Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 224: Drawing the Bow

Last time, I saw them flirting with each other, and when they met again, they just stopped pretending and were together openly.

From now on, I have good companions in life, and I am no longer alone. There is someone to warm my porridge, someone to ask how I am, and someone to listen to my thousands of words in my heart. It feels so good.

"Master Zhuo, Sister Wu, we're eating," Chen Xuan said as he stepped forward.

Hearing this, the two of them looked in the direction of the voice. Wu Sanniang stood up and walked quickly to the courtyard door, opened it, and said gracefully, "Brother Chen is here. I was just discussing with Brother Zhuo that you would come over in the next two days."

The way they addressed each other had changed, naturally, like an old couple who had lived together for many years.

"The agreed time has come. How could I go back on my word? I hope I didn't disturb you two." Chen Xuan bowed and said with a smile.

Wu Sanniang made a gesture of invitation and said, "I am a guest, how can I not be so kind?"

Zhuo Erniu also stood up, looking a little reserved and embarrassed. He looked over and said with a guilty conscience, "Brother Chen, you've arrived at the perfect time. Let's eat together. It's just a matter of an extra pair of chopsticks."

This is like treating this place as your home.

Chen Xuan noticed that the yard was empty and lacked many things. For some reason, he declined and said, "Thank you for your kindness. I have already eaten. You can eat first. Don't worry about me. There is no rush."

"That won't do. Now that you're here, it's not the right way to treat guests if we leave them alone. Just don't be dissatisfied with the simple meals," said Wu Sanniang enthusiastically. As she spoke, she went into the house, moved a stool for Chen Xuan, and got the dishes and chopsticks.

It was really hard to refuse in this situation, otherwise it would seem a bit ungrateful. Chen Xuan had no choice but to sit down and deal with the two bites casually. Besides, he brought three thousand taels to trade, and Wu Sanniang must have made a lot of money, so it didn't matter if he had a couple of bites.

It was indeed simple food. Although they were craftsmen, they would not waste money like those rich people who had rich fish and meat for three meals a day.

Having already eaten on the way here, Chen Xuan put down his chopsticks after a few bites, just to save the host's face. There was no need to force himself to eat just for the sake of courtesy.

Without waiting for them to ask if the food was not to their liking, Chen Xuan bowed and said with a smile, "Looks like I have to congratulate you two. I didn't know about it beforehand and came empty-handed. I'm really ashamed. I will definitely bring a gift next time."

Wu Sanniang looked at Zhuo Erniu happily upon hearing this, and said without hesitation: "Brother Chen's words are the best gift. My husband and I would like to toast you."

There was wine on the table, and it was obvious that they were having a drink early in the morning. As they talked, they picked up the glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Chen Xuan quickly picked up the teacup and said, "No, no, I'm too young to drink. I'll give you tea instead of wine."

Both sides put down their cups. Zhuo Erniu was a man after all. He glanced at Wu Sanniang and said with deep apology, "Let Brother Chen know that Sanniang and I have known each other for many years. I was alone and poor, so I never dared to speak. I felt that I was not young anymore. Two months ago, I mustered up the courage to express my feelings. Sanniang did not refuse, and we fell in love and became a family. We will depend on each other for the rest of our lives. Since we have no relatives or friends, we did not prepare a banquet to entertain guests. We simply bowed to heaven and earth and became husband and wife. I am sorry for Sanniang and have wronged her. I will treat her well in the future."

"Brother Zhuo, please don't say that. I know you are good to me. I am very satisfied to be with you," Wu Sanniang said with emotion.

She was obviously a woman who was easily satisfied, and her eyes were moved by just one sentence.

What can I say? Seeing them getting along so harmoniously, Chen Xuan is also happy for them, but isn’t it a bit too much for you to show off your love to me?
But he said: "It's not easy for two people to be together. Dependence on each other is more important than anything else. Everything else is empty. I hope you will have a happy and blissful marriage."

"Thank you very much. I will live up to Brother Chen's wishes," Zhuo Erniu said happily. He was really happy because he had never heard any blessings since he was with Wu Sanniang. Finally, someone made up for it.

A hint of unnaturalness flashed across Wu Sanniang's face, but she was still very happy to receive such a blessing.

