In the afternoon, seeing that the road was a little dry, Wang Xiaolie and Chen Yuyi went down the mountain back to Xiangyang Prefecture. Zeng Dun's family and two calligraphers and painters are waiting for the imperial edict. Because they have family members and they have to pack up and pay tribute, they will meet at the Yamen when they arrive in Xiangyang.
After going down the mountain, Wang Xiaolie turned around and looked back. After the rain, Lumen Mountain becomes lush and green, and the mountain gate is hidden in the green. The mountainside is shrouded in clouds and mist, like a fairyland. Occasionally, a few egrets fly over, which evokes feelings.
Thinking of the lake green dress I saw yesterday afternoon, I couldn't help but sigh secretly. Until now, Wang Xiaolie didn't know that person's name or whether he would see him in the future. I couldn't help but feel melancholy. Will you still feel this way when you see me in the future? If not, you may never find it again. Like a dream, it passes without a trace.
Back at the Yamen, Wang Xiaolie ordered Chen Qiudao to prepare for the ritual. He also sent ten ultimatums and asked him to hand them over to Lumen Temple. As the largest temple in Xiangyang, it is not too much to accept ten monks a year. In addition to being a Buddhist resort, Lumen Temple also has other functions.
By not giving the ultimatum, Wang Xiaolie hoped to control the scale of the religion, and at the same time he was disdainful of selling the ultimatum. Now I am giving ten more, which is the result of Wang Xiaolie's careful consideration. Buddhism has a long tradition in China, and it is impossible to completely abolish it at the moment.
On the third day, Zeng Dun, Li Tang and others arrived in Xiangyang to meet Wang Xiaolie. Wang Xiaolie asked Zeng Dun to go to Xiangyang Mansion to work, and Chen Qiudao made arrangements. Twenty guan a month is enough for him to support his family. Li Tang and Li Di were called to the study. Wang Xiaolie had something to ask.
Have the two of you sit down. Wang Xiaolie said: "I have something to do here, and I want to use someone who is good at calligraphy and painting."
Li Tangxu sat down. He cupped his hands and said: "I have been in the art academy for many years, and I am very good at all landscapes and figures. After observing and telling us, we paint with heart. If you want to be good, you will naturally have a good painting method. If you need to be in a hurry, there is also a short time painting method."
Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "I don't know much about calligraphy and painting, so I won't interfere with you. In the past few years, there has been turmoil around the world, but Xiangyang is still peaceful and the market is prosperous. When the market is prosperous, it means there is less money. So I plan to print some Huizi, let the people use it."
Li Tang smiled and said: "Huizi's court has printed it many times, and the formats are all available. What's the problem?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "In the past, the imperial printing was too simple and had different formats. First, it was easy to be forged, and second, it was not conducive to use. I want to carefully engrave the printing plates and print some coins with the same number, so that they can be used for many years." "
How could Li Tang figure out what it looked like? After thinking for a while, he had no choice but to shake his head: "I wonder what kind of money we want to print?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Copper coins are made of copper. If big coins are made and circulated all over the world, it is inevitable that someone will destroy the money and recast it. So it is not appropriate to treat it as five coins or ten coins. I want to print it directly on paper, such as Huizi Generally, it is used as evidence of a large amount of money. Now I am thinking of ten coins, twenty coins, fifty coins, etc. Then it can be a hundred coins, five hundred coins, etc., until it is always enough. The amount of such money must not be "Young Master, we should use copper plates——"
Li Tang smiled and said: "Nowadays, many of the huizi are printed with copper plates."
Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "I know. However, the current copper plates are made of castings, which are too rough. As long as a person is clever and has the will, it is not difficult to forge. The copper plates I am talking about need to be carved out and matched with the paintings. Same."
Li Tang looked at Li Di and shook his head repeatedly: "My lord, copper is much harder. How can you carve it? With such a skillful hand, there is no such hard knife in the world that can make paintings on copper. Although we, the painters, can I know some about seal cutting, but I’m not proficient in it.”
