Chapter 109: The Wrongdoer

Liu Qing's work was very efficient, and soon these drawings included the earliest topographical sketches of Crescent Island, the distribution of buildings on Crescent Island before the renovation and expansion, drawings and descriptions of the current construction situation, and drawings showing some of the relatively hidden terrain of Crescent Island.

Reading these drawings was a chore for Ye Tao. It's a map of a place, but the method and standard of drawing it are completely different. Only the recently drawn drawings that mark the current construction situation are made in accordance with the drawing specifications previously formulated by Ye Tao. It took Ye Tao almost half of the night to use the drawing equipment in the toolbox that he always carried with him to draw a comprehensive identification map that met his current needs, and then, on a piece of bamboo paper as thin as a cicada's wing, he compared this comprehensive identification map to roughly outline some changes he wanted to make to the current construction plan of Crescent Island.

He reorganized the road construction on Crescent Island, converting some of the stepped roads into a mix of steps and ramps to facilitate the delivery of supplies.

The watchtowers that were originally erected on the island will be replaced by six-storey masonry towers. Framed in cast iron, with a spiral metal escalator in the middle and a brick and cement façade on the outside, it is already very close to the modern watchtower building. At the top, there is a hexagonal movable platform, which is more than five times larger than the original movable space on the watchtower. Tiled roofs and flat lookout windows make lookouts more comfortable and work longer. Binoculars with mounts mounted on the tower – no doubt the latest achievement of the optics department at Yip's Workshop, who are finally able to grind lenses with consistent optical properties from crystals. The bracket that supports the binoculars can be used in a crossbow machine produced by Yip's Workshop that can hold six ordinary arrows. When necessary, the watchtower can also be used to resist for a while.

The entire wharf is planned as three areas: trade, war readiness and port work. Targeted configuration of manpower cranes and winches for roads and loading and unloading. In the port area, a short 150-foot-long embankment will be built into the sea to connect the pier to a large reef. On that reef, Ye Tao wanted to build a lighthouse to guide ships into the harbor at night. Old Man Qi's own fleet has long been equipped with light boxes for night communication, and presumably this technology, which is not difficult at all, will soon be popularized throughout the Seven Seas Trading Company.

Shipyards and ordnance workshops, which remain on the other side of the island. Try to stay away from people who are likely to come in and out of Crescent Island. On the edge of the shipyard, Ye Tao set up a barracks that could accommodate about 200 to 300 people.

Ye Tao felt that only after all the plans he conceived were completed, could he be more satisfied with the defense system of Crescent Island. This satisfaction is also based only on the existing state of technology. Originally, Ye Tao also planned to build an additional fort on the island, but after thinking about it, the current range of weapons such as the Divine Arm Bow and Ballista could not make the fort fully powerful. As for the artillery...... All right. Ye Tao did want to get some artillery for fun, but now the forging and smelting workshop in Liyang has not yet come up with steel that meets the quality requirements. And Ye Tao, no matter what, is just a guy who designs civilian products, and uses his knowledge of physics, mathematics, structural mechanics, aerodynamics, ergonomics, etc. to design cold weapons, armor, and large-scale projectile ordnance, and to get gunpowder weapons. That's a different system. Although it may not be impossible, Ye Tao really does not have the time and energy to pounce on this aspect now.

However, even according to Ye Tao's current plan, the project budget will be a relatively terrifying number. Stone and wood used in construction. It is possible to take some of it on the spot from Crescent Island. In the place where Crescent Island is located, the cost of transporting fine timber from Beiliao is not particularly high, but there are no large quantities of materials suitable for burning bricks on the island, and there are no metal deposits. According to Ye Tao's plan, the cast iron frames to be used in the construction of watchtowers and lighthouses must all be cast and shipped from Yicheng. The cost is more terrifying. The transportation of large metal components by sea can be a very complex problem. This part of the cost made Ye Tao feel that it seemed necessary to reconsider.

Ye Tao who stayed up all night. While eating a delicious breakfast, I was thinking about the construction of Crescent Island. The servants on the island had reported to him what was going on, and the prince and princess had been lying down the night before, and had not woken up until now. But those attendants and guards, after all, have been exercising and working hard all year round, even those who have suffered from serious seasickness, are now waking up and are working in an orderly manner. Prepare for a day of life for princes and princesses.

And Qi Zhentao. Yesterday I probably really drank a little too much. I didn't even get up. Old Man Qi's age is there, and there is no way to do it. Thereupon. Ye Tao, who stayed up all night but was still in good spirits, suddenly became the only person who could speak when he needed to receive important guests.

