Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 332 Living in the Capital is Not Easy
After leaving Song Xiang's residence, Lu Beigu returned to "Chengmingzhai" and stayed there for a while.

On the one hand, he wanted to discuss business matters with Shen Kuo, and on the other hand, he wanted to see if Huang Shi could adapt to the environment here.

To avoid being attacked, they are very careful in their work, and they only collect a deposit for orders that can be delivered within three months.

Yes, it's a deposit, not a down payment. It's non-refundable if you change your mind.

After all, the raw materials are quite expensive. If I don't take a deposit, and you don't want the lens after I've already ground it halfway, then my lens will be wasted.

For orders with longer lead times, there is no charge; the customer is simply informed that production is slow and there are many other customers ahead of them, so a date will be provided for them to be put on the waiting list.

Even so, thanks to the large number of deposits that have been delivered to its door, "Chengmingzhai" has already made a considerable amount of money in the few days since it opened.

Lu Beigu needed a large sum of money because he planned to buy back the old Lu family house. He had to discuss with Shen Kuo about withdrawing the money from the account.

The light was poor at night, and Shen Kuo was not polishing his lenses, but was sitting in a chair drinking tea and resting.

"So they bought back the old house?"

Upon hearing Lu Beigu mention this matter, Shen Kuo hurriedly said, "That can't be delayed. It would be troublesome if someone bought it. I just don't know how many strings of cash it would cost?"

"It's a very small courtyard, but it costs about a thousand strings of cash."

Lu Beigu was also somewhat helpless. Land is scarce and therefore valuable. As the largest and most prosperous cities in the world at that time, it was inevitable that Tokyo and Kaifeng would have high housing prices.

How high is it?

During a previous gathering of the Qingsong Society, Ouyang Xiu, in high spirits, recited a poem he had written recalling his impoverished life in Kaifeng during his youth.

"Alas, I came to the capital, but I have no humble dwelling to shelter me."

Idle neighborhoods rent old houses, humble and mixed with the neighborhoods.

The water from the nearby ditch overflowed, and the street spilled into the courtyard.

"Going out, I fear the vastness of the sky; closing the door, I fear it will become a stagnant pool."

This poem vividly portrays the hardships of renting a room in a crowded courtyard in Kaifeng, and can be considered a true record of cramped living conditions in the Song Dynasty.

The reason why officials in the capital still had to rent houses was twofold. First, although the official residences provided to officials were cheap, they were extremely small. They were barely enough for a single person, but after marriage, they could not afford to live with their families and had to rent houses in the city. Second, the housing prices in Kaifeng were extremely high. The price of a house in the outer city was generally between several thousand strings of cash, so they could not afford to buy and could only rent.

As for what this housing price means, the average monthly income of a Kaifeng resident is less than five guan (a unit of currency).
For ordinary people, mansions in the inner city are simply out of reach; they cost tens of thousands of strings of cash, and luxury mansions require at least hundreds of thousands of strings of cash.

Even for the scholar-officials, who were undoubtedly high-income earners in Song Dynasty society, it was unrealistic to buy a luxury house in the inner city with their own salary unless the government bestowed one upon them. For example, Zhao Bian, whose official position was already quite high, could only afford a small, old house in the inner city.

Even so, officials still went to great lengths to purchase houses in the inner city of Kaifeng, as this would save them a lot of travel time every day.

For officials attending court, having a little extra sleep in the morning was simply a blessing.

It's safe to say that living in Beijing is not easy.

However, the imperial court has attempted to regulate housing prices by issuing government decrees.

During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, the imperial court issued a decree prohibiting officials from purchasing cheap houses offered by the government, limiting such purchases to commoners. Unfortunately, it was largely ineffective, as everyone had a commoner relative in their family. By simply registering the house under their name, they circumvented the ban.

During the reign of Emperor Renzong, the imperial court issued a decree prohibiting non-retired officials from owning more than one property in Kaifeng.

