piratefiction Chapter 59 Wang Wei Visits
Chapter 59 Wang Wei Visits
In an instant, a wealth of knowledge about material selection, fire control, forging rhythm, force application, sensing internal changes in materials, and guiding subtle spirituality flooded into his mind, corroborating Ou Yechang's actions at that moment.
What originally seemed like a complicated hammering technique suddenly became clear and its profound mystery was revealed in his eyes.
When Ou Yezhang put the materials into the furnace to heat them again, Zhang Yuan's eyes flickered, and he suddenly stepped forward and picked up a relatively light small forging hammer, which was commonly used by apprentices, from the tool rack next to him.
Just as Ou Yechang was about to strike with the hammer after taking out the red-hot iron, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw Zhang Yuan's movements. He stopped and wanted to see what the kid was going to do.
Several apprentices nearby also stopped what they were doing and gathered around out of curiosity.
Zhang Yuan remained silent, took a deep breath, recalled the secret he had just grasped, mobilized his qi and blood, and instantly tensed and relaxed his arm muscles. With a precise force that perfectly matched the rhythm of Ou Ye's long hammer, yet carried his own unique rhythm, he struck the side of the spot where Ou Ye's long hammer was about to fall!
"Ding!"
A crisp impact sound rang out, and the angle of the sparks ejected subtly changed.
Ou Yezhang's eyes lit up. He felt that with his hammer blow, the internal structure of the iron seemed to have been "ironed out" in advance by Zhang Yuan's perfectly timed hammer blow, making the forging process exceptionally smooth and the effect multiplied!
"Good lad!" Ou Yezhang cheered, and without further hesitation, his hammer followed closely behind.
"Ding! Ding!"
"Ding! Ding!"
Two iron hammers, one large and one small, began to rise and fall alternately on the red-hot iron with a wonderful tacit understanding.
Ou Yezhang was in charge of the main task, which was powerful and heavy, and he was responsible for shaping and removing impurities.
With Zhang Yuan's assistance, his hammer blows were precise and tricky, always adding the finishing touch at crucial moments, guiding the internal structure of the iron and the faint, ghostly iron spirit towards a more perfect fusion.
Sweat quickly soaked through Zhang Yuan's clothes, but his eyes were focused and his arms were steady, as if he was born to stand next to the anvil.
The apprentices around were stunned.
They had never seen anyone keep up with their master's pace and cooperate so perfectly on their first time touching a forging hammer!
Under the tacit hammering, the iron material quickly deformed and stretched, eventually being forged into the prototype of a short sword about 1.3 feet long, completely black, and with smooth lines.
After Ou Yechang's final quenching, polishing, and sharpening, it was fitted with an equally simple black leather sheath.
When Ou Yezhang sheathed the short sword and handed it to Zhang Yuan, the sword no longer possessed the "Hidden Kill" ability to conceal its light, but the thin, cicada-wing-like blade shimmered with a layer of almost transparent, extremely restrained, faint dazzling light under the firelight.
With a gentle wave, an extremely subtle yet piercing tearing sound filled the air, demonstrating its unparalleled sharpness!
"Take it!" Ou Yezhang shoved the short sword into Zhang Yuan's hand, patted Zhang Yuan's sweaty shoulder heavily with his large, fan-like hand, his eyes filled with undisguised appreciation and the expectations of an elder for a junior.
"Good lad, you've got talent and perseverance! I don't have many other skills, just this blacksmithing skill and a few ancestral, albeit clumsy, methods for strengthening muscles and bones and tempering blood. Come here often, and I'll pass on all my knowledge and skills to you!"
As he spoke, his gaze seemed to pierce through Zhang Yuan, gazing into the distant past, and his voice deepened: "Back when your father was working hard in the shop..."
At this point, Ou Yezhang suddenly stopped, a complex and unfathomable light flashing in his eyes. In the end, it turned into an almost inaudible sigh. He shook his head and did not continue speaking. He turned and walked to the water vat, scooped up a ladle of water and drank it down in large gulps.
Zhang Yuan gripped the still-warm short sword in his hand, feeling its sharpness and faint spirituality, and solemnly bowed deeply once more to Ou Yechang's retreating figure: "Thank you for your generous gift, Master! Zhang Yuan will certainly come to bother you often."
As we left Bailianfang, it was nearly dusk.
