Chapter 47 Preparing to Smelt Iron

“Oh my, who could it be? Who managed to anger our domineering and lofty Lady Lin like this? Let me guess. Was it that young man who makes Refined Salt?”

Bai Yuxiang grinned mischievously.

“You know and still ask?”

Lin Ling’er’s anger eased slightly.

“Alright, don’t be angry anymore. This time, I concealed my tracks and investigated thoroughly for you. Hmph, no matter how alert he was, it was useless. This time I followed him closely and uncovered everything about him. Mission accomplished. So, do you want to hear it?”

Bai Yuxiang looked pleased with herself as she sought credit.

She had thought Lin Ling’er would at least praise her and calm down a little.

Instead, Lin Ling’er gave a cold laugh. “Are you going to tell me that he lives in Muer Village and his name is Li Chen?”

“You already know?”

Bai Yuxiang froze, her teacup suspended midair.

“He told me himself. He even said you’re a skilled expert, but you’d better stop following him in the future, in case you misjudge him and he beats you up.”

Lin Ling’er replied, a trace of cunning flashing in her eyes.

The last sentence was half true and half fabricated. She was deliberately fanning the flames.

If Bai Yuxiang could beat him up. No, even just frighten him a little, that would be good.

“So this time he let me follow him on purpose? Damn it, humiliating me like that? What did you just say? He wants to beat me?”

Bai Yuxiang’s slender brows slowly rose.

For someone who revered force as much as she did, this was naked provocation.

“Yes. He said you should keep your distance. If there’s a next time, he’ll beat you.”

Lin Ling’er glanced at her, secretly amused.

“There isn’t a man born who can beat me. Yet he dares to be so arrogant.”

A cold light flashed in Bai Yuxiang’s eyes as she snorted.

Lin Ling’er was her closest friend, someone she would trust with her life. She would never have imagined Lin Ling’er was setting her up.

“Forget that. That’s not the main point. The main point is that Ma Huan’s issue must truly be dealt with. That boy is sharp. He came only twice and already judged that Ma Huan has a problem. This time he even pointed it out directly, saying Ma Huan covets his technique and poses a potential risk that could affect our cooperation and profits. He demanded that I resolve the matter. It’s as if nothing can be hidden from him.”

Lin Ling’er let out a heavy breath.

She had always been proud since childhood, dismissive of most men as vulgar. Yet when facing Li Chen, she felt restrained and suppressed at every turn. It was infuriating.

“I do have a plan, but it will require that boy’s cooperation. I’ll tell you about it…”

Bai Yuxiang lowered her voice and began to explain.

…

Li Chen had already returned to the village.

On the way back, he again sensed someone following him. His keen situational awareness told him it was no longer the same person as before.

This follower’s tracking methods were far superior, much more skilled than the previous one. There was an eighty percent chance it was Lin Ling’er’s hidden expert.

But it did not matter. Soldiers block what comes, earth dams what flows. Whoever it is, let them come.

He first went to check on the deer enclosure. The deer were grazing and drinking as usual, in good condition. Their injuries had almost fully healed.

These wild deer had grown accustomed to this settled life. They were no longer afraid of Li Chen. Two fawns even timidly approached and nuzzled him.

Li Chen counted them. There were four fawns, their antlers just beginning to sprout. They could not be harvested yet. He would need to wait.

There was one large stag and eight does. He had been drawing blood from them in rotation these past days.

However, his technique was precise, and the amount taken each time was small. For these sturdy wild deer, it was nothing serious.

He calculated that to produce 50 liters of Deer Blood Wine, at least 5 kilograms of deer blood were needed. It would require rotating the bloodletting over at least three days, while also ensuring that each of them could drink a small bowl of deer blood daily.

So 50 liters of Deer Blood Wine every three days was already the limit.

Once the fawns matured or more were born, then the deer blood supply could be abundant.

After finishing his calculations, Li Chen drove the cart back to his home on the cliff.

At this moment, Liu Chenxu, Zhao Dashi, and Hou Xiaobai were busy stacking firewood in the courtyard.

More and more firewood had been collected. It had to be stacked properly, otherwise a gust of wind would scatter everything, and there was nowhere else to store it.

The woodpile was neatly aligned along the courtyard wall, perfectly straight, even the edges flush as if measured with a ruler.

Li Chen smiled inwardly. No need to ask. This had to be Liu Chenxu’s work. Liu Chenxu was almost obsessive about such matters.

Though his family was poor, their home was always spotless, giving the impression of being free from even a speck of dust.

Zhao Dashi was still lifting large stones, shouting as he trained his strength. Hou Xiaobai was inside the workshop, continuing to make crossbows.

His young maid wife was practicing archery diligently with the Hand Crossbow, while Liu Chenyi held Little Tiger nearby, cheering her on.

There was one more person in the courtyard today. Xu Xiuer.

She was excitedly practicing with the crossbow alongside his young maid wife.

By comparison, she clearly had more natural talent. Though not as good as Hou Xiaobai, within ten meters her accuracy could rival even Liu Chenxu.

When they saw Li Chen return with the cart, everyone cheered and surrounded it.

“My heavens, Brother Chen, how much salt did you bring back this time? And so much grain. Even if we eat sparingly, this is enough for the whole village for ten days. Huh? There’s wine too? Wait… is this a crucible for smelting iron? Brother Chen, are you planning to forge iron and steal my family’s business?”

Zhao Dashi asked in astonishment as he unloaded items from the cart, holding up a large crucible.

“Keep your voice down. Why so much nonsense? Just work… Good heavens, why is there so much money?”

Hou Xiaobai scolded him, only to shout louder than Zhao Dashi the next moment.

He immediately regretted it and clapped a hand over his mouth, staring at Li Chen in shock.

“Money from selling salt.”

Li Chen smiled faintly as he lifted down the money sack, deliberately glancing at Xu Xiuer.

Xu Xiuer bit her lip, her eyes dimming. She handed the Hand Crossbow back to his young maid wife and said softly, “Wan’er, I’m going back now. I’ll come play with you another time.”

Then she turned and left quickly.

“Brother Chen, Xiuer seems unhappy. Strange. She was just fine earlier. Why did she suddenly become upset?”

Zhao Dashi asked in confusion.

“You blockhead!”

Liu Chenxu and Hou Xiaobai shouted at the same time, each giving him a kick that sent him tumbling off the cart.

“Ow, my heavens! Are you two even brothers? That’s too hard!”

Zhao Dashi groaned from beneath the cart, making his young maid wife and Liu Chenyi burst into laughter.

“Dashi, later bring your father over to help me smelt iron.”

Li Chen pulled him up with a smile.

“What? We’re really smelting iron?”

Zhao Dashi’s mouth fell open. This time, he was genuinely shocked.