Cao Peng was riding a horse and walking slowly on the river beach. Wang Meng suddenly ran over and shouted at him.
"Why does my father want me?"
"Have you forgotten, didn't your father tell you at dinner last night that he would start the fire today? Didn't you want to strike first?"
"ah!"
Cao Peng shouted, whipped his horse and drove off.
According to the custom in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when a new iron furnace is built, it must be sacrificed to pray for the blessing of the God of Fire, and the business will be prosperous in the future. Starting the fire is an extremely critical step. When the furnace heats up, it must be smelted and forged...
This first blow is usually presided over by a master. Cao Peng has always been interested in this, so he begged Cao Ji to give him the first blow.
Logically speaking, Cao Ji would not agree.
But he couldn't stand Deng Ji, so Cao Nan interceded for Cao Peng, and Zhang also said good things.
After all, we finally agreed to let Cao Peng take the first blow. After all, Cao Peng had already mastered some tricks under the guidance of Cao Ji before this.
Wang Meng looked at Cao Peng's back and couldn't help but laugh.
"Hutou, let's go back too..."
"Dad, I want to practice some more."
Wang Meng's face sank, "You kid, how ignorant are you? Do you know why Ah Fu wants to learn blacksmithing? He just wants to make a good knife and give it to you! Why don't you go and watch the ceremony for such a big thing?
If Ah Fu really gets a sword in the future, would you be embarrassed to ask for it?"
In fact, Wang Meng didn't think Cao Peng could shoot any good swords.
But this kindness was enough to move him. When Wang Mai heard this, he was also panicked. He quickly grabbed his clothes and led the horse over.
"Dad, let's go back then."
"You kid, how can you ask Ah Fu to pay you a knife?
It’s not like you don’t know why Ah Fu didn’t get that knife...Besides, that knife isn’t worth much, so you really shouldn’t.”
"I was just talking casually, but I didn't know Ah Fu was so stubborn."
The father and son walked back in a panic, muttering as they walked.
Under a peach tree next to the river beach, a black cowhide bag was placed quietly. Neither Wang Meng nor Wang Mai noticed it.——
The home is ready.
In front of the iron-melting furnace, three animal sacrifices were placed.
As soon as Cao Peng entered the house, he was caught by Cao Ji, "You kid, you kept saying you wanted to forge iron yesterday, how come you forgot today?"
"I……"
"Okay, okay, get dressed quickly.
Your mother has already prepared it for you, so hurry up and put it on, we will prepare to sacrifice to the God of Fire and start the fire... Don't waste the good time."
These days, we also pay attention to an auspicious day.
The Cao family's iron-melting furnace had been built a long time ago, but it was delayed until now because they didn't find a good time.
Cao Ji didn't want to delay it any longer!
If you miss today, you have to wait at least another seven or eight days. In another seven or eight days, it will be the New Year, and it will definitely become very busy by then. Where will there be time to start construction? You know, after the beginning of spring, you have to prepare for renovation
The land should be cultivated before the rain. Farmers will also start preparing and preparing farm tools from now on... This is the best time of the year.
Cao Peng quickly put on a black robe and stood behind Cao Ji.
Neither Zhang nor Cao Nan can participate in this kind of sacrifice because they are women! According to Cao Ji, a woman will collide with the God of Fire, and accidents are likely to occur in the future. The so-called conflict between yin and yang... Fire is the strongest yang.
, women are Yin, so naturally it is not easy to be in the same room.
Under the incense table, a stick of incense was lit, half burned.
If the incense burns out, it means that the good time to open the furnace has passed.
Cao Ji and Cao Peng walked to the incense table and loudly chanted the ancient sacrificial words. According to Cao Ji, the sacrificial words for opening the incense burner were passed down orally from generation to generation. They used a very ancient dialect, which was also used by everyone.
A course that every blacksmith must learn. If you don't understand the sacrificial words, you won't be a great craftsman.
Anyway, Cao Peng didn't understand, so he knelt down in front of the incense table.
After singing for about five or six minutes, the sacrifice speech ended. Cao Ji and Cao Peng walked around the stove and worshiped at the same time. It is said that this is a kind of dance that opens the stove. After circling the stove three times, they finally
The initial ceremony ended. Cao Ji took the incense table out of the furnace shed and called Cao Peng over.
"Afu, stand next to me and listen to my instructions!"
Cao Peng grinned secretly, there are so many rules for opening an iron melting furnace?
