From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

The capital city, in the east.

The long street was bustling and noisy.

The carriage from the Xu residence moved slowly, its wheels rumbling as they rolled over the bluestone pavement.

Inside the train carriage.

Qiao'er glanced at Jiang She, who had been "kicked out," then lifted the curtain of the car window and peered outside:

"Young Master Jiang, do you know that the East Market is the most prestigious area in the capital, overflowing with gold and silver and filled with fine silks and brocades? Among them, my family's Yunshui Ward, adjacent to the neighboring Liyang Ward, has a plot of land that has been cleared out, covered with lush green grass, about twenty or thirty feet wide. This precious land is the site chosen for the construction of the altar for inviting the gods."

"Oh?"

Faced with Qiao'er's earnest introduction, Jiang She raised an eyebrow and said bluntly, "Miss Qiao'er, this platform is set up at the intersection of the two neighborhoods. Aren't there bound to be petty thieves taking the opportunity to cause trouble?"

"Huh! How could it not be there!"

Qiao'er frowned slightly, her face gradually showing resentment. She gritted her teeth in anger and said, "Those scoundrels always steal timber in the dead of night! It's truly infuriating!"

Jiang She raised an eyebrow, sensing a different meaning:

"The craftsmen work under the name of the Xu family's business and shouldn't have attracted trouble, but some ruffians have been secretly doing dirty tricks. This matter is definitely not caused by Yunshui Workshop itself. It seems that... perhaps other businesses are deliberately making trouble for them."

"Alas!"

Qiao'er blinked her beautiful eyes: "Young Master Jiang is truly remarkable. He figured out the reason with just a few words."

"That's right, but it was another company that was behind it."

"Is it Liyangfang?" Jiang She asked.

Qiao'er shook her head: "Second Master did bribe the officials in Liyangfang. Besides... that vacant land originally belonged to my family. We still have the land deed in our hands. We have all the written documents and evidence. Even if the municipal government comes, they can't say much."

"I really have no idea where these hooligans came from."

"That's strange..."

After Jiang She finished speaking, he paused for a moment and did not say anything more.

His gaze shifted slightly, following the curtain that Qiao'er's jade-like hand had lifted, and looked out the window.

Along the long street, wine flags fluttered diagonally, shops lined the streets, pedestrians thronged the road, and sedan chairs and horses came and went in droves. Occasionally, peddlers would carry loads and hawk their wares along the street, ringing bells as they passed by. At other times, singing girls and dancing girls would lean against railings, selling their smiles and offering themselves in the market.

Not long after.

The carriage arrived at an open space.

Before we even got close, we heard the shouts of people carrying goods.

Following the sound, a dozen or so men, shirtless and bare-chested, worked together to lift a log as thick as a basin, moving it step by step, steadily and rhythmically, toward the center of the open space; other craftsmen squatted on the ground, holding ink lines and squares, carefully measuring and drawing the baseline, occasionally using stone pencils to carve marks on the blue bricks.

In one corner of the open space, piles of blue bricks, wood, and stone foundations were stacked up like small mountains.

Several craftsmen were sweating profusely, swinging sledgehammers to hammer and pound on the stone. More than a dozen casual laborers were carrying loads on their shoulders and backs, shuttling back and forth to transport sand, water, tools and other materials to where they were needed.

Shouts, knocking, and sawing filled the air.

Some squatted, some stood, some carried saws, some leaned on tools, all busy at work. The bright sunlight shone on their backs, giving them a bronze hue, and beads of sweat rolled down their backs.

There was a constant sound of hammering and banging everywhere.

"Young Master Jiang, we've arrived."

"Um."

Jiang She nodded.

The driver pulled on the reins.

"Whoa—!"

The carriage came to a steady stop at the edge of the open space.

The cart settled, and the rumbling stopped.

The crowd was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the carriage, but it quickly attracted the attention of many onlookers.

One, two, three...

