The Great Zhou Dynasty had a unique logic for titles. In fact, it is not difficult to understand that it is mainly to show the glory of the country and the clan or the individual. It reflects the importance that the people of this era attach to blood orthodoxy and family inheritance, and it is also an educational tool for the ruling class to improve the feudal system and strengthen the rule of royal power.

Princes are titled by the name of the country and the title of knight. For example, the monarch of the Wei Guo can be called the Wei Hou, because the Wei Guo is a marquis at this time. The people are called by the name of the country, the honors they have received, and their names. For example, Gongsun Ying, after being granted the fifteenth eupposition of Shangdi, was named Shangjun. So there is a Shang Ying. Before it was sealed, it was called Wei Ying. If you are from your home country or close to each other, you can use your surname and rank to address you. For example, the blacksmith Fengjiao, the eldest in the family, is called Fengbo.

Legend has it that fourteen years ago, Duke Wei invited important ministers to a banquet. When the ministers and teachers went to the banquet, they did not take off their socks because of abscess sores on their feet. caused Wei Hou to be angry, and threatened to cut off his feet. Zhushibi was unwilling to sit still, so he united with Wang Sun Mimu and a group of ministers, and secretly instructed the craftsmen to make a rebellion to attack the palace and drive away the king. Later, Wei Zhugong brought rescue troops from Yueguo, and the divisions were outnumbered by a group of rebels, and began to find someone to blame. Fengjiao's family has served Sikong Mansion for generations, so they participated in it and were implicated. He and his granddaughter were the only ones left in the whole clan.

When Wang Xu heard about this, he felt that the monarch who defended the country was very deaf. Wars caused by a pair of socks are rare in ancient and modern times. He also wondered, isn't Wei Zhugong Ji deeply loved by the people? How could such an unwise thing be done? Wang Xu was deeply sympathetic to the blacksmith's experience. Especially the little granddaughter of Fengjiao, she is very sensible at a young age. He often helped his grandfather with his work, occasionally passing tools, and occasionally adding firewood to the furnace. A seven-year-old girl, staying in a blacksmith's shop, is not always an option. It's too dangerous. Wang Xu touched the girl's head and asked:

"Little girl! What is your name? ”

The little girl was a little nervous and stammered when she spoke.

"Shu... Shu'er. ”

"Feng Shu! Good name. Grandpa's up? ”

The girl nodded. The two small hands in front of him clenched together.

"Will Shu'er be willing to follow her brother in the future? It's too dangerous here, it's not the place for a little girl. ”

Wang Xu's words made the little girl even more nervous. My eyes turned red as soon as I swooped. Tears kept rolling in his eyes. Shu'er looked at her grandfather pitifully, begging the other party to come to the rescue. She is dependent on her grandfather and is unwilling to leave him. Hearing Wang Xu's words, Fengjiao's face was full of joy. Hurriedly pulled his granddaughter to kneel down together, and said gratefully:

"Great grace, sir! The villain has nothing to repay. Shu'er! Quickly kowtow to the gentleman. ”

He understood what it would mean for his granddaughter to be taken in by Lord Yin. They have the possibility of revival. As long as we can live in these years of lack of food and clothing, there is hope. However, the little girl is very stubborn, no matter how her grandfather pulls, she just doesn't kneel.

Wang Xu didn't think it was so long-term. I just feel that the smelting place is full of sparks, which is very dangerous. If he had been burned, such a young child would have suffered. After all, the level of medical care is not developed in these days. At present, the appearance of the grandfather and grandson is so deadlocked, which makes her feel a little ashamed. I didn't think about breaking them up.

At this time, Feng Jiao anxiously slapped his granddaughter's buttocks. The little girl still stubbornly refused to kneel, and forcibly refused to cry. Wang Xu couldn't stand it anymore, so he hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade him.

