Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Before the excitement of the Imperial Academy Grand Competition had even subsided, an even more exciting and hardcore event was about to begin outside the "Black Mountain Iron City" on the western outskirts of Zhenbei City—the first "Frost Abyss Craftsman God Competition".

If the Imperial Academy Grand Competition is a contest of "literary" skills, then the Craftsman God Competition is a clash of "martial" skills, a symphony of sweat, fire, and steel.

Today, there are no classical Chinese phrases here, only the roar of the furnace, the clang of the hammer, and the heavy breathing of the craftsmen.

The stadium is built against the mountain, with a hundred iron smelting furnaces lined up in a row, their flames roaring and illuminating half the sky.

A thousand craftsmen, bare-chested, their muscles bulging, sweat streamed down their bronze backs, dripping onto the scorching anvils with a sizzling sound.

The air was thick with the mixed smells of coal, molten iron, and sweat, hot and wild.

Xiao Chen did not sit high in the stands, but instead stood among the craftsmen in a short-sleeved outfit and personally beat the war drum to start the competition.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The drumbeats were thunderous and awe-inspiring.

"Gentlemen!"

Xiao Chen's voice boomed like a bell, drowning out the roar of the furnace fire: "Today, whether you are an official craftsman or a commoner, whether you are a master craftsman or a junior apprentice, as long as you have real skills and unique talents, the title of 'God of Craftsmen,' the rank of 'Master Craftsman,' and the thousand taels of gold are yours!"

"Show the world your skills! Let the artisans of Hanyuan see that they can not only forge plowshares, but also divine weapons!"

"Roar!" The thousand craftsmen roared in unison, their morale instantly ignited.

The first event of the competition was "Free Forging." The rules were simple: within a specified time, using the provided iron materials, forge a piece that represents your highest level of skill.

Ironsmith Ou, the "founding father" of the Hanyuan craftsmen, did not sit on the judging panel and give orders. Instead, he took off his long robe, revealing his well-built muscles, and personally stepped onto the stage. He wanted to use the iron hammer in his hand to set a benchmark for future generations.

"Start the furnace!" Blacksmith Ou shouted, and two burly apprentices vigorously pumped the bellows, instantly turning the furnace fire from red to white, and the temperature soared. A piece of dark "Black Mountain pig iron" was thrown into the furnace.

Blacksmith Ou stared intently at the furnace fire, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's. Once the iron block was red-hot, he used tongs to take it out, but instead of immediately forging it, he quickly immersed it in the "cold spring water" beside him.

With a loud "whoosh," white smoke billowed out.

"This is... 'quenching'? No, the iron hasn't been forged yet!" the onlookers exclaimed.

Ignoring the crowd's doubts, the blacksmith threw the iron block into the furnace again. After repeating this process three times, a strange "ice pattern" appeared on the surface of the iron block.

"Watch closely!" Blacksmith Ou roared, swinging a fifty-pound iron hammer with his right hand and holding the iron block steady with pliers in his left. "Clang!" The hammer slammed down.

This hammer blow, seemingly simple and unadorned, contains immense power, and even more so, it embodies the experience and insights of blacksmith Ou throughout his life.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Hammer after hammer, rhythmic and precise, each strike hitting the most crucial spot. Sparks flew as the iron block rapidly deformed under the hammer, forcing out impurities.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a piece of rough pig iron was forged by the blacksmith into a short dagger about a foot long. The dagger was entirely black, faintly gleaming with a cold light, and naturally formed water-like patterns on its blade.

"Done!" Blacksmith Ou shouted, quenching the dagger again, and then, with a "clang," stuck it into the anvil in front of him.

"Bring the 'Sword Testing Stone'!" Xiao Chen ordered.

A dark blue granite slab was lifted onto the platform. The blacksmith drew his dagger and swung it lightly. With a soft "whoosh," the dagger sank deep into the rock as if cutting tofu, leaving only the hilt sticking out.

"Hiss—" A collective gasp filled the arena. How incredibly sharp it was!

"This iron was made by me using the method of 'nine refinings and nine quenchings' and with the help of the power of the 'cold spring' to remove 99% of the impurities, and it is called 'Hundred Refined Cold Iron'."

The blacksmith proudly declared, "A sword forged from this iron can cut through iron like mud and sever a hair with a breath!"

"Master craftsman! Master craftsman!" the craftsmen shouted enthusiastically. The blacksmith's skill was already divine.

Ou the blacksmith's performance was breathtaking, but the competition was not over yet. In another corner of the arena, a young craftsman in his early twenties, thin and looking like a scholar, caught Xiao Chen's attention.

