Li Yuemin picked up the weapon to inspect it. It was forged from fine iron, the body supple yet firm, weighing about a pound and four ounces and measuring 1.4 meters in length. Shimmering with a cold, dark luster, it was clear to any discerning eye that it was the work of a master craftsman. Li couldn’t help but click his tongue in praise:
"I never got to see my grandfather’s handiwork, but I’ve certainly experienced yours."
Hu Cuozi, delighted by the praise, let his mustache twitch upward. He gestured toward a pile of gear and added, "I still need to put some thought into that Zhuge repeating crossbow you wanted; it’s my first time attempting such a thing. But I’ve finished the hundred arrowheads you requested. I saw there was a bit of extra material left over—not enough for anything else—so I just used it all up for you."
Chapter 42