"Hmm, custom pens?"

Hearing what Qi Xiang said, the shopkeeper was also a little surprised, and then said with relief: "I said how did you run back from Jinling, you were entrusted by someone to do this." ”

“…… Right! ”

Qi Xiang pushed the boat down the river and nodded: "There are more painters in Jinling, and they have high requirements for brushes. By chance, I met one of the old painters, who heard that I had lived in Huzhou, so he asked me to come over and help him customize a special pen of excellent quality and high quality! ”

"It's easy to do." The shopkeeper did not hesitate, nodded directly: "Old rules, if he has any requirements, you can list them directly, and I will find someone to do it." Half a month later, one hand to pay the money, the other hand to pick up the goods. ”

"Ahem!"

Qi Xiang hesitated, and said softly: "Shopkeeper Wu, the old painter has some special requirements, can you help introduce a master pen maker, and I will personally talk to him......

In an instant, the shopkeeper smiled and frowned slightly: "Xiao Qi, this is not in accordance with the rules!" ”

"Shopkeeper Wu, I know your difficulties...... Qi Xiang hurriedly said: "Don't worry, what I let you introduce is not the master master in the factory, but the old craftsman who has retired at home." ”

Today, most of the real pen masters are in the pen factory.

It is important to know that craftsmanship, especially this traditional craftsmanship, does not mean that you can make a pen of superior quality by knowing the process of production. Among them, it also requires repeated exercise and a lot of experience.

Where does the experience come from? A pen factory, of course!

Shanlian has two large-scale pen factories, and it is a large factory that adopts traditional craftsmanship to make pens, almost monopolizing ninety percent of the brush market in Huzhou. The workers in the factory are like clouds, and there are not a few pen masters.

However, those pen masters, they have an establishment, and they get the salary paid by the public institution.

Generally speaking, these pen masters only work for the public. But in a market economy, there are always exceptions. When conditions permit, they also take on some private work.

After all, some exquisite people like to make some high-end, unique brushes, whether it is for their own use, or as a collection, or as a gift, it is a very face-saving thing.

In fact, this custom pen has existed since ancient times. Not to mention the exquisite luxury of the royal pen of the court, even the brushes of some dignitaries and nobles are definitely not ordinary goods.

According to historical records, the Han pen is carved with gold, decorated with Hebi, decorated with Sui beads, and the text is jade. If it is not a rhino, it must be ivory, which is extremely gorgeous......

Of course, the practical value of such a pen has been secondary, and it is more in the pursuit of luxury beauty.

Gold, ivory, pearls, jade, all kinds of luxurious things are piled up, and when you listen to it, you feel unbearable, and there is a smell of copper.

The problem is that people have money and love to decorate like this. Completely buy the pen as a luxury, and no one else can care about it.

Anyway, as far as Qi Xiang knows, there are definitely not a few people who come to Wu's shopkeeper every year to help customize high-end pens. Sometimes they bring their own materials, or inlay them with gold, or paste them with silver, or decorate them with precious stones, and they can do whatever they want.

For such an act, Qi Xiang doesn't feel that there is anything to be despised. After all, in the case of the gradual decline of traditional pen-making technology, it is also a way out to make the brush into a luxury craft.

The shopkeeper Wu is the contact person, the intermediary who pulls business for the factory pen master.

To put it mildly, Qi Xiang's move of wanting to bypass Wu's shopkeeper and contact the pen master directly is no different from robbing him of his business and smashing his job.

Fortunately, Qi Xiang is not stupid, and he also understands the taboo in this regard, and names him to find a retired master. In this way, there are no conflicts of interest.

"Retired Old Craftsman ......"

At the same time, after listening to Qi Xiang's request, Shopkeeper Wu's expression was slightly dark, and he muttered: "Xiao Qi, your idea is not bad. But those old craftsmen, who have made pens all their lives, are also tired of it. I want to invite them out of the mountain again, I'm afraid it's not easy......"

"I understand that." Qi Xiang said with a smile: "Shopkeeper Wu, as long as you help introduce people, I will take care of the rest by myself." ”

"That's right......"

While speaking, Qi Xiang immediately presented the prepared gift: "Shopkeeper Wu, this is the tea I brought back in Jinling, it is said that it is a tea before the rain, it tastes good, you can taste it." ”

"It's good for people to come, and what gifts to bring."

Shopkeeper Wu blamed, but took the gift, opened the box secretly, and saw that in addition to the tea leaves, there was also a thick red envelope in the box.

"Hey, why are you coming with me for this set......"

At first glance, Shopkeeper Wu feigned anger and pretended to be displeased: "What do you mean by this?" ”

"It's not interesting." Qi Xiang said with a smile: "I just want to thank Shopkeeper Wu for your care over the years, so that I can have a bite to eat in the most difficult time." ”

"You, you're just too emotional!"

Shopkeeper Wu shook his head, then put the box in the drawer and locked it, and got up directly to greet him: "Let's go, I'll take you to visit an old man, he was the chief foreman of the factory back then, and there were more than 100 people under him, and they all called him master......