"Stop! Feng Bo! You are mistaken. I just want to take care of Shu'er... Nothing else. ”

After speaking, Fengjiao froze in place. It took a while to react. He originally thought that Wang Xu had taken a fancy to his granddaughter's well-behaved and was going to take her back to be a maid. I didn't think about it, I just wanted to help him take care of the child. This is strange. Although he was a craftsman, he had never received such courtesy.

Tears flowed from the corner of the wind. After thanking you for a thousand thanks, immediately cut to the chase. Wang Xu brought him the bronze objects that needed to be made one by one, and carefully explained the uses of them. Fengjiao was extremely efficient, simply raised his doubts, and gave what he thought was a reasonable reference for Wang Xu to choose. Immediately, it was smelted and made without delay.

An hour later, the bronze object resembling a gear was made. Wang Xu took the sample and looked at it carefully. Although it is unpolished, it looks a little rough. But it still can't hide the exquisite skills of the other party. He doesn't know how to smelt, and what he makes is very well-proportioned. Then Wang Xu tried to break the gears hard, and his brows furrowed.

"Feng Bo! No, I can't. This toughness is good, but the hardness is far behind. ”

Fengjiao took the gear and tried to break it, but he didn't want the sawtooth to bend. Bronze is extremely precious, Wang Xu is afraid of wasting it, but let the other party make a sample first. When it is confirmed, the rest of the parts are manufactured.

Wind Horn stroked his beard and took a piece of bronze for smelting. Obviously very experienced, he weighed it a few times and said:

"There's too much tin. This bronze scrap is estimated to have come from a spear and other blades. ”

Wang Xu was sweating profusely. It had taken him so long to get the weapon parts of the spear to look like they were now. Unexpectedly, the other party could know it with just one glance, and his heart was suddenly shocked. I also suspected that Fengjiao was here to cheat and cheat, but with this hand alone, it is estimated that it will not be able to practice without more than ten years of smelting kung fu.

I saw Wang Xu's shocked appearance. Fengjiao thought to himself:

"Lord Yin really knows the goods."

So an explanation was given. Tin accounts for one-sixth can be cast tripod, one-fifth can be cast axe, one-quarter can be cast spear, one-third can be cast sword, and one-half can be cast Jiansui. Obviously, the weapon must not only meet the hardness, but also maintain toughness. Otherwise, after the collision of the weapon, it is very likely to break.

"Forgive me for being clumsy and snubbing the master."

Wang Xu immediately complimented him. On the one hand, it is to divert the attention of the other party. On the other hand, the wind horn is indeed highly skilled.

Hearing this, Feng Jiao smiled, and hurriedly clasped his fists and saluted. Return:

"Haha, my lord is overrated. Artisans have always relied on craftsmanship for their livelihood. The villain's ancestors have inherited the method of smelting for generations, and they have been familiar with it since childhood. ”

"I don't know the wind... Is there a solution? ”

"Simple! Add copper. ”

It's really simple. As long as the ratio of tin is diluted, the problem can be solved. Maybe Wang Xu was frightened and confused. So I didn't see such a simple truth.

In the afternoon, Li Cang drove the carriage and returned with a dozen or so people. Obviously, Wang Xu underestimated how much money could be bought for 2,000 money? The load of goods frightened him. At this time, the price of grain was not high, soybeans were the cheapest, followed by sorghum, and then wheat and rice. As long as you don't think about how good you eat, just if you're full. The food purchased is enough to subsidize the village and survive the winter safely. The price of copper and ore is even more different. Perhaps the smelting technology is in the hands of the powerful, and copper and iron are difficult to circulate. Fortunately, Li Cang was smart enough to buy ore. Otherwise, Wang Xu will cry, because smelting with brass is basically equivalent to smelting copper coins.

At the time of Shen, Aji brought food. Wang Xu, Li Cang, and Fengjiao ate and chatted in the simple blacksmith shop. Tasteless gruel, a small plate of leeks, and a hard-boiled egg per person are already considered a relatively hearty lunch.

