Chapter 22 Tianhu, you've been hiding your true strength.
Mu Chenbi was already familiar with the structure of Tianhu Workshop. Like the imperial workshops, the front courtyard was for discussions and business, while the back courtyard was deep and spacious, which was where the weapons forging workshop was located. The back courtyard was overgrown with withered grass, and the castings of the past were scattered everywhere. Back then, the incident happened suddenly, and the Dali Temple concluded the case in three days and executed a group of criminals. All the property and stored weapons of Tianhu Workshop were confiscated and nationalized. Other worthless items were scattered everywhere, either heavy or broken, and no one cared to pick them up.
Mu Chenbi stepped on a hard object, picked it up and examined it closely. It was an unfinished short sword, seven inches long with a narrow hilt and a blunt, unsharpened blade. Mu Chenbi weighed the short sword and knew that it was not an unfinished short sword, but a finished product. However, it was made for children to practice swordsmanship, so it was not sharpened. Although it was unsharpened, the workmanship was exquisite and the details were carefully considered. To protect the children's delicate hands, the edges were all rounded. Mu Chenbi touched it and sighed inwardly. Rongdu, and even Jin, had not seen such exquisite craftsmanship for many years.
A child's sword... Mu Chenbi looked around this desolate place. The disaster must have come very suddenly. The blacksmith was forging iron, the sword slave was tending the fire, and the child was practicing swordsmanship... In an instant, An Sheng stopped abruptly. What kind of terrified expression would the child with the short sword have on his face?
Mu Chenbi gently put down the short sword, and when he turned around, Luo Yichen was already behind him. "The Crown Prince comes every now and then. If you're looking for something, why not wait until daytime? Your subordinates can help you then."
"Father said that once Xingguo Ward returns to the capital, this place will be provided for its relocation and renamed Yuren Ward." Mu Chenbi's voice was like an evening bell. "Someone will come to clean it up in the next few days. Remember to remind them to keep all these items safe and not to discard them carelessly."
"Your subordinate obeys." Luo Yichen blinked. "The meteorite has been forged? I haven't heard of that."
"I was too young and almost got fooled by Father and the Imperial Advisor." Mu Chenbi laughed. "Whether or not the meteorite can be forged, Xingguo Ward will be recalled to Rongdu. The so-called meteorite sword forging is just to make their return to the capital more legitimate and to shut up the inner wards."
"If you don't have the ability, what can you do if you go back to the capital?" Luo Yichen was a military general who would start a fight at the slightest disagreement, and he really didn't understand the intricacies of the court.
"For the sake of the name of Yu Ren Fang." Mu Chenbi scanned the backyard. The night was deep, and the various old objects were blurry in his eyes, but as long as he looked closely, their outlines gradually became clear. "Yi Chen, the Grand Preceptor Cui has great wisdom."
"Of course." Luo Yichen stroked his beard. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have won the Emperor's and your favor so much. The Crown Prince is also very wise. No matter how capable the Imperial Preceptor Cui is, you still saw through the tricks of the trade."
The Imperial Blade Workshop—what is Imperial Blade? It means items belonging to the Emperor, items belonging to the Great Jin Dynasty. The name Imperial Blade Workshop is a declaration to the world that the Pei family's Xingguo Workshop has been taken over by the court. In the past, all workshops in the land were privately owned, flourishing and diverse, with every family having the opportunity to secure large orders from the court. The most powerful could rival the Three Dukes. After the Blood Crossbow Incident, all workshops fell into ruin, and all industries were abandoned. The court established the Inner Workshops to manufacture weapons. These Inner Workshops, established by the court, not only attracted power struggles but also benefited a group of imperial relatives who took the money but did nothing, supporting many useless individuals. For example, my uncle, who ignored the rare Kunwu Stone and was obsessed with the pepper I had been tricked out of.
Mu Chenbi wanted to give a shout-out to the Western Region man who sold him the pepper; after eating too much imperial grain, he should be eating dirt.
"Yu Ren Fang" is the best solution to the current predicament. The Pei family manager, the emperor's patron, runs the workshop according to the court's regulations. Mu Chenbi admires Cui Jin more and more. This method achieves two goals at once. If it goes smoothly, it is not impossible to restore the past prosperity in time. Only an outsider can see the whole picture. What Cui Jin is thinking is not an ordinary plan, but a national strategy.
