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The spear and shield have always been eternal themes in warfare.
However, as Fei Qian perused the scrolls preserved by Huang Chengyan, it seemed that the "spear"—the section on weapons—was more detailed, while the "shield," or the section on protective armor, appeared somewhat lacking.
Of course, this was only Fei Qian's perspective. To others, the section on armor was still incredibly rich, detailing everything from the materials used to the methods of crafting.
According to the armor scroll, most armor was made from cowhide and painted with designs. Only armor containing metals like copper or iron could be called "kui" (铠), and the scroll explained the structure of such armor in detail, even specifying how to press and weave the armor plates.
In the Han Dynasty, there were two popular types of armor: "plated armor" (札甲) and "fish-scale armor" (鱼鳞铠). Both used iron plates, but the former used fewer, while the latter used more.
"Plated armor" was generally used by ordinary soldiers. The lowest grade was like a large vest, made by fixing and weaving large plates together, tied at the shoulders and under the arms, protecting only the chest and back. A more advanced version added a row of medium-sized plates to protect the waist and hips, along with shoulder guards.
"Fish-scale armor," on the other hand, became popular in the late Western Han Dynasty and continued into the Eastern Han. As the name suggests, it was made by weaving small iron plates together. Compared to the "plated armor," which protected fewer areas, the "fish-scale armor" added a "basin collar" to protect the neck, "arm guards" (钎) for the arms, and "leg skirts" (腿裙) for the legs.
Of course, the "fish-scale armor" required more craftsmanship and resources, so it was generally only worn by high-ranking generals.
And then.
That was it.
No chainmail, no plate armor.
While these also fell under the category of heavy armor, Fei Qian didn't see any mention of them in Huang Chengyan's scrolls.
In modern times, chainmail and plate armor were common in movies, TV shows, and even games, so Fei Qian had some knowledge of them. For example, plate armor was indeed the pinnacle of armor. European knights wore it like tin cans, and it was said that even lead bullets from matchlock guns couldn't penetrate it.
However, both types of armor required advanced metallurgical techniques, so it made sense that they didn't exist in the Eastern Han Dynasty. But was there a way to simplify the process and introduce armor with higher protective capabilities earlier? Or perhaps reduce the cost?
Thinking of this, Fei Qian turned to Huang Chengyan and asked, "Father-in-law, do we currently have any techniques for making iron wire or iron sheets?"
"Iron wire and iron sheets?" Huang Chengyan had noticed that Fei Qian was pondering something, but he knew Fei Qian wouldn't ask without reason, so he replied, "Iron sheets are generally forged. As for iron wire, are you referring to short pieces or long ones? Short pieces are usually forged directly, while long ones are made by heating iron rods and then drawing them out."
Huang Chengyan was quite familiar with the craft of metalworking.
"All done by manual labor?" If that was the case, whether forging or drawing, everything in the Han Dynasty relied on human labor. And if it all depended on manual labor, production couldn't be increased much. After all, no matter how strong a person was, they couldn't work 24 hours a day.
"Do you have any ideas, son-in-law?" Huang Chengyan asked with interest. He was quite pleased with Fei Qian, who often came up with innovative ideas. This was one of the reasons he had quickly decided to marry Huang Yueying to Fei Qian.
"It's hard to explain right now. How about we go to the workshop and take a look?" Fei Qian felt he had some vague ideas but couldn't quite articulate them, so he suggested.
After all, seeing firsthand how iron wire was made in the Han Dynasty might help. If production could be increased, some improvements could be implemented. The biggest issue with armor was the complexity of its production. If the process could be simplified or labor saved, the cost could be reduced.
Hearing that they were going to the workshop, Huang Yueying, who had been sitting quietly, couldn't stay still any longer. She blinked her big eyes and looked at Huang Chengyan.
Huang Chengyan glanced at her and knew what she was thinking. He coughed and subtly winked at Fei Qian, saying nothing. After all, Huang Yueying was now married, and some decisions couldn't be made solely by the Huang family. Fei Qian's opinion also mattered.
Huang Yueying immediately understood her father's hint and turned to Fei Qian, gently tugging at his sleeve.
Still immersed in thoughts about improving armor, Fei Qian turned and saw Huang Yueying's pleading eyes. His heart softened, and he said to Huang Chengyan, "Father-in-law, perhaps Yueying could. come along too?"
"Haha, of course! Let's all go together!" Huang Chengyan was pleased to see Fei Qian paying attention to Huang Yueying's feelings. As a father, he was naturally happy.
At the workshop, Huang Chengyan called over a craftsman and had him demonstrate the process of forging iron sheets and making iron wire.
The Huang family had many skilled craftsmen. Huang Chengyan didn't need to pick anyone special—it seemed like anyone he pulled from the crowd could do the job.
Forging iron sheets was similar to what Fei Qian had imagined. Heat the metal, then hammer it into shape.
But drawing iron wire was much more complicated. First, thin iron sheets were hammered out, then cut into thin strips with large iron shears. The strips were heated until red-hot, then pulled through a perforated iron plate using pliers.
It was labor-intensive and prone to inconsistencies.
Fei Qian began to understand why chainmail and plate armor hadn't appeared in this era. Given the metallurgical conditions, producing a single set of chainmail or plate armor would take as much time and effort as producing a dozen or even dozens of other types of "plated armor".
The main issue was the reliance on manual labor. A craftsman couldn't swing a hammer continuously for more than an hour without needing a break. A person's physical strength was limited, and even if working hours were extended, production would still be capped. The only way to increase output was to rely on external forces.
And among all external forces, the most stable and cost-effective was water power.
Fei Qian turned his gaze to the water-powered saw he had developed with the Huang family craftsmen. The more he looked at it, the more he realized that the working principles were the same. Forging required repetitive up-and-down motion, while wire drawing required repetitive horizontal motion. Both could be achieved by converting the circular motion of water power through mechanical means.
The only difference was that forging required high-speed hammering, while wire drawing required steady force. Both could be achieved using the same mechanism.
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