Chapter 6: A female swordswoman succeeds without relying on men.

"The blood crossbow case in Tianhufang back then sparked more than a decade of bloodshed in various neighborhoods, and it hasn't completely subsided even today." Cui Jin looked at the group of islanders standing on the beach. Some of them were weathered by life, while others were young. The gifts under the yellow satin cloth had eased their fear of the unknown disaster. They eagerly awaited Pei Yuan's response, their eyes overflowing with longing for a new life. "It's also because Xingguofang has lived on Canglang Island for a long time and has no evidence related to the blood crossbow case that they have escaped this calamity."

Cui Jin spread his arms, his black robe billowing in the wind, and pressed down heavily on Pei Yuan. "The decline of the various workshops in the Great Jin Dynasty is the perfect opportunity to revitalize the Zhenguo Workshop. Once the meteorite is forged, you can return to the capital, and endless glory awaits the Pei family. Workshop Master Pei, is such a grand gift not enough for you to accept the decree? Or perhaps..." Cui Jin's eyes flashed with ruthlessness, "You intend to defy the decree?"

"I dare not!" Pei Yuan cried out, prostrating himself on the ground.

Cui Jin softened his tone: "You just said that if it weren't for being trapped on the island and unable to find a good doctor, Young Master Pei's legs wouldn't be in this state. If the Pei family hadn't lost the sword trial back then and had no choice but to vow to leave, things wouldn't be like this today. Did the Pei family ancestors really want their descendants to live in seclusion on Canglang Island forever? Now the road back to the capital is right under your feet. What the shopkeeper asks is for Young Master Pei's sake..."

"If they hadn't chosen to live in seclusion, they would probably have ended up like the Lu family, enjoying immense glory for a time, only to be wiped out in the end." With a thunderous roar, Cui Jin placed his large hand on the yellow satin. Before the rain could fall any further, Pei Yuan accepted the meteorite as ordered.

"How many days will it take for Xingguo Workshop to forge this precious artifact?"

Pei Yuan hesitated, not daring to speak. Cui Jin pondered for a moment and said, "I've heard that even the most difficult-to-melt black iron in the world can be melted in just a few days once it's put into the Heavenly Furnace. Meteorite is meant to be forged into a pure and sharp weapon, so we can't rush it. How about six months?" Cui Jin stared intently at Pei Yuan's twitching face and whispered, "In six months, hundreds or even thousands of weapons can be forged. Now it's just a stone. I believe you can definitely do it."

Pei Yuan opened his mouth slightly but couldn't utter a single "no." Cui Jin nodded slightly, turned around, and boarded the treasure ship.

The treasure ship turned around and left without stopping. After watching Cui Jin disappear from sight, Pei Yuan lifted the yellow satin and, amidst a gasp, Guan Ye also saw the meteorite. The stone was jet black and shiny, with a glittering luster. It was only a foot long, but it weighed as much as a thousand pounds. More importantly, the meteorite was a flying stone from outer space, which was regarded as a divine gift by all dynasties. Her father had said that no weapons workshop had ever been able to melt down a meteorite.

Guan Ye was too young to remember many of the things her father said, but she remembered everything about the meteorite. Her father's greatest regret in life was that he couldn't witness the meteorite being forged. He was so close, he said.

Pei Bi ordered the strongest sword slaves to carry away the meteorite, and the crowd dispersed. Aunt Lou pulled out a kitchen knife from her bosom and waved it at Guan Ye, signaling her to go back to work as soon as possible.

Lou Shitou nudged Guan Ye on the back, and Guan Ye whispered a few words to him. Shitou nodded sullenly and followed his mother.

Before Guan Ye could react, A Jiu had already drawn the short blade she had hidden, lightly ran her fingertip over it, and shook her head, saying, "You're carrying this without even sharpening it. With this, can you protect yourself? Or are you expecting that big guy to protect you?"

Guan Ye reached out to snatch it, "What good stuff do you have this time?"

