The literary giants of the late Ming Dynasty began by copying books

Chapter 202 Trinity Religion

"My father was also led to believe in the Trinity religion. After listening to it twice, he didn't realize what it meant, so he stopped contacting him. However, this religion is extremely popular. In Fuqing alone, there are three people who believe in this religion and have achieved great fame. There are more candidates, one Jinshi, and more in Fuzhou." Chen Jinglun introduced Wang Wenlong and named a few of them. Wang Wenlong was dumbfounded. The strength of the Trinity Church in Fuzhou should not be underestimated.

According to Chen Jinglun, there are now at least 2,000 Trinity believers in Fuzhou and its counties, and more than half of them are literate, and there are no less than 200 people who have the title of scholar or above.

"The Xia Sect's missionary leader in Fuzhou is named Chen Biao, and he is responsible for the affairs of the Fuzhou diocese."

After listening to Chen Jinglun's words, Wang Wenlong asked: "My friend knows the assistant of Zhang Hongdu, his senior executive, and originally wanted to find him directly. According to this, if he wants to find that senior figure, he should first meet with Chen Biao, the head coach of Fuzhou. How about a face?"

Chen Jinglun nodded and said, "I don't know if there is such a taboo in their religion, but I recognize Chen Biao and can recommend him to Jianyang."

Xu Xueju said: "This is the best."

Wang Wenlong nodded and said to Chen Jinglun, "Excuse me, brother Jinglun."

Chen Jinglun went home and wrote a post, and within two days he brought Wang Wenlong and his assistant You Siyi to the Trinity Church in Fuzhou.

This church is a bit like a Buddhist and Taoist temple, but there is a plaque on it that says "Three Religions Unify". There is also a large cemetery behind the church, which is dedicated to the burial of the orphans and helpless people.

Chen Biao was only in his early thirties this year. He was broad-minded and fat. He didn't dress like a Taoist priest. From his appearance, one might have thought he was a Confucian scholar. He greeted Wang Wenlong out before he could enter.

Chen Biao said quickly, "What does Mr. Jianyang want from me?"

Wang Wenlong did not hesitate and said directly: "The weather in Fujian this year is not good, and I am afraid there will be a famine. Master Fantai wants to quickly promote sweet potatoes and potatoes, and I would like to ask for help from your teachers."

While he was speaking, people under Chen Biao kept coming to inquire. It turned out that the Trinity Church was also extremely busy during the great disaster. In the past few days, it had also been giving out soup and medicine and constantly gathering refugees around Fuzhou. On the one hand, To do meritorious deeds, on the other hand, these helpless refugees are good targets for missionary work.

After listening to Wang Wenlong's words, Chen Biao nodded and said: "This is an excellent matter, but I can only mobilize the manpower in Fuzhou. If I want the whole teaching to cooperate, I need the approval of the big shots."

"I wonder if there's any big shot nearby that I can talk to?"

Chen Biao said: "Zhang Hongdu, a direct disciple of the old leader, is in Fuzhou."

Hearing this, the three of them were all pleasantly surprised. You Siyi quickly said: "Master Chen, I am also a member of Xia Jiao, and my brother is You Sizhong."

Chen Biao nodded in surprise, looked at You Siyi and smiled: "Master Zhang will definitely be willing to meet you."

Chen Biao was also a scholar and a native of Putian. He joined Lin Zhaoen's team to fight against Japanese pirates more than ten years ago and gradually became a religious believer. He was considered Lin Zhaoen's disciple and a generation younger than Zhang Hong.

Wang Wenlong was left to rest in the temple by Chen Biao. Chen Biao went to help him contact people. Chen Biao worked in a hurry, but after an hour he took Wang Wenlong with him to find Zhang Hongdu.

The place where Zhang Hongdu lives is a quiet courtyard in Fuzhou City. It covers an extremely large area and there are many people coming and going in the courtyard.

Chen Biao bowed to the believers and went in. As he walked inside, Wang Wenlong felt more and more familiar with the surrounding scene. In the courtyard, there were people carving blocks, some adjusting ink, and others revising manuscripts over and over again. This was completely a printing workshop.