There are only two meals a day in the big week, and breakfast is at 7 to 9 o'clock in the morning. The people also called the hour of breakfast the time of eating. Lunch is at Shen time, that is, from 3 to 5 pm, which is also called feeding time.

I have become accustomed to the life of going to bed early and waking up early, and it seems that eating two meals is not much different from eating three. After eating, Wang Xu led the two to a place in the valley more than a mile away from the village. The three of them stood by a waterhole. Streams from the mountains converge here to form a shallow pool. Children often come here to touch the fish, and due to the large temperature difference in the mountain, it is not suitable for the growth and reproduction of fish. The largest fish here is no bigger than a palm.

After getting along with Wang Xu for more than half a month, Li Cang has a different understanding of this young man. Although the old king has been talking about it for more than one round, there is not much estrangement between the two of them, and they have the feeling of being friends with each other. Since Yunmeng's contempt, Li Cang has always wondered, what does this young man want to do? There are also many good suggestions. For example, sumac trees are pruned and cultivated. Make a lacquer forest on the top of the mountain and develop the high-end industry of lacquerware. However, this will not be possible in more than ten years. The teenager also proposed the idea of raising chickens and rabbits. In Li Cang's view, these proposals are nothing more than tasteless and regrettable chicken ribs that are discarded. It simply cannot solve the problem of taxation of hundreds of people.

At this time, looking at the pool less than one meter deep, Li Cang probably guessed what the other party was going to do. Just listen.

"Cut off the stream first and lead it somewhere else. Then dig deep into the place. Well... Erzhang... That's pretty much enough. ”

The boy crossed his arms over his chest and struck his fingers on his arms in an orderly manner. Li Cang kindly reminded:

"My lord! The bitter cold in the mountains is not suitable for fish farming here. ”

I only heard the young man say flatly:

"I know. This is for damming, not fish farming. ”

Li Cang was stunned for a while. Think you heard it wrong?

"Huh? Damming? ”

"That's right!"

Dams are ridiculous compared to fish farming. Who will build a dam in a stream? Could it be that the other party wants to build a dam and then build a canal to facilitate the irrigation of the farmland at the mouth of the valley. But how can such a little water be enough? Li Cang suddenly felt that Wang Xu was crazy. Maybe it's too much pressure, but you can't go to the doctor when you're sick. However, the confident expression on the other party's face made it difficult for him to open his mouth to hit a junior. After all, Wang Xu is the contempt of the Kingdom of David. Although it is not a big official, the hierarchy is clear in these years. He is a flat-headed ordinary person who has no right to speak at all. I can only give up and do what I am told. Let's see how the other party will explain to the Yi Zaifu after working hard and hurting money? I couldn't help but sigh in my heart:

"Hey! Sure enough, he's still an ignorant erection. ”

Maybe Wang Xu was too stubborn in the past, and Li Cang's impression of him has never been very good. After getting along for half a month, I felt that Wang Xu's temper had converged a lot. But the stubbornness still can't be changed. What else can be said? Contrary to his words, although he has talent and learning, he can only be buried. Or don't think too much, Li Cang told himself.

Then Li Cang said goodbye and left. He plans to start construction early tomorrow morning. Hurry early, not late, because winter is coming. No one wants to work in the water in the cold winter. On the surface, the amount of work is not very large, but Li Cang has his own opinions. While the dam is being built to cut off the flow of water, you can clean up the lower river by the way. In case the walled wall of the village is not up to standard, it is also excellent to prepare some stones in advance to be prepared. It is true that the cultivated fields at Taniguchi are not easy to irrigate. Although what Wang Xu has done, the feasibility is not high. But it is always convenient to irrigate the fields of several households. It's not hard to build a canal along the way. When you think about it, there's a lot to do. Answered, Li Cang thought about how to plan.

