After waiting for a stick of incense, Liu Xiu's door opened and he walked out.
Liu Yuan, grandma, and the maid looked back, and their eyes lit up.
As the saying goes, a man depends on his clothes and a horse relies on his saddle. Liu Xiu was already handsome and handsome. Now he put on a set of light blue straight-skirted robes, which not only made his figure more proportionate and slender, but also made his whole person look different.
He looked much handsomer and brighter.
Even the maid next to Liu Yuan couldn't help but blushing when she saw Liu Xiu like this, and lowered her head. With a smile on her face, the maid praised: "Young Master Liu is really a talented person!"
Liu Yuan was happy in his heart, but with a serious expression on his face, he said: "My little brother is always very energetic."
As she spoke, she walked up to Liu Xiu and carefully helped him straighten the wrinkles on his robe. At the same time, she said, "Well, the clothes fit quite well. I'll ask the cloth shop to make a few more sets later."
Liu Xiu waved her hands quickly and whispered: "Second sister, two sets are enough."
Liu Yuan slapped Liu Xiu in displeasure and said, "Second sister can't help you and eldest brother with big things, but on small things like food, clothing, housing and transportation, you have to listen to second sister."
Liu Xiu felt warm in her heart, nodded to Liu Yuan, and hummed at the same time.
Not only did the Deng family's cloth shop make new clothes for Liu Xiu, but Zhu You, Gai Yan, Long Yuan and others also received their own new clothes. As for Deng Yu and Yan Guang, they had just arrived at the Deng Mansion, and the tailors were still waiting for them.
I won't have time to measure the two of them in the future.
Although Deng Yu's family background is far inferior to that of Deng Chen, it is still a well-off family and has no shortage of clothing. However, Yan Guang is a Taoist and has always been indifferent to external things. He pays attention to everything he does as he pleases, naturally.
After breakfast, Liu Xiu, Deng Chen, Deng Yu, Yan Guang and other people took a carriage and headed to the countryside.
On the way, Deng Chen looked at Yan Guang and asked, "Mr. Yan, what did you think when you saw Mr. Cai last night?"
Deng Chen has always respected Taoists, and when he saw Yan Guang for the first time, he felt that this person was very extraordinary. He had an elegance and immortality that ordinary Taoists did not have.
Last night, he heard that Cai Shaogong said that Liu Xiu would be the emperor in the future. He had always wanted to know whether the Liu Xiu that Cai Shaogong mentioned was the national teacher Liu Xiu or his brother-in-law Liu Xiu.
Yan Guang looked at Deng Chen, smiled indifferently, and said: "Mr. Cai may have a profound knowledge of prophecy, but as for Taoism, as a junior, I will not comment."
He all commented on Cai Shaogong's profound attainments in prophecy, but did not comment on his Taoism. Obviously in Yan Guang's eyes, Cai Shaogong's Taoism cultivation was not very good.
Deng Chen was stunned for a moment before he understood the underlying meaning of Yan Guang's words. He looked at Yan Guang in surprise, not expecting that he would have such comments about Mr. Cai Shaogong.
Liu Xiu pulled Yan Guang's clothes and hinted that he should be cautious about what he said. Once such words were spread and Cai Shaogong heard them, there was no telling how much trouble it would cause.
Deng Chen cleared his throat and said seriously: "Mr. Yan is a foreigner. Maybe he doesn't know Cai Gong's reputation in Xinye. Cai Gong's conduct is a household name in Xinye, and everyone on the road knows it."
Yan Guang smiled disapprovingly, shook his head and said: "It is well known to every household and everyone on the road knows it. This can only mean that he likes to show off, which is a delusion. Maybe I have little talent and knowledge, and I don't know what kind of geniuses and abilities are there in the world.
While having delusional thoughts, you can still learn the Tao and achieve success."
His words rendered everyone present speechless, and Deng Chen did not answer the question for a long time.
After a while, he coughed dryly, stopped beating around the bush, and asked straight to the point: "Mr. Yan, does Mr. Yan think that Liu Xiu, who can be the emperor in the future, is A Xiu?"
The eyes of everyone present fell on Yan Guang. Liu Xiu waved his hands in embarrassment and said, "Brother-in-law, how could it be me?"
Yan Guang lowered his eyes. He was silent for two or three minutes before he slowly said: "The people are difficult to treat because of the people who have done something about it. The people despise death because they want to live by the people."
Being thick means taking death lightly. People are not afraid of death, so why should they be afraid of death?"
The meaning of his words is that for their own comfort and enjoyment, the rulers above have set numerous exorbitant taxes and plundered the people's wealth, leaving the people with nothing and starving. People have no hope, and living is a kind of suffering.
It is torture and pain, so of course there is no fear of death. The people are no longer afraid of death, so they will naturally rise up. It is useless to threaten the people with the death penalty of beheading.
He continued: "The way of heaven is like a bow. Those who are high suppress it, those who are low lift it. Those who have more will damage it, and those who have less will make up for it. But today's court is contrary to the way of heaven, and those who go against the way of heaven are also
How can it last long?”
What is the way of heaven? In the Taoist concept, the operation of the way of heaven is like drawing a bow and shooting an arrow. If it is raised too high, it has to be pressed down. If it is too low, it has to be lifted up. Whose wealth
If you have more wealth, you should let him give it up. If you have less wealth, you should make up for it. Don't let the huge gap between the rich and the poor happen, like "the wine and meat smell of wine and meat in the rich family, and the bones on the road are frozen to death".
Many people simply understand Taoism as governing by doing nothing. In fact, this concept is wrong. Taoism has its own concepts and standards for governing the world, which is to comply with the way of heaven. A typical figure is Li Mi, who served four generations of emperors and relied on Taoism.