Dozens of eyes converged on the magnificent four-horse carriage, and the previously noisy sounds of labor around them suddenly subsided.

Instead, there was a cacophony of voices.

"Master, it's the master's carriage!"

"The young lady herself has arrived!"

"Perhaps they've come to check on the progress of the high platform."

"Quickly! Go report this to the foreman!"

Just then, two people got off the carriage.

One male and one female.

The woman was recognized by all the laborers present; she was Qiao'er, the master's personal maid.

As for the man...

Who is it?

Everyone was slightly taken aback, and before they could come to their senses, they heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.

Turning my head, I saw that it was the foreman who had stepped out from the crowd.

The foreman's name was He Dayong. He was about forty years old. He had a square face, thick black eyebrows, small but bright eyes, and lips that were chapped from years of exposure to the wind and sun. His face was also tanned dark.

Fortunately, he was sturdy and could endure hardship.

He was wearing a coarse cloth short jacket with patches on the shoulders and the front open, revealing a sweaty coarse cloth undershirt underneath. A gray cloth belt was tightly tied around his waist, with several iron nails attached to it. He held a hammer in his hand.

He wore a pair of loose-fitting trousers, also made of coarse cloth, with the cuffs rolled up to reveal a section of his calf with slightly protruding veins. The veins throbbed occasionally, like leeches crawling into the veins of his calf in a paddy field, which looked quite creepy. On his feet, he wore a pair of straw sandals covered in mud and ash.

At this moment, the rough-looking man wore a respectful yet slightly nervous smile. His forehead was damp with sweat, whether from nervousness or from the sweat still clinging to him as he ran, it was unclear. He hastily wiped his hands on his clothes before stepping forward and bowing to the two who had just alighted from the carriage.

"My name is He Dayong, and I have met Miss Qiao'er."

"May I ask who this gentleman is...?"

As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang She, and as his gaze shifted, he couldn't help but steal glances at Qiao'er's expression.

But Qiao'er covered her mouth and smiled: "This one, this one is Young Master Jiang. He came here today on Miss's orders to have you arrange some work for him."

"No, no, I wouldn't dare."

The foreman crossed his arms, nodded, and agreed to the matter.

But when he stared blankly at Jiang She, he saw that the other man's face was as calm as still water, without the usual awkwardness and embarrassment that casual workers often show when applying for jobs, or the anxious look that he usually has when he is struggling to make a living.

He stood there with his hands behind his back, his blue robe swaying slightly, like a leisurely cloud drifting by. He didn't look like a laborer willing to bow down for five pecks of rice, but rather like a leisurely tourist enjoying the scenery.

She arrived in the same carriage as Qiao'er.

His status must be quite high, perhaps... he's a pampered rich kid who's just here on a whim, experiencing the hustle and bustle of construction site.

"hiss....."

"If that's the case, how could I possibly ask him to do any work?"

Thinking of this, He Dayong dared not actually give him any orders. He could only nod reluctantly and watch Qiao'er board the carriage before snapping out of his reverie and glancing at Jiang She.

"ginger......"

He had barely finished speaking when he paused, embarrassed to realize that all he knew was that the other person's surname was Jiang.

"Foreman He, just call me Jiang She."

Jiang She quickly offered him a way out.

"Oh! That won't do. I'm much older than you. If you don't mind, how about you call me 'elder brother,' and I'll call you 'younger brother'?"

He Dayong smiled warmly.

Jiang She was taken aback by his sudden enthusiasm and overly familiar manner, completely unaware that this guy had mistaken him for a rich young master who was out experiencing life.

"Very well, then I shall respectfully comply."

Jiang She cupped his hands and addressed him respectfully, "Brother He."

"Okay, okay, okay!"

He Dayong's smile widened, and he nodded repeatedly, replying, "Brother Jiang!"

He became increasingly certain that this Brother Jiang in front of him must be a wealthy young man who didn't want to show off, and perhaps even had some personal connections or business dealings with the Xu family.