Real estate has also become a key point of contention among officials.

If it weren't for the official bestowal of a residence, and the living conditions weren't exceptionally good, then it would be like a torch in the dark, a target for open and legitimate impeachment.

“It is of utmost importance for my dear brother to buy back the old house; you may withdraw the funds as needed.”

Shen Kuo was a rather simple person, with his mind focused on research. When he heard Lu Beigu say that he wanted to withdraw the deposit first, he didn't even have any doubts.

In Shen Kuo's view, Lu Beigu would not have asked for it if he didn't really need it. After all, Lu Beigu had been very generous when they split the money for "buying" the hot air balloon technology. Moreover, the great success of opening the glasses shop in a short period of time was mostly due to the technical principles provided by Lu Beigu and the initial publicity he carried out.

Moreover, given the extremely high technical threshold, "Chengmingzhai" is a golden goose, and the money it can earn in the future will definitely be much more than the money that Lu Beigu withdrew in advance this time.

"Alright, thank you very much, Brother Cunzhong."

Lu Beigu then asked, "Then should we hire a few more craftsmen to cut and polish crystals? If Brother Cunzhong has to do everything himself, it will be too tiring."

"That's exactly what I meant."

Shen Kuo sneezed his eyes with the steam from the hot tea, then rubbed them and said, "Although Lao Liu and the others who helped us with the hot air balloon last time aren't professionals, I think they're steady-handed and skillful. With a little instruction, they should be able to do it well. The key is that we have the technical expertise."

Zhang Zai had received 10% of the money from the previous "joint purchase" of hot air balloon technology from the three departments, but this time, only Lu Beigu and Shen Kuo were partners in opening the shop.

Therefore, all matters in the shop were discussed and decided by the two of them.

Lu Beigu was mainly responsible for publicity, management, and recruitment, while Shen Kuo was responsible for the specific eyeglass manufacturing process.

The two then discussed many other miscellaneous matters.

After discussing it, Lu Beigu said, "In short, before we enter officialdom, we need to set up the shop properly so that we can operate normally even if we step back, so as to avoid attracting criticism in the future."

The Song Dynasty granted generous treatment to scholar-officials, but also drew a red line: once they obtained an official position, they could not engage in any commercial activities.

Although the two passed the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites, they were still considered as successful candidates in the provincial examination and had not yet entered officialdom. Therefore, they were not subject to this rule, but in the near future, they would inevitably be restricted.

"You think I'm like you, trying to defend my position?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Kuo rolled his eyes.

Under the Song Dynasty system, those who passed the imperial examination were immediately appointed to official positions, and those who were granted the title of Jinshi were exempt from the waiting period for appointment. However, those who were granted the title of Tong Jinshi were required to wait for appointment, which usually lasted one to five years.

The reason why the election system exists is simply because there are more and more officials and fewer and fewer official positions, so it is necessary to set up such a waiting buffer period.

The only victims of this system were the lower-ranking graduates.

Shen Kuo felt that his passing the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites this year was largely due to luck, and since his level could not be improved in such a short period of time, he simply gave up.

Therefore, since he would have to wait for the imperial examination anyway, he might as well take advantage of the time before he was assigned an official position to grind more lenses and make more money.

"Oh, well then it's not in a rush."

Lu Beigu felt a little embarrassed. He really didn't mean it; he had simply completely overlooked the matter.

"However, the busy period is only at the beginning. After all, glasses are something that can be used for a long time, and there are only a few people in Kaifeng who have the ability and willingness to spend money to buy them."

Seeing that Lu Beigu had changed the subject, Shen Kuo didn't mind and nodded, saying, "That makes sense, but it's a stable source of income. After all, people will grow old one generation after another. We will also grow old, and our eyesight will become increasingly dim."

Lu Beigu nodded and said, "Then let's stick to what we agreed before. You can calculate the piecework wages for the lenses separately and include them in the shop's expenses. We'll split the rest 50/50. This money for buying the house is considered as me taking it out of my profit sharing in advance. It will be deducted from my profit sharing later. I'll get my share when the deduction is enough."

