Shen Kuo finally received the letter from his hometown.

He couldn't wait to open it and looked at his wife Zhang's beautiful handwriting on the letter.

Zhang said that she had already set off from her hometown Qiantang.

You can arrive in Bianjing around mid-June.

Not only Shen Kuo's only son Shen Chong was accompanying him, but also several of Shen Kuo's nephews.

They came to Bianjing to seek refuge with Shen Kuo and prepare for the next imperial examination. Although the Liangzhe Road where Qiantang is located was not as test-intensive as Jiangnan West Road and Fujian Road.

But he was also the king of scrolls in the Song Dynasty.

The admission ratio is usually hundreds of people competing for one spot.

Basically, you are not a genius, you can't win over others.

Therefore, they could only come to Bianjing to seek refuge with Shen Kuo, using the name of "serving their uncle" to take advantage of the back door left by the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty for high-ranking officials.

This is the so-called ‘ultimatum test’.

According to the system, children of officials above the local supervisory level who are more than two thousand miles away from their place of origin can take the ultimatum examination on the spot.

The admission rate for the final examination has been stable at more than 30%.

It can be said to be a fast track for the children of high-ranking officials to enter officialdom.

Shen Kuo's appointment in the capital was far more than two thousand miles away from his hometown of Qiantang, which fully met the standards for the imperial examination.

In addition, Zhang also said in the letter that he had put together more than half of the "Map of Prefectures and Counties in the World" that he had worked so hard to draw over the years, and would bring it to the capital carefully, telling him not to worry.

Finally, Zhang told Shen Kuo to do things well and never make mistakes.

After Shen Kuo read his wife's letter home, a trace of rosiness suddenly appeared on his face.

Zhang was his successor, almost fifteen years younger than him, and the apple of Zhang Chu's eye who promoted and valued him.

It can even be said that Shen Kuo watched Zhang grow up.

The relationship between the two is very complicated!

Outsiders have no idea and cannot understand it.

All in all, for Shen Kuo, Zhang was not only his wife, but also the pillar of his life. She was also a virtuous wife who could help him in many things.

To be honest, Shen Kuo always felt that something was missing during these days away from the Zhang family, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

Now that his wife was about to enter Beijing, Shen Kuo felt relieved.

He thought for a while, then rode on his horse, preparing to go out to buy some of his wife's favorite gouache.

Just went out and led the horse.

An official who was renting next to him came out with a smile and bowed his hands in salute: "Shen Tiju... Shen Tiju..."

Shen Kuo glanced at the other party and asked suspiciously: "Is there something wrong with Wang Hucao?"

The other party approached Shen Kuo mysteriously and asked in a low voice: "I heard that there is a magical secret technique for lifting, which can turn water into copper...I don't know...is there any secret method in that regard?"

Shen Kuo was immediately alert and said seriously: "What kind of magical secrets are there? I am a scholar, and I don't want to talk about my strange powers!"

The official frowned: "Then how does Liji turn water into copper?"

yes!

If you don't have magical magic, how can you turn water into copper?

Shen Kuo sighed and said, "Don't you just take a step to listen and study things to know them?"

"This is the teaching of the sage!"

Shen Kuo thought of the young master's words that day and said sternly: "It's just like water. When it's hot, it turns into vapor, and when it's cold, the water vapor condenses into water droplets!"

"The saint knows his nature and principles, so he uses it in the world!"

"You should study hard and don't ask for a deeper explanation!" Shen Kuo warned half scolding.

He has the qualifications!

Not to mention that he was once an important minister waiting to be appointed!

Even now, Shen Kuo's officials are also inviting officials to the court!

Yuanfeng sent Luge to the twelfth level of the twenty-fifth-level Beijing court official. The only ones above him were the chief officials of the three provinces.

Not to mention that he is a close minister of the emperor and an official of the banquet.

The official was stunned when Shen Kuo said this.

"Studying things to achieve knowledge?" He blinked. What does this have to do with turning water into copper?

…

After an hour, Shen Kuo was exhausted.

Because along the way, he met no less than twenty people who came to ask him about the 'secret method of the gods'.

Several times, I was even watched by passers-by.

Many people gathered around him, shouting: You are Shen Tiju who can turn water into copper, right? Please teach us the secret technique!

This made Shen Kuo unable to go shopping in Wa City at all, so he had to go home in a hurry.

When he arrived near the rented house, Shen Kuo saw that the soldiers from Kaifeng Mansion had gathered in front of his house.

After asking, I found out that someone tried to enter his yard to steal, but was discovered by several passers-by and was caught on the spot.

You knew without asking that he must be the one who wanted to steal the 'secret method' from Shen Kuo's house while he was away.

This made Shen Kuo anxious.

Although the people in the right wing of Kaifeng Mansion came to inspect the area and assured him that they would definitely protect his safety.

Several soldiers will be stationed and a military store will be built near his home.

But Shen Kuo still felt that this place was unbearable.

Moreover, Shen Kuo also knew that if he couldn't explain clearly, similar things would inevitably happen one after another, and it would be difficult to prevent them!

After all, everyone in the world will only know that he, Shen Kuo, used an almost immortal method to turn water into copper!

So he instinctively concluded that he, Shen Kuo, had mastered some secret method, a secret technique that might turn stone into gold!

Those who want to steal his secret will line up from Bianjing to Luoyang.

Can he stop it? He can't!

Therefore, he must explain clearly!

So, while the people from Kaifeng Mansion were patrolling, and there were many people watching around.

Shen Kuo cupped his hands and said to the inspector: "Inspection, my neighbors..."

"A certain person is a disciple of a sage. The sage said: Respect ghosts and gods and stay away from them!"

"I have always practiced the teachings of saints, let alone saying that there is no magical secret method. Even if there is a so-called magical secret method in front of my eyes, I will turn a blind eye!"

"There are rumors that the so-called point of water turns into copper is really a mistake!"

"The method is to soak iron in bile water and exchange iron for copper!"

"It's a truth derived from the scriptures of sages!"

"This principle is the same as water turning into gas when heated, and water vapor turning into water droplets when cold!"

"If you are interested, you can try it!"

"There are gallstones available for purchase in pharmacies in the capital! You can buy gallstones yourself, crush them, and soak them in a water vat. When the water in the vat changes color, take pig iron and soak it in it, and you can get copper!"

"Everyone can try this method, and everyone can use it!" Shen Kuo bowed and bowed: "It is completely different from the so-called ghosts and gods, and the so-called alchemy!"

Everyone listened and became quiet.

Really?

Most people don't believe it.

But the way Shen Kuo said it was true, it didn't seem like he was lying.

Gallstones in Bianjing City can indeed be purchased at will.

What if everyone could use gallstones to smelt copper?

Many people's hearts were beating fast.

This is a ready-made way to make money!

How much does a pound of gallstones cost? Refining ten pounds of gallstones to make one pound of copper is a pure profit!

It should be noted that the copper coins of the Song Dynasty always used up to three pounds of copper, and the rest were lead and tin.

And pure copper is used to make copperware, which is more profitable!

Therefore, on this day, large quantities of gallstones were purchased in major pharmacies in Bianjing City, including the government-run pharmacy.
To be continued...