Phi-Fic Chapter 444: Heart for the Country
Chapter 444: Heart for the Country
Inside the tent, the candlelight flickered. Shen Shaodong sat upright on a chair, his posture straight, but his brows slightly furrowed. He was obviously still immersed in his thoughts after talking with Shen Li.
After a detailed discussion, everything that had happened during this period slowly unfolded before his eyes like a picture scroll. The thrills and twists and turns made him secretly frightened.
Shen Shaodong took a deep breath to calm himself, then stood up and clasped his fists towards Su Ran, Luo Lingchen, Nangong Qi, and Chu Fengmian. He said sincerely, "Thank you for taking good care of my daughter and for coming all the way to help Beichen. I am deeply grateful!"
When the four heard this, they first looked at each other, and there seemed to be a tacit understanding between their eyes.
Then, they all stepped forward in unison, their movements in unison, and respectfully bowed to Shen Shaodong. Their gestures were humble and solemn, and they said in unison, "You're welcome, father-in-law!"
The word "Father-in-law" was like a thunderclap, exploding in Shen Shaodong's ears.
His whole body trembled, his eyes widened in shock, and his body, which had been sitting steadily, suddenly leaned forward and almost slipped off the seat.
His hands trembled uncontrollably as he pointed at the four people. He then turned his gaze to his daughter who was standing there in a daze. He stammered for a long while before stammering out, "Li'er... those four... this... I must be hallucinating..."
Shen Li felt a buzzing sound in his head, as if he was hit by a heavy hammer.
She was filled with embarrassment and raised her hands to cover her face, trying to hide her burning cheeks.
She turned sideways with her back to everyone. She really didn't want to face this sudden and unexpected situation. She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Chu Fengmian had a smile on his lips, gently waving his folding fan as he walked forward with a leisurely look on his face: "Father-in-law, there is no need to be surprised. This is all arranged by heaven. The will of heaven has revealed this, and we will naturally obey it."
Luo Lingchen then took a step forward, his posture erect, his bow radiating sincerity. "Father-in-law, I found it hard to accept this at first, but now I've let it go. I recognize them, and I will stand with them from now on to protect Li'er."
Su Ran nodded slightly, his expression gentle. He took a step forward and said respectfully, "Father-in-law, please trust us. Our feelings for Li'er are as clear as the sun and the moon. We will give our all to love her and follow her unwaveringly."
Nangong Qi glanced at the three people beside him with a firm gaze, and also stepped forward to salute: "Father-in-law, they have said everything that needs to be said. But I still want to make it clear that my love for Ali will only grow stronger, and I will never let her down in the future."
Shen Shaodong stood there in a daze, his eyes wandering back and forth between everyone's faces. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond. He just felt that this situation was too bizarre, yet it was filled with unquestionable solemnity.
Shen Shaodong felt dizzy. Faced with this sudden situation, it was difficult for him to accept that he actually had four sons-in-law.
But the current situation is urgent and many important matters need to be dealt with, so this matter can only be put aside for the time being.
He sighed heavily and said solemnly, "I really didn't expect the pirates to be so arrogant and domineering this time. By the time our army arrived, this place was already a miserable scene.
"These pirates sneaked ashore and set fire to the patrol's tents, causing heavy casualties! They then continued to wantonly abuse the civilians. They killed children, raped women, burned, looted, and committed all sorts of evil. They were like a group of demons that had crawled out of hell!"
When Shen Li heard this, her eyebrows knitted tightly together, and she was extremely anxious. She quickly asked, "Have they left this sea area now?"
Shen Shaodong shook his head slightly and said helplessly, "Our current conditions are limited. From what we can see from the watchtower, we haven't found any trace of enemy ships 20 nautical miles away. But where exactly they are hiding is unknown."
Shen Li thought for a moment, then asked, "What weapons did they use? Were they using cannons, gunpowder, or muskets?"
Shen Shaodong shook his head again, his tone revealing a hint of regret and unwillingness: "This group of enemy bandits only used cold weapons such as machetes, bows and arrows, crossbows, and spears. The situation here is similar. We were originally working on developing new weapons, but before we could come up with them, the war suddenly broke out.
The Ministry of Revenue refused to allocate funds, so Dad had no choice but to use the income from Fuxilou to build a seaport and several large ships. The Marine Corps is also actively training and has begun to take shape, but the development of warships and gunpowder has been hindered, and there are restrictions everywhere, making progress difficult.
At this moment, Luo Lingchen stood up, his posture straight, and clasped his hands together, performing a standard salute with a respectful and sincere attitude: "Father-in-law, we have come together this time to show you that the four countries are now of the same blood and should work together.
I've brought the formulas and blueprints for gunpowder, cannons, and muskets. These are part of my advance betrothal gifts to Li'er. I hope they can help Beichen defend against pirates, helping us repel the foreign enemies as soon as possible and protect this land."
After hearing this, Shen Li nodded solemnly, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and he said decisively: "Dad, it is not difficult to find out where these pirates are hiding.
I'll immediately have a dragon carry us out to sea to search. With its speed and acumen, we'll definitely be able to pull them out of hiding. Since they're still using those outdated weapons, let's teach them a lesson this time, so they never come back!"
Shen Li clenched his fists, exuding an unquestionable aura. He continued, "The muskets and artillery we brought from Lichen are now our magic weapons to defeat the enemy. Once we find them, we will suppress them with firepower and kill them by surprise.
Afterwards, we seized their warships. I have always been skeptical of their shipbuilding skills, so I carefully compared them with the shipbuilding drawings Robert gave us.
Shipbuilding technology is profound and sophisticated. With more research and learning, our shipbuilding capabilities will surely be greatly improved. The next time we encounter these pirates, we will be well-equipped and more confident, and we will surely defeat them."
Shen Shaodong never thought that the war could be resolved in such a clever way. For a moment, his heart was filled with surprise and admiration, and he couldn't help but applaud Shen Li's suggestions.
His face was filled with excitement, his cheeks flushed, his eyes sparkled with excitement, and his voice unconsciously rose a few degrees: "Li'er, your idea is really brilliant! This way, the benefits are simply too numerous. Once we seize the pirates' warships, carefully study their shipbuilding technology, and integrate it with our existing technology, our country's shipbuilding level will surely advance by leaps and bounds. With more advanced warships, our naval strength will be even greater."
Shen Shaodong became more and more excited as he spoke, waving his hands in the air, as if he had already seen the prosperous future of the country: "Moreover, if we can achieve a great victory this time, not only will we be able to severely strike a blow to the arrogance of the pirates, but we will also let the neighboring countries see our strength.
Our four nations share a common aspiration. Going forward, we must strengthen military training and share our resources. Let us build our military forces into a rock-solid force and train our troops to the highest caliber. With a strong military as our backing, we can focus on development.
We will vigorously develop infrastructure, repair and maintain domestic roads, bridges, water conservancy projects, and other infrastructure to make travel more convenient for the people and smoother transportation of goods; we will deepen agricultural development, introduce high-quality seeds, and teach advanced planting techniques to increase grain production and ensure that the people have enough food and clothing.
Shen Shaodong raised his head slightly, his eyes determined, and envisioned a bright future: "If all aspects progress in parallel, our four countries will be able to stride forward towards the grand goal of a strong nation, a strong military, and a prosperous people. We will stand firm in this chaotic world and become a powerful nation respected by other countries!"