Chapter 36 Zhongxian Gong

Su You wondered: "This doesn't make sense?"

Shi Tong said: "Why doesn't it make sense? Reputation! Moral reputation! This is the first-class family tradition passed down by Zhongxian Gong!"

Su You suddenly realized that he was still thinking like a later generation. In today's Song Dynasty, a family with a good reputation was worth more than thousands of hectares of land.

Shi Tong patted his thigh: "Speaking of Zhong Xian Gong, he is really a wonderful person! People in Meishan like to grow red-mouthed taro, but the food doesn't taste very good and people don't eat it when there are many people. Only Zhong Xian Gong grows it every year.

They should be collected and stored covered with river sand and straw."

"In normal times, when there is a good year, rice is exchanged for millet, because millet is more durable than rice and can be stored for many years."

"Later there was a severe drought, so Mr. Zhong steamed the red-mouthed yams he had stored on weekdays, moved them out, and placed them around the house for people to help themselves. Then he used the corn to make porridge and gave to the poor."

"Most of the land accumulated in the fields was sold and replaced with rice. Not only did the Su family no longer suffer from hunger, but even the neighboring villages were able to overcome the difficulties."

"Master, if you are interested, you can inquire about Meishan City, Kelongli and other villages. What is the reputation of your Su family? As long as your Su family has something to do, you can respond to every call and follow the news. That's the minimum!"

Su You understood. No wonder the loud-mouthed cousin wrote an article about beating up the richest man, the Cheng family, and was still safe afterwards. This was probably the reason.

What the Su family gained in Meishan was the people's hearts, and that's what they really are not easy to mess with!

I heard Shi Tong say: "Zhong Xianggong's good nature was not only reflected before the disaster, but also after the disaster. Later, someone who had previously acquired the land couldn't get rid of it and wanted to sell the land back to the Su family.

"

"Mr. Zhong persuaded the buyer with good words, saying that it was not easy to buy a property. He asked the buyer not to let down the good opportunity given to him by God, but to live with it as long as he could, and not to easily sell off the land that he had finally obtained and lend him money instead.

"

"Tell me, what kind of ambition is this?"

Su You nodded and said, "I know some of the story of Mr. Zhong Xian, but I'm not so detailed. I only know that he was an old man with a good temper."

Shi Tong said with a smile: "Ha, it's true when you talk about this! No matter whether adults or children, when they meet on the road, Mr. Zhong will give way to others and ask others to pass first. Those who are familiar will chat with each other with a few pleasantries. There is no problem.

Like him."

Su You clapped his hands and said with a smile: "He also likes to ride a donkey. He likes to ride it around for free. Speaking of this, it seems that donkeys have a close relationship with our Su family. I heard that Mrs. Cheng dreamed about Zhang Guo's wife.

Zizhan."

Shi Tong waved his hand and said: "Master, this is misunderstood. The story in the early years is like this. Mrs. Cheng gave birth to two boys before, but she couldn't keep them. It was Mr. Mingyun who dreamed about Guo Lao and then begged for a son in the temple.

At that time, I happened to see a portrait of Guo Lao, so I invited him to his home to worship it. Sure enough, he soon got Zizhan and the two brothers grew up without any illness or disaster."

Su You said: "That's it."

Shi Tong patted his thigh: "By the way, talking about riding a donkey, Mr. Zhong has one more thing to do. It can also be seen that his character is noble and pure."

"Back then, when the children of the Su family and the Cheng family were both Jinshi, the Cheng family held a banquet, entertained their neighbors, and burned incense to take over the case. It was extremely grand."

"The good news came. Mr. Su was riding a donkey for a walk. On the way, he met Brother Huan's messenger, who brought new official clothes, webbed heads, official documents and other things."

"Mr. Su picked it up at the roadside, opened it, looked at it, and sent the messenger at will. Then he threw the things into the cloth bag, asked the boy to carry it, rode his donkey, and went home with care."

"I met a wine and meat seller on the road, so I bought some on the way, kept some to eat while walking, and threw the rest into the cloth bag."

"It took a while for Mr. Cheng to find out that the Su family was also a Jinshi. He hurried to Su's house. On the way, he met Mr. Su who was drunk with an old farmer. Mr. Cheng was so angry that he cursed Zhong.

My late father-in-law didn’t take the Jinshi seriously, hahahaha... The people of Meishan used this matter to judge the superiority of the Su family and the Cheng family. Su Cheng Shishi, this ranking was not arranged randomly!"

"Hahahaha..." Su You couldn't help laughing, "My old man, those are super cute..."

