Chapter 6, Dazzling.
Is it a case of raising a case to the eyebrows
Delicate side dishes are served in porcelain plates, all neatly arranged within a lacquer box. The lacquer box is adorned with intricate patterns of birds and beasts, exuding an ancient yet exquisite charm. Cheng Azhu, dressed in a complete set of bridal attire, kneels at Zhao Xing's feet, respectfully raising the lacquer box to her forehead. Then, with a forward lean of her body, she gracefully presents the lacquer box to Zhao Xing's lips. Afterward, she lowers her gaze and says, "Teacher, please enjoy." Cheng Azhu, dressed in a complete set of bridal attire, kneels at Zhao Xing's feet, respectfully raising the lacquer box to her forehead. Then, with a forward lean of her body, she gracefully presents the lacquer box to Zhao Xing's lips. Afterward, she lowers her gaze and says, "Teacher, please enjoy."
Zhao Xing speaks little in daily life. When he lowered his head, Cheng Tong interpreted it as agreement. He then recalled the boatmen that the other party had brought back and said in a tone of understanding: "The gentleman has brought back a few boatmen... Indeed, it would be quite unreasonable for our small village of ten households in Chengjiacao to produce a few scholars and then send them over mountains and ridges to the county for examinations.
Finally, the teacup is delivered to the guest's hands, allowing them to savor the aroma and taste...
During the Song Dynasty, carpentry was not considered a high-skill profession. The wood carving techniques of this era had reached the pinnacle of Chinese civilization. The wooden artifacts, doors, windows, beams, and columns from the Song Dynasty that have survived to modern times are all intricately decorated and exhibit exquisite craftsmanship. In this era, it was easy to find several skilled carpenters—most people in the Song Dynasty could competently handle carpentry work if given a saw.
It is chaotic
In fact, Zhao Xing did not know that during the Song Dynasty, "the color of the cup was valued in dark blue and black," while white porcelain was considered a cheap commodity
The tea utensils satisfied the guests, and the tea ceremony continued. Next, Cheng Azhuxian skillfully roasted, ground, and filtered the tea. At this moment, the water in the small pot, resembling a teapot, boiled to a second boil. Cheng Azhuxian picked up the pot and rinsed the tea cups with the boiling water—this is called "Zhan," which refers to preheating the tea cups with boiling water.
It is said that the tea art of the Song Dynasty represents the pinnacle of Chinese tea culture. To compare the different levels of tea art, competitions known as "tea duels" became popular among the people. Zhao Xing, who was completely ignorant of tea art knowledge, held a book in his hand, but his gaze was not on the text; instead, he was curiously admiring Cheng Azhus movements, which were comparable to a dance.
What is going on here
Fortunately, they are all present, and no one has touched them
Not long after this meal, it was time for dinner again. Zhao Xing's courtyard had happily returned to its lively state
This time, a group of brides-to-be arrived, all dressed in brand new wedding gowns, bustling about in Zhao Xing's courtyard, busily finding things to do for themselves.
Zhao Xing did not express his stance, merely waiting for the clan leader's decision. Cheng Tong's gaze aimlessly swept across the courtyard, noticing Cheng Lao Qi still hesitating and peering from the entrance. He glanced at A Zhu and asked, "Is A Zhu serving well"
It is said that after doing so much work, if all of it were done by Cheng Azhuz in her new wedding dress, that dress should be covered in dust. However, the reality is quite the opposite; the wedding dress is very tidy, and even the ornaments hanging from it are clean. As it moves with Cheng Azhuz's body, it emits a jingling sound, as if reminding people of its existence—could this really be the attire for doing household chores?
During this period, Zhao Xing looked up several times to observe and found that although Cheng Azhuz had not lifted her eyelids, she was very sensitive to his gaze. Whenever he looked over, the girl would unconsciously lift the bowl of porridge, drinking it in a flustered manner. He sensed a hint of shyness in her expression, along with a touch of happiness and perhaps a bit of pride.
