Chapter 14: A Pair of Boots That Sparked a Business Fantasy

  "Third Master, isn't this bad?"

  Ding Baojun was not afraid of anything else, but he was afraid that Yang Meng would beat the shoemaker to death. As far as he knew, several shoemakers in Kunming were not smokers, and if San Ye got angry and killed innocent people, it would be hard to explain to Lao Yezi.

  "What's wrong? I'm not going to kill anyone, just making a pair of boots. Is it that difficult? Today, I must make this boot!"

  One's own reputation must be rectified, otherwise one's business will not go well, no one will dare to do things for oneself, what's the point of living then!

  Seeing Yang Meng's anger, Ding Baojun no longer insisted. He knew where the best shoemaker in Kunming lived. If not, he would take his knife and drag Yang back himself.

  A group of people wandered around Kunming City, and Yang Meng sniffled several times. The faint scent in his twitching nostrils was extremely familiar to him, although it was weak, he could clearly distinguish what the smell was.

  His reputation in Kunming City was too bad, and he couldn't let Old Ding know that he went to touch opium. He remembered the approximate location and the surrounding buildings. Yang Meng suppressed his urge to find some opium immediately and study it.

  It wasn't long before a group of people arrived near a somewhat dilapidated house, and Ding Baojun dismounted his horse to knock on the courtyard gate.

  "Zhang the leather artisan, Yang San Ye has come to make boots, open the door!"

  After a shout, there was a rustling sound in the yard. It wasn't until quite some time later that the broken gate creaked open a crack.

  "What's wrong with you! I'm not going to eat you, where is your store? I want to make a pair of good shoes!"

  The reaction of this Kunming city also made Yang Meng furious, is it necessary? He was alone, and he could scare the whole city into closing their doors, wasn't that ridiculous?

  "Spare my life, Third Grandfather! I'm not a big smoker, I'm not a big smoker..."

  Yang Meng got angry, and this Zhang Piangu knelt down directly, without caring about the hard stone steps at the door. He wailed and kowtowed, and after just a few knocks, blood beads seeped out of his forehead.

  "Get up! How come your bones are so soft? Can't you even make shoes? If not, I'll kill you right now!"

  What kind of things are these, and yet they're so scared? It seems that the Qing dynasty's defeat at the hands of the British is not without reason.

  "You can do it! You can do it!"

  As soon as he heard that Yang San's grandfather was going to take his own life, the leather craftsman didn't kowtow anymore, and with tears in his eyes, he nodded vigorously.

  "Where is it done? Take me there, I have orders, remember! If you do well, I will reward you, if not, I'll skin you alive!"

  His bones have softened a bit, if he doesn't intimidate him a little, he's afraid that things won't be done properly. Yang Meng is very skilled at this, and Zhang Pijiang also hastily wiped away his old tears, nodding vigorously in agreement.

  "What's going on? Speak up!"

  "Right at home."

  "Then go ahead!"

  "I..."

  He stopped again, and Yang Meng was also anxious for him, is it so difficult to make a pair of shoes?

  "Zhang the leather artisan, don't be afraid. Third Master had just received enlightenment from his superior a few days ago and has opened up to it. He won't easily take lives for the next few days. If you dawdle and provoke Third Master's anger, I won't dare guarantee anything."

  Helpless Ding Baojun had to come out and mediate, his own Third Master's forehead was already bulging with veins, if this leather craftsman delayed any further, it would provoke Third Master's fierce temper.

  "But what about your wife and children at home? Here, take this, send them away."

  What can make a soft bone somewhat strong is probably family. Yang Meng took two silver dollars from the leather bag and threw them in front of Zhang Piniang, who didn't hesitate to pick up the silver dollars on the ground and went home.

  He was also careful and moved his wife and two children from the wall to the next room before slowly coming out.

  "Put on the shoes I'm wearing!"

  Yang Meng got down from the cart and slowly walked into the somewhat dilapidated courtyard.

  "What style of boots does Third Grandfather want? Is it still the same as on his feet?"

  This Zhang skin worker still looked like he was in a state of shock, his voice was still trembling!

  "Just call me San Ye and that's it. Calling San Ye is somewhat unlucky, and calling Xiao Xin Lao Zi's fists and feet are blind. I have a style here, can you do it?"

  Yang Meng was unclear, they were all human beings, but this guy's bones were so soft? In those years, he himself shook the Golden Triangle, and when he went out, he was extra careful. The border people there, it was uncertain which one would dare to shoot him, but the people of the Qing Dynasty, Yang Meng had not seen a few with hard bones.

  "Third Master said, generally leather goods, I can all do."

  "Have you seen these boots on my feet? This needs to be changed, that needs to be changed, the iron nails should be removed and replaced with leather, can it be done?"

  Yang Meng 'slapped' out a few places that needed to be changed, but this leather worker was completely bewildered.

  "Do you have a pen?"

  Zhang Piniang shook his head.

  "Is there charred wood?"

  Zhang Piniang nodded.

  "Then go get it, what are you standing there for?"

  Yang Meng was speechless, Kunming's best leather craftsman had such a temper, it was worrying.

  Yang Meng roughly drew the shape of a military boot with half a wooden stick, and although it was not well-drawn, the leather craftsman understood what he meant.

  "The sole should be soft, the upper should be breathable, it's best to have sturdy shoelaces, a steel plate at the front of the sole, and the toe should also be wrapped with a steel plate, can you do that?"

  Yang Meng stated his requirements one by one, but Zhang Pijiang showed a difficult expression.

