Old Qin emerged from behind the shield, a triumphant smile on his face, which soon turned to one of difficulty.
"How much do you want? Just get it over with!" Yue Qingtian urged.
"Apologies, this shield is not for sale to the two of you..." Old Qin chuckled awkwardly.
Yang Huan and Yue Qingtian were displeased.
"Didn't you bring out this shield precisely to sell it?"
Old Qin quickly explained, "Two generals! This old man's family is in dire straits. My son's business failed, and I urgently need silver to tide us over. Otherwise, I would never part with this heirloom..."
"Then why aren't you selling? Did your son make a fortune again?" Yang Huan scoffed.
Old Qin repeatedly shook his head. "You two can see the value of this shield, can't you? This shield weighs fifty catties. Its value is no less than gold of the same weight."
"Five hundred taels of gold, five thousand taels of silver?" a gasp rippled through the crowd.
"Five thousand taels? Done!" Yue Qingtian readily produced silver notes.
"No, no, no, still not selling..." Old Qin chuckled dryly.
Yue Qingtian finally exploded, "Are you treating this monk like a monkey?"
"No, no, no..." Old Qin quickly ducked behind the shield, fearing Yue Qingtian's wrath. "This old man hopes this shield can be sold to the Marquis of Anguo. If he offers two thousand taels, this old man will sell it..."
A chorus of gasps erupted from the onlookers: "So that's how it is!"
Yue Wenxin on the balcony's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.
This was the power of reputation, wasn't it?
Yue Qingtian was both surprised and delighted, "I am the captain of the Qingtian Guard in the Marquis of Anguo's manor. This shield is for the Marquis! Give it to me to use!"
"I don't believe you," Old Qin shook his head.
It was then that Liang Xiao, accompanied by Yue Wenxin and his guards, descended the stairs, pushing through the crowd and entering.
"Old sir, I am Liang Xiao."
Instantly, the common folk who recognized Liang Xiao bowed in unison, "Good morning, Marquis of Anguo!"
Upon seeing Liang Xiao, Old Qin prostrated himself, only to be helped up by Yue Qingtian, who said, "The Marquis dislikes people kneeling to him!"
Liang Xiao asked, "Old sir, how much money do you need to resolve your urgent family matters?"
"Just two thousand taels! If I weren't short of money, I'd give this Thunder God Shield to the Marquis of Anguo for free!" Old Qin said earnestly.
Liang Xiao pondered for a moment and then said, "You specially prepared this shield for me, so I naturally cannot let a good person suffer a loss. I will offer twenty thousand taels to purchase this shield."
Another round of gasps went through the crowd.
Old Qin was overwhelmed with gratitude, "This is too much!"
Yue Qingtian had already taken out two hundred hundred-tael silver notes and was stuffing them into Old Qin's embrace.
"This is too much!" Old Qin's face turned ashen.
"This is what you deserve. Such a shield is rare. After you have settled your family affairs, I have something I wish to ask you about," Liang Xiao explained.
"I wouldn't dare! Whatever guidance the Marquis of Anguo has, please speak freely!" Old Qin said joyfully.
Liang Xiao then took Old Qin to the Marquis of Anguo's manor, where he was well-treated and his situation was inquired about.
"This shield is made from Crimson Gold Divine Wood. Do you have any other similar defensive equipment at home that you wish to sell? I am willing to pay a high price."
Old Qin was startled and replied, "I've never heard of Crimson Gold Divine Wood, but I have a pair of ancestral Cloud-Soaring Boots at home. The material should be the same. If the Marquis of Anguo does not mind, I can give them to you for free!"
Liang Xiao was overjoyed and immediately asked Yue Qingtian to escort Old Qin home and requested that Old Qin bring the wooden boots.
Two hours later, a pair of crimson battle boots were placed on Liang Xiao's desk.
At the top of the boots, several large characters were etched: "Jun Lin Bi Ni" (Literally: "Arrogantly Looking Down Upon").
Liang Xiao cleaned them on the spot and tried them on.
The opening of the boots was quite wide, but they fit perfectly when worn. The inside was also incredibly smooth, with a slight discomfort from friction. However, if some cotton or leather were stuffed in, comfort would be guaranteed.
"These battle boots must have been difficult to make, not much less so than the Sunset Bow. It's likely that the remaining materials were only enough to make a pair of boots," Liang Xiao said with pleasant surprise.
