Material Empire

Master Zhang, are you looking for us?

Qin Hai stood up from the fried noodle stand, and shouted to the acquaintance who came in a hurry. It turned out that this person was Zhang Laosan, the blacksmith who provided them with quenching tools the day before.

Oh, Master Xiao Qin, what a coincidence, I ran into you here, and I was worried that I couldn't find you. I heard that you are from Qingfeng Factory, and I was going to the factory to inquire about you. Mr. Zhang San wiped the sweat off his head and said to Qin Hai and the others.

Qin Hai pulled a small mat, asked Zhang Laosan to sit down, and asked, Master Zhang, have you eaten yet? If you haven't eaten, please sit down and eat together.

Yeah, okay, I haven't eaten yet. Zhang Laosan said, took out a ten-yuan bill from his pocket, and shouted to the stall owner: Boss, fry me a bowl of noodles and put more peppers. Take another jug ​​of water and wine, a few side dishes, and the money of the few of them will be charged to my account.

That's not allowed. Qin Hai hurried forward to stop him, and asked Zhang Laosan to treat him before he could say a word, which was a bit too embarrassing. What's more, the cannibal's mouth is short, judging from Zhang Laosan's posture, he should ask them for help if he has something to do.

Zhang Laosan is an old blacksmith, his arm strength is unmatched by Qin Hai. He stopped Qin Hai behind him with one hand, and then stuffed the money into the stall owner's hand with the other. The stall owner didn't care who paid the money, he laughed happily when he saw the money, and immediately brought up water and wine and a few cheap appetizers.

Ning Mo had been smiling and watching Qin Hai and Zhang Laosan being courteous, and when the stall owner brought out the side dishes, he unceremoniously picked a boiled peanut in salt water and threw it into his mouth, asking leisurely: Zhang Laosan , you have something to ask for my buddy, right? Are you just asking my buddy for this drink, or are you asking for us together?

Of course I invite you together. You and Master Xiaoqin are all together. Come and fill up, and there is no separation between cigarettes and alcohol. Zhang Laosan said courteously.

This is where the shrewdness of small businessmen lies. There is no need to distinguish between close and distant relatives when it comes to a pot of water and wine. From the short contact yesterday, Zhang Laosan has already seen that Qin Hai is a loyal person. If he is only enthusiastic about Qin Hai, but indifferent to Ning Mo and others, Qin Hai will definitely be unhappy and even refuse. Do him a favor.

Both Yu Haitao and Miao Lei laughed and drank the water wine. This kind of water wine has a low alcohol content and is drunk as an ordinary drink in the southern countryside. It is equivalent to the beer that people in later generations are used to drinking. Zhang Laosan was not in a hurry to talk about his own affairs, but held the wine to pay respects to each other, and finally turned back to Qin Hai.

Come on, Master Xiaoqin, let's have another drink. This is my thank you wine. You taught me how to temper fire yesterday. You are my teacher Zhang Laosan. I will do it first as a respect. Zhang Laosan said .

Qin Hai touched bowls with Zhang Laosan, drank half of the bowl of wine, and while Zhang Laosan continued to pour the wine, he asked: Master Zhang, you are coming to the eastern suburbs this time, and you have something to ask us? ?

Zhang Laosan concealed: No hurry, no hurry, drink first.

Qin Hai said with a smile: Drink the wine slowly, if Master Zhang has anything to say, please tell me first, so as not to worry about it in my heart.

Hehe, that's fine. Zhang Laosan was actually waiting for Qin Hai's words. He put down the jug and said shyly, Well, I didn't bring this up, but that pretty man. Gu... Mangu, do you remember who it is?

Well, it's the master who asked us to process the shovel heads yesterday. Qin Hai nodded to show he knew.

That's right, that's him. Zhang Laosan said, Mangu is a man with an unstable mouth and likes to brag. I've told him many times, and he can't change. For so many years, he suffers only because of his mouth. gone.

Uh... being straightforward is not a bad thing at all, it doesn't matter if you change it or not. Qin Hai didn't know why Zhang Laosan would talk about Man Gu, seeing that the other party was talking lively, and it was inconvenient to pour cold water on him, so he had to be perfunctory He responded with a sentence.

Zhang Laosan said: Yes, yes, I really like his straightforward personality... Oh, yes, I said that man, he took those farm tools you tempered from me yesterday, and went back to the village. Bragging, and a competition with others, you have to knock his shovel against others' shovel to see who is stronger.

