The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 28

Upon hearing this, Xu Tian was somewhat stunned: "Brother Zheng, this article is just an article, nothing too special. Isn't it too thin and lacking in weight to present it directly to the imperial court?"

"This is no small matter. You are not very knowledgeable about these aspects. Do you think that the tributes from the common people in the past were all so magical?"

No, for the past two years I have been in charge of documents and have been able to frequently receive information from the imperial court. Anything that is slightly unusual or has local flavor can be sent as tribute, such as lychees, pineapples, and rice noodles from Lingnan, foreign goods from overseas, and porcelain from Jiangnan West Circuit, etc.

Even the flatbread from Weinan, a place where locals used to eat daily, was once presented as tribute to the imperial palace.

"So simple, even cakes can be used as tribute." Xu Tian was amazed, realizing he had been overthinking things.

"It's that simple. If you really wanted to, I think you could offer the wine, soy milk, and all sorts of food, including chess and cards, as tribute."

But these are, after all, items for enjoyment, and their level of refinement is somewhat low. Furthermore, these are items that this shop specializes in, and it makes a living from them. If they were to become exclusive offerings, it would actually be a great burden, which is inappropriate.”

"Compared to this, the 'Hundred Family Surnames' doesn't seem to be of a very low standard," Xu Tian thought to himself.

"Indeed, do not underestimate this text. The Hundred Family Surnames is a level above ordinary poems and prose. Ordinary poems and prose can only be passed down for a time, but this text is unique and can be passed down to future generations. It has more and more students and complements other extraordinary texts such as the Thousand Character Classic."

Zheng Xie spoke highly of the article.

"Well, in that case, let's take this article as tribute. Maybe it will catch our eye and we'll get some benefits. That wouldn't be bad." Xu Tian nodded.

“Sigh, you,” Zheng Zhuangyuan sneered as he saw Xu Tian already thinking about the reward.

"You are a person with some reputation, yet you acted too much, like a commoner. Didn't you receive dozens of strings of cash as a reward for the Kongming lantern incident last time? I don't think you are short of money."

"Brother Zheng, you should think of it this way: this is an unexpected windfall, a pie falling from the sky, so it's a pleasant surprise. Besides, no one would complain about having too much money, and I have plenty of places to spend it."

“For an ordinary family, a few strings of cash can last a year. If you stay at home all day and don’t go to the brothels on the dike, you probably don’t have many social engagements, so how could you possibly have any money to spend?” Scholar Zheng asked curiously.

"Brother Zheng, you don't know yet, I bought ten acres of land in the south, intending to use it as a workshop for smelting ironware and doing carpentry. The house is under construction now, and I've already invested quite a bit of money."

It's estimated that once completed, it will employ a considerable number of people, and there will be no output for the next few months, relying entirely on capital to sustain operations. Therefore, the expenses will be substantial. In total, it will cost at least several hundred strings of cash.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhuangyuan frowned instead. "Xu Xiucai, with your talent, you should do more refined things. The Hundred Family Surnames and the Three Character Classic would be very good."

Why waste so much effort on such a vulgar matter as craftsmanship? Although you are of Taoist origin, it's irrelevant; with your talent, you could easily pursue a career in government.

Seeing that he seemed unhappy, Xu Tian explained, "Brother Zheng, you are overthinking it. If I were to take the imperial examination, I am not young anymore. It would be too difficult for me to succeed in the imperial examination. I know that I have no hope."

Besides, I've been practicing Taoism since elementary school, so my foundation in this area is deep, and it's what I excel at. If I could achieve something in creation that could benefit people's lives, that would be a good thing. Brother Zheng, have you ever heard of soap?