Zhang Yuan carefully hid the newly acquired short sword close to his body and walked quickly towards the Zhang family's courtyard.
After a day of ups and downs and gains, he felt relatively calm.
The world is vast and boundless, and Zhang Yuan still has much to learn.
As he turned the familiar street corner and saw his own slightly dilapidated little courtyard in the distance, his steps faltered slightly.
Outside the courtyard gate, a horse-drawn carriage was parked quietly.
The carriage was wide and sturdy, with a glossy black paint, and was pulled by two magnificent, tall horses.
Most strikingly, a bright yellow triangular flag was firmly planted on one side of the cart shaft. The flag fluttered in the evening breeze, and three powerful characters were written on it in bold ink.
Weiyuan Escort Agency.
Zhang Yuan's heart stirred slightly, and he quickly walked into the courtyard.
In the front courtyard, Wang Wei, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of Weiyuan镖局 (escort agency), was standing side by side with a middle-aged man dressed in a light blue cloth robe, with an ordinary face but calm eyes.
Before them was Zhang Zhenshan's memorial tablet, simply set up by Zhang Yuan in the main room.
A simple wooden plaque bears the inscription "Position of Zhang Zhenshan, Commandant of the Imperial Guards," while three sticks of incense curl upwards from the incense burner.
Wang Wei, with a solemn expression, was bending down to insert the incense sticks in his hand into the burner, while the middle-aged man in the green robe beside him also bowed slightly in greeting.
Just as the middle-aged man in the green robe raised his sleeve to adjust his clothes, Zhang Yuan's eyes caught an extremely subtle detail.
At the wrist of the person who raised his hand, the edge of the inner lining of his blue robe revealed a pattern that was almost identical to the black iron plaque in his arms and the "镇" (zhen, meaning "suppress") character pattern he had seen on Wang Wei's sleeve before!
Zhenwu Guard!
again!
Zhang Yuan's heart was pounding like a drum, but his face remained calm and composed, as if he had just happened to see an ordinary elder paying respects to his father.
He stepped forward steadily and bowed to Wang Wei and the middle-aged man in the green robe, saying, "Chief镖王, thank you both for coming to pay respects to my father."
Wang Wei straightened up, a warm yet solemn smile on his face, and pointed at the middle-aged man in the blue robe, saying, "Young Master Qingyang has returned?"
"This is Xu Zhiyuan, the accountant and manager of my Weiyuan Escort Agency. Hearing of Captain Zhang's reputation for loyalty and bravery, he came to pay his respects together."
The middle-aged man, referred to as Manager Xu, also nodded slightly to Zhang Yuan.
Xu Zhiyuan's voice was not loud, and he calmly looked at Zhang Yuan.
"My condolences to Mr. Zhang."
"Thank you both." Zhang Yuan stepped aside and gestured, "Please come inside and have a cup of coarse tea."
……
Next to the main room was Zhang Yuan's small study, which he used for reading and practicing calligraphy.
The study was simply furnished with a table, a chair, a low couch, and a simple bookshelf.
Zhang Jiumei lowered her head, carefully served three bowls of hot tea, and then quietly retreated outside the door.
Wang Wei's gaze swept across the study, finally settling on Zhang Zhenshan's memorial tablet. His tone was filled with sincere emotion: "Captain Zhang, known as the 'Tiger of the Mountain,' was a renowned and formidable figure in the northern border army back in the day!"
"Although I, Wang, never had the chance to meet him, I longed for him. Alas... Heaven is jealous of talent, and he died on the frontier wrapped in a horse's hide..."
Zhang Yuan sat down on the low couch, picked up the rough porcelain teacup with both hands, felt the warmth of the bowl with his fingertips, and replied in a clear and calm voice: "Chief Escort Wang, you flatter me. My father sacrificed his life for the country, his blood staining the battlefield. He sought righteousness and obtained it, and died a worthy death."
"He often said that this is the duty of a soldier."
These words are both an evaluation of his father and a subtle revelation of his own beliefs.
Zhang Yuan always cherishes thoughts of his country and his family, both in his past and present lives.
Wang Wei and Xu Zhiyuan exchanged a glance and slowly nodded.
Xu Zhiyuan began, "The family tradition of loyalty and bravery is truly admirable."
Wang Wei took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and naturally changed the subject: "Young Master Zhang, the security agency has chosen a location in the east of the city, in Sanliu Lane, not far from here. From now on, we can be considered neighbors."