There is a row of bookstores between the small songs west of Caomen in the east market, one of which is called "Chengxin Bookstore", which sells not only books, but also paper.

The carriage stopped in front of the shop, and Xue Bai and Du Cheng walked into the bookstore.

The scroll-bound books were placed in the shelves, and in the cabinet on the other side were all kinds of papers, the further inside the paper was the better, the whiter it became.

There was no buddy in the shop, only an old man was writing something on the desk, his eyebrows were a little sad, he raised his head when he heard the movement, and said, "The guest officer wants to buy a book?" ”

His Sichuan-Shu accent is very strong, and when he speaks, his hands are wrapped in his sleeves, which looks a little restrained.

Xue Bai asked, "Dare to ask the owner?" ”

"The contemptible Jiang Cheng is the owner here."

"Is there bamboo paper?"

Jiang Cheng was stunned for a moment, and secretly said that they were so luxurious that they only bought bamboo paper, led them to the container, and said, "Yes, please see the guest officer." ”

Xue Bai picked up a piece of bamboo paper and touched it, it was indeed inferior to the white rattan paper he usually used, the paper surface was light yellow, the flexibility was poor, and the paper was fragile and fragile.

"Is there a more suitable bamboo paper for writing?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head, smiled a little embarrassedly, and said: "The contemptible person is a native of Sichuan Shu Jiajiang, to say a boast, there is no one in Chang'an City who is better at making bamboo paper than me, the bamboo paper in the disdain shop can still be used for writing, the words can not be dense, but the bamboo paper elsewhere can only be used as paper money." ”

Xue Bai asked, "Can you show us your workshop?" ”

Jiang Cheng understood that they were planning to take down his shop. He sighed, raised his hand, and asked them to go to the backyard.

Bypassing the wall, there are several tables and desks in the middle hall, on which are placed pen, ink, paper and inkstone, which should be used to copy books...... When Xue Bai saw it, he thought that there was no engraving printing here.

He knew that there was such a craft today, but it was not yet popular.

The paper-making workshop in the backyard is far larger than expected, and there are a lot of raw materials in the corridor, such as mulberry hemp, Chu skin, and bamboo.

Xue Bai was only interested in bamboo paper, but after looking at various papermaking materials, he found that he was a layman at all, and it was indeed too boastful of Du Cheng's "pointing out the path of technological progress".

But he knows that bamboo paper is the trend, because bamboo is the fastest growing raw material.

Then, at least you can avoid detours in papermaking.

Leaning over, picking up some semi-finished products and rubbing them in his hands, he even had a guess that the process of bamboo paper today may be first poor in how to remove bamboo tendons.

"Why does Mr. Jiang want to sell this shop?"

Jiang Cheng sighed, pointed to a vacant shack on the side, and said, "There was originally rattan bark over there, but now rattan materials are scarce and difficult to buy." And I offended people and lost the qualification to supply white rattan paper to the imperial court, and I am afraid that this business will not be able to continue. ”

Xue Bai nodded and asked, "Why don't you see the paper-making craftsmen?" ”

"Most of the craftsmen have been hired by the workshops next to them, and only three fellow villagers who make bamboo paper are ready to return to Jiajiang with the contemptible people."

"Do you still have relatives and friends in Jiajiang?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head with a wry smile and muttered: "I came to Chang'an at the age of thirteen, and it has been nearly forty years since I arrived, how can I still have relatives and friends in my hometown?" They are similar, but they can't stay in Chang'an. ”

Xue Bai asked, "Who have you offended?" ”

Jiang Cheng glanced up at Xue Bai, his face was embarrassed, lest he would scare this little offspring and delay the sale of the shop.

Xue Bai knew that he had concerns, and said, "I bought your shop, and ask those bamboo paper craftsmen, are you willing to stay and do things for me?" ”

Jiang Cheng was very surprised, and said, "But Langjun hasn't finished reading ...... yet."

Xue Bai's mind was not on these businesses, it was nothing more than spending money to improve the papermaking process, and raised his hand and said, "Go to the East City Bureau to make a deed." ”

……

The withered, rough palm was raised, ready to press on the deed.

Jiang Cheng suddenly felt a little lost.

When he was ten years old, his grandfather was still alive. At that time, he was quite ambitious, good at reading, and was struggling to practice calligraphy without paper, so he learned to make bamboo paper in his hometown, using tender bamboo, and carefully cutting off the bamboo green, so the paper is better than the bamboo paper next to him, his nickname is Hong'er, this paper is called "Hong'er paper" by the villagers.