He wasn't forging iron; instead, he was tinkering with a strange machine. It was a model of a "water-powered forging hammer," but its structure differed from existing ones, with several additional gears and connecting rods.

"What's your name?" Xiao Chen asked as he walked over.

"This humble servant, Lu Xiaoban, greets Your Highness," the young craftsman said nervously.

"What are you doing?"

"Your Highness," Lu Xiaoban explained, "I believe that while the current 'water-powered forging hammer' is powerful, its frequency is too slow and cannot be finely adjusted. I have added a set of 'speed-changing gears' and a 'clutch device,' which allows the forging hammer to be operated at will, and one waterwheel can drive three forging hammers."

"Oh?" Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. "Show me."

Lu Xiaoban started the machine. As the waterwheel turned, the three forging hammers rose and fell alternately, "thump! thump! thump!" The rhythm was extremely fast, and the force of each hammer could be adjusted through gears.

"Excellent!" Xiao Chen exclaimed. "This improvement can increase forging efficiency by more than five times!"

"Your Highness flatters me."

Lu Xiaoban smiled shyly, "I also think that if this principle could be used to create an automatic spinning machine and an automatic weaving machine, that would be even better."

"That's ambitious!"

Xiao Chen patted him on the shoulder, "You'll be very useful later."

The competition has ended, and the judging has begun.

The blacksmith Ou's Hundred-Refined Cold Iron unsurprisingly earned him the title of "God of Craftsmen." But Xiao Chen's reward surprised everyone.

"Blacksmith Ou, you are hereby granted the title of 'Marquis of Heavenly Craftsmanship,' a reward of five thousand taels of gold, and a mansion!"

"Lu Xiaoban is hereby granted the title of 'Master Craftsman,' awarded a reward of a thousand taels of gold, and appointed to the Imperial Academy of Physics, specializing in mechanical research and development!"

"Furthermore, all craftsmen participating in today's competition who possess a particular skill will be granted the title of 'Craftsman' and awarded one hundred taels of silver!"

"Wow—" The whole place erupted in cheers.

A noble title! That was an honor reserved for generals who had distinguished themselves in battle, or for noble families. And now, it had been bestowed upon these lowly craftsmen!

"Your Highness...this...this is against etiquette..." An old scholar couldn't help but step forward to remonstrate.

"Etiquette?"

Xiao Chen gave him a cold look. "In Hanyuan, those who can create things that benefit the country and its people are meritorious! Those who can make Hanyuan strong are nobles!"

"Today, I will not only bestow titles upon them, but I will also allow them to sit at the same table as me!"

With that, Xiao Chen took the hands of Ou the blacksmith and Lu Xiaoban, walked up to the high platform, and sat on his left and right sides. What an honor this was!

"Long live the Prince! Long live Han Yuan!" The craftsmen were so excited that tears welled up in their eyes, and they all knelt down and shouted.

They knew that from this day forward, the status of artisans had been completely changed. They were no longer of "lowly social standing," but "national treasures"!

Riding on the wave of the competition, Xiao Chen issued the "Craftsman Rating Order" on the spot.

Craftsmen were divided into nine ranks: apprentice, craftsman, master craftsman, grand master craftsman, master craftsman, national scholar, and divine craftsman.

Each rank corresponds to different salaries, benefits, and privileges.

The rating system does not consider background or seniority, but only technical skills and contributions.

Establish a "Craftsmen's Association" so that craftsmen can manage themselves, protect their rights, and set standards.

Upon receiving this decree, the artisans within the Cold Abyss went completely mad. They no longer kept secrets or adhered to old ways, and began to study new technologies and invent new tools in order to advance their ranks.

"Your Highness," the blacksmith exclaimed, "I've spent my whole life forging iron, never imagining I'd one day be granted a noble title. Today, I realize that this craft truly has the power to reach the heavens!"

"Mr. Ou, you flatter me."

Xiao Chen laughed, "Without your hammers and fire, Han Yuan's blades wouldn't be sharp, and Han Yuan's city wouldn't be sturdy. You are the true backbone of Han Yuan."

The impact of the "Master Craftsman Competition" is far-reaching.

In just one month, the number of patent applications received by the Institute of Physics increased tenfold. New agricultural tools, new looms, and new weapons emerged one after another.

Craftsmen from the Central Plains, Jiangnan, and even the Western Regions flocked to Hanyuan upon hearing the news, and "all the best craftsmen in the world gathered in Hanyuan."

Lu Xiaoban's "automatic forging hammer" was quickly adopted, greatly improving workshop efficiency. Hanyuan's industrial capabilities entered a new stage.

Standing atop the highest point of "Black Mountain Iron City," Xiao Chen gazed down at the bustling scene below, his heart brimming with pride.