"Row."

Shen Kuo had no objection. Although he did a lot of work, his income consisted of two parts: wages and bonuses. The piece-rate wages for lenses accounted for a high percentage of the selling price of the glasses, so he earned more for the more he did.

"Okay, let's agree on that for now. I'll go check out Yellowstone."

Arriving at the warehouse in the backyard, Lu Beigu saw Huang Shi practicing a stance he had never seen before in front of the warehouse.

"This is?"

Huang Shi, embarrassed, composed himself and explained, "The 'Chuma Step' is used by soldiers who wield long spears and axes to defend against enemy cavalry. Their qi and blood have weakened considerably, so practicing this to circulate their qi and blood will help them recover gradually."

"So you know how to use a gun?"

"Yes," Huang Shi nodded. "I've been practicing since I was a child, apprenticing under a master on Mount Emei. I've been practicing for thirty years now."

Lu Beigu's interest was piqued. He moved two small stools over and chatted with Huang Shi in the small courtyard between the shop and the warehouse.

"Then what school of martial arts are you practicing?"

Huang Shi didn't quite understand what "sect" and "kung fu" meant, but he roughly understood what Lu Beigu was trying to say, and explained.

"In reply to my benefactor, it is the spear and staff techniques and Tongbei Fist of the White Ape School."

After Huang Shi's explanation, Lu Beigu understood.

According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, there was a man named Situ Xuankong, also known as Donglingzi, who farmed and made his living in Mount Emei. In his daily interactions with the monkeys of Mount Emei, he imitated their movements and created a set of flexible offensive and defensive techniques called "Emei Tongbei Quan".

Because Situ Xuankong often wore white clothes, his disciples respectfully called him "Grandmaster White Ape," and the White Ape School was thus established.

Later, based on the Tongbei Quan style, spear and staff techniques evolved and various branches emerged. Although it has experienced wars, several branches are still being passed down in Mount Emei.

Huang Shi was sent by his father to Mount Emei to practice martial arts when he was young. He left the mountain in his early twenties, feeling that his skills in spear and staff fighting and boxing were already perfect, and that his physical strength and reaction were at their peak. However, he was surprised to find that he had no use for his skills.
The Song Dynasty valued literature over martial arts, so those who practiced martial arts had little chance of success in the martial arts world except for guarding homes and protecting property.

So Huang Shi went to the northwest front to serve as a soldier for a few years. Unfortunately, the Song and Xia dynasties had already stopped fighting, and he didn't get any military merits, so he returned to his hometown.

Immediately afterwards, the urgent matter of his elderly mother falling seriously ill occurred.

He had been away from home for many years, and his relatives were not familiar with him. Seeing that he had no ability to repay the money, they naturally refused to lend him any. With no money in hand, Huang Shi had no choice but to use his old house and two acres of meager land as collateral to borrow money from the local bully to pay for his elderly mother's medical treatment.

However, he lacked experience in the ways of the world and was illiterate. He was tricked when signing the contract and later found that the interest rate was completely different from what was said. He went to the government to sue, but the other party had all the evidence and witnesses. Even if the county magistrate took pity on him, he could not win the case.

Seeing that he was about to be driven to the brink of family ruin, Huang Shi decided to go all the way and wiped out the entire tyrant's family.

However, he was a responsible man. Although he thought about running away, he was afraid of implicating his elderly mother and causing the county magistrate to bear the responsibility, so he simply went to surrender himself to the authorities.

Then, the scene unfolded where Lu Beigu, traveling north from Hejiang County, encountered him at a post station north of Luzhou.

"If you recover fully, how many people can you take on by yourself?"

Lu Beigu asked curiously. Since his transmigration, thanks to the relatively stable social environment of the Song Dynasty, he had never really seen any battle scenes, so he had no concept of the fighting power of the "martial arts masters" of this era.