"It is said that these were left by my ancestor seven hundred years ago. It was the Wu Dynasty then. Our ancestor and his brother split due to a disagreement. The family heirlooms were divided in two. My ancestor took these, and the other took other parts and went to the Southern Kingdom, which is now Daliang. Later, that branch of the family vanished. Of course, to them, we must have also vanished," Old Qin explained in a low voice.
Liang Xiao immediately made up his mind and bought the pair of Cloud-Soaring Boots for ten thousand taels.
As the military equipment of various countries continued to upgrade, the long-range weapons on the battlefield became stronger and more concentrated. Even the limbs, without protection, could be threatened.
With the Spiritual Light White Dragon Armor, Cloud-Soaring Boots, Flowing Cloud Gauntlets, and the newly forged Spiritual Light White Dragon Helmet, Liang Xiao could now ensure that he had no obvious weak points on the battlefield.
The Thunder God Shield was given to Yue Qingtian for use, but Liang Xiao could also use it when necessary.
Old Qin, having received the silver and Liang Xiao's promise to look after his family, left the Marquis of Anguo's manor with immense joy.
Yue Wenxin could not help but try to hack and stab at the Thunder God Shield with her own sword, but she was unable to break through its defense, marveling at its resilience.
Liang Xiao retrieved the Sunset Bow, nocked a Dragon Tooth Arrow, and aimed at the Thunder God Shield from close range, releasing the arrow.
The Dragon Tooth Arrow produced a faint sonic boom as it flew. The arrowhead struck the surface of the Thunder God Shield, causing it to shatter into pieces, much to the astonishment of Yue Qingtian and others.
Liang Xiao retrieved the Sunset Bow and placed it alongside the Thunder God Shield and the Cloud-Soaring Boots, examining the three closely, baffled.
Indestructible and fireproof, what material could so easily resist the cutting and impact of Silver Dragon Gold?
Silver Dragon Gold and White Dragon Gold already surpassed his understanding of alloys. This Crimson Gold Divine Wood was even more remarkable.
After Yue Qingtian took possession of the shield, he was as happy as a two-hundred-pound thirty-five-year-old child every day, making the Qingtian Guards so envious that their eyes bulged with blood.
Yue Lian personally lined the inside of Liang Xiao's Cloud-Soaring Boots with a layer of soft cloth, finally making them comfortable to wear.
"Qingtian, get ready. We might be heading to Jiangnan soon."
Upon hearing Liang Xiao's call, Yue Qingtian's heart bloomed with joy. "I will surely bring honor to the Marquis and be the one who kills the most enemies!"
The capital of Daliang.
Qin Feng took a calculated risk, using a feigned retreat to gain control of the court and the rear of Daliang. He simultaneously ordered the front lines to withdraw, threatening to cut off their supplies from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War if they did not comply.
In the capital, Qin Feng, clad in armor, personally led his troops on patrol. Ye Chengxiu expressed deep concern.
"The Regent King is so hands-on. I truly worry that you might be assassinated by some scoundrel!"
Qin Feng chuckled and removed his helmet, unfastening his white robe.
Ye Chengxiu looked closely and saw that the inside of the helmet was faintly crimson and still shimmered slightly under the scorching sun.
The entire set of armor was made of the same material, with hemp ropes connecting the various components. The breastplate in the center was particularly conspicuous.
"This looks like wooden armor, doesn't it? The Regent King wearing this kind of armor makes me even more worried!" Ye Chengxiu said with a wry smile.
Shaking his head, he said to Ye Chengxiu, "Commander Ye's weapon is also a famous sword. Why don't you try to hack at it?"
Ye Chengxiu, out of curiosity, tried. He discovered that no matter how he swung his precious sword, he could not leave a visible scar on the armor.
"This set of Cloud-Soaring Helmet and Cloud-Soaring Armor are actually my family heirlooms. The late emperor repeatedly instructed me not to reveal them to outsiders, because the secret history of Daheng records that this set of armor, along with the matching 'Thunder God Shield' and 'Cloud-Soaring Boots', were once the imperial treasures of the Wu Dynasty, belonging to the Emperor of Wu. This is also why the late emperor, on his deathbed, wished for me to establish myself for the people..."