Chapter Six: Dragon's Tooth

Zheng Zhilong had someone bring a long box, the contents of which were unknown. He carefully placed the box on the table, and his tone surprisingly conveyed a sense of reluctance: "I know that Mr. Qingtang has lived a life of integrity, and if I were to offer him gold and silver, it would surely displease him. However, this item is entirely different..."

Most of Zheng Zhilong's subordinates were seeing this sword for the first time, and everyone was stunned by its brilliance

After speaking, he threw the knife at Ding Yunyi

I later named this knife "Dragon Tooth". Zheng Zh Long glanced at Ding Yun Yi and asked, "Do you know what Dragon Tooth is?"

It turned out that after Zheng Zhilong was defeated by Shui Zhengliuchuan that day, he searched everywhere for weapons with the intention of seeking revenge. Eventually, he found a Fujian Quanzhou native who had settled in Japan, who would also become Zheng Zhilong's future father-in-law, the great blacksmith Weng Yihuang, who specialized in forging swords for the lord of Hirado in Japan.

The three great evil artifacts from a thousand years ago, after being shattered by the Xuanyuan Sword, were sealed for many years and unexpectedly became the "Qingtian Three Executioners," representing the righteous spirit of the world, which can be said to be a reversal of extremes

Esteemed nephew

Upon hearing this, Ding Yunyi finally understood. The so-called "Heavenly Iron" must refer to the "He-Tu-Shu Meteorite." However, Zheng Zhilong's great victory over the renowned Aizu Ittō-ryū practitioners with a Tang sword is also quite an impressive achievement.

Hearing the word "gift," Ding Yunyi realized that the other party was trying to win him over. However, he simply could not understand how this Zheng Zhilong could one moment threaten with murder and the next offer some kind of gift

Weng Yihuang, upon understanding Zheng Zhilong's intentions, wrote a letter instructing him to seek out his sword-making master, the renowned Chinese swordsmith Zhu Qianli, in Quanzhou, Fujian.

Zheng Zhilong gently stroked his son's head and said: "Mingyan, although the Longya is a treasured sword, when Zhu Qianli gave it to me back in the day, he mentioned that it is a fierce blade, and keeping it by one's side for too long will inevitably bring harm to its owner. After I began following Li Dan, in order to gain his trust, I presented this sword to him, and he died; later, I followed the notorious pirate leader Yan Siqi, continuing to use this sword to win his trust. As a result, when Yan Siqi received this sword, he was overjoyed, indulged in excessive drinking and feasting, and unfortunately contracted typhus, dying at the age of thirty-seven. The deaths of both men were caused by this sword. Indeed, it is quite a fierce one!"

Zheng Zhilong was very fond of his son, and with a smile he said: "He - Tu - Shu Ming Yan, a single knife is nothing; if one can achieve great things, what does it matter if one loses a mere knife? Do you understand?"

Zheng Zhilong returned to Japan with this knife and once again confronted Mizoshige Nagakawa, decisively defeating this heir of the Aizu Ittō-ryū, earning fame throughout Kyushu, Japan. Later, he was recognized by the renowned Chinese pirate Li Dan in Japan, who recruited him as a valuable assistant, thus embarking on the establishment of his own career.

"Yes, Zheng Sen understands." Zheng Sen said with his hands hanging down.

The body of the small stone was just dragged away, and Zheng Zhilong's address to Ding Yunyi surprisingly changed, revealing an unusual warmth: "I have always admired your esteemed father, Mr. Qingtang. This time, your honorable nephew has bravely fought in battle, achieving the primary merit in the naval victory. Since your honorable nephew is going to Penghu, where pirates frequently come and go, and there are disturbances from the Dutch, I, Zheng, have a small gift for your honorable nephew..."

Zheng Sen understood that important matters will always outweigh inanimate objects

Mythical stories may not necessarily be credible, yet seeing Zheng Zhilong speak so earnestly makes it seem as if there is indeed some truth to it

Ding Yunyi had never heard this story before, but upon listening to Zheng Zhulong narrate it in detail, he couldn't help but become greatly intrigued

Ding Yunyi caught the knife, filled with joy. He decided to go to Penghu, a place unfamiliar to him. At this moment, having the "Dragon Tooth" as a precious weapon for self-defense could not be better.

