Facts have proven that when you are generally in a bad mood, you will encounter something that makes you feel even worse.
The old craftsman put down the wine bottle and opened it again.
He sat alone in the corner, drinking sip after sip.
He was so greedy in the morning, this bottle of wine probably wouldn't be enough for him to drink while forging swords in the evening.
This is like a reformer who has clearly set a new self-discipline schedule for getting up at seven o'clock tomorrow, accurate to the millisecond, but tonight he can't help but indulge a little before self-discipline. We played until six o'clock in the morning.
This is how Lao Jiangzuo feels now.
Breakfast shop.
"Houselady, why isn't the rice steamer ready yet?"
Among the group of swordsmen chatting at the next table, a young man said with an impatient expression.
This young man has been surrounded by other swordsmen since he first came in, and he seems to be the center of a small group.
He was wearing a clean blue craftsman's uniform, his hair was tied up in a rather elegant style, and his expression was cold.
While the other swordsmen were chatting, the young man in blue pulled out a wooden chopstick and turned it between his fingers, as if he was too lazy to insert it.
But when he just heard his companions discussing the new county magistrate, he sneered and taunted him.
At this moment, as soon as the young man in blue came out with dissatisfied words, the female workers in the kitchen immediately started to scramble.
The leading female ear worker wiped her hands on her apron, bent down, and looked apologetic:
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, the new rake hasn't been steamed yet..."
A middle-aged swordsman who had just made jokes as soon as he entered the door said with a smile:
"Madam boss, hurry up and don't delay Brother Chen's work. We idle guys can wait. It doesn't matter if we are late for catching fish. Brother Chen is different. He is the son of the famous craftsman Chen, and he is also the best in our sword shop. The young new swordsmith is going to the Jiasan Sword Furnace to make swords after dinner later, and even your little stall cannot afford to pay for the delay."
The leading female worker was even more panicked and hurried forward to apologize humbly.
The sword furnace of the Guyue Sword Shop on the west bank of Butterfly Creek is divided into four levels, A, B, C and D.
The first-class sword furnaces are all in excellent locations close to Butterfly Creek, and the third-class sword furnaces are naturally among the best.
As everyone knows, apart from the rumored Jiayi Sword Furnace which has never existed, and the Jiaer Sword Furnace which has a gathering of top craftsmen and only forges imperial swords, the most powerful one in Guyue Sword Shop is the Jiasan Sword Furnace.
The young man in blue clothes hummed. Facing the awed looks of the female workers and the envious looks of the surrounding diners, he played with his chopsticks as if nothing had happened, without commenting.
In fact, he only entered the Jia San Sword Furnace to help his father because of his father's glory, but this did not prevent him from still being out of reach in the eyes of everyone in this stall.
The young man in the blue suit enjoyed this kind of atmosphere centered on him.
But at this moment, a sarong worker holding a plate of hot steamed rice walked out of the kitchen in the simple greenhouse, and then, in full view of everyone, he brought it to the table next to the young man in blue and the others, where only an old man in linen sat. on the table.
Ah Qing turned around and went back to weave the ears.
The old craftsman took out a pair of chopsticks and poked them neatly, ready to eat.
The young man in blue suddenly had a long face. When the middle-aged swordsman next to him saw it, he immediately frowned in dissatisfaction:
"Madam boss, didn't you say that the new basket is not yet cooked? Why are some people trying to eat it? Are you trying to fool us? Or did they give you too much money?"
"No, no, this, this is a regular customer. Ah Qing will heat up a separate plate for him every morning..."
"Forget it, I won't eat anymore."
The young man in blue clothes stood up and was about to leave, but his companion who was fawning over him immediately pulled him back.
A swordsman with an arrogant temper stood up immediately, snatched the plate of hot steamed rice from under the chopsticks of the old craftsman, and put it on the table in front of the young man in blue, leaving only a perfunctory sentence:
"Sorry, sorry, please wait for the next set."
The old craftsman held a pair of neat chopsticks in his hands, raised them in the air, and silently stared at the empty table.
like a statue.
Everyone looked at him sideways, and after a while, the lonely, rickety old man still didn't move.
The female workers could only acquiesce and did not stop it.
The breakfast shop is once again busy in the early morning.
The group of young people in blue clothes continued to eat and drink.
The old craftsman didn't listen to the apology from the landlady next to him. He picked up half a flask of yellow rice wine and continued drinking. This jug of wine was definitely not going to last the night.
He understood something when he was young.
If apologizing works, then what else in the world does a sword do?
After wasting half an hour more than usual, new steamed rice rakes were brought to the table, and the landlady even added two more.
Old Jiangzuo didn't say anything. He finished his meal silently, put down his chopsticks, stood up and prepared to leave.
There was a thud.
There was another bottle of wine on the table.
The old craftsman discovered that it was exactly the same as the pot in his hand.
The old man raised his withered eyelids and saw the delicate little face of Xiaotaigong in the sarong skirt.
She ran to the kitchen again and brought out a jug of wine for him.
It turns out that this little errand girl didn't go out to buy fresh food every day, but stocked up on a few extra bottles.
The road is wider.
"Take note." The voice was a little hoarse.
Said the old craftsman who didn't like talking in the early morning.
The sarong worker did not reply. He turned around and trotted back to the wooden bench, climbed up and sat down. He continued to lower his head, swinging his two thin legs, and weaved the tassels carefully.
Old Jiangzuo picked up two bottles of wine and walked calmly through the bustling market. No one paid attention to him along the way.
The old man returned to the sword furnace room halfway up the mountain. As soon as he entered the door, he said to a waiting servant in the room with his hands down:
"Call Liu Ziwen and Liu Zi'an to come over."
The servant went out immediately without saying a word.