Huang Shi thought about the question carefully and answered sincerely, "It depends on the situation."

He didn't waste any words and quickly explained the truth: "Battlefield combat is different from martial arts duels. In battlefield combat, you can't really say 'one person can defeat several people.' Even if you are wearing armor, if you are hit in a weak spot by a stray arrow or a blunt weapon in the chaos of war, you will die in the blink of an eye."

"What about the conflicts in the martial arts world?"

"It depends on the situation," Huang Shi explained. "When both sides are unarmored, if I'm facing an ordinary martial artist, I have long weapons like spears and clubs, while the enemy only has short weapons like swords and knives and no large shields, bows, or crossbows. In normal terrain, I can easily take on ten opponents. In hand-to-hand combat, I can easily take on five opponents in normal terrain. If it's a one-on-one situation in an alley or indoors, I can easily take on a dozen opponents."

Although Lu Beigu didn't understand martial arts, he did understand basic military knowledge. In cold weapon combat, being armored and not being armored were two completely different concepts.

In the world of martial arts, battles are always fought without armor. Weapons are nothing more than cudgels and broadswords. Enemies are unlikely to have proper shields or bows and crossbows; having a door panel as a shield is considered a sign of good tactical awareness.
After all, it was illegal to privately possess armor and crossbows in the Song Dynasty. If any civilian force possessed these things and dared to openly use them to fight, a large number of imperial guards would immediately come to surround and kill them.

“My brother-in-law is a captain who supports the Japanese army. He said he is most skilled in the art of using a sickle and archery. If there is a chance, we can have a martial arts contest.”

The hook-sickle is a type of longsword with a protruding, bladed hook in the middle of the back of the blade for hooking and cutting. It is mainly used for chopping, slashing, hooking, and cutting, and is very convenient in battle. Its purpose is to deal with armored enemies, and it is a weapon that was created purely for battlefield combat.

However, the hook-and-sickle was not a standard longsword of the Song army. The standard longswords of the Song army consisted of only seven types: the curved sword, the crescent-shaped sword, the eyebrow-shaped sword, the phoenix-beak sword, the falling sword, the halberd sword, and the pen sword.

Jia Yan's hook-and-sickle technique was a family tradition that had been passed down for three generations. It was precisely because of this unique skill that he was somewhat famous among the Japanese army. As for horseback archery, he had practiced it himself and was said to be able to shoot through flowers and leaves at fifty paces while riding a horse at full speed.

"Is that so?"

Huang Shi also became interested and replied, "I must learn a thing or two from the masters among the four armies."

In fact, among the imperial guards stationed in Kaifeng, the capital of the Song Dynasty, the most capable fighters were the Upper Four Armies. However, the most capable fighters in the Upper Four Armies were not the mid- to high-ranking officers, but rather the junior officers.

Unlike mid- to high-ranking officers who rely on their family background, these junior officers are the ones who truly earn their living through martial arts. If their martial prowess is not outstanding, they will not be able to command their soldiers. Command ability is secondary.

Jia Yan's skills, including his hook-and-sickle technique against armored enemies and his precise mounted archery, are clearly better suited for mounted combat.

Huang Shi's martial arts, whether spear, staff, or fist, are more suited to foot combat.

"So, does your school of thought practice qigong or internal energy cultivation?"

Huang Shi still didn't understand Lu Beigu's question. He scratched his head and said, "There are corresponding breathing techniques when practicing Tongbei Quan."

"Can you show it to me? There's a wooden board here too."

"of course."

Then, Huang Shi gave him a brief demonstration of the slow-motion breakdown of Emei Tongbei Quan.

"Did my benefactor understand?"

Huang Shi deliberately fought very slowly so that Lu Beigu could understand, and he also increased the intensity of his inhalation and exhalation. I wonder if this will cause him any harm.

"Uh, I think I understand."

