Chapter 7: The Guards

Yin Jixue had obtained the necessary materials. Next, she needed to renovate the western part of the city and build dormitories for the low-level demons working in the mines.

As she stepped out of the small kitchen, she called out, "Feng Xiu, has Ruoshui returned?"

"Your Majesty, Ruoshui will be back in half a quarter of an hour."

"What about Gou Chen?"

Feng Xiu responded, "Gou Chen is waiting outside the hall."

With that, Yin Jixue led Feng Xiu and Gou Chen to a spacious area within the palace. "I'm going to draw up some plans. You two, find craftsmen in the city and have them follow my drawings to construct the western district."

Gou Chen moved swiftly and soon vanished from sight.

Yin Jixue unwrapped a piece of charcoal wrapped in silk and started sketching directly on the ground.

There were two craftsmen in the city, both sturdy demon men.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Come take a look at my drawings first. Once I'm finished, I'll explain what needs to be done."

She outlined a simple dormitory layout, detailing the interiors, and even included a hot water room and public latrines.

"This is the kind of housing I want you to build. Do you have any questions?"

The two craftsmen studied the drawing carefully. "Your Majesty's skills are as exquisite as those of the heavens. We can understand it clearly."

It was just a floor plan—no need to exaggerate.

Still, to ensure they truly understood, she continued, "Let me explain the purpose of these structures. I don't want you to just follow the blueprint blindly; understanding their function will help you build better."

Even Gou Chen and Feng Xiu were intrigued. They could read the diagrams but had no clue what these buildings were meant for.

"This is a dormitory, meant for those without homes. Men and women will be housed separately. In the future, if we have enough funds, we can build individual homes. For now, you can see this large shared sleeping area. The beds are designed like this—" Yin Jixue then explained the function of heated brick beds.

"Don't rush, I'll also explain how to generate heat."

"This room here is for boiling water. As long as a fire is lit inside, the heat will transfer beneath the heated beds, warming them up."

"And this is the public toilet, also called a latrine. It will be built separately for men and women, with partitions and curtains to ensure privacy."

When she visited the western district, she noticed that public hygiene was terrible. People relieved themselves wherever they pleased. While it wasn't in the middle of the roads, stepping into something nasty at night was still unpleasant. She had to teach them proper sanitation habits.

"As for workers, you can select anyone from the western district. Make sure to register their names. Don't hire different people every day—I need you two to train a proper construction team. Can you do that?"

Hearing about the heated beds, the craftsmen were eager to try them out and immediately agreed.

"We will not disappoint Your Majesty's trust!"

As they were about to leave, Yin Jixue reminded them, "Use materials sparingly. Calculate how many people live in the western district—each room should house no more than eight people. The remaining materials will be needed elsewhere."

After sending off the craftsmen, Yin Jixue noticed Gou Chen and Feng Xiu staring at her with admiration, making her feel a little self-conscious.

"Feng Xiu, go ask Teng She how many magic crystals we've collected. We need to trade for more food."

The city's reconstruction required a large food supply, and the sweet yams given by the system wouldn't last forever.

She then turned to Gou Chen. "By the way, do we have a guard force in the city?"

She realized there was a problem—who would be responsible for transporting the traded goods?

"Your Majesty, Captain Meng Qiu, and Captain Lin Zhong are in charge of the city's security. Their strength is slightly below mine."

"Summon them."

So far, she hadn't seen any patrol teams in the city, but there were guards stationed at the gates.

Before long, two demon men arrived and saluted her. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Yin Jixue got straight to the point. "Captain Meng Qiu, Captain Lin Zhong, I need you to take care of something for me."

Just then, Feng Xiu and Ruoshui returned, bringing news that Teng She's mining efforts had yielded 300 magic crystals—enough to trade for three months' worth of food.

Three months. If they rationed carefully, it would last until the sweet yams matured.

Meng Qiu and Lin Zhong accepted the mission. They were in charge of Black Dragon City's only flying vessel, and a round trip to the Xuanwu Clan would take only seven days.

Before they departed, Yin Jixue reminded them, "Be careful. Don't flaunt your wealth. Go and return as soon as possible."

To their surprise, the queen was concerned for their safety. Meng Qiu and Lin Zhong cupped their fists and vowed, "We will return fully loaded with supplies!"

With the food issue temporarily resolved, Yin Jixue finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Time for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is another day full of energy!"

She flopped onto the bed, eyes closed.

Demon King, oh Demon King… when will you come back to check on your little wife?