The dishes had not been touched, yet several rounds of wine had already been consumed. Yelü Goudan, having quenched his thirst for alcohol, ravenously dug into the food before him.
He wished to try a different dish but awkwardly found he couldn't reach it.
So, he quietly tugged on Yelü Tianying, who was pouring wine behind him.
"Yingying, what should I do if I can't reach the other dishes?"
Yelü Tianying paused for a moment, then chuckled.
"Father, the layer where the dishes are placed can be rotated. Why don't you try?"
Yelü Goudan grasped the tabletop of the upper layer and carefully turned it. Indeed, the upper layer, adorned with wine and dishes, began to spin.
Old Goudan was shocked. The Tang people truly knew how to have fun!
He decided he would find a way to ask the Duke for one to take back to the grasslands and show off!
Let his unworldly old brothers broaden their horizons too!
The feast concluded with both hosts and guests thoroughly satisfied.
Li Baoju's culinary skills left the guests from the grasslands completely content, their stomachs bulging and necks craned.
Their appearance made Yelü Tianying and Xi Gua Butian feel extremely embarrassed; their fathers were not living up to expectations!
Was there still a chance to switch to something else?
After the banquet, the two, accompanied by their sons, bid farewell to Fang Er and went to settle the pregnant women they had brought.
Yuan Mengjia also brought the news of the arrival of three thousand pregnant women back to the side courtyard.
A flurry of ladies instantly became lively.
It was their turn to show their skills!
Old Sun, reeking of alcohol and drinking the hangover soup brought by Fang Fengzhu, addressed the women.
"The matter of the pregnant women is of great importance! Have you all remembered what this poor Taoist has taught you over the past two months?"
"We have recorded it all."
Changsun Ling'er and the others replied in unison.
Old Sun placed the empty bowl aside and continued to look at them.
"It's good that you have recorded it. When you practice medicine in the future, you must be careful and cautious, allowing no room for error."
"Human lives are at stake. Any slight oversight could lead to the loss of two lives – mother and child. Therefore, if there is anything you are unsure about, you must inform this poor Taoist immediately."
"Alright, all of you, go back and prepare. Tomorrow, you will accompany this poor Taoist on a house call!"
"Yes!"
The women turned and returned to their rooms, beginning to prepare for the next day's outing.
The next morning.
Old Sun, along with five hundred and twelve women and Li Chunfeng, departed the residence and headed east of the city.
Near the new district, a vast expanse of tents had already been erected.
The arrival of so many foreigners had long attracted countless citizens of Shenyang to watch from a distance.
Even the Prefect, Liu Dacheng, had come with his officials to inspect, and he had also dispatched some city guards to provide protection.
This was the first step in integrating and assimilating foreign peoples, and it could not afford any missteps.
Yelü Goudan and Xi Gua Ting Tian stood beside Liu Dacheng, expressing their endless gratitude for his proactive dispatch of troops for protection.
"Prefect Liu, this prince's visit has caused much disturbance. I hope Prefect Liu will forgive us."
Yelü Goudan, rarely letting go of his hearty laughter, spoke politely to Liu Dacheng.
"Chieftain Yelü is too kind. Since we have submitted to the Great Tang, we are all one family. The matters of the grasslands are the matters of the Great Tang."
"Moreover, this is being handled by Duke Fang himself. This prefect will certainly do his best."
Liu Dacheng smiled as he looked at the two grassland warriors before him.
Khitan!
They had once been a nation. The former ruler now smiled pleasantly before him; this feeling was truly excellent!
Turning his head, he saw Sun Simiao approaching with palace maids. Liu Dacheng pulled Yelü Goudan. "Let's go, Venerable Sun has arrived. We should go and greet him."
"Hahahaha, of course, of course!"
Yelü Goudan and Xi Gua Ting Tian quickly followed behind Liu Dacheng, coming forward to greet Old Sun.
"Hahahaha, Venerable Sun, you have worked hard, you have worked hard!"
Upon meeting, Yelü Goudan immediately took the initiative to bow and greet him.
"Chieftain Yelü is too polite."
"This poor Taoist has five hundred palace maids, who were requested from the Emperor by Duke Fang from the palace, and they have all received training in nursing."
"Next, let them examine and diagnose the pregnant women of your tribe."
Old Sun bowed in return to Yelü Goudan and began to assign tasks.
"Ling'er, Meng'er."
"Yes."
"Take the palace maids and begin. Two per group, cross-checking each other. Those who need prescriptions, write them."
"If there is anything you are unsure about, bring the person to this poor Taoist."
"Yes!"
The two turned, leading the other sisters to group the palace maids, and then they plunged into the various tents.
At the same time.
Fang Er was also in the manor, assigning tasks to Zhang Tian.
"Has the recruitment of new soldiers begun?"
Zhang Tian: "Reporting to Your Grace, it has already begun. Notices have been posted in towns near Shenyang, and conscription posts have been set up."
"Well done."
Fang Er nodded approvingly, then took a map from his pocket and pointed to the location of Liaodong City.
"Next, there is another matter. Take five hundred men from your command."
"Go there. I have heard there is crude oil there. Take men to find the oil mine."
Zhang Tian's eyes lit up as he looked at the location Fang Er pointed to. Crude oil, diesel, helicopters!
For him, nothing was as important as flying!
"Your Grace, rest assured, this subordinate will handle it properly!"
After speaking, he put away the map, saluted, and turned to withdraw.
In the past, traveling from Shenyang to Chang'an, or to the grasslands, required a "three-wheeled cart" to haul reserve diesel.
This was too wasteful of transport capacity. The Western Regions were too far, and transporting crude oil from there before the train could pass through was too troublesome.
The diesel currently used was purchased from Persian merchants in Chang'an, which had caused the price of crude oil in Chang'an to rise by fifty percent.
Now that Shenyang had lost its source of crude oil, they could only look for oil mines nearby.
Fortunately, Fang Er had found a location on the mineral map, which was in the area of present-day Panjin.
That is, the area near present-day Liaodong City.
If this oil mine were found, then in the future, gas stations could be set up along the route from Shenyang to Chang'an, eliminating the need to haul truckloads of fuel every time.
After Zhang Tian left, Fang Er took out an AK47 and a PPSh submachine gun, and asked Su Feng to send them to Zhao Gang, asking him to have them replicated.
The bullets for the AK47 could unlock the open market with one more exchange.
Although the PPSh was still a long way off, it could serve as technical reserve for now.
Industry is never achieved overnight; it requires the gradual accumulation of various technologies. Only over time can there be the possibility of explosive growth.
What Fang Er could do was to open the door to a new world for the artisans, allowing them to accumulate more experience.