The weak scholar in the end of ancient times

Chapter 96 In a fit of rage

Back then, the court valued civil officials over military ones, and the young master Zhao's career path was to become a civil official. He hired famous teachers from both the north and south, but he never went out to study.

The literary culture is not thriving in the north, and those in their families who hold official positions are stationed in the border towns for many years. If they want to study abroad, they will definitely go to the south where the literary culture is more prosperous.

It was too far, and the journey was too risky. After considering it, the family felt it was unnecessary. So they invited some famous scholars and literati from the south to come and teach them the knowledge in the book, while also talking about the people's lives and social conditions in various parts of the south.

When asked about what he had learned from his travels, the Zhao father and son had no doubts.

In this era of inconvenient transportation and limited information flow, people will believe anything you say. If you can provide evidence, even more people will believe you.

The things that Wen Gu brought out, from honeycomb briquette stoves to various mirrors, are solid proof!
Everyone's initial motivation and purpose for studying abroad are different. Even if they follow the same paths and seek out the same renowned teacher, the insights they gain will not be the same.

During the heyday of literary pursuits, most people who traveled for study did not pay much attention to artisans and folk crafts.

In the past, these "study abroad experiences" that Wen Gu had gained would have been considered a waste of time and energy.

"What a pity! In this chaotic world, so many precious talents and skills have been buried!" Young Master Zhao said with deep regret.

The Zhao family head also thought to himself: when the world is at peace in the future, he can let his descendants continue this tradition of "traveling for study".

Study abroad programs are really useful!

Meanwhile, Wen Gu returned to the small courtyard where they lived.

He was also thinking about things on the way.

The microscope I gave to my uncle as a New Year's gift had a maximum magnification of nearly two hundred times when the lenses were combined.

No one knows what those Gu worms that create the plague look like, or how big they are.

With the limited capabilities of the naked eye today, magnification by several dozen times is certainly not enough.

If the venomous insects that cause the plague are even smaller, and we want to start our research from the eggs, a magnification of 200 times might be possible. But to be on the safe side, we would need an even greater magnification, 300 times, 400 times...

Bacteria can be seen under high magnification, but of course, that's all there is to it.

Fortunately, the cause of the epidemic was parasites, not bacteria or viruses.

Nowadays, lens manufacturing relies entirely on hand-grinding; it's not something that can be done instantly just because you want a lens with a certain magnification.

Even after continuous trial and error, the lens that is successfully refined may not reach the required magnification.

To better study that parasite, from its egg to adult growth cycle and living environment, it's best to have lenses of various specifications, from low to high magnification!
That requires more highly skilled craftsmen!

More people need to be involved in the work of polishing lenses!

Microscopes and telescopes are classified and cannot be disclosed to outsiders.

For nearsighted and farsighted glasses, which are sold to the public, there must be workshops and shops, as well as a professional team. Whether it's based on prescription or age, a large number of lenses are needed.

Therefore, regardless of the type of "mirror", more craftsmen, a larger production system, and more professional craftsmen and practitioners are needed!

It involves a wide range of complex tasks!

Wen Gu didn't have that much time to keep an eye on things, nor did he have the right person to manage them, so he simply handed all the work over to the Zhao family.

The Zhao family was responsible for all the tasks, including recruiting craftsmen from various places, building workshops, and managing talent.

My uncle and cousin still have a lot of rest time every day. Let's squeeze in a little more so that they can spend more of their energy on the "mirror" project.

With that in mind, Wen Gu returned to the courtyard and began writing a plan that could improve the Zhao family's efficiency.

The next day, Wen Gu finished writing the proposal but didn't send it out immediately. He planned to take a walk to relax and then come back to check for any omissions or deficiencies.

The adults in the Zhao family were still very busy, so Wen Gu decided to go and visit his cousin.

This year, he gave his cousin a kaleidoscope as a New Year's gift, but he doesn't know if the kid will like it.

I strolled over to my nephew's yard and learned that my cousin had been there for a while.

I haven't heard of any emergency, so why is my cousin here cultivating his father-son relationship?
Not far inside, I saw the father and son under the eaves.

The child stood there with a tense face, looking angry but holding it in.

What caused this...?

Taking a few steps closer, I saw my cousin holding a cylinder, staring intently at it with one eye, and constantly rotating the cylinder.

