Section 058: The Hidden Mysteries of the Qin Clan

Passing through from the east gate to the west gate of Qi County, the main street was bustling with carriages and horses. People in all manners of clothing hurried to and fro, while taverns, pawnshops, escort agencies, dye houses, and other shops lined both sides of the road, one after another. The shouts of blacksmiths, street performers, monkey tamers, and hawkers selling rat poison rose and fell in succession, painting a vivid scene of prosperity and liveliness.

The scenery along the way was endless, but Li Dong and Luo Shixin had no mind to take it in. They darted and weaved through the crowded throng, anxious lest the heavy stones on their cart should accidentally injure an innocent bystander. Though the distance was but a few miles, by the time they reached the west gate, both were drenched in sweat.

By then, it was well past noon. Following Luo Shixin’s directions, they hurried to the Qin Family Smithy. The place was crowded with common folk seeking ironwork, and the jarring sound of hammering iron rang from within.

Squeezing inside, Li Dong saw that only two people were working. One, about seven feet tall and perhaps a few years older than himself—seventeen or eighteen at most—had a face flushed red by the furnace’s glow, a broad forehead, a nose like a suspended gallbladder, and a strikingly rugged, angular visage. His heroic brows swept into his temples, giving him an extraordinary air of vigor, especially those eyes—fixed intently on his work, he wielded his hammer with steady precision, striking the glowing iron mold as sparks flew, entirely undisturbed by the bustle around him.

The other appeared to be in his forties, likely the youth’s father. He wielded a hammer the size of an egg, tapping lightly on the iron block with a crisp “ding.” The young man’s heavy hammer would then follow with a resounding “clang,” landing precisely in the same spot.

The two worked in perfect tandem, heads bent, focused solely on their craft. The elder would occasionally look up to answer customers’ questions, sometimes not even raising his head, telling them to choose what they liked and leave payment or silk at the designated spot. Whether people actually paid, he did not seem to care.

After a while, as the iron turned from red to black and soft to hard, the elder returned the block to the furnace, adding more firewood and working the bellows until the flames roared higher.

At this point, the youth retrieved the rough piece soaking in water, now taking shape, and placed it on the anvil to tap and refine, carefully correcting any flaws. In moments, the shape became more defined.

Li Dong stood in the workshop for a long while, saying nothing. He simply let his eyes take in every detail, fearing that any word from him might disrupt the father and son’s harmonious rhythm.

Crowds came and went at the door in an endless stream. As one group departed, another pressed forward. Satisfied customers picked out their goods, left their payment, and moved on.

Li Dong and Luo Shixin eventually made their way out and found a tavern. They ordered two bowls of noodle pieces to fill their stomachs first.

Luo Shixin, a hearty eater, found one bowl insufficient and ordered two more, eating his fill according to his nature.

While eating, Luo Shixin asked, “Why didn’t you tell them we came to forge something?”

Li Dong tilted his head, gazing at the ceiling for a moment before replying softly, “With craftsmen of such skill, we can’t act as common folk do—just drop off money and leave. We ought to talk with them, explain our ideas and requirements thoroughly. You saw how busy they are. It’s not convenient to discuss the weapon right now.”

“So when’s the best time?” Luo Shixin asked, mouth full of noodles.

Li Dong replied, “When there are fewer people around, or no one else at all, that’s when we’ll return to the Qin Family Smithy.”

“That’s not good,” Luo Shixin said. “Qin Qiong only forges ten pieces a day, never more. Now it’s past noon—looks like we’re out of luck.” As he spoke, he finished the first bowl and began slurping the third with relish.

Li Dong was speechless at this. If there was such a rule, why hadn’t he been told sooner? Now they were already at the smithy, and only now did Luo Shixin mention it. What a headache! If no weapons were forged today, where would they store the heavy stone? One day might be manageable, but what if they couldn’t get a slot tomorrow either? Would they have to lug it around the city every day?

Growing anxious, Li Dong wrung his hands, mind racing for a way to break through Qin Qiong’s limitation. While he was troubled, Luo Shixin was busy noisily devouring his noodles, unconcerned.

After Luo Shixin finished eating, Li Dong paid the bill and pulled him outside.

Their second visit to the Qin Family Smithy found the crowd gone. The father and son were still at work, refining the iron with even greater care.

They paused their work and glanced at the ox cart. The middle-aged man’s eyes flashed with interest when he saw the stone on the cart. The young man, upon seeing Luo Shixin, seemed taken aback, but both said nothing and returned to their labor.

Li Dong and Luo Shixin jumped down from the cart and stood a short distance away, silently watching. All four had their own thoughts, but no one spoke. Only the rhythmic ringing of hammers echoed from the smithy.

After a long while, when they finished a piece, the youth asked calmly, “What brings you here?”

Glancing around and seeing no one else but themselves, Li Dong realized that Qin Qiong was addressing him. The question was elegantly phrased. Standing at their smithy, what other reason could there be but to seek their craftsmanship? He did not ask directly what they wanted forged, nor mention the ten-piece daily limit, but simply inquired what had brought them.

Unsure of the youth’s true intentions, Li Dong replied with a respectful bow, “I came upon hearing what I heard.”

His answer was equally ambiguous. He implied he’d heard something and come, but did not specify what. Qin Qiong’s question was vague, so his answer was likewise shrouded, a stalemate of sorts.

The youth seemed about to ask more, but the elder cleared his throat softly, and the young man immediately fell silent and returned to work.

Li Dong, too, said nothing further, just stood and watched, as if appreciating the craft.

Outside, the cool wind and the noisy city seemed far removed from the smithy’s world. The furnace blazed, hammers rang, and the heat surged within. The father and son were oblivious to the two standing outside, as if no one else existed.

The four stood in this silent tableau the entire afternoon, none speaking a word, until the sun set and dusk settled in.

Li Dong brushed off his clothes, got back onto the cart, and prepared to leave.

Just then, the youth called out in a clear voice, “What have you seen that you now depart?”

Li Dong’s face lit up. From the cart, he cupped his hands and replied, “I depart having seen what I have seen!”

He added not a word more, driving the cart away from the Qin Family Smithy.

After they left, the youth asked in confusion, “Father, why didn’t you accept their commission?”

The middle-aged man sighed, “That stone is no ordinary thing; forging it will not be easy. In the past, I might have tried, but now your mother is gravely ill… If not for the many customers, I would have closed the smithy by now.”

Mention of his mother’s illness cast a shadow on the youth’s face. He asked no further, but hammered all the harder, as though trying to drive away her sickness with each blow.

Li Dong and Luo Shixin drove the ox cart back through the west gate, slowly returning to the city.

On the way, Luo Shixin asked, “What did all that talk mean?”

Li Dong only smiled and told him they would try again early tomorrow.

After a long silence, Luo Shixin suddenly asked, “Is something wrong at the Qin Family Smithy? Why wasn’t Qin Qiong’s mother there today?”

Li Dong could not help but laugh and scold him, “How much do you actually know about this smithy? Could you please tell me everything at once? If you keep dropping hints one sentence at a time, are you trying to test my patience?”

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Thanks to Pig God and my idol, Yu, for your generous support. Your encouragement is my driving force—my deepest gratitude.