Chen Biao came outside a small house and said to the boy: "Excuse me, Chen Biao has brought Mr. Jianyang to see Master Zhang."

Not long after the boy entered, he came out and said, "Master Zhang, please come in."

When Wang Wenlong and Chen Biao walked into the room together, they saw Zhang Hongdu lying on the desk and writing furiously. There was a stack of engraved manuscripts beside his hand. At first glance, it was a book sample. The cover clearly read "Lin Zi's Implementation Record". 》, and there were two or three disciples waiting on him.

As soon as the two of them entered the room, Zhang Hongdu raised his head. He was already over fifty years old and dressed simply, but one look at his appearance showed that he was a well-educated man.

Zhang Hongdu saw Wang Wenlong come in and picked up a book sample at hand and asked Wang Wenlong:

"Well done, Mr. Jianyang. If nothing else, I have a question first: the ink we use from Fuzhou is always uneven. I know that this ink was invented by Mr. Jianyang. I don't know how to print it like this. Is good?"

Wang Wenlong took a look at the book sample in Zhang Hongdu's hand and saw that the handwriting on the book sample was mottled and unclear, thick in some places and light in other places, and there was obvious oil leakage. The printing quality was indeed very poor. .

Wang Wenlong said with a smile: "If you use the ink produced in my workshop, the quality can be guaranteed. Most of the time it is left for too long, causing the ink to stratify. When you use it, you can pour out half of the ink first, and then add the other half of the ink." Grind a cup of turpentine slowly, wait until all the ink that sinks to the bottom becomes a fluid state, then mix the previously poured ink and the stirred ink evenly, and then print according to the law and there will be no problems. "

Zhang Hongdu nodded, cupped his hands to Wang Wenlong and said, "Thank you, Mr. Jianyang, for clearing up the confusion." Then he quickly said to his disciple, "Hurry up and try printing another edition."

The two disciples hurried away, and Zhang Hongdu put down his writing and smiled at Wang Wenlong: "Chen Biao said that Duke Jianyang wants to cooperate with our sect?"

Wang Wenlong nodded and said: "I'm afraid there will be problems with the climate in Fujian this year, and the famine will continue. Last year, the Yamen introduced potatoes from other places and vigorously promoted sweet potatoes. Both crops can survive countless people, but rich and powerful families often don't want to." Planting, we want to join forces with Trinity Church to promote sweet potato and potato planting.”

Zhang Hongdu thought for a while after hearing this: "Farming? There is really no one in our religion who is responsible for this. If I want to help, I don't know how."

Wang Wenlong thought Zhang Hong was trying to shirk the blame, so he quickly said: "This matter is what Lord Fantai wants. Xu Fantai and Zeng Futai will come forward. If successful, it will definitely help the Trinity Church increase its reputation."

At this time, Chen Biao had gone out. Wang Wenlong looked at no one around and whispered to Zhang Hongdu: "I am a shareholder of Xiangfei Sha. The business of the yarn mill is very good. I am planning to increase capital and expand shares. If Mr. Zhang can help, In this matter, Mr. Zhang can be allowed to invest in the company, and the profits will definitely be huge."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hongdu shook his head and said with a smile: "I'm not trying to shirk the blame. There are actually some difficulties, and I can't do the silk business. Reeling silk and raising silkworms is killing."

Wang Wenlong looked at Zhang Hongdu blankly, and then realized that although Zhang Hongdu's clothes were of high quality, they were basically made of cloth, and there was indeed no silk at all.

After some questioning, he learned that the Trinity sect is a fusion of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It also advocates vegetarianism, but it does not require a vegetarian diet like Buddhism. It only requires the disciples to refrain from killing as much as possible, such as including one meal in three meals. If you are a vegetarian, for example, if you can wear cloth to keep warm, there is no need to kill animals and wear silk.

It's not that Zhang Hongdu doesn't want to help, but that the current leader of Trinity, Lin Zhaoen, is dead, and Trinity has tended to split. It's not something he can decide in a single word whether to unite to do big things.

(End of this chapter)