There was a swing in the yard, Zheng Yuanyi stood on top of it with one foot, and gently kicked the ground with the other foot, swinging and watching Zhu Ming dancing there from a distance.

Li Xiuxiu came over to push her, and the sister-in-law whispered.

The sound of breaking the air kept coming, and Zhu Ming became more and more energetic the more he danced.

Take this thing to the battlefield, and when you see the enemy, you will pick it up, regardless of how many layers of armor you have, and smash it all so that you will spurt blood from internal injuries.

Zheng Hong stood next to him and looked stupid, he had played with this iron mace, and it was difficult to swing with both hands, Zhu Ming could actually play with one hand for so long.

That's a lot of effort!

Zhu Ming put down the iron shovel, picked up the iron spear more than two meters long, and asked, "This is not pure iron, right?" ”

"There is a piece of wood in the middle," Zheng explained, "and the craftsman said that the wood was added and the bamboo pieces were wrapped, so that it would be tough and not so heavy." ”

There are many records of iron guns in the history books, such as Wang Jingxun in the Five Dynasties period, who was good at using a thirty-pound iron gun. That's 19.8 kilograms, which is heavier than the barbell bar in the gym, which is very much in line with the weight of iron at that length.

There are also physical unearthed, Hunan Zixing unearthed two iron spears of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the whole body is made of wrought iron.

The barrel of a traditional horse war gun has a wooden core on the inside, a bamboo chip on the outside, wrapped in silk thread and leather, and finally painted with a layer of lacquer.

So strong and tough, that's how the mallet is made.

But the composite gun barrel is relatively expensive, and ordinary soldiers simply cannot afford it.

The iron gun in Zhu Ming's hand was also painted with a layer of lacquer.

In the middle, there is a more than one meter long shaft, and a circle of iron wire is faintly visible, which is used to replace the silk leather, and the hardwood core and bamboo are reinforced.

(Note: The wire drawing technology was available in the Han Dynasty, and it was mainly used to draw gold wire.) In the Song Dynasty, there was a wire drawing technology, but it could only be pulled one by one, and it developed to the Ming Dynasty that it could pull four or eight at the same time. ）

The craftsman was afraid that the whole iron would be too heavy and he could not afford to hold thirty or forty catties, so he made his own initiative to make it half wood and half iron.

Zhu Ming crossed the middle of the iron gun, and the direction of the head of the gun slowly sank.

The center of gravity of this iron gun is not very forward, as long as the strength is strong enough, it is more convenient to use than a wooden-handled gun.

It's a pity that Zhu Ming's spearmanship is not good for the time being, and he has only practiced simple stabbing in the cottage.

He copied and danced a few times, and then stabbed out one after another, playing with it repeatedly, and couldn't put it down.

"Da Lang, what do you want these weapons for?" Zheng Hong couldn't help but ask.

Zhu Ming said with a smile: "In the future, you may have to go into battle to kill the enemy, and practicing your skills will definitely come in handy." ”

With that, he picked up the bow again.

The ordinary standard Zhemu bow is a finished product bought from Xingyuan Mansion.

Zheng Hong explained: "To order a good bow, you have to wait a year or two, and you can only buy ready-made ones at bow and arrow shops. ”

"If you can, you can use it." Ju Ming is not picky.

He put his bow and arrows on his back, hung the iron shovel around his waist, and then stood with the iron spear in his hand, and a man's romance spontaneously arose.

If you put on the armor and step on the warhorse, you will be fully active.

Zheng Yuanyi's aunt and sister-in-law, standing on the swing, looked at the eyes shining, such a man is too majestic!

Towards noon, the servants came to invite them to dinner.

Zhu Ming put down his weapon and followed Zheng Fatzi over.

The women and children did not come, because the Zheng family was too prosperous. Zheng Hong has an elder brother, two younger brothers, and several sisters, most of whom are married and have children, and there are too many people in the family.

Even Zheng Hong's two younger brothers did not come, only he and his eldest brother attended to accompany him.

"This is my eldest grandson, Zheng Yuan, who usually helps out in the business." Zheng Lan said.

Zheng Yuan arched his hand and said: "I've seen Zhu Xianggong, I've seen Zhu Dalang." ”

The father and son returned the salute one after another.

The dishes on the table are hearty, and they are mainly lamb.

There are boiled lamb ribs, fried lamb white sausages, and soups made of mutton, haggis and almonds. In addition, there are chickens, ducks and geese, and two other vegetables.

