Ch.135Utsu River (1)

The road repairs, relay station construction, and national-level bandit suppression efforts were creating tremendous synergy.

As evidence, many people were investing in road construction.

“I didn’t expect so many people to gather here.”

“I think the same, Gurkhan.”

Elunka nodded and responded to my words.

More people than expected were viewing the road and relay station construction positively.

This widespread interest was naturally due to the fact that Western Liao, Western Xia, and Mongolia all had lands difficult for agriculture.

In Western Liao and Mongolia, it was difficult to grow rice or wheat.

Of course, rice farming was possible in Inner Mongolia beyond the Gobi Desert, but this only became feasible in modern times.

As a result, both nations had no choice but to depend on livestock farming and commerce.

Unlike Western Liao and Mongolia, Western Xia could practice irrigation agriculture through oases.

However, since the production was too meager for self-sufficiency, it was difficult to make significant profits.

Therefore, all three countries had no choice but to develop commerce.

With roads being improved and new ones being built to support commerce, it was only natural that trade would recover.

With the addition of large-scale bandit suppression, everyone was jumping into commercial ventures.

“As commerce develops, the country will develop more rapidly.”

I said this while looking outside.

Logistics and distribution were timeless businesses.

With high risks came high returns, and many commercial developments emerged to reduce these risks.

Even in Europe, stock markets and insurance emerged during the Age of Exploration.

Like these examples, commerce was an industry that could support a nation’s foundation.

Of course, this was because, as mentioned earlier, the entire Ulus couldn’t pursue an agriculture-based economy.

So we had to develop based on commerce and technology.

“Khagan, there will soon be a technology competition.”

“I see.”

I nodded at Elunka’s report.

After conquering Western Xia, I had placed young people from the steppe under the craftsmen there to learn their skills.

It was to strengthen the technical skills lacking in the Ulus through an apprenticeship system.

In other words, I had planted seeds.

I organized this competition to check if these seeds had taken firm root, and many young craftsmen were expected to participate.

“Let’s move.”

“As you command.”

Elunka and I made our way to where the technology competition was being held.

* * *

There were four categories in the competition.

The first was melee weapons, the second was throwing weapons, the third was siege weapons, and the last was a free category.

In the free category, participants could submit various items unrelated to weapons.

Since they could essentially submit any product, this category attracted the most participants.

“This place is quite extraordinary.”

At the old man’s words, the young man nodded.

“Yes, Master. People have gathered from various regions including the Western Regions, Central Plains, Mongolia, Western Liao, and Western Xia.”

Hearing the slightly nervous voice of the man, the master scolded him.

“Are you already intimidated?”

“N-no… How could I be, Master?”

At the man’s words, the old man patted his shoulder.

And comforted him as if to say not to worry.

“Your skill is unmatched in the world.”

“Y-you flatter me, Master.”

“Moreover, you’re humble and without arrogance, making you the best among my disciples.”

With his master’s praise, the man couldn’t help but blush.

His name was Cheolreuk, a common orphan from the steppe.

As an orphan, he had learned ironworking skills under the Uryangkhai tribe in his childhood.

While barely making a living with these skills, he moved to Western Xia following Gurkhan’s expedition there.

In Western Xia, Cheolreuk met a master who was one of the most skilled craftsmen there, and he honed his skills under him.

As a result, his ironworking skills were arguably the best in Western Xia.

“Draw the sword you made.”

“Here, Master?”

“Yes. That way, everyone will know how noteworthy you are.”

At his master’s words, Cheolreuk nodded.

Then he removed the cloth covering the sword.

Exclamations of admiration poured out from those around.

“What an incredible piece.”

“I can feel its sharpness from here.”

“And with those wave patterns flowing on the blade… even calling it a masterpiece seems insufficient.”

Cheolreuk blushed at the commotion.

He wasn’t used to receiving such attention.

“Do you hear that?”

“W-what do you mean, Master?”

“The jealous and awe-filled words of those around us.”

“Y-yes, I hear them.”

“That’s how exceptional your work is. I’ve had apprentices who stayed under me for decades, but none could engrave such clear wave patterns on a blade.”

At those words, Cheolreuk looked at his own work.

His sword was made from iron brought from India, located beyond the mountains called the roof of the world.

He had heated the hard-to-obtain iron at high temperatures and repeatedly folded and stretched it all night.

Then, by cooling it slowly in oil rather than water, he created these beautiful wave patterns.

