Chapter 56: Modifying the Carts

“Big Brother, what’s wrong with winning a bet fair and square?” Yan Lao’er suddenly puffed up with confidence. He didn’t steal or rob—he won with his own skills. So what?

“All military weapons bear engravings, and the army keeps records. Do you think denying it means others can’t find out?”

Yan Lao’er: My innocence is about to be proven!

He took a deep breath and said, “Big Brother, you insist this is military equipment. But what if it’s not? Wouldn’t that mean you’ve wronged me?”

Yan Huaiwen instinctively looked at the crossbow. Such a finely crafted weapon—if not from the military, then where? How could common folk have such advanced craftsmanship?

Yan Lao’er stepped forward, flipping the crossbow over and examining it from every angle.

“Look, where’s the mark? Where? There isn’t one! This was passed down from someone’s ancestors—perfectly legal, nothing to do with military gear. Besides, do I have the capability to obtain military weapons? Big Brother, tell me, have you wronged me?”

Yan Huaiwen couldn’t believe it and examined the crossbow carefully.

He really had… wronged Tianyou.

“But… this crossbow is so new. How could it be an old relic?” Yan Huaiwen found another point of suspicion.

“It’s been well-maintained! The owner took great care of it. If he hadn’t been showing it off all the time, how would I have seen it?” Yan Lao’er admired his own quick thinking.

Yan Yu secretly gave her father a thumbs-up.

Yan Huaiwen wanted to say more, but Yan Lao’er cut him off.

“Big Brother, I feel so wronged. I’ve changed my ways, yet you still don’t trust me…” He lowered his head in dejection.

Yan Huaiwen: Checkmate.

“…It was my mistake. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“Then, Big Brother, promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t focus on studying. I don’t want to touch books anymore.”

Yan Huaiwen remained silent for a long time.

Yan Lao’er asked eagerly, “Can I, Big Brother?”

“No!” The answer was firm and decisive.

Yan Huaiwen, feeling conflicted, said, “Tianyou, that’s a separate matter. I admit I wrongly accused you, but giving up on studying is out of the question! Absolutely impossible!”

“Starting tomorrow, you will—”

“No!” Yan Lao’er broke out in cold sweat. “Big Brother, we’re about to enter the mountains. I need to lead the way and coordinate with Qi Wu to modify the carts… There’s too much to do. Please don’t assign me any studies. Let’s wait until we reach Guanzhou. Yes, when we arrive in Guanzhou, I’ll resume studying. Is that okay?”

Yan Huaiwen nodded. “Fine.”

—

Li Xuemei comforted him, “At least the crossbow has been cleared. Didn’t you always want to practice? Now you can use it openly.”

Yan Lao’er finally resigned himself to his fate.

Alright then, I’ll be a cultured man from now on.

“How did Lao Yan spot the crossbow in the first place?” Yan Lao’er was puzzled.

“You were too excited—you wanted to bring it but didn’t dare. So you took a sickle instead and carelessly left the crossbow lying around. Big Brother moved some things and immediately noticed something was off.”

“Sigh!” Yan Lao’er blamed himself for being careless. But as his wife said, the crossbow was now out in the open—hahaha!

—

Early risers in the village noticed that Yan Lao’er had a rare new item in his hands—a small and exquisite bow.

Yan Lao’er was practicing enthusiastically.

They didn’t know whether to call it a bow or a crossbow, but they did see one thing clearly—his aim was terrible!

Calling it “precision” would be generous. It was more like “scattershot.”

After loosing a few bolts, he had to spend ages searching the ground for them.

After observing, Village Chief Luo warned everyone to keep children away.

This was their third day traveling through the mountains.

The difficulty of mountain paths was no exaggeration.

What people called “paths” weren’t real roads—they only existed because enough people had walked them.

Sanbao had four hooves, not four wheels; it couldn’t press a path into the ground.

For the mules and donkeys pulling carts, the cart frames were a heavy burden.

The terrain was uneven, the road varied in width, and there were many rocks that frequently got the carts stuck.

Modifying the cart frames was a necessity.

—

“The wheels need to be closer together. A narrower cart will navigate the mountains more easily.”

“The planks we cut off can be used to build higher sides, like the kind Second Brother Yan made before. What if we add two layers?”

“That could work, but one extra layer is enough. Too high, and the mules and donkeys might not be able to pull it.”

—

This time, modifying the carts was a group effort.

The men who could drive gathered to discuss.

After traveling this far, they had a good sense of their animals’ stamina and how much they could carry.

“Second Brother Yan, how do you want to modify your ox cart?”

“Heh heh!” Yan Lao’er chuckled before answering. “I don’t need major changes. Same as yours—just adding a layer on top. But this time, the four supporting pillars will be shorter, just enough space below to sit. If we ever need to enter the forest, a tall cart would be a hassle.”

“Also, it’d be best if the top layer could be removed entirely. Think about it—the mountains have snakes and bugs, and the ground isn’t a good place to sleep. If the top layer can be taken down, wouldn’t it make a great bed?”

He looked at Qi Wu expectantly. “Brother Qi Wu, can you make it happen?”

The others thought about it and agreed. They also turned to Qi Wu.

“Well? Can it be done?” “Is it possible?”

Qi Wu: Do you guys think I’m some kind of master craftsman…?

“I can’t do it,” Qi Wu admitted bluntly, dashing their hopes. “If you lift and move it every day, the wood needs to be super strong to avoid breaking. And the cart’s base won’t hold—it’s too heavy.”

“What if we make a bamboo bed instead? Store it on top during the day and take it down at night.” Qi Si suggested.

“If that works, our elders and children could sleep on it. The mountains do have too many bugs.”

“Have we seen any bamboo along the way?”

“Let’s note it down. If we find some, we can figure it out.”

“Alright, let’s focus on modifying the carts first.”

—

Yan’s cart was the first to be completed.

It was the same in essence—just shorter. Now, people had to stoop to climb in and out.

Yan Huaiwen wasn’t as comfortable getting in and out.

He suspected Tianyou had done this on purpose, but he had no proof.

Because Tianyou’s explanation was entirely reasonable.

He said that if they entered the forest, a higher cart would be impractical.

—

They stayed in place for three days to complete the modifications.

The men split into two groups: one went to chop trees, the other to split, saw, and carve the wood.

The first two days were slow—they didn’t understand Yan Lao’er’s concept of teamwork.

Yan Lao’er exhausted himself explaining it again and again.

By the third day, they finally got it: just focus on their assigned tasks and ignore the rest. That’s when efficiency picked up.

Qi Wu maintained his signature rough-and-ready style—crude but effective.

No smoothing, no need for perfectly matching planks—just strong enough to hold.

The top was still a few planks laid down, close enough in length.

Qi Wu handled the crucial notching and joint work.

It might not look good, but it was sturdy.

Though the carts were smaller, they weren’t any less functional.

Goods were stored on top, people sat below—only the wooden frame added weight.

The mules and donkeys could still pull them.

And with the smaller size, turning and maneuvering became much easier.

They could now navigate around dips and large rocks.

—