Chapter Thirteen Golden Pen
He Xi has a habit that I can't tell whether it's good or bad. Probably when I was in school. Computers and mobile phones are prohibited items. The school won't let you take it. There is no signal at all. Not even a phone card. So, what does he want to see. Whether it’s videos or information. They are all downloaded to it first.
Although after going to college, you no longer need it. But this habit remained. Therefore, there are too many messy things in the notebook he has used for several years. TV movies, e-books, etc. Even he rummaged today. He also found many things that he had not thought of himself.
For example, I don’t know what year and month the Tokyo fever was. He had forgotten all about it.
Now his laptop and all kinds of disorganized information on his mobile phone have become his biggest golden fingers. Of course, some of the functions of laptops and mobile phones are considered artifacts in this era.
Regarding the two pamphlets Zhu Yuanzhang asked him to write. He Xi drew up an outline based on his own impressions. Then he picked out some knowledge points that he had forgotten from these disorganized materials. In fact, it is not too difficult to write.
But He Xi now faces two difficulties.
The first difficulty is the text. Although Chinese is said to be of the same origin, vernacular and classical Chinese are fundamentally different. However, during the ancient prose movement, classical Chinese and ancient vernacular went their separate ways. Just talking. If it falls on words, special care must be taken in writing and creating characters. This is not about writing an abbreviation of a few hundred words. But tens of thousands of words or more.
This difficulty can still be overcome.
But there was another problem, He Xi didn't know what to do.
That is calligraphy.
The two pamphlets add up to only a hundred and twenty thousand words. It's not too difficult to process with a computer. But writing it down with a brush is a big project. Moreover, calligraphy cannot be practiced in a short time.
Not to mention, Zhu Yuanzhang had something to say beforehand about these matters. It is impossible to fake it. I can only write it down myself.
"What should I do?" He Xi touched the metal casing of the laptop. This metallic touch was very common in later generations. In this era, it is a special enjoyment. After all, this kind of shell processing technology is simply Zentraedi technology in this era.
He Xi thought about it over and over, and suddenly an idea came to his mind. He thought to himself: "This method may be possible."
He Xi did what he said. He immediately found Xu Zheng and said, "I want to ask the palace to make a pen."
Xu Zheng said respectfully: "Please give me some instructions from Secretary He."
He Xi was stunned, but he only had one official position now, that of Secretary. Among other people's titles, it is natural to call him Secretary Lang. This lang is generally omitted. It's like calling someone a certain Hanlin, rather than a certain Hanlin bachelor or a certain Hanlin editor.
It's just that although the name is the same, the ancient and modern meanings are definitely different.
He Xi said: "I am not a writing brush, but a hard pen. A hard pen that uses ink. It is a metal pen, and I have to do fine work."
Xu Zheng didn't know what was going on. I don’t know what kind of hard pen He Xi’s pen is. However, under the emperor's order, no matter what request He Xi made. Xu Zheng would agree, let alone a mere pen.
Xu Zheng said: "I don't know what kind of pen Secretary He wants. Otherwise, Secretary He deigns to go to the silversmithing bureau to give instructions to the craftsmen. Otherwise, the young people below don't know what kind of pen Secretary He wants."
He Xi said: "That's fine."
It’s been a few days since I arrived in Daming. He Xi has never left Qianqing Palace.
He has been living in the side hall of Qianqing Palace. Not to mention seeing the country of the Ming Dynasty, I haven't even seen the palace of the Ming Dynasty.
Now He Xi has never thought of leaving the palace. However, it seems nice to take a walk around the palace.
So Xu Zheng immediately asked a young eunuch, Xu Baoer, to take He Xi out of Qianqing Palace. Walking in the palace, looking at the red walls around. It has the feel of the Forbidden City in Beijing. However, the Ming Dynasty had just been founded, and the construction of the imperial palace had already begun when Zhu Yuanzhang was proclaimed King of Wu. But when the repairs were completed, it was the beginning of Hongwu. It's only been more than ten years now. Moreover, at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Forbidden City in Nanjing was mainly grand, but there were not many details.
He Xi left the Nanjing Imperial City through the Xihua Gate and entered the palace city. In the southwest corner of the palace city, a large area was the territory of the twelve palace guards. And the banking industry is among them.
Xu Bao'er is Xu Zheng's adopted son, and Bao'er lives in a certain house. They are all common names of this era. For example, Mu Ying's nickname is Zhou She.
Xu Bao'er was a popular figure around Xu Zheng, and no one in the banking bureau dared to neglect him. The eunuch in charge of the silver work bureau and the master craftsmen were lined up below, waiting for them.
He Xi used an eyebrow pencil to draw a pattern. Said: "That's it. There is a metal pen tip below, and there is a thin tube here. Let the ink flow down from the top. There is a feed tip here to prevent the ink from flowing too fast. And there is a pen barrel and cap outside. It is roughly like this."