The two laughed for a while, and Shi Tong said seriously: "However, I can see the shadow of Mr. Zhong Xianggong in Master. He is free and unrestrained, upholding righteousness and spreading wealth."

"Not only did I help my Shi family refine cloud steel before, but I came to Meishan for a short period of time to help the Cheng family improve printing and the historian to improve ceramics. I heard that the historian offered 500 guan, so he rejected it as soon as he said it?"

"This kind of character is worthy of a great master like me! Come on, I will give you honey water instead of wine to honor my master with a glass of filial piety."

Su You was very happy today and said to Shi Tong casually: "You have made this Yungang, how are you going to use it?"

Shi Tong said: "Then it's natural to make a weapon. A sword should cost more than five hundred swords."

Su You looked at Shi Tong with great interest: "Do you, the Shi family, really have no taboos anymore?"

Shi Tong immediately reacted: "Ouch! This is fatal!"

Su You smiled and said: "So, it's best not to touch a top-quality sword without the permission of the imperial court."

Shi Tong grimaced: "Is it possible to make such fine steel and use it to make kitchen knives and hoes?"

Su You said: "How can that be possible? Let me ask you, in the Song Dynasty, was culture more noble or military power more noble?"

Shi Tong was indignant: "Since I released my military power over a glass of wine and ruled the world with the scholar-bureaucrats, we, the Song Dynasty, have always used culture to control military force!"

Su You smiled and said: "Let's not talk about the pros and cons of this matter. Do you think our Yungang products should be based on literary matters?"

Shi Tong sneered and said: "Let the Jinshi gentlemen, who are good at writing and writing, play with swords? I'm afraid they will get hurt!"

Su You laughed loudly: "Your butt is crooked, I'm too lazy to talk to you about it! Let me ask you, as for the two handles made by Shi Lao, which are 'definitely good', if they use rhinoceros, tortoise shell, or red sandalwood as handles,

Decorated with carved lacquer, mother-of-pearl, or even gold and jade, it can be placed on a desk for playing with, cutting paper, unsealing, cutting ink, cutting tea...is it considered an elegant vessel?"

Shi Tong slapped his forehead, and he was so excited that he started swearing: "Straight mother-in-law! This little thing deserves fifty guan! Oh no, sixty guan!"

Su You smiled and said: "The key is that the tool is small enough and does not violate taboos. Not only is it suitable for low-volume products like Yunnan Steel, but its value can also be higher."

Shi Tong picked his forehead and laughed mischievously: "Master, how did you get this brain? This method is so amazing."

Su You patted Shi Tong's thigh: "Prepare calamine powder, red copper powder, graphite crucible, silver wire, beeswax and other materials. I will bring the drawings tomorrow and make a fun thing for your little lady first.

"

…

When he returned home, he drew a blueprint and called in his craftsman, asking him to make two thin, fish-shaped, round-headed pieces of wood out of boxwood according to the pattern on the blueprint.

Yu Gong smiled and said: "What's the use of this young master? Yu Er can make it."

Su You smiled and said: "The next step is Kungfu, you have to carve patterns on it."

Yu Gong didn't take it seriously: "That's a skilled job, young master, you just give orders."

This actually stopped Su You from asking, so he had to ask: "What kind of tricks does the little lady like nowadays?"

Yu Gong said: "There are so many kinds of flowers, such as peonies, lotuses, pomegranates, and a year's scenery..."

Su You asked again: "What about a young lady who likes to dance with guns and sticks?"

Yu Gong was stunned: "Is there such a young lady in Song Dynasty?"

Su You scratched his forehead and said: "Forget it, let's carve the peony with branches. The pattern should be as complex as possible. The stamens should be carved in the open, the rolled parts of the petals and leaves should be carved in the dark, the edges of the petals should also be carved in the dark, and the rest of the winding branches and vines should be carved in the open."

Yu Gong exclaimed: "Can you still see this thing?"

Su You smiled and said: "It can be seen, but it needs to be processed twice."

Yu Gong smiled and said: "I'm overly worried. Is there anything I can't see when the young master comes out of his hand? By the way, more than 13,000 square meters of mud seals have been obtained today, so that the young master can know that too much

The master has elevated me to a position of worship, and this is all the kindness of the young master."

After saying this, he bowed deeply to Su You.

Su You said: "Then work hard and print. There are still many processes that can be improved."

After seeing off Yu Gong who had expressed his gratitude so much, Su You was speechless all night. Su You got up the next day, paid a visit to Cheng Wenying, and then went to the iron workshop.

Arriving at the workshop, Shi Tong came up to him excitedly: "Master, look!"
Chapter completed!