The tea leaves are ground very finely, and with a small amount of water, the tea soup transforms into a viscous substance resembling coffee. When stirred with a tea whisk, the thick tea soup coats the tea bowl with a layer of vibrant colors, reminiscent of an ink wash painting—this is known as "tanghua." The resulting tanghua is also referred to as "bomo," and it is required to be "white in color, beautifully formed, and long-lasting without dispersing"
"It is indeed difficult to find a good blacksmith," Cheng was troubled. "I have been thinking, there aren't any good blacksmiths in the four ditches and eight villages. Even if we look further away, would they be willing to come to our Cheng family settlement? ... Sir, could you help me inquire? My Cheng clan is willing to offer a monthly salary of two guan."
Su Shi has a poem that describes this process, stating: "The crab's eyes have passed, and the fish's eyes are born; the sound of the wind is about to create a melody like the pines. The ears are covered, and the fine pearls fall from the grindstone, swirling and flying like light snow around the cup." In the hands of this great poet, the process of enjoying tea art is portrayed as beautiful, breathtakingly so.
Although Cheng Azhu's actions were not slow, by the time lunch was ready, it was already close to the time for people in modern society to finish work and return home—if it were any later, it would be dinner time.
Zhao Xing gently shook his head. He casually pulled out a volume from "Essential Techniques for the People" and introduced it, saying: "In fact, you do not need to seek out an exceptionally skilled blacksmith... The techniques of blacksmithing are all contained in this book; let him come, and I will teach."
Zhao Xing withdrew his gaze from Cheng Azhus, then turned his face to survey the courtyard and the *Tu* *Shu* house.
In Chengjia'ao, far from the county town, such a salary is considered absolutely high. During the Song Dynasty, an ordinary county magistrate of the eighth rank earned a monthly salary of only 15 guan, while a prime minister's base salary was 300 guan per month. The monthly salary offered to the blacksmith has already surpassed that of the county police chief (referred to as the county wei in the Song Dynasty)
This means that, based on the meat price of "Zhu Bajie," one wen during the Song Dynasty is at least equivalent to ten yuan in modern times, and a monthly salary of five hundred wen corresponds to a modern monthly salary of five thousand yuan
What book is the Master reading? How could there be illustrations of farming tools in this book?
Having a boat makes it convenient to travel back and forth on the river, which can be done in a day and night... I have made arrangements with several boatmen, agreeing on a monthly salary of 500 wen. The village will build them houses by the riverside, and if they are willing to move in, the village will allow them to register as residents. What do you think, Master? Is this acceptable?
Cheng Tong observed the "false hustle and bustle" in the courtyard, and he coughed harshly, scolding: "You mindless fools, go home, all of you go home."
However, in ancient times, it was acceptable not to understand mathematics, but one could not do without knowledge of the "Six Classics." Therefore, Zhao Xing began to study the doctrines of that era, starting with the "Essential Techniques for the Common People." However, due to his lack of proficiency in punctuation, he found himself utterly confused while reading, and when Cheng Tong arrived, he simply tossed the book aside.
Casually chatting about "Qimin Yaoshu," Cheng Tong still did not think of an explanation. He then shifted the topic to this year's farming plan: "Does the Master mean that we should not rush to start work at the beginning of spring this year, and wait until the children have taken the entrance examination before the Cheng family applies for household registration with the prefecture and county?"
Having been away from the house for two days, one would expect the embers within to have long since extinguished and the place to be covered in dust. However, what meets the eye is an unusually clean environment, with even the legs of his desk polished to a shine, and the water in the tank is clear and overflowing
At this moment, Zhao Xing had somewhat guessed the truth, but he dared not believe it
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The turmoil only ceased when Cheng Tong arrived. As Cheng Tong stepped into the courtyard, all the girls were busy, while Zhao Xing sat silently by the fire pit, flipping through a book. Cheng A Zhu, on the other hand, knelt at his feet, skillfully demonstrating the complete set of Song Dynasty tea art
Cheng Azhu's etiquette is indeed a testament to the specialized training received from city dwellers. For instance, the action of presenting a tray emphasizes steady hands and stable shoulders, relying solely on the strength of the waist and utilizing a forward-leaning posture to offer the tray. The most outstanding practitioners of this technique, as depicted in illustrated books, are the courtesans from the city. They can balance ten teacups on a single tray, and regardless of how their bodies sway, the water in the cups remains undisturbed.
