Chapter 33 Ge Tiangong
The greatest impact of the Yuan Dynasty's entry into the Central Plains was the restoration of the slave system.
In the Song Dynasty, although the protagonist still had the power of life and death over clients, tenants, and maids and servants serving in the mansion. But this is already invisible. They are all signed personal contracts. Generally it is a living contract. The Yuan Dynasty came to power and brought over the slave system on the grasslands.
Large households in the Yuan Dynasty had a large number of slaves.
Although the Ming Dynasty was established, many systems remained unchanged. This situation also exists. Many of the servants in the families of the founding heroes still held official positions. In this situation, it is common for people to be slaves of wealthy people rather than petty officials.
The so-called noble slave.
He Xi doesn't understand this ecology. I feel that Mr. Ge is the hero, and it is because of himself that he is in this situation. No matter what, you have to take care of one or two. Even if you don't promote one or two, you won't make your grandson a slave.
He Xi pondered for a moment and saw the grandson of Foreman Ge waiting around, and said, "Is this your grandson?"
Craftsman Ge nodded hard. After just a while, he felt a little tired to the naked eye.
He Xi said: "Well, I am confident that I have some knowledge. Just let your grandson call me teacher."
Craftsman Ge was stunned for a moment, as if he were a statue. After a moment, as if there was a click, he immediately stood up and said, "Da Lang, kowtow quickly, kowtow quickly."
Grandson Ge immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed "dang-dang", each time loudly and loudly. After a few times, his head was already covered in blue and purple.
He Xi quickly supported Mr. Ge's grandson. Seeing that Mr. Ge's aura was a little weaker, she felt that it was the last moment. Naturally, their grandson and grandson had something to say. He is out of place here. At the same time, he didn't understand why Mr. Ge was so excited and said: "There is no need to be like this. Mr. Ge, please have a good rest."
After saying that, he left.
After He Xi left, Mr. Ge seemed to have spent too much energy because he talked too much. I felt a little tired for a while. He fell into a daze again and was already on his deathbed.
Seeing this, Foreman Ge's grandson picked up the medicine and said, "Master, take the medicine. This is a new prescription that Mr. He invited the imperial doctor to prescribe. You will definitely be cured by the medicine."
"No." Foreman Ge suddenly woke up, his whole body seemed to be twitching, and he seemed to be energetic all of a sudden, and said: "I don't take medicine."
Foreman Ge's grandson said: "How can you get better if you don't take medicine?"
"My body can't get better." Foreman Ge said: "I can't get better either. Dalang, Master He just saw that I was going to die, so he allowed you to be his disciple. If I don't die, what will happen if Master He regrets it?" ? You have to know that craftsmanship is a lowly profession. For generations, my Ge family has always wanted to be a scholar. Now that Mr. He is willing to accept you as his disciple, it is a benefit that cannot be exchanged for eight lifetimes. What does my mere life mean to you? . I just hope that I can die immediately so that Master He can remember the affection of my Ge family."
"I have no other ideas. When you come to Lord He's sect, you must study hard and work hard to learn. You must be filial to Lord He just like you are filial to me. Remember, in your generation, my Ge family must change its family and never do it again. Become a craftsman."
Foreman Ge said the last sentence hoarsely, but in a low and hoarse voice. But it was his innermost thoughts all his life.
Blacksmithing is a hard job, and what is even harder than blacksmithing is generations of blacksmithing. Don't look at the fact that Foreman Ge is one of the best people in the world in iron smelting, but he has never liked iron smelting. If given a chance, he would rather be a farmer than a blacksmith for the court.
Because of Foreman Ge's skills and qualifications, the treatment he enjoys is already relatively good among blacksmiths. He is like this, let alone what do most blacksmiths think?
This sentence became Foreman Ge's last words.
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Encountering such a thing, He Xi reflected on it by the river. But there was a sound of footsteps behind him, and it was Foreman Ge's grandson who came over. He knelt down on the ground a few steps in front of He Xi, kowtowed several times in a row, and said, "Grandpa is gone."
This is mourning. Even in the 21st century, the custom of filial son announcing funeral is still left. When announcing funeral, one should kowtow first and then speak. On the one hand, relatives and friends are asked to help with funeral arrangements. On the other hand, debts are eliminated after death, no matter what festivals the deceased had before him. Now it has been written off.
He Xi sighed and said, "Get up."
Foreman Ge's grandson stood up and stood with his hands down.
He Xi said: "What's your name?"
Foreman Ge's grandson said: "Ge Dalang."
He Xi said: "This name is too informal."
Ge Dalang was also smart and immediately said: "Teacher, please give me a name."
He Xi thought for a moment and said: "Everyone regards craftsmen as a cheap profession, but they don't know that no matter what profession, it is indispensable. And it is not easy to achieve perfection in any profession. I hope that you will be able to excel in craftsmanship in the future. Let’s call him Ge Tiangong.”
