Or did you get to the crux of why he didn’t want to sign the agreement?
In short, Sun Chunjing asked this question very cleverly. He did not ask Liu Zhang directly whether he could read or write, but asked him whether he could write. This gave Liu Zhang a step up and would not embarrass him too much.
After being silent for a few seconds, Liu Zhang raised his head, his face looked much better than before, but he still said a little embarrassedly: "Brother Sun, I really can't write well. The total number of words I can write can't be put together."
It’s less than a basketful. This is written in a crooked way, and it won’t make you laugh at me.”
"What's the point of this? What I was worried about just now is that you are illiterate, so it will be a bit difficult for you to do this antique business.
Don't touch old things like these calligraphy and paintings from now on. How can your good luck in acquiring calligraphy and paintings always follow you?
Now from your tone, it turns out that you know the words, so I’m not too worried."
Sun Chunjing said with some relief.
Liu Zhang grinned and said: "My father sent me to a school in the town to study since I was a child. I am willing to read and learn, but not to write and practice calligraphy.
After I learned some common words, I didn't want to write one more word. Fortunately, my father didn't expect me to study for fame, so it was up to me.
After I grew up, I was able to stop writing without writing. As time went by, my writing became more and more unfamiliar, and my writing became worse and worse.
And after I saw that my handwriting was becoming more and more ugly, I became even more reluctant to write.
By now, I have almost forgotten that I can still write."
After saying these words, Liu Zhang even laughed naively and somewhat self-deprecatingly.
Sun Chunjing was amused by his naivety and started laughing. After holding back her laughter, she said, "According to your temperament, you don't want to show your clumsiness by writing outside, so you naturally use a seal, right?"
Liu Zhang nodded, "Brother Sun, you are right. This is how I deal with some occasions outside, and it is quite convenient."
"That's good. When we sign the cooperation agreement, you can use your own seal."
"Okay! As long as Brother Sun doesn't mind, of course I'll be happy."
"Brother, please sit here for a moment, and I will go to the counter to get the agreement."
As Sun Chunjing said that, she stood up with a smile and walked towards the counter.
After the two signed the agreement, Liu Zhang directly left Sun Chunjing the authentic scroll of Zheng Xie that he had brought over today.
Since the cooperative relationship with Liu Zhang had been confirmed, Sun Chunjing naturally accepted the scroll in the middle hall.
After marking the price on the scroll in the middle hall, Sun Chunjing placed it in the most conspicuous place of the calligraphy and painting showcase in her shop.
After the two people sat back at the table, Sun Chunjing said to Liu Zhang: "Brother, can you show me your seal?"
"Okay! Brother wants to see it, how can he not be happy about it?"
Liu Zhang took out the seal that he had put away and handed it to Sun Chunjing.
Sun Chunjing took it and put it in her hand. She saw that it was an exquisite small wooden box with three words "Seal Box" engraved on it.
After taking a closer look, Sun Chunjing pulled the lid of the box. The box was opened, and a stone seal appeared in front of her eyes.
"Brother, let me see, the material of your seal is Shoushan stone?"
Sun Chunjing did not take out the seal, but looked at Liu Zhang and asked.
Liu Zhang seemed to be somewhat accustomed to Sun Chunjing roughly telling the material used to carve the seal without taking out the seal.
He had already seen Sun Chunjing's extraordinary ability to judge the basic conditions of an object without touching it before, and now he just wanted to let him experience it again.
"Brother Sun, you are right. This seal I have is really made of Tianhuang stone from Shoushan Village, Fuzhou, Fujian. The stone is as warm and moist as jade, with fine texture and smooth texture. It is really easy to use as a seal.
Incredible."
Liu Zhang stamped his finger and said with some pride.
Sun Chunjing took out this seal from the wooden box and slowly looked through it, "Shoushan stone, the emperor in the stone, has been mostly used by the royal family since the Ming and Qing Dynasties and is extremely precious. Brother, you use the best Tianhuang in this Shoushan stone as your seal.
, He is really a person of good taste, which makes my brother admire him with admiration!"
Liu Zhang couldn't bear Sun Chunjing's words, so he couldn't help but hurriedly explained: "Brother Sun, your words are too much for me to bear. How can I have such taste?
After my grandfather found out that I was making a living in this antique business, he insisted on letting me use this Tianhuang as a seal, saying that it was used when dealing with people outside, so that people would not dare to look down upon it.
This is not what I expected, but I have made you think too much about my brother, so that you think that my brother is such a noble person, which really ruins that good word."
Liu Zhang's rough and elegant words made Sun Chunjing feel a little funny and respected.
He knew that Liu Zhang's family was not an ordinary family. They must be some respectable and famous families in Zhangqiu, but he didn't know why Liu Zhang was not allowed to pursue an official career and instead went into business?
Could it be that the Eight-Nation Allied Forces entered the capital the year before last, and the imperial court was disgraced and the state was in ruins, so that Liu Zhang's grandfather lost confidence in the current situation and had no intention of letting his descendants enter politics, and instead devoted his energy to business and the pursuit of the present.
Is it stable?
As a prominent family in this locality, they did not get involved in political affairs but engaged in business, stayed away from court disputes, devoted themselves to making a living in the world, and gave up their official career to pursue business. They really made a big decision.
Liu Zhang's family no longer associates with the imperial court that sells out national interests, and is unwilling to serve such a decadent imperial court. It is willing to give up the family tradition of poetry and etiquette that has been passed down for many years, and let its descendants "engage in business to be independent and trade."
To strengthen oneself”.
Do not be attached to backward political forces, disdain to work with old-fashioned people, stick to the pure faith in the heart of your family, always put the interests of the country and the nation first, and never be a treacherous person.
Thinking of this, can Sun Chunjing not feel a sense of respect for a family like Liu Zhang that has national blood and integrity?
The beautiful stone is jade, and jade comes from the stone.
The beautiful stone that Sun Chunjing admires most is the Shoushan Stone. After years of unremitting efforts, he also collected a piece of Shoushan Stone.
As for its texture, it must be Tianhuang among Shoushan stones. The color is chestnut yellow, and it is also wrapped with a layer of stone clothing. It is a rough stone. The whole stone weighs almost a kilogram and has not been carved.
Sun Chunjing did not intend to carve it. He felt that this stone was the essence of nature and its current condition should not be changed.
Any carving, no matter what kind of arts and crafts master's handiwork, Sun Chunjing thinks is a kind of damage to this Shoushan stone.