Chapter 5: Strengthening the Empire (2)
Arnel: The department of public works and Highways plans to surround the entire Malacañang with government facilities and government official's residences and build a wall.
John: Hmm..
Arnel: And outside the our reside-
while Arnel was speaking John interupted him.
John: I don't like that plan, the eight of us is enough to live here but to put all the officials here will give bad impression to the normal citizens.
Arnel: Thank you for enlightenment .
John: Instead we should be prioritizing housing, and I'll leave that project to you.
Arnel: Yes your highness.
John: How was the Military?
Alberto: The recruitment was not the problem since everyone was devoted, It was tough but i will some how figure it out my self please trust in me.
John:How many soldiers have we recruited so far?
Alberto:For now we just have Five Thousand Imperial army that will be assigned in whole palace, but for the mean time they are still in training and we don't have a uniform for them.
John: I think it'll take time before we make enough amount of full plate armor, mass production is the problem.
Agustin: It won't be problem, there's a method that will make it easier even we just have a few blacksmiths and artisans, it is called molding.
John replies in amazement and excitement.
John: Oh! i forgot about that ! i forgot that we have that method back in the future even full plate armors are just used only in cosplays it still molded method.
Agustin: Yes but the full plate armor willll be bothersome because of hot climate in our country, to counter that situation i came up already to have a design about the armors...
Agustin's thought: Haha I already expected this to happen it's a good thing that i prepared it ...
Then agustin shows a design that he draw in the system and he shows it in 3D mode.
Agustin: What we need was a cloth.
John: ho it's in 3D mode..The system never ceased to surprise me, so we'll add cloth in the armor so it can refuse the heat of the sun?
Agustin: You're right your Majesty, what we need to do is to make textile mills, sewing machines and cotton spinning machine.
John: Alright I'll leave it to you, what about the weapons? it's important for them to get used to it before wearing the armor its a waste of time if we make them wait for the armor.
Agustin and Alberto bows in agreement.
"Yes your majesty".
John was embarrassed again.
John: I think it's alright to skip the titles it's bothering me you know.
"No its a must".
and everyone laughed.
"It is to show to them what them mist do we are just setting ourselves as an example".
Everyone smiled.
"You'll get used to it".
John blushed.
John: Ok! that's enough, next.
James spoke.
James: we plan to i propose to make a silver coins and bronze coins, it is to make business handy and to make citizens convenient and to remove the barter system little by little because it is causing confusions.
John: Hmm.. you're right and to add to that there are people who take advantage of it and abuse the system, alright I'll approve that..
John: anything else?
No one answered.
John: Ok now go back to work i want to see the results in two weeks..
everyone answered.
"Yes your majesty".
One Day Later
February 10,1450
Alberto walking to the center of the training field facing three platoons of soldiers in total of 150 soldiers, that dressed in tribal clothes and armed with newly made shield and swords.
Alberto: In this training i will teach you a new battle techniques since the 150 new swords and shields have arrived this will be yours so cherish it.
The soldiers were very excited and couldn't hide it.
"Sir will you teach us fighting style that we saw in the demonstration?"
Alberto: No but a time will come that i will be teaching you a hand to hand combat but for now the priority is to teach you how to fight as a group which is the purpose of an army.
"ok we will follow everything in your command sir!".
Alberto: Now stand up straight! ready for exercise!
An an hour later after exercises.
Alberto: Now the first platoon will demonstrate the battle formations as i already teach them earlier.
and then Alberto shouted the command.
Alberto: shield wall!
As soon as Alberto commanded the first platoon sticked together and formed a shield wall quickly, and everyone was astonished by synchronized movement of the first platoon
"Woah!".
and after that Alberto spoke.
Alberto: That formation is called shield wall it was used in ancient rome and hard to break when being attacked by enemies, now try to attack it you can use every weapon to break the formation.
Then everyone in the second platoon starting to pick up their weapons and charge against the shield wall, and as soon as they crush at the shield wall they bounced back as if the shields refused them.
"I can't believe that we actually get bounced back by that shield wall".
"You're right, i am wondering why is that wall that hard?".
" what makes it so hard?".
As Alberto heard everyone's question he answered.
Alberto: Hardwork! you can achieve it in training and hardwork!
"with just hardwork?".
"Alright! we just have to work hard guys!".
"Let's give it a try!".
As everyone was inspired Alberto smiled.
Alberto's mind: That's right! that's the way, since the beginning of time our race are hardworkers if you guys saw the future you'll see so many OFW (Overseas Filipino workers) working hard to their bones that they fill ships because we have so many seamans in abroad, but from now on we'll lead you to different path! a path of prosperity and peace.
An hour later.
*Panting*
"It's really hard to break that formation".(panting)
"Let's continue they're humans too they will soon get tired too".(panting)
Then they continue to attack the shield wall.
while the second platoon continues, the commander of third platoon orders to stop the platoon.
"Halt! let's stop let the second platoon attack".
"But why sir?".
