Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

Li Chengwen wanted to mutter a few more words,

Shen Chu and several coachmen also offered a few words of comfort, saying that it was good that everyone was safe and the goods weren't lost, which was the most important thing. Only then did Li Chengwen barely suppress his anger, snort, and climb onto the carriage.

The convoy regrouped and continued along the official road, but after this ambush, everyone's face showed more solemnity and vigilance.

Shen Chu remained seated in the carriage, his eyes slightly narrowed as he gazed at the distant horizon, lost in thought.

At this moment, Li Chengwen moved closer to Shen Chu and whispered, "Shen Chu, do you think those robbers just now were sent by the second brother?"

Shen Chu glanced at him but didn't answer directly. She simply said, "Young Master, you know what you're doing."

"It's definitely him!"

Li Chengwen gritted his teeth.

"Besides him, who else dares to touch my goods? That bastard, I'll skin him alive when we get back!"

Shen Chu shook her head and advised, "Young Master, we don't have any evidence right now. Even if you go back and tell the Master, the Second Young Master can still deny it. Why don't we be patient for now and wait until we have solid evidence before confronting him?"

Li Chengwen frowned: "Evidence? How do we get this? We can't just let the second son confess, can we?"

"This will probably depend on Constable Xu and the bandits hanging behind the carriage."

Li Chengwen nodded, seemingly understanding, "What if those guys refuse to confess even if they die?"

Shen Chu smiled slightly at Li Chengwen again, a smile that carried a profound meaning:

"There are too many flaws in this batch of goods. The more flaws there are, the more suspicions there are about the second young master. Sometimes, even if there are many suspicions, there is no need for evidence. As long as the master believes it is true, then it is true."

Li Chengwen was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant and couldn't help but laugh, patting Shen Chu on the shoulder and saying, "Good lad! You really have a way with things!"

After he finished laughing, he looked Shen Chu up and down, his eyes filled with curiosity:

"Speaking of which, Shen Chu, your swordsmanship doesn't look like it was honed by blacksmithing. When did you learn martial arts?"

Shen Chu remained unfazed and chuckled, "Young Master is joking. I don't know any martial arts. I'm just naturally strong, and after years of blacksmithing, my hands are steady and my eyes are sharp. If you swung your hammer thousands of times every day, you could do the same."

Li Chengwen looked at him with some skepticism, but Shen Chu quickly changed the subject and asked about the local customs and culture of Qingyang County. Li Chengwen was then led astray and began to chat with great interest.

The rest of the journey was uneventful.

Perhaps the enemy needed time to redeploy after the first ambush failed, or perhaps the convoy had already moved beyond the most dangerous section of the road; in any case, they encountered no further trouble in the following period.

As everyone relaxed, the drivers began humming tunes, and the constables joked with each other, and laughter returned to the group.

By the morning of the next day, the convoy had finally arrived at the border of Wangchuan County.

Beside the official road stands a mottled stone tablet with the four large characters "Wangchuan County Boundary" engraved on it.

Shen Chu jumped down from the carriage, stretched his limbs, and turned to bow to the young master and Xu Zhibao: "Young master, Constable Xu, this is enough. Wangchuan County is just ahead, I can walk back myself."

Li Chengwen quickly jumped off the carriage, his face showing obvious reluctance: "Shen Chu, are you really leaving? Why don't you come with me to Qingyang County first? After we deliver the goods, I'll show you around properly! On the way back, I'll accompany you back to Wangchuan County, what do you think?"

Shen Chu smiled and shook her head: "I appreciate your kindness, young master. I've been away from home for a long time, so I have to go back and visit. After I finish dealing with this, I'll go back to work."

Seeing that he was determined to leave, Li Chengwen didn't press him to stay any longer. Suddenly, he remembered something, turned around, walked to the carriage, and pulled out a long knife wrapped tightly in silk cloth from the pile of goods.

It was the very weapon that Shen Chu had forged from silver-patterned meteorite iron.

He walked back, presented the long sword to Shen Chu with both hands, and said earnestly:

"You forged this knife yourself, and it's made of the finest materials. It would be a waste for me to keep it. Take it as a parting gift, so you'll have something to protect yourself on your journey."

Shen Chu was slightly taken aback, then reached out and took the long sword.

The moment he held it, the familiar weight and feel warmed his heart.

He looked down at the knife; the scabbard was a plain wooden sheath, simple and unadorned, which contrasted sharply with the exquisite blade.

Shen Chu looked up at Li Chengwen's chubby face and saw his sincere smile, and suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

Although this fat man is sometimes reckless and sometimes naive, he is truly sincere towards others.

He solemnly strapped the long sword to his back, cupped his hands in a respectful bow to Li Chengwen, and said, "Thank you, young master. Until we meet again."

Li Chengwen patted him on the shoulder again and instructed, "Come back early after you're done. The courtyard can't do without you."

Shen Chu smiled, neither agreeing nor refusing. He then took two steps back, waved to the crowd, and turned to walk along the road leading to Wangchuan County.

After walking a few dozen steps, he heard Li Chengwen shout behind him: "Shen Chu! Take care!"

He didn't turn around, but simply raised his hand and waved before continuing to walk forward.

After walking for about a mile and making sure that the convoy was out of sight, Shen Chu stopped and let out a long sigh.

He stood by the roadside, gazing at the unfamiliar road ahead, and suddenly felt a little lost.

My previous talk of going back to my hometown was just an excuse to get away.

The original owner was indeed from Wangchuan County, but her family had all died long ago.

This "Shen Chu" was completely clueless about the place and had no idea who to look for.

The world is vast, and for a moment he didn't know where to go.

After thinking about it, he felt that the best place to go was Qingyang County.

That was the county town, with many people and a lot of eyes and ears, making it easier to hide and providing more opportunities.

But now that he's already in Wangchuan County, he might as well go into the county town first, find a place to stay, and then make further plans.

Having made up his mind, he followed the direction he remembered and headed towards Wangchuan County.

However, he had only taken a few steps when he suddenly heard a faint shouting sound mixed with the sound of weapons clashing, as if someone was fighting.

The sound came from the woods not far ahead, no more than a hundred paces from where he was.

Shen Chu frowned slightly, immediately dodging into the roadside bushes. At the same time, she activated the [Conceal Breath] skill.

A faint aura emanated from him, and he seemed to blend into the surrounding vegetation. Unless one looked directly at him, his presence was completely imperceptible.