CHAPTER 130: CHAPTER 128: PLANNING FOR HIM

Xie Liangchen waited for a long time in front of the blacksmith shop before the apprentice came out wiping sweat.

The young apprentice was only about ten years old and usually helped the blacksmith stoke the fire. His face was dark from spring to winter, perhaps stained by smoke or scorched by fire.

"Sister Chen," the apprentice was very delighted upon seeing Xie Liangchen.

Xie Liangchen handed the boy a bag of beans: "Hei Dan asked me to bring these for you." Every time they visited, they would bring some food for the apprentice.

The apprentice looked embarrassed: "Sister, you don’t need to bring me more, life isn’t easy at Chen Family Village."

Xie Liangchen smiled: "It’s not worth much, just something to pass the time with."

Kids always liked having something to snack on, and these beans were pretty much all that could be spared from Chen Family Village.

The apprentice lowered his eyes as he accepted the beans: "Thank you, Sister Chen."

He glanced behind him: "It will take more than an hour to complete. Master said Sister Chen needs the medicine knife to be sharp, so he has to forge it multiple times."

Xie Liangchen was grateful to the blacksmith. The item she needed was indeed more delicate than a cauldron or it would chip after a few uses.

The blacksmith had called a few more people to help, and the apprentice didn’t hurry back inside, choosing to chat with Xie Liangchen instead.

Xie Liangchen asked, "Lots of work recently?"

The apprentice nodded: "Many from Zhenzhou City and nearby villages have come to make cauldrons. Our blacksmith shop works from morning till night, with many tasks postponed to the next year."

Xie Liangchen laughed: "During wartime, no one dared to use a cauldron, and those we had were taken by the Liao people. Now it’s different, every village needs a few cauldrons to cook conveniently." Apart from the Familiar Medicine Institute, the entire Chen Family Village had only three cauldrons, one of which was at her house.

The apprentice chuckled, eyes squinting in delight: "Even my Master didn’t expect so many people would buy cauldrons this year, all because of the profits from selling herbs, furs, and trading teams."

Xie Liangchen liked to hear that, as it meant everyone was able to make some Silver Coins.

As they spoke, Ironsmith Wang emerged. His square face was slightly somber, with furrowed brows, and he said to Xie Liangchen: "You’ll have to come back tomorrow for the medicine knife."

Xie Liangchen asked: "What’s the problem?"

Ironsmith Wang sighed: "I tried what Miss Xie said, making the blade as thin as possible, but it bends easily. Before long, I’ll have to reforge the body. It seems the fire isn’t strong enough, I’ll think of a way."

After finishing, the apprentice rushed back: "I’ll go stoke the fire."

Ironsmith Wang looked at Xie Liangchen: "Before, I’ve seen my master craft such a knife. Perhaps my skills aren’t proficient, but since I’ve promised, I’ll keep trying. If it fails, we’ll have to see next year when Zhenzhou blacksmith shops have air bags to use, maybe then it can be done."

Xie Liangchen said: "Thank you very much."

Ironsmith Wang said a couple of words and turned back to the shop. Chen Yongyi comforted Xie Liangchen: "Don’t worry, there will be a way."

Not all herbs could be put into a grinding groove; the medicine knife was crucial. Xie Liangchen remembered in her past life the ability to forge a good medicine knife. Where was the gap?

Could it be true that Ironsmith Wang’s skills were lacking?

Xie Liangchen contemplated slowly, but her mind was a jumble, without a solution at the moment.

But this blacksmith shop was indeed too small. Although she hadn’t asked Song Xian directly, she could guess that Song Xian would have the government office recruit more craftsmen to make equipment next year.

Maybe she should make a rough medicine knife to use for now, until next year... She didn’t want to wait until next year, and so Xie Liangchen prepared to stroll around the street again.

Chen Yongyi began to understand why the woman did not want to follow Miss Chen into the city; Miss Chen had too much to see, from the west end to the east end of the city, and even wanted to see if there were goods from the Southern lands with the trading teams.

These items weren’t cheap. Previously, he thought two Silver Coins per household each month was sufficient, but now realized Miss Chen had grand ambitions.

Walking around, Miss Chen came up with an idea, taking him along to check out some wood.

"Liangchen," Chen Yongyi said, "Why look at wood? If you want to make something, I can take people to the mountains to cut it."

Xie Liangchen shook her head, suddenly remembering something, having seen a Daoist use it in the past. That Daoist specialized in fire processing herbs and sometimes sold the treated herbs to pharmacies.

The Daoist had made a wind box himself, similar to the air bags she had seen before, which were made using leather. Air bags were good, but ordinary blacksmiths couldn’t afford to use them.

"Fourth Uncle," Xie Liangchen said, "Let’s go back and try making a wind box with the wood."

Chen Yongyi regretted having boasted: "What do you mean to make?"

Xie Liangchen replied: "Wind box."

Chen Yongyi still looked bewildered, wishing his more knowledgeable brother, the village chief, were there to explain.

The Daoist had seen firearms capable of spraying rocket fuel on the battlefield, and thus thought of making a wind box, which once pulled, could blow out wind, similar to the principle of those firearms spraying rocket fuel.

If she couldn’t make it, she’d ask Song Xian, who surely knew.

...

Qin Maoxing came to Zhenzhou under the guise of gathering information, and after discussing with Song Xian, returned to Cangzhou to make arrangements.

Song Xian reported the entire matter to Li You and didn’t leave the government office until nightfall.

Returning to the small compound, before Song Xian could speak, Chang An reported: "Miss Xie went into the city early today, first visited the blacksmith, then went to the market and trading teams, after returning to the village, she went up the mountain to cut trees with the people from Chen Family Village."

Song Xian frowned, truly busy, not resting even for a day.

Chang An continued: "Miss Xie asked Chang Yue if he had seen Fierce Fire Oil Cabinet."

Song Xian questioned: "Military Equipment Supervision’s firearms? What does she want to do?" In their previous life, she used gunpowder to deal with Ji Yuan, and now she asked this, what could she possibly be thinking about all day?

Chang An stated: "She said she wants to make a wind box for the blacksmith shop."

Chang An dared not guess what the wind box was. Miss Xie’s actions had always been unpredictable. Previously, he thought it was remarkable when the master opened up, now he finally found a girl he liked, but... Miss Xie seemed different from ordinary women.

Surely his master’s taste was discerning.

Song Xian’s eyes momentarily deepened. She thought of the blacksmith shop this quickly? Next year, he was planning to establish more Ironworks Supervisions. When Qin Maoxing mentioned military preparations, he thought especially hard, given that in their previous life, military preparations had been constrained by others. Now he must plan ahead.

Xie Liangchen was unaware of Qin Maoxing’s motives for coming to Zhenzhou, yet fortuitously thought of the blacksmith shop.

It was as if she was helping him plan.

Song Xian instructed: "Go find one."

Chang An was puzzled at first, but quickly understood that the master wanted him to find a Fierce Fire Oil Cabinet for Miss Xie.

Song Xian warned: "Don’t let her misuse it." Improper use could be dangerous.

"Nevermind," Song Xian stopped Chang An, "I’ll take it over myself."

Chang An nearly couldn’t suppress a sigh. Now Chang Yue was left at Chen Family Village for years, and the master is still worried even when he acts for Miss Xie.

The master’s fondness for Miss Xie increased day by day.

Song Xian commanded: "Instruct the chef to make pig stomach soup, not too good, not too bad." Too good would arouse suspicion, too bad would be undrinkable.