Chapter 94: The Iron Forge Determines Destiny

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After hearing Qin Qiong’s words, Li Dong first nodded, then shook his head. “Big brother isn’t entirely wrong, but I still feel uneasy. It all seems too coincidental, and my heart isn’t at peace…”

“Brother, you’re overthinking it, being too cautious. Rest assured, nothing unexpected will happen again,” Qin Qiong comforted Li Dong.

Li Dong fell silent. As a time traveler, he knew well that it wouldn’t be long before Dou Jiande offended the Sui dynasty soldiers, resulting in the massacre of his entire family and the destruction of his village.

In a fit of rage, Dou Jiande led over two hundred men in rebellion against the Sui dynasty, seeking refuge in Gao Jibo under Gao Shida. Due to his outstanding performance, his influence gradually grew, rivaling the Tang dynasty until his eventual defeat and execution.

If Dou Jiande truly had a sense of brotherhood toward him and was willing to form a bond among the three of them, should Li Dong warn him? Would that cause a butterfly effect, preventing Dou Jiande from rebelling against the Sui dynasty and thus erasing the brief glory of the Great Xia Kingdom?

Without the Xia Kingdom, could Li Dong leverage this historical inevitability to establish a similar regime near Qinghe Commandery, supporting Du Fuwei’s expansion in the Jianghuai region? This way, controlling two-thirds of the realm, the future would be brilliant…

Whether this was right or wrong was a dark path ahead, a gamble made blindly. Of course, if he ignored Dou Jiande and let the massacre happen, history would proceed along its original course.

The most urgent matter was to find out exactly where Dou Jiande offended the Sui soldiers, which general’s troops were involved, and how to avoid conflict. Otherwise, all these schemes would be in vain!

This matter must not be seen through by Qin Qiong, nor a single word leaked. So when discussing Dou Jiande, Li Dong analyzed solely based on the events at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, never mentioning anything beyond it.

“Hopefully so. I don’t want any other troubles to arise either,” Li Dong replied calmly.

Luo Shixin sat bored, his stomach growling incessantly. Both Li Dong and Qin Qiong heard it, exchanged glances, and burst into laughter.

Once they laughed, they realized their own stomachs were revolting as well.

They had intended to drink heartily at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion but were interrupted by Liu Heita’s disturbance, ending up with empty stomachs. After sitting and talking for so long, all three felt hunger gnawing at them.

“Let’s go home and cook!” Qin Qiong stood up and said to Li Dong and Luo Shixin.

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“Yes, self-reliance brings abundance!” Li Dong also stood up. “But today, I’ll do the cooking. You two just sit and wait for some delicious food!”

“Great! Brother, you’re good at everything but I’ve never tasted your cooking. Today, we get to enjoy your cuisine!” Luo Shixin clapped excitedly.

Though their stomachs were empty, the three were unusually excited as they left the iron workshop together, heading home.

Back at Qin Qiong’s house, Qin Qiong prepared the ingredients while Li Dong rolled up his sleeves to cook.

Qin Qiong’s father was quite surprised. The three brothers had taken some coins to eat out, gone for quite a while, and now were cooking at home. Had they not eaten enough? Or did they find the money insufficient?

Well, Luo Shixin’s appetite was enormous; perhaps he hadn’t eaten well. Thinking this, a pleased smile appeared on his face. These three boys were like his own children, all young and growing. If they wanted to eat more, let them!

Worried that the boys wouldn’t be at ease if he stayed home, Qin Qiong’s father found an excuse to leave the house, giving them space to enjoy themselves freely.

Qin Qiong was busy preparing when he saw his father walking away alone. He quickly put down his work and followed him outside.

“Father, please wait,” Qin Qiong called out.

“What is it? You all are restrained at home. If I leave, you can have fun,” his father smiled.

“No, I have something important to report and ask your decision on,” Qin Qiong said, then detailed Li Dong’s plan to have him accompany the household troops to Liaodong to repair weapons. At the end, he added, “There’s no danger, and I want to go! Besides, there’s money to be made.”

“Heh, foolish child. You’ve already decided, what more do you want from me?” Qin Qiong’s father laughed, gently patting his head with pride. “You’ve finally grown up. Sooner or later, you’ll leave your parents. I’ve long wanted you to gain experience. This is a good opportunity, so go since there’s no danger.”

“But… but…” Qin Qiong hesitated. “Once I leave, you’ll be alone running the iron workshop. Shixin can’t help much. How can that be? I’m glad you agreed to let me go, but I worry about you overworking. Mom’s health isn’t good, so you mustn’t get sick.”

“Don’t worry. My old arms and legs are tough. Don’t fret about me. Shixin is strong and, with some guidance, even better at forging than you!” Qin Qiong’s father reassured him. “If nothing else, I’m heading out first. If anything comes up, we’ll talk after I return.”

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His father was willing to entrust the youngest brother, Shixin, to take over so he could gain experience outside. After a year with their father, Qin Qiong knew forging wasn’t just about strength; it was a skillful craft.

Where Shixin couldn’t manage, Qin Qiong would step in. Watching his father leave home, Qin Qiong felt deeply moved.

Li Dong applied his battlefield skills, seasoning the chicken, duck, and lamb leg Qin Qiong prepared with coarse salt, roasting them over the fire until golden and fragrant. The fat sizzled and dripped, occasionally sparking small flames when it fell on the coals.

Luo Shixin, enticed by the aroma, excitedly danced over to Li Dong, grabbed a whole chicken, and bit into it without hesitation.

“Ouch, it’s so hot!” Before tasting the flavor, Luo Shixin twisted his neck as his mouth was scalded and distorted like a Transformer, stretching wide in a comical and hilarious manner.

Li Dong wanted to stop him but was too late. Luo Shixin’s mouth developed small blisters.

Hearing the commotion, Qin Qiong hurried back into the yard and laughed heartily at Luo Shixin’s antics.

Li Dong cooled the blisters with warm water to prevent them from worsening, then pricked them with a needle and sprinkled some salt to reduce inflammation, telling Luo Shixin to sit inside and wait.

They opened a jar of fine wine, and the three brothers sat down to eat.

Still wary from being burned, Luo Shixin didn’t dare eat as heartily as before, only half filling his stomach.

This worked out well for Li Dong and Qin Qiong, who both enjoyed the feast to their heart’s content, watching Luo Shixin sit aside practicing “breathing exercises,” unable to partake fully, which made them chuckle quietly.