Chapter 138: Du Yu’s Peculiarity |
After returning home, not long had passed.
Xiao Meixue came to visit, saying she wanted to take advantage of the last two days to go to the river and use the fish traps to catch more fish and shrimp.
"Sure, I'll go get the fish traps." Qin Ziwen turned and went inside, handing all six fish traps to her. "But there are crocodiles by the river, Sister-in-law, you have to be careful. Should I accompany you all there later?"
Xiao Meixue hurriedly waved her hand. "No need to trouble you with a special trip. The riverside is much safer now. I saw quite a few people using fishing nets to catch fish, and many had their own woven traps, fishing rods, and such. Crocodiles are basically nowhere to be seen. I'll call Hengsheng and Teacher Wei and the others to go together later."
Qin Ziwen nodded. "Then be careful."
The moment Xiao Meixue left, Li Tieshan emerged from the house right after, holding a newly forged simple broadsword.
"My lord, this is a simple broadsword forged from the new iron. Please take a look."
Taking the hilt, he swung it casually a couple of times. The feel was good.
Especially when the blade cut through the air, the tearing sound, like ripping cloth, was extremely clear.
Li Tieshan's eyes widened. This is still light?
He took the blade back and tried it himself. He felt it was a bit heavy.
"How much more weight does my lord need added?"
"Not urgent yet. Xiao Wu, you try it."
Qin Ziwu took the blade, tried it, and his face was full of joy because he felt it was just right.
Qin Ziwen said, "Give this one to him. For the next weapon, don't make a blade yet. Forge a pure iron three-pronged fork for me. The fork shaft should also be iron, preferably cast as one piece."
"Yes, my lord!"
Generally, with long weapons, only the top part is forged from pure iron or bronze. The long shaft uses wood because wood is light.
If it's pure iron casting, the weight is too heavy.
Being able to lift it and being able to wield it as a weapon for extended use are two different things.
Returning to the blacksmith, Li Tieshan placed the pieces of steel cake into the furnace, adding carbon for quenching.
While Li Tieshan was busy, Zhang Bo personally came to the door with the fish catch.
Outside the door, Zhang Bo carried a large bucket densely packed with fish. Behind him followed two underlings, also carrying two large buckets each.
"Boss Qin, the fish you wanted. Delivering a hundred catties first." Zhang Bo smiled.
"Thank you for your trouble, Boss Zhang. You can just put them on the ground." Qin Ziwen and Qin Ziwu took the large buckets from him, carried them into the house, and placed them by the door.
Zhang Bo suddenly pricked up his ears. He seemed to hear... ding ding ding sounds?
It sounded like iron striking?!
Seeing Qin Ziwen about to close the door, Zhang Bo hurriedly stopped him. "Wait, Boss Qin, you haven't settled the payment yet!"
Qin Ziwen's expression remained unchanged. "I'll settle it all together after you've delivered everything."
No way! What kind of logic is settling payment only after all goods are delivered?! If you end up refusing to pay, wouldn't I just lose over a hundred catties of salt for nothing!
However, hearing that faint, indistinct sound of metal striking, Zhang Bo calmed down again. "Settling later is also fine. I still trust your credibility, Boss Qin!"
He emphasized the word "credibility" quite heavily. "It's just that this sound... why does it sound somewhat familiar?"
"Oh, you mean the sound of metal striking? Does Boss Zhang's home also have a blacksmith?" Qin Ziwen asked in return.
Zhang Bo inwardly gasped, this time genuinely sour with envy.
Besides a salt well, you also have a blacksmith? Not just a blacksmith, collecting so much fish, you probably also have a fish farming structure. You really are too much!
Zhang Bo forced a smile. "My home doesn't have a blacksmith. It's just that I heard it on TV before, in dramas. I didn't expect the real sound of metal striking to be like this too, haha. I just wonder, Boss Qin, do you sell ironware?"
"Not for sale temporarily. I don't even have enough for myself. The production is very low right now." Qin Ziwen said, "However, if there is excess production later, we could consider selling externally."
Zhang Bo said directly, "Haha, Boss Qin, if you plan to sell, why not consider me a bit more?"
"Sure, if there is any, I can consider you first, Boss Zhang."
"Then it's settled!"
Zhang Bo exchanged a few more pleasantries before reluctantly leaving.
While going downstairs, Zhang Bo felt somewhat excited. He never expected to learn such a big secret.