The important guests came with the cargo ship of Nanami Trading Company, which was transporting the "Spark bomb". Accompanied by Muhammad, the senior deacon of the Samir family, Assad, arrived on the island of Crescent with two armed cargo ships. Muhammad is now a senior deacon of the Seven Seas Trading Company. He invested the fruits of his many years of operation: the shipping routes from Persia to Yicheng, the sales channels, the resources of manpower and interpersonal relations, and half of his working capital, a total of 1.4 million taels of silver, into the Seven Seas Trading Company. Muhammad was a pure merchant, and he had no reverence for the powerful Samir family in Persia, but instead he considered things as the senior deacon of the Seven Seas Trading Company, thinking about how to scrape some oil and water off the Samir family. In particular, the Samir family did have a request from the Nanami Trading Company.

The members of the Samir family, who had watched the completion of the Seven Seas Tower, originally thought that they would immediately reach an agreement with Ye Tao, the builder of the Seven Seas Tower, to be able to choose a site in the Persian region to build an equally brilliant, or even more brilliant, building. Unexpectedly, Ye Tao was involved in the battle against Xiling soon after, and then waited in Baishi City to deal with opinions, and worked in Danyang for a long time with all kinds of messy things, and it was almost half a year later when he came to Yicheng again. In this half year. The painting of the bell tower by the Samir family in Yicheng has caused a sensation in the Persian region, and many people are skeptical of the buildings in the pictures, but the Samir family and the Persian merchants who passed through them are some of the most famous figures, and the praise of everyone finally makes the Samir family determined to make the miraculous architecture appear on the shore of the Red Sea.

Also in this half year, the first batch of table clocks produced by Tissot Watch Company through the fleet of the Samir family and then transmitted to the entire Western world through the Persian region shook the entire Western high society. While the Western world is still trying to improve the processing technology of the escapement mechanism and parts of the table clock, Tissot Watch has formed a product system with the anchor escapement and the locust claw escapement as the core. And the music box in the form of a chiming mechanism, mirror paint and gold and silver surface treatment technology, all made the entire high society almost crazy. The table clock purchased from Qi Zhentao for 12,000 taels of silver can be sold at least ten times the price when it is shipped to the Western world, and the highest selling price is as high as 100,000 gold louis, which is equivalent to 700,000 taels of silver......

Even if there were no technical problems with the bell tower, Assad felt that he should cooperate with this Nanami Trading Company. Keep this business going.

Although Assad was anxious to meet Qi Zhentao and Ye Tao, Muhammad also felt that showing the strength of the Seven Seas Trading Company in front of the senior deacon of the Samir family would be very conducive to cooperation for a period of time in the future. Although the Samir family was in the Persian region, their armed merchant ships in Dongping, Chunnan and the surrounding seas also needed to rely on the Seven Seas trading community and local relations. Naturally, there is no fear that they will covet Crescent Island.

Muhammad was very happy to see Ye Tao greet them on the dock. He jumped down from the gangway, immediately met Ye Tao, and shook his hand tightly. In a voice that only two people could hear, he reminded, "These guys are very rich, and they are slaughtered hard." ”

Muhammad's Chinese level is still quite high, even if his voice is a little strange. Ye Tao squeezed his eyes, shook hands with Muhammad, and turned to meet Assad.

"Greetings, distinguished guest," said Muhammad. Ye Tao also knew some Persian etiquette, and he put his right hand on his chest and bowed slightly, winning Assad to return the favor.

Assad had already learned from Muhammad when he was on the ship that this young man was the designer and builder of the bell tower, Dongping, and probably the best architect in all of Middle-earth. Muhammad also revealed that Ye Tao was also the author of the beautiful full-size jade carving of a young girl that he had brought to Persia.

"Your genius can compete with the moon," Assad politely exclaimed.

"Thank you." Ye Tao did not show any joy because of the praise of the other party. For him. Accepting praise has become a daily skill he's been honing since years. Constantly practicing skills. "Welcome to Crescent Island. Please come with me, I have prepared tea and refreshments for our distinguished guests. The all-night voyage is tiring, so please rest well. ”

Assad shook his head and said: "We are wandering travelers, and sailing is part of our lives. Let the sailors rest, I am anxious to have a good conversation with you. ”

"As you wish. Please follow me. Ye Tao did not insist that he must wait a long time before starting negotiations. He had long heard about the arrival of Assad, the representative of the Samir family.

Originally, the most suitable place for this kind of meeting should be the conference hall of the North Courtyard. But the North Courtyard is now occupied by Tan Weiying and Tan Weiran, two brothers and sisters, and Ye Tao had no choice but to lead Assad and his party to the Spike Hall in the East Courtyard. The East Courtyard is the earliest batch of buildings on the whole island, which was built when the old man Qi gathered pirates and then gradually turned to maritime commerce, revealing a heroic and solemn bearing everywhere. After renovation, although it still has the solemnity and grandeur of the samurai's courtyard, it also adds a bit of grace, which is very consistent with the bearing of the old man Qi.

Sitting down in front of Assad in the Spike Light Hall, Ye Tao naturally noticed the scimitars on the waists of the two black-clothed guards standing behind Assad. Assad's status in the Samir family is not low, and the people who follow him to protect him are naturally highly regarded as good hands, and the quality of the two scimitars is naturally extraordinary. The black shark skin scabbard is decorated with black silver filigree at both ends, and the patterns on the handle and gauntlet can be seen to have put a lot of effort into it.