Fengjiao, who was accompanying Wang Xu, showed a frightened expression at this moment. He could never have imagined that the boy would ask him to paint all the parts he had made. He also asked him leisurely if he could guarantee that the bronze would not rust in the water. Wang Xu's handwriting is a bit bigger than the blacksmith imagined. Lacquer is such a precious thing, painted on bronze, he can also think of it. But on second thought, maybe that's the case. However, hearing the latter words, Fengjiao only felt that he was in the clouds.

"Feng Bo! Those copper materials, you can make some farm tools for the people in your spare time, and you can save trouble. ”

"Isn't the adult playing tricks on the villain? Do you know how profitable it is to make a blade from those scraps? ”

Imagine the era when the sword would be respected, if the agricultural tools were made of bronze. So what do the so-called chivalrous heroes think? What do the patriots who use wooden clubs as weapons think? Fengjiao thinks there has to be a limit to joking, doesn't it? The carpenter who came with him was still sawing wood with shells. Wang Xu's wave of loser behavior simply refreshed the other party's three views.

However, at this time, Wang Xu had a bitter word. Of course, he knew that reselling arms was the most profitable. Isn't it because I can't do this that I have to smash all those weapons? How can this be explained? It is difficult to tell the other party that his father was very likely to be a mountain king in the past, and there are more than 100 boxes of weapons in the house. Although it melted, it wasn't bad for that scrap of copper and rotten iron? Besides, a large box of blades has already been smashed into that ghostly shape, is it possible to let him stick it back again?

Maybe Fengjiao thinks that Wang Xu is too stupid and will not turn waste into treasure. So he pointed, and Wang Xule was broken.

"Feng Bo! You are amazing. When you make money, I promise to tell you about it. Feng's incense can't be broken. Feel relieved! Wrap it around me. ”

Wind Horn's eyes widened. What's this called? People who are over half a hundred years old are not landlords or city lords. If you ask a wife to continue the incense, won't it make people laugh? It's also a shame that the other party can come up with such a way to thank people. He laughed dryly. I suddenly felt that my future was hopeless. Following a stupid village chief, I don't know if my livelihood is really guaranteed in the future?

Wind Horn proposed that Wang Xu melt the fragments of those spears and make them into bronze ingots. Many cities and towns that were mainly based on smelting relied on this method to pay taxes. The country's demand for bronze is huge, and it is common to stock up on some strategic materials. It is possible to regulate the trade in arms, but not the trade in raw materials.

Help people take care of children, and introduce people. A series of diligent practices are all Wang Xu's means to win over the wind horns. Such a high-end technical talent, and as an accomplice in selling stolen goods, I feel sorry for the hard life I suffered before. At this time, I seem to have the idea of recognizing my godfather. Fortunately, Fengjiao was sober-headed, but he just thought he had met a rich idiot. There are no undue requests other than the need for a few helpers.

Imagination is beautiful, but reality is always full of uncertainties. Something happened the next day. At the site of the dam construction, more and more people were watching. Almost all the people in the village arrived. They were terrified, and from time to time someone cried out. Many of the onlookers were covered with their eyes covered by adults. It seems that there is something unclean at the bottom of the pool. No one dared to approach the construction site where the cement of the drained creek was drained. There are traces of excavation everywhere.

Wang Xu, who rushed to hear the news, was immediately stunned when he saw the scene in front of him. In the nearby open space, piles of white bones seem to be stacked together according to different parts of the human body. Stones piled up in the distance lead the shallow pool to both sides, and the bare black earth at the bottom of the pool, mixed with pebbles and the bones of Bai Sensen, is all over the construction site. It's like a burial pit, shocking. Wang Xu couldn't help swallowing his saliva and asked lightly:

"Do you know whose grave it is?"

At this time, it was not popular, digging deep tombs, building underground palaces or something. It's just that the deceased people are simply buried, and then a big grave bag is piled up. The taller the tomb, the more extraordinary the identity of the owner of the tomb. These kings didn't know, although the Great Zhou still left behind the cruel and bad habit of accompanying the burial. However, the person who accompanied the burial was generally the concubine or slave maid favored by the deceased during his lifetime. The bones dug up at the moment, I am afraid that the tomb of the emperor of the Zhou Dynasty is not of such a scale.

