Anyi, the residence of the Xie family.
Old man Xie sat by the lake, squinting his eyes slightly, enjoying the warm breath of the warm sun.
Wei Hao next to him was undecided, his eyes fixed on the chessboard, reluctant to make a move, and seemed to be at the end of his rope.
On the other hand, Wei Cheng was hesitant to speak. He wanted to give his old father some advice, but after thinking about it, he decided not to.
As if sensing Wei Cheng's impending move, Old Master Xie opened his eyes to look at him, and said with a smile: "A true gentleman watches the chess game without speaking."
Wei Cheng spread his hands and said that he had no intention of reminding him.
"You old man, why are your chess moves becoming more and more sinister? You are not a gentleman at all." Wei Hao said angrily after hearing this.
As soon as he finished speaking, a black stone fell back into the chess pot, and it seemed that he was about to admit defeat.
When Old Master Xie saw this, he twisted his beard and said with a smile: "It is related to the rise and fall of my Xie family. A little trick is just a little treacherous. I will suffer from it. According to the agreement, the sale of this porcelain will be left to me, Xie family." "
Wei Hao sneered and did not answer. Instead, he looked back at Wei Cheng.
Old Master Xie also looked at Wei Cheng.
Seeing the two elders looking at him, Wei Cheng put down the tea bowl in his hand and responded with a smile: "Originally, it was a business left to Mr. Xie, but someone in the family was reluctant to give it up. Now I am willing to admit defeat, so that my father can explain it when he returns."
Old Master Xie and Wei Hao looked at each other, twirled their beards and chuckled.
Handing over the porcelain business to the Xie family not only consolidates the marriage relationship between the two families, but also relieves the pressure on the Wei family.
As the Wei family continues to control the nine counties in Bingzhou, the number of available talents in the family has bottomed out. Even the Wei family's century-old talent accumulation cannot keep up with Wei Cheng's development speed. At this juncture, it is a wise choice to give up some interests and win over one party.
It's just that the stakes are very high, and many elders of the Wei clan stood up to oppose it, so this chess game bet took place today.
The Xie clan is a major force in Hedong. The clan's talent pool and various resources can be used to deal with trivial business affairs with ease.
With the porcelain formula provided by Wei Cheng and the good business relationship, Xie got a big bargain by winning the porcelain business.
Naturally, Mr. Xie knew this well, so he recognized and admired Wei Cheng from the bottom of his heart.
"Zhongdao, you're here too!"
Xie Jin came with Xie Hui and Xie Yu, brother and sister, and saw Wei Cheng was there. Behind the Grand Duke, a pair of heroic eyes looked at Wei Cheng.
Wei Teng and Xie Yu raised their eyes and smiled, then stood up and bowed their hands to Xie Jin, "I've met Uncle Nine."
Xie Jin returned the favor, he was not so particular at home, he was a free and easy person, and he had no restraints.
Xie Hui was a little reserved and bowed respectfully to Wei Cheng. Even though the person in front of him was his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Wei Cheng's identity and achievements were there, and he was three years older than him, so he still had to follow the proper etiquette. some.
"You happened to be here today. You will go back after eating in a while. I took them into the mountains to hunt this morning. Fortunately, we hunted a red deer."
Xie Jin saluted Mrs. Xie and Wei Hao again, and then sat in the empty seat next to Wei Cheng.
He talked about the process of going into the mountains for hunting, and Xie Hui interjected from time to time, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
Xie Yu just stood there, listening and watching. Seeing Wei Cheng echoing and praising Xie Jin from time to time, which made Uncle Jiu burst into laughter, and she also felt happy.
Since ancient times, major marriage matters have been dictated by parents and matchmakers. Many of Xie's married sisters and aunts have not been happy with their lives. It is really rare for a husband to get along harmoniously with the elders in the family like this.
"I heard that Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an, but left Lu Bu in Luoyang to resist Dong's coalition forces alone. What does Zhong Dao think of this move?"
While Xie Jin was chatting, he suddenly mentioned the current situation.
The coalition forces led by Yuan Shao still refused to advance at Hulao Pass. It seemed that there was an internal contradiction. Wei Cheng knew this well. The contradiction appeared among the conservatives, that is, a group of veterans headed by Kong Rong.
Different from Yuan Shao's radical style, the older generation prefers to play it safe and wait for this autumn harvest before making plans. In addition, Cao Cao is making a lot of noise in Yanzhou. Kong Rong is the Prime Minister of Beihai, separated from the north and south of Langya in Xuzhou. The news has already Pass it to him.
When he learned that Cao Cao's army had invaded Langya County in Xuzhou, Kong Rong couldn't sit still on the spot. He wanted to withdraw his troops and return to Beihai to aid, but was stopped by Yuan Shao and others. If Kong Rong left and others followed suit, then they would attack Dong Lianjun. Disintegrate instantly.