Cao Ji washed his hands with clean water, and then wiped them dry with a dry cloth. He took out a piece of mountain hemp and placed it on the shelf of the fire. Under the shelf, the hay was piled up, which was the material used to start the fire. What Cao Ji wanted to do was,
It is the most primitive method of drilling wood to make fire. Don't underestimate it. The tools required for drilling wood to make fire have been specially processed. For example, this mountain numbness must grow next to a stream.
Wood is soft, has a large coefficient of friction, generates heat quickly, and is not easy to lose heat.
This kind of mountain numbness is very difficult to find. It often takes several days to find it in deep mountains and old forests. After finding the mountain numbness, some processing must be done. For example, the middle of the mountain numbness must be empty, and
It must have a small wood core. Only this kind of wood can drill high-temperature sawdust... Of course, there was no such scientific explanation in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. It was only said that the God of Fire was coming.
Cao Ji put the drilling wood away and picked up the drill pipe.
This drill pipe is also very particular, about fifty centimeters long, with one end slightly tapered.
There is a small pit on the Shanma drill board, which can fix the drill pipe. At the same time, a groove is carved on the edge of the pit, which is called the fire groove. The sparks generated by drilling flow out from the fire groove and fall on the fire starter. Drill
The technique of making wood must also be exquisite. Without some contact, it is difficult to grasp the secrets.
I saw Cao Ji holding the drill pipe, finding a balance point, and pressing down with a little force.
After taking two deep breaths, he looked at Cao Peng and said, "Let's start!"
I beg you, start quickly... the incense is almost gone!
These words can only be said in the heart. Cao Peng looked serious and nodded solemnly, "Dad, let's get started."
"Fire, sun, the light you give me... Fire is like the sun, fire, you give me light..."
Cao Ji suddenly raised his voice and sang loudly.
This is the "Song of the God of Fire", which is also a ballad that must be sung when welcoming the God of Fire. It is said that this song of the God of Fire has been passed down since ancient times and has almost disappeared in later generations. Only some areas of the Li ethnic group still retain this ancient song.
The ballads. Cao Ji sang in the Nanyang County dialect. If translated, the general meaning is this. Because some words and phrases sounded very unfamiliar. Even if Cao Peng stood aside and listened carefully, some dialects could not be understood clearly. He could only
The content is translated quite accurately.
While singing, Cao Ji rubbed the drill pipe rhythmically.
Gradually, a wisp of green smoke rose from the mountain numbness...
The newly drilled sparks cannot be seen with the naked eye, because they are just some black coal. Cao Peng clearly saw some black particles flying out and entering the furnace along the fire channel. The hay in the furnace was the ignition material. But
Don't think this will ignite a fire.
"Peng'er, blow the fire!"
"Ah, how to blow?"
During a break in singing, Cao Ji hurriedly said: "Pu!"
"Understood!"
Cao Peng quickly squatted down, pulled the lever of the stove, and pushed it gently.
"Slow down, don't be too hasty!"
The weight of this stove is not light, and it is very difficult to pull. If it were Cao Peng in the past, he would never be able to pull the pole...
Under Cao Ji's guidance, Cao Peng gently pushed and pulled to send air into the furnace.
Gradually, the black charcoal particles falling on the thatch began to glow red, and became brighter and brighter under the continuous air supply from the furnace.
Smoke began to appear in the furnace.
Cao Ji did not dare to stop, and continued to drill the drill pipe and sang loudly.
"Peng'er, I strongly recommend it!"
As Cao Ji shouted, Cao Peng pulled out the pole with all his strength, and then pushed it away with all his strength. In the furnace, a ball of flame suddenly rose up, instantly igniting the drilling board. Cao Ji quickly let go and pushed Cao Peng to the
Next to him, he shouted loudly: "Peng'er, add charcoal, add charcoal!"
Wang Meng and his son brought in two buckets of charcoal from outside the shed.
Under Cao Ji's guidance, Cao Peng put the food into the furnace very rhythmically.
The furnace must be filled and the temperature of the furnace maintained. When the charcoal fire appeared, Cao Ji released the lever and signaled Cao Peng to step back.
In just this short time, Cao Peng was exhausted and dripping with sweat.
Not only physically tired, but also psychologically tired... This ceremony to welcome the coming of the God of Fire created an extremely solemn environment. Working in this environment and exerting one's strength is equal to normal work.
Use three points, four points... How can Cao Peng not get tired?