"Yes, the movements and breathing are very simple, and then you just need to link them together."

A blur flashed by, the wind howled, and with two sharp cracks, the two-inch-thick wooden plank in front of them snapped into four pieces.

"."

Lu Beigu realized that, to him, Huang Shi's so-called "very simple" boxing technique was probably equivalent to him writing an article and telling Huang Shi that it was also very simple.

But it's actually not simple at all; it requires both talent and hard work.

"Are there any healthier options? I might not be suited to this kind of exercise."

The Song Dynasty neither advocated "punching the emperor three times and running away" nor "surrounding and killing the commander in the palace." Moreover, given Lu Beigu's martial arts aptitude, it wouldn't be very meaningful for him to start practicing martial arts at his age. Instead, it would be more meaningful for him to strengthen his body and try to live a little longer.

After all, in the halls of power, it's not about who laughs for a moment, but who laughs last.

Moreover, medical conditions were relatively limited in that era, so it was always a good idea to strengthen one's own resistance.

"There is also the Emei Monkey Fighting Game."

"teach me."

“My benefactor is willing to learn, and I will certainly teach him with all my heart. However, although the monkey-fighting game is a way to maintain health, it must be done step by step and should not be rushed.”

After a moment's thought, Huang Shi began teaching from the most basic starting stance: "Please follow me, my benefactor—separate your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly as if sitting on a saddle, straighten your back as if hanging a bell, and tuck your chin slightly as if holding a cinnabar."

Lu Beigu got into position as instructed, and Huang Shi went around behind him and gently pressed his back with his rough hands.

"When inhaling, imagine that there are silver threads suspending the Baihui acupoint; when exhaling, feel that the Yongquan acupoint is connected to the earth."

As he spoke, he tapped Lu Beigu's taut lower back and said, "This area should be relaxed and flexible, like the way a monkey moves its hips when climbing a tree."

As the afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, Huang Shi demonstrated movements that were both graceful and powerful. His arms stretched out like an ape reaching for the moon, and when he turned, his clothes fluttered in the wind but he landed silently, giving him a truly idyllic and untamed feeling.

After learning three or five moves, Lu Beigu felt a slight sweat soaking through his clothes, and the turbid air in his chest seemed to have been cleansed away, clearly indicating that his blood and qi circulation had improved.

"Okay, we'll learn the rest tomorrow."

Lu Beigu was quite satisfied. He knew that trying to do too much at once would be counterproductive, and that it was best to take it slow and steady. There was plenty of time.

Just as he went to the front yard to close the gate, someone suddenly came to visit. It was none other than Yan Jidao.

He wasn't wearing his usual bright brocade robe today, but only a plain-colored long gown. His hair was slightly loose, and there was a bit of sweat on his forehead, as if he had rushed over.

Upon seeing Lu Beigu, his captivating eyes lit up, and he smiled before even speaking: "Brother Lu, I'm sorry to bother you!"

The fact that this young nobleman is being so polite suggests that he has something to ask of him.

Lu Beigu didn't expose him, but let him into the shop and asked with a smile, "Brother Shuyuan, what brings you here today? Have you come up with some new poems and want to discuss them with me over wine?"

Yan Jidao waved his hand, his gaze sweeping across the shop, but he didn't see what he wanted.

"As for the lyrics, there will be plenty of time to compose and respond to them later."

Yan Jidao was also very direct, saying, "I have come here today because I have a small favor to ask. I have heard that there is a 'Rainbow Mirror' here that can turn sunlight into seven colors. I wonder if you could part with one? It doesn't have to be big, just a small and exquisite one."

Lu Beigu joked, "Brother Shuyuan, when did you become interested in this study of things? Could it be that you also want to follow Brother Cunzhong's example and explore the mystery of light and color?"

"To be honest, this is not for study purposes. Hehe, I recently met a young lady who has a fondness for novel things, so I thought I would use this to make her smile."

