Zhang Liang was remarkably efficient at his tasks. Despite missing an arm, he worked faster than Zhang Mancang.
Jin Feng assigned Zhang Liang the job of trimming branches and crafting the basic structure of the crossbows. Meanwhile, Zhang Mancang, known for his meticulousness, was tasked with the detailed carving work.
While the Zhang brothers were busy making the crossbows, Jin Feng gathered Guan Xiaorou, Tang Dongdong, and Run Niang to teach them how to use the weapons. He believed that learning to handle a crossbow would provide them with some self-defense skills in case of emergencies. Even if no emergencies arose, mastering such skills wouldn't hurt, especially considering the uncertain times they lived in.
In an era where few women engaged in martial arts, Jin Feng expected some resistance. However, Tang Dongdong agreed immediately, her eagerness evident. Guan Xiaorou, still shaken from a recent scare, hesitated only briefly before agreeing. Run Niang, typically indecisive, followed suit after seeing the others agree.
With only one spinning wheel available, the three women decided to take turns spinning yarn. The other two would spend their free time learning to use the crossbow with Jin Feng.
Jin Feng set up a target in the yard by hanging a large wooden board with a black dot at its center. Learning to use the crossbow wasn't particularly difficult, but drawing the heavy bowstring posed a challenge for most women. However, Jin Feng's crossbow featured a small winch that made the process easier, albeit slower. Even Xiao E, a young girl, could manage it.
By mid-morning, all three women had grasped the basics. Tang Dongdong excelled, hitting the target half the time, and her accuracy improved with practice.
Motivated by the prospect of improving their family's livelihood, the Zhang brothers worked tirelessly from dawn until late at night. In just two days, they completed a chest-loaded crossbow. Jin Feng, aware of Zhang Liang's difficulty in loading arrows with one hand, fitted the new crossbow with an arrow quiver from his own.
Zhang Liang eagerly took the new crossbow. With a single arm, he pressed the handle against his chest, and with a click, the crossbow was ready to fire. He quickly released five arrows, all hitting the target over twenty meters away. Three arrows even clustered tightly around the center dot.
Jin Feng was impressed, and the women applauded Zhang Liang's skill. Despite their progress, they couldn't match his speed and accuracy. Tang Dongdong, the fastest among them, took about three minutes to fire five arrows, with reduced accuracy.
"Brother Liang is incredible. If we were enemies, we wouldn't stand a chance against him," Tang Dongdong remarked.
"You've only been learning for a few days; you can't compare to him yet," Jin Feng said. "I heard from Tiezi that Brother Liang was a sharpshooter in the army. If not for losing an arm, he might have become a general."
"You flatter me. I'm no sharpshooter," Zhang Liang replied modestly. "I once saw a true master who could fire nine arrows in two breaths, all hitting a coin-sized target a hundred paces away."
"Such masters are rare. You're already skilled enough to hunt and support your family," Jin Feng assured him.
The next day, Zhang Liang ventured into the mountains to test his new crossbow. He returned at dusk with two wild rabbits, a significant haul for his family. The Zhang women were overjoyed, and his younger sister, Zhang Xiaohua, couldn't stop drooling at the sight of the rabbits.
Although Jin Feng had previously helped the Zhang family with a generous reward for a tiger hunt, Zhang Liang insisted on sharing his hunting gains with Jin Feng, adhering to the principle of repaying kindness. Jin Feng accepted the gesture, understanding the importance of maintaining balance in relationships to avoid fostering dependency or entitlement.