Before the court's reward was issued, Xu Zhong's right eye kept jumping. He asked Xu Zhiliu whether his right eye jumped wealth or disaster, Xu Zhiliu had just come back from outside, and the snow fell on his shoulder, he hurriedly patted it twice, took out an official post from his arms, and told the steward to send it to the porcelain store. sat down, drank a sip of tea that didn't know when it would cool down, and began to arrange the sacrificial activities of the god of the warm kiln at the end of winter, sending invitations, borrowing the flying tiger flag, cutting yellow paper to write pairs, and inviting the church to sing, one by one was finalized, only then did he remember that Xu Zhong was still waiting for him to respond, so he thought about it, said that he jumped wealth, and was busy and lowered his head to write something in the book.

Xu Zhong took a closer look, which porcelain store applied for the official post?

"Let the Ministry of Industry directly set up an office in Jingdezhen, save running back and forth, and don't need to pay for carriage and horses?"

"It's not easy on a snowy day."

Xu Zhong smiled: "You are kind and charitable, these porcelain shops, when you are entrusted with the official post, you are in a hurry to please, and when you turn around, you don't want to stick your butt upside down." ”

The porcelain businessman, that is a serious businessman, is not the same as them, to put it lofty, the craftsman who is half a worker and a businessman at least has feelings, has discipline, what does a businessman have? It's all in the eyes of money. Jingdezhen is not only Hutian kiln family porcelain porcelain, there are many other kilns, good quality and low price, who sells is not selling?

Xu Zhong understands this truth, but he can't get used to seeing the faces of those people.

"Why do you think of you when you need a famous handwritten signboard? Is it because you are a child at a young age, and you are more cultured? Or do you fancy the reputation of my Koda kiln? ”

As soon as Xu Zhong finished speaking, he felt that this was not good, and he was offended at both ends, and sure enough, the steward next to Xu Zhiliu choked on his tea, and his pen paused. It doesn't matter whose face it is, in fact, in the final analysis, is it still the lake field kiln that is stained? The steward wanted to be sloppy, so he sighed with one mouth, and hurriedly picked up hot tea again.

The room was quiet for a moment, and Xu Zhiliu finally decided to choose a Peking Opera team, set up a few small plays at night, and sang until dawn.

Xu Zhong said: "It's a good show, let them step on stilts and sing around the imperial kiln factory, so that the kiln farmers in the front and back streets can listen to it." ”

"I'm afraid I'm going to be scolded for making people dream."

"Let them scold, those days are full of big operas on the streets, maybe they will come over to ask for money."

"That's that, that's."

As soon as the big dragon tank comes out, can't they all come to beg for money? Xu Zhong set up a step for himself, and came down by himself: "Don't care about anything else, your big vat is burning well, according to the past practice, there should be a rich reward this year, and the time will give dividends to the big guy." ”

The Imperial Kiln Factory will supply a lot of porcelain every year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for distribution, and the harem and the prince's mansion have corresponding regulations, but the real emperor's porcelain must be the best of the best. Let's just say that this big dragon tank is good, there was one in the Jiajing period of the former Ming Dynasty, only two dragons were painted on the blue and white flowers, and the size was smaller than theirs, and the process did not dare to say that it surpassed the predecessors, but at least it would not lag behind, the deployment of blue and white materials has gone through hundreds of tests, and then gathered the wisdom of the predecessors, and it will only be preserved for a longer time in the world, plus Xu Zhiliu has a pair of skillful hands, and the insects can draw the dragon and phoenix, not to mention the real chosen son.

According to Emperor Qianlong's temperament, it is even more brilliant than Emperor Jiajing's imperial porcelain, and it is impossible not to play twice. What's more, since the beginning of Emperor Yongzheng, antique porcelain has been particularly popular, in order to be antique and ultra-ancient, and to create a burn, Emperor Qianlong and his Lao Tzu are exactly the same, they all like to challenge. All the ingenious and ingenious antique porcelain, the emperor has no dislike.