Forty years have passed in a blink of an eye, and he finally became a bookseller in Chang'an City, but he had to throw everything away at the age of fifty?

"This Lang Jun." Jiang Cheng didn't press the handprint, but suddenly asked, "Do you know who the contemptible person has offended?" ”

"Who?"

"Jingzhao Mansion Hu Cao, right prime minister's son-in-law, Yuan Xuan. If Lang Jun buys this bookstore, he may also be persecuted by him, please think twice. ”

Speaking of this, Jiang Cheng's long beard trembled a little, and he couldn't help but glance at the box of coins on the side again. If he didn't say much, he might have left the place of right and wrong in Chang'an City with it.

"I really haven't heard of such a son-in-law in Gonu." Xue Bai used a seal on the deed and pushed the box of money over, "He is not qualified to touch my property, can you let your bamboo paper craftsman stay and do things for me?" The salary is negotiable. ”

Jiang Cheng was surprised for a long time, and there were many things he wanted to ask in his mind, but at the end, he asked, "Lang Jun wants to make bamboo paper?" ”

"Mr. Jiang is also interested?"

Without waiting for Jiang Cheng to answer, Xue Bai felt Du Cheng pull gently behind him, and the two of them went to the side and whispered.

Du Cheng said in a low voice: "It involves craftsmanship, if you want to employ people, it is appropriate to buy them as domestic servants, how about I talk about it?" ”

She usually looks gentle, but she does things with consideration.

As for buying a domestic servant, it is probably equivalent to signing a confidentiality contract in the world.

Xue Bai then said: "It will be arranged by Du Dadong's family." ”

"Don't call Du Dadong, how ugly."

Du Cheng is rarely coquettish, which shows that she still prefers Xue Bai to call her "Niangniang" in her heart.

~~

"Lang Jun seems to have the smell of a maiden on his body."

The next day, Xue Bai woke up and heard Qinglan say this by the couch.

She leaned in and sniffed.

"Hmm." Xue Bai calmly responded: "I studied papermaking with her yesterday. ”

He was going to visit Yan's house today, and he got up quite early.

When he was about to go out, he took a piece of rosin ink, smelled it, and hung it on his body. Use ink incense to cover the fat powder fragrance on your body so as not to be smelled by the teacher.

Crossing the street and entering Yan's house, I happened to meet Yan Yan who was playing Tai Chi in the courtyard, and when I saw him, I snorted and stopped moving.

"Why don't you practice? Bothering you? ”

"Brother only taught me these few tricks, and then I disappeared." Yan Yan said, "I'll only cut it in half." ”

"Okay, I'll teach you how to practice."

Xue Bai said, planning to find a place to put down the few scrolls in his hand.

Yan Yan laughed first, spread her hands, and said, "I want to see the monkey first." ”

"Then you take it."

Suddenly, Yan Zhenqing's voice came.

"I know monkeys all day long."

Yan Yan was startled, hugged the scroll and turned around and fled.

Xue Bai entered the hall and met the teacher.

……

"Mid-Autumn Festival Imperial Banquet, you have made a big deal again." Yan Zhenqing glanced at Xue Bai up and down a few times, and her tone was a little different from the past, "You and Mrs. Qiu Guo are innocent, why didn't you explain in the past?" ”

This question is quite difficult to answer, Xue Bai thought about it for a while, and responded: "There is nothing that needs to be explained. ”

Yan Zhenqing took a sip of the teacup and said lightly: "You haven't caused trouble recently?" ”

"Always keep to yourself, and if you have trouble, you will talk to the teacher."

"My father-in-law came to me before he went out." Yan Zhenqing said: "At that time, he wanted to see you. ”

Xue Bai really failed to completely hide Yan Zhenqing.

Fang Xuan's demotion was indeed related to him, and Yan Zhenqing did not arrange for them to meet, obviously out of a heart of protection. Otherwise, I'm afraid that more people will guess that he is jumping up and down again.

"The student did invite a few friends to help Dr. Zheng, and the demotion of Fang Gong may have something to do with it."

"Don't get involved in the big case today."

"Yes, students have been tired of the power struggles of intrigue lately, and have been studying the art of papermaking."

Yan Zhenqing was speechless when he heard this, so he had to stroke his beard and said, "Follow the old man to visit my brother." ”

"Yes." Xue Bai also had the intention of meeting Yan Gaoqing.

