Chapter 5: Undesirable Occupations

Which book is it in the book?

"It has no title; it is a tattered scroll. I received it not long ago, and it fell apart completely." Wei Ba cautiously looked at his father, fearing that he might press for more questions.

After so many days, Wei Ba finally had the time to properly tidy up his room. He searched for a long time and, aside from some daily necessities, did not find a single item with writing on it. However, there was a clothes rack by the bed, on which hung two exquisite sets of armor; the larger set belonged to him, while the smaller one belonged to Wei Wu.

Wei Ba steadied himself, planted his feet firmly, and reached out to take the helmet from Wei Wu's hands. He carefully placed it on his head, immediately feeling the heavy pressure on his neck, which made him very concerned about whether his frail cervical spine could withstand it. He fastened the strap under his chin, winked at Wei Wu, bent his arm, and struck a pose like a bodybuilder: "A Wu, how do I look? Impressive, right?"

This... Wei Ba was at a loss for words. He rolled his eyes and said, "Father, look at my physique. Can I lift a hammer?"

"Brother, what is wrong with you?" Wei Wu quickly pulled Wei Ba up, not bothering to ask what a mirror was, and reached out to remove the armor. Wei Ba pressed his hand down on him: "No, I can hold on."

The era in which Wei Ba lived was one where "mastering mathematics and chemistry allows one to travel the world without fear," an era that upheld the belief that "science is the primary productive force." However, during that time, graduate students were as common as dogs, and university students filled the streets. As an ordinary undergraduate from a regular university, he was hardly anything significant, which is why he struggled to find a job. Even when opportunities arose, lacking a powerful family background left him with little competitive edge, and he could only watch enviously as others enjoyed the fruits of success, while he couldn't even get a taste of the broth.

If only Old Man Wei Yan's life could be extended a little longer, that would be even better

Seeing Wei Ba shake his head, Wei Yan felt somewhat out of sorts. He let out a self-deprecating laugh and said, "Well, even though I cannot forge divine weapons, if I can produce an iron tool and gather an extra three to five dou, it can be considered that my studies were not in vain. Alright, since your body is weak, if you cannot wear armor, then do not wear it, lest your body, which is already fragile, suffers further strain."

"When did you start learning blacksmithing?" Wei Yan's expression darkened as he said sternly, "You are weak in health, and if you refuse to join the army, that is one thing. I allowed you to pursue your studies, but you have not excelled in your studies and instead have learned to smelt iron? Do you intend to become a blacksmith in the future, thus tarnishing the reputation of the Wei family?"

"Hmm." Wei Yan responded, extending the hand that was behind his back, holding the iron shovel that had just been forged that morning. Wei Ba was taken aback, thinking to himself that Wei Feng had taken it to the farmer for trial use; how did it end up in his father's hands? Could it be that he found it useful and came to praise me?

Wei Wu examined him seriously and nodded vigorously: "Imposing, of course imposing, this armor was specially crafted for us by Father, certainly imposing"

Wei Wu was startled and quickly reached out to support him: "Elder brother, be careful, don't fall."

I know. Wei Yan interrupted Wei Ba's words with some impatience. "Isn't it you who taught him how to do it?"

Wei Ba donned this dark armor and was already so exhausted that he could hardly catch his breath. Roughly estimating, this armor weighs at least 15 kilograms. Although it may not prevent an ordinary person from walking, wearing it all day while wielding a sword and engaging in combat with enemies is indeed a challenge without a certain level of physical strength. For someone like him, who is frail and sickly, it is an undeniable burden.

"Go to hell." Wei Ba couldn't help but push Wei Wu, saying, "Alright, you go practice your sword; I'll get used to it myself. It actually feels quite good." As he spoke, he took down a ring knife over a meter long from the rack, tucked it into his waist, turned his body, struck a pose as if drawing a sword, widened his eyes, and tried hard to make himself look somewhat menacing.

Wei Yan saw him fully armored, yet still wanted to bend down to salute, a fleeting smile vanished from his eyes. He stepped forward and lightly tapped Wei Ba's shoulder armor: "Alright, since you are in battle armor, just follow the military etiquette. A soldier's waist cannot bend down."

The situation seems to be very promising, not just slightly promising, but very promising

Wei Ba felt somewhat bewildered for a moment, and it took him a while to understand why his father was so angry. It turned out that his father thought he had taken up blacksmithing, willingly degrading himself by engaging in a lowly profession. He cleared his throat and forced a bitter smile, saying: "Father, I did not go learn to smelt iron."

As he spoke, he walked outside. Wei Ba hesitated for a moment, mustered his courage, took a couple of steps forward, and blocked Wei Yan's path, clasping his hands and saying: "Father, perhaps... I could give it a try, if you do not object. With those experienced old craftsmen, I might be able to forge sharper weapons for you."

Wei Ba pondered for a moment and shook his head. Although the steel-making method could certainly be applied to weapon forging, he was still not very clear about the performance requirements of weapons. This is the nature of technology; similarity does not equate to sameness. Perhaps just a slight difference in parameters could result in two completely different products.

Wei Wu looked at Wei Ba's slightly flushed face and asked uncertainly, "Are you sure?"

Wei Ba nodded helplessly: "Yes"

It is highly likely that it will happen

Wei Yan was taken aback and somewhat surprised. He stroked his beard, his expression softened a bit, yet he still refused to let it go. "Then how do you know about smelting iron"

Wei Ba felt a bit embarrassed and responded softly, glancing at his father. He accompanied Xiao Yi and asked, "Father, do you have something to discuss?"

If I were to tell my father now, you need to be cautious of Yang Yi and Ma Dai, be careful that they might stab you in the back, would he think I am crazy

Looking at the suit of armor, Wei Ba was momentarily inspired and called Wei Wu, who was practicing with a sword in the courtyard, to come in. "A Wu, come help me put on the battle armor."

