Raising the Demon

Chapter 51 An Apprentice Named Erhei
Zi Baifeng wouldn't do this kind of work. He didn't work hard and didn't know the grains, so everyone wouldn't let him do it.In addition to collecting money every day, he is also busy tinkering with the fine print.

When the mill really started to be used, many problems were exposed. Some small things were easy to solve, but the problem of mill damage was not easy to solve.The villagers use the mill day and night. If the intensity of use is too high, the mill will be easily damaged. When Zibaifeng designed it, he never thought of this layer.There is a carpenter and a stonemason in the village. If there is a problem with the carpenter, go to Zijian, and if there is a problem with the grinding plate, go to Shisan. They can’t be repaired for free, so there is also a problem of repair and remuneration. Zi Baifeng consulted with the old man. A price was quoted, and the remuneration was paid out of the village's funds, and everyone had no objection.

With the increase in the frequency of use of the mill, all kinds of supporting things have also become more worn out, such as flour bags and flour sieves. Some people have made flour bags and flour sieves and sold them next to the mill. Most of these people are old men and women. , I am very happy to sell one or two in a day.And both of these need cloth, and by the way, they have stimulated the textile industry in Xiayan Village-maybe it is only a small part of the income of a family, but as long as there is income, it is good.

Afterwards, the villagers often worked in the mill all night, and they had to go to Mengcheng again in the morning. Many people were reluctant to go home for a meal, so some people set up small stalls there to provide some simple food.

There are so many different things.

Sometimes when Zi Baifeng thinks about it a little bit, he will find it very miraculous. It is just a small mill, but the whole village has come alive. What's more, there will be torches shining back and forth, and people running back and forth on the mountain road.

On this day, Zi Baifeng was still sleeping soundly, when he heard someone knock on the door, Zi Baifeng put on his clothes, and saw Zhuzhu and his father standing in the yard, seeing Zi Baifeng get up, the father said: " It's okay, a tooth is broken on the shelf, I'll go and replace it, you can continue to sleep."

Zhuzi also smiled at Zi Baifeng, he was still shy, he was embarrassed to face Zi Baifeng, and he was not easy to talk to, so last time he didn't dare to be the first to look for Zi Baifeng.

After a full hour, the old man came back, his body was wet.Zi Baifeng quickly took a towel to help his father wipe it, and his father took it by himself, wiped his hair, and didn't care about his body, at his current age, he is in the prime of life, and now it's hot, so it's time to take a bath.

But Zi Baifeng was very distressed, he said: "Father, I have to find a way, it's always like this, running out to repair the mill in the middle of the night, how tiring and dangerous!"

On the contrary, Zijian was cheerful, and said: "What's the danger? It's only once in a few days that I don't feel tired, and I can still make money. How nice it is."

Zibai was so arrogant that he didn't want to talk, he didn't want his father to suffer like this, he wondered if he should hire a craftsman from another place to guard the mill.But don't say that Dad can't pass here, Yan Laowu will also say that he is a prodigal.

Zi Baifeng doesn't like this small amount of money, but some people see it. In the past two days, several people have come to sell their children, saying that they are apprentices to Zijian, but Zijian has always declined. .

Zi Baifeng was a little puzzled, he knew about the master-apprentice system in carpentry, as the saying goes, a teacher for one day is a father for the rest of his life. In many cases, masters and parents have to be placed on the same status.And the master treats the apprentices as if they want to beat and scold them, and when the apprentices enter the house, the master only cares about food and does not give them money. The craft of making a living with one hand is a great grace.Before leaving the teacher, it was like having an extra free laborer at home.

But even so, the master is still very cautious in accepting apprentices.

As the saying goes, after teaching apprentices to starve to death, masters must also consider their own future when they want to accept apprentices. If there are apprentices with poor character, it is not uncommon for them to squeeze the master to beg for food after leaving the teacher.

It's actually very simple for Zijian not to accept these people in Xiayan Village. If there was an apprentice Zijian liked in the first Xiayan Village, he would have accepted him long ago.Furthermore, Xiayan Village is so big that it cannot accommodate two carpenters.Shi San and the others are passed down from father to son, and this is the only family that has worked as a stonemason for generations, and there is no second family. This is also the reason.Xiayan Village cannot support a second mason.

However, Zijian did have the idea of ​​accepting apprentices. These days, he has more and more work, and he is really too busy, and he also sees Zibaifeng's worried eyes and strong opposition. inside.

From Zi Baifeng's point of view, Zijian is a young man in the prime of his life, and his worries are only out of concern for his relatives.But Zijian felt that he was already middle-aged, what if something happened and Zi Baifeng was left alone.

On this day, Zijian said that he had to go to Mengcheng to deal with something, so he followed the noodle sellers to Mengcheng.

When it was dark, Zi Baifeng was reading and writing at home, when he heard Zijian's voice from outside: "Baifeng, open the door."

