Chapter 60: Spring Embroidered Saber
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Pfft! With a soft sound, three layers of leather armor broke and fell off the wooden stake.
Then the blade slashed into the wooden stake, splitting into three parts.
Surprise flashed across Yin Wuyou’s pretty face.
She didn’t use much strength, but this blade easily split open three layers of leather armor. The sharpness of this saber was definitely not inferior to the Huben Saber!
Being able to maintain such sharpness with this appearance, this saber was no weaker than the three sabers Zhou Shu had developed.
Yin Wuyou looked at Zhou Shu. Although her expression was still calm, a storm was raging deep within her heart.
In just a few short months, Zhou Shu had managed to develop four new weapons. She had never heard of anyone doing this before!
What kind of forging talent was this?
In the past, Yin Wuyou had some doubts about whether Zhou Shu could advance to Forging Master. Now, she no longer doubted him.
In just a few short months, he was able to develop four new standard weapons, and each of them had extraordinary power. If he still couldn’t become a Forging Master, then the threshold of Forging Master was too high!
“Breaking through three layers of armor, this is indeed a good saber,” Yin Wuyou said. “You’ve done it. I agree to your previous requests.”
Yin Wuyou was indeed the grand minister. She would definitely not break the agreement.
Yin Wuyou admired her father a little in her heart now. Indeed, her own judgment was still a little lacking.
Her father had long since seen through Zhou Shu’s potential. This was why he had ignored her advice and listed him as one of the candidates for the military parade.
One had to know that it was unprecedented for a Forging Apprentice to participate in the military parade.
Even for Forging Masters, not all of them had the qualifications to participate in the military parade. They had to pass the selection before they could obtain the qualifications.
When Yin Wuyou first heard that her father had given Zhou Shu a spot, she had thought that it was because her father was taking care of her. After all, she was the one who had promoted Zhou Shu from a Forging Apprentice to a superintendent.
Looking at it now, Father indeed has discerning eyes!
“Grand Minister, you are indeed a trustworthy person!” Since Zhou Shu had already achieved his goal, he naturally wouldn’t be stingy with his praise.
After all, he also knew that the contract was merely to console himself. If Yin Wuyou wanted to go back on her word, there would be nothing he could do.
“Now, can you tell me what the name of this saber is?” Pride flashed through Yin Wuyou’s eyes. She had kept her word!
“The name of this saber is Spring Embroidered!” Zhou Shu said slowly.
“Spring Embroidered? Spring Embroidered Saber?” Yin Wuyou raised an eyebrow and asked doubtfully, “What does this name mean?”
Whether it was the Huben Saber, Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber, or the Horse Slaying Saber, the names were all self-explanatory. Yin Wuyou really didn’t understand the meaning of the name Spring Embroidered.
Even so, she felt that the name Spring Embroidered was very suitable for this saber.
“Standing tall in embroidered robes in springtime, returning home proudly in colorful official clothes,” Zhou Shu said. “This Spring Embroidered Saber was inspired by a good friend of mine.
“That good friend of mine likes to wear embroidered clothes, so I named this saber the Spring Embroidered Saber.”
“Standing tall in embroidered robes in springtime, returning home proudly in colorful official clothes,” Yin Wuyou softly recited the two lines, and a glint flashed in her eyes.
“Did you write these two verses?” Yin Wuyou asked.
Although Great Xia was flourishing with martial arts, there were also scholars. Zhou Shu’s sworn brother, Mi Ziwen, had been third in the imperial examination.
“I’m not that capable.” Zhou Shu shook his head. “I heard it from somewhere. I thought these two verses sounded good, so I memorized them.”
“Really? Where did you hear them?” Yin Wuyou asked noncommittally.
“It’s at a restaurant called Restaurant. There’s often a storyteller there, and he sometimes recites poems,” Zhou Shu said casually.
“Did you hear ‘If time could stop at the moment when we first met’ from there too?” Yin Wuyou said.
Zhou Shu broke out in a sweat. How does she know?
He turned his gaze to Haitang.
When he said this poem, only Mi Ziwen and Haitang were present. Mi Ziwen probably wouldn’t tell Yin Wuyou, but Haitang—
Haitang held her head high and puffed out her chest with a self-righteous expression. I was the one who told Her Highness. What can you do?!
Zhou Shu rolled his eyes. What can I do?
“Maybe. I can’t really remember,” Zhou Shu mumbled.
“So, you don’t remember the rest of the poem, either?”
“Grand Minister, I’m just a blacksmith. I’m not good at literature. It’s already very good that I can remember a few lines of poetry. Don’t ask me about the rest of the poem!” Zhou Shu cried out.
Yin Wuyou raised her eyebrows again, but it was hard to tell whether she believed him or not.
She didn’t continue to question him and instead asked, “The friend you mentioned, is it Sun Gongping?”
Zhou Shu braced himself and said, “Yes.”
He was just spouting nonsense. Otherwise, how could he explain the name of the Spring Embroidered Saber?
He couldn’t tell Yin Wuyou that this was the name written in the Legendary Armament Canon and that there was no reason behind the name!
