Chapter 1297: The Steady Young Man

Xi had been restless, only able to drink tea to ease his nervousness. After Baifeng asked his age, he felt this young man had a very bright future, though he was now more curious about what the tools Xi wanted actually looked like.

"The tools you want for yourself, did you design them yourself? What do they look like? Do you have a drawing for me to see?"

Xi shook his head: "King, I didn't draw any blueprints. I just have that idea in my head. I can make a model out of wood, and then just have it made out of iron."

Baifeng took a piece of paper directly and handed over a pen: "Come on, draw it out for me to see first. What kind of tool is it that makes you so concerned? It will be easier for me to have someone forge it for you sooner. Once you have tools that are handy, you will be responsible for pushing this thing called a lock toward practical use."

Xi took the pen, and just as he was about to draw, he suddenly realized what task the King had just assigned him.

"King, you want me to be in charge of this lock business?"

Baifeng asked with a smile: "Why, you can't do it? You are the one who made the lock, and in all of Huaxia, you are the one who understands locks the best. If it isn't you, then who could it be? Who else would have this ability?"

Xi was very terrified: "I can't, King. I, I am only a Level 3 Carpenter. I can't do this. My ability isn't enough."

"Who says a Level 3 Carpenter's ability isn't enough? Didn't the Level 8 ones fail to make it? That shows you have your own skills." Baifeng also nodded directly at Ben: "You go get a blank Level 4 Certificate later; I will grant him a special approval to skip the exam for Level 4."

Ben didn't think there was any problem with this, because he felt that Xi had the ability. Looking at the things he made, they were very refined. In terms of ideas, Ben felt he was inferior to him. Xi was almost certain to reach Level 4 in the upcoming exams this year. Now that Baifeng had granted him special approval directly, it not only saved him the effort of the exam fee but was also a huge honor.

Xi was not a fool; he knew this was another reward for him and could only thank him repeatedly.

Baifeng told Xi to draw quickly, while his mouth was not idle, arranging work for Xi: "When the time comes, have Ben form a team. You will be responsible for drawing the designs and making the samples."

"Have the other Artisans carry out assembly-line production, using the best and hardest wood to make a batch of locks."

"Then, after the three types of locks you make come out, have people destroy them first to test their strength. See which one is the best and use that one. As for the assembly line, one is enough."

"After that, Ben, you have the Blacksmiths forge a few small ones for me, just this big—they need to be smaller than my palm. I have a use for them."

"And one more thing, Xi, you must make these keys different. Every key must only be able to open one lock. Do you understand?"

Xi looked up, very confused: "King, if we can't use the same key, then the key parts can't be made on an assembly line. They must be filed by hand to make them different."

Baifeng smiled very happily:

"It must be that one key can only open one lock; only then can security be guaranteed. If all locks could be opened with just one key, then what kind of locks would I be making?"

"Like you Carpenters, if you take a few more looks, you might be able to make one yourselves, so that won't do. Not only must the teeth of the keys be different, but it's best if there is a difference in length as well."

"If you finish making a single-toothed one and feel the security isn't strong enough, then make double-toothed, triple-toothed, or quadruple-toothed ones, right? If there are teeth on all four sides, then besides that one key, who else could open it, right? The assembly line can make other things, but for the key parts, you have to rely on talent."

"Xi, don't think you can't do it. In terms of making locks, you are the best. The things you design are, of course, best led by you; others are certainly not as good as you."

"If your technique isn't enough for now, let others do the work first. You are mainly for design. No one in Huaxia can replace you. Do you know that?"

Under Baifeng's encouragement and praise, Xi gradually grew in confidence. He nodded seriously at Baifeng, indicating that he would certainly not let down Baifeng's expectations. Baifeng always held great confidence and support for such young people; as long as they could achieve results, Baifeng would naturally not be stingy with his praise and rewards.

At Baifeng's signal, Xi continued to draw the tools he wanted. Because as an Artisan, being able to draw is a basic skill, Xi drew very neatly, and one could tell what they were at a glance.

The set of tools could be said to be varied. Besides the existing tools, what he wanted most was a set of Carving Knives he had designed himself. The Small Knives currently in Huaxia were not suitable for carving details; one could only use a Flat-headed Knife to carve. Although it wasn't impossible, it was harder to control and less efficient.

Baifeng only knew a little about seal carving and used Flat-headed Knives. He hadn't expected this young man to come up with a whole set of Wood Carving Knives with different shapes. Although Baifeng had a rough impression of them, Baifeng hadn't made them; it was Xi who made them, so the credit naturally belonged to Xi.

Furthermore, having created such a set of knives based on his own practice without having seen anything else, his talent went without saying.

Ben, who was also a Carpenter, immediately felt the benefits of such a set of tools. The look in his eyes when he looked at Xi was glowing; he hadn't expected this kid to keep surprising him.

Although Xi was not his apprentice, this talent was a bit too high. No, no, after going back, he must snatch Xi over to be his apprentice. In all of Huaxia City, who else was more suitable than him to teach such a genius?

Baifeng pointed at the drawing and said: "Good, good, good! Xi, I will have someone forge this set of tools for you immediately. Oh my, do you know that this is another merit of yours? Making such tools is another great thing for you Carpenters."

"However, I will still say that I cannot give you all the rewards at once. I have noted it down in my heart. When you have other merits in the future, I will reward you all together. Is that alright?"

Xi said with a red face: "No problem, King. The current reward is already enough for me."