He ruled the world and became the mainstay of the mid-Tang Dynasty.
Yan Guang's words did not directly answer Deng Chen's question, but he pointed out clearly that the Xinmang court was acting against heaven and was already terminally ill and would not last long. As for who would be the emperor in the future, whether it would be Liu Xiu or not.
Yan Guang did not directly say which Liu Xiu it was.
Deng Chen fell into deep thought and carefully considered Yan Guang's words. Liu Xiu nodded repeatedly. He agreed very much with the ideas expressed by Yan Guang.
To make a long story short, everyone took a carriage and left Xinye City and arrived at the western suburbs.
The western suburbs of Xinye are relatively desolate, and the blacksmith shop Deng Chen mentioned is located on the bank of the Baihe River in the western suburbs.
On weekdays, there are few pedestrians along the Baihe River, and only occasionally fishermen come here. Blacksmith Zhang built his blacksmith shop here, so you can imagine the business.
The carriage stopped in front of the blacksmith shop. Deng Chen got out of the carriage first, followed by Liu Xiu and others who filed out.
Liu Xiu looked up and saw a dilapidated building in front of him. It occupied a large area and had a large courtyard. However, the courtyard walls were made of fences made of branches and wooden slats, and many places were dilapidated. It seemed that the wind was strong.
Click to blow it down.
Looking inside, there are several thatched houses. The outer courtyard wall is broken enough, and the thatched houses inside are not much better. There are two houses that don't even have walls, and only four or five wooden piles support the roof.
Moreover, there is no signboard outside, so people who don’t know it will never think that this is a blacksmith shop when they come here.
Seeing that Liu Xiu and others were dumbfounded, Deng Chen explained: "When you put up a sign, you have to pay taxes to the government. Lao Liu doesn't have that much money to pay taxes."
Deng Chen didn't know the specific name of Zhang Tiejiang, but Zhang Tiejiang claimed to be ranked sixth, so Deng Chen always called him Lao Liu.
Deng Chen walked to the courtyard door, pushed the door open and asked, "Is Lao Liu at home?"
As soon as he finished speaking, with the sound of coughing, a middle-aged man in dirty and ragged clothes walked out of the back room.
Seeing Deng Chen walking in from outside the courtyard gate, the middle-aged man patted the dust on his body, bowed his hands and saluted, and said: "Master Deng."
Deng Chen walked up to the middle-aged man with a smile, returned the favor, and said: "Lao Liu, I came here this time to ask you to help me create a few things that I can take advantage of."
Zhang Tiejiang nodded, then turned to look at Liu Xiu and others who came with Deng Chen, and asked: "Master Deng, who are these?"
"Ah, they are all my friends, and this is my brother-in-law." As he spoke, he pointed at Liu Xiu. The latter came forward, cupped his hands and said, "I am Liu Xiu."
Zhang Blacksmith looked at Liu Xiu for a few times, nodded to him, then looked at Deng Chen and asked: "What is the weapon Mr. Deng wants this time?"
Deng Chen raised his head and said: "Lao Liu, let's go in and talk!"
Blacksmith Lao Liu nodded and made a gesture of invitation to Deng Chen.
Deng Chen, Liu Xiu and others walked into the courtyard. On their right side, there were furnaces, molds, tools and other items for making weapons. However, it looked like they had not been used for some days, and they were all covered with a layer of dust.
"It hasn't been open for a few days, right?" Deng Chen asked casually.
Lao Liu said expressionlessly: "Thanks to Mr. Deng's care, I still have some savings, so I can barely survive."
Deng Chen said: "I have told you a long time ago that the blacksmith shop should be opened in the city. If it is opened in such a wilderness, it is strange that the business can prosper."
Lao Liu smiled bitterly and said: "Master Deng, you know my temper. If we really move the blacksmith shop into the city, I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on for even a month."
He has never been a good business person, and he has a weird temper. He won't take the business of many people who don't like him at all. If he can't make money and has to pay taxes, he can't continue to operate.
Deng Chen looked at Lao Liu helplessly, shook his head and smiled, then turned around and waved to the servant behind him.
A close servant of Deng Chen walked over quickly carrying a small wooden box. He put the wooden box on the ground with a dull thud.
Opening the lid of the box and looking inside, the small wooden box was filled with coins, including copper coins and turtle coins. Such a box was estimated to contain at least four or five thousand coins.
After watching it, Lao Liu looked at Deng Chen with a look of shock on his face and asked, "Mr. Deng, what is this?"
Deng Chen reached into his arms, took out a piece of silk, and handed it to Lao Liu. The latter took it and unfolded it. There was a list written inside: twenty swords, twenty knives, thirty daggers, and five hundred spearheads.
…
Lao Liu was shocked when he saw it. What is the purpose of building so many weapons? Before he could speak, Deng Chen asked: "Lao Liu, how long do you think it will take to build these?"
"This..." Lao Liu pondered for a moment and said vaguely: "So many, it will take at least three to five years."
Deng Chen shook his head, he didn't have that much time. He asked again: "What if I find enough helpers for you?"
Lao Liu said: "Even if there are ten or eight veterans to help, it will take at least more than half a year to build so many weapons."
Deng Chen pondered for a moment, but still frowned. Although more than half a year was not too long, he still didn't have that much time.
Seeing that Deng Chen was dissatisfied, Lao Liu smiled bitterly and said: "The spearhead is easier to make, but the sword needs to be tempered for many times. It can be made in only half a year, but it is only barely usable."
Liu Xiu couldn't help but asked curiously: "I wonder what kind of sword is this that can barely be used?"