He Xi accepted a student not only because of Foreman Ge's contribution.
Because after He Xi experienced this incident, he felt that the most efficient thing was not to do it himself and worry about everything. Rather, it provides guidance from a theoretical perspective. Let the craftsmen do the specific things themselves.
Just like now, a low-level mistake occurred in the blast furnace experiment he actively set up. However, Foreman Ge relied on his few words to figure out two different routes.
The difference between the two is too big.
He Xi is also self-aware. He felt that although he was smart, he was definitely not a genius. Rather than pondering the implementation of modern theories in the Ming Dynasty one by one, it is better to unite the efforts of everyone. He is not directly involved in frontline work. Just giving directions.
In doing so, he needed a closer relationship with the craftsmen.
The master-disciple relationship is one of his choices.
It's just that Ge Tiangong didn't know how to react for a while. His grandfather's words were still ringing in his ears. I don’t want him to be a craftsman, but He Xi’s words are right in front of me. Ge Tiangong is a smart man. He thought silently in his heart: "Do I have a choice?"
Yes, Ge Tiangong knew that he had no choice.
Of course, Ge Tiangong was young after all. He grew up in a blacksmith shop. I am actually also interested in the blacksmith trade. But I have never experienced the oppression of status. Still maintain a simple love. I don’t think being a craftsman is a big deal.
Ge Tiangong immediately said: "Disciple, thank the teacher for giving me the name."
He Xi said: "Originally, I should have been asked to handle the funeral. But the situation in the military is in turmoil, and now I have no one available. Can Tiangong help me? When this incident is over, I will make your grandfather famous. burial."
Ge Tiangong said: "Teacher, please rest assured, this is also what grandpa meant."
"Okay." He Xi said; "Do you know the two methods your grandfather told you?"
Ge Tiangong said: "I know."
He Xi said: "You should call all the craftsmen now and discuss the two plans again."
Although He Xi believed that Foreman Ge would not lie to herself before he died. But one person's shortcomings always need to be discussed by everyone.
Ge Tiangong went immediately.
He Xi thought for a while. Call Xu Baoer, ask him to prepare a good coffin, send eunuchs to bury Ge Tiangong, and first store it in a nearby Buddhist temple. They also give money for sesame oil and ask the monks to bury Ge Tiangong for seventy-seven and forty-nine days. Legal affairs.
Seventy-seven forty-nine days later. Things are pretty much done here, it won’t be too late to bury him by then.
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After gathering all the craftsmen, He Xi asked Ge Tiangong to announce Foreman Ge's two plans. There is nothing inappropriate about discussing. However, the atmosphere of the entire meeting was one that I couldn't figure out. It seemed like all the craftsmen were distracted.
It seems that all the craftsmen are eager to try.
But not many people actually spoke.
He Xi thought for a long time and didn't know what happened to them. He always felt separated from these craftsmen. No, it's several floors away. Completely two worlds. Well, they seem to be from two different worlds. Can't communicate with each other at all.
When He Xi saw this, he could only persuade himself that someone had died today. Everyone is in a bad mood. He said: "Let's all rest today and discuss it tomorrow."
He Xi didn't know that after he left, the real meeting began.
Because there are some things that these craftsmen would not be able to say when He Xi was around.
at dusk. He Xi went to rest, and a group of craftsmen gathered in front of Ge Tiangong's soul. Ge Tiangong had already changed into mourning clothes and knelt before the soul.
He didn't have much time to observe mourning in front of the spirit, so he came here to watch the spirit at night.
An old craftsman suddenly asked: "Da Lang, tell the truth. Are you really Master He's disciple now?"
Ge Tiangong said: "I can't say I'm a disciple, I'm just a student."
After hearing these words, these craftsmen were slightly agitated.
Another old craftsman said: "Dalang, tell the truth, what does Mr. He mean?"
Ge Tiangong is now He Xi's disciple, so he will naturally speak from He Xi's perspective. Said: "The meaning of the teacher is already obvious. In order to make up for the shortage of weapons, the teacher will not hesitate to give a reward. I am nothing more than the bones of a horse. My nephew feels that the craftsmanship of your uncles is not inferior to my grandpa, as long as the teacher can value it. Glory, wealth and honor So close.”
People are weird like that.
There are some things that you won't believe no matter what they say on the surface, and you will only believe the news that is circulated in private.
But no wonder these craftsmen, these craftsmen have always been wary of the government. To put it bluntly, if they were really honest in front of the government, they would not know how to die. How could you believe what He Xi said?
It's not that He Xi said it badly. But it's so good that it's a bit fake.
At this moment, I saw He Xi's treatment of the Ge family. While he was jealous, he truly believed in his heart that what He Xi said before was true.
These people were silent for a long time. I don’t know who said: “Master Ge’s death was worth it.”
Really worth it.
Life has a price in this world. All of them are willing to use their own life to pave a long road for their children and grandchildren.
