"Transgression?!" He Zhiyuan was also taken aback, he forgot about it!

This is not a modern society, this is the old society of all evils. Especially in the Ming Dynasty, there are countless strange rules, and one will violate them if you are not careful. Hey, it's really difficult to do something in the Ming Dynasty, if you are not careful, you may offend the imperial power, and you will be killed, and the three clans and the nine clans will be punished. Thinking about the people who are really sad for the Ming Dynasty, sometimes they may lose their heads in a daze.

"This red and yellow are the emperor's special colors, who dares to use them among the common people?"

"Then there's no workaround? For example, paint it with other materials to cover the red bricks. As long as the red bricks are not exposed, is it not considered trespassing? ”

"This ......" He Shaoyun was speechless for a while, and he didn't know if this was an arrogance. But he immediately said, "Is it worth the risk?" You still don't want to be too troublesome, why do you have to burn red bricks? ”

He Zhiyuan thought about it, now he is very weak, and if he is not careful, he will be killed, and if he is killed because of this, he will not be reconciled. It is estimated that those traversers know that he was beheaded because of transgression, and he will be nailed to the pillar of shame by those traversers for eight lifetimes. It was regarded as a typical case of failure, and the latecomers were repeatedly admonished.

Thinking of this, He Zhiyuan said: "Then don't burn red bricks first, or burn green bricks, and then burn red bricks when you have the opportunity." ”

"Okay, if only you could figure it out. Hurry up and tell the craftsmen not to prepare for the burning of red bricks anymore. He Shaoyun commanded.

He Zhiyuan didn't dare to slack off, after all, this was a fatal matter, how dare he slack off, and went out to find Master Ma and them in a hurry.

After finding Master Ma, He Zhiyuan said to them: "Master Ma, don't burn the red bricks first, my father said that this red brick will violate the system, so let's burn the green bricks." ”

"Transgression? Well, this red brick has never been fired in this dynasty. Although there is no explicit rule in the court, this red and yellow are the exclusive colors of the royal family, if the house is built with red bricks, a piece of red will be known by the imperial history, and it will be a big trouble even if it is not trespassing. Malich said.

"Well, it's just that the cost has increased a lot. I wanted to reduce the cost of bricks, for the benefit of the people, so that ordinary people can afford to live in solid brick houses, but it seems that it is difficult to achieve. ”

"If Xiucai Gong can have this intention, we people will be grateful, and Xiucai Gong should not worry about this matter anymore." Malich reassured.

At this time, Ma Deyu, who was standing on the side, thought for a while and said, "Xiucaigong, I have an idea, I don't know if it will work." ”

"Oh, tell me about it."

"We want to reduce costs and not burn red bricks, so we might as well think of ways to use materials...... Ma Deyu said.

At this time, Malich was in a hurry, interrupted him angrily, and said, "No! The material of this brick has long been determined by the ancestors, and it must not be cut corners. If you do this, you will lack great virtue, and you will be scolded for several lifetimes! ”

"Master Ma, don't worry, listen to him first."

"Xiucaigong, my idea is that this brick does not have to be burned solid, but made into a hollow ...... when making bricks."

"Hollow bricks!?" A word to wake up the people in the game, He Zhiyuan immediately thought of the hollow cement bricks of later generations, and the non-load-bearing walls of later generations were built with this kind of hollow bricks, although the strength is a little lower, but it can only save a lot of costs.

"Yes, it's hollow bricks." Ma Deyu said: "This hollow brick can save a lot of materials. Originally, 100 catties of clay could burn 40 green bricks, but now I can burn hollow bricks, I think how can I burn more than 60 bricks. And when burning, because it is hollow, it is easier to burn through, more time-saving, the original kiln bricks with ten days, it is estimated that burning hollow bricks in six days is enough. ”

Listening to Ma Deyu finish his thoughts, He Zhiyuan couldn't help but sigh, if anyone says that the ancients were stupid, I would be the first to pat him on the head with a brick. An illiterate craftsman like Ma Deyu can come up with brilliant ideas for hollow bricks, and if he had studied for a few years in later generations, he would definitely have become an excellent engineer.

The craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty did not want to innovate and invent, but were imprisoned in their minds and actions by various inexplicable rules. Most of them don't dare to cross the thunder pool by half a step, so they can only follow the rules and pass them on from generation to generation. If you are not careful, you may trespass the rules and regulations, and you will be suppressed or even killed. In this case, it is impossible to innovate, and it seems that in order to innovate and develop, we must first emancipate our minds. Deng Gong of later generations said that it is not bad at all, to reform and innovate, the first thing is to emancipate the mind.

Thinking of this, He Zhiyuan said: "Yes, it's a good way." Master Ma, according to your son's method, burn a kiln of bricks first. Don't be afraid of breaking the rules, if you succeed, it will be a good opportunity to make a name for yourself, and I believe it will succeed. If you succeed in firing the hollow bricks and can be practical, I will give each of you a reward of 100 taels of silver, and Ma Deyu will give another 100 taels of silver as a reward for innovation. ”

When everyone heard such a high reward, they immediately smiled, and they all bowed their hands to He Zhiyuan to express their determination and thanks.

