Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

Shen Chu couldn't help but remember Li Chengwen's kindness to him.

That piece of silver-patterned meteorite iron improved his physical constitution; this favor could not be repaid with just a few taels of silver.

The meeting ended amidst a cacophony of noise.

The craftsmen dispersed in twos and threes. Some frowned as they calculated the construction period, some whispered about their wages, and others went directly to the warehouse to count the remaining materials.

Standing on the steps, Li Chengwen watched the departing figures of the crowd. The excitement on his face gradually faded, replaced by a heavy worry.

He sighed and turned to go back inside.

"Young Master."

A voice came from behind him.

Li Chengwen turned around and saw Shen Chu walking over from the back of the crowd. He was somewhat surprised: "Shen Chu? Weren't you supposed to take leave to go back to your hometown? Why haven't you left yet?"

Shen Chu walked up to him, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Young Master, I've thought about it and decided not to ask for leave for now."

Li Chengwen was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"I'll stay and finish this order for you. After the goods are delivered, I'll take leave and go back to my hometown."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengwen was taken aback at first, then a big smile spread across his face.

He stepped forward and patted Shen Chu on the shoulder heavily, his voice filled with undisguised excitement: "Good! Good brother! I knew you were loyal!"

He immediately turned to the accountant and shouted, "Make it clear! Shen Chu's wages will double from now on! Once the order is completed, I'll give him a generous bonus!"

Shen Chu smiled and bowed in thanks.

He was silently making plans in his mind.

Once this batch of orders is completed and the favor is repaid, it's time to seriously consider leaving.

......

night is deep,

A light was still on in one of the side rooms of the Li residence.

The curtains were drawn tightly, letting in only a dim, yellowish light.

Liu leaned back on the soft couch, holding a round fan in her hand, waving it idly.

She wore a light purple nightgown, the neckline slightly open, revealing a patch of snow-white skin that gleamed warmly in the candlelight.

Li Jiwu sat on the round stool opposite her, holding a cup of warm tea in his hand, but his eyes were wandering around her restlessly.

"What are you looking at?"

Liu noticed his gaze, but instead of looking away, she gave him a reproachful glare, though a smile played on her lips.

Li Jiwu put down his teacup and smiled, "Aunt Liu looks radiant today. It must be because Father has been busy with official duties these past few days and hasn't had time to disturb Aunt Liu's rest. Aunt Liu slept well, so naturally she looks glowing."

Liu heard the sarcasm in his words, spat at him, and lightly tapped him with her fan:

"Stop with the glib talk. I called you here to discuss serious matters, so stop with this nonsense."

Li Jiwu's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Aunt Liu, please speak."

Madam Liu shook her round fan and said slowly, "Your eldest brother has been riding high lately. The forging workshop is bustling with activity. I heard the samples have already been produced, and the quality is quite good. He's been bossing people around in the workshop every day, and he's really made a name for himself. Plus, with your eldest daughter backing him up, if this continues, your father will only have eyes for his eldest son."

Li Jiwu frowned slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "That's an order from the government. I can't just tell him not to do it, can I?"

Upon hearing this, Liu chuckled and tapped his forehead with her fan: "You're usually quite clever, so why do you act foolish at times like this?"

Li Jiwu wasn't annoyed by her comment; instead, he moved closer and said, "Please give me your guidance, Aunt Liu."

Liu rolled her eyes at him, deflected his gaze with her fan, and then said slowly, "Of course we have to do the work. If we don't, we'll offend the government, and our Li family can't afford that responsibility. But how to do it is a complex matter. Didn't your eldest brother say he wanted everyone in the workshop to work overtime to speed things up? Then go and tell your father that, to ensure quality, we should outsource some of the orders to other reliable forging workshops. After all, time is tight and the task is heavy. If there are quality problems, no one can bear the responsibility if the government blames us."

After listening, Li Jiwu's eyes gradually brightened.

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Aunt Liu means... that I want my father to think that my older brother's plan is risky, so that he will adopt my suggestion?"

"clever."

Mrs. Liu smiled with satisfaction.

"That way, even if your older brother manages to produce the goods in the end, the credit won't go entirely to him. And your father will feel that you, as his younger brother, are thinking of him and the Li family. It's a win-win situation, so why not?"

Li Jiwu stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Madam Liu, and said sincerely, "Aunt Liu is very insightful. Chenghan has learned a great deal."

Liu waved her hand and yawned: "Alright, it's getting late, you should go back. You know what to say tomorrow."

Li Jiwu responded, turned around, pushed open the door, and went out. The night wind blew the hem of his robe, and his steps were much lighter than when he came.

The next morning, Li Jiwu went to Master Li's study.

When he entered, Master Li was sitting behind his desk reviewing account books, with his eldest son, Li Chengwen, beside him, a smug look on his face.

This is clearly a report on the progress of the rush to complete the project.

Li Jiwu stepped forward calmly, first paying his respects to Master Li, then nodding to Li Chengwen, and then said, "Father, there is something I would like to discuss with you."

Master Li put down the account book, glanced at him, and asked, "What is it?"

Li Jiwu carefully considered his words: "It's about the order from the sword forging workshop. I know that you and everyone have been working very hard lately, and the progress is indeed quite good. But I'm a little worried. With 1,500 long swords and such a tight deadline, it's all thanks to the people in our workshop working overtime. If they can't keep up with the physical demands in the later stages and there are quality issues, it might be difficult to explain if the government blames us."

He paused, then continued, "So my son is thinking that we should outsource some of the orders to a few other reputable blacksmith shops in the city. This would ease the burden on us and also ensure quality. Although the cost will be higher, it's better than something going wrong."

After listening, Master Li did not immediately express his opinion, but turned to his eldest son: "Chengwen, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengwen felt a surge of anger.

He had finally managed to save face in front of his father, but then his second son jumped out and said he wanted to outsource the work—clearly, he was there to sabotage him!

Li Chengwen immediately stood up and said loudly:

"Dad, I don't agree to outsourcing! First, outsourcing will cost at least 20% more than doing it ourselves. Second, we can't control the quality throughout the process. If the outsourced workshop cuts corners, the Li family will be the ones to suffer the consequences. It's better to let our own people earn the money than let others do it!"