Although I do not understand the true intention behind Zheng Zhilong's gift of the sword, I still held the sword and proclaimed loudly: "Thank you, General, for the sword. Ding Yunyi will surely defend Penghu with the 'Dragon Tooth', ensuring that the pirates of the Red Yi dare not confront the land of Penghu! Ding Yunyi will forever be grateful for the kindness of General!"

Those generals under Zheng Zhilong also rose one after another to take their leave

Although this child is only 10 years old, the tone in which he speaks is remarkably similar to that of an adult

As he spoke, he opened the box, and inside lay a weapon resembling a Tang dynasty sword.

Good Ding Yunyi! Zheng Zhilon praises: "Go, go! Your father is honest and upright, but knowing that I am gifting you a precious sword to guard the coastal borders, he will surely be pleased rather than angry. Do not forget what you said today!"

Zheng Zhilong did not fully withdraw; he immediately sheathed his sword and then called out in a low voice: "Ding Yunyi, take the sword!"

Zheng Zhilong suddenly drew half of the "Dragon Tooth" blade from its sheath, and even before it was fully unsheathed, it radiated a chilling light that was hard to behold. A chorus of gasps filled the tent.

Ding Yun, known as "Laozi," was named Ding Yuanzhao, styled Duanran, and also known as Qingtang. Zheng Zhulong referred to him as "Mr. Qingtang" to highlight the extraordinary relationship between the two.

Zheng Zhilong hurried back to Fujian and found Zhu Qianli. Upon hearing that he was to forge a sword to contend with the Japanese, Zhu Qianli said little and took out a piece of "heavenly iron" that he had treasured for decades. After a year of effort, he forged an unparalleled sword in the style of the Tang dynasty and presented it to Zheng Zhilong

Ding Yunyi shook his head honestly, and Zheng Zhulong smiled: "In ancient mythology, there are three great evil weapons in the world: the first is the Dragon Tooth, the second is the Tiger Wing, and the third is the Dog God. In the late Xia period, they belonged to King Xia Jie, after which tyranny began. The three ancient blades were enshrined in the ancestral temple of the Xia Dynasty. When King Tang of the Shang Dynasty attacked the ancestral temple of the Xia Dynasty, dark clouds covered the sky, and the cries of ghosts and gods echoed. The three evil blades, Dragon Tooth, Tiger Wing, and Dog God, transformed into three gusts of demonic wind, instantly causing countless casualties among the Shang army. King Tang abandoned his weapon and dismounted, wielding the Xuanyuan Golden Sword, he single-handedly charged into the main hall of the ancestral temple, swinging his sword swiftly to shatter the three evil blades into fragments, sealing them underground. By the time of the Song Dynasty, the blacksmith Han Qi discovered the ruins of the Shang Dynasty's ancestral temple in a deep mountain, unsealing and obtaining the fragments of the three evil blades: Dragon Tooth, Tiger Wing, and Dog God. At that time, the broken iron emitted a faint black aura, and touching it would provoke a reaction. Later, Han Qi collaborated with the court's swordsmiths to forge them, taking one year and eight days to create the three execution blades: Subduing Dragon, Overcoming Tiger, and Slaying Dog. They were stored in Kaifeng Prefecture with the approval of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, and the then Prefect of Kaifeng, Bao Zheng, became the first wielder of the 'Three Execution Blades of Kaifeng'..."

Ding Yunyi said little more and turned to leave the main tent

Looking outside the tent, Zheng Zhilong wore a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown. At that moment, a child around ten years old walked in, greeted Zheng Zhilong, and then asked, "Father, on that day, when I wanted to see Longya, you refused. Why is it that today you have given such a small patrol officer as Ding Yunyi this gift?"

Ding Yunyi listened, feeling an inexplicable chill rising from deep within his heart

Zheng Zhilong drew his sword, expressing deep affection: "Years ago, when I crossed the sea to Japan, I studied swordsmanship on Kyushu Island. By chance, I encountered Mizose Nagakawa of the Aizu Ittō-ryū and engaged in a sparring match. Without three exchanges, my weapon broke, and I was defeated by Mizose Nagakawa. I reflected deeply on this; that Japanese sword was derived from the style of our Chinese Tang sword. Through development, it had become a renowned blade. Mizose Nagakawa merely relied on the sharpness of his sword to defeat me. How could I accept this defeat?"