"Is this thing so magical?"
After this try, Nie Zizhi seemed to have discovered a new world and could no longer bear to take it down.
Seeing Nie Zushi's precious look on the reading glasses, Guo An couldn't help but look surprised, "Uncle Nie is also a little dizzy?"
Nie Zishi is not very old either, just forty years old.
"well……"
Nie Zushi sighed heavily, "I have heard from elders or great scholars before that when they get old, their eyesight becomes drowsy and they cannot read fine books.
I thought it would take more than ten years for this eye disease to happen to me, but what I didn’t expect was that after putting on my reading glasses, the text on the books in front of me suddenly became much clearer, and I could even distinguish the hair on my hands...
I never thought that my eyes would one day be able to see so clearly. "
Unexpectedly, a random gift-giver would turn out to be someone with presbyopia.
Guo An felt happy, but still said seriously: "These reading glasses will be useful to Uncle Nie."
In fact, what Guo An didn't know was that in this era, because the light in the house was generally dim, many scholars of Nie Zishi's age would have presbyopia.
Even the old farmers who work in the fields will suffer from presbyopia.
However, these old farmers or elderly scholars have never experienced reading glasses, and they do not know that they have presbyopia.
"Useful, useful..."
Nie Zishi said quickly, and then looked at the remaining five pairs of reading glasses in the wooden box.
"Ning Yi, I wonder if these are the reading glasses left?..."
Guo Andao said: "Uncle Nie, these reading glasses are all different degrees of reading glasses, so they have to correspond to different degrees of presbyopia.
These reading glasses were all given to Uncle Nie by Guo An. When Uncle Nie's eye disease worsens a few years later, he can try on these reading glasses one by one.
Of course, there are only six pairs of reading glasses of varying degrees. If these six pairs are not suitable for Uncle Nie, Uncle Nie will need to find his nephew. The nephew will make a suitable pair for Uncle Nie according to the severity of his eye disease. Reading glasses. "
Nie Zizhi looked touched, "Thank you so much Ning Yi."
Guo An smiled slowly, "Uncle Nie is a little out of touch."
Nie Zishi laughed, "Hahaha, I'm excited."
As he said that, Nie Zishi seemed to think of something and asked again: "Ning Yi, are these reading glasses expensive?"
Guo An smiled and replied: "It shouldn't be too expensive."
Nie Zizhen couldn't help but look confused.
Guo An explained: “These reading glasses are just made by the Yanwangfu Glass Workshop, and the pricing has not yet started.
And now in the entire Beiping Mansion, Uncle Nie only has this pair in his hands. "
Nie Zishi looked surprised: "So precious?"
"Uncle Nie, don't be surprised. It's just a gadget, not precious at all."
Guo An smiled lightly and said: "Uncle Nie also knows because His Highness King Yan opened a craftsman school.
Therefore, many officials and scholars in the Peiping Mansion and even in the capital believed that His Highness King Yan was not doing his job all day long and was indulging in prostitution and craftsmanship.
His Royal Highness even personally intervened.
In desperation, His Highness King Yan could only build an academy.
It's just that the academy can be built with a little money, and even the books in the academy's library can be bought with a little money. Now the gentry and merchants of Beiping Mansion have donated at least more than 10,000 books to Prince Yan's Mansion. Classics...
If this trend continues, by the time the academy is built, the academy built by His Highness King Yan will be able to donate or buy at least 20,000 to 30,000 classics from various places...
However, it is somewhat difficult to find a master or a great Confucian who is suitable for teaching in academies...
And these reading glasses were made by my nephew, who invited the great scholars to come as gifts..."
"I see."
Nie Zizhi looked at Guo An thoughtfully, "Don't you think you want me to invite some great scholars to the academy?"
Guo An nodded directly, "It would be great if Uncle Nie could invite some great scholars.
Historically, we northern scholars have not been able to compare with southern scholars in the imperial examinations, and this needs to change..."
Nie Zishi's face stiffened and he smiled bitterly and said: "Your father and your father-in-law know all the great scholars or some learned people that I know."
Guo Andao said: "The boy also sent six sets of reading glasses to each of his father and father-in-law, as well as some glass tea sets."
"Six copies? Each copy is six pairs of reading glasses?"
Nie Zushi asked in surprise.
"Of course not."
Guo An slowly shook his head, "Except for my father and father-in-law, who both have six pairs of reading glasses, the other ten pairs of reading glasses only have one pair."
Nie Zizhi shook his head and said with a smile: "You are such a ghost."
Guo An said helplessly: "Uncle Nie Mingjian, I can't blame my nephew for this. These reading glasses are not easy to make.
Moreover, the nephew does not know the extent of the eye diseases of those great scholars. Only by asking them to come, can the young nephew set up the most suitable reading glasses prescription for them according to the degree of dimness of the eyes of those great scholars. "
Nie Zushi nodded slowly, "It doesn't matter, those great scholars can't just take the treasure and do nothing..."
Guo An quickly said: "Uncle is still sensible."
Nie Zishi sighed helplessly, "Don't worry, kid. Although the great scholar cannot be invited, I can personally write a few letters to invite some talented people who do not want to be officials to come to Beiping Mansion."
"In this case, Ning Yi would like to thank Uncle Nie... In addition, if the chief envoys and yamen have officials and eye problems, Uncle Nie can also ask them to come look for Ning Yi..."