Wen Gu: "..."

Oh, I know why.

The kaleidoscope I gave to my cousin was indeed very attractive to a young child who had never been exposed to such toys before.

It now seems quite attractive to some well-informed and broad-minded adults.

Wen Gu did not quiet his footsteps. Young Master Zhao, who was holding the cylinder and turning it around, looked over and a fleeting look of embarrassment crossed his face.

He explained, "When I first arrived, I thought he was holding...that thing."

When he came over, he saw his son playing outside with this cylinder. He was immediately startled and thought that Wen Gu had brought over a telescope.

When I finally got my hands on it, I was like, "Huh?!"
interesting.

I originally only intended to check it out, but as I looked at it, I started to study it.

The child whose toy was taken away dared not speak out in anger, and could only stand aside with a sullen face.

In just a few words, Wen Gu also understood the cause of the matter.

The children loved their new gifts. The corridor was brighter, so during their free time, they ran out to play with their new toys, not afraid of the cold, and wore gloves to look outside.

Then his dad saw it and has been keeping the toy ever since.

Now that Wen Gu had come over, Young Master Zhao felt embarrassed to continue playing with this "toy," so he returned it to the child and walked with Wen Gu to the side of the corridor.

As Wen Gu explained the making and working principle of the kaleidoscope, Young Master Zhao was very interested. However, compared to the telescope and microscope that could turn the tide of battle, the kaleidoscope was indeed just a small toy. What he was really interested in was what other interesting things Wen Gu had seen during his travels.

"Besides this kaleidoscope, what other objects related to 'mirrors' did you see during your studies abroad?"

As Zhao Shaozhu spoke, he sighed, "I almost went abroad to study back then, but unfortunately it didn't work out."

Remember to be polite and smile.

"Speaking of my travel experiences related to 'mirrors,' I am reminded of another object, also related to mirrors, which is a spying device."

"Oh? Tell me!" Young Master Zhao perked up.

"The principle is actually very simple. It is made by using the reflection of a mirror. A plane mirror can be used to make the initial version." Wen Gu briefly explained the simplest version of the periscope.

Young Master Zhao couldn't quite understand the reflection principles Wen Gu had explained, but the "spying device" might be something they could use right now!

"How long will it take to make this initial version?" Young Master Zhao asked.

“It can be done now. There were a few flawed parts when the mirror was made, and I brought them with me,” Wen Gu said.

Even flawed pieces couldn't be left directly in Jingxingfang, so Wen Gu brought them along when he visited the Zhao family. They were just a few glass mirrors anyway, easily packed in a small box.

Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhao became even more interested.

"Do you have other things to do right now? If not, why don't we get started now?"

“I don’t have anything else to do, but cousin, you must have a lot on your plate. Shall I make it and bring it over to you?” Wen Gu said.

“No need for such trouble, I’ll go with you,” Young Master Zhao said decisively. “Tell me what else you need, and I’ll have it prepared.”

"Stronger paper, and adhesive for bonding lenses."

"that's it?"

"Make something simple, these will be enough. I have some scissors over there."

Once he was sure Wen Gu wasn't joking, Young Master Zhao summoned his attendant, gave him a few instructions, and then headed to Wen Gu's courtyard.

The attendant behind him hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself. "Young Master, you have guests waiting for you!"
Young Master Zhao knew he had many things to deal with, but those things weren't particularly important. In comparison, he was more interested in knowing what kind of spying device Wen Gu had mentioned!

I already gave the order when I sent someone to fetch the paper and glue. Please have the scholars over there receive the visiting guests.

Wen Gu knew that his cousin had been socializing a lot lately, so to save time, he didn't waste any words and asked Tie Tou to bring out the box containing the parts after they arrived at the courtyard.

It contains several small square or round glass mirror pieces.

Young Master Zhao examined them and confirmed that they were indeed defective. Some small pieces of glass were blurry in certain areas, and some had missing edges. It was clear that these were due to various problems that occurred during the manufacturing process.

I took two small square glass mirror pieces that were about the same size.

The paper and glue were delivered quickly.

Various types of paper were stacked together. Wen Gu selected two sheets of suitable material and used a charcoal pencil and a small bamboo ruler to draw lines.

