Chapter 86 - They Are Trying to Kill Him!
Chapter 86: They Are Trying to Kill Him!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“The 37th Workshop, 12,000 arrows and 300 strong bows were forged this month. Pass!”
“…”
“The 45th Workshop, 6000 standard long spears were forged this month. Excellent!”
“…”
“The 58th Workshop, 9,000 standard short swords were forged this month. Excellent!”
“…”
A clerk read aloud.
On the stage, Grand Minister Yin Wuyou, Minister Meng Jinguang, and the other big shots of the Forging Division sat in a row.
Below the stage were all the superintendents of the 37th Workshop to the 100th Workshop.
They all had different expressions.
Some of them were full of confidence, their eyes filled with joy. Some of them had worried expressions on their faces, thinking that they might not be able to get the bonus this time. Some of them were already trembling all over. They hadn’t completed their assigned tasks and were about to be punished.
The so-called monthly workshop examination was actually to read out the output of each workshop and then announce the assessment results.
For those who were outstanding, there would be a reward in their monthly salary. For those who were average, there will be no punishment or reward. For those who didn’t, they had to face punishment.
Among all of this, there was some shady business.
The grand minister of the Forging Division, or even the four ministers, wouldn’t personally investigate the weapons supplied by each workshop.
All they saw were the numbers submitted by the people under them.
Of course, under normal circumstances, this number wouldn’t differ too much from the actual number.
After all, the supply of weapons couldn’t be faked. If the difference in quantity was too great, it would be a disaster if the commanders of the three armies came after the Forging Division.
Most of the time, these numbers were similar to the actual numbers.
Even if there was a slight deviation, it wasn’t a big deal to the higher-ups of the Forging Division. They just turned a blind eye.
“Grand Minister, the superintendent of the 0th Workshop hasn’t arrived yet, right?” Meng Jinguang, on the stage, said in a low voice.
Yin Wuyou was expressionless, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
“He’ll come,” Yin Wuyou calmly said.
“He’s merely the superintendent of a small workshop. We’ve all arrived, but he still hasn’t. How disrespectful!” another minister said coldly.
“Could it be that he knows that he won’t be able to pass today’s monthly examination, so he’s decided not to come?” Meng Jinguang smiled insincerely.
“Is he taking this examination too lightly? How can he, the superintendent of the 0th Workshop, not be present when the workshop is about to be banned?”
“If he fails the monthly examination, he will be punished. He can’t hide even if he wants to.”
“Nothing can be accomplished without rules. Does he think he can hide just because he doesn’t come? Naive!”
The other ministers spoke in succession.
Yin Wuyou harrumphed coldly. These four fellows are in cahoots and control most of the business of the Forging Division. I’ve finally established the 0th Workshop to try to change the situation, yet they want to ruin it.
Do they really think that I have no temper?
If you piss me off, I’ll slash you all to death. Will the people behind you dare to say anything?
Yin Wuyou was only thinking about it. Even though she was a princess, she couldn’t kill the ministers as she pleased.
Even though these four ministers’ positions weren’t too high, the Forging Division had a wide range of connections, and these ministers had many important people backing them. Even Yin Wuyou had to be cautious.
Otherwise, she would have reformed the Forging Division a long time ago. Why would she have to condescend herself to deal with them?
However, there was nothing she could do. The four of them had been in the Forging Division for many years, and they were inextricably linked to the Grand Craftsmen and Forging Masters. If she did anything to them, it would bring disastrous consequences to the Forging Division.
This wasn’t the outcome Emperor Yuan Feng wanted to see, nor was it something Yin Wuyou could bear.
Right now, she only hoped that Zhou Shu would be able to put in some effort and hold on to the 0th Workshop. Then, using the 0th Workshop as a wedge, she would be able to open up a crack in the Forging Division’s system.
Yin Wuyou didn’t say a word, and Meng Jinguang and the others couldn’t continue either.
They stopped the conversation somewhat disinterestedly.
It would take quite some time to recite the results of dozens of workshops.
The higher-ups of the Forging Division were starting to doze off when the clerk finally finished reading.
At this time, Zhou Shu was still nowhere to be seen.
Yin Wuyou’s brows furrowed slightly. If not for the fact that it was inconvenient for her to express her opinion, she would have already sent people to capture Zhou Shu.
What is wrong with him!
I already told him, and he guaranteed that there would be no problem!
Is this not a problem?
Not even coming?
As soon as the clerk finished speaking, Meng Jinguang, who was in charge of the monthly examinations, didn’t speak and instead gave a discreet look.
“My lords!” A voice suddenly came from below the stage, attracting Yin Wuyou’s attention.
A young man in his late twenties walked out from the crowd. He stood tall and straight, cupped his hands toward the stage, and proudly said, “I have something to report to all of you.”
“Who are you?” Yin Wuyou asked.
Yin Wuyou didn’t know many of the Forging Division’s workshop superintendents. The person in front of her was among the people she didn’t know.
“I am Xiao Bufan, the superintendent of the 97th Workshop.” The corners of the young man’s lips curled up into a standard smile.
“The superintendent of the 97th Workshop?” Yin Wuyou glanced at Meng Jinguang and the others.
The 97th Workshop was where Zhou Shu came from. Its previous superintendent was Xiao Zongshui.
Yin Wuyou knew all this.
Yin Wuyou also knew about Xiao Zongshui’s death and Zhou Shu being brought to the Divine Constable Bureau to assist in the investigation.
