Fei Zhen looked at Gu Zhengchen, who was thoughtful and relieved, and knew that he had found a way, so he quickly said: "Then I will go back to the Baochao Office and order the craftsmen to prepare first."
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly, and after sending Fei Zhen out of the house, he asked Zhang Pei who was following him: "Where is the Liulichang in Jinling?"
Zhang Pei thought for a while and said: "There are two glazed official cellars outside Qingliang Gate, which are specially used by the palace."
Gu Zhengchen smiled and arranged: "Go to the Office of the Ministry of Industry and deliver a message, saying that I invite Li Shangshu to Liuli Guanjiao tomorrow afternoon, and please let him go with the master craftsman Kuai Mingsi."
Zhang Pei responded and turned around.
Gu Zhengchen returned home and finally came to Jinling to stay for a few days. He always wanted to spend more time with his family.
Gu Qingqing has become the shopkeeper of a Juren sugar store, and Hu Dashan is also a capable person. He actually sent people to Fujian to directly purchase sugar cane. Now that raw materials, business channels, and sales have been opened up, the business has really started. In the past six months, there have been four more sugar stores in Jinling, and sales have shifted from the initial tight sales limit to normal sales.
"Brother, shopkeeper Hu wants to open a branch in Jurong. Qian'er and I will be the shopkeepers then. How about that?"
Gu Qingqing looked at Gu Zhengchen longingly.
Gu Zhengchen thought for a while, shook his head and said: "Jurong is not suitable for opening a sugar shop. Sugar trading is only suitable for big cities. After all, Jurong is just a small county, and people are reluctant to spend so much money to buy sugar."
Liu Qian'er lowered her head and said softly: "There are not a few businessmen going to Jurong. These businessmen can buy sugar and take it to other places to sell. What's more, there are also sugar shops in Teng County, Yanzhou and other places in the north."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Liu Qian'er and sighed secretly: "There are some sugar stores in Shandong, but now, the profits are far less than those in Jinling. In my opinion, if you want to expand the sugar business, it is best to choose Suzhou, Hangzhou, Big cities like Kaifeng. Besides, even if you go to Jurong, I'm afraid you won't have time to meet me. When you are busy, your sister-in-law won't be able to see me..."
Gu Qingqing looked at Liu Qian'er and felt silently sad.
Liu Qian'er knew that what Gu Zhengchen said was not false. He now held multiple positions and was busy with many things. Even if he went to Jurong, it would be difficult to meet him.
It's just that we don't have to meet each other, but it's good to be closer.
Liu Qian'er lowered her head and buried her thoughts.
Zhang He finally took a bath and sat with Zhang Xiwan under a sycamore tree, talking. When he saw Gu Zhengchen, Gu Qingqing and others approaching, he nodded, chatted for a few words, and then turned to business: "The imperial court wants to compile pinyin." Song Lian was the main author of the annotated Cihai, and Mr. Guozi Xue Yiqian, including your fellow countryman Liang Jiajun, also joined in. Nowadays, the study of pinyin has attracted attention, and the princes in the palace have also begun to learn this knowledge. "
Gu Zhengchen smiled, took out a peach from the fruit plate, handed it to Zhang He, then took another one, bit into it, chewed with satisfaction, his Adam's apple moved: "Compile the Pinyin Cihai, engrave it, and spread it all over the world. , in the future, students only need to master pinyin, and then they can learn independently, learn to read and study. This is an eternal event that prospers culture and education. If my father-in-law can participate in it, he will definitely be famous throughout the ages."
Zhang Xiwan looked at her happy father and rolled her eyes at Gu Zhengchen. After a while, her father seemed to be floating.
Zhang He obviously liked this idea, with a smile on his face: "It's just a matter of being famous throughout the ages. It's just that there is no standard at the moment, it's messy and disorderly, and I don't know how to compile it. The professor of Guozixue believes that "Shuowen Jiezi" can be adopted "The method of radicals in "" means that things are grouped together by likeness, things are divided into groups, they belong to the same family, they share the same rationale, they are mixed but not transcendent, and they are connected according to their shapes."
Gu Zhengchen pondered for a while and said: "The shape of the characters is the outline, and the training is based on the shape. This method is ingenious. However, the arrangement of the radicals is relatively cumbersome and it is troublesome to search. My father-in-law might as well suggest using pronunciation as the arrangement method, one sound , how many words, all included. Although using this method is different from the method in "Shuowen Jiezi", it is better than being able to collect all the words and making it easier for illiterate people to practice."
"The compilation of Cihai is guided by Pinyin, and it is not necessary to list the subordinates and distinguish the origins. Education should come first, and literacy should come first. As for the original purpose of accepting the current, and insisting on explaining in detail, you can use another Cihai to give a detailed explanation. It is intended for use by people who have a certain foundation and want to understand their roots.”
"Pronunciation?"
Zhang He thought for a moment and nodded repeatedly: "This is indeed more beneficial to Mongolian disciples, and it will be more convenient to search. It's just that Guozi scholars talk too much, and if their voices get louder, no one may listen."
Gu Zhengchen smiled and said: "Father-in-law, it doesn't matter what the people from Guozi School say. As long as Master Song says it's okay, then it's okay."
Zhang He understood.
Many people can express their opinions, but whether you express your ideas or not depends on the person who made the decision.
In this matter, Song Lian is the CEO.
As long as Song Lian is convinced, no one can object.
Zhang He glanced at Zhang Xiwan and saw that she was talking to Gu Qingqing and Liu Qian'er, so he whispered to Gu Zhengchen: "I am not young anymore. If I can have a grandson as soon as possible..."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhang He speechlessly. He had no choice but to listen at this time.
