Chapter 35: The New Year Gala

"My lord, this thing is truly difficult to craft. I spent a whole month before I finally figured out a way."

Fang Han picked up the bearing and gave it a spin. Although it was not of the highest quality, it was more than sufficient for use on transport carts. He had not originally expected Old Wu to actually succeed, but the fact remained that he had pulled it off. With this invention, future road construction to connect the entire Southern Frontier would be greatly facilitated. The speed of grain transport would increase significantly, and they might even be able to discard horse-drawn wagons in favor of human-powered transport. Combined with the terrain of the Southern Frontier, this would truly allow for an army that could advance to attack and retreat to defend.

"How long does it take you to make one now?"

Old Wu scratched his head and replied, "My lord, the iron balls inside are difficult to forge and require meticulous grinding. It takes ten days to finish one. If someone else could handle the grinding, I could produce one a day."

Upon hearing this, Fang Han ordered Liu San to find people to grind the iron balls, while Old Wu focused on forging the iron rings. Simultaneously, he had the carpenters build the frames for the wooden carts. A few days later, a wooden cart was completed, and at the same time, a second bearing was finished. Once the cart was assembled, Fang Han was very satisfied.

"Liu San, come and give it a try."

Liu San heard the command, lifted the cart, exerted force, and gave it a sudden push. The cart shot away instantly. Liu San nearly fell, but Fang Shou, who was standing nearby, caught him. Had he not, his old bones might have been rattled out of place.

"Thank you, Commander."

"Master, this cart is surprisingly light," Liu San said in disbelief.

"This matter must not be leaked," Fang Han said in a low, stern voice. Currently, only he, Fang Shou, Liu San, and Lin Qingwei in the room were present. They were all trusted confidants who would not spread the news. The carts were meant to be used at a critical juncture, especially against the various separatist factions; once they were wiped out, it would no longer matter if the secret was revealed.

"Fang Shou, take the bearing off and reassemble it."

"Liu San, order the carpenters to build more carts for grain collection."

After Fang Han spoke, Fang Shou removed the bearings, leaving a standard wooden cart. Liu San pushed it again, and while it required more effort this time, it was perfect for harvesting rice on mountainous terrain. During this period, the fish from the rice paddies had been moved to new fields one after another, while the original paddies were kept by Sun Shengyuan to continue cultivating hybrid rice.

***

The weather grew colder as the end of the year approached. The various bandits had become quiet, and even the Southern Barbarians coming to the Southern Frontier for trade had dwindled. The entire capital felt desolate. Su Zihuan returned from visiting various factions and reported the situation at the government office.

"My lord, the situation in the various prefectures is indeed as they claimed," Su Zihuan stated solemnly.

Fang Han let out a cold snort. "Is that so? I listened to your words before, claiming those people had wild ambitions, yet now you say their territories are impoverished. Either you are lying, or you take me for a fool. Could it be that you have been bought off by them and are intentionally spreading falsehoods?"

The officials’ expressions changed drastically at these words, especially Su Zihuan’s. During his inspection, the prefectures had not hidden anything; in fact, they had been more arrogant than ever, some even holding martial arts competitions specifically to intimidate him. He had expected these factions to offer bribes to curry favor, but instead, they acted as if they were eager for Fang Han to know the truth. They were certain Su Zihuan would not dare report it to Fang Han.

"My lord, every word I have spoken is true. Most of their territories are struggling; only a few are stable."

Fang Han said coldly, "If that is the case, we should wipe out the Southern Barbarians even faster. I hear the year is coming to an end, and the barbarians have no desire to invade. If we do not strike now, when will we?"

Hearing the mention of the year-end, Chen Xingshi stepped forward and said, "My lord, we now hold three thousand acres of fields, and the newly reclaimed wasteland amounts to five thousand acres. There is no need to be in such a hurry. With the year-end approaching, why not hold a grand assembly in the city? It would boost your prestige and attract more people."

Another official agreed, "Yes, my lord. The Southern Frontier has just been settled and needs to recuperate; we must not rush into war."

Though Fang Han remained outwardly calm, he was delighted inside. A year-end celebration was exactly what he wanted. Since his arrival in the Southern Frontier, the city's inhabitants had not rested for a single day; a grand event was exactly what they needed. If done well, it would also increase the cohesion of the people and earn him their greater loyalty.

Seeing Fang Han unmoved, Su Zihuan gritted his teeth and said, "My lord, I am willing to contribute five hundred taels of silver to assist in organizing the assembly."

Five hundred taels was neither a small sum nor an excessive one. Su Zihuan’s declaration was meant to pressure the other officials to chip in. The officials exchanged glances, their eyes filled with helplessness. They were already struggling from the daily grain purchases, and now they had to pay more. A governor sighed and stepped forward. "My lord, I am willing to contribute two hundred taels of silver."

***

Money was merely a worldly possession; as long as the Southern Frontier could develop, it could be earned back. Once someone took the lead, the others followed.

"My lord, I am willing to contribute two hundred taels of silver to help organize the grand event."

"I am willing to contribute one hundred taels."

...

In the end, the three prefectural governors—Su Zihuan, Chen Xingshi, and Li Zehong—each contributed five hundred taels. The governors each gave three hundred, and the county magistrates each gave one hundred, totaling over six thousand taels of silver. While six thousand taels sounded like a lot, it did not amount to much when divided among everyone.

Fang Han had not expected them to actually offer money. He began to consider how to organize the event and what the rewards should be. With the funds now available, and a little extra from his own pocket, he could truly host a magnificent year-end celebration.

"In that case, I will trust you all just this once," Fang Han said with a cold face.

Subsequently, the entire government office began discussing the details. They finalized the name, timing, and content of the event: The Southern Frontier Year-End Assembly. It would begin fifteen days before the New Year and end fifteen days after, held every night within the Southern Frontier city. It would include dozens of activities, such as lantern riddles, couplets, poetry recitals, martial arts tournaments, various games, and stalls for vendors.

The news that the Protector was hosting an assembly quickly spread throughout the capital. Both the common people and the soldiers were aware of the news. The people, who had toiled for months, eagerly anticipated the event. Some of the elders even recalled the scenes of prosperity from the past. With the prospect of the assembly, the people worked with renewed vigor. Even the Southern Barbarian traders became more frequent, and the separatist factions, hearing the news, also offered small amounts of money as a symbolic gesture of support for the new Protector.