The men who were going to the city filed in one after another. Seeing that Zi Baifeng was not in the private school, they came directly over.After paying the money, everyone left, but a black and strong young man stayed behind.

"Baifeng." Zijian introduced seriously: "This is your brother Erhei, whose name is Liu Erhei, and he is my great apprentice."

"Father, have you accepted an apprentice?" Zi Baifeng widened his eyes, looking up and down at this dark and strong young man.

His age seems to be about the same as his own. Since his father calls him brother, he must be older than himself.The rough hands and feet are obviously people who are used to work, with a simple and honest face and bright eyes, they don't look like people who are doing tricks.He was wearing coarse clothes and pants, all of which were washed white and patched.

Zi Baifeng's eyesight has improved a lot now, and he can already see the subtle differences in spiritual energy. He looked intently, and his body is still full of spiritual energy, and his body is not bad.Even the name Liu Erhei doesn't sound like a big name no matter what.

However, the people in the village are all like this, big black and two black, three dogs and four dogs, with a cheap name and easy to support.

Seeing Zi Baifeng sized him up, Liu Erhei stood up straight awkwardly, smiling naively, Zi Baifeng's green skirt that only scholars could wear put him under a lot of pressure.Moreover, he had already heard many things about Zi Baifeng, and seeing the real person now, he only felt more pressure.

"Erhei is the child of a former worker of mine. He has been working with us since he was 12 years old. His craftsmanship is very good..." Seeing Zi Baifeng staring at Erhei, knowing his son's temperament, Zijian urged: " Don't bully him!"

Zi Baifeng said innocently: "When have I ever bullied someone?"

He looked at Erhei only because he had already guessed the general idea.Since Erhei's father and Zijian were fellow workers, there was no need to apprentice his own child to others. There must be something wrong with his father.

Zijian thought about it carefully, indeed, his son didn't seem to have bullied anyone much, except for letting the heavenly soldiers capture the four dogs, humiliating Hu Caijun in court, and insulting the immortals directly.

You have never bullied your sister!Anyway, Zijian just can't trust his son.

Little Shitou heard that Zijian was back, jumped in and shouted, "Uncle, where's the sweet-scented osmanthus cake you brought me? Hey, brother Erhei!"

"Little Shitou!" Erhei was also happy when he saw Xiaoshitou. In an unfamiliar environment, familiar people can give him a more sense of security. He hugged Xiaoshitou, who was outstretched for a hug, and pushed his head against it. The head of a small rock.

"Brother, this is Brother Erhei, Brother Erhei is doing well, he often gives me delicious food." Xiao Shitou said.

Er Heihan smiled and touched his head, a little embarrassed.

Seeing that Erhei likes Xiao Shitou, and Xiaoshitou likes Erhei too, Zi Baifeng feels relieved.After all, the father's apprentice is going to join his family and become a part of his family.

"Welcome, welcome, come in and drink some water." Zi Baifeng nodded and greeted.

Seeing his son nodding his head, Zijian also breathed a sigh of relief. He was really worried that his son would disagree.

"Little Shitou, go to your fifth master and tell him that tomorrow I will take your brother Erhei as an apprentice." Zijian instructed Xiaoshitou, and Xiaoshitou hit a pier from Erhei's arms and slid down. Turned around and ran away.

"Erhei, you can sleep in my room at night." Zijian said, "Tomorrow we will clean up the miscellaneous room, so you can just settle down first, and then we can find time to build another house."

"Uncle Zi, you don't need to trouble yourself." Er Hei said, "I'll just live in the miscellaneous room..."

He hasn't formally apprenticed to a teacher today, so he's still called Uncle Zijian.

"Your father and I are good brothers, and you are my half son." Zi Jian said, "If I wrong you, I will have no face to see Big Brother Liu in the future."

Hearing Zijian mention his father, Er Hei's eyes turned red, and he quickly turned his face away.

This is a new funeral, and Zi Baifeng felt a little uncomfortable when he saw it. He and his father depended on each other for life, and he couldn't imagine what would happen to him without his father.

"Erhei, come in and sit down." Zi Baifeng greeted, Zijian laughed and scolded: "You boy, you have to call Erhei brother."

"Erhei is older than me, but based on the time when he entered the door, he still calls me Senior Brother." Zi Baifeng said, "So we are on top, no one is older than the other."

"You are still a scholar, how can you count it like this?" Zijian was dissatisfied.

Hearing the quarrel between father and son, Er Hei smiled innocently, but there was a burst of deep envy in his heart.

"Erhei, don't be afraid, I won't bully you, you treat this place as your own home." Zi Baifeng turned around and saw Erhei still standing there blankly, and comforted him with a smile.

Erhei's heart warmed up, he nodded and didn't speak.But he always felt that he didn't have the courage to go into the main room.

Little Shitou ran in from the outside and shouted: "Uncle, the fifth master said he knew! Brother Erhei, come in quickly, I'll show you the puppy."

Little Shitou dragged Erhei into the house.

(End of this chapter)