Isn't this sick? Ning Mo sat next to him and listened overjoyed, No wonder his name is Mangu, he is really a bully.

That's right, it caused trouble. Zhang Laosan said.

Why, did you kill someone? Qin Hai asked nervously, thinking, could this man just try it on someone's head with a shovel?

That's not true. Zhang Laosan said, It's just that a knife brought back from the outside by a distant nephew in his village was broken. In fact, it's also his nephew's fault, he insisted on his own knife It is the best steel point, definitely better than the steel point of Mangu’s shovel. Then the two of them tried it out. As a result, Mangu’s shovel cut a small gap, but his nephew’s knife made a big gap.

It's not a troublesome thing, is it? I'm willing to bet and admit defeat, but his nephew can still tell him to pay for it? Qin Hai said disapprovingly. The steel used by Ning Mo and the others to make farm tools is itself good steel, and Qin Hai’s heat treatment process is unique, so the processed shovel steel edge is naturally excellent. It’s no surprise that someone’s knife made a big hole thing. Since the other party took the initiative to compete with Man Gu, he couldn't just let it go if he lost.

Zhang Laosan said: His nephew didn't ask him to pay for the knife, but he liked the steel used for his shovel, so he insisted on finding someone to use the same steel to help him make another knife.

Isn't this still a compensation? Qin Hai said with a smile.

Zhang Laosan said: It's not compensation. If his nephew is willing to pay, he can say as much as he wants.

Hearing the word money, Ning Mo's eyes lit up, and before Qin Hai could say anything, he said, This is easy, let him bring 10 yuan, and I'll get a piece of steel and help him make a piece of steel. a knife.

Wait, Master Zhang, what kind of knife does Mangu's nephew want to make? Qin Hai stopped Ning Mo and asked Zhang Laosan. Things in the world cannot be done with money, some things should be asked clearly.

Zhang Laosan picked up the small cloth bag he was carrying just now, put it on the dining table, and opened it for Qin Hai and others to see. Qin Hai just glanced at it, then shook his head and said, No, no, how can we make such a knife, Master Zhang, don't make us all go in for tea.

It turned out that what was wrapped in Zhang Laosan's cloth bag turned out to be a self-made military dagger with blood grooves on both sides, which looked like a control knife.

Yes, Mr. Zhang, you want to harm us? The police found out about making such a knife and took us away. Miao Lei also yelled. Although the few of them are idle all day long and are not considered progressive youths, they have experienced two rounds of crackdowns, and they still have some understanding of what can and cannot be done. This kind of copycat military dagger was once very popular in society, and it was a must-have equipment for street gangsters in Pingyuan. But during the crackdown period, there were too many friends who were invited to drink tea in the bureau because of carrying this kind of dagger, so they all knew the pros and cons of this thing.

Zhang Laosan patted his head, as if he remembered something, and said quickly: Oh, I was confused. I didn't make it clear to you, this nephew who is quite awkward, he is in the army, so he can use this kind of knife. questionable.

In the army?

Only then did Qin Hai feel relieved. He picked up the military dagger from the table and looked at it carefully. The edge of this dagger was polished brightly, obviously its owner used it frequently. On one side of the cutting edge, there is a dazzling gap, which should be the scar left by Zhang Laosan after the test with Mangu's shovel.

From the perspective of material texture, the grade of steel used in this dagger is quite high, but the smelting process is not up to standard, resulting in the strength of the steel failing to meet the design requirements. In addition, the heat treatment in the later period is obviously not in place, so such a sharp weapon in the army will be folded under a rural farm tool.

Judging from Zhang Laosan's narration, the owner of the dagger should be extremely confident in the quality of the dagger, otherwise he wouldn't have taken it out to challenge Mangu's shovel. The dagger was cut with a shovel, which was obviously beyond the expectation of the owner of the dagger. As for the reaction of this person, whether he was ashamed or angry, Qin Hai didn't know. When he found that the steel mouth of a shovel was actually better than the dagger he was proud of, the owner of the dagger asked Mangu to find someone to help him make a new dagger.

Master Zhang, do you intend to let us make this knife, or do you do it yourself? Qin Hai asked, business is like this, this is Zhang Laosan's work, it depends on Zhang Laosan What's the meaning.