Li Cang hurriedly responded and replied:

"My lord! It's not a tomb, it's... A place where the corpses are destroyed. ”

An explanation was given.

"The villain has already checked it. There is no sheltering clothes around the body, and there are occasional traces left by blade chopping on the white bones. Moreover... They were all men, and the corpses could no longer be pieced together. Do you report the matter to the Euphae? Please decide. ”

Hearing Li Cang's report, Wang Xu only felt a surge in his abdomen, and his body trembled slightly. I couldn't help but vomit for a while. Maybe the other party doesn't explain, he won't be so gaffe. Do archaeological research and learn about the funerary customs of ancient nobles. After all, there are a lot of collections at home that use bones to carve words, so you won't be afraid. But Li Cang's words vividly depicted a terrifying picture of a soldier being killed in a pit, stripped of his clothes and dismembered. Even if people are slaughtered, they will not be perverted to the point of dismembering the enemy. What's more, there are corpses everywhere right now.

"No! The place where the bones are buried is so hidden, I am afraid that there will be treacherous plots, which will inevitably harm the people. Aji thought that it was not appropriate to report the matter before it was discovered. ”

Obviously, Aji is thinking more far-reaching. Li Cang thought about it and nodded.

"Hmmm! Reasonable. It's me who doesn't think about it. ”

Although the vomiting continued, the conversation between the two was full of ears. He frowned in confusion. When did Aji become so thoughtful? Hasn't it always been rough-flailing? Except for the fact that the girl is extremely delicate in martial arts and medical skills, it seems that other aspects cannot be complimented.

"I'm tired of Uncle Li, let's collect the bones first."

The two saluted each other. Immediately, Li Cang explained the seriousness of the matter to everyone. Tell everyone not to talk about it and spread it everywhere, so as not to invite trouble. Construction then continued, bringing together the scattered bones.

It's been a long time since I thought about the pitfall. The people who buried the corpses in the valley would not have expected that God would help gather the streams here to cover up their crimes. However, unfortunately, Wang Xu accidentally ordered someone to dig up these dusty underground and unknown secrets. What happened here? No one seems to know about it.

Thinking of the children who had come here to fish and the schools of fish living on top of the corpses, the people of Yunmeng shuddered. As for the speculation of burying the corpses of the pit soldiers, the villagers all maintain their own opinions. Later, different versions of the ghost story spread among the children in the village.

On the day of the incident, Wang Xu begged Ah Ji not to go back to the cave at night. If you live in the village and have more popularity, you won't be afraid. After the girl agreed, she asked Wang Xu to accompany her to the back mountain early the next morning to pay respects to Kaoyan. It's already evil to bump into such an unlucky thing. At this juncture, I went to sweep the graves of my deceased parents. I feel that the chill of late autumn in the valley is eerie.

During the worship, Wang Xu did not feel anything. Just follow Aji's instructions, step by step. At this time, there was no paper, so the money was replaced by short straws. Ah Ji grabbed a handful of straw and put it into the fire, and the curling white smoke slowly rose. The morning mist also became thicker. The girl reported to the leader like a leader, and seriously told the young master what he had done recently. She knelt on the ground and looked extremely religious. It's just that the good people and good deeds mentioned are all screened and whitewashed, which can be understood as reporting good news and not bad news. How great is the young gentleman, how he has helped the people, and how he is loved by everyone. In the depths of love, I burst into tears. Wang Xu, who was listening on the side, felt that his old face was hot. He had never been praised like this, and he even doubted that the person in Aji's mouth was himself?

"Madame! The young gentleman is long... Know... If you are virtuous, the people will be safe. ”

After Ah Ji bowed, he wiped his tears and turned his head to look at Wang Xu. The deep eyes reveal the perseverance after the struggle. It's like an important decision has been made.

"Father of the King... Naiwei Gong..."