Lord: Start with a book of Water Margin

Chapter 252 Buddhist Instruments
In the bonesmith workshop, Li Gu's chronic illnesses have all disappeared since he took up his post as a heroic soldier, and he has burst into great enthusiasm for work.

The bone carving workshop now has 32 apprentices, led by Tang Sen's son Tang Shu and Ding Chou's son Ding Yi. These apprentices have already mastered the art, and the workshop produces no less than 50 bone-carved peony paintings a month. Due to the size and complexity of the patterns, the monthly output is no less than 2,000 guan. Excluding costs and those without attributes, the annual output is 20,000 guan.

As the saying goes, among the four professions in the world, there is no wealth without industry.

When Li Gu saw Zhao Zhen, he put down his work and hurried forward to pay his respects. He said, "Sir, these bones are actually of the highest rank. I am so lucky to be able to use bones of the highest rank."

Zhao Zhen asked, "I heard from Zhao Yuanli that you have done three extraordinary things?"

Li Gu said, "Manager Zhao is exaggerating. Ever since the great official sent the giant clam to me, I have been thinking about it day and night. This giant clam carved into a peony will not show its true color. And it needs something related to Buddhism, so I am bold and use the bone and wood inlay technique to make a giant clam inlay of the Heart Sutra of the Mahāprajnaparamita. Great official, follow me."

As he spoke, Li Gu led Zhao Zhen to the storeroom. As soon as they entered the room, they saw a Buddhist scripture hanging on the screen wall facing the door. Zhao Zhen looked at it:

world log
Bone and wood inlaid "Mahaprajnaparamita Heart Sutra" (Second level, red sandalwood as the base, inlaid with giant clam inscriptions. Worshipped in the Buddhist temple, it can gather the Buddha's light.)
Effect 1: Observe at all times to open up wisdom and guide people to be good.

Using a first-level giant clam, he actually made a second-level treasure. Li Gu's skills are getting better and better. It seems that if it is enshrined in the Buddhist temple, it can also generate a Buddha light effect.

Li Gu said, "Sir, this is the bone and wood inlay I made recently. The Heart Sutra was written by County Magistrate Xiao. It was cut and pasted on the slices cut from giant clam. It was cut with a fine saw and then pasted on the base. Then, a fine steel awl was used to trace the outline and chisel out the grooves. Finally, the giant clam characters were embedded in it and polished to make it balanced, and it was done."

Zhao Zhen praised him, "Manager Li, you are not conservative and are able to bring forth something new. This is very rare. This piece of bone and wood inlaid 'Heart Sutra' is a rare treasure. It just so happens that my wife's mother is a Buddhist, and I was wondering what gift to give her. With this treasure, the old lady will surely be happy. I will remember your merit and reward you with ten gold melon seeds this month."

After hearing this, Li Gu hurriedly thanked Zhao Zhen.

Li Gu said: "Back then, I had pneumoconiosis and had no food or clothing. It was all thanks to you, the master, that I was able to get by and receive spiritual objects. That is why I am where I am today."

Zhao Zhen said, "Manager Li, don't be too modest. You are an experienced craftsman who has been working for decades. When it comes to bone carving, who in Liangshan County dares to say that they can beat you?"

Li Gu blushed, pointed at the screen standing beside him, and said, "Sir, this second piece is an elephant bone peony screen made of elephant bones. Because elephant bones are rare, I dare not let my apprentices do it. I carved it myself, and I was very careful for fear of damage. Unexpectedly, it was also ranked first on the day it was completed."

world log
Elephant bone peony screen (first level)
Effect 2: Beautiful and graceful, flowers in full bloom, wealth +
Effect 2: White elephants are calm and the home is peaceful.

Li Gu continued, "Sir, this is the first peony bone sculpture I have made. After it was completed, I felt that it was transparent and all the difficult parts that I had previously understood were now clear."

Zhao Zhen looked at Li Gu's attributes again. Sure enough, from the 0th level 9 when he first came, he was now at the 2nd level 1. He was one step faster than himself in entering the nd level.

Zhao Zhen said: "This is a treasure for the entry level. This one is better than ten previous ones. This folding screen will be credited to you for your contribution. Although this elephant bone is rare, it is still a bone material of ordinary materials. The fact that you can make it into a treasure is a clear proof of your superb skills."

As he said this, he picked up the Ruyi on the table and started looking at it.

This Ruyi carved from giant clam does not contain many surprises.

White giant clam peony Ruyi (first level, carved from giant clam)
There is only one effect: Wealth +2. The entry level is entirely due to the material of the giant clam itself, and the characteristics of the seven treasures of Buddhism have not been brought into play.

There was also a box of beads of different sizes on the table. Zhao Zhen picked one up and took a look. After these beads were carved, they did not look like Buddhist treasures at all. They were just ordinary giant clam pillars.

This was exactly what Zhao Zhen had expected. If it was so easy to create a Buddhist treasure, he would not be the only one bidding when the auction was held.

Zhao Zhen smiled and said, "Manager Li, the giant clams will stay with you for now. There is no need to make any more. I will take these beads to the Buddhist temple and offer them for a while."

"During this period of time, you can look at the entry-level bone materials outside and see what you can do with them. When you are done, send them to Baishi Manor."

Li Gu responded, and Zhao Zhen ordered Zhang Qi and Zhong Lin to transport the Heart Sutra inlaid with bone and wood, the peony screen made of elephant bone, the Ruyi carved from giant clams, the beads, and the peony paintings made by the workshop in recent days back to Baishishan Valley.

Zhao Zhen rewarded everyone and then returned to Baishishan Valley by carriage.

The entire White Stone Manor began to be decorated yesterday, and now it is decorated with lights and colors, looking very festive.

After entering the manor, Zhao Zhen asked Zhao Yuanli to invite Guanghui.

Zhao Zhen said: "Master Guanghui, come and take a look at these beads."

Guanghui picked up the beads in the box, weighed them and said, "Master, do you think these beads are ordinary and do not have Buddha's light?"

"Yes, although these beads are only made of first-grade giant clams, as the seven treasures of Buddhism, these beads should have some Buddha light or something like that."

Guang Hui said: "Sir, although giant clams are one of the seven treasures of Buddhism, they cannot be made into Buddhist instruments simply by carving. If these beads want to become instruments, they must be blessed by high monks chanting mantras and offering incense. But it is hard to say how many they can become."

"It was also because I didn't explain it clearly that day. Sir, you can use two pieces of giant clam as containers and place them on the altar in the Buddhist hall. Over time, these giant clams will naturally be imbued with incense and Buddha nature. In the future, when you use them to carve, they will surely have Buddha's light. The second-level giant clam shell that I left behind is now enshrined in the main hall of the Pagoda Temple."

"I see. If that's the case, then doesn't it mean that bone materials like ivory can also be imbued with Buddha nature?"

Guang Hui said: "That being said, it will only take a long time and may not necessarily succeed. The reason why giant clam is easier to make is because it is special. All Buddhist sects list it as one of the seven treasures for this reason."

Zhao Zhen nodded, called Zhao Yuanli and said, "Yuanli, go get four jars of wine and go to the bone carving workshop to reward Li Gu and the other apprentices. Then bring back the giant clams there and inlay them with the beads, the Ruyi, and the Heart Sutra. Send them all to the Lotus Terrace Temple and ask Master Yuantong to enshrine them in the Buddhist hall and chant sutras for blessings."

Zhao Yuanli responded and went to make the arrangements.

(End of this chapter)