Protect Our Patriarch

……

Wang Ningxi fully experienced what it means to enjoy a moment of recklessness only to face dire consequences later.

That guy Shangguan Yunhong, Wang Ningxi had heard of him because he often visited the Gongye Clan with his parents. It was said that he was a Purple Mansion seed of the Shangguan Clan, born with a devouring bloodline, and specialized in body refining techniques, particularly the "Dragon Elephant Infinite Art."

Due to his rigorous body refining practices, his physique was extremely robust, and he hadn't married yet. With too much energy to spare, he often challenged various experts in Guilong City, earning quite a reputation.

Wang Ningxi remembered him vividly because he had heard from relatives in the Gongye Clan that Shangguan Yunhong, in his youthful arrogance, was once severely beaten by the legendary figure of the family, Great Aunt Liyao.

Little did he expect that one day he would have to deal with Shangguan Yunhong.

It seemed he could only take things as they came and hope for the best. After all, the family's Ancestor wouldn't just let him be beaten to death, right?

After getting a good beating, Wang Ningxi felt his mental resilience had grown significantly, and his perspective had broadened (embracing the worst-case scenario).

"Let's not talk about that now." Wang Ningxi said as he sipped his coffee and took out a blueprint from his storage ring, handing it to Wang Yinglei. "Fifteenth Aunt, please take a look at this blueprint and see how it can be best produced."

If he could produce a prototype early, Ancestor Grandpa would take him to the Lingyun Holy Land, and he might even avoid this "calamity."

Wang Yinglei, a talented graduate of the Clan School, had been working in the refining industry for years. Although her main work was in civilian product manufacturing, she never gave up on in-depth research into the refining industry.

This was why Wang Ningxi came to visit Wang Yinglei this time.

She picked up the blueprint and examined it carefully, her eyes gradually lighting up. "Oh, I underestimated you, little rascal. This design, while not overly complex, is quite ingenious. Interesting, very interesting."

"Aunt Yinglei," Wang Ningxi said, "When I was little and visited my grandfather's house, the old Ancestor told me that any refining design must be human-centered and start from solving practical needs."

"Although our Wang Clan has many industries, we place the most emphasis on the agricultural sector. So, from a young age, I observed in the fields, engaging in deep conversations with tenant farmers, commoners, and our family's spiritual plant cultivators. I've had many thoughts on this~"

"This set of dual-wheel suspended multi-disc blade plows can adjust the cutting angle of the disc blades by rotating the discs. It increases the cutting depth through lever counterweight, and when pulled by livestock, it drives the rollers to rotate, cutting through soil, weeds, and crop roots, and achieving the effect of turning the soil."

"Depending on the livestock's strength, additional sets of disc blade plows can be added to maximize efficiency."

"Compared to traditional single-plow or row-plow methods, it encounters less resistance from the land, making it easier to cut through weeds and roots, and it can roll over obstacles like stones. With the same livestock strength, it's more efficient and better suited for opening new lands."

Wang Yinglei was increasingly impressed. "A very clever design. However, developing a new civilian product requires more than just a blueprint. We need to first produce a batch of samples for small-scale trials, then improve the product based on any issues encountered in actual use before mass production. We also need to consider cost factors."

No new invention can be accomplished overnight.

"That's why I'm here to trouble you, Fifteenth Aunt," Wang Ningxi said with a sheepish grin. "When I went to the Refining Headquarters earlier, Old Master Zongyao kicked me out, saying you're better at crafting civilian machinery. I also heard that your civilian factory produces single-plow and row-plow tools, which are highly sought after by various farms due to their quality."

In agricultural production, plowing is a very labor-intensive task. Relying solely on human power for plowing is too inefficient, so livestock and single-plow tools are still the primary methods. Only a few farms with powerful third-rank Purple Horned Spirit Oxen use row-plow tools.

However, purchasing and raising third-rank Purple Horned Spirit Oxen is extremely costly. Without regular feeding of spiritual forage and energy-rich spiritual grains, the Purple Horned Spirit Oxen would suffer from blood deficiency and weaken over time.