What He Xi wants to make is a fountain pen.
Many people use quill pens. He Xi also tried it. Not at all, too thin. The experience is very poor. In He Xi's opinion, it is worse than a writing brush. After thinking about it, He Xi felt that the pen didn't seem to be high-tech. So I want craftsmen to try it.
It's just that He Xi has never learned to draw. So the painting is a mess.
The craftsman below looked at it.
An old craftsman said, "Master He. We have never seen or heard of this thing. We can only try to make it. Can it be done?"
He Xi said: "It's okay, it's just a whim. If it can be made, it would be great. But if it can't be made, I won't blame you. However, the workload is not big."
The old craftsman said: "I guess it's a bit detailed, not much."
He Xi said: "Okay, I'll wait here."
Xu Baoer said: "Don't be stunned. Go do something quickly. Each of you make one. Submit it for a look."
"Yes." The craftsmen went down immediately.
He Xi drank tea for a while in the Yamen of the Bank. Some couldn't wait any longer, so under the leadership of Xu Baoer, they entered the work shed behind the bank. As soon as I entered, I felt a rush of heat. I saw only a row of craftsmen. All working.
The heat source comes from the stove next to every craftsman. These stoves are not big. The temperature is very high, at least it can soften the metal. Only these metals softened. Only then can you start building it. There are some small tables next to it, which should be workbenches. There are many fine tools on it.
He Xi could see that these craftsmen had already produced the prototype of the pen tip.
He Xi looked at it carefully and couldn't help but be amazed. These craftsmen are extremely skillful. In his opinion, He Xi's request was achieved with extremely crude craftsmanship.
Soon a pen was in He Xi's hand.
This pen has an iron nib and a cork tongue. Use isinglass to make a pencil case. Although the pen barrel and cap have not yet been made, the entire pen exudes a simple temperament. He Xi held the pen in his hand and absorbed the ink skillfully. Then write.
After just writing a few words, there was a big ball of ink in my pen.
He Xi said: "No." Then he changed the one.
As a result, another pen stroke, like a knife, made a big gash in the words below.
He Xi shook his head and said, "No way."
However, the pens made by these master craftsmen were all tested for a while. There are all kinds of problems.
He Xi said: "You have seen the problem just now. Is there any way to solve it?"
Several craftsmen whispered and elected an old craftsman to speak. The old craftsman said: "The pen you want is not difficult to say. There are only two difficulties. The first difficulty is this pen. There needs to be a pen in the middle. The thin tube is used to guide the ink. But the ink is thick and the thin tube is too thin, and it will get clogged over time."
After He Xi heard this, there was nothing he could do for a while.
The ink of today is completely different from the ink of later generations. Today's inks are all for brushes. Thicker, better. But it is different for fountain pens, which use the capillary principle. Therefore, the thinner the thin tube that guides the ink in the middle, the better. In today's era, even if the ink is diluted, it will inevitably accumulate ink. Blocked pipes.
Xu Baoer said: "Tell me about another difficulty."
The old craftsman nodded quickly and said: "Another difficulty is the tip. If the tip is made of iron, it will be too sharp. The paper cannot bear it. If you want to use it, I'm afraid you have to use other materials."
Xu Baoer said: "What material?"
The old craftsman said: "It is best to use gold."
Gold is more than just a symbol of wealth. It is also a metal raw material. In fact, the reason why iron cannot be used. On the one hand, iron rusts easily. Problems will occur over time. Another aspect is the issue of metal processing. A slightly different nib requires different processing techniques.
But gold is different. Gold itself is very wear-resistant. And the melting point is low. Easy to process. Especially this is a bank. Best at gold and silver processing technology. For such delicate things, it is easier to work with gold and silver than with iron.
Although it is somewhat difficult to make the pen not as a pen, but as a gold and silver craft, it is not insurmountable.
When He Xi heard that gold was used, he felt a little uncomfortable. This was gold. Even if it's just a gold pen tip. I'm afraid it's more than ten grams. Calculate the price of gold in future generations. At least one or two thousand yuan. This is far beyond He Xi's consumption range. Not to mention the processing technology.
He Xi sighed and said, "Forget it, I'll think of other ways."
Xu Baoer said: "Master He, why do you say this? Please sit down, Master He. I will be here soon." Then he said to these craftsmen: "You have heard clearly what Master He means. I don't care, you have a problem. , two difficulties are still a thousand difficulties, ten thousand difficulties. Whatever you need. I won't give you any discount. But Mr. He is waiting here. This sum will definitely be created today. Otherwise, don't blame the Zajia family for giving in. You are embarrassed.”
"Did you hear that?"
The craftsmen immediately said, "I heard it. I heard it."
Xu Baoer said: "When you hear it, go and do things immediately. Whatever is needed, I will approve everything."
