My life is like walking on thin ice

Chapter 38 Old Craftsman Qin
More than ten miles, converted into the weights and measures of later generations, is less than five kilometers;

After riding the carriage and wandering for a long time, Liu Rong saw a deserted courtyard.

——The reason why it is deserted everywhere is obviously because it was once cleared by the Shaofu.

Looking at the ruins of the courtyard, it was obvious that it had been abandoned for a long time.

"The young master Cen Mai is very good."

With just a few words, Liu Rong expressed his appreciation for Shaofu Ling Cenmai in a concise and comprehensive manner.

But don’t think that this dilapidated courtyard is just Cen Mai trying to squeeze out the emperor’s eldest son!
In fact, whether it is the various military workshops of Shaofu, or the light industry and handicraft workshops of the private sector, "secluded and uninhabited" is the first location selection factor in most cities.

What the Shaofu is guarding against is, of course, technology leaks at the national strategic level;
Even the folk handicraft industry also has a primitive sense of confidentiality.

And this time, Liu Rong obviously couldn't risk the world's disapproval simply because he wanted to make a toy, and as the eldest son of the emperor, he intervened in the taboo-ridden young mansion.

——To put it more seriously, Liu Rong will rely on what he made this time to take his first shot at the reserve position!
Speaking more broadly, this is the first time since the death of the late emperor that the eldest son of the emperor has come into the public eye both inside and outside the court with a serious matter.

Therefore, even if this courtyard, or 'workshop', is not big, and has been deserted and abandoned for a long time, Liu Rong will not feel neglected at all.

Not only did I not feel neglected, but I also felt: Well, Cen Mai, the young master, is quite sensible...

"Big brother?"

After getting off the carriage and stopping outside the workshop for a long time, Young Master Xuan Ming's brows only grew tighter.

He shouted softly, but he didn't see the expected anger on Liu Rong's face.

"walk into."

Liu Rong pretended not to notice the looks on his two brothers' faces, greeted them casually, and stepped forward immediately.

Entering the courtyard, the burly craftsmen who were originally resting in various directions gathered in the center of the hall at the moment Liu Rong entered the courtyard.

"I've met the eldest son of the emperor."

"——Meet the eldest son of the emperor."

There is no imaginary three kowtows and nine bows, and there is not even a fearful bow;
He just raised his hands and leaned over briefly, and he said hello to Liu Rong.

On the contrary, it was Liu Rong who had a warm smile on his face the moment he stepped across the threshold of the courtyard gate. When he saw the craftsmen raising their hands, he hurriedly returned the favor.

This may seem strange to those who don't know why.

——The majestic eldest son, half-to-be heir apparent, needs to be so courteous to these vulgar craftsmen?
Even if it is necessary, how can these craftsmen dare to be so generous?

In fact, when it comes to status, there are really only a few of these craftsmen present who are unknown.

Then he said that the black-faced old craftsman standing at the front and closest to Liu Rong, who was vaguely the head of all the craftsmen, was the best craftsman in the Shaofu, a master of technology!
According to Liu Rong's understanding, this old craftsman's surname is Qin. He is about in his early fifties. Not only is he proficient in making various metal tools and armor, he is also very skilled in frying steel!
Today, the annual steel production of the Han Dynasty, or Shaofu, is about 8,000 kilograms - without exception, it is all fried steel.

And this old craftsman Qin alone can contribute more than 200 kilograms of fried steel output, accounting for one-fortieth of the Shaofu's total output!

For such a great craftsman, the young master regarded him as a treasure. Not only did he apply for a job level of eight hundred dan, but he also paid for it out of his own pocket in addition to the salary distributed by the court. Super high treatment of wine, meat and cloth.

Calculated, Old Craftsman Qin's total annual income is no less than the ordinary salary of two thousand dan, and the output of most of the feudal lords in Guannei.

Liu Rong is not sure yet about the specific background of Old Craftsman Qin;
But Liu Rong knew: Even in front of the emperor's father, this old craftsman Qin could still drink a bowl of tea and say a few words.