"Zhiliu, you are really cunning, and the emperor's preferences are also controlled by you."

Xu Zhiliu said softly: "Uncle is cautious. ”

The corners of Xu Zhong's mouth twitched, and he didn't let people say it? It is also the brains of the readers, and they can only think of these things after calculating and calculating every day. He was sure that this big dragon jar would definitely enter the emperor's eyes. It is precisely because of this determination that the credit belongs to it is subtle. Thinking of the wit between the words of Ri'an Nineteen and Yang Chenggong, Xu Zhong's eyelids jumped even more fiercely.

"I've been restless lately, so don't go back to your hometown this year."

I don't know when the steward has quietly stepped down.

There are few quiet times around Xu Zhiliu. He took another sip of herbal tea and said, "I wrote to my mother the day before yesterday and told her that I would return to my hometown as scheduled. ”

"It's just a letter, just say that you can't go back if you have something."

"Uncle Xu, it's almost my father's death day."

Xu Zhong's throat choked, and he couldn't shake off his words. He also knew that if it hadn't been for that accident, with the arrogance of this young man, it would have been impossible for him to abandon his literature and go to business.

Speaking of the relationship between the two, Xu Zhiliu is a distant nephew in the Xu Zhong clan. Fortunately, the poor relatives who came to the door many years ago to fight the autumn breeze were not as small as those who coveted his family business in the past, this young man was talented, sensitive and studious, and there was a calmness that did not match his age between his eyebrows, and his hands were not only able to write poetry, but also extremely dexterous, and it took less than half a year to learn the craft of the billet.

Two years later, not only were they able to sharpen all kinds of utensils, but they were as thin as paper wings, which caused quite a stir at the time. You must know that this is not as simple as ten years of work in the audience, smart people know how to find a way to learn, and others can only have an epiphany after practicing for decades, and Xu Zhiliu's small head may only be able to understand it overnight.

Hutian kiln is a large kiln that burns two lines, taking into account the sale of porcelain, and the porcelain involved in the eighty lines of the class such as red shop, blue and white material industry, kiln firewood, porcelain merchants, etc. are related, the kiln is complicated and trivial, like a giant ship driving on the ocean, each gear part is crucial, lead the whole body, not ordinary people are enough to be competent. Xu Zhong was pleased with the talent of the young man, and spared no effort to cultivate him, for more than ten years, the young man who looked quite embarrassed in the rain in the past has now grown into a towering tree, and has long been afraid of wind and rain.

Even, there is a hidden tendency to call for wind and rain.

"It's been so many years, and you're still the same." Xu Zhong wants to say, you go back to your hometown every year to worship your ancestors and sweep the grave of your deceased father, I understand my thoughts, but if you want to get ahead, and you don't want to be in the same stream, you want too much. Then the words finally came to his lips and sighed, "That's it, you go." ”

Xu Zhiliu nodded, and before going out, he heard Xu Zhong say again: "Zhiliu, I'm not young, I'm afraid I won't have the life to give birth to a son in this life." From the first day you came to my Hutian kiln, I saw you as my own son, A Harrier will turn sixteen after the New Year, you know her thoughts, why don't you go back this time and tell your mother, and a harrier will marry after the year, okay? ”

Xu Zhong is a big proprietor, and he has always been the same, how could he have such a tone? Xu Zhiliu pursed his lips slightly, lowered his head, and the narrow sunlight lengthened his figure.

This tree is beautiful, but it has little aftertaste.

Silent after all.

Xu Zhiliu returned to the study, and was sorting out the books in the cage at that time. He casually took out a copy of "Jingyi Examination Post" and spread it on the table, and when he heard Shi Nian's "ah", a mouse came out of the cage. Many books have been gnawed, and some have been eaten by insects. Xu Zhiliu stared at the examination post for a while, put down the pen, and walked to Shi Nian's side to help him clean out the cage together.

It was snowing outside, charcoal was burning inside the house, and it was warm, and the two of them relayed the books to pile them in the corner of the wall one after another.

