I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 194 The Sacred Land of the Giant-Hoofed Yak People

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Inside the blacksmith's shop, the flames danced in the furnace.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of burning coke.

The carpenters and blacksmiths huddled together, shoulder to shoulder, staring intently at the enormous thing the slaves had brought in.

The stamping press is over two meters tall, with its top almost touching the roof.

Everyone's eyes were wide open, trying their best to memorize the stamping machine in front of them.

With forging hammers and rolling mills in front of us, who doesn't know the lord's craftsmanship these days?
Anything produced by the lord is guaranteed to be of the highest quality.

The news of the stamping machine's manufacture had already spread throughout the blacksmith's shop.

Everyone had heard the principles explained by Lord Rhodes, so now, looking at this machine again, some clever people had already figured out some of the tricks of the trade.

Especially Hamo.

He stood at the front of the crowd, his eyes scanning back and forth over the stamping machine, his heart pounding wildly, like drumsticks striking his chest.

"My lord,"

Hamo swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly.
"You want to loosen the clips on this wheel so that this lump of metal can fall down and push the metal plate into the pit below, right?"

Hamo had been involved in the production of this machine and had a good understanding of its principles.

Moreover, Rod had given him a special explanation, so he was already quite familiar with the machine.

"The lump of iron is the upper mold, and the pit is the lower mold."

Rod smiled and corrected Hammer, "The upper mold is like your sledgehammer striking iron. You hammer the iron plate directly into the lower mold, and the iron plate is formed."

"However, this guy is much more accurate and ruthless than a hammer."

The upper mold is fixed by double tracks on both sides when it slides down, so it will not deviate.

Similar to the ancient guillotine in the movies and TV shows depicting Rhodes' past life.

Bard stood beside Hamo, his tall, thin frame leaning slightly forward, his eyes narrowed into slits.

"My lord, the iron mold on here..."

Bard licked his chapped lips. "How was this made? It's so delicate, it doesn't look like it was hammered out, does it?"

The other blacksmiths shared the same doubts and pricked up their ears, staring intently at Rhodes.

Rod smiled. "Mold casting took a bit of work."

He began to explain in detail, his voice neither hurried nor slow.
"There are blast furnaces in Black Stone Village, and the products are made there. Hamo knows that."

"First, a positive mold was carved out of wood. Then, river sand, loess, wood ash, and water were poured into a wooden box and mixed evenly to make wet sand."

"Then press the carved wooden positive mold into it, and then pull it out to get the negative mold cavity."

"It is important to note that after the negative mold cavity is manufactured, it must be placed in a hot kiln or near charcoal fire to dry and remove moisture, otherwise it will explode when the molten iron is poured in."

"Finally, the molten iron from the blast furnace is poured into the sand mold and cast into shape."

The blacksmiths listened intently, some nodding unconsciously, others clenching their fists in thought.

Bard asked in a low voice, "This isn't simple, is it..."

"Yes, it is easy to fail, but you'll get used to it after a few tries."

Rod said casually, "After trying four or five times to find the best mold, then it was time for polishing and assembly."

"In comparison, the lower die is much simpler."

"That's what you said."

Bud nodded.

The mold was made by Bader and the carpenters together.

After adjusting the lower mold according to the upper mold completed by cast iron, Bard finally covered it with sheet metal.

The lower mold is slightly higher around the edges, and the mold has drawer-like slots on all four sides, as well as movable iron fasteners on the front and back sides.

This ensures that when the upper mold is dropped, there will be no deviation or ejection.

After listening to Rhodes' explanation, the blacksmiths fell silent.

This thing is so complex that it has an impact on everyone, no less than that of extraordinary magic.

The extraordinary only exists in legends, but the machine is right before our eyes.

The blacksmith shop fell silent, with only the crackling of the furnace fire.

After a while, Hamo spoke up, "My lord, shall we try out this machine?"

"Okay, you can do it?"

Rhodes said, "I can let you be the first one to try, Hamo."

Hamo quickly shook his head, "No, no, no, Lord, this machine has been made after more than a month of hard work and repeated adjustments. Please operate it."

Hamo couldn't help but take a step back. "We'll try it after you teach us."

"This machine requires our cooperation to be used properly."

Rhodes reached out and pulled Hamor back. "It's alright, just do as I say."

"Bane, come here too."

Rod pointed at the yak man and gave the order.

The yak-man paused, then asked, "Me?"

"Come quickly."

Rhodes urged him on, and Bain obediently stepped forward.

The press was a huge blow to human blacksmiths, and Bain, a yak man, was even more at a loss.

Rod made Bane and Hammer stand in line, then turned around, used tongs to clamp the prepared iron plate, and placed it on the stove to heat it.

