"Mechanical fighting" refers to violent incidents involving brawls or even group fights with deadly weapons. Under the laws of the Great Yu Dynasty, serious cases could be punished with the death penalty, though a review was required.
The news was brought back to the clinic and then spread to the Zanhua Courtyard. The children all pursed their lips and looked at Fang Heng.
Fang Laosan glared at him, "Why are you looking at me like that? Although I led my servants in martial arts training, it was really just martial arts training, and there was no fighting or brawling."
Besides, a few wood-chopping knives will dull after a fight; what kind of fight can they possibly have?
But others won't think that way.
If Fang Heng has weapons and there are casualties, it is considered a fight, a crime punishable by imprisonment or even the death penalty.
Xu Mo's expression was serious. "Second brother, where did you buy the wood-chopping knife?"
Zheng Ruqian was taken aback. "I bought it at the blacksmith's shop. They said my family has nine people who need to chop firewood..."
The Dayu Dynasty had very strict regulations on ironware. Woodcutting knives, kitchen knives, shovels, and pickaxes were among the few types of ironware that could be registered and purchased.
Shovels and picks are necessities for farming, while machetes and kitchen knives are necessities for eating.
Of course, most importantly, their quality is only average.
A wood-chopping knife is sharp, but it's only effective against wood. If it were used against human bones, or against an equally sharp wood-chopping knife, the result would only be that both blades would become dull.
A sharp blade that can appear on the battlefield usually has an extremely broad back, a sharp edge, and a sturdy body, which is necessary to pierce the enemy's armor and make the clanging sound as if nothing had happened.
A weapon like a wood-chopping knife is destined to be scrapped if it encounters danger.
That's why Fang Heng got angry and chased Zheng Ruqian for two streets with a wood-chopping knife.
"Does Elder Brother mean that Prefect He found out about Second Brother buying a wood-chopping knife, and he'll use that to his advantage?" Changyan stepped forward and hit the nail on the head.
Xu Mo nodded slightly.
A group of people focused their attention on Fang Laosan once again.
"Then shall we throw away our wood-chopping tools?" Fang Heng asked, his face full of reluctance.
Although I dislike the wood-chopping knife, it is still a knife. As long as you handle it carefully, the feel of it can never compare to a long stick.
“We can discard this batch of woodcutting axes, but we can’t go without axes forever,” Fang Heng said in a deep voice.
A good weapon can double or even quadruple a person's skill or power.
The wood-chopping knife was already a compromise; if they were to bring back the long stick, the past six months of training would be practically wasted.
Moreover, since Prefect He wanted to use the knife to his advantage, they discarded it.
One day, Prefect He wanted to make a fuss about the workshop. Were they going to abandon the workshop?
Or, abandon your own family?
"The knife cannot be lost," Xu Mo concluded firmly.
Fang Heng breathed a long sigh of relief, but quickly added with worry, "What if we fall into Prefect He's trap if we don't lose the knife?"
Xu Mo didn't speak, but focused his gaze on Chang Yan.
Although I don't know the background of the fifth brother, this kid is very adept at deception and treachery, so asking him is definitely the right thing to do.
"Hmm..." Chang Yan pondered for a moment, "Don't throw away the knife, ignore everything else, and continue living."
The children in the courtyard with the hairpin were all stunned.
Jiang Sheng, being the youngest, was a little confused, but still couldn't help asking, "What if Third Brother falls into a trap? Are we just going to abandon him?"
How could that be?
Chang Yan curled up the corners of his mouth like a little fox, "Big brother, go ask Brother Fufeng to ask for nine knives, but they must be the kind that are not sharpened, preferably similar in shape to a wood-chopping knife."
Only when the blades are sharpened can it be called a melee; otherwise, it's just a group fight.
Xu Mo suddenly understood.
But he still had a question: "You've been going in and out of the Wang family a lot lately. Couldn't you have just mentioned it to Fufeng? Why do I have to go out of my way to find you?"
Chang Yan smiled wryly at this, offering no reply.
In this world, doing things openly and honestly will inevitably leave traces. For example, Zheng Ruqian must have registered his purchase of the knife with the government.
But some things still need to be done quietly.
For example, when Wen Xiaosi opened his clinic, he completely severed ties with Zanhua Courtyard, sneaking into the clinic every day and then returning to Zanhua Courtyard in a furtive manner.
For example, the nine unsharpened longswords he purchased from Wang Fufeng were done secretly, without anyone knowing.
Normally, Fang Heng would use wood-chopping knives with his servants.
Only when the dew is heavy do I quietly familiarize myself with the weight of the bladeless longsword.
They lived peacefully like this for more than half a month.
The green beans in Xieyang County are in perfect condition, neither too old nor too young, and are ready to be dried in the pot.
Zheng Ruqian wanted to make the products in Xieyang County and then ship them to various places, but this was opposed by all his siblings in the Zanhua Courtyard.
Especially Xiao Jiangsheng, who stood with her hands on her hips and shouted, "Second brother, you're so silly! The workshop in the prefectural city only makes ten catties of sausages a day. The aunties are so bored they're practically eating melon seeds. Can't you just bring the green beans to the workshop to dry? Do you expect me to open a workshop in Xiyang County?"
Besides, the customs duty on fresh green beans entering the prefectural city is only a few dollars, but how much would the customs duty on dried green beans be?
In comparison, Zheng Ruqian lost and had Pang Dashan and his brothers transport the green beans to the workshop in the prefectural city.
The only thing we need to be careful about now is how to preserve fresh green beans intact for five days.
This isn't difficult.
Zhang Xianglian stepped forward and said, “I didn’t go to town often before. When I did go, I would have to buy vegetables for three to five days. These green beans can be stored for at least five days if you just wrap them tightly in waste paper.”
That's why common sense is more important than anything else.
Zheng Ruqian breathed a sigh of relief and asked Xu Mo to collect some waste paper at the academy, officially starting the delivery of green beans. Even Wang Xiaosong joined in, running around happily.
They seemed to have forgotten that there was a prefectural governor who was eyeing them covetously.
Fortunately, Xu Mo and Chang Yan became even more vigilant.
As the saying goes, the calm before the storm.
We should not relax our guard because of temporary peace; on the contrary, we should be even more worried, because the storm will come even more fiercely.
Late August, the hottest time of the year.
Xu Mo was attending classes at the prefectural school, Wen Zhiyun was having her pulse checked at the clinic, Zheng Ruqian was delivering goods everywhere, and even Chang Yan went to the Wang family to help with their affairs.
Only Fang Heng, along with his servants and Jiang Sheng, were busy in the courtyard with the hairpin.
The rot and spoilage of the cured meat had become uncontrollable by fanning, so Xiao Jiangsheng made a tough decision and stopped making sausages altogether, focusing instead on drying green beans.
She also helped weigh the beans and check their dryness. She was very busy when suddenly there was a clanging sound outside.
It sounded like people were fighting, some were yelling, and others were screaming.
Jiang Sheng was startled and crawled out of the workshop, only to see Fang Heng frowning as he went to check.
"Third Brother, no." The little girl felt a sudden flutter in her heart and quickly reached out to stop him. "Don't go."
Fang Heng paused, somewhat hesitant.
If they can avoid going to a trap outside, they will naturally avoid it.
But just then, a mournful cry came from the courtyard gate, "Third Brother..."
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