Although he has been retired for many years, his kung fu has not fallen at all, but has become more exquisite. Some of the pen masters in the factory usually go to him for advice when they have time......

Shopkeeper Wu smiled and said, "You're not welcome, that's a figure at the level of the ancestor master." When you see people in a while, be more respectful, say more good things, and go back and buy two more bottles of good wine, and it should be done. ”

"So powerful?" Qi Xiang was a little surprised, but also a little skeptical.

"What, you think I'm lying to you?" Shopkeeper Wu smiled mysteriously and sold enough: "I won't explain, I'll take you directly." When you get to the place, you will know whether what I say is true or false. ”

“…… You lead the way! Qi Xiang nodded, and he didn't lack this bit of patience.

At this time, the shopkeeper Wu came over on a motorcycle, and then drove Qi Xiang out of the town, and then drove briskly from a country road, and after more than half an hour, he arrived at his destination.

It was a quiet and peaceful mountain village, with dozens of families scattered around the col. A fairly clear river surrounds the village, lush with lush forests and bamboos, and is spread all over the rolling hills, and the scenery is pleasant.

"This is Xiaozhushan Village!"

Shopkeeper Wu casually introduced: "Most of the people in the village rely on the mountains to eat the mountains, and the main source of economic income is the bamboo ...... on the mountain."

Qi Xiang nodded slightly, he looked around, the mountain was a boundless bamboo forest, as long as the people in the village were not stupid, they would definitely use these bamboos to make a big fuss. Or digging bamboo shoots, or processing bamboo to benefit.

Bamboo is versatile, it can be used to make paper or woven into a variety of crafts.

Walking into the mountain village, Qi Xiang can see that the whole village is like a processing factory, and there are many bamboo products placed in front of almost every household. For example, bamboo baskets, bamboo beds, bamboo chairs and the like.

These bamboo products are both finished and semi-finished, and they are left in a spacious place to dry. Before he got closer, a fresh and natural smell of bamboo had already drifted into Qi Xiang's nose.

After watching for a while, Qi Xiang also noticed a situation, that is, among these bamboo products, there is no brush.

He thought about it for a moment, and he understood why.

After all, it is now in the era of large-scale production, and the production capacity of small family workshops must not be compared with large-scale factories. Due to the limitation of production capacity, small workshops cannot form a scale at all. Under the squeeze of large factories, it is naturally unprofitable......

Who wants to do something that is not beneficial.

Therefore, the situation of making pens in every household must be gone forever.

Qi Xiang's thoughts fluttered, and he followed the steps of Shopkeeper Wu, bypassed more than a dozen households, and came to a house with red walls and blue tiles located on the top of the mountain.

"This is it."

Shopkeeper Wu looked back and smiled, and then shouted loudly: "Old uncle, I'm not here, I'm coming to see you." ”

"Huh?"

Qi Xiang was stunned when he heard this, and at this moment, a person came out of the house, in his thirties, with a simple face, as soon as he saw the shopkeeper Wu, he immediately grinned, and said happily: "Big cousin, why are you here." ”

"Something...... shopkeeper Wu looked left and right: "What about my uncle?" Absence? ”

"It's up the mountain," said the man...... "a few guests have just arrived, and I want to ask the old man to help me make something." The old man agreed, and took them up the mountain to select materials. ”

"Huh?" Shopkeeper Wu frowned: "So unfortunate? ”

"Big cousin, you go in and sit, wait." The man smiled: "I estimate that at noon, the old man will definitely come back for dinner." ”

"That's ......"

Shopkeeper Wu hesitated a little, turned around and said, "Xiao Qi, look? ”

"Good things are grinding, the old man is not here, so let's wait." Qi Xiang didn't care, as long as that master had the strength to meet his requirements, he didn't mind waiting for half a day.

"Okay, let's go sit down for a while." Shopkeeper Wu was anti-guest, and while leading Qi Xiang into the door, he waved his hand and said, "Cousin, you go and get busy first, and I'll call you if I have something." ”

Having said that, the man still walked quickly to the hall first, boiling water and making tea, and after some busy work, he stopped and sat down to chat with the shopkeeper Wu.

Qi Xiang sat in the living room, his eyes turned slightly, and his attention quickly focused on the decorative paintings on the walls.

The so-called decorative paintings, in fact, are bamboo paintings, bamboo carved paintings.

On the large bamboo board, or yin carving, or yang carving, simple painting and carving, it outlines the artistic conception of the sea and the sky. Between the stormy waves crashing on the shore and the mountains and rocks towering, the dragon flies in the air, soaring clouds and playing with pearls, and the momentum is magnificent.

At this moment, Qi Xiang is also a little convinced, maybe the shopkeeper Wu is really virtuous, and his old uncle may really be a skilled bamboo carving master.

Before his retirement, he was a master pen maker, and after his retirement, he immediately switched to bamboo carving and painting, which is not contradictory.

After all, carving is also one of the important processes of brush production, carving landscapes, flowers, ladies and other patterns on the outer wall of the circumference of the pen tube is not an inch, it is definitely not an easy task, even if it is bamboo carving, everyone often sighs with interest......

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