"What if..." Luo Yichen broke the silence, "What if the meteorite really works?"
Casting? Mu Chenbi had never really thought of that. He had heard many glorious stories about Tianhu Workshop, but knew very little about Xingguo Que Workshop, which was far away on Canglang Island. "Let's go." Mu Chenbi walked through the corridor and saw the newly recruited Little Eagle Guard standing in the front yard, hugging his shoulders and shivering. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's not cold today, why are you shivering?"
The others suppressed a laugh, "Your Highness, we just told him about the blood crossbow case. We learned that everyone in this house is dead. Look how scared he is."
"A house full of wronged spirits and wandering ghosts, aren't you afraid?" the young guard stubbornly insisted.
"How dare you talk back to everyone in front of the Crown Prince?" Luo Yichen was so angry that he was about to slap him. "Listen carefully, there are no wronged souls. The Lu family has confessed and signed the confession. They are traitors and villains, and they deserve to die. Do you understand?" The little eagle guard nodded repeatedly, shrinking back and not daring to breathe loudly.
"Return to the palace." Mu Chenbi stepped over the half-foot-high weeds and pushed open the vermilion gate. When he came again in the future, the words "Yu Ren" would be on the gate.
Canglang Island, Xingguofang
Tonight, even the heavens are on her side. Guan Ye looked up at the sky, where the bright moon hung high, its clear light spilling across the deserted foundry. The rustling grass seemed to hold a deep sorrow, its light flickering in and out of existence. As Guan Ye stared at the half-moon, she vaguely saw Jiang Muyun's gentle and serene face. Her pale face held an inviolable nobility, and she smiled sweetly at Guan Ye, her lips moving slightly as if calling her name.
Guan Ye lowered her brows and saw a casting box not far away containing colorful, flowing blood. It was only a foot long, but it contained the life of a young girl, as brilliant and short as fireworks.
Guan Ye didn't want to take a step, but a mysterious force was pulling her along, and a voice whispered in her ear: "Let everyone know that I was here."
"I knew you'd show up tonight."
A figure turned around from behind the tree. Who else could it be but Ajiu with that posture and voice? Ajiu was dressed in black, tall and languid, leaning against the tree trunk with her sword in her hands. Her eyes held a gloom that was not commensurate with her age, but when she looked at Guan Ye, the gloom turned into a hidden passion.
“You are the one who can help Xingguofang.” Ajiu started walking leisurely, her riding boots stepping over the leaves on the ground, and slowly walked towards Guan Ye.
"I don't understand." Guan Ye was too lazy to talk to him anymore. "Go back to where you came from. Don't delay my important business."
"You've grown quite arrogant after spending half a day by the young master's side." Ajiu wanted to tease her even more. "Big news? What big news?"
Guan Ye ignored him, took a deep breath, and bent down to look at the almost cooled liquid. Although it was night, the shimmering light was not diminished at all. The bloodstains blurred into a painting, drawing people into it. After staring at it for a long time, it even gave rise to a feeling of being captivated.
Seeing her staring blankly, Ajiu grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up, saying, "Don't stare at it, this thing is very eerie."
Guan Ye rubbed her eyes. Ajiu was right. She didn't know if it was a real sword spirit or a demon in her heart. It was clearly liquid, but it wasn't a stagnant pool. It seemed to contain spiritual energy amidst the colorful surroundings.
"Neither of us has harmed her, and I'm not afraid, so what are you afraid of?" Guan Ye pulled out her collar.
"Who's afraid?" Ah Jiu said angrily. "I'm afraid you'll be possessed by evil spirits and ruin everything."
"Isn't that still being afraid?" Guan Ye retorted.
“You…” A-Jiu opened her mouth, suddenly speechless.
"Do you know why I'm here?" Guan Ye stretched out her hand and slowly hovered it above the puddles, feeling the gradually dissipating temperature. Guan Ye knew she didn't have much time left.
“You want to forge the Meteor Sword.” Ajiu took a half step back, watching Guan Ye’s skillful movements, a slight smile playing on her lips. “Guan Ye, you’ve been hiding your true abilities well, so well that several times I thought I was wrong. You really are a descendant of a blacksmith; you not only know how to burn materials, but you also know the art of forging.”
"When did you figure it out?" Guan Ye rolled up her sleeves, not wanting to argue with him anymore.
"The first thing you said to me."
—Is Canglang Island really that scary?
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
