Gray-Eyed Bamboo

The moment Deng Yuechuan saw the pistol, his whole body went numb. "Master, where did you get that?"

"What are you afraid of? I've spent half my life roaming the world. What's so strange about me having a gun? Do you know how to use one?"

"No. I've never even touched one."

"Your father's ruthless in business, and he didn't even teach you to use a gun?" Old Wang shoved the pistol into Deng Yuechuan's hand. "It's yours."

Deng Yuechuan didn't dare accept it. "Master, I wouldn't have any use for this."

"You would. This isn't an ordinary gun. It was grown in a Bowl, and its spirit's been smoothed out. It'll fire every time. As long as you aim properly, you'll hit whatever you look at. You could sell it on the street for two thousand Silver Dollars, easy."

"Master, what good would giving your disciple something so precious do? It'd just be wasted on me..."

"It wouldn't be wasted. I want you to kill Zhang Laifu with it and help me vent my anger."

"I really can't do that. I've never even killed a chicken!"

"Killing a man's easier than killing a chicken. No draining blood, no plucking feathers. One shot and it's done." Master Wang took out another box of Silver Dollars and set it before Deng Yuechuan.

Tears in his eyes, Deng Yuechuan shook his head again and again. "Master, you're sending me to my death. You said Zhang Laifu is a Craftsman. How could I possibly beat one?"

"He's only just entered the trade. He doesn't know a thing. Right now, he can't even make a complete lantern. Kill him, and I'll give you his Craft Essence. I'll find you a Bowl too. Then you'll be a Craftsman."

Master Wang kept raising the offer, and Deng Yuechuan's heart trembled with every word.

It would have been a lie to say he wasn't tempted. Who in Wansheng Province didn't want to become a Craftsman?

But killing someone was still too great a hurdle for Deng Yuechuan.

Master Wang gnawed on a chicken leg and drank a bowl of wine. "All this talk has been a waste of breath. What are you still doing following me around if you haven't got the guts?

"I'll give you two Silver Dollars. Go home and farm. Mind you hide from Craftsmen while you're at it. One of them could pick up a hoe and scare you to death!"

Deng Yuechuan gritted his teeth, gripped the pistol, and drained his bowl of wine. "Master, when do we do it?"

"Don't rush. I need to make preparations and find someone to help you." Wang Tiaodeng poured Deng Yuechuan another cup of wine.

In his room, Zhang Laifu studied the Alarm Clock and worked out a few rough rules.

Without winding it, none of the hands moved.

Each time he wound it, the hands moved, but at speeds opposite to those of a normal clock: the hour hand moved faster than the minute hand, and the minute hand faster than the second hand.

He could wind the Alarm Clock once every twelve hours. Whether that was an inherent property of the clock or a limit of Zhang Laifu's ability remained unknown.

No matter how many turns he gave the spring, the Alarm Clock always ended up showing one o'clock. That was probably due to the limits of Zhang Laifu's ability. Old Helmsman had told him the Alarm Clock could point to two o'clock, but Zhang Laifu couldn't make it do that yet.

Once the hands pointed to one o'clock, a cloud of green smoke was certain to emerge from beneath the alarm bell.

The green smoke had never harmed Zhang Laifu. Even when he breathed normally, it wouldn't come near him as long as he held the Alarm Clock.

Once, though, a cockroach crawled out from under the table. Zhang Laifu glanced at it while holding the Alarm Clock, and the green smoke immediately rushed at it. The moment the smoke touched the cockroach, it died.

The smoke was indeed poisonous, and it could follow Zhang Laifu's gaze. How it sensed where he was looking was still unclear.

Within a minute, whether or not it had poisoned a living creature, the green smoke always returned to the Alarm Clock. The three hands immediately reset to twelve o'clock.

He hadn't found any other rules yet.

Besides studying the Alarm Clock, Zhang Laifu had been working hard at his craft. He had mastered the basics of making lantern frames. Only one thing eluded him: Old Liang had told him to feel along the grain of the bamboo, but after all these days, Zhang Laifu still couldn't find where its strength lay.

He was treating the lantern like his own wife. Why couldn't he get a feel for that one bit of grain?

That truly took experience, not just talent. Anxious to learn, Zhang Laifu snapped hundreds of bamboo strips a day and rubbed his fingers raw, yet made little progress.

At this rate, his fingers would end up badly injured. Zhang Laifu set the frames aside and learned some special techniques from Old Liang instead.

A paper lantern could be used as a weapon, and every move had its subtleties. Old Liang knew plenty of moves. As a Craftsman, Zhang Laifu worked with a lantern in perfect harmony. In less than a month, he had learned everything Old Liang could teach him.