In fact, the "monthly salary of five hundred wen" that Cheng Tongkai offered to the boatman was already considered a high salary in this era. In Huangzhou City, an adult pig sells for only one hundred wen. An adult pig weighs about two to three hundred jin, and such a pig would sell for at least one thousand yuan in modern society
As Chengjia'ao has developed to the present, the lack of blacksmithing skills has become a bottleneck in its progress. With the presence of blacksmiths, coupled with strong transportation capabilities, Chengjia'ao will completely transform into an economic entity that is self-sufficient internally and exports a large volume of products externally
Zhao Xing listened carefully to the sounds within the village. The courtyards and houses were closely packed together, and from the neighboring house, the sounds of cooking and the aroma of food wafted through the air. However, his own courtyard was eerily quiet. After a moment, he directed his suspicious gaze towards Cheng Azhuz in the courtyard.
Cheng Tong tried his best to speak in a formal manner, while Zhao Xing's thought process automatically translated his speech, which was heavily laced with colloquial expressions from the Song Dynasty, into modern language. He nodded while reminding, "The blacksmith, we still need the blacksmith"
Cheng Tong did not come alone; he was accompanied by the four eldest members of the Cheng family: Cheng Lao Er, Cheng Lao Wu, Cheng Lao Jiu, and Cheng Shi Yi. Meanwhile, the timid Cheng Lao Qi stood at the entrance of the courtyard, hesitating to enter. Ultimately, he simply squatted at the door, peering into the room where Cheng A Zhu was.
Cheng Azhu began with the "tea set." The so-called "tea set" refers to the arrangement of tea utensils. With movements akin to a dance, a row of white porcelain tea utensils was placed along the edge of the table
The eyes of several elders outside the door lit up. Elder Cheng Er immediately interjected to recommend his own son, while the others, unwilling to be outdone, also began to shout, turning the entrance of the small house into a cacophony.
Zhao Xing did not understand why the other party's thoughts were so disjointed. Before he had a chance to respond, a pair of small hands had already presented a teacup. Taking advantage of this pause, he silently accepted the teacup and lowered his head to drink the tea
In the character of modern individuals, there exists a certain unrestrained natural ease. Zhao Xing made up his mind to calmly take the tray, striving to make his movements relaxed and effortless, as if it were a matter of course, and then he pretended to be calm as he began to chew.
Recently, Cheng Tong's authority has grown increasingly with the development of Chengjiacao. At the sound of his reprimand, no one in the courtyard dared to retort, and the young women immediately ceased their "work," scattering like startled mice.
During the Song Dynasty, due to the continuous warfare in the surrounding regions, the court had a strong demand for military supplies. As a result, local governments spared no effort in conscripting blacksmiths. Skilled blacksmiths were incorporated into official workshops, responsible for military production
This is the "Essential Techniques for the People" from the Northern and Southern Dynasties. This time when I went to the county town, I did not expect to find such a book in a small county... What a good book! I was just segmenting the sentences in the book.
Zhao Xing hesitated slightly, but upon seeing a 14-year-old girl kneeling in front of him with a heavy lacquer box, calling him "teacher," he felt emotionally drained even if the girl herself was not tired, thus he did not dare to ponder for too long
The meal was spent in silence—Zhao Xing sat alone at the table eating, while Cheng Azhū knelt by the door, sitting on the ground, with a similar lacquer box beside her knee, quietly eating there.
