Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 254 Copper Plate
In the afternoon, seeing that the road surface was a little dry, Wang Xiaolie and Chen Yuyi went down the mountain to return to Xiangyang Mansion.Zeng Dun's family and two calligraphers and painters are waiting for the edict. Because they have family members and have to pack up and salute, they will meet at the Yamen when they arrive in Xiangyang.

After descending the mountain, Wang Xiaolie turned around and looked back.After the rain, Lumen Mountain is about to become lush and lush, and the mountain gate is hidden in a piece of emerald green.The mountainside is shrouded in clouds and mist, like a fairyland.Occasionally a few egrets fly by, evoking a lot of emotion.

Thinking of the long lake green dress I saw yesterday afternoon, I couldn't help but secretly sighed.Until now, Wang Xiaolie didn't know the name of that person, nor did he know if he would see him in the future.I can't help but feel melancholy.See you later, will you still feel this way?If not, you may never find it again.Like a dream, there is no trace afterward.

Back at the Yamen, Wang Xiaolie ordered Chen Qiudao to prepare for the ritual.He also sent ten ultimatums and asked him to hand them over to Lumen Temple.As the largest temple in Xiangyang, it is not too much to accept ten monks a year.In addition to being a Buddhist resort, Lumen Temple has other functions.

Not giving a degree certificate is because Wang Xiaolie hopes to control the scale of religion, and at the same time he despises selling degree certificates.Now giving another ten is the result of Wang Xiaolie's careful consideration.Buddhism has a long tradition in China, and it is impossible to completely abolish it all at once.

On the third day, Zeng Dun, Li Tang and others went to Xiangyang to meet Wang Xiaolie.Wang Xiaolie asked Zeng Dun to work in Xiangyang Mansion, which was arranged by Chen Qiudao.Twenty cents a month is enough for him to support his family.Li Tang and Li Di were called to the study, and Wang Xiaolie had something to ask.

Have the two of you sit down.Wang Xiaolie said: "I have a matter here, and I am going to use people who are good at calligraphy and painting."

Li Tangxu sat down.He cupped his hands and said: "I have been in the painting academy for many years, and I am good at all landscapes and figures. After observing and ordering, we paint with our hearts. If you want to be good, you will naturally have a good painting method. If you are in a hurry, there are also short-term painting methods."

Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "I don't know much about calligraphy and painting, so I won't interfere with you. In the past few years, the surrounding area has been turbulent, and Xiangyang is still relatively safe, and the market is prosperous. When the market is prosperous, it seems that money is scarce. Therefore, I am going to print some Huizi, let the people use it."

Li Tang said with a smile: "The meeting has been printed many times by the imperial court, and there are all formats. What's the problem?"

Wang Xiaoli said: "In the past, the imperial court's seals were too simple, with different formats. One is that it is easy to be forged, and the other is that it is not conducive to use. I want to carefully engrave the block, print some money with a uniform number, and use it for a few more years. "

How could Li Tang figure out what it would look like?After thinking for a while, I had to shake my head: "I don't know what kind of money the observation will print?"

Wang Xiaolie said: "Bronze is used for copper money. If it is used to make big money and is popular in the world, it is inevitable that someone will destroy the money and recast it. Therefore, it is not suitable to be five coins or ten coins. I want to print it directly on paper, such as Huizi. Generally, it is used as proof of a large amount of money. Now I think of ten, twenty, fifty, etc., and then there can be hundreds of coins, five hundred coins, until there is always enough. The amount of such money must not be large. At least, copper plates should be used—”

Li Tang said with a smile: "Many of today's conferences are printed with copper plates."

Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "I know. However, the current copper plate is cast, which is too rough. As long as there is an ingenious person, as long as there is a heart, it is not difficult to forge. The copper plate I mentioned is to be carved, just like painting. Same."

Li Tang looked at Li Di and shook his head again and again: "Officer, copper is much harder, how can you carve it? With such a skillful hand, there is no such hard knife in the world that can paint on copper. I am a painter, although I know something about seal cutting, but I'm not proficient in it."