I came to this construction site simply because I had nothing better to do and wanted to experience the "hardships of ordinary people".

If that's the case...

He should seize this opportunity to climb the social ladder!

Unlike He Dayong, who was more thoughtful, Jiang She did not think much about it.

He glanced around at the bustling scene, then turned to He Dayong and said seriously:

"Brother He, I wonder... are there any odd jobs on this construction site that are still lacking manpower and have no one to do them?"

"what?"

He Dayong was stunned when he heard this.

Odd jobs? Are they short-staffed to do them?

His mind raced: How could a wealthy young man, accustomed to a life of luxury, possibly do manual labor? Dirty or strenuous work was absolutely out of the question!

If he gets hurt or falls, or if he gets seriously ill from overwork, I can't bear the responsibility.

But what should I do now that he's asking me?

He Dayong was filled with anxiety. He wanted to arrange the most leisurely and easy job for Jiang She, or even just let him rest and watch from the sidelines.

But then I thought about it again.

Since this Brother Jiang is pretending to be an ordinary citizen and coming here for a few days to eat simple meals, if I make it too obvious and break the ice, it might displease him or even spoil his enjoyment.

However, I cannot give a direct answer.

Thinking of this, He Dayong rubbed his hands together, let out two dry laughs, and carefully said:

"Well... Brother Jiang..."

"The work here has always been carried out in a well-organized manner, with everyone performing their assigned tasks. Since you are new here and unfamiliar with all the procedures and materials, why don't you follow the craftsmen and observe your surroundings to familiarize yourself with the situation?"

As he spoke, without waiting for Jiang She's response, he turned around and shouted towards the pile of timber in the corner:

"Old Yang! Old Yang!"

"Come here right now."

As soon as he finished speaking, a short while later, an old man with a hunched back and deep wrinkles like tree bark slowly strolled out from behind the pile of timber.

The old man was wearing a faded coarse cloth short jacket, covered in patches all over his body, in colors that didn't match his clothes, making him look extremely comical.

He wore wide-legged trousers with the cuffs tightly tied with hemp rope, and a shiny old leather pouch hung at his waist, bulging as if it contained tools.

He wore a pair of tattered straw sandals with his toes sticking out, the soles covered in sawdust and mud.

The most valuable thing on his body was probably the old pipe that the old man was holding in his mouth. It was a brass pipe with gilded edges. Every time he took a puff, the embers in the pipe turned a dark red, and when he opened his mouth to exhale, it looked like a large cloud of smoke was being sprayed out.

Old Yang approached, slightly raised his eyelids, and calmly glanced at Jiang She before turning to He Dayong. As soon as he spoke, he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

"Foreman, what do you want?"

His words contained little flattery towards the foreman, but rather revealed a composure and aloofness unique to an old craftsman.

He Dayong quickly introduced:

"Old Yang, this is Brother Jiang, the newcomer. Miss instructed him to give him more experience on the construction site... You have excellent skills and rich experience, so why don't you mentor him?"

As he spoke, He Dayong suddenly leaned close to Old Man Yang's ear:

"Old Yang, you are the most skilled craftsman here, but you have too high standards and like to be harsh on your apprentices. Let me tell you something, this one... is not simple. No matter how rough or bad his work is, you should praise him more and not scold him."

"hehe...."

Is this asking me to take care of the baby?

Old Yang did not answer immediately after hearing this.

Instead, he raised his eyelids again and carefully examined Jiang She.

His gaze, like a ruler, measured the young man in blue before him for a moment.

He had fair skin and no calluses on his hands, except for a few calluses on the pads of his thumb, index finger, and middle finger. These were clearly calluses from long-term contact with penholders and vigorous rubbing, indicating that he was a pen-wielding hand, not a hand suited for manual labor.

But since the foreman had already given the order, he couldn't very well refuse.

for a long time....

Old Yang slowly took the pipe out of his mouth, lifted his foot, tapped it on the sole of his shoe, and shook off the ashes.

