Jin Feng's mind raced with countless thoughts in an instant.
In his previous life, he had heard of merchants being extorted by certain spoiled brats, but it was only hearsay. After all, he had never been a boss in that life and had no value worth extorting.
Well, it hadn't been long since he arrived in Dakang, and already he had caught the attention of a marquis.
In his previous life, society was civilized. Even if he were extorted by some rich playboy, the worst that could happen would be some trouble or suppression. But Dakang was different.
A marquis killing a commoner was no different from killing a chicken.
If things went badly, he could lose his life.
These thoughts flashed through Jin Feng's mind in an instant. As soon as Marquis Qing Huai finished his question, Jin Feng smiled and replied, "These spinning wheels are just little toys I made for my wife. If the marquis doesn't mind, you can take them when you leave."
Although he said the spinning wheels were something he casually made and weren't worth much, being extorted like this made Jin Feng very uncomfortable. So, he decided to test the marquis.
If the other party had any sense of decency, they would understand that Jin Feng didn't want to sell the spinning wheel technology.
If the marquis was determined to take it, Jin Feng would have no choice but to accept his fate.
A gentleman's revenge can wait ten years. Once he found a more powerful backer in the future, he could always develop a more advanced spinning wheel and drive this guy out of business.
When Jin Feng offered to give away the spinning wheels, before Marquis Qing Huai could respond, Xiao E, a little girl, spoke up in protest.
"Big brother, this is something my brother-in-law made for my sister. All the grandmothers, aunts, and sisters in our village rely on spinning to make a living. If you take the spinning wheels, they won't have food to eat, and I'll go hungry too."
Jin Feng silently praised Xiao E in his heart.
Unless Marquis Qing Huai was truly shameless, he wouldn't dare to take something from a child.
"So, it's your wife's beloved possession. I was too presumptuous," Marquis Qing Huai said.
As a marquis, Qing Huai was not short of money. He had only asked about the spinning wheels out of curiosity, hoping to find a bargain. Sensing Jin Feng's reluctance to part with the technology, he decided to drop the matter and used Xiao E's words as an excuse to step back. "Little girl, don't worry. I won't let you go hungry. I won't take the spinning wheels."
"Thank you, big brother!" Xiao E immediately brightened up.
Marquis Qing Huai patted Xiao E's head and pointed to a distant plume of smoke. "What's that over there? Is it a fire?"
"No, that's the brick kiln my brother-in-law built. They're firing bricks," Xiao E said proudly.
"Your village has a brick kiln too?" Marquis Qing Huai asked with a smile.
"My brother-in-law said the children in the village are always hungry, so he built the kiln to give the uncles in the village work to do when they're not farming," Xiao E explained.
"Sir, you are truly righteous," Marquis Qing Huai said, feeling a sense of admiration for Jin Feng.
Jin Feng waved his hand modestly. "When one is poor, they focus on improving themselves. When one is successful, they help the world. I am not talented enough to help the world, but I can at least provide a way for the villagers to make a living."
Just as Marquis Qing Huai was about to speak, a villager walked in holding a broken hoe, looking distressed.
"Brother Feng, the hoe broke while working at the kiln. Can you fix it when you have time?"
In Dakang, iron tools were considered valuable items. Many families treated their kitchen knives as heirlooms. This hoe had been passed down from the villager's grandfather to his father, and then to him.
"The forge was dismantled by Man Cang and hasn't been repaired yet. Give it a few days," Jin Feng said, glancing at the broken hoe. "Take it to Man Cang. Once the new forge is ready, I'll fix it for you. I'll also make some shovels for you all. They're better than hoes."
"Shovels are good for digging, but they break too easily. Don't waste the iron," the villager said.
In fact, shovels had been around for a long time, but due to the poor smelting techniques of the time, they were prone to breaking. Most farmers preferred sturdy hoes, which could be used for digging, hoeing, and weeding. When a shovel was needed, most farmers used wooden ones.
"Don't worry, the shovels I make won't break," Jin Feng said confidently.
"I trust Brother Feng's skills," the villager said with a smile. "Man Cang told me you're working on a new way to forge iron. The tools you make will be stronger and more durable."
"That damn Man Cang, always running his mouth," Jin Feng sighed inwardly.
Sure enough, Marquis Qing Huai's interest in iron tools was far greater than his interest in spinning wheels or brick kilns. As soon as the villager left, he asked, "Sir, are you improving the iron-smelting method?"
"It's not really an improvement, just a small discovery. I haven't tested it yet," Jin Feng said.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. This was his first meeting with Marquis Qing Huai, and until he knew more about the man, Jin Feng didn't want to reveal too much.
Marquis Qing Huai sensed Jin Feng's evasiveness but didn't let it go. He pressed further, "What discovery have you made, sir? Could you enlighten me?"
As he spoke, he clasped his hands in a formal gesture of respect.
A noble showing such respect to a commoner was a significant gesture. If Marquis Qing Huai were to bow to Jin Feng, the officials from the Ministry of Rites would have a field day criticizing him.
Iron tools were closely tied to military affairs, and Jin Feng knew that Marquis Qing Huai wouldn't let the matter drop until he got a satisfactory answer. So, he said, "It's not a major discovery. I just noticed that when my father was forging iron, the smoother the airflow in the furnace and the hotter the charcoal burned, the fewer impurities there were in the steel, and the tougher it became.
"So, I plan to modify the furnace to improve ventilation, which should enhance the quality of the iron tools."
"Really?" Marquis Qing Huai's eyes lit up with excitement.
In Dakang, most weapons were still made from crude cast iron. While the hardness was sufficient, the tools were brittle. They were fine for farming, as farmers treated their tools with great care, but they were unsuitable for weapons.
On the battlefield, soldiers had to fight with all their might, or they would lose their lives. As a result, weapons had a high breakage rate. After a fierce battle, many soldiers' swords would be broken in half, leading to unnecessary deaths.
As a military noble, Marquis Qing Huai was deeply concerned about this.
"These are just my speculations for now. We won't know the results until the new furnace is built," Jin Feng said, careful not to make any promises.
"How much longer will it take?" Marquis Qing Huai asked.
"Probably another five or six days," Jin Feng estimated.
"Zhong Wu, go ask around the village if anyone has a spare house we can rent for a month," Marquis Qing Huai ordered. "Remember, negotiate politely. Don't bully anyone."
"Yes, sir!" Zhong Wu replied and immediately left.
Just as he stepped out of the courtyard, he ran into Zhang Liang, who was returning from outside.
"Old Zhang, what are you doing here?" Zhong Wu was stunned to see Zhang Liang, then his eyes turned red as he noticed something. "What happened to your arm?"
"Old Zhong?!" Zhang Liang was equally surprised. "I live here. What are you doing here?"
"I came with the marquis to visit the tiger-slaying hero," Zhong Wu replied, then asked again, "What happened to your arm?"
"The marquis is here too?" Zhang Liang's face lit up with joy. Without answering Zhong Wu's question, he turned and ran into the courtyard.