This is a situation that Yuan Shao and others do not want to see. As for Langya and Beihai, how can they be as important as Luoyang, Chang'an, and rescuing the young emperor?
Because the two sides have been arguing, Dong Zhuo has completed the move of the capital so far. He originally wanted to burn Luoyang with fire. Perhaps because of Wei Cheng's relationship, Dong Zhuo asked Lu Bu to stay in Luoyang to form a barrier. He probably also wanted to be on guard.
Now Xie Jin asked Wei Cheng how he felt about this move, just to see if Wei Cheng had any thoughts about Dong Zhuo.
Wei Cheng heard what he meant, but he didn't want to discuss these issues, lest Xie make random guesses, which would be self-defeating.
At this time, Wei Hao spoke in time and said in a joking tone: "Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Luoyang and Lu Bu guarded Luoyang. So wouldn't the Helian paper in Luoyang no longer be available for purchase?"
As one of my country's four greatest inventions, papermaking was invented in the Western Han Dynasty and improved in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Paper during this period was made using the bleached wadding method, which is called He He or Fang wadding in ancient books.
Wei Hao's method of changing the subject was a bit clumsy, but it served the purpose.
So, Old Madam Xie said with a smile: "If you want Helian paper, I still have some here."
Wei Hao smiled and said nothing, and the topic was dropped.
Xie Jin looked at Wei Cheng awkwardly, and nodded slightly to apologize to Wei Cheng. He knew that he was a little impatient with this question.
Even if Wei Cheng had intentions, this was not the time to say it, and it felt like he was interfering with the Wei family's decision by relying on the relationship between the two families, which was Meng Lang's behavior.
Wei Cheng smiled nonchalantly, and then asked about the spring plowing situation in several villages of the Xie family. It was already the time of spring and summer, and the crops in the fields were already full of green. This topic was naturally meant to make everyone relax. say.
At this time, Xie Hui suddenly interrupted, "Brother, Hui has something to ask for."
Xie Hui is a few years younger than Wei Cheng. His talent and learning are only average, and he has no interest in practicing martial arts. He usually hangs out with some bad friends all day long. Now that he has reached the age where he has become more cautious, he has only a partial understanding of many things.
Seeing that he asked for help for something, Wei Cheng naturally greeted him with a smile, glanced at Xie Yu, nodded and said, "Just tell me."
Xie Hui took a step forward cautiously, and secretly glanced at Old Madam Xie's reaction. Seeing that his face was calm and not looking annoyed, he then explained the difficulties he encountered.
It's a coincidence.
Xie Hui loves bicycles very much, so he often goes to the Craftsman Department of Heluo College. During these visits, he gets to know many children from aristocratic families who share the same hobby.
"Brother, we have observed the merchants in the city before. They only carry about ten shi each time. If they use a rickshaw, the weight can easily reach 20 shi.
Then, can the weight be increased by increasing the length of the car plate and widening and thickening the tires? So we tried to design several kinds of carts. This is the sketch we drew. I asked my brother to review it and make corrections. "
Wei Cheng took the drawings he handed over and couldn't help but his eyes lit up. Unlike the wheelbarrow, Xie Hui's drawings already had the shape of later generations of carts, and also indicated the detailed structure.
Seeing a dotted line drawn on the wheel, Wei Cheng was stunned, and then said with a smile: "You are missing this tire, right?"
Xie Hui couldn't help but blush, scratched his head, and said: "Brother discovered it. Yes, we built all these cars, but the wheels are missing."
Xie Yu said from the side: "You don't know, he dismantled all my bicycles for these broken bicycles."
Xie Yu and his daughters have several unique women's bicycles, which were gifts given to them by Wei Cheng. They rarely ride them, mainly because they are not as comfortable as rickshaws.
Hearing this, Wei Cheng said with a smile: "The wheels of bicycles cannot bear too much weight. You are right. The wheels need to be wider and thicker, and the spokes need to be made of better steel."
Hearing this, Xie Hui said excitedly: "What brother said is that we have already made a batch of spokes with Longshan Steel, and now we are just missing tires."
Wei Cheng looked at him funny, this future uncle was really straightforward.
However, after Wei Cheng saw the truck they designed, he nodded and said, "Okay, I'll have someone send you a batch of wider and thicker tires later."
Speaking of this, Wei Cheng looked at the drawing in his hand, and his eyes suddenly brightened.
This trolley looks ordinary, but it is a great invention to solve the problem of transportation capacity. Two people on a trolley can easily transport thousands of kilograms of goods to Shuofang, or even farther away.
The manpower and animal power saved in this way can also be invested in other productions. Why didn't I think of this before?
Two days later.
The new issue of "Big Han Dragon and Tiger List" was published as scheduled.
The cover of this publication shows several young people surrounding a trolley.
