I Have a Difficult Task for You

Evening came, and the sun sank in the west.

San Shier arrived, bringing a new face with him.

Li Da the blacksmith had been tricked into coming.

After escaping Chengcheng County amid the chaos, the two had hurried all the way toward Gao Family Village. The journey was over thirty li, with long stretches of mountain paths, and it was no easy walk.

By the time they arrived, both were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, barely able to keep going.

"We're here. It's just ahead." San Shier pointed toward Gao Family Village. "Oh! I haven't been here for a few days, and there's already a multicolored wall. Truly impressive. This is what they call 'a different sun each day, a changed moon each month.'"

The farther Li Da walked, the more remote and deserted the surroundings became, and doubts had already begun to stir in his heart. But the instant he saw the multicolored wall before him, he froze, then was overwhelmed with delight. What a towering wall-it was actually two zhang high!

This showed that the lord based here had considerable power.

And he had even painted the wall! That meant he was rich enough to spend money on pointless things. Lords who liked throwing money around like this were usually very generous.

He could not help asking, "There's actually such a big city here? Where exactly are we?"

San Shier said, "Gao Family Village!"

"Village?" Li Da could scarcely believe his ears. Even if San Shier had told him this was Xi'an, he would have believed it. But calling this a village? With walls two zhang high, how could he possibly call it a village?

"If it's only a village, then this must be a clan stronghold." Li Da asked curiously, "I've never heard of any lord surnamed Gao in the Chengcheng countryside."

San Shier said, "This lord is called the Heavenly Deity."

An enormous question mark slowly popped up over Li Da's forehead.

San Shier said, "Once we're inside, ask less and watch more. If you offend the lord and get thrown out, I won't be able to save you. This is what they call 'walking on thin ice.'"

Li Da was no innocent country bumpkin like Gao Chuwu. He had grown up making his way in the county seat and had seen plenty of officials and local gentry. Of course he understood that one should ask less and watch more inside a great household. He quickly nodded. "I understand."

San Shier led the way, and the two walked through Gao Family Village's gate, one behind the other.

Only one gate leaf had been finished; there had not been enough time to make the other that day. It looked rather comical. Li Da thought, This city was only just built. Even the gates aren't finished. No wonder the lord is recruiting blacksmiths. Looks like I'll have a chance to show what I can do here.

Just as he thought this, the "forced laborers" eating in the gateway gave him quite a fright. Each held a large earthenware bowl, and the bowls were actually filled with gleaming white broken rice, topped with cabbage leaves and strips of chicken-a fragrant bowl of chicken and cabbage over rice.

Just how wealthy is this lord's household?

Even the workers doing forced labor for him get to eat this?

Once, I forged armor for a patrol inspector, and even then I didn't get food this good.

And... aren't these laborers a little too healthy?

After three years of severe drought, almost all the common folk at the bottom of society whom Li Da usually encountered were sallow and emaciated, looking as though a gust of wind could knock them over.

Yet every one of these "forced laborers" had a healthy complexion. This was outrageously strange.

How could he have known that, ever since Li Daoxuan began supplying Gao Family Village with food, the villagers had rice, meat, vegetables, salt, and water at every meal? Their food was nutritious, and they ate with gusto. Naturally, they were in excellent health.

He desperately wanted to say something, but San Shier had warned him to ask less and watch more. He could only hold it in, which was exceedingly uncomfortable.

San Shier brought Li Da before Gao Yiye and smiled as he cupped his hands. "Miss Gao, I have brought the blacksmith as the Heavenly Deity instructed. This is what they call 'returning without disgracing one's mission.'"

Gao Yiye acknowledged him and was just about to look up and call out when she heard the Heavenly Deity's gentle voice. "Mm, give him a word of praise. He did very well."

As it happened, Li Daoxuan was eating too, holding a bowl of rice noodles with pickled cabbage and shredded pork while grinning foolishly at the Scenery Box. He had spotted San Shier and Li Da as soon as they entered it.

Gao Yiye said, "The Heavenly Deity praises you. You did very well."

San Shier said, "Flowers are blooming in my heart."

Li Daoxuan was ready to ask about serious matters, so his tone grew solemn. "Yiye, have San Shier introduce this blacksmith."

(From this point onward, assume Gao Yiye relayed his words.)

San Shier hurried to introduce him. "This man is named Li Da, the finest blacksmith in Chengcheng County. He has forged armor for several patrol inspectors in the county seat, and many of the garrison soldiers' weapons came from his hands as well. This is what they call 'a skilled artisan with ingenious hands.'"

Li Daoxuan thought, His surname is Li, just like mine. Five hundred years ago, we were one family.

Li Da was grateful to hear San Shier putting in a good word for him, but he also found it rather odd. The Third Secretary was someone of standing in the county seat, so why was he nodding and bowing to a young girl? Judging by her clothes, she was just an ordinary village girl.

Li Daoxuan fixed his gaze on Li Da. "Li Da, can you make iron armor?"

Asked about his own specialty, Li Da immediately perked up and answered with considerable pride, "Reporting to... miss... this humble one entered the Military Armaments Bureau as a child and learned to forge all kinds of weapons and armor from an early age. There is nothing this humble one cannot forge."

"Oh, quite confident, aren't you?" Li Daoxuan chuckled. "Can you make firearms too?"

"Yes!" Li Da replied with complete confidence. "This humble one can make the Three-Eyed Divine Fire Lance."

Li Daoxuan said, "Good, good. Your skills are quite impressive. It looks like you can teach the villagers to make iron armor."

Making iron armor without authorization? That was the grave crime of rebellion.

Li Da immediately grew nervous, but on further thought, So what if it's rebellion? If this man dares to do something like this, that proves he has power. And only someone with that sort of power can help me escape the artisan registry and regain commoner status.

To hell with being afraid. I'll do it!

Li Daoxuan said, "Besides that, I have a difficult task I'd like to give you."

At the words "a difficult task," a confident smile flickered across Li Da's lips. How difficult could it possibly be? There isn't a weapon or suit of armor I can't forge. No matter how complicated a thing you give me, isn't it just a pile of iron? If I spend enough time on it, I can always forge it.

Had he truly been facing a lord, he might have felt a little intimidated. But facing only a village girl like Gao Yiye, he felt no stage fright at all. He puffed out his chest and said, "Miss, please tell the lord that there is nothing I, Li Da, cannot make. Whatever the lord wants, this humble one can produce it. I ask only that the lord lend me a helping hand and grant me commoner status once the work is done. If my descendants can escape the artisan registry, I will be eternally grateful."

Since he was so confident, Li Daoxuan held nothing back. He picked up a sheet of A5 paper and lowered it onto the open ground behind the gate...