In early spring, the grass and trees sprout, the fields are already green, and some unknown flowers are red and yellow, colorful and brilliant in the sun.
Yang Anxuan and Yin Dun walked along the path between the houses, followed by their cousin Yang Yu; the famous scholar Gao Yun talked and laughed with Deng Xian, the eldest son of Deng, and Gao Guang followed his uncle and talked in low voices with Wei Ziye, Gongsun He and others ; Behind them were more than twenty people, mostly children of three tribes.
All of them wore long robes with folded turbans and long sleeves. Many of them also applied fragrant powder on their faces, or used feather fans or crotch tails. The fragrant wind blew and laughter continued.
In a small pavilion in the mountains, Yin Dun pointed at the spring scenery in front of him and smiled: "With such a beautiful scenery, how can there be no poetry? Does An Xuan have any good poetry?"
After Fenghuang Tower composed his poem, Yang Anxuan's poetry became famous far and wide. Gao Yun shook his tail and said, "An Xuan, wait a minute. If you write the poem first, others won't have to do it."
Today at the Yinjiazhuang elegant gathering, many people have prepared poems in advance and are ready to show off their talents.
As soon as Gao Yun finished speaking, someone impatiently chanted: "I have a poem, please correct me. 'The spring breeze blows the tender grass...'"
After he finished reciting, Gongsunhe said: "The grass by the river is green in spring, and the tips of the small peaches are red..."
One by one, Yang Anxuan listened with a smile. These poems are either elegant and euphemistic, or light and simple, all blending scenes and expressing emotions through objects. There are many good poems like Gongsunhe's. It is a pity that these poems disappeared due to war, chaos and disasters, and only a few of them have been handed down to the world.
After everyone finished chanting, Yin Dun smiled and said, "An Xuan, it's your turn."
There are so many good poems by Yin Chun, but Yang Anxuan knows that stealing the limelight is resented. If he keeps silent, it will make people feel that he has exhausted his talents, and they may even suspect that the works he wrote in Phoenix Tower were ghostwritten by others.
After thinking for a moment, Yang Anxuan said: "Today's gathering, all the talented people are doing great work, Yang does not dare to laugh at the generosity. Just passing by the stream, I saw weeping willows on the bank, and Yang accidentally said, 'The spring breeze cuts the thin willows, and the miscellaneous trees. "Sheng Hongying', if you don't mind it being crude, you might as well continue the following couplets."
"The spring breeze cuts the thin willows, and the miscellaneous trees grow red flowers." Gao Yun tapped his palms with the tail of the croaker and praised: "Okay, the magic lies in the word "cutting", the spring breeze uses its skillful hands, and the earth returns to spring." An Xuan said this sentence Extraordinary, worthy of the name of the poem. I also got a saying, 'The drizzle spits out the flower stamens, and the bees and butterflies are diligent and busy'."
After reciting it, he twisted his beard and recited it again and again. Gao Yun felt quite satisfied and said to Yin Dun: "Niece Dun, when we gather today, we can learn from the Lanting gathering and collect the poems into a volume and pass it on as a good story."
Yin Dun smiled and said: "What Gao Gong proposed is very good. Dun will order someone to record it and ask Gao Gong to write a preface."
Gao Yun's calligraphy was powerful and was rated as the fifth grade, so Yin Dun wanted him to write the preface. Gao Yun flicked his sleeves and said with a smile: "That's what you wish for."
Everyone was very excited when they heard that they were preparing to write a preface to the Lanting Gathering. Gao Guang was the first to chant: "Egrets fly high in the sky, and swallows carry mud low in their mouths."
People around him either raised their heads to look at the sky, or twirled their beards and groaned, or leaned against the tree alone and thought, or several people whispered to each other. When Yang Anxuan saw Yin Dun, he also frowned in thought, without making a sound to disturb, and moved to the pavilion to look into the distance.
The weather was getting warmer, and people were plowing in the fields. With sharp eyes, Yang Anxuan saw two cows carrying shafts on their shoulders, and someone behind them was holding a plow to plow the field. It was a straight shaft plow, and he suddenly remembered that the curved shaft plow only appeared in the Tang Dynasty.
The straight-shaft plow was difficult to turn, plowing the land was laborious, and required two oxen. The curved shaft plow shortens the plow frame and installs plow blades and plow walls, allowing two oxen to pull the plow into one ox. It realizes deep plowing, flexible operation, saves human and animal power, improves productivity, and promotes the prosperity of agricultural production. , which laid the foundation for the prosperous age of the Tang Dynasty.
The Quyu plow has been in use for more than a thousand years. In his previous life, Yang Anxuan used the Quyu plow to help his father plow the ground. He knew the structure of the Quyu plow very well. If the Quyu plow were popularized, it would be enough to change the entire historical process.