"I underestimated you. I didn't expect that Si Yamen, the chief envoy to Peking, would have such a big plot..."
…
After taking care of Nie Zishi, the chief envoy of Peking, Guo An no longer had any worries.
Nie Zi only wore it for a while when he was really reviewing documents and government affairs.
I believe that in less than one day, all the officials in the entire Chief Envoy and the Yamen will know... In less than three days, all the officials and gentry in Beiping Prefecture will know...
And behind every official, there are hundreds of scholars involved.
Guo An felt that Beiping Mansion, Yingtian City, Shunde Mansion, and Monk Daoyan were everywhere. In less than half a month, the entire northern Ming Dynasty would know about the presence of reading glasses in Prince Yan's Mansion.
Naturally, they also knew that King Yan wanted to build an academy of more than 100 acres.
Then, the news that the academy is short of scholars, scholars, and books will spread throughout Beiping.
It was exactly as Guo An expected.
Less than two days after sending reading glasses to Nie Zishi, some officials came to look for them, naturally because of the reading glasses.
Guo An had a wry smile on his face as he looked at the dark crowd of chief envoys, inspection envoys, general commanders, etc. Beiping government officials in front of him.
"My fellow officers and colleagues, Prince Yan's office is not stingy. It's true that reading glasses look simple, but they require extremely complicated processes to make.
Only a few pairs can be made in one day.
Therefore, you can first leave the prescription of the reading glasses you need. If you don't know the age, you can leave the age of the person you need, and I will line up the queue for you first.
After the production is completed in the next few days for the scholars, gentry, and merchants who have contributed to the academy, we will make reading glasses for you as soon as possible. "
"What, do I have to wait in line?"
"Even, do you have to rank behind those gentry and merchants?"
"How could Guo Changshi humiliate us like this?..."
Suddenly, some officials were dissatisfied.
Guo An still had a gentle smile on his face, "If you superiors have any dissatisfaction, you can go to His Highness King Yan.
As long as His Highness King Yan gives you priority, we will definitely not have any delay. "
"..."
All the officials looked helpless. If they could find King Yan, why would they come to you?
After the atmosphere was awkward for a long time, an official couldn't help but asked again: "May I ask Guo Changshi, how can I make a contribution to the academy?"
Hearing this, all the officials looked at Guo An subconsciously.
"this……"
Guo An frowned slightly.
By chance, a pale-haired squire walked in under the leadership of a clerk.
"I would like to report to Guo Changshi that this old man Zhang has donated a hundred classics, and they are all classics that I don't have in Prince Yan's palace."
Guo An immediately raised his hand towards Mr. Zhang with a grateful expression, "On behalf of the academy, I would like to thank Mr. Zhang for his donation."
Zhang Yuanwai immediately responded with a look of fear on his face, "Guo Changshi would never dare to do this. He would be too old to do so."
"No problem, no problem."
Guo An waved his hand with a gentle look on his face and asked, "Mr. Zhang is here to see me, but would you like a pair of reading glasses?"
Zhang Yuanwai quickly looked at Guo An expectantly, "Mr. Guo is wise."
Guo An directly ordered to the clerk on the side: "Take Mr. Zhang to test the degree of dizziness and choose a satisfactory pair of reading glasses for Mr. Zhang."
"Thank you Guo Changshi." Zhang Yuanwai said quickly with excitement on his face.
The scribe also quickly raised his hands and saluted, "Yes, Guo Changshi."
"..."
After the clerk took Zhang Yuanwai out, all the officials in the palace could not help but twitch the corners of their mouths. How could such a simple thing be expressed so complicatedly?
"I would like to ask Guo Changshi, if I and others donate classics to the academy, is it considered a contribution?"
Guo An nodded slightly, "Forget it!"
A hint of joy flashed in the eyes of all the officials.
Another official asked: "May I ask Guo Changshi, what else can be considered as a contribution to the academy?"
Guo An pretended to think for a while and then replied: "Introduce a master or a great scholar to the academy, or enter the academy yourself as a master... However, this matter is a bit difficult for you!"
"This matter is really a bit..."
"Thank you Guo Changshi for informing me."
In less than a moment, all the officials in the palace were gone.
"Tsk..."
Guo An sneered and didn't pay much attention.
And on the second day.
In Prince Yan's Mansion, there were once again cartloads of books.
Naturally, they also gave away a pair of reading glasses with the logo of Prince Yan's Mansion.
Zhu Di was very happy about this.
A few days later.
The reading glasses incident once again caused a stir in Yingtian City, the capital.
After Zhu Di sent someone to deliver the reading glasses to Lao Zhu, Lao Zhu tried them on one by one, and then found a pair that suited him.
As the most diligent emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Lao Zhu spent most of his time sitting in Fengtian Hall reviewing memorials.
It only takes one day.
Wenyuange, Wenhuadian, Wuyingdian, general envoys, six ministers... and other ministers who often reported to Zhu Di all saw the look of "Lao" in Lao Zhu's eyes. An ingenious thing about flower glasses.
After some chasing, they also learned the function of reading glasses, which can make their eyes brighter, and are much more convenient and easier to use than the kind of glasses they hold in their hands every day.
Suddenly, all the important ministers of the Ming Dynasty were very excited.
After these ministers left their duty, they quickly sent people to investigate, which made the entire Yingtian City aware of it.
…
(End of chapter)