Two days later, Liang Wensheng arrived at the Zhu Chendian inn. Liang Wenhui said: "My lord, the village surnamed He Shengren is twelve or thirteen miles to the north, let's rest here for half a day and then go to investigate, what do you think?" ”

"Yes, after lunch, I will change into the costume of a lifter, and you will pretend to be my scholar and rent a donkey. The two of us led a donkey and walked in front, so that the guards followed from a distance, and they were not allowed to come forward without anything. ”

In the afternoon, Liang Wensheng rode a donkey, Liang Wenhui led in front, and the four guards also disguised themselves as four people, following from a distance. The six of them quietly came out of Zhu Chendian and walked slowly north.

About half an hour later, we arrived at the official road west of Hejia Village. Liang Wenhui said: "My lord, there is the soap workshop in front. ”

Liang Wensheng looked to both sides and found that most of the trees on both sides of the official road had been cut down, and only a few were still standing there, and there were more than a dozen people on both sides cleaning up the trees. At this time, he saw an old farmer in his sixties, resting next to a stone table on the side of the official road, so he asked Liang Wenhui to stop. After helping him get off the donkey, Liang Wenhui tied the donkey to the tree next to him, and the two walked towards the old farmer.

"Old man, what kind of village is this?" Liang Wensheng asked the old farmer.

"This is Hejia Village. Are you out of town? ”

"We're going to take the exam. I'm tired of walking here, so I'll take a break. ”

"Oh, look at you dressed like a scholar. Sit down and take a break. The old farmer pointed to the stone seat next to him. As he spoke, he picked up the teapot, poured two bowls of tea, and invited the two of them to drink tea.

After the two sat down, they began to ask again: "Old man, I see that there are construction sites on both sides of this road, whose house is this building?" ”

"This is all a workshop built by He Lichang and the wealthy businessman Zhou Boss of Qingzhou Mansion. The one on the west side of the road is under construction several large kilns, one is a green brick kiln, and the other is a cement kiln. ”

"What is cement?" The two were shocked, neither of them had heard of it.

"I don't know, according to him, it's a cheaper and better effective building material than glutinous rice. It was the recipe that Xiucai of the He family saw from the book, so he invited a craftsman to try it out. The old man continued, "The one on the east side of the road is a soap factory, which is now also expanding. The old man pointed to a construction site in the distance and said, "What is being built in that place is the village school, a very large school, which can allow children in the nearby villages to go to school without money." This is all paid by the He family, and He Shaoyun's family are all good people. ”

"I see that there are five or six hundred people on these construction sites, and these are all from your village?"

"There are so many strong descendants in our village, all of them are from the nearby villages of ten miles and eight villages. This is still a time when there are few people, and a few days ago, the He family spent money to hire more than 2,000 people to repair the reservoir. It was a big scene, and a large reservoir was built in less than three months. ”

"The He family still spends money to hire people to repair the reservoir?" Liang Wensheng asked.

"Yes, if you don't say that the He family is a good person, the He family who repaired the reservoir paid more than 6,000 taels of silver, and the Mr. of the Jianxue Museum also asked for more than 1,000 taels. More than 200 people are employed in the soap workshop, and more than three taels of silver per month, which big family is as generous as him? The people of these ten miles and eight villages are all blessed by their families. ”

"Old man, where is the reservoir you are talking about?" Liang Wensheng asked.

"From here, there is more than two miles to the east, just east of the village. The reservoir will be built and filled with water this summer, so that it will be ready for use in the fall. Since then, there has been no shortage of water in our village, and more than 1,000 acres of land in the village have become irrigated land, and the wheat can be watered, and the harvest will be good. ”

"After the harvest is good, you don't have to worry about paying taxes and grain, right?" Liang Wensheng asked.

"Yes."

"Have you paid all your taxes and grain before?" Liang Wensheng asked.

The old peasant was not happy when he heard this, and said, "Can you pay this tax or grain!" ”

"Why?"

"It's not fair! The grain chief of our area is surnamed Qi, he cheats, and his relatives and friends are not registered in the yellow book, and they don't have to pay grain. Those of us who have no support and no support are also given back to the fictitious population, and the dry land is registered as paddy fields, and the lower land is registered as the upper land. Every summer and autumn, more grain is paid, you say, who is willing to pay this people? ”

Liang Wensheng knew that what he said must be the truth. In fact, this situation existed in all parts of the Ming Dynasty, and when taxes and grain were collected every year, there would be all kinds of fraud, and the people resisted the payment. But his arms can't twist his thighs, and as long as the people are not cornered, they can only swallow their anger and pay the taxes and grain. The local officials also turned a blind eye, as long as they could collect taxes and grain, and there would be no major chaos, they would pass the customs. Now that the chief official of this state has been out of office for almost a year, without the chief official, the following affairs can naturally be delayed.

Liang Wensheng hurriedly changed the topic and asked: "I heard that the showman from the head of your village got a book from a strange person in his dream, is it true?" ”

"It's true, otherwise how else would he be able to make soap and cement?"

"Then can you ask the old man to show me the way and meet the family?" Liang Wensheng asked the old farmer.

"Do you know anyone from any family?" The old peasant was alert.

Liang Wenhui immediately replied: "Don't be too careful, my son-in-law likes to collect folk anecdotes, and the son-in-law is going to compile a book to make a name for the He family in your village." ”

"Oh, that's right. Then I'll take you to meet him. I've been talking about this for a long time, and I haven't asked your names yet? ”

"We are all surnamed Liang, and we are from Yizhou in the south."