Chapter 6

Wei Ba once lived in an era where “mastering mathematics, physics, and chemistry meant you could go anywhere without fear,” an era that believed “science is the primary productive force.” However, in that era, postgraduates were as common as dogs, and undergraduates were everywhere, so he, an ordinary undergraduate, was nothing special and couldn’t find a job. Even if he had an opportunity, without a father to rely on, he had no competitive edge and could only watch others enjoy the benefits while he couldn’t even get a taste.

Now things are different. In terms of technical expertise, even the most skilled craftsmen of this era might not be able to match him. As for a father, although it’s uncertain how long Wei Yan can last, he is currently a formidable figure whose footsteps can make the ground tremble.

The situation seems very promising, not just a little, but very promising.

If Father Wei Yan could live a bit longer, that would be even better.

Wei Ba put aside the iron shovel—without even trying it, he knew it would be better than the wooden shovel—and began to consider how to avoid the tragic fate of the Wei family being wiped out. Technical issues may seem complex, but they are actually simple once you break through the surface; what is needed is patience and attention to detail. Human issues, on the other hand, seem simple but are actually very complex, with no shortcuts, relying more on talent. In this aspect, he had no advantage. The animosity between Father Wei Yan and Yang Yi had been long-standing, and whether he could resolve it with his own strength was a big question.

If I go to Father now and tell him to be wary of Yang Yi and Ma Dai, to be careful of their betrayal, would he think I’m crazy?

Most likely.

Wei Ba scratched his head.

...

Wei Ba returned to his room, a not very spacious room with a large bed that he shared with Wei Wu. Wei Yan was very strict in his military governance and had high expectations for his sons, refusing to provide them with attendants. Despite knowing that Wei Ba was in poor health, he insisted on bringing him to Mianyang to familiarize him with the geography of Hanzhong, laying the foundation for future military leadership. However, as soon as Wei Ba arrived in Mianyang, he fell ill, and Wei Yan left him to be cared for by Wei Wu, taking only his eldest son Wei Feng with him on his busy rounds.

After so many days, Wei Ba finally had the chance to properly tidy up his room. He searched for a while and, apart from some daily necessities, found nothing with writing on it. Instead, there was a clothes rack by the bed with two sets of exquisite armor, the larger one his and the smaller one Wei Wu’s.

Looking at the armor, Wei Ba felt a sudden urge and called Wei Wu, who was practicing with a saber in the yard. “A Wu, come help me put on the armor.”

Wei Wu walked in, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at Wei Ba with a puzzled expression, his mouth almost reaching his ear. “Brother, why don’t you just skip it? Although you’ve been feeling better these past two days, once you put on the armor, you can’t even walk. You’ll have to ask me to take it off for you in no time. I’m in the middle of practicing, and I don’t have time to play with you.”

Wei Ba, feeling both angry and embarrassed, said, “I’m determined to wear it today and not take it off.” He thought for a moment and added, “Even if I get tired, I’d rather rest here. I won’t call you until you finish practicing.”

Wei Wu, seeing his determination, shrugged. “You said it. Don’t blame me if I can’t help you later. Father makes me practice a thousand cuts a day, and I’ve only done three hundred so far.”

“Stop talking and help me put it on.” Wei Ba, unable to contain his excitement, said, “It’s a pity there’s no mirror; otherwise, I could see how heroic I look.”

“Mirror? What’s a mirror?” Wei Wu easily took the armor and placed it on Wei Ba’s shoulders, making Wei Ba feel the weight immediately. Wei Wu, however, didn’t notice, and said curiously, “Brother, I’ve noticed you’ve been acting strange these past two days. Not only do you have knowledge, but you also say a lot of strange things. What’s a mirror, and what did you mean by ‘rear-end collision’ yesterday?”

Wei Ba’s legs gave out, and he fell to the ground with a thud, armor and all. He had always treated Wei Wu like a child and wasn’t very cautious around him, unlike with Wei Yan and Wei Feng. He didn’t expect this boy, who seemed careless, to notice so many issues.

“Brother, what’s wrong?” Wei Wu quickly pulled Wei Ba up, not asking about the mirror, and reached to take off the armor. Wei Ba stopped him, “No, I can hold on.”

Wei Wu, seeing Wei Ba’s slightly red face, asked uncertainly, “Are you sure?”

The line “I’m sure, definitely sure” almost slipped out, but Wei Ba swallowed it back and gritted his teeth, “I’m sure.”

Wei Wu blinked, seeing that Wei Ba, though red-faced, was still holding on, and carefully helped him put on the armor. Finally, he held the helmet and asked tentatively, “Do you want this too?”

Wei Ba, already exhausted from the black armor, which weighed at least fifteen kilograms, took a deep breath, stood steady, and took the helmet from Wei Wu, carefully placing it on his head. The weight on his neck made him worry about his weak cervical spine. He fastened the chin strap, winked at Wei Wu, and flexed his arms, posing like a bodybuilder, “A Wu, how do I look? Impressive?”