Once the iron plate was red-hot, Rod immediately picked it up and inserted it into the groove of the lower mold.
"Hamo, fasten both sides!"

At Rod's command, Hamo quickly fastened the clips on the lower mold.

At the same time, Rod had already walked to the side of the stamping machine.
"Take five steps back!"

As Rod finished speaking, he kicked open the opening on the crank wheel!
Squeak—

The hemp rope pulled the rollers, making a squeaking sound, and then a loud bang!
Bang!
The mold was slammed down hard, causing the ground to tremble!
The red-hot iron plate was instantly deformed by the impact and dented into the lower mold!
The blacksmiths stared wide-eyed, wanting to step forward, but Rhodes stopped them with a gesture.

"Bane!"

Rhodes shouted,
"Let's bet together!"

The yak-man didn't know what was going on, but following Rhodes's instructions, he grabbed the handle on the mold with his strong arm!
Um--

The yak-man's nostrils emitted a deep sound, and together with Rhodes, the iron plate creaked under his pressure.

"Bane, let go!"

At Rod's command, the yak-men quickly moved away.

Rod quickly bent down and cranked the ratchet to slightly raise and lock the mold in place.

Bain suddenly pulled the chain next to him, and the upper mold slowly rose up, revealing the pressed iron plate.

Rod quickly grabbed the pressed iron plate and threw it into the bucket.

"laugh!"

White steam rose, and the iron plate emitted a low hum.

Rhodes breathed a sigh of relief and instructed Hammer and Bain, "Raise the mold up."

"It is the lord."

Following Rod's instructions, Hammer cranked the ratchet to raise the mold and then re-secured it.

The blacksmiths around stood on tiptoe, holding their breath, their eyes wide as copper bells as they stared intently at the iron plate in the bucket.

Rhodes didn't keep them waiting long, taking out the cooled iron plate to show everyone.

"It's done!"

The blacksmiths gasped in surprise!
"My God..."

"Is Brother Bud going to be giving me a dressing down for days?"

"It's done right away?"

"so amazing!"

"My lord, this...this is simply a miracle!"

……

The blacksmith shop was in an uproar.

Everyone was talking about it, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Despite previous rumors, and despite the fact that the lord had already created two machines to help them with their work.

But that only improves efficiency.

This is now directly manufacturing finished products!

Rod handed the iron plate to Bard.

"have a look."

Bud took the iron plate, his fingers trembling as he traced the curves in it.

This is a prototype of a breastplate, with smooth lines, even better than one I made myself.

"It only took a moment..."

Bard's voice trembled, as if he had seen a god. He looked up at Rhodes, his eyes filled with both joy and confusion.

Gradually, Bard's eyes welled up with tears, and his voice choked with emotion: "My lord, you have opened our eyes once again..."

"Have you suffered another setback? Starting to doubt yourself?" Rhodes asked with a smile.

"No, my lord."

Bard turned his face away, took a deep breath,

"You said that they are just tools, and humans should learn to use them well."

"now it's right."

Rod patted Bud on the shoulder. "You have more time to fine-tune and refine the details, and you can also teach more apprentices."

“Yes, sir.” Bard nodded vigorously.

Rhodes's gaze returned to the prototype of the breastplate.
"By the way, pressing it once is still a bit rough; it would be best to press it again."

Rod explained, "Just like in a rolling mill, you heat the iron plate until it's red-hot and then press it again."

"This time, Hamo and Bader, you two will take over."

"Yes, my lord."

Bard took the clamps from Rod's hands and began to heat the iron plate.

Following Rod's demonstration, after the iron plate is heated red-hot, it is placed back into the lower mold and the clips are removed.

The loud crash startled the blacksmiths, who couldn't help but blink.

But everyone still excitedly crowded forward.

Once the upper mold was raised, Bard removed the iron plate again, and the iron plate was completely transformed into the shape of a breastplate.

“Amazing!”

A young blacksmith, his face flushed red, shouted loudly.

His eyes were full of admiration as he looked at Rhodes. "Lord, you are amazing!"

"Yes, that's a miracle!"

"This machine is simply beyond human comprehension!"

"Holy Lord, no wonder those savages call you Holy Lord!"

……

The blacksmith shop erupted in noise again, and the gazes fixed on Rhodes grew even more fervent.

"Alright, everyone, be quiet."

Rhodes raised his hand to silence the noise.
“Come one by one, and learn about this machine.”

"Yes, my lord!"

The blacksmiths' loud voices made Rhodes' ears ache.

The young apprentices, in particular, were as excited as if they had just met their bride.

