Chapter Forty-Two: Cavalry with Long Blades and Lances

“As long as Master Hua is willing to stay and help me, you may freely recruit disciples throughout all of Youzhou, establish your own sect and school, and even found a medical academy. In this way, the more apprentices you train, the more hands there will to help you fulfill your grand aspiration of healing and saving lives. And I say this not out of pride, but under my command lies the Huoyun Trading Company, whose resources are abundant. I trust you have come to know my character over these past days; I will certainly support you in practicing medicine and distributing medicine to the needy. Moreover, you have stayed here for several days, saved Han Sheng’s son, and resolved the crisis of the plague—how could I possibly treat you poorly? If you were to establish a medical academy here, with your medical skill and virtue, countless disciples would gather under your guidance, and your school would flourish beyond question. In time, you could write books and leave behind a legacy, passing on your medical knowledge. Not only would you earn renown in your own era and bring blessings to the present, but such merit would be boundless, your name would be praised for generations, and your achievements would be extolled throughout the ages. Master Hua, what do you think?” Liu Yao poured out every persuasive word he could muster.

In ancient times, the chance to found a sect, especially to compose books and gain glory for posterity, was an aspiration of incomparable allure. To establish a school and become immortalized was a temptation even sages struggled to resist. Liu Yao did not believe that Hua Tuo could be so indifferent to fame and fortune, so utterly detached from the world.

As expected, upon hearing Liu Yao’s words, Hua Tuo could not help but become deeply moved, breathing heavily to calm his surging emotions. Hua Tuo was no saint; he could not detach himself from the pursuit of recognition. He dropped to his knees before Liu Yao, declaring, “Hua Tuo pays his respects to my lord. I have been foolish. Only after hearing your guidance today did I realize that everything I have done over these years amounts to little. Thanks to your enlightenment, my eyes have opened. How could one man’s strength ever compare to that of thousands? I am willing to serve under my lord, to establish a medical academy, achieve lasting merit through the ages, ensure my name endures for a thousand generations, and bring well-being to the people of the world and their descendants.”

“Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!” Liu Yao was so moved that he could not help but express his admiration for Hua Tuo. “Master Hua, there is no need for such formality. I will have people see to the establishment of the medical academy; you need only devote yourself to writing, teaching, and gathering disciples. Such merit alone will ensure your fame endures for generations.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Hua Tuo replied, his voice trembling with emotion. “I will give my utmost to repay your kindness.”

Liu Yao gazed upon this scene with satisfaction. Thus, Hua Tuo was persuaded to stay, and gradually, the foundation of Youzhou’s medical system was laid, ultimately raising the region’s average lifespan in years to come. But that is a tale for another time.

After securing Hua Tuo’s commitment, Liu Yao proceeded directly to the foundry where Oufeng resided.

Liu Yao had established Oufeng’s smithy within the military camp, guarded by heavy troops; not even a fly was permitted entry. All the blacksmiths inside were under strict surveillance—no spy could infiltrate, nor could any person leak the slightest information. Anyone wishing to enter needed Liu Yao’s personal authorization, with no exceptions even for Ju Shou and the others. After all, steel was simply too crucial; any leak would make Liu Yao the target of all.

When Liu Yao himself arrived, the guards naturally dared not hinder him. As soon as he entered the foundry, a wave of scorching heat rushed toward him. Before his eyes stood a massive furnace radiating intense warmth, and nearby, hundreds of bare-chested blacksmiths hammered away with deafening clamor.

Liu Yao quickly spotted Oufeng amidst the crowd. The old man had grown somewhat conceited ever since forging some extraordinary weapons not long ago. Without Liu Yao’s direct orders, he no longer worked personally, but instead directed his subordinates in crafting ordinary steel arms.

Oufeng, seeing Liu Yao, hurried over to pay his respects. Liu Yao nodded and gestured that it was too noisy to speak there. Understanding, Oufeng led him to a small room outside the foundry—a chamber Oufeng had painstakingly arranged for his own rest. Whatever method he’d used, its soundproofing was superb; even close to the forge, not a sound could be heard within.

Once inside, Oufeng respectfully bowed again. “Oufeng greets my lord. Forgive me for not welcoming you from afar.” In recent days, he had grown deeply admiring of Liu Yao—the blueprints Liu Yao had provided had filled him with excitement.

“No need for formalities,” Liu Yao said, waving his hand. “Master Ou, I’ve come today to ask you to forge two new weapons. I hope you’ll assist me.”

Oufeng’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Oh? Has my lord devised something new again?”

“Indeed.” Liu Yao nodded and drew two blueprints from his sleeve.

Oufeng took them eagerly. One depicted a broad blade—more precisely, a wide blade mounted on a wooden shaft. The other showed a very peculiar weapon: neither exactly a spear nor a pike nor a sword, leaving Oufeng utterly perplexed. “My lord, what are these two weapons?” he inquired curiously.

Pointing to the first blueprint, Liu Yao said, “I call this the Mo-Dao. Double-edged, with a wide, thick blade, one zhang in length and weighing over fifty jin. It is designed for infantry, effective for both thrusting and slashing, and especially potent against cavalry.”

He then indicated the second blueprint. “This is a knight’s lance—essentially a four-meter-long triangular prism, sharp at the tip and thick at the base, with all three edges sharpened. At the bottom is a flared handguard, with a handle inside. It is primarily for cavalry charges and thrusting attacks.”

Indeed, these were precisely the Mo-Dao, which only appeared in the Tang dynasty, and the Western knight’s lance. In his previous life, Liu Yao had the good fortune to study both as an archaeologist, so he understood them well. The original knight’s lance was conical, as stirrups had not yet been introduced in the West, so it was used only for mounted charges and thrusts. But in Liu Yao’s current army, stirrups were already widespread, so he had modified the design to a triangular prism—suitable both for thrusting and slashing, accomplishing two aims at once.

As for why Liu Yao had not had Oufeng forge these weapons earlier, the reason was simple: both were extremely heavy, each weighing over fifty jin, and few men could wield them. Even Guan Yu’s Green Dragon Crescent Blade was only eighty-two jin, and how many possessed Guan Yu’s legendary strength?

But now, with Hua Tuo’s assistance, and with the five-animal exercises and methods of military training from his past life, Liu Yao could train a corps of elite soldiers with exceptional strength, capable of wielding such arms with ease. That was precisely the foundation of Liu Yao’s current plan for elite troops. Large armies consumed enormous resources, but with a force of elite soldiers able to face ten foes each, such problems could be overcome.

Once Oufeng heard Liu Yao’s explanation, he immediately grasped the practical value of these two weapons. His eyes shone with excitement as he stared at the blueprints. Previously, he had focused only on sharpness, never giving much thought to weapon shapes. Now, seeing his lord’s endless ingenuity, his admiration grew boundless. With the zeal of a hunter scenting prey, he declared, “My lord, leave the forging of these two weapons to me! I will see it done.”

Liu Yao nodded with satisfaction, then asked, “Master Ou, I also need you to forge a suit of armor that is both light and highly protective. Is that possible?”

“No problem, my lord. I know the method for forging scaled armor—it will meet your requirements perfectly,” Oufeng replied with confidence.

“Oh? Scaled armor, as in armor fashioned after fish scales?” Liu Yao exclaimed, delighted, for he knew well the defensive properties of such armor.

“Exactly! I’m surprised you know of it, my lord,” Oufeng said in amazement. “But its forging is rather difficult. Without exquisite craftsmanship and much time, it cannot be accomplished.”