Wang Yinglei, who is in charge of the "Wang's Civilian Metal Tools Main Factory," continuously improves the plows, optimizing their shape, materials, and production processes. Especially by using "hundred-refined steel," typically reserved for military weapons, for the plow blades, they have enhanced their ability to break soil and stones, naturally increasing production efficiency.

Some skilled blacksmiths can forge such plows, but the cost of production often exceeds Wang's selling price.

This makes Wang's plows both affordable and high-quality, widely popular.

"Alright," Wang Yinglei pondered for a moment before saying, "If this thing is successfully developed, you must grant exclusive rights to my factory for production and sales for at least a hundred years. In return, I will apply to the family to convert ten percent of the sales revenue into family contribution points for you."

She understood the importance of civilian tools. Even a one percent increase in production efficiency could save a massive amount of manpower and resources. This adjustable suspended disc blade plow seemed promising, and if successful, it would further enhance Wang's advantage in agriculture.

"No problem," Wang Ningxi readily agreed. In fact, he didn't have many channels to handle the technology of his inventions, and letting Wang Yinglei manage it was one of the best options.

The Wang Clan has always encouraged various innovations, and those who succeed in innovation often reap substantial contribution points.

However, the Wang Clan also does not allow its members to privately authorize or profit from their innovations or to operate private businesses or partnerships outside the family.

Privately operating businesses is a major taboo for the family, as it inevitably leads to conflicts of interest and potentially undermines the collective interests of the family.

Moreover, if this precedent were set, more and more clan members would invest in private businesses, leading to a fragmented and disunited family.

"Alright, alright," Wang Yinglei, a decisive and capable woman, signed an authorization contract with Wang Ningxi and immediately summoned several professional refiners under her command.

One of them, a burly "middle-aged man" named Wang Qi, was a second-grade refiner with Lingtai Realm cultivation. He was a family refiner trained by Wang's Refining Headquarters.

Despite his seemingly simple appearance, he had mastered the crafting of three types of spiritual tools, and he had successfully crafted nine low-grade spiritual tools. He was particularly skilled at crafting agricultural tool samples based on blueprints.

The others were his apprentices, all first-grade refiners in the Qi Refining Realm.

"Greetings, Master Qi," Wang Ningxi greeted Wang Qi immediately upon seeing him. The reason was simple: Wang Qi also served as a guest lecturer for the refining course at the Wang Clan School, teaching elite courses whenever he had time.

"So it's Ningxi," Wang Qi had a deep impression of Wang Ningxi as well. With a noble status, intelligence, and humility, he often stumped Wang Qi with his questions.

Unfortunately... sigh~

After a brief exchange of pleasantries.

"Master Qi, please have your team craft a sample set based on the blueprint using manual refining methods," Wang Yinglei got straight to the point. "But during the crafting process, please consider the possibility of mass production."

The Wang Clan highly values and respects technical talents, and Wang Yinglei, as the general manager, was quite courteous to the second-grade refiner.

After studying the blueprint, Wang Qi nodded with understanding. "An ingenious creation. I can use mass-produced hundred-refined steel from the blast furnace to craft the disc blades, some key components, and the central axle. The rest of the frame and counterweights can be made from ordinary carbon steel to save costs."

Many inventions are like this. Before they are created, they are often a blank slate. But once someone figures it out, it becomes clear to technical talents.

And so.

Wang Qi's team went to craft the actual product.

With Wang Yinglei's help, Wang Ningxi began standardizing the blueprint and drafting a copyright statement, which they then submitted to the Changning Garrison's government to be officially sent to the Guilong City's Technical and Copyright Justice Bureau.

This bureau was established under the strong advocacy of the Gongye Clan, as they, being the technical pioneers of the Great Qian, had long suffered from piracy and imitators.

When facing weaker clans that pirated their technology, the Gongye Clan could still suppress them forcefully. But when it came to blatant theft by the Zhao Clan, the Gongye Clan was powerless.

This led to a deep animosity between the Gongye Clan and the Zhao Clan. Other clans also engaged in theft, but they at least showed some restraint, unlike the shameless Zhao Clan.

