Anyi Chengxi City, in the blacksmith shop of Shentu Steel.

Liu Fan held a cyan long sword in both hands and looked at it carefully.

The hilt of the sword is half a foot long, and the blade is three and a half feet long, a little longer than an ordinary long sword.

"This sword is made by me a hundred times, because it is made of dark iron, and it is dark cyan, so it is named Qingxuan, weighing nineteen catties." Shen Tugang respectfully explained to Liu Fan, because Liu Fan had been here many times, he knew that the young man in front of him was the famous Marquis of the Western Qin Pavilion.

"Qing Xuan, good sword name. I look at the cold edge of this Qingxuan Sword, and it can definitely sharpen iron like clay, and Brother Shentu's quenching technique is rarely matched by anyone in the world. Liu Fan exclaimed.

Quenching is the last procedure for casting swords, and the blade is not sharp, which has a lot to do with the level of quenching of the blacksmith.

"The Marquis of the Western Qin Pavilion has won the prize!" Shen Tugang responded modestly.

"What I said to you some time ago, can you think about it?" As soon as the conversation changed, Liu Fan asked Shen Tugang.

A few days ago, Liu Fan recruited Shen Tugang and made him a diner in the Mansion of the Marquis of the Western Qin Pavilion, casting and researching more advanced weapons and armor for Liu Fan. And handed over the most representative Mingguangjia design drawings of Tang Thirteen Jiajia to Shen Tugang, who promised to study it for a few days and then give Liu Fan an answer.

Mingguang armor is the best defensive armor in the history of ancient Chinese armor, and it is very suitable for both cavalry and infantry. The name of the Mingguang armor comes from its chest and back of the circle guard, because this round guard is mostly made of various metals such as copper and iron, and polished aurora, quite like a mirror, wearing the light armor on the battlefield, due to the sun's rays, the golden light shines, so it is named 'Ming Guang'.

Liu Fan's drawings for Shen Tugang are more perfect than the Mingguang armor recorded in history, and its helmet not only has a neck guard, but also a face armor. The Mingguang armor is equipped with several shoulder pads, arm guards on the arms, knee guards on the legs, a waist tie, two knee skirts under the belt to protect the thighs, and boots worn on the feet to cover the calves. The boots are like the labor protection shoes worn by later workers, with thick iron at the bottom and toe, and the boot shaft is made of small armor. The entire Mingguang armor is made of small armor pieces except for the round protection on the chest and back. This gleaming armor is not only gorgeous, but also has more defense than heavy armor.

"The Marquis of the West Qin Pavilion is a hero in the world, and I Shen Tugang can worship under the door of the Marquis of the West Qin Pavilion, it is simply a blessing for three lives, the lord is above, please accept Shen Tugang!" After speaking, Shen Tugang half-knelt on the ground and expressed his willingness to serve.

"Okay, Brother Shentu is a skilled craftsman in the world, with Brother Shentu's help, I have an extra arm." Liu Fan helped Shen Tu Gang up, and then asked happily: "I don't know if the armor drawings I gave to Brother Shen Tu that day have been studied." ”

"This armor is expensive to build, complicated to make, not I can complete it alone, I estimate that this kind of armor will weigh at least fifty catties, but the defensive ability is far from the current armor of the Han Dynasty." Shen Tugang replied.

It will definitely not take long for an ordinary soldier to get tired of a fifty-pound weapon, but the armor can skillfully make a soldier's whole body stressed, so fifty pounds of armor is not heavy. Liu Fan knew that there were many heavy armors that weighed more than twenty kilograms. Fifty pounds of armor is less than fifteen kilograms.

"Don't worry, I have recruited hundreds of outstanding blacksmiths from all over Hedong, I will find a remote place in Anyi to build a compound, and Brother Shentu will lead these hundred blacksmiths to develop this armor well, and the steel and money required will be borne by the Marquis of Xiqin Pavilion." Liu Fan instructed Shen Tugang.

"Thank you, Lord."

Shen Tugang's ideal is to forge the sharpest spear and the strongest shield, since he worships Liu Fan as the lord, he will contribute to Liu Fan wholeheartedly, and he doesn't want anything else.

The next day, after Liu Fan explained some things to Liu Yu, he took Guan Yu and three hundred private soldiers to ride north to Jiangyi.

Riding a horse can be learned in two days for an ordinary person, and if you want to practice superb riding skills and become a qualified cavalryman, it must take two years in the era when there were no stirrups and saddles.

At the same time that Liu Fan went north to Jiangyi, the Marquis of Xiqin Tinghou served as the military commander, and the news that he was about to recruit 5,000 troops in Jiangyi slowly spread to all counties in Hedong County. Countless rangers, evil boys, or warriors who admired Liu Fan's good name and prestige all quickly approached Jiangyi.

……

Hedong County, Yang County.

A young man of about 20 years old walked out of the village with several teenagers carrying packages on their backs.

"Where is Komei, where is this going?" An elder at the entrance of the village asked the young man. The young man is old, his heart is stable, and he is famous in the township, and the teenagers behind him are all evil teenagers in the village, everyone respects them, and the elders don't understand how the evil boy who has always been afraid of Komeiji can walk with Komei.

"Liu Fan, the Marquis of the Western Qin Pavilion, is recruiting troops in Jiangyi, and we admire the prestige of the Marquis of the Western Qin Pavilion, and I have gone to follow the Marquis of the Western Qin Pavilion to make contributions." The young man named Komeito bowed to the elder and replied.

"Didn't Gongming once say that the Han family was mediocre, even if what he learned in his life was buried, he would not work for it?" The elder asked again in confusion.

"The ancients did not suffer from Mingjun, but now they are fortunate to meet it, and they should use their merits to help themselves." The young man spoke frankly and bluntly.

"Great goodness!" The elder nodded in approval.