Jinfeng gave a signal, and Zhang Liang immediately led a few veteran soldiers to distribute the soap.
Both Xihe Bay and Guanjia Bay are near rivers and mountains, with no shortage of water or firewood. That night, every worker, male or female, from the textile factory and construction site bathed and washed their hair diligently, fearing they’d be sent away the next day.
A faint soap scent lingered in the air of both villages.
The next morning, Tang Dongdong stationed people at the textile factory entrance to inspect, and Jinfeng sent soldiers to check the men.
This continued for seven days.
After that, inspections stopped, but the workers had already formed a habit of bathing and washing their hair.
Once hygiene became a habit, it was hard to break.
Now, without Jinfeng’s urging, the workers’ first act after returning home was to bathe. Missing a day made them feel unclean.
Some female workers even showed mild signs of cleanliness obsession, feeling uneasy seeing lice in others’ hair.
Not only did they bathe daily, but they also began demanding the same of their husbands and children.
In the past, which woman would dare order a man around? But now, things were different. Women earned wages too, and their voices carried weight.
Guanjia Bay hired fewer workers, so changes were less noticeable, but in Xihe Bay, where nearly every household had someone working at the factory or construction site, the transformation was clear.
Men, women, and children still wore tattered clothes, but they were clean. Rarely did anyone wander around with a filthy face anymore.
Jinfeng was very pleased with this change and considered building a bathhouse at the factory so people could bathe in winter.
However, bricks were being used faster than expected, and no new construction could start. Jinfeng had to shelve the idea for now.
Bricks were essential for building houses. To avoid delaying progress, Jinfeng summoned the two village heads and sent half the men to reopen the brick kiln.
On the hill beside the kiln, Guanjia Bay’s old village head looked at the bustling kiln below, then glanced back at the lively construction site and textile factory in the village, sighing, “When will Guanjia Bay become like Xihe Bay?”
“Haha!” Liu Qingyuan, Xihe Bay’s village head, laughed proudly.
The two villages had rivalled for years, but the village heads maintained a decent relationship. Whenever disputes arose, they mediated, preventing any fatalities. A fight would end, and that was that.
Now, with work bringing the villages closer, their relationship had improved further.
“What are you so smug about, Liu Qingyuan? Xihe Bay’s good days are only because of our Guanjia Bay’s son-in-law!” Third Grandpa, annoyed by Liu’s pride, scoffed. “My son-in-law promised that when the factory expands, he’ll hire more from Guanjia Bay. We’ll outnumber you, and then we’ll see who’s smug!”
“Even if you have more people, they’ll still work in Xihe Bay!” Liu retorted.
“My son-in-law said he’ll build dormitories, so we won’t have to commute daily,” Third Grandpa huffed.
“Then won’t you all become Xihe Bay people?” Liu countered.
“I…” Third Grandpa faltered.
It made sense. If Guanjia Bay folks moved to Xihe Bay for dorms, would Guanjia Bay still exist?
Never mind, what mattered was everyone living better.
Liu Qingyuan watched the men below wiping their faces, smiling contentedly, and joined in the laughter.
Xihe Bay village was like a sapling just breaking through the soil, still frail but destined to grow into a towering tree.
With Tang Dongdong at the textile factory and the village heads overseeing the construction and kiln, Jinfeng could focus on the newly built furnace.
The furnace had been ready for three days, its fireproof clay nearly dry. Jinfeng decided to conduct the first test that night.
The furnace was critical to future plans, and Jinfeng was nervous, meticulously checking the coal to be used several times.
He and Mancang worked until noon the next day.
For secrecy, Jinfeng allowed no outsiders during the smelting, only he and Mancang.
After a full night’s work, both were visibly exhausted.
“How’d it go?” Zhang Liang rushed over as they emerged. “Can the iron from the new furnace make crossbows?”
This was his biggest concern.
“It can,” Jinfeng nodded, not hiding anything from Zhang Liang. “But the yield is low. It needs improvement.”
The previous night’s tests failed several times. Only the last attempt produced the steel he wanted, but in small amounts.
Jinfeng wasn’t discouraged, though. He’d found ways to improve.
For the next few days, he and Mancang spent all their time, except for eating and sleeping, in the smelting workshop.
After repeated experiments, the furnace was finally upgraded. Now, it was time to use the steel to make crossbows.
Crafting crossbows was delicate work, requiring materials beyond steel.
While Zhang Liang was still procuring supplies from the county, Jinfeng took a rare day off. After lunch, he was about to nap when Guan Xiaorou entered.
“My Xiaorou is the most thoughtful…” Jinfeng assumed she’d come to keep him company, smiling as he pulled her into his arms.
“Stop it, dear. There’s a group of girls outside looking for you,” Guan Xiaorou said, her expression odd.
“What girls?” Jinfeng asked. “Looking for work?”
Lately, as Xihe Bay and Guanjia Bay prospered, people from nearby villages occasionally came seeking jobs.
But they usually went straight to the factory, construction site, or kiln. This was the first time someone came to his home.
“Not looking for work,” Guan Xiaorou said. “They’re on horseback, wearing armour.”
“Girls on horses in armour?” Jinfeng thought he’d misheard.
Horses and armour weren’t cheap. Most Iron Forest Army soldiers lacked armour.
Why would a group of armoured girls seek him?
“Yes,” Guan Xiaorou nodded.
That was why her expression was so strange.
If Jinfeng was flirting elsewhere, she wouldn’t mind and might even encourage it.
But armoured girls? That was beyond unexpected.
“Dear, are these confidantes you met in Weizhou City?” she teased. “Why haven’t you mentioned them?”
“What’s in that head of yours? How could there be women in a military camp?” Jinfeng grumbled, slipping on his shoes. “Let’s go see.”
He was curious about who these girls were.
