Chapter Thirteen: Thoughts

Qi Jun thought to himself that if they dug in a circle around this riverbank, they would surely find water somewhere. Watching as Liu Qi and the other villagers busied themselves, he gave Liu Kui a few more instructions before heading back.

When Qi Jun returned home, the man who had gone looking for fir wood the previous night was waiting for him outside the house. In truth, most types of wood could be used for making crossbows, but fir was particularly suitable for both bows and crossbows due to its hardness and durability.

As soon as he saw Qi Jun, the man greeted him with a beaming smile.

"Master Qi, what do you think of these logs?" He pointed to the large bundle of wood stacked by the corner of the wall.

"Very good," Qi Jun replied, stepping forward and picking out a piece for inspection.

"Master Qi, I don’t really know what you plan to do with these logs..." the man said with some confusion, "They’re not worth much, and I once received your late father's kindness. Just a bit of meat in exchange is more than enough..."

He seemed rather ill at ease. Normally, such a bundle of wood wouldn't fetch even a single meal of meat, but now he had to think of his wife and children at home, who had been hungry for far too long. He desperately needed this meat, which made him anxious, worrying that Qi Jun might change his mind.

"This man is honest and straightforward," Qi Jun thought with a smile. He turned into the house and brought out a leg of lamb, handing it to the man.

The man stared at him in surprise, then, overjoyed, bowed deeply in thanks. "The extra portion will be considered a debt I owe you!"

"People in ancient times truly were simple and sincere," Qi Jun reflected, feeling a growing appreciation for the man.

He had already asked Liu Kui about him: his name was Liu Fuyuan, an honest and forthright man, and, by generation, Liu Kui’s cousin once removed. His forebears had been the village blacksmiths for generations, but now, with everyone struggling just to fill their stomachs, no one needed tools made, and his livelihood had dried up. Liu Fuyuan had been forced to set aside his hammer in search of other ways to feed his family.

"Master Liu, may I trouble you with another matter?" Qi Jun suddenly remembered something and stopped Liu Fuyuan as he was about to leave.

"Please, just tell me!" Liu Fuyuan replied, quickly turning back.

"I’d like to ask you to forge a few iron parts for me."

"You’re planning to farm?" Liu Fuyuan instantly thought Qi Jun wanted some agricultural tools made and was a little surprised. In his mind, scholars were single-minded in their studies and paid little attention to practical matters. He was already surprised to learn Qi Jun hunted, but for this frail scholar to take up farming seemed even more unlikely.

"It’s not for my own use—it's for the village," Qi Jun explained with a smile, noticing Liu Fuyuan's confusion. "I’ll draw up the designs and bring them over for you to see if they can be made."

"No problem, if it’s for the village, then allow me to thank you on everyone’s behalf!" Liu Fuyuan thumped his chest in agreement, bowed to Qi Jun, and left, delighted, with the leg of lamb.

He hadn't touched his blacksmith's tools in a long time, and the prospect made his heart stir with excitement.

When Qi Jun entered the house, he saw Qi Feng was already awake, cradling the millet cake with delight, savoring its aroma.

"Brother! Where did you get this?" Seeing Qi Jun return, Qi Feng ran over, holding the cake in both hands. "You have to try it! I didn’t even want to eat any before you came back!"

Qi Jun was moved. In his previous life, he’d also had a younger brother, though much younger than Qi Feng. Because he spent most of his time away on missions, he rarely had the chance to be with his family. Whenever he returned home, he’d bring his brother some special snacks from the military and share stories of army life.

But now all of that was out of reach. He saw Qi Feng—the only relative in this world—as compensation from fate, a chance to make up for what he’d missed before.

"All for you; I’ve already eaten," Qi Jun said with a smile, tousling his brother’s hair, just as he used to.

"Then I’ll just eat half and save the rest for you," Qi Feng replied, carefully breaking the cake in two, biting into one half and wrapping the other back up.