No, how could you produce this iron tool and still earn the endless praise of the old master craftsmen in the ironworks

Wei Wu blinked his eyes and noticed that although Wei Ba's face was somewhat flushed, he was still managing to hold it together. Only then did he cautiously help him put on the armor. Finally, after removing the helmet, he tentatively asked: "Do you still need this...?"

Wei Ba sensed something was amiss from the tone of voice, his heart tightened, and his smile faded instantly. After a moment of hesitation, he said: "It was made by a master craftsman in the ironworks"

"Mirror? What is a mirror?" Wei Wu effortlessly removed his armor with one hand and placed it on Wei Ba's shoulder, causing Wei Ba to feel a sudden weight. However, Wei Wu did not notice this and curiously said, "Brother, I have noticed that you have been acting a bit strange these past two days. Not only have you gained knowledge, but you also have been speaking unusually. What is a mirror, and what did you mean by 'rear-end collision' yesterday?"

Wei Ba's legs went weak, and with a thud, he fell to the ground, armor and all. He had always regarded Wei Wu as a child, maintaining a lower level of vigilance in front of him, unlike the caution he exhibited in front of Wei Yan and Wei Feng. Unexpectedly, this young man, who seemed careless and indifferent, had still managed to uncover quite a few issues.

Wei Ba set aside the matter of the shovel—he knew without trying that this tool would certainly be more effective than a wooden one—and began to consider how to avoid the tragic fate of the Wei family being exterminated. Technical matters may seem complex, but in reality, they are quite simple; once that layer of paper is pierced, what is needed is patience and meticulousness. Conversely, human affairs may appear straightforward, yet they are exceedingly complicated, with no shortcuts available, relying more on talent. In this regard, he had no advantages. The conflict between his father, Wei Yan, and Yang Yi had been brewing for quite some time; whether he could rectify the situation solely with his own strength was indeed a significant question.

Now it is different; when it comes to professional skills, even the most outstanding craftsmen of this era may not be able to compare with him. As for his father, although Wei Yan's father may not be able to last long, at least for now, he is a formidable character whose mere stamp of the foot can shake the ground three times.

Wei Wu walked in, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and cast a glance at Wei Ba with a look of disdain, his lips curling into a smirk that nearly reached his ears. "Brother, perhaps you should give it a rest. Although your health has improved a bit these past two days, you can hardly walk in your armor. Before long, you'll need my help to take it off. I'm currently practicing with my sword and have no time to play with you."

Sigh. Wei Wu responded and went back to the courtyard to practice his sword. Wei Ba, clad in over ten kilograms of armor, walked a few steps back and forth in the room, practiced drawing his sword a few times, and struck several poses he thought were impressive. His legs soon began to feel sore, and he secretly lamented that being a general was indeed not something just anyone could do. He intended to sit down and rest for a moment but feared being ridiculed by Wei Wu. Instead, he moved to the door, peeking in a few times, and saw Wei Wu fully focused on his sword practice. Only then did he quietly walk over to the bedside, sit down, and stick out his tongue to catch his breath.

... ...

Wei Ba returned to his room, which was not very spacious, furnished with a large bed shared with Wei Wu. Wei Yan was strict in military affairs and had high expectations for his sons, never allowing them to be assigned maids or anything of the sort. Knowing that Wei Ba was in poor health, he insisted on bringing him along to Mianyang for inspection, intending for them to familiarize themselves with the geography of Hanzhong, laying a foundation for future military leadership. However, as soon as Wei Ba arrived in Mianyang, he fell gravely ill, prompting Wei Yan to set him aside and have Wei Wu take care of him while he took his eldest son, Wei Feng, to attend to various matters.

"Are there any books on iron smelting?" Wei Yan hesitated a bit, tapping the brand-new iron chisel, his gaze flickering. Wei Ba did not dare to breathe, fearing that he might reveal a flaw and be treated as a monster to be roasted over a fire. However, Wei Yan did not notice his expression. After a moment, he raised his head to look at Wei Ba, his eyes now filled with a hint of hope. "Does that book... contain methods for forging weapons and armor?"

A line "I am absolutely certain" surged to Wei Ba's lips, but he swallowed it back, gritting his teeth as he replied with three words: "I am certain"

Wei Ba, in a fit of anger and embarrassment, declared, "I must wear this today and will not take it off." After a moment of thought, he added, "I am simply tired; I would rather lie here and rest than call you before you finish your sword practice."

"Stop talking nonsense, help me put it on quickly," Wei Ba said, somewhat unable to contain his excitement. "It's a pity there is no mirror; otherwise, I could take a look at my own heroic appearance."

Wei Wu, seeing his insistence, could only shrug and say: "This is what you said, so don't blame me for not helping you when the time comes. My father asked me to chop a thousand times every day, and I have only chopped a little over three hundred times so far"

Wei Yan fixed his gaze on Wei Ba's eyes and asked, "Did you do this?"

I learned this from a book

In an instant, it reduced Wei Ba back to his original form. He waved his hand in exasperation: "Off you go, practice your swordsmanship, practice your swordsmanship."

Wei Ba felt somewhat perplexed

Wei Yan looked at him in surprise, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly: "Alright"

Before he could catch his breath, a heavy and rapid sound of footsteps came from outside. Wei Ba suddenly felt a darkness before his eyes, and upon focusing, he saw the tall figure of his father, Wei Yan, appearing at the door. Instinctively, he stood up and cupped his hands in salute. However, he was wearing armor, which made it impossible for him to bend down. All that could be heard was the clattering of the armor plates, leaving his face flushed with embarrassment.