lin County?"
Jiang Jin didn't hide it. "That's right. Luo Lan won't hold out much longer. We need to prepare early."
Xie Nanxiao pulled a long face. "My lord, I—I want to join the battle too."
Jiang Jin pointed to the houses still under construction. "You're needed more here."
She sighed. "It's getting cold fast this year. I expect snow by the end of this month. You need to speed things up here. Once I take Lin County, most of our ships will probably dock here."
Xie Nanxiao instinctively stood up straight. "My lord, rest assured. I'll make sure they work properly."
Jiang Jin shook her head. "Just watching them work isn't enough. You need to train the navy as well. By next spring, they must be capable of standing on their own."
Xie Nanxiao scratched his head. "I'm not familiar with naval training."
Jiang Jin said, "Train them not just in the water, but on land too. I want to build an elite force capable of amphibious operations."
Xie Nanxiao was puzzled. "What is 'amphibious'?"
"It means fighting both on water and on land," Jiang Jin explained.
The Yanguo navy was underdeveloped, so there wouldn't be many naval battles. But she didn't want her navy to be merely a transport tool.
In an era with poor transportation, naval mobility could sometimes far exceed that of land forces.
For example, if she wanted to launch a surprise attack on Haijiazhou or Sizhou, sending the navy could reach the destination in just a day or two.
But if the navy's land combat capability was lacking, she would have to deploy the Jinyang Army. Leaving aside other factors, just moving the army from Gefeng to the dock would take a day or two.
So her navy needed to excel not only in naval warfare but also in land combat.
Xie Nanxiao exclaimed, "Wouldn't that make them stronger than the Dragon Shadow Guard?"
Jiang Jin nodded. "Not necessarily. Each has its own strengths."
"The soldiers selected for this elite unit will have double training. The numbers don't need to be large—I want the best of the best to carry out special missions."
She was essentially envisioning a naval commando force.
Xie Nanxiao gasped. "My lord, what should this elite unit be called?"
Jiang Jin thought for a moment. "Let's call them the Cangming Guard."
"Cangming Guard!" Xie Nanxiao murmured, his eyes lighting up. Suddenly, the prospect of staying behind filled him with anticipation.
Jiang Jin then summoned Wang Liang and the others to discuss training plans for the navy.
Although Wang Liang wasn't a naval commander, he was a helmsman.
Before becoming a helmsman, he had been a sailor, fully familiar with all aspects of sailor training.
None of them said a word against Jiang Jin's exceptionally strict requirements and the special training she added.
They finally understood why the Jinyang Army was so formidable. Under such intense training, anyone who endured it was bound to become stronger.
They were eager to see the Cangming Guard, but they also had their doubts—the training intensity was extreme.
Still, if such a force could be forged according to Jiang Jin's standards, it would become a terrifyingly powerful elite unit.
Dong Si and Mu Ning disembarked and finally set out on the road to Shan Pass County.
But as they passed Little Qi Mountain, Mu Ning sensed something was wrong.
Just as she was thinking, she saw Shuangjiang, who had gone ahead to scout, returning. The two exchanged a glance before continuing forward as if nothing had happened.
