He was born as a blacksmith, but he dominated the world

Chapter 365 Tears
From that day on, Jiang Lin had his own bed. Although he still slept in the woodshed and his bedding was still old, his status in the blacksmith shop was obviously different.

Many people in the surrounding neighborhood knew that the blacksmith Ma had accepted an apprentice.

Blacksmith Ma was also generous in praising Jiang Lin. Every time he met someone, he would laugh and say, "This is my apprentice, Hong Chen. He is very talented and will be better than me in the future."

In fact, there was no need to wait until later. Within a month or so, Jiang Lin's hammering skills had surpassed those of Ma the blacksmith.

So much so that blacksmith Ma directly gave some of the work to him to do independently. This way, it was like having two blacksmiths and he could earn more money.

It’s no wonder that things created by Jiang Lin are extremely popular.

It is hard enough and sharp enough, especially for a kitchen knife, it can easily cut hair.

Gradually, this originally small blacksmith shop began to become famous because of Jiang Lin's joining.

More and more people came to them to buy things, and their business became better and better.

It is worth mentioning that Malu, who originally wanted to learn blacksmithing, suddenly lost interest in pumping bellows after seeing the top scholar riding a tall horse and marrying a rich lady.

He wants to go to school and take imperial examinations.

"I want to be the top scholar too!"

In the past, Ma the Blacksmith and Lu Yinghong would definitely not agree.

A scholar is good for nothing. There are thousands of scholars, but only a few can pass the imperial examinations.

If I fail the exam, it will be difficult to have food in the future.

How many scholars became poor and destitute, and even became beggars.

However, since the family business is doing well, they don’t care too much. Since their son wants to study, let him go.

Therefore, Malu was sent to a private school to learn various classics from an old teacher.

In the blink of an eye, one year has passed.

A small hut was built in front of the woodshed.

Blacksmith Ma kept his promise and built a house for Jiang Lin.

Lu Yinghong also specially packed a red envelope and stuffed it on the door bolt, implying wealth would come when the door is opened.

The bedding in the room was also replaced with new ones.

"It cost a lot of money. You have to work hard in the future, otherwise your master will lose a lot of money." Lu Yinghong said, and stuffed a new set of clothes into Jiang Lin's arms, muttering: "With your physique, it's really difficult to make clothes for you. It's a waste of materials and labor."

Jiang Lin held the clothes that his master's wife had sewn by hand, and looked at the dress that she had worn for many years and was reluctant to throw away. It had been washed so much that it had turned white and the pattern on it could no longer be seen.

A trace of breath rises before my eyes.

"Brother Chen, Brother Chen! The teacher praised me again today. He said that my handwriting is getting more and more beautiful!" Malu ran back shouting, with a happy face.

This child is quite smart. He has made great progress in one year and is already among the top students in that private school.

According to the teacher, if I study for another year, I may be able to take part in the county examination.

"Hong Chen, look what I bought for you."

Jiang Lin turned his head and saw Ma the blacksmith holding chicken, fish and wine in one hand and a string of brightly colored candied haws in the other.

He came over and said with a smile: "I don't know why you brought that string of candied haws with you when you came, but I think it must be meaningful to you. Here, keep this new string as well, and I will buy you one every year in the future."

Candied haws are not worth much money, but it is not easy to think of them.

Malu blinked his eyes and suddenly realized: "That's right, Brother Chen has been in our house for a year! Brother Chen, when I pass the imperial examination, I will buy you candied haws!"

Jiang Lin had become very familiar with them over the past year. Hearing this, he nodded slightly and said, "Okay."

"Go chop some wood. Your mistress and I will kill the chickens and fish, and we'll have a couple of drinks."

Jiang Lin still nodded: "Okay."

"I want to help too!" Malu shouted.

Those who chop wood chop wood, and those who cook cook.

After a busy day, the family gathered around the table.

Blacksmith Ma raised his glass and said, "Come, let's celebrate Hong Chen's one-year stay in our house!"

"Dad, the teacher praised me today."

"Okay, okay, okay, just celebrate the fact that you're being praised." Lu Yinghong picked up the chopsticks and knocked on his head.

Malu rubbed his forehead, laughed, and followed suit by raising the bowl: "I must become the top scorer in the imperial examination!"

Ma the blacksmith and Lu Yinghong looked at each other with smiles in their eyes. They naturally hoped that their son would have a bright future.

Year after year, time passed by.

As the blacksmith shop's business became better and better and its reputation grew, more and more people came to them for ironworking.

But blacksmith Ma had no plans to recruit any more apprentices, and even the neighbors were puzzled.

"Master Ma, you two are so busy every day, why don't you hire a few more people? I have a nephew who also wants to learn blacksmithing, how about giving this to you?"

"What are you busy with? It's just a small business to make a living. If there are too many people, I can't support them all."

"Oh, I don't want your money, bring your own food money."

"Forget it, forget it. We'll talk about it when we have time."

There was no change in the blacksmith shop, only the millipede was growing bigger day by day.

He took part in the county examination, prefectural examination, and imperial examination and passed them all smoothly.

In the eighth year after Jiang Lin came to the blacksmith shop, he was awarded the title of scholar.

At this time, Millipede has grown into a big boy.

A light beard grew on his lips, and he no longer spoke loudly like he did when he was a child.

