Castle of Black Iron

After entering the inner chamber, Zhang Yang found all the members of Zhang Clan were busy serving the three women in the exclusive delivery room.

Zhang Ping was circling outside the room while he looked both intense and pleasant. He kept punching one fist onto the other. Zhang Yang didn’t see his mom. Paul, whom Zhang Tie arranged to protect Linda, Beverly and Fiona, was also waiting outside the room. Compared to Zhang Ping’s anxious look, Paul kept his eyes closed in a tranquil way all over. He didn’t open his eyes until Zhang Yang arrived. He then put his right hand on his left chest as he faintly bowed to Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang also nodded towards him.

”Where’re dad and mom?” Zhang Yang asked as he strode forward.

”Your mom is helping inside the room with Huizhen!” Zhang Yang’s dad looked a bit reassured after seeing Zhang Yang.

”What’s going on inside?”

”It’s should be okay!”

”Dad, you don’t need to be that nervous. Just take a seat outside. It will be all right after a short while!”

”How can I take a seat at this moment? I’ve not imagined that Zhang Tie’s going to be a papa!” Zhang Ping revealed a faint smile as he was going to have three more grandsons or granddaughters. This brought him a great sense of achievement, ”When did you contact Zhang Tie last time, is he okay?”

”Good, he’s dynamic!” Zhang Yang didn’t tell the truth which was told by Zhang Tie. After all, as long as knowing that Zhang Tie was safe, their parents would not be concerned about him.

”That’s good. Remember to tell him to not care about the honor of ’Selnes Eagle’. It would be good as long as he could come back alive. The honor ’Selnes Eagle’ is nothing but a f*art in Taixia Country!”

”I know. I will tell him when I contact him next time! The Safety&Tranquility has already arrived at Fuhai Harbor along with those equipments. Dad, what’s your next plan?” Zhang Yang inquired Zhang Ping. If Zhang Clan wanted to settle down in Taixia Country, his dad’s airship manufacturing plant had to take root here too. Although it was an industry of Jinwu Business Group, the airship manufacturing plant was always run by his dad. It was Zhang Ping’s undertaking. Therefore, Zhang Yang had to follow his dad’s opinion on the airship manufacturing plant.

”I’ve investigated the situation of Fuhai City these months. The harbor and transport services here are very developed. The shipbuilding skills here are much more advanced than that in Huaiyuan Prefecture. However, there’s a weaker foundation here on airship manufacturing industry. There’s almost no airship manufacturing plant here. If we settle down here, we will be greatly limited in all aspects such as talents, techniques and resources. Our airship manufacturing plant will hardly develop. As a small enterprise, if we want to build competitive airships here, we have to do trades and learn from others enterprises in the same industry!” Zhang Ping became excited and professional when he talked about the airships manufacturing.

”Which place do you think is suitable?”

”I was told that some places in the inland of Yingzhou State had an advanced manufacturing industry, which gathered a batch of Class A airship manufacturing enterprises. I’ve not investigated over there yet. Therefore, I have not made any decision temporarily. What do you think?”

”I will wait until my younger sisters-in-law get better. Then, I want to take a look at Huaiyuan City!” Zhang Yang replied after a few seconds.

Huaiyuan City was a settlement of Huaiyuan Palace in Taixia Country and one of the Class A cities in Yingzhou State. It was over 3,000 miles away from Fuhai City. Since he came to Taixia Country, Zhang Yang had not been there yet.

”Are you prepared to settle down in Fuhai City?” Zhang Yang’s dad asked Zhang Yang.

”Not yet...” As a descendant of Huaiyuan Palace, of course, he could be taken care of by Huaiyuan Palace when he came to Huaiyuan City. However, Zhang Yang didn’t mean to gain any special care from Huaiyuan City; instead, he wanted to negotiate with Huaiyuan Palace on the business of all-purpose medicament in Taixia Country. At this moment, most of the all-purpose medicament were mainly used in Waii Sub-continent. Only a few of them were sold to Taixia Country. However, the all-purpose medicament would play a greater role everywhere. Compared to the Waii Sub-continent, 1/4 of which had been occupied by demons and covered with battle flames, Taixia Country was a much greater potential market.

Huaiyuan Palace dispatched a 60-year odd powerhouse to protect Zhang Yang’s family members on the way back to the Taixia Country. Given this point, Zhang Yang knew that Huaiyuan Palace was aware of the value of all-purpose medicament. Someone also came to Fuhai City for Zhang Yang from Huaiyuan City and mentioned the all-purpose medicament a few days ago. However, as Zhang Yang was not clear about the situation in Taixia Country, he didn’t make the decision right away. Additionally, he didn’t have enough assistants on his side; therefore, he could not take care of that on many aspects. By contrast, with the arrival of the reliable backbone force of Jinwu Business Group and Zhang Yang’s deeper investigation about Taixia Country in all aspects, Zhang Yang realized that it was the right time to talk with Huaiyuan Palace.

”I will support you and Zhang Tie, no matter what decision you make!” Zhang Ping expressed.

Right then, the steward came to Zhang Ping’s side, ”Master, the household registration officer of Fuhai City has arrived. He’s taking a rest in the parlor!’’

”Oh, I know, go greet him politely right away. When the babies come out, I will send someone to notice you. You then bring the officer here!”

”Yes, sir!” Before leaving, the steward suddenly remembered something as he asked, ”There are two female officers, do we need to prepare for red purses?”

”Prepare two red purses, just 6 silver coins and 6 copper coins in each of them in case of trouble.” Zhang Yang replied.

”Yes, sir!” The steward became hesitated for a short while as he felt that the red purses contained too less money. ’Even the servants would gain more than that in usual. How come the first young master became so mean this time?’ However, the steward dared not ask about the reason.

Until the steward walked away did Zhang Ping ask Zhang Yang, ”Does the red purses contain too fewer coins?”

”They dare not take it if you give them too much. Additionally, they would be angry about that. According to ’Taixia Laws’, civil servants are forbidden to take the bribe. As long as the evidence could be provided, even if they take one copper coin illegally, their positions would be relieved. Additionally, they would never be employed again. If they take the bribe of more than one gold coin, they would be punished to do hard labor work for more than a month. If they take the bribe of more than 100 gold coins, they would be disparaged to pariahs. If they take 500 good coins illegally, they would face a capital punishment while three generations of their posterity would be forbidden to be officers.”

”Ah?” Zhang Ping became amazed, ”Why did you give them the red purses then?”

Zhang Yang smiled, ”Local customs are exceptions. In Fuhai City, when household registration officers provide door-to-door registration services, they could accept red purses which indicated a benediction. However, the maximal amount of money in the red purse should not exceed 8 silver coins, namely one day’s salary of the lowest officer in Taixia Country; otherwise, the registration household officer would not dare to take it!”

When Zhang Yang explained to Zhang Ping, a loud cry drifted from the delivery room, closely after which were the exclamations of some women...