"Don't just attack randomly! use your brains we have to come up with strategy".
"So what do we do sir?".
"We will use stones, stones are weapons too now pick up the stones! they have shields they wont die it's just enough to break them".
a minute later.
(Panting)
"Hey second platoon! move away!".
Then everyone from 2nd platoon move away and the third platoon throws a stones at the shield wall.
As soon as the commander of the first platoon saw the opponent picking stones he ordered them to form other formation.
"First platoon! Tortoise formation!".
Everyone in the first platoon was safe from stone.
"It's a blessing that our platoon leader are quick witted!".
"phew i thought it will hit me".
" I didn't see that coming".
The commander of the second platoon saw what happend and orders his platoon to pick up the stones and throw too..
"Don't just watch and stand there! they wont die from being throwed in stone! now pick up the stones!"
Then the stones bounced back as they hit the shields, and the other platoons was surprised by strange formation.
"What in a world is that formation!?".
"They responded quickly".
Then Alberto Commanded.
Alberto: Ok that's enough no more attacks since you already know it's effectiveness we'll just show you all the formation.
Them Alberto commanded.
Alberto: Circle formation!
Alberto: Square formation!
Alberto: Wedge formation!
Fast-forward to a minute later after they demonstrate all the formation.
Alberto spoke nonchalantly.
Alberto: Now the first platoon will be in-charge of training you, you have to master the shield wall and square formation, because in times of emergency it will be useful.
Alberto: First platoon!
"Yes sir!".
Alberto: I will leave the rest to you!
"Sir yes Sir!".
Then Alberto salutes and walks away going everywhere je want to find food, and then he gets tired and visits Agustin in the workplace.
Agustin: How are you? do you need something?
Alberto who is hungry this whole time puts his left hand at his stomach.
Alberto: I'm hungry but I'm done with foods here i cannot endure it anymore.
A minute later.
while they are have conversations James who is also hungry with a large eyebags arrived in the workshop.
Agustin: You too?
James nodded.
James: come on we have to do something!
Agustin: alright let's go to the palace and solve this crisis.
While they are on their way to the palace the other prodigies where in the same way, and they smell a familiar smell.
(Inhales)
"What a delicious smell!".
They run to the throne room as they follow the smell of the food.
And what they saw in the throne room was a long table in the middle and there was different filipino dishes and other dishes that popular back in future Philippines that are dishes from other countries, and especially the precious rice.
John: Seems like everybody cannot endure it anymore hahaha! , so i prepared foods for you guys.
Then everyone sat.
John: It's useful to teach the imperial chefs how to cook these foods.
Jasmine: What exactly did you teach them?
John: Hmmm... i only teach them a few dishes let me summarize it.
I only teach them how to cook Adobo, Afritada, Menudo, kaldereta, bulalo, chopsuey, law uy, fried chicken, french fries, burger, tinola, fried rice, omelette, pakbet, lumpiang shanghai, tortang talong, spaghetti, fried egg, fried fish, bicol express, sisig, monggo, pininyahang manok, sinigang.
They freeze the moment they heard John's summary.
Daniel: And that's a few to you?
James: and how long did this started?
John only replies with a smile and hid his face, and everyone was angered by his response.
"Johnnnn???!!!".
John: Ok I'm sorry?
Alberto: How long is this happening?
John: Ahmmm.. i teach them few weeks ago?
James: So are you saying that you've been eating this kinds of dishes this whole time??
John: There's trial and errors in the process so yes I'm eating.
Everyone was angered.
"You really-… Johnnn??!!".
John: I said I'm sorry! , now let's eat .
James: Since you prepared a food for us i will let you go, oh pork adobo ugh i missed you so much!
Then everyone ate the dishes and nothing left behind.
One hour later.
John Talked about foods
John: Now sinsce we're all here how about we talk about food, anyone who have an idea to do with food?
James: Since we're making coins we should teach our citizens to make foods.
Jasmine: How about we open a food store?
John: i will take care of it leave it to me just focus on your tasks, for now let the servants help you to bring the foods to each of your departments.
After a minute they returned to their departments and workshops.
One Day later.
February 11, 1450
Arnel and Jasmine busily working together, whle the other Laborers doing the road project.
Jasmine: Let's summrize it, first the road and drainage systems and sidewalks, so what's next?.
Arnel: Now that the road project is on process we have to take care of the housing project for thousands of citizens.
Jasmine: And we only have short amount of tim to finish it, if we choose to build a stone house it will take too long.
Arnel Holding his chin suddenly an idea pops in his mind.
Arnel: How about we choose a japanese housing style we already have thousands of roof tiles...
Jasmine: That's not bad..
Note: Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is a term often used to refer to Filipino migrant workers, people with Filipino citizenship who reside in another country for a limited period of employment.The number of these workers was roughly 1.77 million between April and September 2020. Of these, female workers comprised a larger portion, making up 59.6 percent, or 1.06 million. However, this number declined to 405.62 thousand between 2019 and 2020.