Since it hadn't been made beforehand, we could only draw a rough sketch first, and then ask Young Master Zhao for help to paste, cut, add, and modify it until it looked the way we wanted.

"I'm still a novice, so it's rather rough," Wen Gu said.

Young Master Zhao looked at the two strange square tubes covered in "patches" and realized that Wen Gu was indeed rusty, but he didn't care.
"As long as it works!"

Then, he attached two glass lenses to the pre-reserved positions at both ends of the square tube.

The paste is used to stick the paper, while the glue used to stick the lenses is a different kind, freshly made, which sticks quite firmly.

They were busy working over here.

At the same time, Uncle Zhao originally wanted to call Young Master Zhao over to talk about something, but upon asking, he learned that Young Master Zhao had abandoned several visiting guests and gone to the courtyard for reminiscing. After a moment's thought, Uncle Zhao also came to the courtyard, arriving in a wheelchair.

Yesterday, I was so excited about the New Year's gifts that I spent too much time on my legs that I felt a little uncomfortable.

Since he hasn't fully recovered, he still needs to take good care of himself. Except for important occasions where he needs to stand for a short time, he plans to let his legs rest most of the time.

No one else remained in the courtyard. Tie Tou stood guard at the gate and, seeing that it was the Zhao family head, didn't stop him. Wen Gu had told him who could enter the courtyard directly.

Full of curiosity, the head of the Zhao family entered the house and found the two people crouching under the window, looking furtive like dogs.

The Zhao family head frowned deeply: What kind of behavior is this!

Where is the integrity and uprightness of a gentleman?
"What are you doing?" he asked in a deep voice.

The two people under the window: "Simulating field outpost reconnaissance!"

After a while.

The wheelchair was empty, and another person appeared under the window.

Young Master Zhao was pushed aside, and the core position was forcefully occupied by the Zhao family head. The only original version of the periscope was also firmly held in the hands of the Zhao family head.

"Great! Excellent! It works!"

The crudely made paper tube was played with by the Zhao family head for a while before he got up and, with the help of the young master Zhao, slowly walked to the wheelchair and sat down, asking about the origin and process of its making.

"I originally thought that this kind of flat glass mirror could only be used as a luxury accessory, but now it seems that it has an important use!" Young Master Zhao exclaimed again.

Although it can't compare to the advanced technology of telescopes and microscopes, it can still be very useful if used properly.

During spring and summer, it is sometimes necessary to reduce the time spent outdoors and strengthen concealment, but at the same time, it is also necessary to maintain external observation and monitoring.

A periscope is also quite good; as its name suggests, it's suitable for lurking in the dark.

Young Master Zhao's heart stirred, and he asked Wen Gu, "Can this type of periscope be used in conjunction with a telescope?"

Wen Gu nodded: "We could add a device similar to a telescope lens, but those would require craftsmen to explore and improve upon them. The difficulty of grinding the lenses..."

The Zhao family head understood the situation and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: We still need craftsmen!

We need more craftsmen!
Process improvements cannot be completed in a short period of time; we need to produce a batch of basic versions first.

"How many of these qualified glass lenses can be manufactured?" the Zhao family head asked.

"The craftsmanship for making flat glass mirrors is limited, and the process is quite complicated. I've told my aunt before that currently only Master Qingyi of Qingyun Temple has the highest success rate."

He reviewed the production process, explaining the technical difficulties and potential problems to the Zhao father and son.

They also took out all the defective items that came with the box and compared them.

"Many of the key techniques are not something that ordinary craftsmen can easily master. The best quality and highest success rate can only be achieved by senior experts like Master Qingyi, who have a background in chemistry and alchemy!"

The Zhao family head pondered for a moment: "In that case, let Master Qingyi work harder."

Qingyunfang.

It's holiday time!
We're on holiday!

Master Qingyi was in a good mood, enjoying a rare break and relaxing.

No need to worry about other dangers, they have enough to eat and wear, and are served by Taoist disciples. Life is leisurely!
The dog scholar also went to the Zhao family, so he wouldn't come over to urge them to complete the task from time to time. Out of sight, out of mind, and he was in a better mood!

Thinking about the Taoist temple that was about to be built, I felt even more delighted.

Master Qingyi was fantasizing in his mind.

The Taoist temple's planning drawings are quite large and will be constructed in several phases. However, once the first phase is completed, he can move there and will no longer need to stay at the dog scholar's residence.