Although there is Su Dongpo's image endorsement, pork is still not on the table, and big businessmen like the Zheng family do not eat it.

Zheng Yuan, the son-in-law, took the initiative to pour wine for the father and son, and said in a light tone: "The two of you came to Yangzhou, have you ever been to Ruyi Building?" The girls there are all beautiful and gentle, and I have an acquaintance......"

"Ahem!"

Zheng Lan coughed continuously and interrupted the eldest grandson's speech: "The old man will give you a cup first." ”

"Don't dare to be." Zhu Guoxiang raised his glass to greet him, and automatically ignored Zheng Yuan's just now.

Zheng Fatzi is already good enough, looking at it like this, his eldest brother is even more out of tune, and Zhu Ming's evaluation of the Zheng family is a little lower.

But they are also more assured, and when they rebel in the future, such a family is very easy to handle.

Push the glass and change the lamp, and the wine will pass three rounds.

Zheng Lan said inadvertently: "I heard that Da Lang is sixteen years old this year, and he has not had a marriage contract yet. is such a talent, how can there be a lack of a good match, it is better for me to help find one. In the three counties of Yangzhou, Min, Wang, Zheng, and Li are the most educated, and the girls are all gentle and virtuous, and they can always pick the best one for Dalang. ”

Zhu Ming politely refused: "The younger generation is determined to learn, and there is no plan to marry for the time being, so I have disappointed the kindness of the old man." ”

"The imperial examination has to be examined, and marriage can't be delayed." Zheng Lan said with a smile.

Zhu Ming said: "It's not too late in a few years. ”

Zheng Lan could only shut up.

Late marriage was still very common in the Song Dynasty, and many famous ministers and Confucians only got married after the age of twenty.

Even for women in the Song Dynasty, according to the statistics of more than 400 epitaphs, the average age of marriage was about 19 years old.

This is, of course, inaccurate, and can only reflect the situation of the middle and upper classes, because the people at the bottom cannot leave information.

Zheng Lan went around the bend and said, "Lao Yu has a niece and son-in-law, who is also studying at Yangzhou Academy. This autumn is going to take the solution test, he has already passed the test three times, and his knowledge is extremely good, and Da Lang will definitely be able to talk. ”

Zheng Fatzi added: "My uncle's name is Sun Tao, and he only gives up his life in the academy, and usually teaches in private schools. That day, Mr. Chen gave a lecture, and my uncle also went. ”

"Well, that's a bit impressive." Zhu Ming casually.

Zheng Lan stroked his beard and said: "Although the old man is not very educated, he attaches great importance to talented people. That Sun Tao was born in poverty, and his family only had dozens of acres of thin land. The first time I went to Beijing to catch the exam, I couldn't even make up the travel expenses, and when I learned about it, I not only gave him a coil, but also gave him my niece. ”

Strange goods can live, just win over excellent scholars, and make yourself as noble as you are.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, Sichuan, Fujian, Liangguang and other places raised people to rush for the exam, and the government would issue post coupons and coupons, which could take the bus and ship of the post station for free and eat at the post station along the way for free. But you also have to prepare money, otherwise you will starve to death in the capital.

Zhu Ming pretended not to understand, and exclaimed: "The old gentleman loves talents and values talents, which is really a blessing for poor scholars in Yangzhou." A cup of respect for the old gentleman! ”

"Please."

Zheng Lan raised her glass and touched each other, not knowing what Zhu Ming was thinking.

It seems to refuse, and it doesn't seem to refuse.

Zhu Ming's mind is actually very simple, that is, he is not in a hurry. He didn't mind being the son-in-law of the Zheng family, and the Zheng family's financial resources helped him rebel.

However, he can't agree easily, otherwise he will be easily manipulated, and he has to take the initiative himself.

Let's drag it out slowly, and talk about it in a year or two, anyway, rich women are popular to marry late, not as early as in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

After eating and drinking, resting for a while, the father and son went up the mountain together.

Zheng Fatzi didn't come with him again, he was tired of staying in the academy, isn't it fragrant to stay at home with his wife?

Blowing the river breeze, Zhu Mingjiu woke up a little.

He was fully armed, with three weapons on his body, and said as he walked, "Can we fry the best tea?" It's like the best group tea. ”

"It's hard to say, I don't know how to start at all, and I have to explore it slowly." Zhu Guoxiang shook his head and said.

