"Did he guess that I would ask you this question?"
Jin Feng was surprised by Zhang Liang's response. "What did he say?"
"The Marquis said that I should answer whatever you ask truthfully," Zhang Liang replied. "Xiao Feng, feel free to ask me anything. As long as I know and can speak about it, I'll tell you. After you hear it, you'll understand that the Marquis is different from other officials. He's a good man, and I can vouch for that with my life."
Hearing Zhang Liang's assurance, Jin Feng realized that his plan for the day might fall through. Zhang Liang was clearly a devoted follower of Marquis Qing Huai, and his blind admiration meant his words would likely be biased, focusing only on the positive. Still, Jin Feng felt it was worth asking. At the very least, he needed to know where this Marquis came from and what his responsibilities were. These basic facts couldn't be sugarcoated, even by Zhang Liang.
"Where is this Marquis from, and what's his background?" Jin Feng asked.
"The Marquis's father is Duke Qing. He joined the military at fourteen, became a squad leader at sixteen after distinguishing himself in battle, and was promoted to captain by twenty-one. At twenty-three, he led a thousand soldiers from the Iron Forest Army's right flank to defend Songzhou. They were besieged by twenty thousand cavalry from the Dangxiang tribe for three months, but he held the line. When reinforcements arrived, he coordinated a pincer attack that annihilated the invading forces," Zhang Liang explained, his voice filled with admiration. "That battle completely disrupted the Dangxiang's plans, and the Emperor was so pleased that he granted the Marquis the title of Earl of Jinchuan County. Later, due to his outstanding military achievements, he was further elevated to Marquis of Jinchuan County."
"His title isn't hereditary?"
"Of course not. The Marquis is the third son of Duke Qing, and I've heard he's even a child from a concubine, so he couldn't inherit the title. His marquis title was earned through blood and sweat on the battlefield," Zhang Liang said, puffing out his chest as if he himself had earned the title.
The wealthier and more privileged someone is, the more they tend to cling to their lives. As the son of Duke Qing, even as a child from a concubine, Qing Huai could have lived a life of luxury without lifting a finger. Yet, he chose to join the military and earned his title through merit. Whether Duke Qing had a hand in it or not, Qing Huai's achievements spoke volumes about his capabilities. Perhaps this was why Zhang Liang idolized him so much.
"I heard from Dongdong that when the Marquis came, he wanted to take the spinning wheel, which made you wary of him. But I know that the Marquis didn't want it for personal gain," Zhang Liang continued. "When he's in the military, the Marquis eats and sleeps alongside his soldiers. After battles, he distributes the spoils among the rank-and-file troops, keeping nothing for himself. His estate, Qingfeng Villa, has no extravagant luxuries, and most of the servants there are family members of fallen comrades. He wanted your spinning wheel so he could earn more money to support the families of those who died in battle. But there are too many fallen brothers in the army—how could he possibly take care of them all?"
Hearing this, Jin Feng's resistance toward Qing Huai softened somewhat. He realized that this might have been Qing Huai's intention all along. Still, he couldn't help but be influenced by Zhang Liang's words. Jin Feng believed he understood Zhang Liang well enough to know that, no matter how much he admired Qing Huai, he wouldn't harm Jin Feng. At most, Zhang Liang might hope that Jin Feng and Qing Huai could collaborate, much like how someone might want two close friends to meet and become friends themselves.
After Zhang Liang left, Jin Feng set aside his mixed feelings and tried to objectively assess what he knew about Qing Huai. He came from a noble family, had ambition, capability, and leadership skills. Zhang Liang, even years after retiring from the military, remained fiercely loyal to Qing Huai. Whether Qing Huai's kindness was genuine or an act, his charisma was undeniable.
After thinking it over for most of the night, Jin Feng decided to give cooperation with Qing Huai a try. Even if Qing Huai was putting on a show, he wouldn't harm those around Jin Feng. Doing so would destroy the reputation he had spent years building. No one was perfect, and finding a collaborator like Qing Huai was already a stroke of luck. If things went south later, Jin Feng could always find a way to extricate himself.
Once he made his decision, Jin Feng stopped overthinking. Listening to the rhythmic creaking of the spinning wheels in the courtyard, he quickly fell asleep.
Knowing that Qing Huai was eager to see results, Jin Feng had Manchuang put aside other tasks and focus entirely on building the new furnace with Zhang Liang. Since he had decided to cooperate, Jin Feng didn't hold back. When he saw that the brothers were progressing too slowly, he directly asked Qing Huai for help. Qing Huai, recognizing this as a sign of Jin Feng's willingness to collaborate, immediately assigned three of his guards to assist Zhang Liang and his brother.
The small courtyard became even livelier than usual. Alongside the creaking of the spinning wheels, the hearty laughter of the men filled the air. Down by the river, the brick kiln was a hive of activity, with piles of bricks stacked high from days of work.
Qing Huai, having led troops and traveled extensively, had never seen a village like Xihewan. Most villages he'd encountered were struggling and lifeless, but Xihewan was like the rising sun—full of energy and vitality. According to Zhang Liang, all these changes had begun after Jin Feng's marriage, less than a month ago. The idea that a village once struggling to feed itself could transform so dramatically in such a short time seemed almost unbelievable to Qing Huai. Yet, the steaming brick kiln, the bundles of hemp thread from the spinning wheels, and the bustling activity around the furnace construction were all undeniable proof.
Qing Huai's respect for Jin Feng grew, and he began to treat him as an equal. Their conversations became more relaxed, which pleased Jin Feng. Speaking in overly formal terms every day had been exhausting.
With the help of the three guards, the furnace was completed in just a day and a half, standing ready beside the blacksmith's workshop. By then, it was already mid-afternoon, and Jin Feng had planned to start the iron smelting the next day. But Qing Huai was too impatient, pacing back and forth in front of Jin Feng.
When Qing Huai passed by for the sixth time, Jin Feng finally couldn't take it anymore. "Alright, Marquis, stop pacing. Manchuang, come here!"
Qing Huai chuckled and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect. "Just let me know what you need, Master Jin."
"Don't worry, I won't hold back," Jin Feng said, leading Manchuang into the blacksmith's workshop.
The furnace was already lit. Jin Feng opened the old blacksmith's chest, took out a few pieces of raw iron, and tossed them into the furnace. He then instructed Manchuang to vigorously pump the bellows. The Great Kang Dynasty hadn't yet widely adopted coal, and even with Qing Huai's connections, they couldn't procure any. As a result, Jin Feng had to use charcoal.
Charcoal didn't burn as hot as coal, and even with the improved bellows and mineral powder added to lower the melting point of the iron, the furnace couldn't reach the temperature needed to fully melt the iron. Jin Feng spent hours adjusting the process, and by midnight, he finally managed to heat the iron to a semi-soft state.
Knowing that this was the best he could achieve with the current technology, Jin Feng removed the semi-soft iron from the furnace. With his injured left hand, he sprinkled a special mineral powder over the iron while his right hand swung the hammer, striking it repeatedly.
The clanging of metal echoed through the night. By the time the sun rose the next morning, Jin Feng finally opened the door of the blacksmith's workshop. In his tongs, he held two long swords.