"Fire God Kagutsuchi above! The tools used in the blacksmith's shop are: first, the charcoal furnace, accompanied by a bellows, fueling the fire with charcoal, the hotter the better. Second, the iron hamr, at least three different sizes - large, dium, and small - required for repeatedly forging fine iron. Third, the anvil, with various shapes, must be solid and heavy. Fourth, the tongs, flat-head, round-head, cone-head, clamping and fixing for forging..."
"Fifth, the fire sickle, used to trim and cut iron while hot, handling must be precise. Sixth, the water trough and oil coating, quenched with cold water and cold oil, the colder the better, coated with oil for protection after quenching. Seventh, the file, differing in coarseness, used to polish and refine the iron surface. Eighth, the mold, large items use molds, mostly for everyday ironware..."
"These eight kinds - the furnace, hamr, anvil, tongs, sickle, trough, file, mold - constitute the essentials for a fine craftsman in iron forging!..."
Weapons group leader Otani Takegou bowed his head, sitting in the snow, drawing the shapes of the various tools with his fingers. He then wrote a Chinese character na beside each tool. However, his knowledge of Chinese characters was limited, and for more detailed explanations, he could only write in phonetic hiragana.
Monk soldier Watanabe Masumi also kept his head down, transcribing Otani Takegou's descriptions into lines of explanations. The exploration captain Zuwaro widened his eyes, marveling in amazent. Once the eight types of tools were described, Zuwaro was overjoyed, his mouth curling up in a broad smile! Generously, he took out a golden amulet, personally placing it around Otani Takegou's neck, laughing heartily.
"Haha! Chief Divine protection! What a master craftsman in iron forging! Good!... Haha! Your Majesty has said that those who can produce fine iron weapons, cast steel and refine steel are urgently needed talents in the kingdom! As long as craftsn from the Western Sea possess these skills, upon arriving in the Kingdom of the Lake, Your Majesty will not be stingy with rewards, possibly even bestowing them as hereditary nobility of the kingdom!..."
"Fire God Kagutsuchi! Producing fine iron weaponry, casting steel and refining steel?..."
Upon hearing Watanabe's relay, weapons group leader Otani Takegou broke out in a sweat on his forehead, his gaze sowhat unsteady. After a segnt of jubilant speech by Zuwaro, he noticed Otani Takegou's tense and uneasy deanor. He paused, pondered slightly, then spoke up and asked.
"Chief Divine, witness! Can you cast and refine steel?"
"..."
After a mont of silence, Otani Takegou shook his head bitterly. This specialized Tang Land technique, reputed to produce large quantities of ordinary fine iron tools, is known only by the largest groups, like the Bizen-style swordsmith who also produces a vast amount of local iron sand. As for other styles, including his father's Yamashiro School, they focus on forging ordinary fine iron or high-quality Tamahagane...
"Um... what about producing fine iron weapons? Can you?..."
"..."
Another awkward silence ensued, as the task of sword forging cannot lie or cheat; if the skill isn't present, then it simply isn't. Forging standard ironware presents a certain level of difficulty, while forging fine steel blades presents another. And forging the finest Tamahagane famous swords, or 'Yemono,' represents the highest level of difficulty!
Regarding Otani Takegou's level, it belonged to the lowest rank of forging iron tools. However, he had seen much; he had witnessed fine iron and Tamahagane forging from a young age. As long as he didn't have to do it himself, explaining the basics wasn't an issue...
Monts later, Otani Takegou cautiously wrote a line in the snow.
"My father, Otani Shibou, is a disciple of the Yamashiro School Good Business Object Great Swordsmith, proficient in forging Yemono treasured swords!... My na is Otani Takegou, group leader of the weapons unit under the Koyozaki Family, skilled in crafting iron agricultural tools and repairing fine iron weapons... As for forging fine iron and Tamahagane blades, I watched my father forge them since childhood and might try..."
Seeing this, Zuwaro was stunned montarily, then after a brief thought, anger appeared on his face. He drew his Bronze Axe abruptly, amidst surging emotions, wishing to chop down this injured Wa Country warrior directly with the axe.
"Chief Divine, witness! You can't even produce fine iron weapons? And dare call yourself a blacksmith?!..."
"Ah? Buddha's protection! Please, esteed envoy, remain calm, allow to explain! Among blacksmiths, those who can forge fine iron weapons are indeed few, requiring a lineage inheritance to achieve!"
Monk soldier Watanabe Masumi perspired on his forehead, cautiously explaining for a while. Regarding Otani Takegou's situation, he had so awareness. He could even guess so reasons for the other's presence in the fleet.
"Otani's father, Shibou, is a truly inherited swordsmith, different from common iron blacksmiths among villagers; he is capable of forging Tamahagane as a Yemono Master Swordsmith!"
Otani Takegou's father, nad Otani Shibou, was an outstanding swordsmith of the Wakasa Nation, apprenticed under a great swordsmith of the Yamashiro School line. And 'Yemono' refers to a treasured sword, with 'Good Business Object' denoting a top-quality treasured sword.
The Wa Country's swordsmith styles could roughly be divided into five branches. The most ancient founding style is naturally the Yamato style of ancient Nara, its nominal founder being the legendary 'Ten Craftsn.' The actual founder should be Yukinobu of the Heian Era. With nurous temples and powerful Buddhist influences in Nara, the Yamato style was also famous for crafting monk soldier weapons. The fine Naginta previously wielded by monk soldier Watanabe Masumi, resilient and cold-resistant, was an excellent fine iron steel weapon forged by a Yamato-style craftsman!
