Chapter Four: The Handcrafted Oxygen Apparatus

Uncle Li did not exaggerate in the slightest—Old Zhang was indeed a master craftsman of the army in his day, a man of unrivaled skill. After Mo Dun explained his requirements, Old Zhang was able to make the object with precision; at times, he even anticipated problems Mo Dun had not foreseen himself.

“Young master! It’s finished!” Old Zhang applied an unknown adhesive, sealed the contraption, and placed it on the table.

Immediately, a cluster of heads gathered around.

Before them sat an object resembling a small drum. One flat side bore a hand crank, with a long leather tube attached at the end. When Mo Dun stepped forward and gave the crank a gentle turn, the tube quickly filled with air, which was then expelled from the tip. Feeling the stream of air emerging, Mo Dun nodded, satisfied.

“That’s it? And this thing will keep the fish alive?” Li Yi’s face was full of skepticism.

“Of course! If you doubt it, you’ll see for yourself tomorrow,” Mo Dun replied, glancing with pride at the simple hand-cranked oxygenator in his hand.

Oxygenators would, in later years, become a common sight in fish markets—nothing rare about them, and most ran on electricity, saving time and effort. The oxygenator Mo Dun had fashioned, however, required manual labor, making it far more troublesome. Yet in this place and time, it was a revolutionary invention. With it, not only could fish be transported all the way to Chang’an, but even if they were kept for a year or more, there would be no problem.

“Uncle Zhang, I owe you greatly for this,” Mo Dun said gratefully. Without this master craftsman from the army, all Mo Dun’s ideas would have come to nothing.

“You flatter me, young master,” Old Zhang replied, his voice laced with emotion. “I don’t know where you learned of such a method, but I have a feeling that, this time, we’re bound for success!”

“Truly?”

The crowd rejoiced. Old Zhang was a renowned craftsman—even in the elite arsenal of the army, he was second to none. If such a seemingly outlandish device could win his praise, then their confidence naturally soared.

“All credit goes to your hands, Uncle Zhang,” Mo Dun said. “But as miraculous as this method seems, it is only because no one has thought of it before. If the principle is uncovered, others could copy it, and then our village’s advantage would be lost. I ask that you keep this a secret.”

“Rest assured, young master,” Old Zhang promised loudly. “I am a member of the Mo family village, and this concerns the survival of thousands. I would sooner lay down my life than reveal this secret. I will personally craft every part; no one else will lay a hand on it. Even if a knife were pressed to my throat, I would not divulge a word.”

“That won’t do, Uncle Zhang. If it truly comes to that, your safety is paramount. In my eyes, even this formula is not as important as you. If something happened to you, I would regret it for the rest of my life,” Mo Dun said solemnly.

“Young master, you are too kind.” Old Zhang was deeply moved. In these times, craftsmen held low status, even one as skilled as Old Zhang. For Mo Dun to value him above a secret worth a fortune—how could he not be touched?

Bang! Li Yi slammed the table and stood, his voice resounding, “Young master, fear not! Our Mo family village is not to be trifled with. Should anyone dare threaten us, they’ll never leave in one piece!”

Li Yi’s hair and beard bristled with anger, a murderous air about him—as if the fierce warrior who once charged the battlefield seven times had returned.

Indeed, the Mo family village was made up of descendants of retired soldiers, where martial traditions thrived. They had never lost to neighboring villages in a fight.

It could be said that the village’s fearsome reputation stemmed half from poverty and half from ferocity.

Zi Yi, who had never seen Li Yi so fierce, shrank back in fright.

“Uncle Li, calm yourself!” Mo Dun called out quickly, seeking to quell his fury.

“My apologies, young master. I lost my composure,” Li Yi said, noticing Zi Yi’s fright and apologizing repeatedly.

Just then, a loud voice rang out.

“Young master, the fish are here!” Old Fu’s voice boomed from the entrance.

At once, everyone stood, eyes brimming with anticipation. The moment of truth had come—if Mo Dun’s plan succeeded, the village’s fortunes would be transformed.

A water cart, pulled by four young men from the village, was wheeled in. Master Yu led the way, directing them where to stop.

Zi Yi, ever lively, dashed forward immediately and tried to peer inside, only to find the cart sealed.

“Uncle Yu! Hurry and open it!” she called sweetly.

“Young master!” Master Yu greeted, waving a hand for the four villagers to open the cart.

“So many fish!” The crowd craned their necks, exclaiming in surprise.

Within, a dense mass of fish—at least fifty, each weighing about five pounds. With so many fish and so little water, the oxygen was nearly depleted; many were already surfacing, gasping for air.

“Young master, are you sure this will work? Normally, fish kept like this wouldn’t survive half an hour,” Old Fu said with concern.

The Mo family village was desperately poor—if these fifty fish died needlessly, the loss would be severe.

“Half an hour?” Mo Dun smiled faintly, confident as he stroked the oxygenator. “Leave two people here, and I guarantee you’ll see live fish tomorrow.”

Seeing Mo Dun’s confidence, the crowd at last began to believe in his plan; hope gleamed in their eyes.

“Yu Er, Li Xin! You two stay behind and follow the young master’s instructions!” Li Yi ordered, pointing to two young men in their twenties.

“Yes!” they answered in unison.

Yu Er was Master Yu’s second son; Li Xin, Li Yi’s eldest. Both had heard from their fathers what the young master intended. If they helped him succeed, the first to benefit would be themselves. The thought filled them with energy.

“Wheel the cart into the side room—this will be the secret of our Mo family village. You two must keep silent about it. If outsiders learn, our advantage will vanish,” Mo Dun warned them solemnly.

“Rest assured, young master! If they threaten the village’s future, I’ll deal with them myself!” Li Yi growled, glaring at Li Xin, who shivered instinctively. Mo Dun, thinking of his own experiences, looked at Li Xin with a trace of sympathy.

Master Yu also gave his son a stern warning.

“Don’t worry, young master—we know what’s at stake. Our lips are sealed!” Li Xin and Yu Er promised quickly.

With a clang, Mo Dun led them into the side room, shutting the door firmly behind them, blocking out the curious stares—including those of Zi Yi, whose pouting lips showed her frustration at being denied.

Yet the elders were all the more pleased; Mo Dun’s caution was proof of how seriously he took the matter, which further bolstered their confidence.

With a creak, the door to the side room opened; Mo Dun emerged, followed by the sound of the bolt sliding home inside.

“Does the tool work?” Old Zhang asked anxiously.

Mo Dun smiled and announced loudly, “It works perfectly. Come tomorrow, and you’ll see the fish still lively as ever!”

A cheer erupted from the crowd outside.

Within the side room, Li Xin and Yu Er looked at each other in amazement, their only companions the rhythmic crank of the oxygenator and the bubbling of air in water.

Staring at the device in their hands, toy-like in its simplicity, they could not help but wonder, “Can it really be this simple?”