I'm the One in Charge of Liu Family Village

Zhou Wanwan didn't know how to make the deposit, but Lingbao did.

It said casually, "Isn't purifying this kind of iron ore simple? All you need is charcoal and lime."

Zhou Wanwan raised an eyebrow and said, "You're that amazing?"

"And what do you think?"

Back home, Zhou Wanwan started listening to Lingbao and had a simple earthen stove built on the back mountain.

Zhou Wanwan invited two blacksmiths from the village over and pointed to the crushed ore, charcoal, and lime. "Master Liu, burn this ore with charcoal until it's red-hot, then add lime, do two more batches to remove impurities, and finally pour the molten iron into a clay mold!"

The two blacksmiths set up a furnace with some skepticism. The charcoal crackled as it burned, and the ore gradually turned reddish-brown in the fire. After adding lime, grayish-white slag emerged from the furnace.

He stirred the furnace with an iron rod from time to time, and when dark red molten iron seeped out from the bottom, he suddenly pried open the furnace opening.

Molten iron flowed down the mud trough into the mold. After it cooled completely, the mud shell was broken, and a shiny black iron block rolled out, making a crisp clanging sound when struck.

Another blacksmith, holding the iron block in his hand, slapped his thigh repeatedly. "It's done! It's done! This iron is of good quality; our village will have iron to use now."

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said:

"Not bad, now we have arrowheads. I plan to make some better things, once I've drawn up the blueprints."

You help me make these, and then make some daggers and machetes, just like these two."

Zhou Wanwan immediately took out the dagger and machete in her hand. She wondered how skilled these two blacksmiths were.

The two men nodded and said, "We can definitely make it. As long as we have iron, none of this is a problem. We used to be blacksmiths for our master."

Zhou Wanwan asked curiously, "Then everyone in your village must have a skill, right?"

Liu Xiuyuan bowed and cupped his hands, saying:

"Master, although everyone in our Liu Family Village was born into slavery, they all have a skill to rely on!"

These two brothers are skilled blacksmiths, proficient in forging and quenching iron.

Many of the women in the village are skilled at weaving, and Liu Laogen manages the accounts; he's incredibly accurate with his abacus, and the accounts are crystal clear.

Liu Sixi is an exceptional horse-drawn carriage driver, and besides that, he is also skilled in bamboo weaving, woodworking, and shoe sole sewing.

Zhou Wanwan was quite surprised; she really hadn't expected the people of Liu Family Village to be so capable.

With the blacksmithing almost finished, Zhou Wanwan went to her study to make a crossbow.

In ancient times, she truly felt no sense of security, especially since a drought was fast approaching and she had to be fully armed.

Just as Zhou Wanwan lay down, she heard Zhou Qingyan say, "Sister, something terrible has happened! A lot of bandits have come outside, saying they want to see our leader. What are we going to do?"

Zhou Wanwan walked straight out and said, "Bandits?"

"Yes, they brought dozens of men, all armed, claiming to be from Black Wind Mountain Stronghold. They told us to hand over all our valuables to them," Zhou Qingyan said.

Zhou Wanwan was quite excited; she wondered what ancient bandits looked like.

She hurriedly went down the mountain and saw three bandits sitting on horseback, followed by a large group of soldiers. The bandit leader was holding a red-tasseled spear.

The bandit's eyes were wide open, like copper bells:

"I heard your village has several hundred taels of silver and a lot of grain. Who is really in charge of Liu Family Village?"

"Hand over everything you're owed right now, and I'll spare your lives. Otherwise, I don't have that kind of patience."

Zhou Wanwan walked out with her hands behind her back, smiling, and said, "I am the head of Liu Family Village."

"Hahaha... That's hilarious! Is there no one left in your Liu Family Village? Sending up a little kid who's still drinking milk, isn't he?"

The bandits burst into laughter. Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"I don't know who told you that our Liu Family Village has grain and silver?"

The authorities came to search the place a few days ago, but they found nothing. Your intelligence was wrong.

The bandits sneered, "If you don't hand over the grain by the time I count to three, I'll make your village a living hell."

Zhou Wanwan looked at him coldly and said:

"I'd like to see how you're going to cause such chaos in Liu Family Village today!"

If you can't make our Liu Family Village a living hell today, then I'll make your entire mountain stronghold a living hell."

Zhou Wanwan waved her hand, and all the archers emerged from the woods, startling the bandits.

The bandit leader was so frightened that his legs trembled. Dozens of archers were aimed at them.

The bandit leader jumped off his horse and said, "Fine, then I'll tell you how to make your Liu Family Village a living hell."

Zhou Wanwan waited for them to make a move, and then shot them dead.

But the bandit leader didn't play by the rules; he immediately knelt down and said, "Little Ancestor, I know I was wrong."

After saying that, he slapped himself several times and said, "Just tell me what you want, and I'll do anything I can."

Zhou Wanwan looked at him calmly and said, "Hmm, he's quite a smart person. Black Wind Stronghold, right?"

The bandit leader nodded and said:

"Yes, yes, we also received the news. Now the whole area knows that your Liu Family Village is valuable."

Someone offered 500 taels of silver for the heads of everyone in your Liu Family Village. We, Black Wind Stronghold, are desperately poor, so we accepted the offer.

Zhou Wanwan rolled her eyes and said:

"You mean besides Black Wind Stronghold, many other bandits are also eyeing us? Tsk tsk tsk..."

"So our Liu Family Village is quite valuable, huh?"

The bandit leader smiled helplessly and said, "Little Ancestor, tell us what we should do for you to let us go?"

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Since you came to rob us, and you couldn't outmaneuver us, what should you do according to your usual methods?"

"We, your bandit gang, will compensate your Liu Family Village for your losses."

Zhou Wanwan nodded, took a sip of tea, and asked, "How do you plan to compensate Liu Family Village for its losses?"

The bandit leader thought for a moment and said, "Actually, our stronghold is quite poor. I'll compensate you with 10 bags of grain and 50 taels of silver, and let's call it even."

Zhou Wanwan scoffed coldly:

Do you think things are that simple? 50 bags of grain and 100 taels of silver.

"Add these three horses as well. If you're willing, then send your men back now to get the grain and money."

The bandit leader sighed and said, "Alright, I understand. You few go back and bring back 50 sacks of grain, and have my wife bring over 100 taels of silver."

These bandits were quite fast; after handing over the grain and money, Zhou Wanwan let them go.

Liu Xiuyuan couldn't help but say, "Don't we think we've let a tiger return to the mountain? What if they come back again...?"

Zhou Wanwan frowned and said:

"These people aren't completely stupid. These 50 bags of grain are actually quite good, even better than coarse grain. And these three horses are pretty good too."

"We'll build a carriage then, it'll be easier to transport goods."