A Monumental Secret
Lily Evans, born in the modern era, was intimately familiar with a saying from a great figure: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."
Given her current situation, Lily Evans wholeheartedly agreed with this statement.
Although she never thought Alexander Hayes would rebel, and it seemed he had no such intention, who could say what the Emperor was thinking?
If the Emperor insisted on pressing them, she couldn't just sit and wait for doom. Wouldn't that make them lambs to the slaughter?
But if she became strong, with soldiers and weapons at her command, the Emperor would have to be wary of her. Worst case, she could ask for her own fief and become a regional lord, leading the Hayes Regiment independently. That was far better than living in fear, watching the Emperor eliminate the brothers of the Hayes Regiment one by one.
So Lily Evans agreed readily, "Alright, no problem—leave it to me!"
Alexander Hayes, surprised by Lily Evans's boldness, pinched her cheek and asked, "Wife, why aren't you even a little surprised?"
"I'm the one who asked if you wanted guns—what's there to be surprised about?" Lily Evans grinned at Alexander Hayes. "All I know is, the bigger your fists, the tougher your words; if you've got guns, you've got confidence. If the Emperor really wants to use us and then get rid of us, sending all the Hayes Regiment brothers to their deaths, then we can't just let ourselves be slaughtered, right? Worst case, you and I can take our brothers and find a place to live freely. Who wants to put up with this nonsense?"
Hearing Lily Evans's rebellious, almost treasonous words, Alexander Hayes burst out laughing and pulled her into his arms. "Wife, you truly are a heroine among women—better than any man!"
Lily Evans puffed out her chest with pride, feeling she deserved every word!
The couple exchanged a knowing smile, feeling as if they were sharing a colossal secret. Their sense of intimacy soared.
Alexander Hayes wrapped his arm around Lily Evans's waist and asked, "Wife, you can bring in seeds to grow those spices yourself, but what about the guns? Can we make them ourselves?"
Lily Evans sighed and shook her head, "No, we can't. Those guns are too sophisticated to make easily. Just the metal used to craft them—we don't even have the skills to produce that."
"Oh? Is there really such a gap between the two countries?" Alexander Hayes frowned. "So our only option is to import firearms?"
"Yes, that's how it is for now. We've considered ourselves a heavenly kingdom for too long, closing our eyes in arrogance, not realizing the outside world has changed dramatically and developed rapidly. We don't even have the basics of industry, can't produce fertilizer, let alone something as complex as guns." Lily Evans sighed.
"What is fertilizer?" Alexander Hayes had heard Lily Evans mention industry before, but never fertilizer.
"Fertilizer is a chemical product. When you use it for farming, it makes the land much more productive—way more efficient than traditional manure," Lily Evans explained. "Basically, we can't make any of those things. We're missing the entire foundation of an industrial system. The Emperor and the whole court look down on foreign 'barbarians' and there's no hope they'll be open to learning from them. Sigh."
Lily Evans sighed again, feeling overwhelmed by the limitations of feudal rulers.
Suddenly, Lily Evans's mind sparked with inspiration. She exclaimed excitedly, "Learning, yes—learning! We can study those advanced things from abroad! Even if the court forbids importing foreign technology, we can secretly send people overseas to learn! By the time those students return, you'll probably be a powerful regional lord with your own army and territory. Then, our fief will be ours to develop as we please!"