"Can this be made?"
Luo De stared at the carpenter and asked.
The carpenter was a bit intimidated and stuttered, "Ye-yes, it should be possible."
Luo De turned his head again to look at Hammer, "This plow's outer layer is made of iron, can you make it?"
"I can, my Lord."
Hammer nodded confidently and replied, "It should take about two days to complete."
Having apprentices had made Hammer increasingly confident.
"Alright then, pause all work and prioritize forging this curved plow." Luo De decisively ordered.
At this moment, Otto stood before Luo De and said worriedly, "Is this a plow? But we don't have enough oxen, Sir."
Frost Leaf Town only had six cattle, all used for pulling carts.
"It's not necessary to use oxen."
Luo De put his hands on his hips and looked at Otto, "People can pull it too, four people in a team taking turns to pull."
The plow design by Luo De had a five-pound iron-clad wooden plowshare, which could be pulled by human power.
However, a lighter plowshare does not mean shallow plowing. As long as the person pulling and the person guiding the plow adjust the direction, the plowshare can still dig deep into the land.
Of course, the person pulling the plow would get more tired, and the ground couldn't be raw wilderness with a lot of rocks.
These were experiences Luo De had from his previous life.
Otto seemed somewhat understanding as he nodded blankly.
Hammer, however, didn't care about Otto's opinion and turned to start preparing materials for the plow.
The Lord's words were his command to execute.
Luo De continued to forge Durant's single-handed sword.
The next day, he inspected the dung pit to check the fermentation progress.
He continued to forge the single-handed sword.
Hammer was quick in forging the plowshare, completing it by the afternoon.
However, it took the carpenter three days to complete the entire plow body.
Luo De personally went to the field to demonstrate and teach the farmers how to use it.
"The curved plow requires two people to cooperate, one in front to pull and one behind to guide."
"The person in front can pull this rope or tie it around their waist."
"If one person is too tired, you can pass a wooden stick through the hemp rope, then two people can carry the stick forward together."
"Note that the person pulling the plow should maintain a steady pace, bend their back, and try to keep to a straight line."
"The person guiding the plow is simpler; just keep it steady and press down. If the soil is hard, adjust the angle of the plow for more depth."
Luo De demonstrated while explaining, and after explaining the usage method, his expression turned serious,
"But make sure to clear the stones from the field before plowing.
Remember, if you encounter stones or other hard objects, lift the plowshare immediately to avoid damage, or else I'll whip you!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
The farmers responded in unison.
"There's nothing else, just check the plow components often, especially the wedges, to make sure they don't fall out."
Luo De's demeanor softened, waving his hand, "Alright, you can take turns trying it."
Hammer and the carpenter continued making the curved plow; once the farmers learned to use it, the new plows would come out gradually.
Very few farmers in Frost Leaf Town had ever used a plow, and they weren't very clever.
But people are forced to learn under pressure.
With Luo De, who carried the imposing presence of a Dragon Slayer, watching over them, everyone gave it their all, focusing intensely on learning.
By the end of the day, they had pretty much all learned.
Luo De returned to the blacksmith shop's shed to continue forging the single-handed sword.
By the time Luo De finished forging the single-handed sword, Durant had just returned from Border City.
...
...
Under the shed of the blacksmith shop.
"Try it, your new sword."
Luo De casually tossed the freshly forged single-handed sword to Durant, who had come to report,
"The weight is similar to your previous sword, but you'd better try it yourself."
Luo De crafted a standard knight's single-handed sword, with the handle and blade totaling just over ninety centimeters in length, weighing about three and a half pounds.
This allowed Durant to quickly wield it with one hand while maintaining stability and lethality.
However, because the sword he made had an armor-piercing enchantment effect, Luo De intentionally widened the blade to make it more suitable for slashing.
"Thank you for your gift."
After inspecting the new sword, Durant suddenly stood straight, feet together, right hand clenched into a fist over his left chest, bowing his head slightly—a standard knight's salute,
"I shall repay your kindness with eternal loyalty, cutting down the thorns that obstruct your will."