After a while, a seriously ill young man in Jinfu arrived first, Liu Zian.
After entering the door, he lowered his hands and eyes and said in a respectful tone:
"My eldest brother is still in the east bank county. We have sent someone to call him. Please wait a moment, sir."
"No wait, go back and talk to him."
Old Jiangzuo stood up from the fire, passed Liu Zian and walked out the door, and came to the lawn outside the house. He faced Butterfly Creek, sipped his wine and looked at his breath.
Liu Zian dismissed the servant beside him with his eyes, followed the old man to the windy lawn, stood behind him, and waited patiently.
"What happened to Zheyi Canal?"
"It's the new county magistrate who is somewhat out of our control."
"Oh, is there anything in Longcheng County that can escape the control of your Liu family?" the old craftsman who had not been out for many years asked rhetorically.
"Mr. Miao likes it. This new county magistrate is really difficult. There are some things that I'm still hesitant about whether to do..."
The old craftsman interrupted coldly:
"I don't care what you two do, or whether it's difficult or not, I only want to mention one thing."
"Old sir, please speak." Liu Zian said solemnly.
"Within three months, the water level of Butterfly Creek is not allowed to change. The status quo should be maintained. Whether it is Zheyi Canal or the rainy season in Yunmengze, the water level on the west bank of the downstream must remain unchanged!"
The old craftsman said coldly: "In three months, I don't care if the flood floods the sky."
Liu Zian was stunned for a moment, then his whole body began to tremble, and he asked with a dry mouth: "What does the old gentleman mean..."
"Within three months."
The old craftsman took another sip of wine. Today there is an extra pot of rice wine, which is enough.
He exhaled a breath of alcohol and nodded: "It will be born within three months."
"Okay... okay... okay!" Liu Zian nodded heavily and said three good words in succession, "Is it finally here..."
The second son of the Liu family trembled with his fingers, clenched them into fists, released them, and clenched them again... He even couldn't help but pace back and forth on the lawn.
He looked excited, as if a ten-year dream was about to come true.
Old Jiangzuo frowned: "I'm starting to get excited. Is the Zheyiqu issue resolved?"
Liu Zian calmed down a little and shook his head gently, "Old sir, you don't need to pay attention to Zheyi Canal for the time being."
"What do you mean? I don't understand this, so don't give me any excuses."
Liu Zian said directly:
"Zheyi Canal is a major water conservancy project. Cutting it into a straight line may indeed cure the floods in Longcheng once and for all. However, it is not as technical as Di Gong Gate and has a small amount of work. On the contrary, it will be very difficult to solve within three months." Once it is drilled through, this kind of project will take at least a hundred days."
He breathed a sigh of relief at the same time: "And old sir, you only need the last three months, so we on the west bank of Butterfly Creek have no worries for the time being, but this will affect the livelihood of Guyue Sword Shop in half a year..."
The old craftsman was suddenly no longer interested in what he said next. He had just said that he would not care about the flood in three months.
"What about Di Gong Gate?" the old man asked again with a cold face, "I heard that it hasn't been repaired yet, so what are you fussing about?"
Liu Zian looked a little embarrassed:
"Digong Gate should be built by the Longcheng County Government. They should be anxious, but the current situation... the county government was led astray by the new county magistrate and turned around to dig the Zheyi Canal..."
Old Craftsman waved his hand and interrupted: "So you don't want to practice any more, right?"
Liu Zian immediately shook his head vigorously.
Old Jiangzuo turned around, stared into his eyes, and said word by word:
"Don't talk about these messy things to me. I only care about the sword and the 'qi' of Butterfly Creek. You can handle other chores. This is what you personally promised when I brought it to your Liu family."
Liu Zian lowered his head and raised his eyebrows: "I understand, old gentleman, Duke Di's gate will definitely be repaired, and the water level of Butterfly Creek will never rise within three months. I will discuss it with my elder brother when I get back."
Old Jiangzuo looked at him for a while, nodded, and prepared to return to the hut.
Liu Zian looked hesitant to speak.
The old craftsman paused and didn't bother to turn around: "If you fart, hurry up."
"It's like this. The new county magistrate is a bit troublesome. My eldest brother is also discussing with the big shots above. But I thought, isn't the old gentleman also a big shot? Maybe I can give him some..."
Liu Zian stopped talking appropriately and said sincerely: "But it's okay. The old gentleman is busy, so it's okay if he can't spare his hand."
"You're quite smart, kid."
Old Jiangzuo chuckled and stood there thinking for a moment, "Okay."
He suddenly turned around, pointed at the blazing Jia San Sword Stove by Butterfly Creek at the foot of the mountain, and said calmly:
"The Jiayi sword furnace cannot be moved. The small furnace below is mine. Although I haven't used it for a long time... Hehe, I will give you a small gadget in a few days. Use it to solve the problem, or give it to someone who can. Solve the troublesome one. Don’t bother me again in these three months.”
"Yes!" Liu Zian nodded immediately and decided on the fate of nearly a hundred swordsmiths under the mountain without even thinking about it.
Instead, he said with a grateful face: "Thank you, old sir!"
The old craftsman turned around and went back to the house. He seemed to think of something on the way. He shook his head and muttered: "What kind of things are they? They use the same grade stove as me?"
Liu Zian, who was holding his breath, was confused when he heard the words, but he didn't dare to ask any more questions. He remained motionless on the spot and respectfully watched the old man leave.
The old man put his hands behind his back, holding the wine bottle in his hand, and walked towards the Jiayi sword furnace that had been out of service for many years and seemed abandoned.
He is not a craftsman.
He is a swordsmith.
He wants to forge a flying sword and teach all the qi practitioners in the world to lose their heads.
coming!
(End of chapter)