Wei Wu seriously examined him and nodded vigorously, “Impressive, of course. This armor was specially made for us by Father, so it’s very impressive.”

“Go away.” Wei Ba couldn’t help but push Wei Wu, “Alright, go practice your saber. I’ll get used to this. It feels pretty good.” He took a meter-long ring saber from the rack, inserted it into his belt, and struck a saber-drawing pose, trying to look fierce.

Wei Wu, startled, quickly supported him, “Brother, be careful, don’t fall.”

That one sentence brought Wei Ba back to reality. He waved his hand speechlessly, “Go, go practice your saber.”

“Alright.” Wei Wu responded and went back to the yard to practice. Wei Ba, wearing the heavy armor, walked a few steps in the room, practiced a few saber draws, and struck a few poses he thought looked impressive. His legs soon felt sore, and he silently marveled that being a general was not something just anyone could do. He wanted to sit down and rest but feared being laughed at by Wei Wu. He peeked out the door and saw Wei Wu fully focused on his practice, so he quietly walked to the bed and sat down, sticking out his tongue to catch his breath.

Before he could catch his breath, heavy and quick footsteps approached, and Wei Ba’s vision darkened. He saw his father, Wei Yan, standing tall at the door. He instinctively stood up and bowed, but the armor prevented him from bending, and the sound of the armor clinking made his face turn red.

Wei Yan, seeing him in full armor trying to bow, a smile flashed in his eyes but quickly disappeared. He stepped in and tapped Wei Ba’s shoulder armor, “Alright, since you’re in armor, a military salute is enough. A soldier’s back is never bent.”

Wei Ba, embarrassed, responded and glanced at his father, asking cautiously, “Father, do you... have something?”

“Yeah.” Wei Yan responded, extending the hand he had kept behind his back, holding the iron shovel that had just been made. Wei Ba was surprised, thinking Wei Feng had taken it to the farmers to test, so how did it end up in his father’s hands? Was it because it was useful, and he was being praised?

Wei Yan stared into Wei Ba’s eyes and asked, “Did you make this?”

Wei Ba, sensing the tone, felt a chill and his smile vanished. He hesitated and said, “It was made by the old master in the ironworks.”

“I know.” Wei Yan, impatient, interrupted Wei Ba. “Did you teach him how to make it?”

Wei Ba, helpless, nodded, “Yes.”

“When did you learn blacksmithing?” Wei Yan’s face darkened, and he said sternly, “You’re weak, so it’s fine that you don’t want to join the military. If you wanted to study, I let you. But you didn’t study well and learned blacksmithing instead? Do you want to become a blacksmith and disgrace our family?”

Wei Ba was momentarily confused but soon understood why his father was so angry. He thought his father believed he had learned blacksmithing and was content with a lowly profession. He coughed and said with a bitter smile, “Father, I didn’t learn blacksmithing.”

“If not, how could you make this iron shovel and have the old master in the ironworks praise it so highly?”

“This...” Wei Ba was speechless and thought for a moment, “Father, look at my physique. Could I even lift a hammer?”

Wei Yan was taken aback and a bit surprised. He stroked his beard, his face softening but still not letting up. “Then how did you know about blacksmithing?”

“I read it in a book.”

“A book? Which one?”

“It has no name. It’s a fragment I got recently, and it’s all scattered now.” Wei Ba watched his father carefully, afraid he would ask more questions.

“A book about blacksmithing?” Wei Yan was also hesitant, tapping the new iron shovel, his eyes flickering. Wei Ba didn’t dare to breathe, afraid of being seen as a monster and burned. Wei Yan, however, didn’t notice his expression. After a moment, he looked up at Wei Ba, his eyes filled with hope. “Is there anything in the book about making weapons or armor?”

Wei Ba thought for a moment and shook his head. Although the steel-making method could be applied to making weapons, he wasn’t clear on the specific requirements for weapon performance. Technology is like that; similar doesn’t mean the same. A small difference in parameters could result in completely different products.

Seeing Wei Ba shake his head, Wei Yan was disappointed and laughed self-deprecatingly, “Well, even if we can’t make divine weapons, being able to make an iron shovel and increase the harvest by a few bushels is not a waste of reading. Alright, you’re weak, so don’t wear armor if you can’t. It’s not worth the effort.”

As he spoke, he walked out. Wei Ba, hesitating, gathered his courage, took a few steps, and blocked Wei Yan’s path, bowing and saying, “Father, maybe... I can try, if you don’t object. With the experienced old masters, I might be able to make sharper weapons for you.”

Wei Yan looked at him in surprise, thought for a moment, and nodded, “Alright.” ———— Third update, please recommend, collect, and support!

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