The next day, the county school officially closed for winter vacation. Fang Zhongyong said goodbye to his master and mother, and went home with his father, who had arrived early, in an ox cart, ready to start spending his first winter vacation in ancient times.

Unexpectedly, before leaving, Mr. specially assigned his winter vacation homework: Ruzhi's calligraphy is just like a dog crawling, better than a chicken scratching. You must practice hard and post ten articles a day. Otherwise, stay where it's cool. In addition, one must write a policy and one essay every day. Comes with a free topic and requirements.

It seems that holiday homework is really ancient, not an invention of later teachers.

Fang Zhongyong, who was like an arrow, had no choice but to buy a lot of paper and pens and some gifts with Fang's father in the county seat, and get on the ox cart to go home. Thus began a pleasant winter vacation life.

Although she was only away from home for two days, Fang's mother kept saying that she was hungry and thin. Fang Zhongyong couldn't cry or laugh, he was hungry and thin in two days, you think I'm an inflatable doll! But he wasn't bothered at all. In his previous life, he lacked the warmth of a complete family, but he still enjoyed his mother's nagging very much.

After lunch, he began to practice calligraphy. He is used to holding a fountain pen, although he has also practiced a little calligraphy. But where did he have the opportunity to copy the rare books of the ancients, you must know that the Song books are equivalent to gold in later generations. Therefore, he has only been in some rubbing, printing, and blurred "Duobao Pagoda Induction Tablet" and "Mysterious Tower Tablet" many times. It is probably enough to fool people in later generations, and in this dynasty, it is probably the level of "just like a dog crawling, better than a chicken scratching" as commented by Mr. However, the willow body of "strong bones and tight knots" does not conform to the social atmosphere of this dynasty's flowers and harmony. The "plump and majestic, magnificent" face is appropriate, but there are many writers like carp crossing the river, and they can't show their own characteristics.

He wanted to write about the pavilion.

The pavilion body pays attention to black, dense, square and tight, although it is square and smooth but rigid and rigid, when the calligraphy is definitely not good. But Fang Zhongyong did not intend to become a calligrapher, he knew that he was not that material. What he wanted was a paper score, because the use of this kind of book would add a lot of color to his work in the imperial examination field. In fact, it is easy to understand, the examiner has already been dizzy after reading so many test papers, where is the effort to appreciate your super Zhang Xu, Sheng Huaisu's calligraphy works, rules, squareness, and size proximity have become a plus.

Some officials may say that the pavilion body is probably not so easy to practice! In fact, it is not difficult, it is close to the difficulty of writing Song characters (the most common typographical) with a hard pen, and the writing method is also close. In "Red Rock", there is a description of practicing Song characters in order to make the enemy unable to distinguish the handwriting. Of course, it's easy to learn how to write well, but it's hard to write well. Isn't there still time, so Fang Zhongyong is not particularly anxious.

He first compared Mr. Liu's handwriting with the pavilion style in his memory, and found that there were many similarities - also, the pavilion style originated in the Song Dynasty. The combination of the two, I tried to write one, and I was not very satisfied. Write again! It's not so good. Copy the book, copy the Analects! The full text is 11705 words, copy it a few more times, the font should be almost finalized, and the text has also been reviewed, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone. Fang Zhongyong silently gave himself a thumbs up: I'm so smart!

At dinner, Fang Zhongyong's favorite braised pork was served again. Watching Fang Zhongyong eat in a big gulp, Fang's mother was relieved and distressed. Anyone who has ever been a parent knows that watching young children eat is a blessing. I was distressed because Fang's mother thought that her son was studying too hard. Fang Zhongyong hurriedly explained to his mother that reading is a very happy thing, and it is not hard at all. Fang's mother believed it and was relieved.

After eating, I didn't see the little shepherd boy Niu Niu. When asked about his father, Fang's father said: "Today, her family improved her life and killed a chicken. Niu Niu went home to eat chicken. ”

"Can Niuniu's family afford meat?"

"I don't eat it often, so let's eat it once a month." Mother said: "Thanks to Zhongyong, you have a way to accumulate fertilizer, and the whole village has collected a lot more grain." Didn't you get some chicken and duck seedlings for everyone, and your father gave Niuniu's family a few more. Until now, it is the time to eat meat and eggs. Although it is not much, it is much stronger than when I didn't have enough to eat before. It's your father, alas! ”

There's something going on here!

Fang Zhongyong hurriedly looked at his father. Father Fang said a little embarrassedly: "It's not that you want to study, the cost is a lot bigger." You said you were going to take back 20% of the rent, so I went and asked for some back. ”

Fang Zhongyong didn't dare to say that his father's heart was dark, so he could only persuade politely: "If the family is a little better, it doesn't hurt to collect it as soon as possible." If you have difficulties at home, you can take a little time or reduce it. It's all from the villagers, so don't worry too much. ”

Since Fang Zhongyong entered the county school, the financial pressure on the Fang family has increased greatly. It's no wonder that Daddy is so eager to recover the interest. But Fang Zhong never wants to kill chickens to get eggs, he still wants to leave a good reputation in his hometown! You don't see, Yan Song, the traitor of the Ming Dynasty, is still building bridges and paving roads in his hometown, and setting up a good hall! In the final analysis, is it still profitable, there are too few ways!

In the afternoon, Fang Zhongyong was writing strategies and thinking about ways to make money. The most famous in Jiangxi is Jingdezhen porcelain, because the green and white porcelain of the paper is of good quality, Emperor Zhenzong granted the name of the year "Jingde" as the place name. But Fang Zhongyong didn't know how to make porcelain, and he didn't have the ability to compete with Jingdezhen for business. Pass!