The best tea is not included in the first, second and third grades.

Like the best group tea of the old white man's family, a pound can be sold for at least four or five hundred Wen, and the top one has to be calculated with Guan. The quantity of this kind of tea is scarce, and it is definitely not a tea and horse division, and it is secretly traded behind the back of the government.

But how do you make the best roasted tea?

Zhu Guoxiang recalled the tea he had drunk and said: "You must start with the appearance. For example, some tea leaves, after brewing, are suspended on the surface of the water and look good. There are also some tea leaves with silver threads on the surface. There are also tea leaves, which are rolled up like snails. What we are stir-frying now is just ordinary green tea, which is still far from developing the best tea. ”

"How do you get black tea?" Zhu Ming asked again.

"How do I know?" Zhu Guoxiang said, "It seems to be fermented, but it is not clear how it is fermented." It's useless to ponder blindly, it's still the same sentence, slowly groping and experimenting. ”

Walk all the way up the hill and return to the VIP dormitory of the college.

When Zhang Guangdao saw the three weapons, his eyes immediately praised: "Good thing!" ”

Zhu Ming threw the iron spear over: "Third Brother Zhang try his hand." ”

Zhang Guangdao waved an iron gun in his hand, shook his head for a while, and said, "It's a bit too heavy, it's okay to practice at ordinary times." If you go to the battlefield, you will definitely be tired and not suitable for long-term combat. ”

Zhu Ming took out his bow and arrow again and formally asked for archery skills.

Zhang Guangdao is his own archery, and even the bow and arrow are homemade earthen bows. He first taught Zhu Ming how to wind correctly, and then taught how to maintain it, and then taught how to pull the bow and exert force.

In the next half month, Zhu Ming was completely busy.

In the morning, I worked with my father to tutor Chen Yuan in mathematics, and at the same time borrowed books from the library. In the afternoon, the bow and arrow were practiced, and then the iron spear and the hammer were practiced.

After the eighteen iron pots were built, Zhu Guoxiang took Zhang Guangdao and took these iron pots and left by boat.

Only Zhu Ming himself was left, occasionally chatting with the students, and then teaching Chen Yuan mathematics, and the rest of the time was spent practicing martial arts.

Chen Yuan was in no hurry to go down the mountain to spread new ideas, he was already fascinated by mathematics.

This gentleman has not been in the imperial examination for more than 20 years, except for touring the mountains and rivers, the rest of the time is spent in study. He has the patience to do anything else without studying mathematics thoroughly.

Zhu Ming was very entangled in this, worried that Chen Yuan would not go down the mountain for a whole year......

At this moment, an official ship went south from the Bao Slope Road and went straight to Xingyuan Mansion (Hanzhong).

The leader was a eunuch, who had an imperial order to conquer Zhu Chenggong, a scholar of the Eight Elements, and invite Zhu Dacai to enter Beijing...... Fill in the words for the emperor.

The official ship docked, and the chickens flew and the dogs jumped.

A group of officials, including the transfer envoy, the envoy of the probation, the envoy of Changping, and the envoy of the university, hurriedly went to greet them when they got the news.

Lu Tixue was quite puzzled by this, he recommended Zhu Ming to study Taixue, not Zhu Ming to be an official, why did the eunuchs come to spread the word?

Lu Tixue inquired curiously: "Dare to ask the nobles, do you really want to recruit Zhu Chenggong?" ”

The eunuch nodded and smiled: "Zhu Chenggong's words are excellent, and the official family likes it, so they want to let him enter Dasheng Mansion." ”

Lu Tixue was stunned for a moment, then became angry, and asked in a gentle tone as much as possible: "Zhu Chenggong has penetrated the Three Classics at a young age, and if time will be the pillar, how can he be allowed to enter the Dasheng Mansion to fill in the words?" ”

"What the official values is his creation, how can he say more?" The eunuch was a little impatient, "Hurry up and carry the sedan chair, the water is turbulent, and our family is tired all the way." ”

Lu Tixue lowered his head and moved out of the way, muttering in his mouth: "Faint Jun! ”

Dasheng Mansion has been established for several years, don't think about it when you go in, and it has a particularly bad reputation.

Only one person was successfully released, that is, Zhou Bangyan, the first chairman of Dasheng Mansion, and he was slandered and excluded from Beijing by Cai Jing.

(End of chapter)