Durant had wanted to express these words for a long time, but there hadn't been an opportunity.
The sword he received marked the fulfillment of Luo De's previous promise, prompting Durant to belatedly complete his ceremonial gesture.
Luo De nodded firmly in response, "And the enemy's armor."
The two men locked eyes, each seeing determination and sincerity in the other's gaze.
Luo De then smiled and said, "Where are my books?"
"I got them."
Durant untied the cloth bag from the horse and handed it to Luo De, explaining, "Three volumes in total, costing 90 Silver Coins."
"So expensive?" Luo De exclaimed.
Ninety Silver Coins could almost buy six ordinary longswords!
Durant looked a bit embarrassed and explained, "Apologies, my Lord, I'm not good at bargaining. I may have exposed my intentions."
"It's alright, I'm not blaming you."
Books were already luxury items, especially illustrated storybooks, whose prices could fluctuate significantly.
Shrewd merchants would deliberately raise prices based on customer needs.
"What's the name of the merchant who sold you the books? If they're useless, we'll go smash his shop in Border City!"
"Corlys Goldsand."
"Hmm?"
Luo De was momentarily stunned upon hearing the name and asked, "Lawrence's brother?"
"Judging by age and appearance, it seems to be, but I didn't inquire further," Durant replied.
"Then it probably is."
Luo De lifted the bag and said, "Let's head back to the manor and test them out.
If they're not useful, I'll first whip Lawrence's back as a vent."
Durant smiled, knowing Luo De was joking.
"Lord Baron, what's the name of this sword?"
"Why are you like Rein?"
Luo De shook his head slightly, recognizing his subordinates' strong sense of ceremony, unlike his own sword, which was still simply called the Steel Sword.
"It doesn't have a name; think of one yourself."
"Understood, Lord Baron."
Durant followed behind Luo De, pondering for a while, "Then let's call it Zhan Ji?"
Luo De found the name familiar but couldn't recall hearing it before.
"By the way, Lord Baron, there are some rumors from Border City that I think I should report to you."
Luo De sensed the seriousness in Durant's tone, stopped his recollections, turned around, and stood still,
"Yes, go ahead."
"First, the lord of Razor Plain from the Red Griffin Clan has been killed, reportedly found torn to pieces by Desert Wolves in the wilderness without a trace."
"The rumor is that the native inhabitants of Razor Plain and the Beastman Tribe collaborated on this, but the information isn't reliable."
Durant's words caused Luo De to frown.
Razor Plain was only separated from Luo De's Black Pine Ridge by Ice Blade Valley.
However, Ice Blade Valley is a west-to-east narrowing inverted triangle, wedged between Black Pine Ridge and Razor Plain.
This makes the direct distance between certain parts of Black Pine Ridge and Razor Plain only thirty miles.
This distance could be covered by cavalry in two hours and by foot in half a day.
The territories were essentially adjacent.
The natives were of no concern, but the Beastman Tribe was the key issue.
"Any reaction from the Red Griffin Clan, any news?" Luo De asked.
"None yet, but I believe there will be soon. The news has already spread in Border City, so the Red Griffin Clan will soon hear of it too."
Durant had heard the news in Border City five days ago, close to the Red Griffin Clan's territory.
Even if the information was fresh when Durant learned of it, five days would have been enough to reach the Red Griffin Clan.
If the Red Griffin Clan reacted, their forces might pass through Black Pine Ridge, allowing Luo De to be informed.
He might even collect some passing tolls.
"Alright, select three Guards, and let Rein choose two Hunters to form a patrol team, monitoring the Desert while hunting."
Luo De thought for a moment and instructed, "Do not act rashly if anything is discovered, prioritize reporting back."
"Understood, Lord Baron."
Durant nodded in response and continued, "Those are the only rumors from the Desert. Another matter is something I encountered inadvertently.
It seems there is a Spellcaster in Border City."