Chapter 97
The battle between the imperial army and Chongzhou's anti-bandit movement had been going on for nearly a year.
All the weapons, armor and swords needed by the army were issued by the Ordnance Inspectorate. However, if the weapons were damaged during the war, they could not be returned to the capital for repair. Therefore, most of the stationed troops would requisition weapons workshops near the provincial capital.
In addition to repairing damaged weapons, the blacksmiths in the workshop can also forge some new weapons to supply the army.
Although He Jingyuan was in charge of the military power of Jizhou, Xie Zheng could mobilize the entire northwest military force, and He Jingyuan's Jizhou Army was also within his command range.
Initially, the only forces fighting against the Chongzhou rebels were the Xie Family Army of Huizhou. Later, the Northern Jue attacked Jinzhou, and the Xie Family Army went north to support them. Prince Changxin intended to take advantage of the opportunity to go south to seize Jizhou, and the Jizhou Army was dragged into the fight.
Before He Jingyuan led the remaining troops of Hezhou to Chongzhou to join forces with Tang Zhaoyi, the only Hezhou troops that set foot in Chongzhou were the more than 10,000 new recruits under Tang Zhaoyi's command.
Tang Zhaoyi was a cautious man. When he besieged Chongzhou, he was not sure whether Xie Zheng would go to Chongzhou to jointly eliminate the rebels after he dealt with the rebels in the gorge. Therefore, he did not dare to take the risk of taking over the weapons workshop near Chongzhou.
Up to now, those weapon workshops were still being run by the remaining Huizhou troops under Xie Zheng. He did not need to hide his identity when he went there to get the weapons made for Fan Changyu.
As soon as the young general stationed here heard the announcement, he rushed out to greet him: "Meet the Marquis."
Xie Zheng handed the reins of his warhorse to the soldier who came forward, strode straight into the camp, and asked, "How is the forging of the Mo Dao going?"
The young general hurried to catch up with Xie Zheng and replied, "Just one more fire and it will be ready to go."
As soon as I entered the training workshop, I felt a wave of heat hitting my face, as if I was in a steamer.
Several rows of smelting furnaces extend to the innermost part, and you can't see the end at a glance.
The shirtless blacksmiths were at their respective workstations, taking turns using hammers to hit the iron blocks on the chopping board one after another. The muscles in their arms bulged with strength, and the clanging sounds of the hammers mixed with the low and powerful shouts were heart-stirring.
The fire in the furnace was blazing, and each blacksmith had an assistant who was responsible for pulling the bellows. The assistant was also shirtless and sweating profusely.
The young general led Xie Zheng to the forge where long-handled weapons were forged. Next to the forge was a temporary rack for placing weapons. On it were Mo Daos with a blade three feet long and a handle five feet long.
The sharp blade, the black iron handle, and the steel layer on the edge of the blade that has been repeatedly folded and hammered through countless times reflect a very faint ring-like texture under the firelight.
The young general said: "The blade is made of hundred-refined steel."
Xie Zheng glanced at him indifferently, raised the hilt of the knife, weighed it, and made a sword flower. The sound of the knife was like a tiger's roar, and the young general took a step back at the wind of the knife.
Xie Zheng looked at the coldly shining blade and asked, "The blade is already sharp, why do we need to temper it?"
The young general couldn't answer this question. The old blacksmith in charge of making this Mo Dao was holding an iron hammer and pounding on the new weapon in his hand. He said without looking up: "According to the rules left by our ancestors, when forging a fierce weapon on the battlefield, after the blade has been sharpened and blood has been seen, it must be tempered again before it can be taken out of the furnace."
Maybe it’s because he’s been working by the furnace all year round, but the old blacksmith’s voice is as hoarse as a broken copper bellows, even a little harsh.
These are all rumors among the people. Weapons that shed blood on the battlefield are full of violent evil. Since ancient times, few military generals have died peacefully. This is why there is a saying that a fierce soldier who sees too much blood will harm his master. Therefore, when forging weapons, after the blade is sharpened and blood is shed, it must be returned to the furnace for forging once, which is said to shock the spirit of the weapon.