Yes, just like Huang Yueying improved the loom last time, Wei Cheng also improved Xie Huimu and others this time.
The practical value of the pallet cart was also explained in detail in the article. For a time, major aristocratic families came to visit the Xie family and several other aristocratic families, wanting to purchase pallet carts.
Wei Cheng did not mention the importance of providing tires, but gave all the credit to Xie Hui and others.
These dandy boys, who usually have nothing to do, feel the joy of being respected for the first time. If this can bring about some changes in them, it will be a great merit.
So much so that, except for the Xie family, several other aristocratic families came to thank Wei Cheng with generous gifts.
Being on the "Big Han Dragon and Tiger List" is no small matter. Xie Hui and others suddenly became the focus, and their reputation was not improved by a small amount.
···
"Senior sister, look at this quickly, does it look good?"
In the busy market, Shuangxi held a windmill made of bamboo in his hand and waved to Bai Chuyi who was a few steps away.
Bai Chuyi paid, took the insoles packed by the store, and said thank you.
"Little girl, you can buy one for two cents each." The bamboo windmill seller smiled and solicited business.
Shuangxi's innocent and lovely childish face seems to be born to make people fall in love with her.
Bai Chuyi walked over and took a look at the items on the stall, and his eyes fell on a small toy made of bamboo.
Seeing this, the dealer said, "If you like this bamboo sparrow, girl, I can sell it to you at a cheaper price."
The rattle is a rattle that has existed since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It can be made of various materials. The sound made of bamboo is crisp and sweet. The key is that it is cheap and does not require the use of animal leather.
Bai Chuyi picked up the bamboo pick and frowned involuntarily.
An image flashed through her mind.
[Sister, don’t cry, I’m giving this to you... If you cry again, Uncle Bai will tell you that I’m not...]
The scene flashed by, and in her memory, a boy with an unusually fair face and luxurious clothes was constantly comforting her when she was crying, and the spear was extremely precious, with the handle made of rhinoceros horn and the drum head made of reticulated snakes. The skin and the projectile are two Hetian jade.
The reason why Bai Chuyi recognizes these precious things is also due to the master's words and deeds. This can be seen from the Shu brocade on her body.
However, she rubbed her eyebrows, but she could not remember the boy's face. She only remembered that his skin was pale and there was no color on his face. He seemed to be seriously ill.
"Senior sister, what's wrong with you?" Shuangxi came over and asked.
Bai Chuyi immediately responded with an expression and said with a forced smile: "It's okay, you want this wind wheel, right? Here, here are two cents."
Bai Chuyi handed the money to the dealer and his eyes couldn't help but fall on the bamboo trap.
After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the bamboo trap and asked, "How much does this bamboo trap cost?"
···
"Hahaha, the young master didn't see the scene at that time. I just punched him, and the ruffian didn't dare to say anything."
"Xiao Zhao, please forgive me if you have to. That person is just a little arrogant and domineering, and he doesn't deserve the lesson of punching to the flesh."
Wei Cheng put his hands behind his back, Fengshen's handsome smile always hung on his face, and walked slowly along, attracting the attention of many women.
Hao Zhao and Dian Wei followed closely behind, Hao Zhao was half a body behind, and Dian Wei was always alert to his surroundings.
"Young master, what you said is wrong. He bullied the weak, and I took action in a righteous manner. This is only the right thing to do." Hao Zhao retorted.
Wei Cheng shook his head and just said: "The stalls in the sheep market were originally obtained through fair bidding. The old woman said that she used the door panel to occupy the space. This is not right at all. She is relying on her old man to sell her wealth and take advantage of her. What's the crime for that man to fight for his own interests? Is there any?"
Hao Zhao was stunned for a moment, feeling that his values were wavering.
When Wei Cheng saw this, he added: "However, he pushed the old woman to the ground and came forward to hit her. This is his fault. You acted bravely and did a good job."
Hao Zhao chuckled. It was rare for Wei Cheng to praise him, and he was very happy.
Doudou Dou~
Wei Cheng turned back to look in the direction of the sound, and saw a woman holding a rattle walking past him.
Next to the woman was a girl holding a bamboo windmill. The two of them also carried some things in their hands, which seemed to be shoes, socks and bowls needed for daily use.
"Sir, what's wrong?" Dian Wei asked with a frown.
Wei Cheng smiled casually and said: "It's okay, it's okay."
At this time, at the door of a newly opened spice shop ahead, Turtle Dove trotted over respectfully, "Welcome to you, the Commander-in-Chief of the Guard."
···
"Senior sister, what's wrong?"
"Ah, oh, no, it's okay."
Bai Chuyi turned around and looked at the tall and straight figure. There was an incomprehensible look in his gray eyes. He unconsciously touched the jade pendant in his arms with his bare hands, and rubbed his fingers twice on the connected branches in front of the jade pendant.
