Of the remaining six rescued women, the two who had been abducted for the longest time had developed irreversible illnesses, while the other four suffered from gynecological diseases and minor injuries, but their lives were not at risk.
The only one who emerged completely unscathed was Gu Sang, who had been held captive for just a few days.
After being examined at the hospital and found to be in perfect health, Gu Sang was discharged.
Lu Mufei, however, stayed with Gu Sang at a hotel in the city, booking two adjacent rooms for them, as he was terrified that something might happen to Gu Sang again.
"Ding!"
"Initiate video call?"
"Connect."
Gu Sang sat by the window, her mind alternating between the scenes of the deep mountains and the city nightscape, as if she had gained a deeper understanding and her entire mindset had been elevated.
Women in the modern era could redeem themselves, either through their own efforts or through the redemption of the times, their parents, or their education!
But what about those ill-fated women in ancient times?
They had no foresight and no means to struggle against their fate!
From now on, she and the Elder Princess would be their redemption, establishing schools, breaking the feudal shackles, and taking step by step towards equality and freedom!
As the video call connected, the face of the Elder Princess appeared on the screen.
"Gu Sang, congratulations on your safe return."
"And here's another good piece of news – the cannon has been completed!" The Elder Princess smiled at Gu Sang, then gestured for her subordinates to bring forth the finished cannon.
Through the video screen, Gu Sang could see a cannon-like object standing before her.
It was completed so quickly?!
Faster than she had imagined.
The only question was whether its power met the expected standard.
The Elder Princess seemed to have guessed Gu Sang's thoughts, and she smiled, saying, "I'm also very curious about the actual effect of this cannon."
"Gu Sang, let's witness this moment together today!"
"Counselor Fang, light the fuse!"
With those words, a young craftsman quickly stepped forward and lit the fuse.
The Elder Princess and Gu Sang both stared intently at the experiment, their outward appearance calm as a mountain, but their hearts almost chanting prayers.
May it succeed!
Fire the first shot to usher in a new era!
Overthrow this patriarchal society and forge a new land!
As the fuse burned rapidly, then—
"BOOM!"
A thunderous roar shook the heavens, and the ground a hundred meters away instantly erupted, leaving a crater half a meter deep in its wake as a plume of white smoke dissipated. Everyone held their breath and looked anxiously ahead.
Within a radius of eight or nine meters, the land had been affected, with shattered rocks flying everywhere. Anyone caught in this range, even if not killed outright, would have been severely injured!
Such a formidable weapon could not be withstood by mere physical force – it would be a hopeless dream!
"Gu Sang, do you think it was successful?"
"Will this be effective against enemy troops?" The Elder Princess knew that the cannon had far exceeded her expectations, but she remained uncertain, for the gap in technology between eras was too vast.
All eyes were fixed on Gu Sang, their hearts pounding faster!
When they saw Gu Sang nod, all the counselors and craftsmen erupted into jubilant cheers.
Gu Sang was deeply moved, and she praised them, saying, "The effect is very impressive, and it should be enough to deter the imperial troops."
"From now on, we just need to gradually refine and improve it."
"This cannon can likely only carry one round of ammunition."
"I noticed that loading the gunpowder was a bit slow, which could give the enemy an opportunity to rush in and seize it."
"This is a fatal flaw, so it must be continuously improved. However, with more cannons, there would be no chance for the enemy to take advantage."
Gu Sang's words echoed the Elder Princess's own thoughts.
But as much as she thought about it, the reality was that she was still struggling to recruit enough soldiers, with her forces numbering only in the tens of thousands. The first batch of sweet potatoes had yet to mature, leading to economic constraints.
The cannon was powerful, but it also consumed a lot of resources.
The Elder Princess fell silent for a few seconds before saying, "For now, we can only make five cannons at most, and we must use the gunpowder sparingly."
"Enough about the cannon. Let me tell you about the other developments."
The Elder Princess beckoned the craftsman from earlier to approach and introduced him to Gu Sang, "This is the sole remaining inheritor of Mohism. It was with his involvement that we were able to complete the cannon so quickly."
"I have established the plague city as my capital and begun recruiting soldiers..."
"Sweet potatoes have been planted all over the plague city, and I expect the first batch to mature soon..."
Gu Sang listened intently to these plans.
Counselor Fang approached from a distance and interrupted the conversation between the Elder Princess and Gu Sang, "Your Highness, the Zhao Family and the imperial physicians have arrived in the city!"
The Elder Princess immediately stood up. "They're here? I must greet them personally."
The video call followed the Elder Princess as she moved, so when she left, the video moved as well.
The Zhao Family and the imperial physicians had been arranged to stay at an inn in the city.
"Esteemed guests, I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"
The voice preceded her appearance.
The members of the Zhao Family and the imperial physicians' families immediately stood up nervously. Upon seeing the graceful figure of the Elder Princess, they knelt on the ground, their hearts filled with trepidation.
They did not know whether their choice was right or wrong, nor did they know the Elder Princess's attitude towards them!
The Elder Princess personally helped Lord Zhao to his feet, her magnetic and gentle yet powerful demeanor reassuring them, "Gu Sang has already told me about your arduous journey."
"You are all people who care about the common folk, a blessing for the people of the world. Pei Changying, in his arrogance and folly, did not appreciate this blessing, which I have been longing for!"
With these words from the Elder Princess, everyone's anxious hearts settled, and they could not hold back their tears of gratitude.
Look!
That blind dog emperor Pei Changying did not want these loyal officials, but the Elder Princess treated them with such courtesy – that was the difference! They had made the right choice!
Wiping their reddened eyes, they looked up and were immediately struck by the projection beside the Elder Princess.
"Miss Gu Sang!" The members of the Zhao Family and the imperial physicians looked at Gu Sang in the image with ardent gratitude.
Gu Sang nodded slightly with a faint smile, "I'm relieved to see you all arrived safely."
The Zhao Family members were deeply moved, "We owe our lives to Miss Gu Sang. From now on, if the Elder Princess and Miss Gu Sang have any commands, we will follow them unto death!"
"We, too!" the imperial physicians chimed in. "With our medical skills, we can treat wounded soldiers on the battlefield. We are at the Elder Princess's disposal!"
This was exactly what Gu Sang wanted.
Even before Consort Zhao jumped to her death, Gu Sang had already been planning for the future. On ancient battlefields, the most pressing need was for physicians and aid workers!
Wei Qi's troops could not merely charge into battle without any support or protection!
Casting eyes over this realm, how many folk doctors could match the medical skills of the imperial physicians attending the emperor?
Gu Sang stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, expression serene, pupils reflecting the entire city below: "Elder Princess, have you ever witnessed the medical personnel of my future era?"
The Elder Princess' eyes gleamed with an unusual light: "What do you mean?"
Gu Sang: "Once the imperial physicians return to their posts, then we shall form a professional corps of battlefield nurses - a female guard unit!"
"Women tend to be more meticulous in many matters, especially dressing wounds and changing bandages. These procedures are not complex, unlike compounding medicines and treating illnesses. With some training from the imperial physicians, they could take up these duties immediately."