Wang Xiaolie said: "I know. What I want is for you to draw and find someone else to carve. If you draw well, the carver can carve well. And with you watching, the carver can carve well only if the carver works hard." "
Li Tang lowered his head and thought for a long time before saying: "According to observation, it seems feasible. However, engraving is not an ordinary thing, and it is so difficult to engrave on a copper plate! Not only is the hand skillful, but the copper is too hard, and the painting is very delicate. I’m afraid it will be difficult to accomplish.”
Wang Xiaolie nodded and said: "I know about this. In the past two years, the Huaihe River and Huaihe Rivers have been in turmoil, and many engraving workers have fled to other places. I have printed many books here and have taken in many engraving workers from Luotian County, Qizhou. Inside We selected some skilled people and kept practicing engraving copper plates. Although engraving was not easy, there were always a few outstanding ones within two years."
Luotian was a gathering place for calligraphy workers in the Song Dynasty, and many families had ancestral calligraphy. Children learn to carve words from the time they are sensible, and if they are good at it, they can travel all over the world. Many of these carvers don't know how to write, but that doesn't stop them from being good at carving.
Li Tang thought again and again. He said: "When I was at Lumen Temple, the young lady from Lin Guan's family studied painting with me and was also good at seal carving. If it is useful for observation, you can call this young lady to come and help."
Wang Xiaolie's heart moved. In Lumen Temple, Li Tang mentioned Mrs. Lin before, and now he mentions her again. It seems that he likes her very much. Asked: "I wonder where Mrs. Lin is from? What does her family do?"
Li Tang said: "Her father is a businessman. Because his brother was a Jinshi, he followed him to the capital. He didn't want Jin Lu Nan to commit crimes. When his brother died, he lived in the Central Plains. Because he had some relatives with the Wei family in Dengcheng, he lived temporarily in the past year. There. Zeng Dun returned to his hometown and wanted to go back to Jiangnan together."
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "He is also a poor family. How old is this little lady?"
Li Tang said: "I am eighteen years old this year. I have been studying since I was a child, and I am good at painting and seal cutting. I am so good-looking that I seem to have fallen from the sky."
Wang Xiaolie thought for a moment and said, "Eighteen years old, I'm still young. There are differences between men and women. I'm afraid it won't be easy for me to go out and do things."
Li Tang said with a smile: "Officials are joking. In this era, many ladies of officials' families imitate the palace style, wear men's clothes, and come out to see the bustling market. When doing work, let Miss Lin wear men's clothes, who said she!"
In the palace of the Song Dynasty, it was a fashion for female officials to wear men's clothing. This trend spread out of the palace, and many women followed suit. In the peaceful years, the female relatives of many wealthy families in Kaifeng city put on men's clothes and went out to enjoy the scenery.
Women in the Song Dynasty were not like the later Ming and Qing Dynasties, who could not leave the front door or step forward. Especially in the Northern Song Dynasty, although it was not as convenient as men, women were not locked up at home. Especially at the lower level, there is not so much emphasis on it.
Wang Xiaolie thought for a moment and said, "In that case, I'll bring her with me when I wait for the imperial edict tomorrow. He's really capable, so I'll naturally use him."
Li Tang thanked him. He said with some embarrassment: "To be honest, Mr. Zeng has been out for a long time and is short of money, so he has to work in the yamen. The Lin family has been living in exile for a longer time, and life is actually not easy--"
After hearing this, what didn't Wang Xiaolie understand? Li Tang desperately recommended Mrs. Lin to be capable, but he just wanted to make some money. Her father is a businessman. Without capital, he cannot make money. I used to be from a wealthy family, so I couldn't get used to it all of a sudden.
In the past few years, what Wang Xiaolie has seen most are bankrupt families, and he cannot help them even if he wants to. Wang Xiaolie's principle is that as long as you have the hands and feet, you can make your own money. The yamen will not spend money to support idle people. People like Li Tang have lived in Lumen Temple for many days, so they should have heard of it. I really couldn't live in the temple anymore, so I thought of finding a job here instead of asking for money.
Li Tang looked a little embarrassed. Wang Xiaolie said: "As expected, if you have the ability, you will naturally get the money. If you just come here to collect people, then there is no need. A few people can still afford the salary of the imperial edict."
