Chapter 79 - Naive!
Chapter 79 – Naive!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Superintendent, none of the materials that arrived today are for us.” Zhang Yibei bowed and reported. There was some doubt and anger on his face.
“How many days has it been?” Zhou Shu raised his eyebrows.
Ever since the Divine Constable Bureau incident, Zhou Shu had stayed in the Forging Division’s workshops to forge weapons.
After a few days, he had already forged dozens of Spring Embroidered Sabers. The number of Spring Embroidered Sabers on the Legendary Armament Canon was almost full.
He didn’t expect Zhang Yibei to inform him that the materials in the 0th Workshop had been used up, and the new materials were not delivered on time.
The Forging Division’s workshops were divided into several departments. For example, Zhang Yibei, Sixth Brother Wu, and other Forging Apprentices worked as front-line workers. Other than that, there were also those who inspected weapons, those who escorted weapons, those who cooked, those who delivered materials, and so on.
The most important material of the Forging Division was naturally iron. In addition, there was also the fuel used for smelting furnaces.
Under normal circumstances, the materials needed by the workshops would be sent to the various workshops on time. In the past, when Zhou Shu was working at the 97th Workshop, he had never been worried about materials.
Even after he became the superintendent of the 0th Workshop, he had never worried about such trivial matters. It had always been Zhang Yibei dealing with the people who transported materials.
“It’s the third day,” Zhang Yibei replied.
“What did the materials department say?” Zhou Shu asked.
“They didn’t say anything. They just said that there weren’t enough materials and that we would have to wait,” Zhang Yibei said angrily. “If there aren’t enough materials, then why don’t the other workshops face the same problem? Only our 0th Workshop doesn’t have materials!”
“Only the 0th Workshop doesn’t have materials?” Zhou Shu frowned.
“Yes, ” Zhang Yibei said. “I went to the other workshops to take a look. They have sufficient materials.”
“Alright, I understand. You may leave.” Zhou Shu waved his hand, gesturing for Zhang Yibei to leave.
“Yes, Superintendent,” Zhang Yibei said. Before he left, he still asked, “Superintendent, what should everyone do without materials?”
The day-to-day work of Forging Apprentices was forging weapons. Without materials, what would they do?
“Didn’t I give you all the martial arts techniques? Practice them all.” Zhou Shu waved his hand.
Zhang Yibei acknowledged and returned to the front yard to instruct the other Forging Apprentices.
Other workshops have sufficient materials. Only the 0th Workshop doesn’t. After Zhang Yibei left, Zhou Shu tapped the armrest of his chair. Someone is targeting the 0th Workshop.
Zhou Shu wasn’t a fool. When he heard Zhang Yibei’s words, he knew that there was a problem.
The 0th Workshop didn’t need to take on any forging tasks. The materials they consumed every day were nothing compared to the entire Forging Division.
Therefore, it was impossible for them to miss out on the 0th Workshop because they had insufficient materials.
Although Yin Wuyou was a bit angry last time, she wouldn’t do something like this, Zhou Shu thought. Not giving materials to the 0th Workshop won’t do her any good.
I’ve never dealt with the material department before, and they wouldn’t target me for no reason. Then, there’s only one possibility!
Zhu Chuanfeng. Zhou Shu gritted his teeth.
He might not have been kind to others in the Forging Division, but he had never offended anyone. The only person who had a grudge against him was Zhu Chuanfeng!
Zhu Chuanfeng was a Grand Craftsman, and his status in the Forging Division was extraordinary. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to cut off the materials of the 0th Workshop.
Does that old thief think he can make me submit just by doing this? Doesn’t he know that the 0th Workshop doesn’t need to take on any forging tasks? Even if there are no materials, what can he do to me? Zhou Shu snorted coldly.
Actually, cutting off the materials of the 0th Workshop had a huge impact on Zhou Shu.
Although he didn’t need to undertake forging tasks, he still needed to try to develop weapons. Trying required materials.
Without materials, how could he develop new weapons?
Of course, this was the normal process of developing weapons. To Zhou Shu, this wasn’t a problem.
He didn’t even need to try to develop weapons.
But he had to forge enough Spring Embroidered Sabers to fill up the slots. Without materials, how could he forge them?
He still had to forge more than a dozen Spring Embroidered Sabers to hit a hundred!
Damn old thief! Zhou Shu cursed. Zhu Chuanfeng’s actions were truly disgusting.
Should I go look for Yin Wuyou?
Zhou Shu rejected his idea himself. If he went to trouble Yin Wuyou over such a small matter, her patience would be exhausted sooner or later.
Besides, if he went to look for the grand minister over such a trivial matter, what would others think of him?
Wouldn’t they think that he was unworthy of being the superintendent of the 0th Workshop?
Apart from the grand minister, Zhou Shu really didn’t know any of the other big shots of the Forging Division.
Below the Forging Division’s grand minister, there were four ministers. Under the ministers, there were also directors and vice directors.
Other workshop superintendents would definitely be familiar with these people.
But Zhou Shu had been directly promoted by Yin Wuyou from a Forging Apprentice to a workshop superintendent. He had never interacted with these people before.
Now that he was in trouble, would they help him if he went to look for them?
