Chapter 252: Selling Looms or Opening a Factory

Chapter 252: Selling Looms or Opening a Factory

The knight squad of Wu Beiling was about to set out on their first expedition.

After Ronin informed Ridal of the matter, he finalized the list of professional knights and magicians who would be accompanying them.

The target of the attack was neither the Savage Tribe nor the careless Knight Squad of Swamp Town, but the Polante Bandit Group, which was known to have at least one Golden Knight among them.

To prepare for the mission, Ronin brought along Redal, McKen, and Elrond.

The senior professionals included Joffrey, Rognar, and the newly promoted magician, Jenny.

Two intermediate knights, Kurami and Baburin, were also enlisted.

Additionally, the squad comprised four junior knights: David, Tom, Grado, and Tomasz—each possessing significant potential.

The remaining professional knights, led by Horn, commanded dozens of militiamen, dividing them into smaller groups to oversee the defense of several towns.

Wubei Territory, located behind Wushan Territory, was relatively safe from attacks unless a major war broke out. Historically, the greatest threat to the region had been the monsters of the Monster Mountain Range. However, with Carlos patrolling the area recently, most creatures with any sense had begun avoiding the territory altogether.

As a result, the main responsibility of the defensive force was to maintain order among the subjects and oversee the hundreds of slaves that Anthony periodically sent over. This was not a difficult task for a professional knight like Horn.

The only thing that Ronin regretted was that he might miss this year's autumn harvest. He was eager to see whether the application of technological innovations and fertilizers would lead to an unexpectedly high grain yield.

With the rhythmic clatter of horse hooves, Ronin arrived at Ziguo Village in Sanfang Town.

One of the reasons he did not bring Horn on the expedition was that Horn needed to take the lead in raising silkworms.

With the arrival of June, the temperature in Wu Beiling had risen, creating ideal conditions for silkworm breeding. The ten-acre mulberry fields, now lush with ten thousand mulberry trees, were ready to provide sustenance for the silkworms.

Following Ronin's instructions, several houses in Ziguo Village had been cleared out. Meanwhile, apprentice carpenters had crafted sufficient wooden basins for housing the silkworms. Ideally, bamboo baskets would have been a better alternative, but due to the lack of skilled bamboo craftsmen in Qingzhu Village, Ronin had to settle for wooden basins, which provided a similar function.

"Sir, the silk cocoons have mostly hatched, and the silkworm eggs laid by the silk moths after mating are all here," Horn reported, pointing to several wooden basins filled with silkworm eggs resting on linen sheets.

Beside him stood Leah and several farmers who had been specially hired to raise the silkworms.

Ronin nodded and bent down to inspect the eggs carefully. They were as small as sesame seeds, but as they developed, they had changed from black to a transparent hue, allowing one to see the outlines inside. He estimated that the silkworms would hatch in two or three days.

"After they hatch, be sure to feed them the tender leaves from the tops of the mulberry trees. The leaves should be wiped dry, cut into small pieces, and spread evenly over the food. Don't make the layer too thick."

Silkworm breeding generally took about a month and a half. Since Ronin would not be around later, he gave additional instructions to ensure the process was well managed.

"Also, pay close attention to the silkworms' sleeping cycle. When they raise their heads and stop eating or moving, do not disturb them. Avoid feeding them until they have completed molting. After that, switch to whole mulberry leaves and spread them evenly across multiple basins."

Although Ronin had previously explained these details to Horn, he reiterated them in front of everyone to reinforce their importance. In particular, cleaning out dead silkworms promptly was crucial to preventing infections, as there were no disinfectants or medicines available in this world.

Since this was Horn's first experience raising animals, Ronin emphasized a cautious approach to minimize risks.

Good news also came from Master Daen, who had moved to Ziguo Village.

Daen had taken Ronin's suggestions and, using the waist loom structure employed by tailors like Leah, made significant improvements to the pedal loom. After months of continuous refinement, Wu Beiling's first loom had finally achieved a breakthrough.

The mechanics and usability were sound, and only minor adjustments were needed for threading the reed and weft before the loom could be handed over to Leah for use.

While further optimization would be necessary as challenges arose during practical use, achieving this initial success—progressing from nothing to a functional loom—was a rare accomplishment.

Ronin praised Daen and encouraged him to strive for the rank of master craftsman. He also tasked him with further refining the loom into versions suitable for weaving linen and wool.

Since silk, linen, and wool had different textures, their looms needed distinct structural modifications. For example, flax fibers were coarser and required greater tension and stronger mechanical components. In contrast, silk was delicate and demanded a more sophisticated tension control system.

With a silk loom now operational, it was only a matter of time before Daen perfected a linen loom.

Once the loom was fully developed, Ronin faced a critical decision: should he sell it or establish a weaving factory?

Selling looms would generate quick cash, but it would also invite competitors to copy the design. This was precisely what had happened with the curved plow—after selling the technology to Wushan Fort, imitations quickly flooded the market, making further sales unprofitable.

If Ronin sold the looms, he might encounter the same issue.

Alternatively, he could capitalize on Wu Beiling's exclusive access to looms and establish a weaving factory. By collecting flax, wool, and other raw materials from Wushan's nobility, rapidly processing them, and selling the finished products at competitive prices, he could significantly bolster Wu Beiling's economy.

As Ronin pondered his options, he arrived at a decision—one he entrusted to his newly appointed financial officer, Chahar.

"Master, this is a difficult decision!" Chahar frowned.

Since assuming his role, Chahar had been both thrilled and stressed. While he was honored by his lord's trust, the financial demands of the territory were overwhelming. Some expenditures reached hundreds of gold coins, making every transaction nerve-wracking.

What worried him even more was securing the gold coins. Despite the castle's guards, secret vaults, and hidden compartments, he lived in constant fear that one day he would wake up to find everything gone.

"It's fine if you don't understand. You can learn," Ronin reassured him. "Didn't I raise your salary? Use it to find a business mentor. If you need more funds, tell me—I'll sponsor your education."

Then, his tone grew firm. "You're young. If you shrink from challenges, how will you grow? Look at Wilson—he went from a civil servant to a government official without ever complaining that things were difficult."

Chahar nodded repeatedly, acknowledging his lord's wisdom.

Ronin patted his shoulder. "Do your best, Chahar. Don't let me down—I believe in you."

Chahar's eyes filled with tears. "I won't disappoint you, Master. I'll work hard!"

As Wu Beiling expanded, Ronin learned to delegate responsibilities. This not only nurtured his subordinates' abilities but also allowed him to enjoy life.

After all, having traveled through time, he had no intention of working himself to exhaustion every day.

As time passed swiftly, June 12 approached—the day of the Wushan nobles' meeting.

The night before, Ronin rode Carlos and arrived at the back mountain of Wushan Castle under the cover of darkness.

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