“Forget it, I’d rather keep the goods in my hands.”
Jin Feng shook his head, rejecting Qing Huai’s proposal.
Is the court’s money so easy to take?
Taking too little would be a loss, better to trade for a jade pendant. If he dared to ask for too much, he might lose his life.
As for taking a post at the Artisan Bureau, Jin Feng didn’t even bother to consider it.
In his past life, he worked for others until his death. Now, with a chance to be his own boss, only a fool would go back to working for someone else.
“Sir, just tell me what you want.”
Qing Huai wasn’t giving up: “Even if I can’t meet your price, I can petition the court, and I’m sure they’ll satisfy you.”
“Well…”
Jin Feng thought for a moment, then tested the waters: “If I share this method, could I get a title? The lowest rank would do.”
Raised under the red flag and educated in modern times, Jin Feng had never knelt to anyone except during New Year’s and Qingming ancestor worship. He deeply disliked the kneeling customs of feudal times.
In feudal society, the class system was rigid. As a commoner, he had no rights, forced to kneel before even minor officials and call himself a “grass-roots subject.”
As a scholar of sorts, Jin Feng was somewhat exempt, and Qing Huai didn’t mind much. In their usual interactions, Jin Feng offered a scholar’s salute, calling himself “this student,” and Qing Huai didn’t care.
But if Qing Huai were strict, Jin Feng’s behaviour would be seen as disrespectful, even rebellious, in Da Kang’s etiquette laws.
This feeling irked Jin Feng, prompting his request.
With a noble title, even the lowest baron rank, he’d be an aristocrat. Unless facing the emperor or empress, he’d only need to bow and clasp hands, not kneel, even before high-ranking officials, as long as they weren’t nobles.
Of course, most court officials were top-tier nobles like dukes, requiring a salute.
But a bow and clasped hands would suffice, no kneeling needed.
As for the emperor, Jin Feng figured he’d never meet him.
Though the iron-forging method was valuable, if it could earn a title, Jin Feng was willing to share it.
Unfortunately, Qing Huai shook his head: “Da Kang has been at peace for over three hundred years, accumulating too many nobles. Thirty years ago, the late emperor set a firm rule: no titles without military merit.
I can’t meet this condition, sir. Please choose another.”
“No titles without military merit?”
Jin Feng repeated Qing Huai’s words, then asked: “So, if I achieve military merit, could I earn a title?”
“That’s the logic, but you’re not a soldier. How could you gain military merit?” Qing Huai asked curiously.
“I’m not a soldier, but you are,” Jin Feng said. “Zhang Liang mentioned that the Dangxiang cavalry have been a constant headache for you. If I help you defeat their cavalry, would that count as military merit?”
At this, Qing Huai stood up abruptly.
In the age of cold weapons, cavalry were the kings of the battlefield, an invincible force.
Da Kang, in the central plains, lacked good horses, making it hard to form cavalry units. Its land forces were mostly infantry.
Weapons and tactics were primitive, relying on crude barricades, shields, and spear formations. Once heavy-armoured cavalry broke through, they became slaughter machines.
Unfortunately, Da Kang’s western Dangxiang and northern Khitan neighbours, pastoral tribes, had abundant horses. Forming cavalry was as easy as drinking water.
For years, Da Kang’s soldiers suffered heavy losses against their cavalry, barely holding them back by piling up lives.
Qing Huai, fighting the Dangxiang since his teens, had endured countless cavalry losses. Hearing Jin Feng claim he could counter them, how could he not be thrilled?
“Sir, you have a way to counter cavalry?”
Qing Huai’s eyes reddened with excitement.
“I have some ideas,” Jin Feng nodded.
“Please elaborate.”
“Cavalry have strong defence and impact. The best way to deal with them is to kill them before they get close.”
“I know that, but who can stop armoured warhorses?”
“Crossbows!”
Jin Feng said: “Marquis, the crossbows you’ve seen are the simplest. I can make more powerful ones, guaranteed to kill enemy horses from two hundred paces, or even further!”
Qing Huai gave a wry smile: “Sir, you may not know, the army has such heavy crossbows, but they’re too few. Each shot requires three strong men to reload, and by the time it’s ready, the enemy cavalry is already upon us.”
“Have you forgotten the winch on my crossbow?”
Jin Feng asked.
Qing Huai suddenly recalled the winch and arrow magazine on Jin Feng’s crossbow, slapping his forehead in embarrassment.
If the winch and magazine were scaled up, couldn’t they work?
“Sir, that’s a good idea, but crafting heavy crossbows is too complex. In all of Da Kang, only a handful of artisans can make them…”
“What if I could mass-produce them?”
“Sir, don’t make such claims lightly. Are you confident?”
Qing Huai unknowingly used a respectful tone.
“With your full support, I’d say seventy to eighty percent confident.”
Many parts of Jin Feng’s heavy crossbow design required steel.
Without solving the steel-making issue, he didn’t dare overpromise.
“Seventy to eighty percent is already high. What do I need to do?”
Qing Huai asked.
“I need some materials. Please help me get them.”
Jin Feng picked up a piece of charcoal and wrote his requirements on a board.
Many items weren’t available in the county. He hoped Qing Huai could source them.
Without hesitation, Qing Huai handed the board to his steward.
The steward immediately left with two guards on fast horses.
“Besides crossbows, there’s another thing that, if used well, could counter cavalry.”
Jin Feng took a bundle of iron wire from the corner, cut a half-metre piece, and handed it to Qing Huai.
It was an accidental byproduct of last night’s forging.
“This can counter cavalry?”
Qing Huai took the wire, full of doubt.
It was his first time seeing it.
Soft enough to crumple into a ball, how could it stop cavalry?
“Though soft, iron wire is very tough. With enough length and spikes twisted onto it, if a horse gets caught, even if its legs aren’t bound, the barbs will cause excruciating pain. The horse will throw the rider off without us lifting a finger.”
Jin Feng pictured modern barbed wire fences.
In his past life, a classmate living in a military compound got caught in barbed wire while sneaking out at night. The more he struggled, the tighter it held, leaving him badly scratched when rescued.
“Really?” Qing Huai remained sceptical.
“Shall we test it?” Jin Feng asked with a smile.