The young general was afraid that Xie Zheng would blame him, so he hurriedly said, "This old man is from the same school as Yun Yazi, who forged the halberd for the Marquis. If the Marquis had not used black iron to forge this Mo Dao, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to ask him to come out of the mountain."
Black iron is precious, and ordinary blacksmiths dare not easily use such precious iron to forge weapons.
Even those famous casting masters could hardly get such good materials, and most of them were invited by princes and royal families to smelt them at great expense.
From the day Xie Zheng went to the battlefield, he no longer believed in ghosts and gods.
But this Mo Dao was given to Fan Changyu. Even though he knew it was an illusory thing, he still wished for stability.
He asked, "What kind of blood?"
The old blacksmith raised his old eyes, which were illuminated by the firelight. It was obvious that one of his eyes was dead, but the other eye looked at him like a hawk, saying fearlessly: "Weapons are used to kill people, so it is best to temper them after drinking human blood. Here, we usually use black dog blood."
The young general hurriedly said, "Master, I have ordered someone to get the black dog's blood."
Xie Zheng said, "Don't bother."
He looked at the coldly shining Mo Dao with an indifferent expression, raised his hand to grab the collar of his clothes, pulled hard, and threw the robe embroidered with delicate dark patterns away, revealing his sturdy upper body.
The young general took his robe with both hands, and realized what he was going to do. He panicked and said, "My Lord, you can't do that. You are worth a million gold..."
Xie Zheng ignored him, waved his Mo Dao in a dance, and slashed his back with his backhand. The sharp blade instantly left a deep bloody mark on his muscular back.
The blood on the blade's edge flowed back onto the blade, forming a circle of blood drops on the ground.
Seeing this, the old blacksmith looked at Xie Zheng in surprise, and then shouted in a voice like a broken copper bell: "Start a fire!"
The man in charge of pulling the bellows hurriedly pulled the bellows with a puff of force. The flames in the smelting furnace instantly rose a degree, and the heat wave burned people's skin and flesh.
The blood-soaked Mo Dao was put into the furnace to be reheated, and the young general quickly called someone to apply medicine on Xie Zheng's back.
After the blade of the Mo Dao was burned red, the old blacksmith picked up the hammer and hammered it carefully for a while. After quenching it with water, a puff of white smoke rose instantly with a "hiss" sound.
After it cooled down completely, the old blacksmith picked up the Mo Dao and took a closer look. The blade was the same black as the handle, but the forged patterns were golden red, with only the edge of the blade being gray. He was so overjoyed that he almost cried.
He murmured, "It's done, it's done..."
The craftsmen around also cheered and gathered around to look at this second weapon made of black iron.
The old blacksmith used tools to re-polish the blade edge, and finally wiped off the dirt left by grinding with a towel. After being re-forged, the gray-white blade edge instantly became gleamingly bright, and one could feel the sharpness of the blade just by looking at it.
The circles of golden-red forged patterns on the blade also looked particularly mysterious at this moment.
The old blacksmith held the Mo Dao in both hands and handed it to Xie Zheng, saying excitedly: "Master Lao, please choose a wise master for this Mo Dao. All I have learned in my life is in this sword. If this weapon can become famous along with its master, I will be no less than Yun Yazi!"
Xie Zheng replied: "Of course."
When he saw this long-handled Mo Dao, he knew it was perfect for Fan Changyu.
The Mo Dao can be used for both chopping and slashing, and is an excellent weapon whether used in horseback combat or as an infantry soldier.
Xie Zheng ordered his men to put the long sword into the scabbard. As soon as he left the camp, his personal soldiers on horseback chased him from the direction of Kangcheng: "My Lord, there is a letter from the Grand Tutor!"
Xie Zheng frowned. Xie Qi had just asked Hai Dongqing to deliver a letter to him, and then Master Tao sent another letter. Could there be a change in Chongzhou?
He took the letter from the personal soldier, opened it and read it, then put the letter back in his arms and glanced at the personal soldier: "You will go to Chongzhou with me."
The bodyguard quickly responded.