“Sun Gongping is not worthy of this poem,” Yin Wuyou said indifferently.
Zhou Shu was speechless. The princess is really direct.
This poem was something he had read by chance in his previous life. He himself didn’t quite understand the meaning of it. It seemed to be saying that when spring came, the young pillars of the country wore embroidered uniforms to return home in honor.
When Yin Wuyou said Sun Gongping was not worthy of this poem, did she mean he wasn’t young or was he not a pillar of the country?
Zhou Shu silently mourned for Sun Gongping for three seconds before saying, “Grand Minister, you are right.
“If you don’t like it, we can change the name of this Spring Embroidered Saber,” Zhou Shu said.
Changing the name of the weapon wouldn’t affect the function of the Legendary Armament Canon.
The Huben Saber was also known as the Sharp Standard Long Saber in the Legendary Armament Canon.
“No need. The name Spring Embroidered Saber is very good.” Yin Wuyou shook her head and said, “Superintendent Zhou, which army do you plan to supply this Spring Embroidered Saber to?”
Yin Wuyou didn’t forget her agreement with Zhou Shu. Zhou Shu had the right to decide which army to supply the weapons developed by the 0th Workshop.
Actually, this was an unspoken rule within the Forging Division. But no one had ever been as explicit as Zhou Shu.
When the Huben Saber first appeared, didn’t Xiao Zongshui find Cheng Wanli to promote it?
At that time, the Forging Division didn’t interfere much either.
“Grand Minister, please forgive me. I have promised Sun Gongping that this will be exclusively for the Divine Constable Bureau.”
“Just like how the Huben Saber is dedicated to the Huben Troops?” Yin Wuyou said.
“Yes.” Zhou Shu nodded.
“Do as you see fit. I won’t ask too much. But the benefits—” Yin Wuyou said.
“I understand,” Zhou Shu said without hesitation. “According to the rules of the Forging Division, all the weapons developed by the workshop belong to the Division.”
Previously, Yin Wuyou had returned the ownership of the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber to Zhou Shu, but this didn’t mean she would completely break the rules of the Forging Division.
Even in Zhou Shu’s previous life on Earth, didn’t the company own the results of a single person’s work?
Zhou Shu didn’t really care about this. In any case, no one could steal the Legendary Armament Canon’s benefits from him. He didn’t mind giving up on some money.
On the contrary, the sales channels of the Forging Division were very important to him.
If not for the Forging Division, how could he send his forged weapons into the military?
“It’s good that you understand,” Yin Wuyou said. “However, the Division won’t mistreat you. You can rest assured about this.”
“I believe you won’t let me suffer, Grand Minister.” Zhou Shu waved his hand dismissively.
His generosity made Yin Wuyou see him in a different light.
Shouldn’t a person who started as a Forging Apprentice care more about money?
He was not one of those aristocratic children who didn’t need to worry about their livelihood.
Yin Wuyou inwardly shook her head. Zhou Shu is really getting harder and harder to understand.
And does that restaurant really have a storyteller?
“Superintendent Zhou, I can promise you that the 0th Workshop will be exempted from the forging tasks. However, the 0th Workshop must at least develop or improve a new weapon every year. Otherwise, even if I don’t care, the other members of the Forging Division will not agree.”
Although Yin Wuyou was a princess and also the grand minister of the Forging Division, she couldn’t do everything as she pleased in the Forging Division.
Great Xia had its own laws. If the 0th Workshop couldn’t accomplish anything, then even Yin Wuyou wouldn’t be able to protect him. After all, the 0th Workshop was spending the Great Xia Imperial Court’s money.
“Don’t worry. The 0th Workshop won’t be a freeloader,” Zhou Shu said confidently.
One year to develop or improve a new weapon?
This is too easy.
“Oh right, Grand Minister, I have a presumptuous request.” Zhou Shu suddenly thought of something. “I heard that the first thirty-six workshops of the Forging Division all have their own names. Do you think that we, the 0th Workshop, can also have a name?”
The first 36 workshops of the Forging Division were completely different from the workshops after them. They were actually not called workshops. After all, Forging Masters had already broken away from the working class. They were genuine aristocrats. It wouldn’t be nice to call them workshops.
The first 36 workshops all had their own names. For example, the 1st Workshop was called the First Class Hall, the 8th Workshop was the Hero Building, the 15th Workshop was called the Ling Xiao Pavilion, and so on.
Zhou Shu was extremely envious. Their names were much better than the 0th Workshop, 97th Workshop, and 108th Workshop.
He had already prepared several mighty and domineering names for the 0th Workshop, but he couldn’t announce them to the outside world yet.
“When you become a Forging Master, you’ll naturally have the qualifications to let the 0th Workshop have its own name,” Yin Wuyou said. “Not now!”
“I can agree to any other requests, but don’t even think about this. Otherwise, it will be unfair to the other Forging Masters!” Yin Wuyou’s tone didn’t allow any room for negotiation.
“Alright,” Zhou Shu said. “Let’s wait.. I believe I won’t have to wait too long to become a Forging Master.”