If Cen Mai, the young master's order, was also present, he would treat Old Craftsman Qin as his son-nephew and treat him like an elder.

As for the rest of them, although they are not as powerful as Old Craftsman Qin, they are all related to Old Craftsman Qin - either apprentices or disciples, or directly the nephews that Old Craftsman Qin regards as the heirs to his mantle.

After all, there are a total of twenty craftsmen in the small courtyard, and fourteen of them are named Qin!

"How dare you, young man? I have troubled Duke Qin this time, please don't blame Duke Qin..." After briefly glancing at the people in the courtyard, Liu Rong straightened his clothes solemnly, then stepped forward and bowed to Old Craftsman Qin.

With Liu Rong acting like this, Old Craftsman Qin didn't touch Qiao, and forced a deliberate smile on his dark face.

"Sir, I'm serious."

"My generation of craftsmen all receive the salary issued by the Prime Minister's Palace and record their names in the "Artisans and Officials Book" of the Shaofu. Although they are not officials, they shamelessly call themselves Han officials."

"Your Majesty has an order, but we dare not disobey him. We should use our humble talents to do the work of dogs and horses for the young master."

"I just don't know that this time, the young master wants to make me wait..."

In today's Han family, the status of craftsmen is actually not very high.

As the saying goes: scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants, we call them people.

As a craftsman whose social status is lower than that of a farmer and only slightly higher than that of a 'merchant and a lowly household', in most cases, the social situation is barely enough to survive starvation.

But there is also a difference between craftsmen and craftsmen.

In particular, the gap between the craftsmen in the countryside and the "official craftsmen" named in the Shaofu is even more profound.

Then he said that this old craftsman Qin was just a craftsman, and even though he had half an official status, he was only at the level of eight hundred stones;
But when he came to Liu Rong, he could ask so straightforwardly: Why did the eldest son of the emperor come to us?
In response to this, Liu Rong, the majestic eldest son, had to apologize immediately: "It's my fault as a junior to bother Qin Gong and delay the other princes' business."

"Now, the imperial court is in a troubled time. In the next few years, there may be drastic changes in Guandong."

"After much thought, I boldly asked my father to help me make some utensils..."

Regarding Old Craftsman Qin, Liu Rong's attitude was very low.

Not only because he was asking for help, but also because this old craftsman Qin deserved such courtesy from Liu Rong.

After hearing Liu Rong's words, Old Craftsman Qin's face softened slightly and he just nodded silently.

Mr. Qin didn't know much about the affairs in the court, and he wasn't interested.

But from the meaning of Liu Rong's words, it was obvious that he was not just sitting around doing random things and wasting his time.

As for what Liu Rong said about "preparing for the great changes in Guandong and asking the princes to make some utensils", it was subconsciously filtered out by Old Craftsman Qin.

——Liu Rongnian was only fifteen or sixteen, and he was born in a deep palace. He grew up with the hands of a woman. He probably walked out of the palace more times than he did when he entered the palace to see His Majesty!

How can such a pampered young man make any useful appliances?

Old Craftsman Qin did not dare to expect anything else, he only asked Liu Rong not to be too harsh;
Hurry up and make Liu Rong's whimsical toy, so that you can return to your post and get back to business.

Thinking of this, Old Craftsman Qin finally raised his head and said again: "Most of our craftsmen are rough men with no ideas and no knowledge."

"Young master, if you have any ideas, you can speak out."

But when Liu Rong heard this, he immediately put his hand into his sleeve with a smile, and then under the gaze of Old Craftsman Qin, he took out seven or eight pieces of silk cloth one after another, and then handed it over with a smile.

While reaching out to take the silk cloth that Liu Rong handed over, Old Craftsman Qin couldn't help but curse secretly: These dandy boys, who don't know anything about frugality, actually use cloth to paint...

"Ok?"

Before he finished his slander, Old Craftsman Qin's eyes fell on the silk cloth, the dense lines, and the text signs that could be seen everywhere.

After just one glance, Old Craftsman Qin couldn't take his eyes off the silk cloth, let alone complained about Liu Rong's waste of natural resources and used the cloth to paint.

(End of this chapter)