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Although a hundred men weren't many, matters concerning private soldiers were something that naturally needed to be discussed with the Pang and Huang families.
Fei Qian's wedding had taken place at the foot of Lushan, and by the time he returned, it was just the right time for the traditional post-wedding visit to the bride's family. So, Fei Qian and Huang Yueying went to the Huang family's secluded residence to meet Huang Chengyan. Fei Qian recounted in detail his visit to the Xiangyang military camp to deliver the arrows and the events that followed.
Fei Qian then explained, "The Cai family is likely worried that I might use this opportunity to meddle in Xiangyang's political affairs and encroach on their interests. That's their first concern. Secondly, this is the Cai family's strength, and it's an area where we are relatively lacking. As for other things like money and equipment, we're not short on those. Thirdly, the Cai family deliberately brought up the matter of private soldiers, which seems to be a subtle hint to us."
Huang Chengyan nodded thoughtfully and said, "Now that you mention it, there does seem to be some truth to that. After all, the Cai family has already formed a marriage alliance with Zhang Boshen, so it's not surprising that they have some inside information from the court."
As he spoke, Huang Chengyan frowned and said, "If that's the case, then the Cai family's implicit message is—"
"—We need to build up our military strength to guard against chaos!"
Huang Chengyan fell silent.
In ancient times, because information was not easily transmitted, those who got wind of things first often held an advantage. The Cai family, having possibly obtained firsthand information from the court, had naturally taken the first step.
Moreover, the Cai family had already gone to great lengths, considering the influence of the Pang and Huang families. The olive branch they extended this time carried significant weight.
Of course, if Fei Qian had been less perceptive and failed to grasp the Cai family's intentions, they would have naturally excluded him from future collaborations, treating him as little more than a breeding tool.
In the eyes of aristocratic families, the strong only grew stronger. There was no notion of helping the weak. In this regard, all aristocratic families were the same—utterly ruthless.
The relationships among aristocratic family members were like a pyramid. The strongest naturally occupied the highest positions within the family, bearing the responsibility of discerning the path forward and guiding the family. Beneath them were the more ordinary family members, who, while enjoying the various benefits and protections provided by the family, were also expected to offer their loyalty—even their lives.
".In that case, the Huang family must also make some preparations. Yueying, go to the back room and fetch the rattan box on the first shelf of the bookcase." Huang Chengyan pondered for a moment before giving the order.
A short while later, Huang Yueying returned, carefully carrying the rattan box in both hands.
Huang Chengyan took it and placed it on the table. He gently stroked the box, as if reminiscing about something. After a long while, he opened the box and unwrapped a layer of silk brocade inside, revealing three scrolls.
Huang Chengyan slowly took out the scrolls one by one, from left to right, and placed them gently on the table. He said, "These are the three secret scrolls of the Huang family, recording knowledge of weapons, armor, and tools. With the world descending into chaos, it's time to bring them out."
Fei Qian respectfully accepted the scrolls and began to read. The more he read, the more astonished he became. The Huang family truly lived up to its reputation as a family of craftsmen. The scrolls contained detailed records of everything from weapons and armor to tools, including the selection of materials and the manufacturing processes. They even noted the effects of using different materials.
For example, under the section on spears, it read:
"Spears are divided into nine types. Their construction: wooden shaft, with a blade at the top and a spike at the bottom.
"Cavalry spears have double hooks or a single inverted hook on the side of the blade, or rings on the shaft.
"Infantry spears are made of plain wood or crow's neck wood, with crow's neck wood being.
"Awl spears have a four-edged blade, robust and sharp, unbreakable.
"Javelins are several feet long, originating from the south, used by barbarians. Within a range of several dozen steps, anyone hit will fall.
"Anti-cavalry spears are made of bamboo or wood, with three branches and six heads, interlocking. Each head has a blade and can be planted firmly in the ground. The interlocking parts are bound with iron chains, making them suitable for setting up defensive formations or blocking narrow passes. They are effective against enemy cavalry charges, preventing them from advancing."
Hmm? Anti-cavalry barriers are considered spears? Well, perhaps they're relatively simple and not classified as complex tools.
It was truly astonishing. Anyone who obtained these scrolls would gain knowledge of the forms, manufacturing processes, and required materials for weapons, armor, and tools. Their importance was self-evident.
Huang Chengyan sighed and said, "The Huang family's craftsmanship methods originate from the Mohist school."
So that was it!
No wonder Huang Chengyan had been so shaken when he learned that Fei Qian possessed a fragment of Hu Feizi's writings. Hu Feizi was a disciple of Mozi, the founder of Mohism.
During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Mohism was a prominent school of thought, boasting a large number of followers. It was a powerful, transnational, non-governmental organization, so influential that it could even halt a country's military actions—a prime example being the incident where Mohists stopped Chu from attacking Song.
This tightly-knit, internally united, and widely influential school was so prominent that even Mencius once said, "The teachings of Yang Zhu and Mo Di fill the world." This meant that at the time, the two most prominent schools of thought were Yang Zhu's philosophy, derived from Laozi, and Mohism, which attracted countless followers.
Such a once-flourishing school, whose influence spread across the land during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, ultimately declined due to ideological differences. During the Qin dynasty's unification, Mohists expended much of their strength adhering to their principle of "non-aggression." Moreover, they fell out of favor with those in power and suffered repeated suppression. By the Han dynasty, their numbers had dwindled, and they transitioned from a prominent school to a hidden one.
These three scrolls had been passed down from ancient times, with each generation of custodians adding, revising, and refining their contents. By Huang Chengyan's generation, they had become comprehensive, essentially serving as an encyclopedia of war-related technology.
Like Pang Degong's "Six Secret Teachings", these scrolls were among the Huang family's most treasured possessions. Huang Chengyan's willingness to bring them out represented an investment in Fei Qian's future, though the fact that Fei Qian was now his son-in-law also played a significant role.
After all, in the feudal society of the Han dynasty, which emphasized bloodlines and lineage, outsiders were of no concern to anyone.
At present, the Cai family had provided Fei Qian with a hundred private soldiers. Although they were currently training in the Xiangyang military camp, it wouldn't be long before Fei Qian would need to supply them with weapons and armor. Thus, Huang Chengyan's decision to bring out the scrolls was also a way to help Fei Qian prepare in advance.
Fei Qian carefully examined the scrolls. When he reached the section on armor, he frowned. The records mainly described relatively simple protective gear, and he found no mention of chainmail, let alone the full plate armor often seen in modern games.
Fei Qian thought back to what he had seen in Luoyang and Xiangyang—soldiers and generals mostly wore ordinary leather armor or iron-scale armor.
Could it be that such advanced armor didn't exist yet?
*****
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