In addition, he was good-looking and tall, and he was also a handsome scholar. The old neighbors all vied to introduce girls to him.

Even Lu Yinghong was somewhat tempted. At this age, it was time to talk about marriage.

Ma Lu, holding a scroll in his hand and standing with his hands behind his back, chuckled and shook his head: "Mom, I haven't taken the imperial examination yet. When I do, I can choose any woman in the world. Why rush it now?"

"You're not in a hurry."

After so many years, Ma Lu has grown up, but the temples of Ma Tiejiang and Lu Yinghong have a hint of white.

Only Jiang Lin remained the same as when he came, without any change.

"Mom, if you really want to play with the child, you might as well find a wife for Brother Chen. He is much older than me." Malu said.

"Do you think I didn't find one for him? Your brother Chen is like a piece of wood. When a girl comes, he doesn't even look at her. It's really infuriating!" Lu Yinghong said.

Blacksmith Ma came over and laughed as usual, "Why rush? Hong Chen has skills, and there are many girls who want to marry him. This thing depends on fate, maybe he just hasn't had the fate yet."

"He's your apprentice anyway. If you don't care about him, I won't bother to care." Lu Yinghong spoke the same way as before, even though she actually cared about Jiang Lin very much.

She took the initiative to ask the old carpenter to make the bed for her, she sewed the clothes herself, and she urged Ma the blacksmith to find someone to build the house. Even the girl was someone she found out for herself in private when she had nothing to do.

It’s just that she is not used to showing these things, and she always speaks in a harsh tone.

But after so many years, Jiang Lin has gotten used to it.

He looked at Ma Lu who was reading beside him and asked, "If you don't get the top scorer in the imperial examination, will you not marry me?"

"If I can't pass the exam, I won't marry you!" Malu said confidently.

He started attending a private school when he was young, and within two years, he became the top student.

The teacher said that he had the talent to be the top scholar and might actually pass the exam.

Ma the blacksmith also had confidence in his son and said with a smile: "Okay, study hard. If our family really produces a number one scholar, it will be the manifestation of our ancestors."

At this time, a figure came running over quickly.

"Brother Chen, this is for you." She was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen.

When Jiang Lin first came, she was only a ten-year-old girl, slightly older than Malu.

Over the past few years, she has grown into a beautiful young lady.

Jiang Lin lowered his head and saw that it was a purse.

It smells delicious and has a bunch of mandarin ducks embroidered on it.

"I embroidered it myself. Does it look good?" the girl asked with her head lowered and her face blushing.

"Sister Hongyu, my mother has said that Brother Chen is a blockhead. If you really want to marry him, you might as well just come in your wedding dress." Malu said with a smile.

The girl's face turned even redder when she heard this. She twisted the corner of her clothes with her hands, and her occasional raised eyelids were full of anticipation.

Jiang Lin looked at the purse but had no intention of taking it. He turned to Blacksmith Ma and said, "Master, I'm going to chop wood."

"Oh... okay." Blacksmith Ma responded.

Seeing Jiang Lin leaving, the girl's eyes suddenly showed disappointment.

Blacksmith Ma came over, took the purse in his hand, and whispered, "He is indeed quite stupid. I will talk to him later."

"Thank you, Uncle Ma."

The girl left disappointed. Blacksmith Ma held his purse in his hand and shook his head as he looked at the burly figure chopping wood not far away.

At night, Blacksmith Ma came to Jiang Lin's house, put the purse on the table, and said, "After all, it's the girl's love. Even if you don't want to marry her, you should accept it. Otherwise, it will hurt her feelings."

"But if you don't marry her, what's the point of accepting the marriage?" Jiang Lin asked.

Blacksmith Ma was choked and speechless. It really didn't make any sense.

He thought for a moment and said, "Just treat it as social etiquette."

"If she misunderstands, she will become resentful and become our enemy," Jiang Lin said.

Blacksmith Ma was stunned for a moment and didn't know what to say. It seemed to be the truth.

After a while, he smiled bitterly and said, "Okay, I can't win the argument with you."

This "you" refers not only to Jiang Lin, but also his son Malu.

After the blacksmith Ma left, Jiang Lin stood up and walked to the table, looking at the purse embroidered with mandarin ducks.

A trace of breath, invisible to others, emanated from the purse and flowed into his chest.

Over the years, Jiang Lin has seen countless similar auras, but he has never known what they represent.

He could only feel that he came here just to find this thing.

But even if we find it, what can we do?

To this day, he still doesn't understand.

In the end, he didn't take the purse and just left it on the table.

A few years later, a woman came to the blacksmith shop, first glanced at Jiang Lin who was working on the iron, and then stuffed a handful of wedding candy into the blacksmith Ma’s hand.

"Master Ma, Yu'er is getting married in a few days, remember to come to the wedding."

Yu'er is the girl who gave Jiang Lin the purse.

Blacksmith Ma glanced at Jiang Lin, then said with a smile: "Okay, I will definitely come. Congratulations."

The woman looked at Jiang Lin again, then sighed slightly and turned away.

A few days later, Jiang Lin saw Yu'er, wearing a red wedding dress, walking out of the alley.

Although the distance was a bit far, he saw a few crystal tears falling under the red veil.

(End of this chapter)