"Alright, I'll always be your confidence." Unable to resist the sight of this military port established by Guard troops of Cheng in the bay, Xiangbei couldn't help but explore it in her mental sea.
As soon as she focused on it, she found that the boundaries of the dense fog had unlocked again. This time, it extended out by nearly two hundred miles. Following the previous multiples, it could accurately be described as one hundred and sixty miles.
This was indeed a true deep-water harbor. The original mountains were pushed several miles by volcanic lava, forming an embracing posture in the distance. The bay was calm with a smooth and open seabed. Through the clear seawater, dense coral reefs nourished by volcanic ash were visible. Towards the north, the hills extended directly into the seabed. Ten meters away, the seawater turned pitch-black.
Black? Why was it black? The depth was only three meters. This was a typical underwater copper-iron deposit of volcanic origin. From three meters down to ten meters, it was a shallow layer of high-quality copper-iron ore!
Chengmo was still immersed in the excitement of Xiangbei's words, "I'll always be your confidence," and she couldn't contain her excitement. She patted her on the shoulder, "Good job, handsome guy, you're quite capable, like a wealthy nation."
"I'm not as wealthy as you imagine. Many profits are used to cover expenses, leaving not much then. My personal guards and the Royal Guard Department are all borne by the Mo Prince's mansion."
"I understand that, but you're still incredibly wealthy," Xiangbei pointed around, "This is the site of a volcanic eruption countless years ago. Every inch of land is a treasure. And there, look at the terrain of those hills and the deep black sea. There must be a massive underwater copper-iron deposit!"
"Xiaobei, when you mention a volcano, are you talking about a volcano means underground fire? Are you sure? I mean, is this for real? That would be fantastic!
We've been talking endlessly about the need to replace weapons, but the gold and stone mines in the south don't have high-quality ore.
Lao Tie has tried many ways, but the impurities are too much and not suitable for forging weapons.
Xiaobei, this is incredible! Let's go back and tell them."
"I'm very sure, but do we need to be in such a hurry? Can't we eating and chatting? I'm hungry," Xiangbei was still thinking about her seafood.
"Right, let's go, meal first. Let's see what those guys have caught."
Not far into their return, they saw soldiers gathered around several large cooking pots, making a lively scene.
"What's going on? Is it New Year's?" Chengmo walked over with a smile.
"Young Master, you got it wrong. When the Young Madam came for the first time, we were even happier than during New Year's. Look, Cheng Hai and the others brought all the camp cooking utensils out, saying they're going to have a bonfire tonight to liven things up," Cheng Dian, who had met Xiangbei before, spoke playfully.
"Well, let's see if your catch is enough to last until the Western Sunset of the Golden Crow. Cheng Tian, inspect the penalty!"Cheng Mo was pleased by their warm welcome to her Xiangbei.
"Yes, master," Cheng Tuan replied, turning around to command each division to arrange their catches.
"Duke Mo, the fresh fish caught have been handed over to the cooks for cleaning. Today, we discussed collecting some unique sea items for Miss Xiangbei, so this time, it's not about quantity but about rare treasures. We hope to please Miss Bei's heart.
My Grace, please grant your approval," Cheng Shan was pushed forward to speak on behalf of the group.
"Good idea, approved. Today, I'm in a good mood. If Miss Bei likes your rare treasures, I will definitely reward you with a big surprise! Alright, bring out whatever good stuff you have."
"Yes. The Mountain Division has collected four branches of red coral, each a foot high, with various other shapes of red coral available for Miss Bei to make some ornaments."
"Report. The Sea Division obtained half a giant clamshell measuring four feet in length, and several dozen live giant clams measuring three feet or less."
"Report. The Cloud Division's entire harvest consists of pearls from giant oysters larger than two feet, totaling twenty-four. Please let Your Grace personally select the pearls."
"Report. The Rain Division, mostly composed of laborers, gathered various shelled mollusks, primarily focusing on colorful abalones. We are unsure of Miss Bei's preferences, so we made an effort to catch and collect many. Your Grace, please choose as you wish."
"Report. The Wind Division excels in diving, so this time, we all went into the underwater passages to search for deposited turtle shells. We obtained three hawksbill shells, around ten various-sized turtle shells, and ten live horseshoe crabs."
"Report. Cheng Dian mentioned that Miss Bei is wise and knowledgeable. Therefore, our Thunder and Lightning Divisions collaborated, stealthily hunting for unique sea creatures, both those seen before and those unseen. We humbly request Duke Mo and Miss Bei to review."
"Cheng Dian, among all of us, only you are good at playing tricks. The Thunder Division is exempt from penalties, but you can't escape it," Chengmo deliberately teased Cheng Dian, knowing that he was the leader of the Lightning Division due to his exceptional crafting abilities at the age of sixteen. Because of his young age and simple-minded nature, everyone usually treated him with great affection. Chengmo deliberately provoked him.