Chapter 3: The Deceptive Blade

"A workman must sharpen his tools if he is to do his work well."

Li Gui himself was not particularly skilled in martial arts; otherwise, he would not have been so easily hacked to pieces by Li Kui. If he were to remain empty-handed, he feared he could not even defeat a common farmer on the roadside.

Yishui County was not large, and there was only one blacksmith shop, which he reached in a few dozen strides. Most buildings in the city remained wooden, but this blacksmith shop, being a fire hazard, was one of the few structures made of brick and tile, giving it an exceptionally imposing appearance. The property consisted of two courtyards: the front, an enclosed building serving as the storefront, and the back, an open-air forge. The rhythmic clanging of metal echoed incessantly from the rear.

Hanging from a flagpole in front of the shop was a banner with the character "Qin" written in bold, black ink against a white background, making it stand out sharply. The doorway was shielded by a beaded curtain to deter mosquitoes, fashioned from black thread and white Job's tears seeds, with abacus-sized beads at the bottom to keep them from swaying in the wind.

Li Gui swaggered in, pushing aside the curtain. Glancing around, he saw the counter directly ahead, flanked by rows of wooden racks displaying various ironwares. There were kitchen knives, shears, sickles, axes, and saws—all manner of farming implements—but not a single blade, spear, or sword was on display.

The shopkeeper behind the counter saw Li Gui enter and hurried forward, his expression a mix of surprise and suspicion. "Good sir, what can I do for you?"

Li Gui tilted his head, adopting a brazen, unruly posture, and retorted coldly, "Do I look like the sort of man who could afford your wares?"

The shopkeeper straightened his back, ready to berate the man, but then saw Li Gui walking toward the side racks with his hands clasped behind his back, muttering, "Young Master Liu from the west side of town has had a sudden whim to take up martial arts and asked me to find him a suitable weapon."

The shopkeeper’s back immediately hunched over again, and he leaned in with a beaming smile. "Oh, my apologies, sir! Please, have a seat; let me pour you some tea."

Li Gui’s attire clearly marked him as a local street thug who often ran errands for the stewards of wealthy families, or handled tasks for young masters that they preferred to keep from their parents. Such men were good for nothing and only caused trouble. Although the Qin family’s shop was the only one in town, if this thug were not kept happy, he might well persuade Young Master Liu to take up stone-locking or staff-fighting instead. If that happened, the business would slip through his fingers.

As for whether Li Gui was merely a con artist, the thought never crossed the shopkeeper’s mind. They all made a living in this small town; who would be tired of living enough to use Young Master Liu’s name to pull a scam?

Throughout the dynasties, the regulation of weapons had always been strict, yet this strictness usually targeted the poor, not the gentry. Since ancient times, the gentry had never been the ones to rebel, and in the Great Song Dynasty, where the court shared power with the scholar-officials, no nobleman would be foolish enough to revolt. Thus, if Li Gui had come to buy weapons for himself, they certainly would not have sold to him. But by invoking the name of Young Master Liu, this problem could be perfectly circumvented.

Li Gui waved his hand, showing no interest in the cheap tea. "I’m not here to chat. Speak plainly: what is my cut?"

The shopkeeper held up one finger from his sleeve. "The usual: ten percent. How about that?"

Li Gui laughed heartily. "Deal! You’re a man who knows the rules. Now, no more nonsense—bring out the valuable weapons and let me have a look!"

The shopkeeper gestured for a clerk to take his place and led the way to the back courtyard. "Our weapons are kept in the rear. Please, this way..."

Stepping out the back door into a large courtyard, they saw a massive furnace in the center, flanked by a bellows. Nearby stood a large anvil, along with iron tongs, hammers, and whetstones. Several shirtless men, their bronze skin glistening with sweat, stood at their respective stations. One pulled the bellows vigorously, sending gusts of air into the furnace, where flames roared. Another pulled a glowing red piece of iron from the forge with tongs and placed it on the anvil. A burly man struck it with a heavy hammer, then passed it to a master craftsman. The master held the iron with tongs in his left hand and a small hammer in his right, turning the metal with practiced precision until, in moments, a sheet of iron had taken the shape of a broadsword.

It was the first time Li Gui had seen such a primitive method of smithing, and he found himself momentarily mesmerized. The shopkeeper took the opportunity to exchange a few words with the owner before returning to Li Gui, holding a wooden box. The box was carved with dragons and phoenixes, clearly of high-quality material. When the shopkeeper opened it, Li Gui leaned in to see a magnificent steel sword resting in the center, still in its scabbard. Though he didn't draw it, the gold filigree and gemstones embedded in the scabbard and hilt alone signaled that it was worth a fortune.

"This is our shop’s most prized possession..." the shopkeeper began, but Li Gui cut him off with a wave.

"Damn it all!" Li Gui spat, glaring at him. "I told you to bring something expensive, not the most expensive thing you have! Do you think Young Master Liu is a fool? Forget it! Where are your other weapons? I’ll pick one out for him myself."

Li Gui’s goal in swindling the weapons was for his own use, so he prioritized practicality over items whose decorative value far outweighed their utility. Furthermore, if he swindled a common steel sword, it wouldn't hurt the Qin shop much, but if he made off with this treasure, the owner would likely be driven to suicide. Li Gui was no good man, but he still had a shred of a bottom line.

The shopkeeper offered a sheepish smile, realizing he had overreached, and quickly tucked the box away. He then led Li Gui to the adjoining weapons warehouse. Upon opening the door, sunlight streamed in from behind them, reflecting off the blades and creating a dazzling, blinding display. Directly opposite the door, mounted on a rack, was a pair of massive steel battle-axes as large as carriage wheels. They sat there like the shop's true treasures, so heavy they seemed to bow the rack under their weight.

Li Gui strode inside and reached out to lift one, only to find he couldn't budge it. "Damn it! So heavy! Who could possibly wield this?"

Li Gui muttered to himself, letting go in frustration. He moved to a short-handled broadsword on the side. Finding it light enough, he picked it up easily. After a few practice swings, it felt perfectly balanced and suited to his needs. He kept it in his hand and selected another suitable side-blade, handing both to the shopkeeper.

"These two will do! Have them sharpened and fitted with scabbards, then deliver them to Young Master Liu. But remember: do not let Old Master Liu find out, or the young master will surely get a beating."

The shopkeeper hesitated slightly. "And at what time and place should I deliver them?"

Li Gui didn't answer, instead rubbing his thumb, index, and middle fingers together. The shopkeeper was silent for a moment, then, having no choice, had someone bring five strings of cash from the back room and pressed them into Li Gui’s hand.

"These two blades, including scabbards, cost one hundred strings in total. This is half; the rest will be paid upon completion."

Li Gui grinned, tucked the coins under his arm, and strode toward the exit. "I’ll go report to Young Master Liu first. Tomorrow, I’ll come by to lead you to deliver the blades."

The shopkeeper had no choice but to agree and politely saw Li Gui out the front door.

After walking only thirty or forty paces from the shop, Li Gui ran into several men blocking his path. They were all bare-chested and looked like trouble. The leader was none other than Li Er. Relying on the strength of his numbers, he puffed out his chest and shouted, "Li Gui, when are you going to pay back the money you owe the gambling den?"