"Ahmed, untie your knife and let Mr. Ye see it." Assad observed his words. immediately noticed Ye Tao's gaze.

The guard named Ahmed's face was a little gloomy, but he still unsheathed his saber without saying a word, gave it to the servant standing on the side, and handed it to Ye Tao.

Ye Tao gently pulled out the scimitar. The cold chill on the island made Ye Tao love it very much, but what he loved even more was the intricate pattern on the blade...... Damascus steel. Ye Tao was very clear about this kind of pattern, and he praised it. He stood up with his scimitar in his hand and weighed the weight of the knife.

Assad smiled and said, "I brought gifts for you and Old Man Qi, but I don't know if you like it." Mr. Ye, since you like this knife, then accept it as an extra gift I have prepared for you. ”

Ye Tao glanced at Ahmed. Ahmet's face was very ugly, and for a guard, the saber was almost as important as his own life. Ye Tao groaned for a moment and said, "I really like this knife. Then take it. However, Ahmed Guardian still needs a weapon that matches his identity, doesn't it? ”

Ye Tao motioned to Lu Dan who was standing behind him, and Lu Dan walked out of Suiguang Hall with a debt, and later held a thicker than a scimitar. But compared to the choppers used by the guards of the princess's mansion, he came in with a long knife and politely held it in front of Ahmet.

Looking at Assad's jaw, Ahmet took the knife. As soon as he got his hands on it, Ahmed felt the difference in the solid weight of the knife. The scabbard is made of steel. At the tip of the knife and near the handguard is a wavy pattern formed by stamping as a whole, layered on top of each other, delicate and subtle. The middle part of the scabbard is also wrapped in shark skin, but the shark skin seems to be better nitrated than the black shark skin on Ahmed's original saber, and the tentacles are warm and elastic. The gauntlet is rounded and cast into a beautiful lotus shape, while there is a small protective ornament on the thumb that locks the knife and scabbard together. Avoid situations where the center of gravity of the knife will slip out of the scabbard if the center of gravity of the knife overturns during the march or other turmoil. The handle of the knife is also wrapped in shark skin. At the end of the handle, it is stamped into a snake's eye shape. Ahmed pulled the safety and drew his knife. For the craftsmanship of Damascus steel, Ye Tao naturally couldn't make that kind of pattern, but purely from the sharpness and toughness, this kind of iron ore with high-grade iron ore and some meteorites was smelted in the Liyangdi forge and smelter. Known as a re-quenched steel floor material, it is not bad at all compared to Damascus steel. It's just that the yield is lower.

As an expert in using knives, Ahmed can naturally see the quality of knives. Although not as ornate as the decoration on his original saber. But the knife was to his taste. He also sheathed the knife, pinned it to his belt again, bowed slightly to Ye Tao, and retreated behind Assad.

The simple exchange made the conversation between Assad and Ye Tao more harmonious. Assad smiled and said, "Mr. Ye, you are too polite. This knife of yours is better than that scimitar. ”

"As a craftsman, it's inevitable that you like all kinds of new things. The cloud-like pattern on the scimitar fascinated me deeply. Ye Tao said with a smile.

"Then I'll show you another thing that might pique your interest." Assad clapped his hands as he spoke, and an attendant standing outside the porch cautiously walked into Spike Hall with a scroll in his hand.

Ahmet hurriedly greeted him, and slowly unfolded the scroll in front of Ye Tao with the attendant. The content on the scroll is the picture of the city of Yicheng, which is dominated by the Seven Seas Tower of Yicheng.

This is probably a miniature painting, right? Ye Tao looked at this huge picture carefully. In the picture, the Seven Seas Tower is not only beautified, it can even be said to be deified. The Seven Seas Tower and even the sculptures on it are depicted in detail, and even at the spire of the tower, which is painted high above the clouds, there are hundreds of densely layered lines in the place the size of a fingernail, outlining the sculpture of the king at the top of the tower vividly. In order to depict the splendid picture of the bell tower and Yicheng, it is estimated that there are two to three taels of gold leaf just pasted off, and the highly saturated colors even penetrate every happy face on the picture......

Ye Tao could see it, Assad smiled slightly, stood aside, and was not in a hurry at all. When Ye Tao's attention left the picture little by little, Assad said proudly: "Mr. Ye, your genius has created the most beautiful scenery in this city. I hope that the same beautiful scenery will appear in my hometown. This towering bell tower will bring our people closer to Allah and better listen to Allah's wishes. On behalf of the Samir family, I look forward to welcoming you to Dubai Harbour and all your requests will be met as long as we can. ”

As the most successful architect of this era, Ye Tao is confident in his talent, but whether it is this era or that era, he has never heard of such unlimited offers, and for the generosity of the Assad family represented by Assad, at this moment he can only have one evaluation in his mind: "wronged".