Seeing that Ajiu and a female sword slave were standing there and wouldn't leave, several young men in black robes walked over and coughed, saying, "Ajiu, they're making fun of you. Show them your sword."

"You have a sword?" Guan Ye exclaimed in surprise. "I've never heard of any swordsmen in the neighborhood."

"Here it is." The young man in black, who was the leader, grinned and showed Guan Ye half of a sword hilt. Before Guan Ye could see it clearly, he carefully hid it away. "So, Xingguo Ward is about to have a change of fortune. What? The swordsman is so valiant, are you too embarrassed to look? My name is Cang Yu, what's your name?"

"What is there for me, Guan Ye, to be embarrassed about?" Guan Ye didn't even look at the one named Cang Yu. She deliberately raised her head and stared at A Jiu, scrutinizing him closely. He was quite different from a few years ago. His coarse clothes had been replaced by dark brocade robes with exquisite knife patterns embroidered on the cuffs. His hair was neatly combed like those of the young swordsmen, and his face was more composed and aloof. He was originally single-minded, but now, he seemed to have more depth and cunning.

Among the crowd on the beach, Ajiu recognized Guan Ye at a glance. Logically, he shouldn't have failed to recognize her; the laborers on Hu Xian's boat were covered in mud, their faces unrecognizable, and they were at the age of rapid growth. Guan Ye, on the other hand, had grown taller and her face was fairer. Her disheveled hair was neatly tied up, and her beautiful eyebrows and large eyes revealed a touch of heroism, making her stand out among the crowd. It was precisely those eyes, shining even in dire straits, that guided Ajiu to recognize her.

"Let's go." Cangyu nudged Ajiu. "Why are you still reluctant to leave?"

Ajiu raised his sword towards Guan Ye, gazing intently at the smile on her face that even a strong wind couldn't dispel, then brushed aside his black robes and turned to leave.

Guan Ye snorted. How could the Lou family mother and son have disappeared in such a short time? Guan Ye raised the short blade in her hand, turning around to sharpen it; it was no less formidable than those swords. Guan Ye took a few steps and saw that someone was still standing on the beach. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was Jiang Muyun. Why wasn't she staying in the ancestral hall with the young master? What was she doing out here?

Young Master Pei was as gentle and refined as jade, while Jiang Muyun was as dazzling as a bright pearl. They stood motionless in the wind, their light, flowing robes billowing in a beautiful arc, their eyes as deep as the ocean as they followed the direction the treasure ship had left.

It turned out that everyone harbored the thought of leaving. Guan Ye sighed suddenly. The workshop owner had accepted the meteorite. If it were to be forged into a treasure, would anyone still stay on Canglang Island? Guan Ye laughed at herself for thinking too much. She would have to see if Xingguo Workshop had the ability to do so.

The sand was soft and damp, and had just been trampled on. Soon, many clams were unearthed. Guan Ye bent down, picked up a clam, broke it open, and sucked on the delicious clam meat. Just as she was about to turn around, she saw Jiang Muyun with one hand tucked into his pocket and the other picking up clams. His movements were nimble and skillful. As if he sensed that someone was watching him, Jiang Muyun stopped. The sky was not yet fully bright. In the dim light, his profile was like a mountain spirit or monster hiding in the world, standing in the sand, calmly observing the world.

Guan Ye was mesmerized, thinking the woman also longed to go ashore, but it turned out she was just craving some clam meat. She immediately felt a desire to befriend her, but looking back, she wondered how long the woman would stay. She was afraid that a sudden approach might startle her. The work in the hamlet was heavy, and if she didn't leave soon, Aunt Lou would complain again. Guan Ye kept turning back, thinking that seeing A-Jiu again today and making a few more friends would make life even more enjoyable. A smile played on Guan Ye's lips, and her steps became lighter.