Cheng Laoqi lacks discernment; the etiquette teacher he hired might merely be a performer. The tea ceremony skills taught to Cheng Azhu are not those of a housewife's etiquette, but rather the labor techniques that a maid should know—this Zhao Xing would later come to realize, but at that moment, he was so astonished by Cheng Azhu's skills that he was left speechless
Not only he, but also the young wives in the courtyard were experiencing this set of "noble" etiquette for the first time. Although they pretended to be busy with their tasks and wore disdainful smiles at the corners of their mouths, their eyes kept glancing over here, filled with envy and jealousy.
Cheng Tong was at a loss as to how to explain the appearance of Cheng Azhu. He looked left and right and noticed a book that Zhao Xing had thrown aside, which was filled with drawings. Many of the illustrations resembled agricultural tools, such as a plowshare.
Under Cheng Tong's default, Cheng Azhuz immediately understood that she had the right to stay. She quickly poured several cups of tea and handed them one by one to the elders of the clan
Then begin to prepare the tea—place the tea leaves in the cup, pour in a small amount of boiling water to form a paste—this is called making the paste. After that, start to pour and whisk, simultaneously pouring boiling water while using the tea whisk to create a froth on the surface.
Zhao Xing clapped his hands, turned around, and walked to the gate of the courtyard, looking up at the sky.
Classical Chinese lacks punctuation and paragraph breaks, making it a scholarly endeavor to discern where sentences should be divided. Zhao Xing had not yet mastered this skill, so he chose to conceal his shortcomings and only taught the students around him basic scientific knowledge. As for mathematical knowledge, which was referred to as "Shushu" at the time, it was his forte; he could teach from the fundamentals without any textbooks. Currently, when it comes to calculation skills, his students could proudly compete in the entire Huangzhou, which is precisely what he takes the most pride in.
Very strange, very eerie
Even during the Song Dynasty, it was still difficult to find suitable "high-tech talent" for this price
This is a phenomenon that has never occurred before
Zhao Xing's stomach rumbled loudly. Unable to wait any longer, he stood up in annoyance and walked towards the stove, deciding to take matters into his own hands. Cheng A Zhu, seeing his actions, immediately snapped back to reality, dropped the broom, and ran towards the stove
Cheng Azhu is still sweeping the floor, sweeping away dust that does not exist. She sweeps very slowly, as if the broom weighs a thousand pounds
During the Song Dynasty, there were many types of tea utensils, including tea bowls and tea bottles. Since Zhao Xing became "particular" about tea cups, the standards for selecting tea utensils in Chengjia'ao have also improved. Although the tea set used by Cheng Azhuz is not top-tier, finding such fine white porcelain cups in a mountain valley pleased Zhao Xing, who nodded in satisfaction.
It is noon, and at this time, Zhao Xing's courtyard is usually the liveliest. The young wives from various families bustle about, as they take turns preparing Zhao Xing's three meals a day. This is partly to express their gratitude for Zhao Xing's help in taking care of their children, and partly because Zhao Xing often feels inspired and teaches these young wives a few modern cooking techniques. However, at this moment, there is not a single person in the courtyard
The fire has been lit, and Cheng Azhu's posture is peculiar. She seems unable to look directly at Zhao Xing, tilting her head and trying to turn her face to the side, busily working by the stove in a very awkward manner, beginning to prepare the meal
Upon hearing Cheng Tong's call, Cheng A Zhu also rose, deftly tidying up the tea set in the lacquer box in preparation to leave. However, upon seeing Cheng Lao Qi at the door, she halted her movements and turned her gaze towards Cheng Tong
Is today the day when the Song people display their wedding garments? Why do all the girls dress more vibrantly than the spring flowers? ... Coming and going, busier than butterflies; singing and laughing, clearer than the birds...
However, blacksmiths are hard to find
Cheng Tong entered the room with a stern expression, completely ignoring Cheng Azhus presence, and sat down with Zhao Xing as host and guest. The other elderly men walked to the door, hesitated for a moment, and then simply followed Cheng Lao Qi's example, squatting outside and looking into the room
Zhao Xing's confusion deepened as he stroked his chin, pondering with curiosity: Is today the Clothes Drying Festival?