Zhang He stood up and patted Gu Zhengchen on the shoulder: "As long as the state affairs are done well, the family affairs should also be done well."
Gu Zhengchen had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Not long after Zhang He left, Mu Chun and Mu Sheng ran over, and another round of questioning was inevitable.
The next afternoon.
Gu Zhengchen went to the Ministry of Industry, carrying an errand as the director of the Ministry of Industry, and no one would stop him.
When the great craftsman Kuai Mingsi saw Gu Zhengchen coming, he stepped forward and saluted: "Master, please come and be well."
Gu Zhengchen raised his hand and said with a smile: "I heard that Master Kuai was attending errands in the palace hall, so I invited him here rashly. I wonder if it was abrupt and delayed the affairs in the palace?"
Wuying Hall and Wenhua Hall are under construction, and the construction sites are on the east and west sides of the palace.
Kuai Mingsi said quickly: "It doesn't matter."
Li Min walked out with eight-character steps and asked Gu Zhengchen directly: "If you want to ask for Liuli, you don't need me to go to the Liulic Factory in person, right? In your capacity, as long as you say a word, His Majesty will arrange for someone to get it for you Send it."
Gu Zhengchen saluted and said with a smile: "If it were so simple, how could you dare to bother Li Shangshu?"
Li Min thought about it for a while. Gu Zhengchen couldn't trouble him because of something about Liuli. He just asked doubtfully: "His Majesty asked you to take over the Baochao Lifting Department and gave you a time limit of half a month, but you came here to invite me." Liulichang, would it be better for you to be confident or to slow down your work?"
Gu Zhengchen stretched out his hand and asked, "I'm going to Liulichang for the sake of treasure money."
"oh?"
Li Min was a little curious, so she and Kuai Mingsi left the Ministry of Industry and got on the carriage.
"Tell me, is there anything in Liulichang that is related to treasure money?"
Li Min sat firmly, opened the curtain and looked outside, then lowered the curtain.
Gu Zhengchen did not hide anything and said bluntly: "When making treasure banknotes, we should make every effort to eliminate counterfeiting. Li Shangshu and Master Kuai, you also know what the master of Yuan Ting's banknotes is, right?"
Kuai Mingsi nodded slightly: "Usually the master is carved on the copper plate."
Engraving on a copper plate is better than using iron. It is easier to carve details and the texture can be better shown after printing. Since the Song Dynasty, in addition to treasure banknotes, some precious classics have often been printed using copper plates.
Gu Zhengchen said seriously: "Yes, you can use copper plates for engraving. If you want to show more details, you need micro-carving. For example, His Majesty's head portrait, the details in the head portrait, even the beards, should be displayed . And to do this, the microcarving must be precise."
Li Min was stunned for a moment and looked at Gu Zhengchen in amazement: "One beard? Such a micro carving is probably not easy to achieve. There are no such meticulous craftsmen in the Ministry of Industry, at least I have never heard of such a person."
There is a manual labor department for miniature carvings, but the miniature carvings here are only relatively micro, usually not very small ones, such as those particularly delicate tiny carvings. This thing is not used in palaces, and the craftsmen naturally I won’t put any effort into it.
Gu Zhengchen smiled and said: "It was precisely because I knew that the Ministry of Industry did not have such skilled craftsmen that I went to Liuli Guanjiao."
"Where are such skilled craftsmen?"
Quin Mingsi asked eagerly.
Gu Zhengchen shook his head and said: "This shouldn't happen, but there are tools that can help microcarving craftsmen. As long as you find this tool, it will not be difficult to microcarve the smallest details."
Li Min was full of curiosity, and Kuai Mingsi was also full of expectations.
Liuli Guanjiao belongs to the Ministry of Industry. This is why Gu Zhengchen invited Li Min. Although he has the status of a boss, this boss has never shown his face and has never been in charge of the people and affairs of Jinling. If you welcome or push back, things will be delayed.
The glazed official cellar in front of you is not huge. The truly huge glazed official cellar is in Zhongdu. After all, the imperial palace needs to use a large number of glazed ornaments, such as glazed tiles, glazed ridges, etc.
However, the Liuli Guanjiao in Zhongdu was closed due to the unfinished project due to the loss of Zhongdu’s status as the “Imperial City”.
Factory official Wang Zhi heard that Lord Shangshu was coming and ran out quickly. After saluting, he smiled flatteringly and said: "This morning, the magpie climbed on the branch. I was thinking about it, but I didn't expect it to be with Lord Shangshu."
Gu Zhengchen looked around. The trees were all far away, but there was no tree nearby. I wonder where you, the magpie, came from.
Li Min smiled politely and said: "This is a man from Quanzhou County, the director of the Ministry of Industry, and the deputy director of the Baochao Promotion Department. I will follow his arrangements at the Liuliciao Factory today."
"It turned out to be a man from Quanzhou County. This morning, what was that..."
Wang Zhi smiled sincerely.
Gu Zhengchen smiled but didn't smile. He looked at the door of the cellar factory, took out a piece of paper from his arms and handed it to Wang Zhi: "Take a look at the things on this. If there is anything in the Liuli cellar factory, send someone to prepare it. If not, send someone to buy it as quickly as possible."
Wang Zhi took the paper, unfolded it and looked at it, frowning slightly: "Why is saltpeter needed, and what are the lime and borax used for?"
Saltpeter?
Li Min frowned and looked at Gu Zhengchen.
What does this kid want to do? Saltpeter is not used to make gunpowder. Does he want to blow up this Liulichang? But there’s no sulfur here either…