Engaging in large-scale breeding was a joke in ancient times when the problems of seedling breeding and feed were not solved. Not doubled!

Bamboo and wood are abundant in the local area, so you can consider it. What do you do with bamboo? If you weave bamboo products, you can't make much money unless you have skilled craftsmen and unique designs. Weave a bamboo basket and a bamboo mat, everyone will do it, who will buy you? Then the only way to do it is to find a way out of wood.

What can wood do?

In ancient times, when metal smelting was backward, wood was used for a wide range of purposes. You can build a ship, you can build a building, you can make furniture. In ancient China, most of the buildings were made of wood or mostly wood. It is best known for its mortise and tenon structure, which is a combination of concave and convex parts on two components, without nails and less adhesives. It is said that it is not bad for a thousand years, although few wood products can be used for a thousand years. However, as long as the wooden components themselves are not broken, it is rare for the mortise and tenon structure to have problems. Even if one component is broken, it is very easy to repair and will not cause relatively large damage to the original body.

Fang Zhongyong did not plan to be a master builder and repair the palace for the emperor. He just wants to make some furniture such as circle chairs, bookcases, and tables of eight immortals, and the complex corner tenons, long and short tenons, etc., do not need to consider, just use the notch tenon, tongue and tongue tenon, dovetail tenon, etc. of the village carpenter's association.

Why make furniture? Fang Zhongyong felt that there were many benefits. First, local raw materials are abundant, and the surrounding mountains are full of wood. Second, the industrial chain is long enough. Logging requires manpower, making furniture also requires craftsmen of all sizes, and transporting furniture to the county requires manpower, basically ensuring that the male laborers in the village can find work. Third, the production time is relatively free. Production can be suspended when the farm is busy, so as not to delay the agricultural time. Fourth, there are more reliable sales channels. Liu Daguan, the west gate of the county seat, sells furniture, and has the experience of the last time, so it must be relatively easy to cooperate.

Fang Zhongyong hid in the house and drew a pattern, and invited the carpenter from the village to discuss.

Carpenter was a noble profession at that time, and whoever built a house, repaired doors, windows, tables and chairs, had to invite the carpenter to dinner before he could talk about things.

If it weren't for the fact that Fang Xiao Prodigy was already a scholar, and he heard that his braised pork was particularly delicious, he wouldn't have come to the leisure.

After reading the pattern given by Fang Zhongyong, the carpenter was shocked: "Can this thing be made?" ”

Fang Zhongyong smiled: "Of course you can, isn't there a number on it?" ”

"Is that a number?"

Fang Zhongyong looked at it, uh, I'm sorry, and wrote the Arabic numerals on his hand. Hurriedly drew another one and handed it to the carpenter: "Third uncle, please take a look." This is actually a folding back chair, and the kid has raised the backrest a little higher, just enough to reach the person's shoulder, so that it is more comfortable to sit on. The armrests on both sides were stunned, so I made an arc to connect to the backrest. In this way, people sit on it, and they are majestic and comfortable. ”

Although the third uncle is old, he is not old and dizzy: "What is the extra piece on this backrest?" ”

"Oh, that's a lotus tray, reserved for dignitaries. Boy, here are a few more patterns, and a little trick. You have to promise to keep it secret before you can show it. ”

After the third uncle swore an oath, Fang Zhongyong took out the pattern of the Eight Immortals Table and the bookcase with bookshelves, and taught two secrets.

As for the so-called secrets: first, the semi-tenon structure with glue and nails, that is, the furniture structure of the rotten street in later generations. It is less reliable than mortise and tenon, but it is better than the appearance of completeness and beauty, giving people a feeling of unity. The second is to wipe tung oil mixed with mint water. Not only is the pulp perfect and durable, but there will also be a hint of coolness in the early stage - can the mint water not be cool?

Three days later, Fang Zhongyong invited Ximen Liu, a big official. Liu Daguan is also a person who has seen the world, and he is not impressed by Fang Zhongyong's desire to consign furniture in his store. You are a rural child, what kind of clever carpentry work can you have?

When he saw a bookcase, a set of eight immortal tables, and a set of circle chairs (two chairs with a coffee table), Liu Daguan's expression quickly turned into embarrassment: "You look up to your brother too much, can these things be affordable for the people of our Jinxi County?" ”

Fang Zhongyong said: "It's not cheap, but it's not as expensive as you think." A bookcase is consistent, and a circle chair is given. A set of eight immortal tables is 880 texts, and eight round stools are given. The circle chair is not only sold, a set of 1,300 Wen, and two lotus holders. ”

Liu Daguan said helplessly: "You are a good businessman!" It's a shame that you don't do business, otherwise how can I live? ”

Fang Zhongyong ignored these false praises and continued: "I won't let you suffer. Whatever is consigned to you, you will be given 30% if you sell one. But the price has to be set by me, you can't change the price. If someone wants to customize something, you can do the rest for me. After a year, the first pieces of furniture will be sent to you. Do you still have any questions? ”

Liu Daguan really has a problem: "How often does it take to settle the payment?" ”

Fang Zhongyong secretly patted his forehead, after all, he had never done business, so he didn't think about it! Fortunately, the ancients were real, otherwise it would be a troublesome thing to pull the skin. Fang Zhongyong said sincerely: "Thank you Daguan Liu for reminding me!" The payment is settled in January, and my father must settle the payment! Also, don't say who made the furniture, it's not good to spread it. ”

Liu Daguan said very doggedly: "Understood, understood." ”