Martial arts practice was fascinating, especially once he had the basics down. The more he experimented, the more variations he found. Holding a bamboo pole in his left hand and rough-edged paper in his right, Zhang Laifu was practicing in his room according to a manual Old Liang had given him when he heard the worker Xiao An call from outside. "Laifu, the boss wants you to run an errand."

"Run an errand" really meant Zhang Laifu was being summoned for a lesson.

But it was usually Xiao Chu who came. Why was it Xiao An today?

Zhang Laifu called back, "I'll be right there."

He didn't hurry out. First, he pulled on a padded jacket.

He Shengjun had given him the jacket. It was baggy, oversized, and especially thick.

Zhang Laifu took out the sewing kit Xiaozhuzi had given him, tore a piece of cloth from his old, filthy robe, and sewed a hidden pocket inside the jacket's hem. Then he slipped the Alarm Clock into it.

He walked a few steps in front of the mirror. The hem didn't hang quite right, so he unpicked the pocket and resewed it several times. Once he was sure nothing looked amiss, Zhang Laifu went out.

At Old Liang's door, Zhang Laifu called several times, but no one answered.

Sensing something was wrong, Zhang Laifu was about to return to his room when Wang Tiaodeng spoke behind him. "Laifu, I haven't seen you in quite some time."

"Master!" Zhang Laifu turned and bowed. "Where have you been these past few days?"

"I went to, well, I didn't go anywhere. I..." Master Wang couldn't get the words out. That was the question he was supposed to ask Zhang Laifu.

"Never mind that." Master Wang waved a hand. "I heard the shopkeeper's taught you quite a bit. You should know how to make a frame by now, shouldn't you? Make one and let me see."

Zhang Laifu nodded. "I won't."

Wang Tiaodeng snapped, "Why nod if you won't do it? Why won't you? I'm your master. Have I no say over you?"

"The shopkeeper told me to run an errand. I'm busy."

"The shopkeeper's gone out. He left the matter to me."

"If he left it to you, then you can run the errand." Zhang Laifu turned to leave.

"Come back! Make a frame for me first. You can run the shopkeeper's errand afterward." Master Wang flicked eight small bamboo strips from his sleeve, then a piece of candle. He pinched his fingers together, and the candle lit.

After heating the bamboo strips, Master Wang tossed them straight to Zhang Laifu. Zhang Laifu caught them neatly and precisely without burning himself in the slightest.

"Watch closely, Master!" Zhang Laifu took his stance, put on his gloves, and bent the bamboo strips. The curves were a little off, but he could just about make a frame stand.

The commotion drew quite a few workers and apprentices over to watch.

Master Wang looked at the frame Zhang Laifu had made, and his gaze softened considerably.

"Laifu, you've truly put in the work. Take off your gloves and show them your hands."

Zhang Laifu was a little surprised. Master Wang's attitude had changed awfully quickly. He took off his gloves, and the others murmured when they saw the cuts covering his hands.

"Learning a craft isn't easy!"

"That Laifu kid's going places. Why else would the shopkeeper take notice of him?"

Chen Xiaowang's voice caught in his throat. "Brother Laifu, well done!"

Master Wang ran his fingers along the bamboo frame. "There's nothing to fault in your technique now. You're just a little short of mastery when it comes to the bamboo's grain."

Zhang Laifu nodded repeatedly.

No wonder he's the master here. He spotted the heart of the problem at a glance.

"But getting a feel for the grain isn't something you can learn overnight. I practiced for two whole years back then and still made little progress." Master Wang seemed troubled too.

The onlookers began talking. "Looks like he'll have to work even harder."

"How could anyone learn a craft without hard work?"

Chen Xiaowang clenched his jaw and fists. "Brother Laifu, keep at it. You can do it!"

Zhang Laifu was about to chat with Chen Xiaowang when Master Wang said, "Laifu, go to the Old Shipyard Iron Lattice Warehouse and buy a bundle of Gray-Eyed Bamboo."

Zhang Laifu paused. "Where's the old shipyard? And what do you need that bamboo for?"

Chen Xiaowang said, "Let me run the errand. I know where the old shipyard is."

"You? Who do you think you are?" Master Wang glared at Chen Xiaowang. "The Head Boss told me to teach Laifu the craft. What are you butting in for? Get back to pasting lanterns!"

Chen Xiaowang left with his head down. Master Wang lowered his voice and told Zhang Laifu, "Gray-Eyed Bamboo has spirit, and its grain has the most strength. It's perfect for practice. This is a secret trick of mine. Don't let them steal it. Hurry and buy the bamboo."