"middle."

"Since the foreman has said so, then... you shall learn from me." He paused, then turned to stare at Jiang She, his gaze sharp and bright. "Every profession has its rules. I don't pass on my skills to lazy people or teach fools. If you want to learn, you must learn with your heart and pay attention. Don't cause me any trouble."

"Did you understand?"

"I understand."

Jiang She nodded, showing no sign of fear despite Old Man Yang's firm tone.

"Come on, follow me."

Old Yang waved his hand and walked into the pile of timber.

Jiang She followed closely behind.

But then they saw Old Man Yang walk to the pile of timber, squat down, and reach out to fiddle with a pile of cedar and pine logs of varying lengths and thicknesses, as if he were picking out the pieces.

My fingertips glide across the surface of the wood, feeling the texture and moisture of the wood.

Finally, Old Man Yang picked out a piece of pine wood about the thickness of an arm and more than five feet long. The surface of the wood was still rough, with bark and thorns that had not been completely removed.

"Here you are."

Old Man Yang handed the wood to Jiang She: "First, learn how to plan the wood. If the wood isn't planed flat, the lines aren't drawn straight, the mortises aren't chiseled accurately, and the tenons aren't made tightly, then you're wasting your time in this line of work."

As he spoke, he turned and walked toward the tool rack next to the carpenter's bench.

Tilt your head back, stand on tiptoe, and stretch out your arms.

Take a plane off the shelf.

The plane was made of hardwood, the blade was gleaming, the edge shone with a cold light, and the handle was polished to a shine.

"Watch closely."

Old Yang handed the plane to Jiang She, then walked to the other end of the bench and gently hooked a long wooden stool for carpenters with his foot.

He gestured to Jiang She to place the pine log on the horse bench, and to secure it by gently pressing one end with his knee.

Stand with your feet apart, one in front of the other, and steady yourself.

"Lean your body slightly forward, keep your waist low, and let the power come from your heels, through your waist and back, and into your arms."

As he spoke, Old Man Yang stretched out his calloused hand, grasped the back of Jiang She's hand holding the plane, and gently guided him to place the plane on one end of the wood.

Then, holding Jiang She's arm, they slowly moved forward.

"Sizzle—!"

The plane rubs against the wood, producing a soft, even rustling sound.

A thin, cicada-wing-like, curled wood shaving emerged from the plane.

Old Yang's voice rang out again:

"Start with a light touch, and make the plane blade only lightly cut into the wood."

"Keep your wrist steady, keep your arm level, and push evenly. Don't push too fast or too slow, or you'll get too deep into the wood."

After pulling Jiang She back and forth twice, Old Man Yang suddenly let go, took a step back, picked up his pipe, and squinted at it:

"Try it yourself."

"it is good."

Jiang She did as instructed, lowered his waist, stood firm, gripped the plane handle tightly with both hands, and recalled the force and rhythm of the push and pull when Old Man Yang had helped him plane the wood.

"Hey! They're here! They're here!"

"Old Yang is definitely going to start yelling again!"

Upon hearing Old Man Yang's words, all the carpenters around immediately stopped what they were doing.

The sawers stopped, the chisels put away, and the planers, leaning on their planes, all turned their heads in unison. Dozens of eyes, like spotlights, focused on Jiang She.

They were all disciples who had been taught by Old Man Yang.

Without exception, in Old Man Yang's eyes, they were all utter nonsense, even worthless and worthless!

now....

Everyone wore expressions of anticipation, waiting for a good show. Some grinned slyly, while others whispered among themselves.

"Look at that old man Yang's mouth, it's always so sharp! This young man has such delicate skin, he doesn't seem like he can do any hard work. If he tries to dig, he probably won't even be able to scrape up any material!"

"Hehe, just wait and see what old man Yang has to say about his shrewish rant!"

"Tsk tsk, this is going to be good!"