They also knew that business was more important, so they quickly finished the food in their bowls while chatting. After asking Chen Xuan if he was full, they cleared the bowls and chopsticks after receiving an affirmative answer, and then served him tea.

After serving tea, Wu Sanniang said, "Brother Chen, the bow is ready and waiting for you to come and pick it up. Would you like to take a look at it now?"

Having come here for this very matter, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "That's exactly what I meant. Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. Wait a moment. Brother Zhuo will talk to Brother Chen. I'll be back soon." After saying goodbye, Wu Sanniang turned and left.

When there were only two of them left, Zhuo Erniu, who was not good at speaking, didn't know what to say. He looked in the direction where Wu Sanniang left from time to time, as if he was reluctant to separate for a moment, and kept inviting Chen Xuan to drink tea.

This is what they call a newlywed couple. Chen Xuan was delighted and took the initiative to talk about the topic: "Master Zhuo, I noticed that your blacksmith shop has changed its appearance. Could it be that after getting married, you don't plan to forge iron, but open a husband-and-wife shop specializing in bow making?"

"Well... to be honest with you, Brother Chen, my husband and I are planning to move. After delivering your customized bow, we want to settle down somewhere else. So the blacksmith shop was sold a month ago, and this place has also been sold, and the luggage has been packed," Zhuo Erniu pondered.

So that's why. No wonder the blacksmith shop has been completely transformed and no wonder it is empty. Chen Xuan didn't ask any further questions as it would involve other people's privacy.

I'm just a little confused as to why they have to move. Everything is fine now. The news of the large number of blacksmiths disappearing in Mocheng has long passed. There's no need for that at all.

"I'm sorry for delaying your trip," Chen Xuan said sincerely.

"No, no, it takes time to clean up and deal with trivial matters..."

After a few words, Wu Sanniang came back, holding a black three-arm bow in her hands. It looked very heavy, but it was not strung.

After returning, she placed the bow on the table, making a slight muffled sound, and said with a smile: "Brother Chen, please take a look. This bow weighs 55 catties. It is six feet long without the string. The three arms of the string are 15 stones, 10 stones, and 5 stones respectively, for a total of 30 stones."

Looking at the longbow on the table, it was completely black, with beautiful silver textures on the bow arms, just like the meridian network of the human body. Apart from that, there were no fancy decorations.

After all, it was a weapon, and even without the string, it gave off a ferocious and cold feeling. "Excellent bow," Chen Xuan praised. This was the best bow he had ever seen, bar none.

Wu Sanniang was naturally happy that her work was praised by others. She hesitated and said, "Brother Chen, do you want to try it?"

She was worried that Chen Xuan would have difficulty lifting it since he was young. After all, it was 55 kilograms, which was quite heavy and she wanted to avoid making a fool of herself. But when she thought of Chen Xuan's calm look last time, she became unsure.

Chen Xuan didn't have so many concerns, he stood up and said, "Okay."

As he spoke, he easily grabbed the longbow. The grip was very smooth. As for the weight, it was naturally no burden to him. Instead, it felt as light as holding a straw. But he still said, "It's really good."

How could a bow worth three thousand taels be good? He secretly circulated a trace of innate true energy into it, doing it very secretly, without showing any extraordinary features. The true energy circulated very smoothly. If he used archery skills, the power would be increased by at least thirty percent.

But it was useless to him, because even if he used all his innate true energy, the bow could not withstand it. His acquired realm was enough, and the bow was not strung and was not in a complete state.

After some mental estimation, when practicing archery with this bow at the post-natal realm, the power can be increased by about 50% in its complete state. It is an extremely rare treasure bow at the post-natal realm. You must know that when it reaches a certain level, every increase in power is a huge bonus.

Seeing Chen Xuan pick it up easily, Wu Sanniang and the others were not surprised. The customer was satisfied, and the stone in their hearts fell a little. But can this young man Chen really tell the quality of a bow?

Then Wu Sanniang asked again: "Do you need to wind it up and feel it?"

"Sorry for the trouble," Chen Xuan nodded and put the bow on the table. Of course, he had to check its complete condition. Otherwise, if it broke when he took it back to string it, who would be responsible?
Nodding, Wu Sanniang turned around and took out a wooden rack with some capstans on it. She placed the bow on it and locked it in place. She turned around and asked, "Do you want to use one arm or all arms?"

