Chapter 35 A Beauty Beneath the Lamp

“What’s there to discuss? Just say it,” Xu Jiang said with a smile.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll purchase firewood and grass. Everyone can gather firewood and cut grass to sell to me. One bundle of firewood for 30 copper coins, one bundle of grass for 15 copper coins. At the same time, I’m hiring female workers. Ten per day will be enough. Each will earn 20 copper coins per day to tend the fires and boil the brine,” Li Chen said.

These villagers had treated him with such sincerity. He had to repay kindness with kindness.

“What? This is wonderful. Chen truly intends to lead the whole village to prosperity!” Xu Jiang exclaimed in delight.

The villagers, young and old alike, gathered around in excitement, pricking up their ears to listen.

“I wouldn’t dare promise riches, but as long as you’re willing to work, you’ll earn money. Payment will be settled daily. No delays. Tomorrow at 9 a.m., we begin collecting firewood and hiring women,” Li Chen said.

The villagers erupted into thunderous cheers, thanking Chen repeatedly.

Within less than half an hour, the good news spread throughout Muer Village. The entire village was filled with anticipation, waiting eagerly for the next day to gather wood and grass and boil salt for income.

Hou Xiaobai and the others intended to leave, but Li Chen stopped them and asked them to stay for dinner.

Yu Qingwan’s cooking was excellent, and with meat added to the dishes, the young men ate heartily until they were stuffed.

After the meal, Li Chen lit a lamp and called everyone to sit around the table. Yu Qingwan joined them.

All of them looked at him nervously, knowing he had something important to say.

“I’m going to produce refined salt and sell it for money,” Li Chen said.

Yu Qingwan had already learned about it. Liu Chenxu and the other two had been curious for a long time but did not dare ask. They listened intently.

“Wan’er has learned the secret method of refining salt from me. I won’t go into the steps. She will teach you. But remember this: even to your closest relatives, you must never reveal it lightly. Otherwise, you’ll be cutting off our source of income,” Li Chen said solemnly.

In the past, he would never have shared so much. But after what had happened during the day, he knew these three brothers were loyal and trustworthy. He would no longer conceal things from them.

“We understand, Chen,” the three said in unison, nodding heavily.

They could hardly describe the pride and gratitude they felt at this trust.

“As for tomorrow’s assignments, Chenxu will take charge. Go home tonight and draft a plan. Decide who will collect firewood and settle accounts, who will supervise the women, how to set up the cauldrons, and so on.”

“Don’t worry, Chen. I’ll prepare a written plan and show it to you in the morning,” Liu Chenxu said firmly.

“Good.” Li Chen nodded in satisfaction. This young man had both leadership and strategic potential. Perhaps one day he would become a scholar-general.

“You may go now. Xiaobai, stay. I’ll teach you how to make a pulley-compound crossbow.”

“What? Chen, I…” Hou Xiaobai was so excited he stood up and spun around before forcing himself back into his seat.

Zhao Dashi grew anxious. “Chen, what about me? They all have something to do. What should I do?”

“You focus on recovering. Later, we’ll need iron forging and weapon making. You’ll have plenty to do. Tomorrow, help with carrying buckets and miscellaneous work,” Li Chen said with a smile.

“That works! That’s my specialty. I like working with iron. I can put my strength to use!” Zhao Dashi grinned, his mood restored.

After Liu Chenxu and Zhao Dashi left, Li Chen began teaching Hou Xiaobai how to craft the crossbow.

Sometimes, technological progress requires only a single idea, like the spark of inspiration when solving a problem.

Hou Xiaobai was already the most skillful carpenter in the surrounding villages. Once Li Chen explained a principle he had never considered before, everything became clear to him.

“Chen, you’re incredible. How did you figure this out? Why didn’t I ever think of it?” Hou Xiaobai scratched his head in excitement.

“It came to me in a dream,” Li Chen said with a smile.

“Really? Did Master Lu Ban visit you in your dream?” Hou Xiaobai asked earnestly.

“Take whatever materials you need and go build it. In your spare time, make several more. Ideally, each of us should have one. But to avoid trouble, keep the finished crossbows and arrows stored with me. And just like the salt-refining method, you must not reveal this technique without my permission. Otherwise, I won’t teach you anything more,” Li Chen said.

“Chen, if I reveal even a word, may heaven strike both me and my mother,” Hou Xiaobai swore urgently.

After he left, Li Chen did not go to sleep. Instead, he began crafting another crossbow.

After several trips to the county and cutting wood earlier, he now had ample materials, enough to produce dozens of crossbows.

The one he was making now, however, was different. It was a compact hand crossbow.

It also used a pulley mechanism and incorporated an automatic loading feature, though its power was reduced.

Once completed, its effective lethal range would be about 30 meters, far inferior to his heavy crossbow. But within that range, it could still penetrate a human body easily.

“What is Young Master making?” Yu Qingwan asked curiously, bringing him a bowl of water after feeding Little Hu.

After facing life and death together, her earlier fear had disappeared. In its place was a growing, unspoken reliance. With Young Master present, it felt as though a great mountain shielded her from wind and rain. She feared nothing.

“Today was too dangerous. I’m making a hand crossbow for you to carry for self-defense,” Li Chen said, measuring the string length.

“Me? I… I can’t,” she said quickly, shaking her head.

“You can. Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you how to use it. These are troubled times. I won’t always be by your side. You must learn to protect yourself,” Li Chen replied.

“Then… all right. Just don’t think I’m foolish,” she said softly, biting her lip.

She disliked weapons and violence. But she did not want to become a burden.

Crossbows were intricate weapons and required patience to craft. By midnight, Li Chen had finished most of it.

He thought Yu Qingwan had already gone to sleep, but when he stepped out of the workshop, he saw her sitting in the main hall under the lamplight, spinning thread at a spinning wheel.

Little Hu lay asleep in a small nest at her feet.

Under the glow of the lamp, she looked like a jade beauty. Though dressed in plain cloth and simple hairpins, her elegance was beyond compare.

Li Chen found himself staring, momentarily lost in thought.