The sun shone on everyone's dark faces, and beads of sweat rolled down their cheeks, hitting the ground and kicking up dust.

The air was filled with the scent of pine, and the smell of sweat carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Jiang She seemed oblivious to the stares and whispers around him.

He closed his eyes, lowered his waist, and dropped his hips.

Recalling Old Man Yang's posture and movements, I held the plane handle firmly with my hands, one in front and one behind.

Place the plane back on the wood.

Start.

"Sizzle—!"

A clear and long friction sound suddenly rang out.

The planer blade gently cuts into the wood, pushing it smoothly and evenly, without rushing. A shaving as thin as a cicada's wing is then lightly exhaled from the planer's mouth, curling like clouds with clear grain.

Followed by.

"Sizzle—sizzle—sizzle—!"

One note followed another, with a steady rhythm and distinct cadence.

Jiang She pushed forward steadily with his arm, his waist swaying slightly with the movement, which was so natural and smooth as if he had practiced it a thousand times.

Wood shavings poured out of the plane continuously, piling up at the feet and emitting a rich, fresh pine scent. The rough, bark-covered pine log, once rough and covered in splinters, became smooth and even at a visible speed as the plane repeatedly pushed it along.

The rough outer layer peels away, revealing the fine wood underneath, with grain patterns like ripples on water, shimmering with a pale yellow luster.

The sunlight shines obliquely on it, creating a soft reflection that is so smooth that it reflects people's images!

"This...this is..."

Old Yang, who was smoking a pipe and squinting, still looked like he was waiting to find fault and was ready to start cursing, even after the foreman gave the order.

But at this moment...

His cloudy yet sharp old eyes widened!

The pipe slipped from the corner of his mouth, but Old Man Yang was unaware.

He stared intently at the incredibly steady movements of Jiang She's hands, then looked down at the pile of evenly distributed, complete, and uniformly thick wood shavings on the ground, before looking up at the piece of wood that had been planed until it was as smooth as a mirror.

His expression froze, and the harshness and scrutiny in his eyes instantly turned into disbelief and astonishment!

"This...how is this possible?!"

How could a rich kid with delicate skin and no calluses on his hands have such skillful planing skills?

This technique, this strength... it's clearly something only a master who has been immersed in this art for many years can possess!

Who exactly is he?

How...how did he do that?!

On the open ground, the group of carpenters who had been waiting to see the joke were now completely dumbfounded.

The whispers abruptly stopped.

The gloating smile froze on his face.

Everyone stared in disbelief at Jiang She's fluid movements, then at the pile of unbelievably beautiful wood shavings on the ground, and finally at Old Man Yang, who was equally speechless with shock.

suddenly....

Everyone's faces burned, as if they had been slapped in the face without their knowledge.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Only the hissing sound of the plane rubbing against the wood remained, echoing clearly in everyone's ears.

for a long time....

Old Man Yang slowly raised his hand: "That's enough."

"Yes."

Upon hearing this, Jiang She stopped what he was doing.

Old Yang's eyes were filled with astonishment, and he actually asked Jiang She a question that he himself found laughable:

"Did you study carpentry before?"

"I haven't studied it."

Jiang She shook his head.

He had indeed never studied carpentry.

But ever since he received Qin Lie's "strong luck", he has become much faster at learning anything.

He could learn carpentry naturally after watching someone do it two or three times.

"hiss...."

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped, exchanging bewildered glances, speechless.

There was a moment of silence in the open space.

At that moment, Jiang She's consciousness stirred.

He saw a dozen or so thugs in the alley not far away, with stolen goods from the Xu family tucked under their arms, surrounding a frail woman.

It seems... something indescribable is about to happen.

Ok?

Who is that?

Jiang She glanced at it.

But then a line of small print came into view, accompanied by the woman's words:

"Today you have encountered Liu Yin, a top assassin whose strength is second only to Xu Lian in the Dingfengbo incident. You can control this wicked woman for ten thousand coins."