Moreover, wasn’t Zhu Chuanfeng more influential than him?
This was just a bit of the influence of a Grand Craftsman, but it was enough to put a workshop superintendent in a life-or-death dilemma.
Without materials, he wouldn’t be able to complete the forging tasks, which would be a devastating blow to a workshop superintendent.
Even if he reported it to his superiors, the materials department just had to say that they didn’t have enough materials. If it dragged on for a few days, which workshop would be able to withstand it?
Trying to make me submit with this method? Zhu Chuanfeng, you’re underestimating me! Zhou Shu sneered coldly. Do you think I won’t be able to develop new weapons without materials? How naive!
“Zhang Yibei!” Zhou Shu shouted.
“Yes!” Zhang Yibei answered loudly in the front yard. Then the sound of footsteps came as Zhang Yibei ran to Zhou Shu’s backyard.
“I’m leaving for a few days. You guys stay in the workshop. If you can’t forge weapons, don’t stay idle. You can’t slack off when it comes to the Martial Dao,” Zhou Shu instructed. “Tell everyone that as long as they perform well, I will teach everyone the true art of forging. When the time comes, it won’t be impossible to advance to Forging Master.”
“Superintendent…” Zhang Yibei’s eyes lit up as his voice trembled.
Previously, they had learned some forging techniques from Zhou Shu. At that time, they had learned that in order to become a Forging Master, they had to have a skill inheritance.
Originally, Zhang Yibei had already lost all hope. He didn’t expect that Zhou Shu would actually give him hope again.
“The Martial Dao is not to be underestimated. If you can’t meet my requirements, then don’t even think about it,” Zhou Shu said calmly.
“Rest assured, Superintendent! We will do our best!” Zhang Yibei promised loudly.
Zhou Shu nodded without commenting. He put on his jacket and left the 0th Workshop.
Zhang Yibei passed on Zhou Shu’s words to the other Forging Apprentices, and they began to cultivate with all their might.
…
Meanwhile, the 97th Workshop welcomed a new workshop superintendent—a young man in his twenties.
The young man stood in the work shed that used to belong to Zhou Shu with a cold smile on his face.
Do you think you can escape the fate of being a peasant just because you’ve become a workshop superintendent? The young man sneered. Naive! I’ll let you see clearly how big the gap is between you and a true Forging Master!
A flame seemed to burn in the young man’s eyes. He raised his hand, and the hammer that had fallen in the corner automatically flew into his hand. Then he gently waved it.
With a loud crash, the entire work shed was reduced to ruins.
…
The capital, the Forging Division Headquarters…
Yin Wuyou sat upright in the large hall. Opposite her, almost all the higher-ups of the Forging Division were present.
“Grand Minister, are you going to set a benchmark for the monthly workshop examination?” a middle-aged man said. He was Minister Meng Jinguang of the Forging Division, and he could be considered the second-in-command of the Forging Division.
“Just do it the way you did in the past,” Yin Wuyou said.
The monthly examination of the Forging Division’s workshops was actually a test of each workshop’s performance. Those that failed to complete their tasks would be punished.
This was a tradition of the Forging Division. There were certain rules that Yin Wuyou didn’t intend to interfere with too much.
Although she wanted to change the practices of the Forging Division, she didn’t want to overthrow everything. At least, the monthly examination of the Forging Division’s workshops wasn’t a problem for now.
“In the past, it wouldn’t have been a problem to follow the usual practice.” Meng Jinguang nodded slightly and stroked his beard while speaking slowly. “But the situation this time is slightly different.”
“What’s different?” Yin Wuyou said.
“Grand Minister, how should we evaluate this 0th Workshop you personally established?
“Before this, of the 108 workshops of the Forging Divison, other than the first 36 which consist of Forging Masters, the other 72 were all treated equally. The evaluation was very simple, and we could carry it out according to the number and quality of the forged weapons.
“However, Grand Minister, you have specially allowed the 0th Workshop not to take on any forging tasks. I’m not sure how to evaluate them,” Meng Jinguang said.
“Forgive me for being blunt. But perhaps I’m not at your level, Grand Minister, so I can’t see the point of setting up the 0th Workshop.”
Yin Wuyou frowned. “Minister Meng, are you questioning me?”
“I wouldn’t dare.” Meng Jinguang shook his head. There was no fear on his face. Instead, he said seriously, “I just feel that there is no need to set up a workshop to develop standard weapons.”
“Are you saying to get rid of the 0th Workshop?” Yin Wuyou sneered.
Meng Jinguang didn’t speak, but his intention was clear.
“Grand Minister, I have a suggestion.” Another voice broke the deadlock.
“Grand Minister, you set up the 0th Workshop with good intentions, but it’s possible that you haven’t been in the Forging Division for long and don’t know enough about forging,” the man said. He almost pointed at Yin Wuyou’s nose and said that she was an amateur.
Yin Wuyou’s pretty face turned cold as she harrumphed.
The man continued nonchalantly, “My suggestion is to use this monthly examination to let the 0th Workshop prove its value. If the other workshops can do what the 0th Workshop does, then there’s no need for it to exist. On the other hand, if the people of the 0th Workshop can prove that they have more value than the other workshops, then the workshop can continue to exist..”