Thinking of the weak people in front of the soup pot, Yang Anxuan's heart was filled with enthusiasm. It would be a great good thing for the people of the world to save a few people from starving to death in these troubled times. Even if I only did this thing during my time travel, I would still be proud of myself.
Starting from the first lunar month every year, the imperial court would issue edicts to encourage farmers, requiring state, county and county officials to urge the people to pay attention to farming and not miss the farming season.
Offering the Quyuan plow can win fame and get praise from the court, which will be of great benefit to the brand, and is good for his father and even the Yang family; if it is a small theory, it can change the farming status of Xinye County and let the people Cultivate more fields, harvest three to five buckets more, and have enough food and clothing.
The servant brought the case and pen and ink. Gao Yun rolled up his sleeves and swung his pen vigorously. Every time he wrote a poem, there were cheers. Some people chanted it loudly, and the rest were in harmony. The atmosphere was warm.
Yin Dun saw Yang Anxuan paying attention to the paper on the desk and said with a smile: "This is my home-made mulberry root paper. It is tough and durable. It is much easier to use than the hemp paper on the market. An Xuan might as well take some back. It is good for writing and painting." use."
Since Cai Lun Papermaking, the papermaking industry has improved a lot. The materials range from bark, hemp heads, rags and fishnets to hemp, bark, and straw. The whiteness of the paper has increased, the surface is smooth, and it is tighter and has obvious curtain lines.
The types of paper are distinguished by different materials, such as leather paper made of wolfberry bark, rattan paper made of rattan fiber, mulberry root paper made of mulberry bark, straw paper made of straw, etc.
The three families of Yin, Deng, and Cen have lasted for hundreds of years. In addition to the clan members, there are also hundreds of dependent tribes and tenants, numbering more than a thousand. They can support themselves in clothing, food, housing, and transportation, and they can also use their abundant products to Selling for profit.
As a noble family, with poems and books passed down from family to family, there were many scholars, and they used a lot of paper, so homemade paper was indispensable.
Yang Anxuan was inspired by Qu Yuuli just now. When he saw the paper, he thought of the rice paper of the Tang Dynasty, but he didn't know if there was a green sandalwood tree in Yinjiazhuang. However, Yang Anxuan saw another paper-making material, bamboo (1).
"Brother Yin, I see there are many bamboo forests in the village. Why don't you use bamboo to make paper?" Yang Anxuan asked knowingly.
Yin Dun responded: "The tribe has tried it before. The paper made from bamboo is loose and porous, has a rough surface, and breaks when touched. It is not even as good as straw paper."
Yang Anxuan was secretly happy that the money was finally secured. Making paper made money, which was an elegant thing.
Due to his work, Yang Anxuan came into contact with bamboo paper manufacturing in his previous life and had a good understanding of the manufacturing process, which was also recorded in detail in "Tiangong Kaiwu".
Yang Anxuan also knew some secret techniques not recorded in "Tiangong Kaiwu". For example, adding reed slurry water to the slurry made from bamboo can improve the quality of paper; adding "paper medicine" made from carambola vine (2) and yellow hollyhock can improve the quality of paper. Make the paper even and smooth.
"I have a method that can make the bamboo paper clean, soft, soaked in ink, strong and smooth, far better than the mulberry paper used by Brother Yin."
Yin Dun said happily: "Seriously? Please give me some advice from An Xuan."
After the Feishui War, the political situation in the Eastern Jin Dynasty was relatively stable, scholars enjoyed themselves and enjoyed themselves, and the demand for paper increased rapidly. Bamboo is easier to obtain than mulberry root. If bamboo paper can really outperform mulberry root paper, the benefits will be huge.
Yang Anxuan smiled and said nothing. Yin Dun came to his senses, how could such a secret technique be revealed to others so easily.
He didn't say much at the moment, and finally waited until the party dispersed. Yin Dun invited Yang Anxuan to his study, which was not far from Yin Xi's residence.
"An Xuan, did you just say that you can make paper from bamboo, and the paper you make is far better than mulberry paper?"
Yin Dun knew that if what Yang Anxuan said was true, the introduction of better quality bamboo paper would cause a storm among the gentry and literati, and the benefits would not only be money.
Seeing Yang Anxuan smile and nod, Yin Dun calmed down his excitement and said in a calm tone: "If it is as An Xuan said, I will promise to give An Xuan 10% of the net profit."
I really have no friends in the business world, so I just want to kill myself when I get a 10% profit. Yang Anxuan smiled and said: "This matter is of great importance. Brother Yin might as well ask Mr. Yin before talking about it."
Yin Dun nodded, stood up and said, "An Xuan, wait a moment, I'll be back as soon as I can."
Quickly walking from the corridor to his grandfather's residence, Yin Xi was painting. When he saw his grandson coming in, he smiled and said, "The party is over. What's Yang Anxuan's masterpiece today?"
