CHAPTER 108: CHAPTER 102 ASSIGNMENT

"What are you thinking? My cousin is a blacksmith. How could he switch to a good citizen status? However, he hasn’t let his son learn blacksmithing. Lately, he’s been spending money and using connections to try to convert his son’s status."

"That’s so shortsighted. If he can’t switch, his son won’t know blacksmithing in the end. Wouldn’t that be disastrous?"

"If the government conscripts you and you fail the task, it’s a beheading for sure."

"Yes, your cousin is being so reckless. How can you cut off a family trade like that?"

Ding the Potter: "I’ve tried to persuade him, but blacksmiths are not like us potters. They’re often conscripted into the army. Our Xiping County had so many blacksmiths in the past, but now only my cousin is left alive."

"If he can’t switch status, he will die sooner or later. As my cousin said, dying sooner or later is still dying. It’s better to let my nephew live more freely and not have to learn blacksmithing so miserably."

Everyone thought about it and agreed it was true.

Zhao Hanzhang stood by the window watching them leave, naturally hearing their words as well.

Fu Tinghan: "Let’s reward them. There must be many people in the manor who want to learn craftsmanship."

Ji Yuan could not understand, "Third Lady, with such leniency, if these craftsmen run away, we would suffer a huge loss."

Craftsmen are registered as craftsmen. Even if they sign a contract, if they run away, Zhao Hanzhang could only chase them for compensation if caught.

Unlike slaves, whose life or death is in one’s hands.

Therefore, all the gentry in the world are thinking about turning craftsmen into slaves, rarely releasing slaves to become craftsmen.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "The recipes are in our hands. The materials are never given to them. Even if they have the skills, running away without the recipes is useless."

"If someone really has the ability to not only get the craftsmen and also the recipes from me, then I have a way to ensure they can’t catch up with us." Zhao Hanzhang looked toward Fu Tinghan. "What does Professor Fu think?"

Fu Tinghan nodded, "Yes."

Besides the first batch of glass, the formulas he adjusted later were not made public, besides him, only Uncle Cheng knows roughly.

Fu Tinghan and Zhao Hanzhang aren’t foolish; core technology has to be in the hands of your own people.

Zhao Hanzhang instructed the entering Uncle Cheng, "Select some smart and sensible youngsters from the manor to send to the workshops for teaching."

Uncle Cheng: "The tenants here in Shangcai are a bit different. Should we select anyone from over in Xiping?"

The Zhao Family has slaves and impoverished clansmen there, even tenants, whose loyalty is higher than those in this manor.

After some thought, Zhao Hanzhang said, "No hurry, let’s select people from here first."

Uncle Cheng understood immediately and agreed readily.

Fu Tinghan asked, "Who will manage the recipes in the future?"

He couldn’t keep adjusting materials for them. With the recipes, naturally, someone else should manage them. Fu Tinghan wasn’t interested in such repetitive, technically void work.

Zhao Hanzhang waved a large hand and said, "Give it to Zhao Cai."

Uncle Cheng heard this and hastily refused, "My lady, Zhao Cai is young and might not be able to handle such a significant task. Better let him stay with Second Son."

"He’s not that young. I saw him doing well before in Luoyang," Zhao Hanzhang said, "Choose someone else to be at Second Son’s side, someone sturdy and vigorous. Let Zhao Cai come here and manage things for me."

Zhao Hanzhang said sympathetically, "Seeing Zhao Cai hobble behind Second Son every day makes me feel for him, too."

Uncle Cheng could find no words to object and silently cursed Zhao Cai for not living up to expectations. Just learning some skills, does he have to act like he’s been beaten? Is it that hard?

Second Son, though younger by a few years, never complained of being tired or sore.

As they were speaking, Zhao Erlang returned drenched in sweat.

He ran into the courtyard excitedly, shouting loudly even before entering, "Sister, Sister, I knocked Uncle Qianli off his horse today—"

Zhao Cai trudged behind, barely dragging his legs.

Upon entry, Zhao Erlang dashed to Zhao Hanzhang, shoving his sweaty head against her for a wipe, then faced up, waiting for praise.

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Uncle Qianli wasn’t hurt, was he?"

"He says he wasn’t, but I bet his butt hurts a lot. Hahaha..."

Zhao Hanzhang knew it wasn’t serious and praised, "Well done, your martial skills have improved. Tomorrow I’ll assign you to the troops, granting you a centurion’s role. How about that?"

Zhao Erlang’s eyes lit up, "Is that an official position?"

"Sort of," Zhao Hanzhang said, "As a centurion, you’ll have nine soldiers under you. You’ll be responsible for training them and conducting patrols and martial practice. You have to make them listen to you while also protecting them. Understand?"

Zhao Erlang thought for a moment and nodded, "I understand, just like Ji Ping."

"Now Ji Ping is the squad leader. You’re doing what Ji Ping used to do, and your superior," Zhao Hanzhang thought for a bit, "will be Ji Ping. In the military, you have to listen to Ji Ping."

Zhao Erlang asked, "Isn’t Ji Ping supposed to listen to me?"

"No," Zhao Hanzhang said, "The squad leader is above the centurion. Outside the military, you’re the master, and Ji Ping is the subordinate, so he listens to you. But in the military, you’re below him, so you have to listen to him. Military orders are as unyielding as mountains, they cannot be defied, understand?"

Zhao Erlang nodded in confusion.

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang look at Zhao Cai behind him, "Zhao Cai, starting tomorrow, you no longer have to follow Second Son; you’ll go manage the workshop."

The disheartened Zhao Cai lifted his head in surprise upon hearing this. After a glare from his father, he came back to his senses, quickly kneeling to thank and accepted the command.

Zhao Erlang was somewhat reluctant about Zhao Cai, saying, "Then I won’t have a playmate anymore."

"I’ll pick another one for you," Zhao Hanzhang pinched the muscles on his arm and said, "Someone around your age, as lively and adorable as you."

Ji Yuan and Uncle Cheng both looked up at Zhao Hanzhang, questioning with their eyes if she was serious.

Fu Tinghan, however, nodded silently. Originally, they wanted someone clever to stay by Zhao Erlang’s side, able to guide and take care of him.

But now it seems, he should be playing with boys similar to him at this stage.

With Zhao Cai at the workshop, Fu Tinghan felt much freer, so he left all the recipes to him, dedicating himself to the study of steelmaking.

This made Zhao Cai both excited and somewhat frightened, saying privately to his father, "Father, my lady and Mr. Fu trust me too much. I can only repay this with my life."

Uncle Cheng rolled his eyes, "No one asked you to die. Just take good care of the recipes, don’t let them get stolen, and don’t let anyone figure them out."

"I understand, it’s just that my lady entrusted such important things to me, I feel a bit anxious."

"Then do more work. The more you do, the less anxious you’ll feel," Uncle Cheng said thoughtfully, "Isn’t my lady going to the county town tomorrow? Accompany her, and say what she finds inconvenient to say. Be clever about it."

Zhao Cai loudly replied with a "yes."