Cunning Three Kingdoms

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When Huang Chengyan returned to the Huang family's secluded estate, he noticed that several water-powered saws of various sizes had been added to the workshop. Apprentices were using pulley systems to lift large logs onto the workbenches, where they were clamped into wooden grooves. The continuous back-and-forth motion of the saws replaced manual labor, cutting the logs with ease.

Fei Qian and two or three master craftsmen were observing the operation of the water-powered saws. So far, everything seemed to be working well. The stability and operability were satisfactory, saving a significant amount of labor. The apprentices freed up by this efficiency were reassigned to other tasks under the direction of the Huang family's master craftsmen.

The craftsmen present were quite excited. Initially, they had come to help at the request of Huang Chengyan, the head of the Huang family, expecting it to be a purely labor-intensive task with little reward. But then Fei Qian had introduced the water-powered saw, and with the pulley system that made lifting heavy objects easy, it felt like a gift from heaven. Everyone was beaming with joy, wishing such opportunities would come more often.

The only one not particularly happy was Huang Dou.

He had thought the pulley system would be his unique skill, but now Fei Qian had revealed it in front of so many people. The system wasn't complicated to begin with, and now, judging by the excited looks of the other craftsmen, it was clear that what had once been his secret was now common knowledge.

But Huang Dou couldn't say much. After all, the pulley system had been taught to him by Fei Qian. Though he was unhappy, he had no choice but to accept it. What else could he do?

Huang Chengyan, being wise and experienced, quickly understood the situation after looking around. He immediately gathered the craftsmen in front of Fei Qian and announced that while the water-powered saw was Fei Qian's idea, it had been assembled by the master craftsmen present. Therefore, these craftsmen could teach the technology to their direct descendants, but if they wanted to pass it on to outsiders, they would need Fei Qian's permission.

As for the pulley system, it had been jointly developed by Fei Qian and Huang Dou. The master craftsmen who understood its construction could use it personally, but to teach it to others, they would need the consent of both Fei Qian and Huang Dou.

Finally, Huang Chengyan spoke very seriously, "This is a matter of inheritance. Everyone must be cautious. If anyone violates this rule, don't blame me for revoking their credentials!"

Huang Chengyan's tone was stern, and the master craftsmen, including Huang Dou, responded solemnly. After all, this concerned their family's reputation and livelihood. Such matters were no joke, and the rules of passing down skills had always been followed strictly. None of the craftsmen present had any objections.

Once the craftsmen dispersed, Huang Dou's face finally showed a hint of a smile. He bowed to Huang Chengyan and Fei Qian before returning to work.

Fei Qian now understood the significance of Huang Chengyan's earlier actions and quickly expressed his gratitude.

Huang Chengyan waved his hand with a smile. "No need to thank me. You're not familiar with these matters, so it's natural for you not to understand. It's not a big deal."

Huang Chengyan then explained the traditions of craftsmen's inheritance to Fei Qian, giving him a clearer picture of the unspoken rules among Han dynasty craftsmen.

In the Han dynasty, it took an apprentice over a decade to become a fully-fledged craftsman. Initially, the master wouldn't teach much, and the apprentice would only do basic, rough work. Only when the master felt the apprentice had a solid foundation would they start teaching some techniques. These techniques weren't usually taught all at once, as they were the master's livelihood.

However, Fei Qian had one question. "Master Huang, if that's the case, what if. something happens before the master can fully pass down their knowledge?"

Huang Chengyan nodded, understanding Fei Qian's concern. "Natural disasters and human misfortunes are unavoidable. That's why the Huang family's tradition is that, in addition to teaching their apprentices, masters must also teach their spouses. If something happens to the master, the spouse can pass on the recorded techniques to the head apprentice, who will then take on the responsibility of supporting the family. If both the master and their spouse pass away, the apprentice can use the Huang family craftsman's badge to seek instruction from other craftsmen of the same rank. But even so, there are cases where the lineage is broken."

This was the plight of craftsmen.

And it wasn't just craftsmen. Many other professions faced similar challenges. The Huang family craftsmen might now command the workshop with ease, but that was built on years of experience and instinctive reactions. They knew how to allocate manpower, estimate time and material consumption, and adjust to the optimal state without needing Fei Qian's direction.

But if it were someone else, or a group of craftsmen not as familiar with each other as the Huang family's, cooperation would inevitably run into problems.

Fei Qian asked, "If that's the case, why not record the methods for future generations?"

Huang Chengyan shook his head and sighed. "It's not that simple. If you ask any of these craftsmen to make something, they can do it without issue. But asking them to write it down is difficult. Moreover, written records are limited by space and often fail to convey the details clearly."

Fei Qian agreed with this point and nodded. "Master Huang is right. I once read a fragment of "Hu Feizi", and it was also obscure and hard to understand."

When Huang Chengyan heard the name "Hu Feizi," he was startled and grabbed Fei Qian's arm, asking urgently, "Hu Feizi?! Did you just say Hu Feizi? Where is this fragment? Can I take a look?"

Realizing he had overreacted, Huang Chengyan let go and said somewhat sheepishly but still eagerly, "...If it's inconvenient, then never mind."

After all, books from the Han dynasty were priceless, especially ancient texts from the pre-Qin era. To certain people, they weren't just worth ten thousand gold—they were invaluable. While other books might be negotiable, the name "Hu Feizi" held a completely different significance for a family like the Huangs, who were inheritors of craftsmanship.

Fei Qian hadn't expected Huang Chengyan to react so strongly. But since the Huang family was helping him with the arrow production without asking for anything in return, and Pang Tong had said he wouldn't owe the Huang family a favor, Fei Qian still felt a bit uncertain about the situation.

Given Huang Chengyan's intense interest in the fragment of "Hu Feizi", Fei Qian thought it wouldn't hurt to be generous. If the Huang family ever brought up the arrow production in the future, this gesture could help repay the favor.

So Fei Qian said to Huang Chengyan, "If Master Huang wishes to see it, I have no objections. However."

"However what?"

"However, the fragment is still at the foot of Lushan. I can have Uncle Fu go back and fetch it."

"Good, good. No, actually, I'll go with him to get it." Huang Chengyan, eager to see the fragment of "Hu Feizi" as soon as possible, couldn't wait any longer and decided to accompany Uncle Fu back to Lushan to retrieve it himself.