Aside from the ancient Yamato style, there were also the Yamashiro School in the Mountain City Country, the Bizen School in the Bizen Nation, the Soshu School in the Sagami Nation, and the Mino School in the Mino Nation. Actually, the Yamato, Yamashiro, Bizen, Soshu, and Mino Schools, these five major swordsmith styles, also signified the five iron-slting and forging centers of the Wa Country: Ancient Capital Nara, the capital city and mountain city Kyoto, Bizen with its iron sand production, Kamakura Shogunate center Sagami, and the Kanto-Kansai transport hub Mino.
In summary, the Wa Country's swordsmith techniques, just like the schools' sword techniques, have a closed-circle inheritance tradition. The swordsmiths in every style are among the highest skilled ironsmiths, all passing down techniques through generations within the style, never allowing special forging techniques to leak outside.
Thus, among the rootless common folks, there are at most craftsn making iron farming tools; none could beco outstanding craftsn who forge fine iron armor. And if the kingdom seeks out excellent master ironsmiths, it would only be from the Five Schools of Wa Country or the five iron-slting centers.
"Hmm? This fellow is the son of an Ironsmith Master, capable of forging fine iron weapons? Is that so!..."
Zuwaro's fury slightly subsided after hearing Watanabe's explanation. He glanced at Otani Takegou, who had his head slightly lowered, looking ashad, and then turned to Watanabe Masumi with so expectation.
"Chief Divine's protection! So, is his father currently in the far northern lands among the Kaozaki and tribes?"
"Uh..."
At these words, Watanabe Masumi pressed his lips together and whispered a few words to Otani Takegou. Otani Takegou blinked and sadly lowered his head, writing seven large characters,
"Five years ago, my father has died..."
"Ah! What? He's dead!..."
Seeing Zuwaro's renewed anger, Watanabe Masumi touched his nose, montarily at a loss for words. Although Ezo land produced iron sand and coal, finding an outstanding swordsmith in the wilderness of Ezo was exceptionally difficult!
As an excellent swordsmith from Wakasa Nation, a sword forger for the Takeda Clan of Wakasa, Otani Family moved from the well-off Wakasa Nation to the harsh Ezo land Victory Mountain Manor, naturally due to Takeda Nobuhiro, also from the Takeda Clan of Wakasa. In fact, he was a hotown acquaintance and old friend of Takeda Nobuhiro from his youth, one of the few most trusted by him. Because of this relationship, his eldest son Otani Takegou was able to beco the group leader of weapons for the Kaozaki Family.
As the group leader of weapons, Otani Takegou was second only to Murakami Kitamichi, the ship magistrate, among the Koyozaki warriors. His appearance on this northbound Ocean Shielding Ship was ostensibly to repair iron blades and spears, which were prone to damage in the extre cold, as well as to maintain the large quantities of trade ironware on board. The underlying reason was to secretly supervise the northern trade, trusted by Takeda Nobuhiro, to prevent Murakami Kitamichi and Watanabe Masumi from colluding to embezzle the wealth gained from mariti trade!
After all, the last northern trade only with Shandan around Birch Island yielded tenfold profits for the Kaozaki Family! With the previous gains, the substantial amount of goods carried north this ti was already an all-out enterprise for the modestly scaled Kaozaki Family. The expected fur returns were also staggering, necessitating soone to balance and supervise Murakami Kitamichi...
"Uh... Sir, don't worry! Otani's brother is also an heirloom swordsmith. Though not as skilled as his father, he can forge fine iron! And Otani Takegou, familiar with the craft from childhood, though not adept in sword forging, is also the ship's blacksmith and can repair your weapons..."
At this point, Monk Soldier Watanabe Masumi paused in writing, suddenly rembering the aristocratic bronze weapons used by the Jiao People leader before him. Such retro-style and extravagant weapons might have been crafted only by craftsn in Nara and the Capital City...
"Sigh!... Let the Chief Divine grant his protection! Having a son of an Ironsmith Master is passable! At least he is knowledgeable and can guide the kingdom's struggling blacksmiths..."
Exploration Captain Zuwaro took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He tucked the Bronze Axe back into his waist and grasped the central tuft of hair of Otani Takegou's mohawk. Otani's body tensed for a mont but eventually bowed respectfully.
"May the Chief Divine protect the kingdom! Go! Take him to manage the confiscated ironware and weapons... Oh, right! Since he will have access to weapons, assign three Samurai to keep a close eye on him!"
"Yes, Captain!..."
"Anything else? Do any others have special skills?!"
As Otani Takegou limped away, the remaining eight Koyozaki warriors exchanged glances before four injured individuals stepped out.
As ordinary Emishi warriors, their skills were limited. Surprisingly, their best abilities were not in fighting but in farming and hunting! They also knew so basic spear and archery techniques. As for the various famously-nad sword techniques of later generations, one must join a school to learn them. In fact, sword techniques were more suited to duels rather than battles, as spears were more practical on the battlefield, resembling martial arts rather than combat skills.
"Hmm... Arrange the four surrendered wounded in a small tent to squeeze in together! As for the last remaining four, place them on different sleds to sleep with the transported goods... What tents? They have no tents; each gets a thick robe, as long as they don't freeze to death! The rest can be discussed after returning to the southern camp and performing the conversion ceremony..."
"Yes, Captain!"
"May the Chief Divine protect! Let it be done this way!"
Zuwaro waved his hand, and the remaining captives were properly arranged. With this hierarchical treatnt, followed by the subsequent blood oath, there was no fear of not being able to break and subdue these captives...
"Oh, Divine! The blizzard is approaching swiftly; we must set out today..."
After a mont of contemplation, Zuwaro looked at the gloomy sky to the north, and then treaded the deep snow prints, heading towards the nearby icy river. Before departing, he had one last tricky issue, arranging the hard-earned, precious five-masted Ocean Shielding Ship. That ship seed superior to the kingdom's longships, just in ti to send people eastward next year to transport these captives back to the kingdom...
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