As a blacksmith's apprentice, my day began with chopping wood and fetching water.,That old geezer, Sun Fatty, was considered a half-decent master craftsman. He oversaw ten or so apprentices and managed the food and lodging for the over a hundred people working at the weapons forge. His temper was notoriously bad, and beating and scolding his apprentices was commonplace.,The apprentices huddled in groups of three or four, squatting against the walls. Li Yuan sat hunched over his bowl in a corner, his shoulders aching from fatigue as he ate the steamed buns. A bitter feeling welled up within him.。