Lu Beigu knew his temperament well, and couldn't help but smile when he heard this: "I see. It's just a small thing. Brother Shuyuan, please take it if you like it."

Unlike eyeglasses, a prism cannot keep a secret, so Lu Beigu and Shen Kuo had no intention of keeping it.

Yan Jidao took a clear and transparent prism, and with a slight wave of it in the light from the window, he saw a tiny but dazzling rainbow appear in his palm, and his face was full of satisfaction.

"Hey, how could I take your treasure for nothing? How about I treat you to Fanlou next time?"

He carefully tucked the prism into his sleeve, but the playful expression on his face suddenly vanished, as if he had just remembered something extremely important, and he raised his hand to slap his forehead.

"Look at me, I almost ruined something important! I came here today not primarily to find the Rainbow Mirror, but mainly because I have been entrusted with something important to tell you."

Seeing Yan Jidao's expression turn serious, Lu Beigu also stopped smiling: "What is it?"

"Scholar Mei will be leaving the capital tomorrow to take up his post as the prefect of Hangzhou."

Yan Jidao spoke a few steps faster: "Lord Ouyang is concerned about this matter, but you know his own situation. The 'Jiayou Imperial Examination' controversy is still fresh in his mind, so he can't personally take charge. Therefore, he asked someone like me, who has nothing to do with the examination, to contact the members of the Qingsong Society."

"Lord Ouyang's intention is that Scholar Mei's transfer to a post outside the capital is actually taking responsibility for the examiners and even the standards for selecting officials this time. How can we remain silent about it? Therefore, we must gather together to send Scholar Mei off on his journey. The occasion must be grand to show the court and the public that we firmly believe that this provincial examination is impartial and selfless, and that Scholar Mei's reputation must not be tarnished!"

Yan Jidao paused, looked at Lu Beigu, and said in an unusually serious tone: "You are the provincial champion this year and the focus of this matter. If you can attend, it will be of great significance. Lord Ouyang hopes that you can come. You don't need to worry. I heard that the Emperor still favors Lord Mei. Before his departure, he specially bestowed a poem to express his consolation and encouragement."

Then Yan Jidao read aloud the poem bestowed upon Mei Zhi by the Emperor.

Upon hearing this, Lu Beigu's expression immediately turned solemn.

Mei Zhi was dismissed from his post due to the tribute mission, which he already felt reluctant to do. Now that Ouyang Xiu had conveyed this sentiment through Yan Jidao, he would never refuse, both for public and private reasons.

After all, whether he knew Ouyang Xiu and Mei Zhi or not, he could not change the fact that "he was the provincial champion who was selected through the examination by these examiners".

Since the fairness of the provincial examination was a prerequisite for his entry into the imperial court, he had to resolutely defend it, otherwise it would be tantamount to ruining his future.

“Master Mei is so righteous, he has suffered for us, how could I not go? I will definitely go tomorrow at any time and place to see Master Mei off.”

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Yan Jidao's smile grew even brighter, and he regained his carefree and unrestrained demeanor. He cupped his hands and said, "Very well! Then I will not bother you any longer. I still need to inform the others. Tomorrow at dawn, at the long pavilion outside the east city, I will meet you there!"

Having said that, he tucked the prism, which was about to come in very handy, into his sleeve and left with light steps.

Lu Beigu saw him off at the door, watching his departing figure, and began to think about how to see him off the next day.

"A land of beautiful lakes and mountains, the premier prefecture in the southeast."

He softly repeated the opening lines of the imperial poem, when suddenly a story flashed into his mind.

Yes, when Mei Gong went to Hangzhou, he did build a hall, which was named "Youmei Hall" after the line "The land has beautiful lakes and mountains" from the poem bestowed by the emperor.

At Mei Zhi's request, Ouyang Xiu also wrote the famous "Record of Youmei Hall," which fully engraved the reasons for this event in the text.

This send-off was by no means a simple courtesy; it was in fact a political statement.

(End of this chapter)