The last conscience of the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 129 Beautiful, so beautiful
If it comes to government affairs, Zhao Ji can't do it.

Zhao Ji really did research on this matter.

Zhao Ji's statement is almost the same as Li Qingzhao's: "Although Tao inkstones come from Taozhou, Taozhou is not small. I have heard six different opinions about the place of origin. I also looked at the market next to the Daxiangguo Temple. One of them came from Min. The counterfeit Tao inkstones from Zhou only look similar but feel rough and dull to the touch. They are inferior inkstones and can only fool people who don’t understand.”

Zhao Ji touched the stones one by one and said in a very confident tone: "If you want to look for it, according to my research on this stone, it is right in Taozhou. Go to the south bank of Tao River, a familiar place."

Liang Xin did not know whether the location mentioned by Zhao Ji was the real top source of rough stones recorded in later generations.

Liang Xin's purpose was to send people there to do something, just in the name of looking for stones.

The real reason was to open up trade routes so that more tribes in that area could integrate into the Song Dynasty faster, so the person who really handled the matter was Zhang Shuye.

At that time, a large number of books, tea, silk and other items will be transported from Bianjing.

The more raw plants turn into mature plants, the more peaceful Hehuang will be.

As long as border trade is initiated, it can promote the integration of nationalities. The current culture of war-weary and virtuous people still exists in the court, and the wise men among the courtiers also know how to govern Tibet.

Liang Xin only needed to find an excuse to give enough respect to the tribes on the other side of Hehuang and spread Han culture.Sometimes, border trade is not for money, like the border trade in Hehuang. If you can successfully win over more Tibetan nobles, it will be equivalent to having one more ally.

Zhang Shuye is currently in Hehuang. I believe that when the caravan here with thousands of forbidden troops arrives, he will definitely do a great job in this matter.

As for the stones.

If you find it, you're lucky, but if you can't find it, it's hard work.

Liang Xin was standing aside and thinking, while Zhao Ji had already taken out his tools, sat down and started to work.

Sculpture.

Zhao Ji is really the god of all kinds of arts. Once you get started, you will know whether he has real materials or not.

Li Qingzhao is the most talented woman in Bianjing.

She saw the stone in her eyes, even the outer skin was taken into account, how could there be a high-quality inkstone.

Zhao Ji deserves to be called the most talented man in the world.

Through his hands, an inkstone has begun to take shape.

The stone skin of the Tao inkstone is preserved, which makes the inkstone seem simple and primitive. It has a simple and natural feeling, as if it has witnessed the changes of the earth for thousands of years.

Even people like Liang Xin who don't know much about art appreciation feel that this inkstone comes alive.

Liang Xin couldn't help but praise: "Beautiful, so beautiful."

Zhao Ji also stood up and felt relieved: "I almost didn't mean it. Let's pick a few different ones to practice my skills first. I didn't deal with this aspect well in terms of artistic conception. I can correct it if I change it. Well, Zhang Dun has been doing well recently. You take it and let him continue to carve it, it is a reward for his successful work these days."

"Yes." Liang Xin responded.

Zhao Ji casually pointed to a few more pieces: "I'll take these pieces with me too."

Liang Xin knew that these pieces of money were what Zhao Ji didn't like.

For Liang Xin, who is not good at this, it really doesn't matter. It doesn't matter whether he has it or not.

And after that, there will be a second batch and a third batch of raw Tao inkstones shipped.

"This piece, and this piece." Zhao Ji said as he casually took a carving knife and scratched a mark on it. These were all things he gave up. There were so many, so Zhao Ji didn't need them all. He just picked the one he liked. .

He couldn't carve so many of them himself.

Zhao Ji also knew that more Tao inkstones would continue to arrive.

Just pick the best and keep it, that’s enough.

Zhao Ji moved a few pieces he particularly liked into the study and the rest into the warehouse, then changed clothes and prepared to go to Taoyuan Pavilion to play.

Liang Xin, return to the mansion.The rest were also moved into the warehouse, and they took the inkstone that Zhao Ji had carved into a third into the east cross courtyard.

"Mr. Zhang, a reward from the official family."

Zhang Dun took it, held it in his hand and looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but sigh: "Our official family is really a genius. If this inkstone is completed, it will be a top-quality inkstone. Good, it is really good." "

Even Zhang Dun had to admit that in terms of artistic standards, Zhao Ji was really a genius.

nice.

Zhao Ji only carved one-third of this inkstone, which is very pleasing to the eye.

Zhang Dun looked down upon Zhao Ji.

It's purely about Zhao Ji's career as emperor.

If we talk about art.

Zhang Dun had to convince himself.

While the two were admiring it, Wang Pu ran over.

"Young Master, official handwriting."

Liang Xin took it and opened it to read. It was a long article with several thousand words.

After a simple calculation, he handed it to Zhang Dun.

Zhang Dun read it and couldn't help but nod: "Well written, good article. The official must have discovered that some of the stones were broken open. He wrote a theory on the mining of raw stones. I also think so." , Don’t underestimate quarrying, quarrying is a very important process, and the quality of the raw materials used for quarrying directly affects the quality of the finished inkstone.”

After finishing speaking, Zhang Dun asked Liang Xin: "Brother Xin, what should you do?"

Liang Xin replied: "The Hezhong Prefecture ransacked their homes and got a huge sum of money, as well as the fields they illegally occupied. All of them were used to build roads and regulate the river. Build the road from Luozhou to Jingzhao, and then build it from Jingzhao." Arrive at Taozhou. Ten thousand forbidden troops are dispatched to Taozhou. Zhang Shuye is the state official and has the obligation to guard the mining area for the officials. Cao Sheng, as the commander, leads this forbidden army."

Zhang Dun smiled: "Building roads for stones?"

"How about transporting some local products? Ten thousand dans of tea cakes to go north?"

"Very good." Zhang Dun agreed with this statement.

Liang Xin added: "I still have a way to make a fortune."

Zhang Dun: "What way?"

Liang Xin pointed to the piece in Zhang Dun's hand: "I'll ask the officials to make a few more pieces. They are all semi-finished products and then put them in Bianjing City. I think someone will pay a high price to buy them. The official hands are so casual. After a few clicks, the value will probably double a hundred times."

Zhang Dun looked Liang Xin up and down: "Brother Xin, you have a unique idea. I am surprised and very happy."

If Liang Xin said this, it means: You are good or bad, but I like you.

Zhang Dun turned around and walked to the table, picked up his pen and wrote a long article.

Liang Xin watched from the sidelines and summarized it as a set of processes from stone to inkstone.

To put it simply: quarrying, material selection, design, blanking, blank making, line drawing, lowering the chamber, removing and closing the cover, engraving, polishing, glazing, and box matching.

After reading this article, Liang Xinshuang asked some professional knowledge about Tao Inkstone.

Afterwards, Liang Xin said to Zhang Dun: "Mr. Zhang, you must write a note of gratitude."

"Yes, yes." Although Zhang Dun kept scolding Zhao Ji, he still couldn't believe that Zhao Ji would be the emperor, but he did not dare to lack the necessary etiquette. The emperor had to thank the emperor for rewards.

Even if this piece is obviously something that Zhao Ji probably didn't want because he hadn't used the carving knife for too long, and he made a slight mistake, I still want to thank him.

(End of this chapter)