Later on, when Meng Jinguang and the others arranged for a new superintendent, Yin Wuyou had originally wanted to seize the opportunity to take over the 97th Workshop. But Meng Jinguang and the others had found a Forging Master to be the superintendent of the 97th Workshop.
Yin Wuyou had wanted to refuse, but she couldn’t find a suitable reason. In the end, she could only let them do what they wanted.
Now that she saw Xiao Bufan, Yin Wuyou was instinctively displeased.
“What do you have to report?” Yin Wuyou said coldly.
Xiao Bufan brought his fists together and said, “I heard that Your Highness promoted a Forging Apprentice to the superintendent of a workshop and specially set up a workshop for him.”
Yin Wuyou’s face turned cold. This Xiao Bufan addressed me as Your Highness instead of Grand Minister. Does he think that I don’t have the qualifications to be the grand minister of the Forging Division?
Also, what does this mean?
Are you trying to say that I practiced cronyism?
Bah! What kind of relationship can I have with Zhou Shu!
“It is said that the superintendent of the 0th Workshop, Zhou Shu, is a forging genius, and he is good at developing new weapons. I’m not talented, but I have some experience in the art of forging.
“Therefore, I would like to compete with Superintendent Zhou.”
“You are a Forging Master, while Zhou Shu is only a Forging Apprentice. Don’t you think there’s something wrong with this kind of competition?” Yin Wuyou said coldly.
“Although I am a Forging Master, forging ranked weapons is different from forging standard weapons.” Xiao Bufan looked at her as if she didn’t know about forging.
“My competition with Superintendent Zhou has nothing to do with whether I’m a Forging Master or not. Besides, isn’t Superintendent Zhou a forging genius? We will both be forging standard weapons. He won’t be afraid of losing to me, right?”
Xiao Bufan raised his voice. “Is Superintendent Zhou here? Do you want to compete? Come out and say something.”
Yin Wuyou was about to explode from anger. If not for the fact that she wanted to maintain her composure, she really wanted to go down and give Xiao Bufan a good beating.
So what if you’re both forging standard weapons? That doesn’t mean that a Forging Master won’t have the upper hand.
Does he really think that I don’t know anything?
The forging skills of Forging Masters far surpassed those of Forging Apprentices. Forging Masters were able to use the same materials to the limit. How could Forging Apprentices compare?
In order to suppress Zhou Shu, Meng Jinguang and the others really spared no effort!
Not only did they want to fail him in the monthly examination, but they even wanted to damage his reputation. Without his identity as the superintendent of the 0th Workshop and his halo of a genius Forging Apprentice, he was just an ordinary Forging Apprentice. One could imagine his future outcome!
They are trying to kill him!
Do these people really think that I’m a pushover?
If I can’t even protect him, I won’t be able to show my face outside!
Yin Wuyou had a cold expression on her face and was about to flare up when she suddenly heard a voice.
“Someone’s calling for me?” Zhou Shu’s figure appeared at the back of the crowd. With a smile on his face, he said, “Sorry, I overslept and came late. Sorry, sorry.”
Although he said he was sorry, there was no hint of apology on his face.
After passing through the crowd, Zhou Shu arrived below the stage. He first cupped his hands toward Yin Wuyou before winking and saying, “Grand Minister, I’m here.”
As for Meng Jinguang and the others, Zhou Shu didn’t even glance at them.
Since he knew that they were colluding with Zhu Chuanfeng to deal with him, would Zhou Shu show them any respect?
So what if they were his superiors? The grand minister was his only superior.
“You’re finally here!” Yin Wuyou snapped. Seeing Zhou Shu’s relaxed expression, she also relaxed for some reason.
Well, weren’t they just trying to make things difficult for her?
It was just a small matter!
No matter how unhappy they were, she was the grand minister! Who could push her away?
As long as she was still the grand minister, she would be in control of the Forging Division sooner or later!
Zhou Shu smiled and gave Yin Wuyou a reassuring look. Then he looked around.
“Who called me just now? Why does it sound like you want to compete with me in forging?” Zhou Shu said.
“I am Xiao Bufan, the superintendent of the 97th Workshop!” Xiao Bufan snorted coldly. “You are Zhou Shu? The Forging Apprentice who took over the resources of the 0th Workshop and has a reputation but no achievements?”
“The 97th Workshop? You’re Xiao Zongshui’s successor?” Zhou Shu glanced at Xiao Bufan. “I have no achievements? Are you deaf? Have you never heard of the Huben Saber, the Horse Slaying Saber, the Hundred Refinements Ring Pommel Saber, and the Spring Embroidered Saber?
“If this is called having a reputation but no achievements, then may I ask if you have any representative weapons?”
“I am a Forging Master, and what I forge are ranked weapons. I don’t want to scare you by saying it out loud!” Xiao Bufan was displeased when he saw Zhou Shu. He was even more handsome than him!
“Oh, a Forging Master? Does that mean you don’t have any achievements in terms of standard weapons?” Zhou Shu said calmly.
“Who says I don’t!” Xiao Bufan was furious. How dare a mere apprentice look down on me? “I don’t care about forging standard weapons. But in order to show you what a genius is, I spent three days to develop a new weapon. Aren’t you a genius? What new weapon has the 0th Workshop developed this month?”
Everyone was in an uproar. He developed a new weapon in three days?
As expected of a Forging Master.
Everyone’s gazes fell on Zhou Shu, wanting to see how he would respond.
Zhou Shu patted his clothes and said casually, “What a coincidence. I was inspired and happened to develop a new weapon.
“Don’t you want to compete, Superintendent Xiao? Let’s compete to see whose weapon is better!”