“Changing commanders on the battlefield is always a military taboo. I thought even if father wanted to help, it would take at least ten days to get the transfer order, plus the time for Zheng Fang and the others to travel back and forth, over a month. I didn’t expect it to be so fast.”
Qing Huai said, “The situation with the Iron Forest Army must be bad, father probably wants me to rejoin them quickly.”
When he received the order, Qing Huai was also very surprised.
After questioning Zheng Fang closely, he understood why the Duke of Qing acted this way.
He also knew the duke must have paid a steep price to secure this order.
Jin Feng didn’t think much of it, as Zhang Liang had told him the Iron Forest Army was Qing Huai’s creation and his foundation.
He assumed the duke didn’t want the army to suffer heavy losses, which is why he was so accommodating.
Little did he know, Zheng Fang had already revealed his secret.
“When do we leave?”
This was Jin Feng’s biggest concern.
“As soon as possible,” Qing Huai said. “Zhong Wu and the others are already packing. I came to tell you to prepare, we leave tomorrow morning.”
“What, leaving tomorrow?”
Jin Feng raised an eyebrow. “So soon?”
Dakang’s smelting technology was too primitive, coal had only arrived a few days ago, and the furnace was makeshift. Jin Feng had done well to produce iron wire under these conditions, but the output was pitifully low.
Even now, the accumulated wire was far below expectations.
“Is there something else, sir?” Qing Huai asked.
“There’s a lot,” Jin Feng said. “First, there’s not nearly enough wire, and as for heavy crossbows, I haven’t even made one yet.”
“Well…” Qing Huai thought for a moment and said, “The Iron Forest Army has a dedicated craftsman camp. Once we’re there, I’ll have them assist you, it’ll be faster.”
He added reassuringly, “Don’t worry, sir, the camp’s lieutenant is someone I promoted myself, I guarantee they won’t leak your techniques.”
“How many people in the craftsman camp?”
Jin Feng’s interest was piqued.
“About fifty.”
“Are there furnaces?”
“Three.”
“That’ll do.”
Jin Feng nodded slightly.
With three furnaces and fifty helpers, if used well, the efficiency would far surpass his work with the Zhang brothers.
As for Qing Huai’s concern about others stealing his techniques, Jin Feng wasn’t worried at all.
What were assembly lines in later eras for?
In an electronics factory, someone could tighten screws for ten years and still not build a TV.
Like a spinning wheel, he’d assign the most labour-intensive, low-skill tasks to the camp’s workers, each handling only part of the product, while he focused on crafting key components and final assembly.
This would boost efficiency and prevent leaks effectively.
“If you have no issues, sir, can we leave tomorrow?” Qing Huai asked again.
“Must it be tomorrow?”
Jin Feng asked.
“Not necessarily. There are two copies of the order, the other goes to the Iron Forest Army, passing through two checkpoints and needing the Zhenxi Army commander’s seal, which will take some time.
I thought going early would let us assess the battlefield situation and plan ahead.”
Qing Huai asked, “Why do you ask, sir? Is there something else?”
Jin Feng fell silent.
He was worried about the Mao Mao Mountain bandits.
If he left, what if they learned he killed Baldy and came after him?
But even if he stayed, bandits attacking would still be trouble.
Unless he eliminated them, that would solve it once and for all.
At this thought, Jin Feng’s eyes lit up.
He couldn’t do it himself, but Qing Huai could!
He was a marquis, perhaps capable of handling it.
At the very least, he could arrange for Guan Xiaorou and the others to stay in Jinchuan County until Jin Feng returned.
With this in mind, Jin Feng mentioned the Baldy incident.
“I’ve heard of the Mao Mao Mountain bandits, only a few dozen core members, but the terrain is complex, and they know it well. When troops arrive, they hide like rats in the mountains, hard to find. Plus, bandit suppression is the county magistrate’s and militia’s job, so I never bothered with them.”
After listening, Qing Huai said confidently, “Since they dared provoke you, sir, I’ll wipe them out.”
“You have a plan?” Jin Feng asked.
“Not a great one before, but with you, sir, I do.”
Qing Huai smiled faintly. “Rest assured, sir, before we leave, I’ll deal with them.”
Leaving the blacksmith shop, Qing Huai called Zhang Liang over, whispered to him for a while, and Zhang Liang dropped his work and ran off.
Qing Huai then instructed the steward, and soon Zhong Wu and five guards entered the courtyard.
Each carried a crossbow made by Jin Feng.
Jin Feng had promised to equip each with a crossbow, so recently, they’d borrowed spares from Man Cang and Jin Feng, training in the back hills.
Seeing the arriving guards with their weapons, horses, and a carriage, Jin Feng realised something and asked, “Marquis, you’re not planning to take just them to attack Mao Mao Mountain, are you?”
Qing Huai had only six guards, even with Jin Feng and Zhang Liang, that was just eight people, how could they suppress bandits?
“These few are enough.”
Qing Huai smiled and asked, “Would you like to come watch, sir?”
His tone was casual, as if they were going hunting, not fighting bandits.
“Alright then.”
Seeing Qing Huai wasn’t joking, Jin Feng nodded.
He was curious to see what Qing Huai planned.
Returning to the blacksmith shop, he grabbed his crossbow and a bundle of quivers.
These were made in his spare time, ensuring each crossbow had two quivers in case one was damaged in battle.
Distributing the quivers to Zhong Wu and the others, Qing Huai and the guards mounted horses, while Jin Feng, unable to ride, climbed into the carriage.
Qing Huai seemed in no rush, moving leisurely after leaving the village, only reaching Jinchuan County by noon.
Instead of entering the city, they continued north along the city wall.
When they were two or three li from Mao Mao Mountain, Qing Huai ordered the group to stop in a grove.
Just as they halted, Zhang Liang, with a crossbow on his back, emerged from the bushes with a swarthy man.
“Marquis!”
The swarthy man, limping on his right leg, likely a retired veteran due to injury, knelt and wept upon seeing Qing Huai.
“Enough, get up.”
Qing Huai pulled him up and asked, “Has the message been sent?”
“It has, the second-in-command of Mao Mao Mountain should have heard by now,” the man replied.
“Good,” Qing Huai nodded. “Zhong Wu, get ready, the second-in-command might come down soon.”
“Just watch, marquis,” Zhong Wu grinned.