~~

The Yan family had moved to Chang'an in the early Tang Dynasty, and their ancestral home was in Dunhuafang in Wannian County.

The carriage drove past the door, Yan Yan lifted the curtain and glanced out, and said, "Grandpa's house is there." ”

She has lived here since she was a child and is very familiar with the area.

"Thirteen Lang is back." The old servant of the Yan family opened the door with a smile.

Even if Yan Zhenqing returned to the house, he could only be called Thirteen Lang, and he was a junior when he heard it.

"Brother is here?"

"It's really rare to be at home today, since I returned to Chang'an, I have been busy before the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I have socialized every day."

Two young people in front of him hurried to greet each other and called to Yan Zhenqing: "Uncle Thirteen is here, please come in quickly...... The third sister is here, and A-Niang talks about you every day. ”

It can be seen that Yan Yan is quite favored in the Yan family, and people wave when they see her along the way.

Before entering the second hospital, Yan Gaoqing and his wife Cui Shi also came out.

"Sanniang!" Cui Shi hurriedly stepped forward to hug Yan Yan, looked at the little daughter carefully, and muttered, "It's good to be healthy, A-Niang is always worried about you." ”

"Auntie, I'm fine, Brother found a famous doctor to treat me."

"Good, good."

Cui Shi looked at Xue Bai with a face full of relief, and immediately asked his family to come to see him......

Yan Gaoqing was fifty-five years old at the time, and his temperament was quite similar to Yan Zhenqing, but his skin was darker and rougher, and his body was stronger.

Counting Yan Yan, he has three daughters and three sons, the second son died young, the eldest son Yan Quanming and the third son Yan Jiming. plus sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandsons, grandchildren, and concubines, there are more than 30 people in the family.

After seeing the ceremony, the woman and child were taken to the backyard, and only Yan Zhenqing's master and apprentice were left in the hall to talk to Yan Gaoqing's father and son.

"Since I returned to Chang'an City, I have often heard people mention Xue Lang, and when I saw it today, I really showed a talent."

"Uncle is overrated." Xue Bai said: "I have also admired my uncle's name for a long time. ”

Yan Gaoqing waved his hand and said with a kind smile: "It's just a judge in Hebei, what is his name?" ”

When he looked at Xue Bai, he always looked at Xue Bai with a look of concern, and his demeanor was inexplicably kind, and asked, "My thirteenth brother has always been arrogant, how can I accept you as an apprentice?" ”

This sentence shows that he is more enthusiastic and straightforward than Yan Zhenqing.

Xue Bai smiled and said: "Because of my dead face, the teacher had no choice but to pinch his nose and admit it." ”

"Haha."

Yan Jiming, who was standing behind Yan Gaoqing, couldn't help laughing.

Yan Jiming is about the age of his early twenties, and he is known as "Yan Twelve Lang" in the clan, Xu is often in charge of Hebei Yingtian with his father, his face is tanned, his teeth are very white, and his smile is quite simple.

Xue Bai saw it, nodded his head, and felt that he and this young man could become good friends.

Yan Jiming seemed to be observing and examining him, turned his head and whispered to Yan Quanming, "It's also interesting to be a person." ”

Everyone laughed a few words, and it was still an atmosphere of greetings from relatives and friends.

Xue Baihu asked, "What does my uncle think of the two recent cases in Chang'an City?" ”

Yan Gaoqing was a little surprised.

Yan Zhenqing said with a sigh: "I, a student, have a lot of connections in the DPRK, and my brother can discuss important matters with him. ”

"Young and promising." Yan Gaoqing asked rhetorically: "What does Xue Lang think?" ”

Xue Bai had already prepared, glanced around at everyone in the hall, and gave a frank answer, "In my opinion, An Lushan does have wolf ambitions. ”

Everyone in the Yan family was not surprised.

In recent years, there have been many rebel ministers in the imperial court, and "wolf ambition" has long become a crime that can be deducted at will, and someone has already commented on An Lushan like this.

Yan Zhenqing just glanced at Yan Gaoqing and asked, "Brother has been under An Lushan all these years, how do you think about this matter?" ”

Yan Gaoqing was groaning, and said slowly: "An Lushan has quite a way to govern Hebei. ”

What Xue Bai didn't expect to hear would be such an answer, and said, "I would like to hear it in detail." ”

"The situation in Hebei is complicated, and it is expected that the clan, heavy taxes, border affairs, and Huhua, it is indeed difficult for ordinary people to govern it. Let's just say that since the end of the Han Dynasty, some Xiongnu and Xianbei have gradually settled in the Central Plains; The Tang Dynasty destroyed the Eastern Turks, and a large number of Turks were settled in Hebei; In addition, the Khitan, Sogdian, Xi and other tribes are attached. For hundreds of years, Hebei has been a place where Hu and Han people live together. The Hu people migrated as tribes, with land, population, soldiers and horses, and if they were not officials who were well versed in Hu affairs, they would not be able to govern at all......"

