Bai Ze looked at the old blacksmith in confusion, "What do you mean, old sir?"
The old man walked forward a few steps, knelt down in front of Feng Yuheng and Xuan Tianming, and said, "I have been forging iron all my life, and everyone says that I am the best blacksmith in Xiaozhou. However, iron is iron after all, and my greatest wish in this life is to be able to forge a weapon that is harder than iron. We can't get the iron essence of Zong Sui, and now that Dashun has new steel, even if I don't want to live, I will follow the general and the county lord and do my best for Dashun. But..." He paused, turned his head to look at the apprentice who followed him, with reluctance in his eyes.
Feng Yuheng saw something and asked, "Are you worrying unnecessarily, old man?" She then asked Xiang Qianli, "What did you say when you were looking for the blacksmith?"
Qian Li was also a little confused: "It means to make new steel for Dashun." After thinking about it, "Oh, it is said that we will be in seclusion for a long time, so that they can settle their families. A year or two is considered too short, and they may not be able to return for three to five years. The general asked us to give silver to the families of each selected blacksmith, enough for half a year's living. If they cannot return after half a year, we will give more money."
Feng Yuheng nodded and looked at the old man: "Old sir, steelmaking is just like the original iron making of mankind. There is a process of exploration and discovery. Although I have mastered the technical essentials, it is another matter for you to practice it yourself. So our deputy general is right. This is a very hard job. You may not see the sun all year round. If you regret it now, it is not too late. Of course, if you decide to stay and participate in this cause that witnesses history, we promise that your family will have no worries about food and clothing. Moreover, your contribution to mankind will be recorded in history forever."
Feng Yuheng's words excited everyone again. On the one hand, they were assured that their families would have no worries about food and clothing. On the other hand, the words "witnessing history" were too exciting. They were lucky enough to write a brand new beginning for Dashun and even the whole world in this life, which would be a glory passed down from generation to generation!
The old man who was still kneeling kowtowed to Xuan Tianming and Feng Yuheng again. Although he was also excited, he still said with some worry: "I understand that if we participate in a major event related to the fate of the country, we will be silenced after the event. Just like those craftsmen who participated in the construction of the imperial mausoleum, they could not escape the fate of being buried alive. I am not afraid of death, and none of us are afraid of death. It is worth risking our lives to be able to make steel once in this life. However, my grandson is still young. If he is really going to be silenced, then I want him to go back. While he still knows nothing, let him go back and live his life in peace."
As soon as he said this, the craftsmen behind him followed suit: "Yes! We are not afraid of death, we just want to make steel, but let these kids go back!"
Someone else said, "Old friends! Let's be each other's apprentices and forge this new steel for Dashun! Okay?"
Everyone shouted in unison - "Good!"
For a moment, Feng Yuheng's blood was boiling, but she was also worried by what these people said. She turned to look at Xuan Tianming and asked in a low voice: "I have also heard of this rule, but..."
Xuan Tianming knew what she was going to say, and said in a clear voice: "Since the fourth generation of the emperor, Dashun no longer secretly built the imperial mausoleum, and all the craftsmen who participated in the expansion and renovation of the imperial mausoleum were no longer buried alive. Although this steelmaking is related to the fate of the country, I have never thought of killing people to silence them."
As soon as he said this, Feng Yuheng felt relieved. Steelmaking is a good thing, but she couldn't do it at the cost of these people's lives.
"I'm a doctor." She turned around, raised her voice, and said to the blacksmiths, "I think many people should have heard that the reason why the emperor named me the Princess of Ji'an is because I have good medical skills. As the saying goes, a doctor has a kind heart. I have devoted my life to saving people. Now, how can I let you die for steelmaking? We must keep it a secret, but we will consider how to solve this problem from other angles and will not do any harm to you. So, if the descendants you brought with you want to go back, we will send someone to send them away. If you want to stay, then stay steadily. Make steel for Dashun and work for the Ninth Prince, and you will not be killed."
"Really?" People could hardly believe their ears and asked her, "Is what the county lady said true?"
Feng Yuheng nodded, "It's true."
Xuan Tianming also said: "A real man's word is as good as gold."
"Great!" The crowd instantly burst into cheers, and the apprentices even jumped up. Someone shouted, "Yes! Those who built the imperial mausoleum for Dashun don't have to be buried alive with the emperor, and we won't die either!" As they spoke, they knelt down collectively, and kept bowing their heads to Xuan Tianming and the others.
Xuan Tianming asked Feng Yuheng: "Everyone is here, do you have anything else to tell them? Or, do you want to evaluate their skills?"
She shook her head. “No need. How can a blacksmith of this age not have good skills? I believe in Vice General Qian’s ability to find people, but… these people are not enough.”