In the letter, Tao Taifu said that after Li Huaian went to Chongzhou, he had stayed in the army. Tao Taifu suspected that Li Huaian had found some evidence against He Jingyuan from the files in the Jizhou treasury, and he also confirmed that the emperor's grandson might be in Chongzhou, so he stayed in the army.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone into Xie Zheng's eyes. His eyes became increasingly cold. He climbed onto the horse's back, pulled the reins hard, and shouted, "Drive!"
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When Master Tao went to look for He Jingyuan, He Jingyuan was half surprised and half relieved, saying: "After flooding the rebels who attacked Lucheng, General Tang, with less than 20,000 newly recruited soldiers, had the courage to besiege Chongzhou. I should have thought that Master Tao was behind General Tang's plan."
Tao Taifu said: "The northwest has been in chaos for so long, and the Li and Wei factions in the court have almost finished fighting. It is time to return peace to the people of the world."
He Jingyuan sighed: "The people of our Great Yin are suffering."
Upon hearing this, Master Tao asked him, "Since you are concerned about the well-being of the people, is a favor from someone who has helped you enough to sacrifice your life for Wei Yan for so many years?"
He Jingyuan smiled bitterly, "The year when Prince Chengde and General Xie died in Jinzhou, there were no generals left to defend the border town, and Dayin was in danger. It was the Prime Minister who supported Dayin. Regardless of the current situation, the Marquis was able to lead his troops north and recapture Jinzhou. This was the foundation that Dayin had after recuperating for more than ten years. During those years, the Prime Minister did a lot for Dayin. If it weren't for meeting the Prime Minister, Jingyuan would have died a frozen corpse on the roadside decades ago. I will never forget your kindness."
Tao Taifu said: "The old man of the Li family claims to be a clean official, but his ambition is no less than Wei Yan's. The cronies under Wei Yan were so greedy from the national treasury that they could still do something for the people. When Wei Yan fell, the Li party took over, and a group of greedy people took over. When they were greedy again, they would give some to the people. I am afraid that the national treasury would be empty."
He looked at He Jingyuan and said, "I disagree with Wei Yan in politics, but I dislike the Li Party, which has been fighting against Wei Yan for years, withholding disaster relief food, causing large numbers of victims to starve to death, and then using this to impeach Wei Yan. You know that the old man of the Li family and Wei Yan are fighting for the military merit of Chongzhou. Li Huaian has now come to Chongzhou, and I think he has got some leverage on you. Wei Yan probably won't protect you, but considering that you buried my bones for the old couple, I am still willing to save your life. Are you willing to tell me what leverage Li Huaian has got?"
When He Jingyuan heard Master Tao talk about the grace of burying his bones, he couldn't help feeling sad when he recalled the past.
The reason why Tao Taifu appreciated him was not only because he was honest in his administration and loved the people like his own children, but also because when Tao Taifu's wife and children died tragically in the war in his early years, he helped build a tomb for them.
It has been more than 20 years since his wife and children passed away, and Master Tao has been single all the time. He just looks a lot older than other Jinshi candidates of the same age.
After Xie Zheng left for the war, he felt that his lifelong learning had a legacy, so he resigned from his official position and retired to seclusion until today.
With such a guarantee from Master Tao, He Jingyuan remembered what he had promised Xie Zheng that day, and suddenly stood up and bowed solemnly, saying: "If I have managed to survive until today, I still have a heavy burden on my shoulders. If that day comes, my life will not be worth cherishing. I beg Master Tao to protect the lives of my two sisters for me."
Master Tao was somewhat surprised by this answer and asked, "Who is it?"
He Jingyuan said: "She is the daughter of an old friend of mine."
Master Tao's brows wrinkled with awareness, and then he heard He Jingyuan continue, "I think Master Tao also knows about that old friend."
The author has something to say:
I don’t want to spoil the story, but the truth behind the older generation is not what everyone guessed before. It will be revealed slowly later.
I thought about the plot but was afraid that people would react badly if they guessed wrong, so I spent a lot of time trying to make the plot a little softer, and give 100 red envelopes to the kids who have been waiting for a long time as an apology~
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