Chapter 27: A Formidable Task for You
As evening approached, the sun began to set.
San Shier arrived, bringing a new face with him.
It was Li Da, the blacksmith, who had been tricked into coming.
After escaping Chengcheng County amidst the chaos, the two had run all the way to Gao Family Village, a journey of over thirty li, much of it through mountainous terrain. It was hardly an easy trek.
By the time they arrived, both were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, barely holding on.
“We’re here, just ahead!” San Shier pointed toward Gao Family Village. “Oh, my! It’s only been a few days, and there’s already another colorful wall. Truly remarkable. *It is called... truly transformed!*”
Li Da had grown increasingly suspicious during their journey; the path had become more desolate, more devoid of human presence. But the moment he saw the vibrant city wall before him, he was momentarily stunned, then overcome with delight. This wall, how magnificent! It soared to a height of two zhang!
This clearly indicated that the esteemed lord residing here possessed immense power. And to have even painted the walls with such colors suggested a wealth so vast he could afford such frivolous expenditures. Such a lord, who enjoyed squandering money, was usually very generous.
Unable to help himself, he asked, “There’s such a grand city here? Where exactly are we?”
“A village?” Li Da could barely believe his ears. He would have readily believed San Shier if he had said this was Xi’an city, but to call a place with a two-zhang-high wall a village? How could that be?
“Since it’s just a village, then this must be a fortified manor,” Li Da mused curiously. “I haven’t heard of any eminent Gao family lords in our Chengcheng County.”
“This lord is the Heavenly Lord,” San Shier corrected.
A massive question mark slowly formed in Li Da’s mind.
“Once we enter,” San Shier cautioned, “ask less and observe more. Don’t offend the great lord and get yourself thrown out. I wouldn’t be able to save you then. *It is called... treading on thin ice*.”
Li Da wasn’t a naive country bumpkin like Gao Chuwu; he’d grown up in the county seat, seen plenty of officials and gentry. He understood the wisdom of asking less and observing more when entering a powerful household. He quickly nodded, “I understand that.”
San Shier led the way, and the two walked one after another into the gates of Gao Family Village.
The gate currently had only one panel, the other not yet finished today. The sight struck Li Da as rather comical. *This city was just built, and even the gate isn't finished,* he thought. *No wonder the great lord needs blacksmiths. It seems I’ll have a chance to show off my skills here.*
Just as this thought crossed his mind, he was startled by the “laborers” eating inside the gatehouse. These laborers held large earthen bowls, filled to the brim with glistening white shattered rice, topped with cabbage leaves and strips of chicken, forming a fragrant bowl of chicken and cabbage rice.
What kind of resources did this great lord’s household possess?
Even the workers performing manual labor for him were eating *this* well? *Once, I forged armor for the Inspector, and I didn’t get such good food!*
And... weren’t these laborers a little *too* healthy? Over three years of drought, the common folk Li Da usually encountered were almost all gaunt and sickly, looking like they’d collapse with a strong gust of wind. But this group of “laborers” before him all had vibrant, healthy complexions. This was utterly unbelievable.
He had no way of knowing that ever since Li Daoxuan began supplying food to Gao Family Village, the villagers had been eating rice, meat, vegetables, salt, and water with every meal, all rich in nutrition. They ate with great relish, and of course, their bodies were incredibly strong.
He desperately wanted to say something, but San Shier had warned him to ask less and observe more, so he could only stifle his words, feeling quite uncomfortable.
San Shier led Li Da to Gao Yiye, and with a smile, bowed. “Miss Gao, following the Heavenly Lord’s instructions, I have brought the blacksmith. *It is called... the mission is accomplished without disgrace*.”
Gao Yiye acknowledged him, just about to look up and speak, when she heard the Heavenly Lord’s gentle voice: “Good, praise him. He did very well.”
Li Daoxuan, it turned out, was also eating at that moment, holding a bowl of pickled cabbage and shredded pork rice noodles, grinning foolishly at the diorama box. He had seen San Shier and Li Da enter the diorama box the moment they stepped inside.
Gao Yiye said, “The Heavenly Lord praises you; you did very well.”
“*It is called... my heart blooming with joy*.” San Shier beamed.
Li Daoxuan prepared to ask some serious questions, his tone becoming graver. “Yiye, have San Shier introduce this blacksmith.”
(From this point on, it is assumed Gao Yiye is narrating.)
San Shier quickly introduced him: “This is Li Da, the finest blacksmith in Chengcheng County. He has forged armor for several Inspector Lords in the county seat, and many of the weapons used by the garrison soldiers were made by his hand. *It is called... an ingenious artisan*.”
Li Daoxuan thought, *He even shares my surname, Li. We must be family from five hundred years ago.*
Li Da was grateful to San Shier for speaking highly of him, but found it a bit strange: *San Shier was a notable figure in the county seat, so why was he bowing and scraping to a young girl? This girl was dressed like any ordinary village girl.*
Li Daoxuan’s gaze fixed on Li Da. “Li Da, can you forge iron armor?”
Asked about his specialty, Li Da immediately perked up, responding with considerable pride, “Reporting... Miss... This humble one entered the military ordnance bureau as a child and has studied forging various weapons and armor since then. There is nothing this humble one cannot forge.”
“Oh, quite confident, aren’t we?” Li Daoxuan chuckled. “Can you also forge firearms?”
“Yes!” Li Da answered with full confidence. “This humble one can forge the Three-Eyed Arquebus.”
Li Daoxuan said, “Excellent, excellent. Your skills are quite good. It seems you can teach the villagers how to forge iron armor.”
Private manufacturing of iron armor? This was a grave crime of rebellion. Li Da suddenly grew tense. But on second thought, what if it *was* a crime of rebellion? The fact that this person dared to do such a thing proved his power. Only someone with such power could help him escape Artisan Registration and regain his commoner status. *What’s there to be afraid of? Let’s do it!*
Li Daoxuan continued, “Furthermore, I want to give you a formidable task.”
Hearing the words “formidable task,” a confident smile flickered across Li Da’s lips. *How formidable could it be? There’s no weapon or armor I, Li Da, cannot forge. No matter how complex the item you present, isn’t it just a pile of iron? I’ll just spend more time, and I’ll certainly be able to make it.*
If he were truly facing a great lord, he might feel some apprehension, but facing just Gao Yiye, a village girl, he felt no stage fright at all. He puffed out his chest and declared, “Miss, just report to the great lord. There is nothing I, Li Da, cannot make. Whatever the great lord desires, this humble one can produce it. I only ask that the great lord elevate me. If the task is successful, and I am granted commoner status, so that my descendants can escape Artisan Registration, I will be eternally grateful.”
With Li Da so confident, Li Daoxuan didn’t hold back. He picked up an A5 piece of paper and laid it down in the empty space behind the city gate...
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