From this day forward, Ajiu and the other young swordsmen remained in the ward. It seems they had all been sent to the outskirts to practice martial arts and swordsmanship. Cui Jin's sudden appearance with his soldiers had made the island lord fear he too was implicated in the Blood Crossbow Case, hence the gathering of men to prepare for the island's defense. The hidden swordsmen were also recalled; now that they had revealed themselves, there was no need for concealment. And so, with several more handsome young men, the ward became lively, and even the sword servants were more enthusiastic about their work.

“Xingguo Ward was not supposed to have swordsmen. What use would swordsmen be for the stranded people on the island?” Aunt Lou wiped her sweat. “Swordsmen are only used in the weapon shops outside for testing swords and competing in martial arts. The ward master was farsighted and restarted the swordsmen long ago. It seems he foresaw this day.”

As they were talking, several swordsmen passed by the backyard. Seeing Guan Ye's flushed face, Aunt Lou leaned closer and chuckled, "I think these swordsmen are all handsome and skilled. I'll find someone to recommend one to you later, how about that?" She pointed to the one named Cang Yu, "Auntie thinks that one is quite good."

Cang Yu seemed to hear someone calling him. The moment he turned around, he bumped into Aunt Lou's smiling eyes. Cang Yu's handsome face suddenly darkened, and he quickened his pace.

Guan Ye jumped up abruptly, "As a woman, must I rely on a man to live a peaceful and happy life?"

Aunt Lou stared blankly at Cang Yu, then was suddenly startled by Guan Ye. She was so angry that her nose was practically steaming. "Otherwise what? The capable ones in the brothel are all men, and the swordsmen are the cream of the crop. Even a man carrying a heavy bag can weigh twenty pounds more than you. You're just a little sword slave. If you don't have a husband to rely on in the future, won't you be bullied to the skies?"

"Guan Ye, listen to Aunt Lou!" someone shouted, winking at Aunt Lou. "With someone to rely on and someone to depend on, who in the neighborhood would dare to bully her?"

Aunt Lou rolled up her sleeves, ready to slap the man, "You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll tear your mouth apart."

“She’s capable, so naturally the shop owner values ​​her. Which of your managers can surpass her?” Guan Ye couldn’t stand others making fun of this matter. “Women don’t need men to succeed.”

Aunt Lou was stunned. Forgetting about slapping her, she squatted down, panting, and said, "Judging from your tone, women can succeed? Do you want to be a blacksmith? There must be no women blacksmithing in this world, right?"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

“In the world of weapon workshops, skill is the foundation of the business. The most capable blacksmiths hold the position, regardless of gender. The world is vast and full of hidden talents. How can you be sure there are no women blacksmithing?” Guan Ye dusted off the charcoal ash from her hands and turned to leave. “No one will be a slave to swords for their entire life.”

"Hey?" Aunt Lou stood up as well. "You brat, you've got quite the nerve. I've heard that meteorites are hard to melt, so why don't you try melting that stone yourself?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ajiu, who was walking at the very back, suddenly turned around to look at Guan Ye. He saw that the figure was walking on the bluestone road with light and easy steps. Guan Ye turned around abruptly, and their eyes met again. Ajiu's raised eyebrows were just like the undulating mountains on the other side of the sea. He was clearly at an age of joy and carefree, but he had a composure that was not commensurate with his age. He held a sword in one hand, and half of the hilt was exposed from the corner of his clothes. There was no warmth in his proud eyes when he saw an old friend again, but his starry eyes were deep and seemed to contain emotions.

They were heading towards the Heavenly Furnace. Guan Ye knew it must be because the meteorite was still not melting. They were just swordsmen; what could they possibly do at the Heavenly Furnace? Surely they weren't going to perform a sword dance to please the Furnace God.

Guan Ye chuckled as she thought about it, while A Jiu's eyebrows twitched, a look of confusion in her eyes.

Guan Ye turned gracefully and entered the fork in the road. A Jiu weighed the sword in her hand and followed her companion.

A note from the author:

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