During the reign of Emperor Longchang and the Zhao Clan's control of the cabinet, this proposal was suppressed and never passed.

It wasn't until the Daqian Wang's Clan took control of the cabinet and Prince An oversaw the kingdom that the Gongye Clan's proposal, which they had pursued for hundreds of years, resurfaced. With Wang Shouzhe's assistance and advice, the Great Qian established a Technical Bureau.

The Technical Bureau is somewhat similar to the patent office from Wang Shouzhe's previous life, but with the full support and promotion of Prince An, this new institution wields significant power. Once a case of technological infringement is confirmed, it can impose hefty fines and compensation on the infringing party.

The specifics of its operation and rules will not be elaborated on for now.

In short, the Great Qian has taken its first step toward copyright protection, and it will inevitably improve over time.

During this period.

Wang Ningxi didn't go anywhere; he practically lived at the civilian tools factory.

In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed.

Xinping Town's Wang's Clan Farm No. 13.

This is a large farm with fifty thousand acres of ordinary farmland and over two hundred acres of low-grade spiritual farmland, all planted with Wang's high-quality grain seeds. At the edge of the farm, there are still about ten thousand acres of wasteland yet to be reclaimed.

The closer this wasteland is to the riverbank mountains, the more gravel it contains, and it's overgrown with weeds, making it difficult to reclaim. When using plows to reclaim the land, they easily get stuck in the stone crevices. This poor-quality land requires tenant farmers to gradually expand and reclaim it, which is very labor-intensive.

On this day.

The general manager of the civilian tools factory, Wang Yinglei, the deputy manager Wang Shiying, Yinglei's assistant Wang Xuannan, along with Wang Ningxi and Wang Qi, all arrived at Farm No. 13.

The farm manager was also a member of the Wang Clan, named Wang Anrong, a great-grandson of Shouzhe's second brother, Wang Shouyi. He ranked sixth among the An generation and was currently over ninety years old.

However, compared to his younger brothers Wang Anye, Wang Anxin, and Wang Anrui, who were not much different in age, Wang Anrong seemed "mediocre" in comparison. His bloodline talent was barely considered a minor prodigy, and his cultivation was stuck at the peak of the fourth level of the Lingtai Realm.

After all, no matter how wealthy the Wang Clan is, it's impossible for everyone to be a prodigy and receive full resources for cultivation. Fortunately, the Wang Clan's main residence's Gathering Spirit Array is gradually taking shape, and they can start creating some areas with extra-rich spiritual energy for cultivation.

If Wang Anrong works hard to accumulate more contribution points and receives help from the family head Wang Shouzhe to extend his lifespan, he still has a chance to break through to the Celestial Realm with the help of auxiliary breakthrough elixirs like the Ascension Pill.

However, even though Wang Anrong is not particularly outstanding among the Wang Clan members, he is still a notable figure when he steps outside. Especially at Farm No. 13 in Xinping Town, he is a commanding presence who speaks with authority.

"Ningxi, since this is your matter, it's also your Sixth Uncle's matter," Wang Anrong said heartily, patting his chest. "Those two third-rank Purple Horned Spirit Oxen are at your disposal. Even if you want to slaughter them for food, your Sixth Uncle won't mind."

"Thank you, Sixth Uncle, but there's no need to eat them," Wang Ningxi replied, sweating. If he dared to kill the productive Purple Horned Spirit Oxen for food, he would likely get another beating.

"By the way, I heard you broke off an engagement and got beaten up?" Wang Anrong asked curiously. "How many sensational novels did you read to pull off such a brainless move..."

"Sixth Uncle... let's not talk about that," Wang Ningxi was almost in tears. Lately, every clan member he met was concerned about his broken engagement and beating.

"Alright, alright, we won't talk about it," Wang Anrong said, directing a few spiritual plant cultivators with cultivation to harness a Purple Horned Spirit Ox to the new disc blade plow.