Qian Li was shocked, "Are so many people not enough?" He said worriedly, "If there are more people, it will be even harder to keep the secret."
Feng Yuheng said: "It is precisely because there are so many people that the secret can be kept. Let's go look for it again. We will need at least twice as many people as we have now."
Qian Li was shocked, and couldn't understand why a secret could be kept with so many people. But he knew that since Feng Yuheng could say so, there must be a reason for saying so, so he didn't say anything more, just nodded in agreement.
She then said to the blacksmiths kneeling in front of her, "I just arrived at the camp today and need to rest for two days. I will let this young man try out the knives made of new steel for you. You can think about it more. After I finish the affairs in the military camp, I will come over and teach you how to make steel."
The blacksmiths were very happy and surrounded Bai Ze, while Feng Yuheng pushed Xuan Tianming out of the furnace. As they walked, she said to Qian Li, "Don't put the next people together. Spread them out and arrange them in groups of five. Arrange the furnaces separately. Make sure that each group cannot recognize the people in other groups and never let them meet."
Qian Li's mind moved, as if he had thought of something, "The county lady means..."
"If we spread them out and do assembly line work, on the one hand, people's hearts will be easier to control, but on the other hand, they won't know what the other links are like. Since all the links will be exposed in the future, I can guarantee that no one in the world today will know the order of these steps."
Qian Li nodded excitedly, "The county lady is really amazing. I will do it right away."
"Go!" She sent Qian Li away, and then said to Wang Chuan and Huang Quan, "You go and see mother, Your Highness and I will walk around in this Xutian Cave."
The two nodded and left without any worries. Feng Yuheng was safest with Xuan Tianming, not to mention that this was in the main camp, so they didn't have to worry about anything.
Seeing that everyone around her had been sent away, Xuan Tianming smiled and teased her: "Are you planning to get closer to your husband?"
Feng Yuheng rolled his eyes, "You are so beautiful." But he still couldn't stop the smile on his lips, "This Xutian Cave is so spectacular, I just want to walk around more, and by the way, show my face more while you are here, so that no one will recognize me, which will be troublesome when moving around in the future."
Xuan Tianming didn't understand, "Scan your face?"
"Yes." She explained to him, "I just want to make myself familiar, so that the soldiers guarding here can recognize me. Then, when you are not here, I can come in, and after I come in, I can get the same treatment as you." At this point, she was a little uncertain. She stopped and walked around to the front of his wheelchair to ask him, "Can I get the same treatment as you? Otherwise, you can tell me first, is there any restricted area here? Where can I not go? It will also save me from getting embarrassed by bumping into Ding Zi."
The two of them happened to stop in front of a sentry post, and Feng Yuheng's words were heard by the soldier on guard. The man couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Xuan Tianming laughed at her: "Look, the guards can't stand it anymore. This camp is mine, and you are my wife, how could there be a place you can't go."
“What if?” Feng Yuheng raised his eyebrows, then glared at the soldier——“You are not allowed to laugh.” Then he turned around and asked Xuan Tianming: “Is there really no place in the camp that I cannot go to?”
Xuan Tianming nodded, "You have no forbidden areas, and there is nothing you cannot do. You are not only my future princess, but also the commander of the Shenji Camp, and the only person in Dashun who can make steel. Here, you have all the rights that I have. All the soldiers who respect and love me, the same applies to you. Hengheng, even if one day you transfer all these 30,000 soldiers out of the camp to conquer the world with you, I will not say a word of no, and neither will they."
"But... aren't you afraid that I will rebel? Aren't you afraid that I will really take everyone away one day?" Feng Yuheng couldn't believe that she still had such great power. She asked Xuan Tianming puzzledly: "Is this what you think in your heart, or do all the soldiers think so?"
Xuan Tianming did not answer him directly. He only cast his eyes on the soldier who had just laughed secretly and asked loudly: "Tell me what you think!"
The general immediately said: "I am loyal to the general, and also to the county lady. The county lady's position in my heart is the same as that of the general!"
Feng Yuheng was a little excited, and also a little proud, her lips tightly pursed, not knowing how else to speak.
Xuan Tianming added: "As for whether you will rebel, Hengheng, even if you do, you must have your own reasons. Even if you really have bad intentions, you can only blame me, Xuan Tianming, for not judging people correctly, not you."
The smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a solemn expression. She told him: "I will never do something for no reason. Please rest assured that I, Feng Yuheng, will be worthy of the trust of all the soldiers in the army, worthy of you, worthy of Dashun, and worthy of this world. Xuan Tianming, you will see that sooner or later, our soldiers will hold new steel weapons in their hands, and will be invincible and unstoppable! You will see that sooner or later, those who have framed and failed us will get the retribution they deserve!"
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