"At this gathering, Yang Anxuan only said one sentence, 'The spring breeze cuts thin willows, and miscellaneous trees produce red flowers.' The grandson came to report something. Yang Anxuan said that he could make bamboo paper, and the paper produced was far better than mulberry paper. ." Yin Dun said eagerly.
Yin Xi put down his pen, cleaned his hands first, wiped them dry with a silk scarf, sat back on the table leisurely, and said: "When facing important events, you must be calm. Don't be impatient. Tell me carefully."
Yin Dun recounted Yang Anxuan's words and asked with a hint of confusion: "If it is as Yang Anxuan said, the new paper produced is extremely profitable, why did he not dedicate it to the family and sell it to my family? Will Yang Anxuan be here? Lie to us?"
Yin Xi looked at his grandson kindly and pointed: "Dun'er, if you want to know what Yang Anxuan thinks, you have to imagine that you are Yang Anxuan. Do you think Yang Anxuan will use this to deceive us?"
Yin Dun shook his head. Yin Xi continued: "Think again, why Yang Anxuan didn't give the papermaking skills to the family but gave it to the Yin family instead."
"He needs money." Yin Dun came to his senses and said, "If it is given to the clan, he will not get much benefit."
Yin Xi nodded and said: "The Yang family first came to Xinye and had no foundation. If they want to make paper, they must rely on the local nobles. Yang Quanqi is the prefect and has great power. He is not afraid that we will steal his profits."
"Brother Ji sent someone to deliver a letter specifically talking about yesterday's competition between new recruits. Yang Anxuan defeated Yang Anyuan." Yin Dun came to his senses and said, "Originally, Brother Ji had a lot of complaints about being under Zhao Tian, but this time the words in the letter were a bit more harsh on Yang Anxuan. Respect. My grandson understands that Yang Anxuan wants to recruit new soldiers for his own use."
Yin Xi stroked his beard and said slowly and calmly: "Our three families are not the only smart people. The Yang family brothers have also taken a liking to these recruits. From this, it seems that Yang Anxuan has great ambitions and does not want to be bound by the family."
"If it is possible to make paper out of bamboo, I can grant him a 30% profit." Yin Xi pondered for a moment and said.
"What, 30% profit?" You have to know that the Yin family has people and goods, and they have to sell them to get 70%. Yang Anxuan can enjoy 30% just by relying on the secret recipe. After deducting the cost, the Yin family was not even as good as Yang Anxuan, and Yin Dun was really heartbroken to give up.
Yin Xi glanced at his grandson indifferently and said: "Take a long-term view. If you spend some money to befriend him, it will be a huge benefit. Let alone 30%, I will agree to even half. You go and ask Mr. Yang to come over and talk about it." talk."
After a while, Yang Anxuan followed Yin Dun into the house and saluted Yin Xi.
Yin Xi motioned Yang Anxuan to sit down and said with a smile: "Dun'er is too stingy and is only willing to give Mr. Xuan 10% of the profit. I have already taught him a lesson. If things go well, the Yin family can give Mr. Xuan 30% of the profit."
Yang Anxuan was very satisfied with the 30% pure profit, and said with a smile on his face: "I'm ashamed, thank you so much, Mr. Yin, for your generosity."
As he spoke, Yang Anxuan took out a few pieces of paper from his arms and said, "I was bored waiting in the study just now, so Anxuan simply wrote down the papermaking method on the paper and asked Mr. Yin to take a look."
Yin Dun took it and handed it to his grandfather, while he stood aside and watched. The steps for making paper are written on the paper, "cut bamboo and float it on the pond...boil it on the fire...boil it...dump the material into the curtain...cover the curtain and press the paper...dry it in the fire...".
"An Xuan, I see that the method of making paper you wrote is very similar to the method of making mulberry root paper in my family." Yin Dun couldn't help but said: "The clan has tried to use this method to make paper from bamboo, but the result was not satisfactory. An Xuan, have you tried this method?"
Yang Anxuan smiled and said: "It seems to be the same, but in fact it is different. The key lies in the final secret recipe."
Yin Dun lowered his head and saw that his grandfather had seen the last piece of paper. On the paper were written the usage of reed pulp water and the secret recipe of "paper medicine".
After reading it, Yin Xi handed the paper to Yin Dun and said, "Use this method to make paper from bamboo. It will take a hundred days to soak and cure, and eight days to steam. The whole process will take four months. Mr. Xuan, I don't know if this secret method is good for mulberry trees." The piece of paper can be useful, and if it is useful, the effect will be seen tomorrow."
Seeing Yang Anxuan nodding, he said darkly: "Then I will offend Mr. Xuan and stay in the castle for one night. I will talk to Mr. Xuan tomorrow."