Soon he had his own territory, and Master Qingyi began to make plans again.

Currently, I have six Daoist disciples under my command. In fact, there are a few more promising talents I'm eyeing, but I dare not take in too many at once. It's best to be cautious in Xinzhou.

Don't take too big a step at once, it's easy to...

Once the Taoist temple is built, we can proceed with the rest gradually.

I'll just go through the motions with the tasks the dog scholar gave me. In the new year, I'll definitely prioritize my own Taoist temple and my own plans!
I will refine some elixirs, some exorcising incense, and some ritual implements to supply to those who wish to accumulate merit.

He recently met several new believers and plans to have a heart-to-heart talk with them after the New Year to deepen their friendship.

Just as he was happily making plans, a young Taoist priest rushed in: "Master! People from the Zhao residence have arrived!"

Master Qingyi quickly stood up.

Could it be a New Year's gift? A reward?

During festivals, superiors would also send gifts as a form of reward.

Master Qingyi remained calm, stroking his newly grown beard.

The Zhao family remained wary of religions like Buddhism and Taoism, and Master Qingyi had been secretly criticizing them quite a bit.

However, the Zhao family has always been quite generous when it comes to paying for services.

Let me see what gifts the Zhao family has given us today.
Master Qingyi greeted them with a smile.

New Year's gifts and rewards were indeed given.

There is also a document.

The smile vanished as soon as it was opened.

The antennae of alertness inside my brain are spinning rapidly!
In summary, the document states:

First, strong support for the construction of Taoist temples.

Second, allow more Taoist children to be taken in, so as to develop Taoist temples.

Third, the Zhao family gave us a task with a high reward.

First, the support from the Zhao family is very substantial. They provide everything from building materials to decorative items, and there's no need to worry about various approvals.

In addition to the other rewards he had received before, it can be said that the entire construction of the Taoist temple, including decorations such as glass windows, did not require Master Qingyi to spend a single penny.

good thing.

The second rule states that twenty disciples can be recruited. There is no need to worry about taking too big a step at once and offending those in power; recruitment can be conducted openly.

Also a good thing.

Taken individually, both of these points are quite good.

but……

but!

Your uncle's!

The key point is the third one!

Are they going to make glass mirrors again?
So much more needs to be refined!

The document detailed the specifications and quantities. Although he had originally planned to make some small glass mirrors as "ritual implements" to supply to believers, he did not intend to make so many!

This workload must take up so much of his time!
Even the village oxen can't pull such a big plow!
Master Qingyi was completely baffled.

I can’t understand!
What's the point of having so many mirrors? To exorcise demons?
Logically speaking, such elaborately made mirrors were luxury items supplied to wealthy families, and their use would be short-lived.

Luxury goods should be scarce, not produced in such large quantities. If they can't be sold and expire, they become waste.

With such a large quantity, Xinzhou definitely can't handle it all. Is it going to be used for trading with other forces?
distressed.

He could be perfunctory with the tasks given to him by the dog scholar, but would he dare to be perfunctory with the tasks given to him by the Zhao family?
Should we just cancel it?
Think of an excuse to refuse?

Master Qingyi held the book and looked at it over and over again.

越看越不对劲。

This style subtly bears the mark of Dog Scholar!
hiss--

Take a deep breath.

After labeling them as "Dog Scholars," it seems those twenty Taoist boys were actually recruited as mirror-making apprentices, right?

Written as a Taoist priest, read as a laborer!
If one ox cannot pull a plow, then many oxen are needed to pull it!

As his teacher, he has to put in a lot of effort!
Providing so many glass mirrors every month, just thinking about the workload makes me feel dizzy!
With all that going on, how could he possibly have time to deepen his interactions with his followers?

It was definitely that bastard's doing!

damn thing!
In a fit of anger, he slammed the document to the ground.

After a moment of silence, he quickly picked it up again and sat there nervously flipping through it.

The previous page outlines the benefits, the following page outlines the tasks.

Flip back, they gave us so much!
Turn it over, the horse doesn't want to do it!
I want to go back to it!
Turn it over, the horse doesn't want to do it!
So conflicted!!
What exactly did the dog scholar say at the Zhao family?

They won't even let people have a peaceful New Year!

(End of this chapter)