Yan Gaoqing is a person who knows the situation in Hebei firsthand, and it is rare to say something that the courtiers do not understand.

"Compared with the previous envoys, An Lushan has at least three good points, he understands Hu customs better, and can appease the Hu people in Hebei; Its subordinates can recruit talents and appease civilians; And he is good at making military achievements, and he can create a big victory without levying a lot of military spending......"

An Lushan does have a more Hu style of fighting, he likes to raid the weak tribes on the border, report his merits to the imperial court, and this year he offered 8,000 men and women under the Guanfeng Tower.

He also liked to booby-trap, and often invited tribal leaders to banquets, digging a pit first, drugged them in wine, and waiting for these leaders to get drunk and behead them. It is said that he has done this several times, trapping and killing thousands of Khitans.

Xue Bai didn't understand whether it was because the leaders of the Khitan tribe were too easy to be fooled, or if An Lushan was too cunning, but he already understood that this festival envoy that could satisfy the saints and the people of Hebei was indeed unique.

Although he can't solve the fundamental problem, he is a person who can play tricks to deal with the bullying of the imperial court for the people of Hebei.

"In this way, if An Lushan has no wolf ambitions, he is a very good local military and political officer?"

"Hebei's taxes are heavy and not peaceful, people's livelihood is hard, it may not be good to change An Lushan, ordinary people can't control the situation, and it is likely to be worse." Yan Gaoqing sighed, "There are always people in the DPRK who doubt him, but many Hebei officials have not seen that he has different intentions for the time being." ”

Now that it is only six years of Tianbao, Xue Bai can't insist that An Lushan wants to rebel, it's too early.

In today's meeting, the important thing is no longer that he reminded Yan Gaoqing to take precautions, but that he should learn more about the problem from the mouth of this Hebei official.

The entire east of Kunshan is being forced to transfuse blood for the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and now it is An Lushan who is easing the situation.

“……”

"Uncle must be staying in Chang'an for a month or two? Can I come to ask for advice often? ”

"It's best if Xue Lang can come often, my two sons are mediocre, so I should have more contact with you."

In the evening, Xue Bai said goodbye with Yan Zhenqing, but his mood was a little heavier.

He has always understood that if he wants to stop the Anshi Rebellion, he can't just get rid of An Lushan. But today's long conversation made him realize that it would take decades to solve the fundamental problem.

Flat side affairs, thin taxation, cultural and educational development, and promotion of integration must be done very patiently and cautiously little by little.

It is this kind of arrogant and complacent attitude.

In other words, even if he can kill An Lushan with some tricks of scheming and intrigue, it won't have much effect, I'm afraid it will intensify the contradictions, and he is not ready.

~~

After this day, Xue Bai seemed to be really far away from the intrigue of the court, in addition to precipitating himself, what he often did was to go to the paper mill to study the craft of bamboo paper with Jiang Cheng.

After many failed attempts, he still decided to make bamboo paper, and tried to add material to it in the process of boiling the bamboo to make it soft and tough.

After trying salt, sugar, flour, and even urine, Jiang Cheng added lime to it, and finally the texture of the bamboo paper was significantly improved.

This small change made Xue Bai feel a little more at ease about the future.

Even if it was just to comfort himself, he saw a little hope that he could guide public opinion in the future, sinicize the Hu people, and change the situation of the poor and the common people.

Although he has not yet entered the ranks, in fact, to do useful things, he may not need to be in the ranks.

"Wow."

When a new piece of bamboo paper was spread out, Qing Lan sighed in admiration, turned her head to look at Xue Bai's expression, and couldn't help asking, "Lang Jun, have you been obsessed with papermaking recently." ”

"What's wrong?"

"Lang Jun doesn't seem to be as motivated as before?"

"Nope." Xue Bai said: "I'm more motivated......"

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I sent it later today, because the transition chapter has to be conceived, and it also involves the process, so I have to check the information~~ There are more than 9,000 words today~~ Ask for a monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass~~

(End of chapter)