When I saw it, I made another "ah", scratched my head and said, "I don't know that there are so many books." ”

A wall full of yellowed old books, stacked to half a man's height, was mixed with a few handwritten notes from my father, which had been badly damaged by rats. When he saw that he didn't say a word, he must have been very distressed and regretful, so he said: "I heard that there are people in the east of the city who can repair books, why don't I try it?" ”

Xu Zhiliu shook his head, he was already familiar with the content of the notebook, why spend all that unjust money, he could repair it himself.

"Help me go to the east of the city tomorrow to buy some sticky materials and come back."

"Why bother to buy it, it's all in the workshop." blurted out his debut at that time.

Xu Zhiliu paused for a moment and said, "Don't use it in the workshop." ”

Seeing that he began to look through the notes again, he was silent, and after a while he came back from the kitchen with food, but he saw that the study was crowded with people, the notes were still pressed under the case, the research post was gone, there were various documents on the table, and several stewards were reporting on the kiln affairs.

By the time he was done, the dinner would have already been cold. Xu Zhiliu dealt with the two, and in the middle of the night, the door of the house rang softly, and Shi Nian hugged Dayu and said: "Son, it's almost the third watch." ”

The figure behind the case did not move, the candle flame swayed in the night wind, and the tip of the pen had paused for a long time. Thinking that he was asleep while sitting, Shi Nian tiptoed closer, and as soon as he arrived in front of him, a pair of eyes suddenly cast him.

The dense red, wrapped in bright pupils, was sharp in an instant.

"Age."

"Whoa."

His voice was dull and hoarse: "I ......"

I was expecting him to say something, his eyes were full of tiredness, his face was pale, and his body was full of loneliness, he must have to say something, right? But Xu Zhiliu didn't say anything after all, only smiled at him and took the big one.

The two of them held umbrellas one after the other, facing the snow illuminated by lanterns, and walked towards the kiln factory.

On the day when the court's reward came down, it coincided with the annual sacrificial event held by the Hutian kiln, commonly known as the god of the warm kiln. It is said that during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the eunuch Pan Xiang served as the Jiangxi mine envoy and the kiln affairs of Jingdezhen, supervised the construction of blue and white dragon jars, because the firing could not succeed for a long time, the potters and kiln workers were whipped and even killed. Tong Bin witnessed the suffering of his peers, jumped towards the cave, and finally burned it into a large dragon jar, but this aroused the anger of his peers and triggered a civil uprising. In order to appease people's hearts, the imperial court set up an ancestral hall in the Yimen of the Imperial Ware Factory, and enshrined Tong Bin as the wind and fire immortal. In the future, once a year, in order to prosper the pottery industry, it is necessary to worship the god of Tongbin kiln.

The legend does not know whether it is true or not, but Xu Zhiliu respects the spirit of Tong Bin. Since ancient times, the eunuchs who have been favored by the emperor and specially sent to supervise the making of porcelain are mostly authoritarian, and it is not the first time that the people are fishy. Fortunately, the court gave them a reassurance.

With the reward, there is another will, the new Jiangxi Governor Xia Ying, will officially take office in March after the next year, and An 19 is still the assistant.

"It's the same for everyone to come, the surname An covers the sky in Jiangxi with one hand, and he also deals with the soldiers, his godfather is a celebrity in front of the emperor's eyes."

"Yang Gong has been forced to return to his hometown by him, and the newcomer doesn't know how long he can last."

"If the dead eunuch dares to do the whole thing, I will kill him."

"Who are you going to kill?" With a clear and cold sound, a few guys on the wine table suddenly sobered up a lot, and then took the wine jug with one hand.

That hand is no thinner than three years ago, and now it is covered with scars because of the hand.

"You've only drunk so much in the afternoon? Later, there will be a ceremony for the god of the kiln, and everyone will go up to plant incense and pray to the god of fire to bless you. ”

"I—Can we too?"