Qin Ziwen actually has a blacksmith too!
Zhang Bo thought of Huang Tao and inwardly sneered.
That damn guy, laughing at my structure back then. Let's see if you can still laugh after Boss Qin's blacksmith starts accepting external customers.
How can wooden tools compete with iron tools? Your business will shrink by at least half!
Thinking that he wasn't the only one at a disadvantage, Zhang Bo felt inexplicably more comfortable.
The two men following Zhang Bo asked quietly, "Brother Zhang, it's just a blacksmith, right? I remember there's a Mou Dahui in the residential complex. He built a furnace himself, made a hammer, and is also striking ironware. Should be about the same, right?"
About the same?
Zhang Bo gave a disdainful smile.
Far from it!
People who have never obtained a building card will never understand.
Things made through building cards are fundamentally different from ordinary things.
Otherwise, why would Huang Tao's carpenter's hut business be so booming?
But he didn't want to explain much, just warned them, "You've worked hard today. Go back and each take two catties of coarse salt. Keep your mouths shut. Don't talk carelessly about what just happened.
I don't want to hear the slightest whisper about this. You should know my rules!"
The two hurriedly agreed. They both knew Zhang Bo's methods.
Previously, someone working here betrayed Zhang Bo. Within three days, while going out, he was ambushed, had his leg broken.
On the other side, after Zhang Bo left.
Qin Ziwen and Qin Ziwu worked together to carry the buckets of fish to the kitchen, climbed over the window, came to the platform, took the buckets, and poured them into the pond.
One after another, lively, jumping big fish leaped into the pool, splashing large sprays of water.
After pouring all five buckets into the pond, the entire fish pond seemed to radiate a new layer of vitality.
The fish entering the pond weren't afraid of people either. Occasionally, ripples could be seen on the water's surface, and fish nibbling on duckweed.
By evening, the team going up the mountain returned.
Besides retrieving the cards from the mountain cave, they also hunted two squirrels, one field mouse, and two pheasants along the way.
The field mouse was captured alive by the crowned eagle, pinned down directly on the hillside, then brought back alive.
Du Yu said, "My lord, I heard you were collecting these mountain animals, so I told them to try to catch them alive as much as possible."
"Thank you for your hard work." Qin Ziwen took the large grey field mouse from him.
The field mouse's wound had received simple hemostatic treatment. Held in hand, its heart rate was beating fast, pupils wide open, chest heaving violently.
Looking at its state, in a little while, it could probably scare itself to death.
Opening the beast cage, he placed it inside.
The originally somewhat tense grey field mouse gradually calmed down. Its heartbeat wasn't as fast either.
Although not the first time experiencing the beast cage's magic, Qin Ziwen still clicked his tongue in wonder.
Three female field mice in heat came over.
They frequently sniffed the male grey mouse.
A white female field mouse approached, nudged the male grey mouse's head, then wiggled its butt and ran away.
After running a couple of steps, it stopped and looked back to see if it was being followed.
Another patterned field mouse walked to the right of the male grey mouse, its two ears vibrating rapidly.
The last black field mouse circled around it, gently licking the male grey mouse's wound.
The male grey mouse was like a block of wood, squatting quietly in place.
Seeing it motionless, the three female mice grew increasingly anxious.
Finally, they all walked in front of it, arched their backs, raised their hindquarters, lifted their little tails, turned their heads, and looked at it.
Grey male mouse: ???
The male mouse slowly raised its head, its rodent face full of contemplation.
Pulling away Qin Ziwu, who wanted to watch the rodent show, they came to the living room. Qin Ziwen asked Du Yu, "What card did the altar give today?"
Du Yu replied, "A common building card called Paper Mill. No one exchanged for it temporarily. My lord, the card is here."
Saying this, he extended a card from his hand and handed it to Qin Ziwen.
Paper Mill?
This structure is a bit awkward, but can't be called useless.
Paper is a good thing, definitely has a market. But the next map is the Gobi Desert, probably not much raw material for making paper. So even if built, it can't serve a purpose temporarily.
However, mentioning cards reminded Qin Ziwen of something else.
He called everyone in the Home, then took out the building card Paper Mill, letting everyone come up and take turns holding the card.
After a round of testing, besides Du Yu and Qin Ziwu, no one else could touch the card.
Now he could confirm, among these recruited members, only Du Yu was special.
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