"Believe me, our lives will only get better from now on," Qi Jun promised earnestly.

Qi Jun then sat down, rummaged through a chest and found an old piece of cloth, and with a half-burnt twig, began to draw carefully on it.

Qi Feng didn’t understand what his brother was drawing, but he didn’t ask, knowing Qi Jun had his reasons. Instead, he quietly followed instructions and divided the remaining meat into portions.

As Liu Biao and Madam Meng arrived one after another with the things Qi Jun needed, his supplies gradually came together. Liu Biao also left him several bottles of homemade herbal ointment for wounds, which he always carried when venturing into the mountains. Despite Liu Biao’s repeated refusals, Qi Jun insisted on giving him a share of the meat.

Once the design was finished, Qi Jun handed it to Qi Feng and asked him to bring it to Liu Fuyuan, along with a request to borrow some tools from the clan elders on his way back.

After Qi Feng left, Qi Jun busied himself with the materials on the ground, pondering the structure and construction of a crossbow. In his previous life, he had used composite crossbows during missions. Though the crossbows he could make with these materials would be far inferior in both power and craftsmanship, he was confident they would suffice.

Around noon, Qi Feng returned, arms full of tools. Qi Jun was about to get up when he noticed a slender figure following behind his brother.

Yunfei stood at the doorway, blushing and turning her head shyly when she saw Qi Jun.

"What brings you here?" Qi Jun asked, surprised.

"Brother, it’s because Sister Yunfei wanted to—"

"Grandfather sent me—"

Qi Feng and Yunfei spoke at once, but each offered a different explanation. For a moment, both were left a bit flustered, glancing awkwardly at each other.

Realizing what had happened, Yunfei shot Qi Feng a reproachful look, her face reddening.

"Oh! I just remembered something I forgot..." Realizing his slip, Qi Feng quickly handed over the tools and fled, making up an excuse to leave.

Even someone as oblivious as Qi Jun could see what was going on. Yunfei had wanted to see him but was too shy to admit it, so she claimed the clan elder had sent her. But Qi Feng, oblivious to such things, had blurted out the truth.

Now Yunfei stood in the doorway, mortified at having her intentions exposed, her face burning with embarrassment as if she wished she could vanish.

"Ahem..." Qi Jun cleared his throat twice, trying to ease the tension. Then, seeing Yunfei at a loss, he stepped out and casually pulled a board across the door to block the view inside. He didn’t want her to see what he was working on—until the crossbow was finished, he preferred that no one, not even the clan elders, knew about it.

"You asked Qi Feng to borrow tools... are you planning to fix the house?" Yunfei asked, tugging at her sleeve and turning away.

"Uh... something like that," Qi Jun replied, feeling a bit guilty. "So, did the clan elder have any instructions for me?"

"No," Yunfei paused, her face reddening still further. "I... I came to see you..."

"Me?" Qi Jun was taken aback, his breath quickening.

In his previous life, he had joined the military as a defense student and had been selected by the special forces straight out of school. His life had been all training and study, and he’d never spent time alone with a girl, never even had a girlfriend before he died.

He instinctively sensed something different in the air between them.

Yunfei turned, took a deep breath, smoothed her hair, and fiddled with the ends of it. "Is your wound any better...?"

"Yes, it’s already scabbed over and doesn’t hurt at all," Qi Jun replied, smiling. Being cared for by a girl left his heart warm.

"That’s good," Yunfei nodded, smiling shyly. "But in the future, don’t be so reckless. You really shouldn’t confront the authorities—you’ll end up suffering for it!"

"I know, I’ll be careful. But I can’t just let that dog of a magistrate get away with it!" Qi Jun gritted his teeth at the thought of Magistrate Song.

Yunfei hesitated, instinctively raising her hand to stop Qi Jun from speaking, but then thought better of it and let her hand fall, simply shaking her head with a sigh.

"So you came today just to check on me?" Qi Jun teased.

Yunfei blushed and looked down, murmuring, "Of course not!"