The plow frame had ten disc blade plows mounted on the roller axle, each disc with a diameter of four and a half feet. The blade edges gleamed with a cold light but were not too sharp; if they were too sharp, they would easily chip.

After adjusting the oblique angle with the adjustment frame, installing the counterweight and mudguard, the disc plow cut into the soil.

Then.

The Purple Horned Spirit Ox, weighing over five or six thousand pounds, pulled the two-wheeled plow frame forward. As the roller turned, the oblique disc blades began to rotate, crushing weeds, turning the soil, and bringing up various grass roots, stones, worms, and insects.

In no time, a roughly plowed strip about three meters wide appeared behind the plow frame. When encountering large stones, the disc blades could roll over them without getting stuck.

"Good, good, good," the experienced Wang Anrong was overjoyed. "The Purple Horned Spirit Ox pulls it with ease. This disc blade plow is perfect for opening up new land. Call over a group of tenant farmers to clear the stones and debris turned up with rakes."

Once the land is turned over, clearing it becomes much easier.

Wang Ningxi was also very excited, but he was calculating the time. After a full hour, the Purple Horned Spirit Ox stopped to rest, rewarded with some spiritual grass and spiritual bean dregs.

Wang Anrong and others personally measured the newly turned land. In one hour, this set of disc blade plows had initially opened about twenty acres of wasteland.

This was very challenging poor-quality wasteland. If it were easy, Wang Anrong would have already reclaimed it.

"With ten tenant farmers working together to clear the stones, weeds, and debris turned up, or breaking and removing large stones, they can keep pace with this disc blade plow cart," Wang Anrong analyzed. "However, plowing once is not enough. It can be plowed once longitudinally and then once transversely. Calculating this way, about ten acres can be initially reclaimed in an hour."

"One plow cart, working an average of six hours a day, can reclaim sixty acres. In a year with suitable weather, it can reclaim over ten thousand acres."

"Our Wang Clan's tenant farmers are expensive, costing fifty Top Gold a year for ten tenant farmers. The cost of raising a third-rank Purple Horned Spirit Ox is four hundred Top Gold a year, plus other miscellaneous costs, making this team's annual expenses about five hundred Top Gold. The initial reclamation cost per acre of poor-quality land is about three large copper coins. For ordinary wasteland, the cost can be even lower."

"If used for plowing cultivated land, it will be much easier. The plow frame can be twice as long, and only one plow is needed, allowing for one or two or three hundred acres to be plowed in a day."

"However, using Purple Horned Spirit Oxen for reclamation is relatively cost-effective. For ordinary plowing, using Yellow Oxen is more economical, and the plow cart just needs to be smaller."

Wang Anrong, being a professional in agriculture, calculated everything and excitedly patted Wang Ningxi on the shoulder. "Ningxi, you've struck gold. Whether for reclamation or plowing cultivated land, it saves at least fifty percent of the plowing cost compared to traditional plows."

Wang Ningxi was also thrilled. How much land is there in the entire Great Qian? If all of it used his invented plow... just the ten percent contribution point share would be enormous!

Even a "waste" can have its springtime.

Of course, it's just a thought. The widespread adoption of disc plows throughout the Great Qian is basically a "lifetime achievement" series.

This matter quickly reached Wang Shouzhe's ears.

This made Wang Shouzhe very pleased. The beating the child took wasn't in vain, as they say, "No pain, no gain." However, he also kept his promise and took Wang Ningxi along, preparing to ride the imperial flying carriage to the Holy Land together.

However, just as Wang Ningxi packed his luggage and eagerly boarded Ancestor Grandpa's flying carriage, he was stunned.

On the flying carriage, besides Ancestor Grandpa, there were two other people.

One was a man as strong as a giant elephant, glaring at Wang Ningxi with eyes the size of fists, full of hostility.

The other was a little girl about ten years old, with delicate features and big, watery eyes, looking at Wang Ningxi with a soft gaze.

"Ningxi, what are you standing there for?" Wang Shouzhe warmly greeted. "Come, come, say hello to our family's Lingbo."

Ancestor Grandpa, are you serious?

Are you setting me up for disaster?

……