  "Third Master, there's no steel plate, but we can find a coppersmith and use copper plates instead."

  "Even copper plates can be made, is there no steel plate in this Kunming city? What are swords and knives made of?"

  No steel plate, no good knife, and this good knife is also what Yang Meng needs.

  "Zhang Piniang, you go ahead and do as San Ye said! I'll send someone to find the coppersmith. San Ye, let me handle the matter of the sword for you!"

  Ding Baojun came out in time to help Zhang Pijiang get out of trouble, and seeing San Ye and this person struggling to speak, old Ding had no choice but to stand up.

  "Uncle Ding, isn't there an iron factory near Kunming?"

  In Yang Meng's impression, refining steel was easy. With good steel, there would be good knives. Didn't ancient China have good knives?

  "All iron is smelted by blacksmiths, the government does have an iron factory, but it's just a slightly larger blacksmith shop. Good steel is hard to come by! Look at our village's knife makers, which one of them uses steel knives? They're all using wrought iron knives. To make a good knife, it takes at least a year or two. But the knives in our village are much better than those of the Qing army, and these were bought at a high price."

  Cast iron knife? Isn't that nonsense? Yang Meng may not know how to smelt steel, but he still knows the difference between steel and iron.

  "Uncle Ding, when you were in Guangdong, did the British soldiers you saw also use iron swords?"

  The Eight-Nation Alliance should have some, right! Yang Meng doesn't know anything else, but he does know that the rails of trains are made of steel. Once his business takes off, opening a steel factory will also be a lucrative venture.

  "It should be a steel knife, I've seen it from afar, shining brightly, unlike an iron knife, no matter how much you polish it, it won't shine that bright."

  Ding Baojun made his judgment based on his own experience.

  "Are we going to trade with the British? Can't we get some swords and guns for me to take a look?"

  Yang Meng used to be involved in smuggling and gun manufacturing, so he had some understanding of such things. He was also quite skilled with guns, maybe he could find a way to make a fortune.

  The most important thing is that the Eight-Nation Alliance has arrived, and if you continue to play with big knives and long spears, you will definitely be beaten. It's essential to get some firearms.

  "Guns? You mean those bird-shooting things? Those are no better than bows and arrows! The accuracy is too poor, and they're prone to bursting. In the past, the old master had a batch of them, but he threw them all away in the Wu Manor. With those things, you'd hurt yourself before hitting anyone else. Muskets are powerful, but they're too big for one person to handle, and the bigger the gun, the greater the risk of bursting. In a real fight, knives are still more reliable."

  As for the gun Yang Meng mentioned, Old Ding sneered at it. The English rifle is powerful, but the Qing dynasty doesn't have one. Those things used by the Qing army are barely usable for shooting targets, and they're not as effective as bows and arrows when it comes to shooting people!

  "Oh... Are there coal mines and iron mines near Kunming?"

  As soon as he heard that the Qing dynasty had no steel mills, Yang Meng's heart was refreshed. No matter when and where, a monopoly business is always a lucrative industry. If he could get some guns and cannons from the foreigners, he would not be afraid of the imperial court. Wouldn't Yunnan be his territory by then?

  "When it comes to minerals, Yunnan has the most copper and silver mines. Our family's trade route to Sichuan is actually a copper road. Tin, lead, coal, iron, and other things are abundant near Kunming, and in Yunnan's mountains, they are countless."

  Lao Ding spoke fluently, and Yang Meng listened even more fluently. With these things, it would be hard not to get rich. Bribing Qing officials to smuggle minerals was a big business. If such a deal were made, becoming wealthy enough to rival a country wouldn't be just a dream. And with an army at his command, he could proclaim himself king.

  Having thought of these things, Yang Meng didn't care about making shoes anymore. He sat in Zhang's courtyard and began to plan his own career.

  Since I've been reborn, I must live a good life. Heaven gave me a second chance at life for two reasons: one is to take revenge on the powerful, and the other is to live a carefree life like an immortal. Once the poison factory is built, I'll start preparing for these big deals. The more money, the greater the power, and I'm not afraid of the Qing officials being greedy or fearful.

  Poison, minerals, guns and cannons, the army, have become the foundation of Yang Meng's career. With these, it should also be possible to call the shots with the imperial court. At that time, turning Yunnan into a territory of the Yang family is not an impossible task.

  The more he thought about Yang Meng, the happier he became. Thinking of the golden mountains and silver seas to come, as well as the two beauties by his side, big and small, he couldn't help but feel a little dizzy with happiness.

  "Third Master, is this the style you wanted?"

  Zhang Pijiang interrupted Yang Meng's daydream, and a pair of boots wrapped in copper skin also appeared before him.

  "What the hell is this! I told you, but you completely ignored me?"

  This guy is also a weirdo, he even got himself a pair of copper shoes, what a ridiculous thing to do.

  "Third Master, I did exactly as you instructed!"

  Yang Meng felt that he couldn't communicate with Zhang Pijiang at all, this guy is an idiot! The copper shoes he made still have some military boots flavor.

  "Cen Yu'ying, I'm telling you, you tell him, let him make a pair of shoes with joined toes for San Ye."

  Yang Meng took Cen Yu'ying as a native. Since he couldn't make himself clear, let's take a look at Cen Yu'ying's skills!

  He told his thoughts to Cen Yu'ying, and let him communicate with Zhang Pijiang. Yang Meng threw the bag of silver coins given by Old Ding to Ma Qinghu, and asked him to take Tang Mei and Ma Qinglian out for a stroll. He himself sat in the chair, continuing to plan his grand career.