Wang Xiaolie said: "I know. What you need is for you to draw and find someone else to engrave. If you draw well, the engraver can engrave it well. And with you watching, the engraver can only engrave well if the engraver works hard. "

Li Tang bowed his head and thought for a long time before saying: "According to observation, it seems feasible. However, engraving is not an ordinary thing, and it is so difficult to engrave on a copper plate! Not only is the hand dexterous, the copper is too hard, but the painting is so delicate. I'm afraid it's hard to achieve."

Wang Xiaolie nodded and said: "I know about this. In the past two years, the two Huaihe Rivers have been in turmoil, and many engraving workers have been exiled to other places. I have printed a lot of books here and have taken in many engraving workers from Luotian County, Qizhou. We selected some dexterous people and practiced engraving copperplates all the time. Although engraving is not easy, there are always a few outstanding ones in two years."

Luotian is the place where engraving workers gathered in the Song Dynasty, and many ancestral engraving families.Children have learned to engrave characters since they are sensible, and they can travel around the world when they are well practiced.Many of these engraving workers do not know how to write, but it does not prevent them from engraving good characters.

Li Tang thought and thought.He said: "When I was at Lumen Temple, the young lady from Lin Guanren's family followed me to learn painting and was also good at seal carving. If it is necessary for observation, you can call this young lady to come and help."

Wang Xiaolie's heart skipped a beat.In Lumen Temple, Li Tang had mentioned this lady Lin, and now he mentioned it again, it seems that he likes it very much.Asked: "I don't know where this Mrs. Lin is from? What does the family do?"

Li Tangdao: "Her father is a businessman. Because her brother was a Jinshi, he followed him to the capital. He didn't want the gold captives to commit crimes in the south. After his brother died, he was exiled in the Central Plains. Because he has some relatives with the Wei family in Dengcheng, he lived temporarily in the past year. There. Zeng Dun returned home, thinking about going back to Jiangnan together."

Wang Xiaolie nodded: "It's also a poor family. How old is this little lady?"

Li Tangdao: "This year. I have been studying since I was a child, and I am good at painting and seal cutting. I look good, as if I fell from the sky."

Wang Xiaolie thought for a while and said, "You are young, men and women are different, I'm afraid it's not easy to come out and do things."

Li Tang said with a smile: "The officials are joking. In this year, many young ladies in the official's family imitate the appearance in the palace, wearing men's clothing, and come out to see the bustling market. When doing things, let Miss Lin wear men's clothing, who said she!"

In the palace of the Song Dynasty, men's clothing was popular among female officials, which was a fad for a while.This trend spread to the palace, and many women followed suit.During the Taiping period, many female relatives of big families in Kaifeng city changed into men's clothes and went out to visit mountains and rivers.

Women in the Song Dynasty were not like the later Ming and Qing Dynasties.Especially in the Northern Song Dynasty, although it was not as convenient as men, women were not kept at home.Especially the lower level, there is not so much attention.

Wang Xiaolie thought for a while and said: "Since that's the case, I'll bring her with me when I wait for the imperial edict tomorrow. He's really capable, so naturally I will use him."

Li Tang thanked you.A little embarrassed said: "To be honest, Guan Zeng has been out for a long time, and his money is shy, so he wants to work in the yamen. The Lin family has lived in exile for a long time, and the life is not rich—"

After hearing this, why didn't Wang Xiaolie understand?Li Tang tried his best to recommend Miss Lin as capable, but he just wanted to make some money.Her father was a businessman, and without capital, he couldn't make money.It used to be a wealthy family, so I didn't get used to it for a while.

Over the past few years, Wang Xiaolie has seen bankrupt families the most, and he can't help them even if he wants to.Wang Xiaolie's principle is that as long as he has hands and feet, he can make money by himself, and the Yamen will not spend money to support idlers.People like Li Tang lived in Lumen Temple for many days, so they should have heard of it.I couldn't live in the temple any longer, so I thought about finding a job here instead of asking for money.

Seeing Li Tang's appearance was a little embarrassing.Wang Xiaolie said: "Sure enough, if you have the ability, you will naturally get the money. If you just come here to grab the head, then there is no need. The salary to be ordered can still be supported by a few people."

(End of this chapter)