Rod quickly pulled Bud aside and let Hammer arrange for the blacksmiths to try out and learn how to use the machines.

"These tasks will be handed over to ordinary apprentices from now on."

Rhodes instructed Bard, "You are mainly responsible for the fine-tuning of the details and teaching the apprentices how to rivet the plate armor."

"Yes, I know, my lord."

Bard nodded in agreement.

He also understands that these are the things he can do that others cannot.

Looking at Bard's serious face, Rhodes smiled and asked, "Then, how long will it take to make my fifty sets of plate armor?"

"If you could prepare the molds for other models of plate armor..."

Bard glanced at Hamo, who was busy at the press, and said thoughtfully, "Fifty sets can be made in a week."

"it is good."

Rod liked that answer.

Finally, we can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

An excited Rhodes waved his hand and promised:
"Next, I will add two more production lines to the blacksmith shop!"

……

……

The cold wind howled, swirling up fine snowflakes that pelted against Renn's thick leather armor.

The weather in Black Pine Ridge has warmed up, but the edge of Razor Plain is still experiencing fierce winds and heavy snow.

Raine didn't care at all. He stood in front of the barren mountain range, squinting as he surveyed the desolate landscape.

There were no plants around, not even the pine forests common in the north.

What's even stranger is that there are layers of snow on the mountaintop, but at the foot of the mountain there are charred and iron-gray rocks, without a single snowflake.

This mountain seems to be cursed.

Renn frowned, a sense of unease rising in his heart.

He gripped the bow and arrow, turning to look at Kyle. "Ask him if he's sure this is the place."

Kyle, the snow rabbit man, played with a snowball in his hand, walked over to Alse, the yak man who had his head down, and then began to talk to him.

After Chris left Razor Plains, Kyle stayed behind to join Ryan's group, serving as a guide and translator.

After a brief exchange, Kyle reported to Raine, "That's right, their holy site is in the mountains ahead."

“His people are likely hiding inside.”

"Is he sure we can just walk in?"

Raine asked doubtfully, "I mean, can we outsiders go into the sacred site of the Yak people?"

Kyle shrugged and pressed the yak-man, Alse, for an answer: "Can outsiders enter your sacred place? Are there any taboos?"

The yak herder, Alse, stopped and slowly turned around, his tall figure blocking out the wind and snow.

He scratched his head, and a few snowflakes fell from his hair.

"You can come in..."

His voice was deep, like muffled thunder squeezed from the depths of his chest.

Kyle relayed the yakman Alles's reply to Renn.

"Okay, let's go then, let him lead the way."

Raine turned and waved to everyone, and the hunting party immediately followed in the footsteps of the yakman, Alse.

After crossing the hillside, Allesse stopped halfway up the mountain.

"The holy site is inside."

He pointed to a dark cave entrance on the distant mountain wall.

Following his gesture, Ryan looked in the direction the cave entrance resembled the mouth of a giant beast, its depths unfathomable.

"Let's go then."

Renn urged him on.

The yak herder, Alse, once again strode ahead.

Renn sensed a faint, strange smell in the air, pungent yet indescribable.

The smell was like rotten eggs mixed with burnt wood, seeping into your nose and making your throat itch.

As they got closer to the cave entrance, the strange smell grew stronger.

Renn frowned, clearly disliking the smell.

Others also noticed the odor and couldn't help but cover their noses.

Ryan glanced at Kyle and saw that he was also wrinkling his nose, clearly uncomfortable with the smell as well.

"What's that smell?"

Kyle couldn't help but ask the yak man, Alse.

Allessel scratched his head and grinned.
"The taste of the holy land."

There was a strange sense of pride in Allese's tone.

Renn was somewhat speechless and didn't press the matter further, but he drew an arrow and held it in his hand, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

The cave slopes downwards, and the ground beneath your feet is covered with rocks and some sharp pebbles.

Ryan was surprised because he saw water dripping from the wall from time to time, and he could occasionally hear water droplets falling from above.

Raine ordered his men to light torches, which would illuminate the cave.

As they went deeper into the area, the air began to feel stuffy.

The white breath exhaled from the mouth no longer condensed into mist, and the air even felt a bit humid and warm.

The observant Ryan noticed that tiny white plants were even growing on the cave walls—Ryan didn't recognize what they were.

The surrounding rock walls were riddled with honeycomb-like holes, and gusts of hot air blew out of the caves, carrying a strong, pungent odor.

The cave was getting hotter and hotter, and beads of sweat gradually appeared on Renn's forehead. He couldn't help but unbutton his cloak.

“Ding, ding, ding…”

The sound of metal clanging came from inside the cave, and Allese's face lit up with joy.
"My people!"

(End of this chapter)