Chapter Sixty-Nine: Zhang Daniu’s Industrial Plan

“Master, we’ve already uncovered Zhou Zhongyu’s background.”

After eliminating the Mountain Dragon and the defeated soldiers who rallied to him, the troubles were far from over. Those from the Zhou family, who intended to lead the remnants into banditry and serve as their strategist, had to be thoroughly investigated.

“Zhou Zhongyu is the son of a concubine from the fourth branch of the Zhou family. It’s said he was never favored as a child; his food and clothing were even worse than the servants’. For reasons unknown, he later won the old patriarch’s favor and served at his side for several years. People say he is shrewd and capable.”

Zhao Hengyi narrowed his eyes, already picturing how a concubine’s son might struggle to survive in a sprawling family like the Zhou’s, clawing his way upward step by step.

No doubt, Zhou Zhongyu is a ruthless character. Though born into the Zhou family, his low status and ambition would not allow him to remain beneath others. In the end, he became the Zhou family’s tool for controlling the mountain bandits.

Had it not been for Zhao Hengyi’s own efforts to train troops, inadvertently disrupting Zhou Zhongyu’s plans, who can say—three or five years hence, Zhou Zhongyu might well have grown into a formidable warlord!

Perhaps he would one day return to the Zhou family, seize power, and overturn the established order.

Indeed, fate is unpredictable.

Now, even the local gentry like the Zhou family are restless, seeking to safeguard their interests through shady means. A glimpse through the cracks reveals that the Great Yan Empire is teetering, chaos looming.

Perhaps the Zhou clan lacks such long-term vision, but as the proverb says, ducks sense the warming waters before others. Those at the lowest rung of the empire’s society, desperate to protect their meager interests, instinctively turn to change and risk.

Together with the defeated soldiers slipping into Dangyang County through secret channels, Zhao Hengyi was compelled to adjust his plans for development.

This feeling of urgency was far from pleasant, yet as a participant and an observer, Zhao Hengyi had to guard against the unexpected.

It was time to upgrade the smithy. Although conditions and finances still wouldn’t allow Zhao Hengyi to build a furnace capable of producing steel directly, he could at least begin preparations.

Technological upgrades are a complex system; some things can be achieved instantly, but steelmaking has many indispensable preliminary steps.

“Is Big Niu still unwilling to instruct the newly recruited smiths?”

Mentioning his stubborn apprentice, Zhao Hengyi could only rub his brow. Zhang Big Niu was so obstinate it was maddening. “Erhu, go call him over. It seems I must introduce some house rules into our guild!”

As a crucial part of adjusting his development plans, the smithy had to change. Zhang Big Niu and his apprentices could no longer meet Zhao Hengyi’s needs.

Zhao Hengyi had recruited two smiths from nearby villages, yet Zhang Big Niu strongly resisted. Not only did he refuse to pass on the craft of making hand crossbows to the new smiths, he wouldn’t even let them enter the expanded smithy.

Now, relying on his status as the master’s apprentice, Zhang Big Niu had become a notable figure in the village; even the old village chief dared not force him.

Fortunately, aside from his newfound penchant for boasting, Zhang Big Niu caused no real trouble, and Zhao Hengyi had always been content to ignore him.

But now, with this stubborn fool causing such a scene, a lesson was in order. If need be, expelling him from the guild was not out of the question.

Zhang Big Niu, head tilted and eyes slanting defiantly, was brought before Zhao Hengyi. Before Zhao Hengyi had a chance to speak, the fool dropped to his knees ahead of him!

“Master, the guild’s secret techniques must not be handed out lightly!”

“Even if it means working myself and your apprentices to death in the smithy, I won’t pass this craft to outsiders!”

“If you think I’m unreasonable and stubborn, I’ll accept it!”

“Hit me, scold me, do as you wish—just aim for the thickest parts when you beat me, so it doesn’t delay the smithy’s work!”

This fool—Zhao Hengyi smacked his lips, at a loss for words.

Zhang Big Niu was stubborn, but his loyalty was genuine. Erhu had said that, to rush the work, the fool hadn’t left the smithy for over ten days.

“So tell me, when there’s too much work to finish, what then?”

Growing angry, Zhao Hengyi kicked Zhang Big Niu’s legs twice, but the thick-skinned man hardly seemed to notice. “Next, I’ll expand the smithy into a smelting workshop. We’ll need more hands. If you refuse to let others learn the craft, you and your apprentices will never keep up, even if you work yourselves to death!”

Hearing that the smithy would be expanded, though he didn’t yet understand what a smelting workshop was, Zhang Big Niu’s face lit up with joy.

“Master, I have a solution!”

A rough-hewn man who made his living by forging iron, now squinting and making faces to imitate a petty schemer—it made him look even uglier.

“Stand up and speak. Be clear and detailed. If your solution doesn’t work, you’ll have to obey me without complaint.”

Seeing Zhang Big Niu’s furtive, tattletale-like expression, Zhao Hengyi couldn’t help but laugh.

“Master, those two smiths you recruited from the neighboring village aren’t trustworthy. They’re not of one mind with us; if they learn the craft, they’ll surely run away!”

“There’s no suitable young men left in the village; all who show promise at forging have become your apprentices, and there’s no one else to choose from.”

“If we want to protect the guild’s secrets and have enough hands, we can buy people from the slave market!”

“Once bought, their contracts are in your hands. If they harbor disloyalty, you can punish or kill them as you please!”

“Even if one learns the craft and escapes, he’ll remain a fugitive slave—wherever he runs, he’ll end up caught and brought back!”

“Even if he truly escapes, a runaway slave can never open a smithy. Our craft will stay safe!”

Clearly, Zhang Big Niu had pondered this for some time. He’d even investigated the buying and selling of slaves!

Zhao Hengyi had wondered before why Zhang Big Niu kept pestering Steward Song and Xing Xiaorong, the liaison officer stationed in the village—now it was clear he was gathering information.

Zhang Big Niu’s idea was a bit crude and even naive, but the method was practical!

Buying and selling slaves is extremely common in Great Yan; ordinary folk are not opposed to it. In fact, nearly everyone struggling to feed themselves sees being bought by a wealthy household as a way to avoid starving—a lucky break.

Truth be told, Zhao Hengyi was tempted.

“Master, I’ve already asked Rong about it. In the slave market at Jiangling Prefecture, there are smiths for sale—many are guilty of offenses at the Imperial Workshop. In these times, even among those who’ve erred, there are likely some honest, reliable men!”

Looking at Zhang Big Niu’s triumphant face, Zhao Hengyi felt his gums itch with amusement… This boy is truly a talent!