"Take it all, we have to see its complete appearance," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

Zhuo Erniu and Wu Sanniang looked at each other and said nothing. They just did what the customer asked.

So they worked together to turn the capstan, bending the bow arm with some effort. Amidst the teeth-grinding click sounds, the black bowstrings with silver textures, as thick as a baby's little finger, were tightened one by one.

The sound came from the wooden frame winch, not the bow itself, as if the bow was extremely tough and made of excellent material.

This is a terrifying thirty-stone strong bow. The strength of the bow arm alone can break bones and tendons if it accidentally bounces off. The two of them are very cautious and have to use a winch tool to string the bow. They cannot directly bend it to string it.

The bowstring is well-strung, and the three bow arms are like an eagle with its wings spread, presenting the violent beauty of a weapon, which is its true appearance.

Well, weapons are not necessarily beautiful if they are powerful, but weapons that combine violent aesthetics are definitely powerful, such as the J-20. Just tell me whether it is beautiful or not.

Unlocking the capstan and taking down the longbow, Wu Sanniang carefully handed it to Chen Xuan and said, "Brother Chen, take a look at it. Be careful. This bow weighs thirty stones and is quite powerful, especially the bowstring. If it vibrates even slightly, you could get cut and injured if you're not careful!"

"Thanks for the reminder, I will pay attention to it," Chen Xuan nodded and smiled.

He took the longbow and held it in his left hand. Under their gaze, without hesitation, he placed his right hand on the middle of the bowstring and drew the bow directly. Immediately, the bow became like a full moon!

Maintaining this action, Chen Xuan felt it carefully, thinking that although this bow was a strong bow of thirty stones, it was still too light for him. If he used more force, it would break directly. It was three thousand taels, so he had to be careful.

However, he had to admit that this was a good bow. It was silent when pulled, had excellent toughness, and did not have that kind of teeth-grinding sound. It was absolutely effective for sneak attacks and cold arrows.

But this scene made Wu Sanniang and Zhuo Erniu stunned. That was a thirty-stone strong bow, but he pulled it open so easily, as if it was as simple as eating and drinking water. What kind of cultivation level did this man have at such a young age?
This made them terrified.

You have to know that they need to use tools just to wind the string, and it is very strenuous. They have tried to pull it open before, but with their strength, they can't pull it open at all with three arms, and it takes a lot of effort to pull it open a little with one arm, and they have to be careful not to hurt themselves.

But what about Chen Xuan? He easily pulled open and maintained that movement effortlessly. What kind of strength does this require?
It is said that it is easy to draw a bow but difficult to hold it. Who is weak in the sense of being able to draw a strong bow?

After feeling it almost right, Chen Xuan slowly released the bowstring and returned to normal after a moment, his movements appearing as if he was lifting a heavy object with ease.

After all, it is an open string. If you release it directly, it will definitely cause a lot of vibration, and if you do so accidentally, it may damage the bow itself. We learned this in school.

Holding the bow, Chen Xuan looked at them and smiled: "Very good, these three thousand taels are worth it"

With just this bow, if there is an arrow, within a thousand feet, all those below the innate level will be harvested. If the innate true qi is used to perform archery, it is not impossible to shoot the innate. Unfortunately, it is still a little lacking in meaning for him, a bit useless, but better than nothing.

Swallowing his saliva, Zhuo Erniu gave a thumbs up and said with sincere admiration: "Brother Chen is very capable."

"Sorry for the trouble," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

Taking a deep breath, Wu Sanniang asked, "I wonder if Brother Chen is satisfied with this bow?"

"Of course I'm satisfied. I've brought the three thousand taels. Now let's exchange the money for the goods?" Chen Xuan nodded.

"Okay," Wu Sanniang smiled, then hesitated and asked, "I have arrows here, why not give it a try?"

He had already experienced it himself, especially in the city. Thinking of the trouble caused by a little brat named Li who shot a bow at random, Chen Xuan thought it was unnecessary to give up.

Once the arrow is shot, there's no turning back. It would be terrible if someone was accidentally injured. The effective killing range is a thousand feet. Anyone who gets hit will die. Chen Xuan doesn't dare to act recklessly...

(End of this chapter)