It was difficult and arduous work, but the sword’s sharpness was unmatched in the world thanks to this process.

While thinking about this and looking at the sword, a low-ranking official shouted from a distance.

“Come, come, all participants gather! The competition will begin soon!”

At those words, Cheolreuk wrapped the sword in cloth again.

Then he approached the official with his master.

“The first competition is for melee weapons. Those participating should go over there.”

At the official’s words, people began to move.

Seeing this, Cheolreuk tried to follow them.

“Master?”

The master didn’t move.

Instead, he gestured to him as if to say “go well.”

“That piece is your creation. Entirely yours, so you should introduce it to the world yourself.”

“M-master.”

“Go now. Gurkhan is waiting.”

At his master’s words, Cheolreuk nodded.

Then he moved to where the competition was starting.

* * *

“So these are the finalists.”

As I was the final judge, I only got to see the works that made it to the finals.

Honestly, I wanted to participate in the judging from the preliminaries, but that would take too much time and be cumbersome.

Additionally, it wouldn’t maintain the prestige of the competition, so it couldn’t be helped.

“If a piece can’t even pass the preliminaries, I don’t need to see it anyway.”

It was harsh but true.

So I put aside any regrets about the items that didn’t make it past the preliminaries and looked at the five works that had advanced to the finals.

“Show proper respect before Gurkhan!”

The participants in the competition showed their respect.

After bowing, they all moved to stand beside their works.

“Woooah!”

“You can do it!”

The spectators began cheering for the participants.

Each participant’s work was covered with cloth.

The reason for this was simply to build tension.

Of course, it might seem strange to do this like a TV show in this era, but since the competition itself was being conducted as a form of entertainment, it couldn’t be helped.

“Participant number 1! Step forward!”

A man who appeared to be of Hui ethnicity stepped forward.

Then he removed the cloth covering his sword.

“Ohhh…”

“How brilliant.”

“How beautiful.”

People’s praises continued.

This was because the Hui participant’s sword was a beautiful curved blade that resembled a crescent moon.

It was a sword known in modern times as a scimitar, a representative sword of the Arab world.

Seeing this sword, I couldn’t help but be greatly surprised.

“To think this sword would appear already…”

This was because the scimitar, or curved blade, originally appeared only in the 13th century.

Of course, since it was now the late 12th century, it wasn’t completely wrong for it to appear at this time.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but be surprised that something that should have appeared at least 10 years later had emerged now.

“This sword is called the crescent blade. By curving the tip of the sword, when a cavalryman uses it, it can demonstrate more powerful destructive force.”

I nodded at the Hui craftsman’s words.

This sword, used in the Arab world, spread to Europe largely due to the influence of Mongol cavalry.

This was because the Mongol Empire adopted this sword while conquering the Arab region before conquering Europe.

With its curved tip, unlike straight swords, it could be easily withdrawn from an enemy’s body.

In terms of destructive power, straight swords and curved blades were similar. This was due to the acceleration provided by the horse.

But the problem was when withdrawing the sword—if a straight sword got stuck in an enemy’s body, it was difficult to pull out.

Unlike such swords, curved blades with their bent tips could be easily withdrawn, as I had heard somewhere.

However, I wasn’t an expert, and this was shallow knowledge I had seen in documentaries, so it wasn’t definitive information.

“A fine piece.”

“Thank you, Gurkhan.”

The Hui craftsman who had shown the curved blade bowed and stepped back.

Then a warrior approached and picked up the sword.

The warrior approached a pre-prepared dummy and cut it with the sword.

“Ohhh…!”

“Sharp enough to cut in one stroke!”

As the Hui craftsman had said, the sharpness of the curved blade was exceptional.

The spectators were thrilled to see the dummy split in half immediately.

“Let’s see the next one.”

A man with a Mongolian-style queue stepped forward.

He bowed and removed the cloth.

I couldn’t hide my surprised expression at the revealed blade.

“This is a sword characterized by wave patterns. It’s aesthetically beautiful and has exceptional hardness and flexibility. It can even cut rocks without breaking and maintain its sharpness.”

At the words of the man with the queue, the crowd stirred.

This was because cutting stones with a sword was something possible only in legends.

Of course, some weak stones could be split with a sword.

However, when cutting stones, it was common for the blade to warp or break.

But the man was boldly claiming before everyone that his sword could cut stone without breaking and maintain its sharpness.