They are just handymen, they have no technical content, they can be changed at any time, and it is all because of the kindness of the master's family, so that they can eat a bite of food. Xu Zhong is a capable person, but with his ability, Hutian kiln can only achieve the top position in the industry, to make the kiln factory continue to expand, recruit helpers and stewards year after year, and become the industry leader, but also rely on Xu Zhiliu.

Xu Zhong also knew that he, a distant nephew, had a set of means to win people's hearts, both inside and outside, and even the craftsmen in the imperial kiln factory who specialized in serving the emperor and had eyes on the top of their heads would give him a little thin noodles, and he would always politely call him "little proprietor" when he saw it.

Oh, where did the little proprietor come from.

There is only one owner of Hutian kiln, and that is him!

Xu Zhong sat on the main seat, his cool eyes staring at the cyan figure. Xu Zhiliu sensed a touch of coolness, and when she looked back, everyone at the lively banquet was red from drinking, babbling and singing and making trouble.

"Handymen are also workers, as long as they work in the kiln, they are qualified to make incense." His gaze swept over the swarthy young man who was shouting and killing, "Xiao Hei, work hard, and strive to learn some crafts in the kiln next year." But in our business, the hands and eyes must be fast, just the same, the mouth can't be fast, understand? ”

"Understood, understood." As soon as he appeared, they all woke up. Thinking of Shicai's nonsense, half of his head had already fallen off, and he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat and turned pale. Xu Zhiliu didn't say anything more, greeted the potters and workers at each table one by one, and finally returned to the main seat, not wanting Xu Zhong to invite An Shijiu, he grabbed his hand, and Zhang Luo and the two touched a glass of wine.

Xu Zhiliu doesn't drink alcohol during the day, this is his rule.

The corners of An Shijiu's mouth twitched: "The little proprietor still refuses to give me face." ”

"He dares!" Xu Zhong's eyes were red from drinking, and his subordinates were not serious, so he pinched Xu Zhiliu's wrist and was about to pour wine. The uncle and nephew looked at each other quietly for a while, Xu Zhiliu raised his hand, and the wine that was shaking in the blue and white cup was drunk in one gulp.

Xu Zhong collapsed in the chair and suddenly lost his strength.

An Shijiuyan smiled at Yan Yan: "It's still the big boss who has weight in his words." ”

"I'm going to prepare for the sacrifice, so I'll take my leave first, and you can drink slowly."

"Wait."

An Nineteen chased him out, and when he came to the handyman who was talking eloquently, he glanced meaningfully at the table. The handymen didn't know when An Nineteen came, and they didn't know how much he listened, just now they were all red-faced and red-eared, and they were talking nonsense, but at this moment, they only felt a chill in the back of their necks, and instinctively looked at Xu Zhiliu.

Xu Zhiliu asked, "Is there anything else to do with my father-in-law?" ”

Look at his proud and lofty appearance, what kind of cheap mud is he? An Jiu was angry, but he smiled kindly: "I heard that you are going back to your hometown to worship your ancestors in the near future, anyway, it's okay, why don't you go together?" I haven't been to Fuliang in the three years I've been here, and I've heard that glaze fruit and pizi are abundant there, but I don't know how to mine them. If it's convenient for you, you can take me to see the customs and customs of my hometown, and it doesn't hurt if I don't have time, I just want to be a companion on the road. ”

An Nineteen is a proud iron rooster, and he rarely has a low profile.

Suddenly abnormal, there must be a demon.

Xu Zhiliu said: "I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint my father-in-law, I'm used to being alone." And the floating beam is small, and there is nothing new. ”

"Really?" An Shijiu raised the corners of his mouth, took a step forward, and lowered his voice to Xu Zhi's ear: "There is nothing new, then you have to come back early after sweeping the tomb, otherwise you will regret it." With that, he flicked his sleeves and strode away.

The flying tiger flags planted on both sides of the gate hunted in the wind.

Xu Zhiliu's heart thumped.