Chapter 299 Worms of the Court

Wang Bing and Ouyang Xiu are good friends. Hearing Wang Gongchen's words, he couldn't help but be puzzled. Seeing that Shen Kuo and Wang Gongchen were competing with each other's brother-in-law and brother-in-law, Hu Su explained with a smile, "Your Majesty, our Wang Tongjudgment and the drunken man are a brother-in-law. In those years, Xue Kui, the servant of the household department, had three daughters. The eldest daughter married Ouyang Xiu, the second daughter married Wang Gongchen, and later Ouyang Xiu. He lost his wife and continued to marry the little daughter of the Xue family, so Wang Tong made a joke.

Wang thought to himself that Shen Kuo is an old urchin, and it's normal for him to joke. Wang Gongchen is a little strange. How can he joke with his relatives at the banquet? He smiled and didn't answer. It's always difficult for him to tell the drunken man's jokes behind his back. Unexpectedly, the general judgment still didn't understand the meaning of Wang's speechless. He laughed and said "Once there was a man named Liu Yuan's father, who married his wife in his later years. Ouyang Xiu wrote a poem and teased him: 'Don't laugh at flowers in the cave. Liu Lang was originally an old Liu Lang.' Liu Yuan's father was unhappy and wanted to revenge. One day, when the three of us got together, Liu Yuan's father said: In the past, there was a scholar who taught children literacy. When he read "Mao Shi" Teaching: 'The word snake is pronounced as the word aunt, remember'. Every other day, the school boy watched the beggar play with the snake. He didn't go to the school until after dinner. The old scholar asked, 'Why are you late,' The schoolboy replied, 'There was someone who played with his aunt on the road just now. I watched with everyone. I saw him play with his aunt first and then his aunt, so he was late."

This joke didn't even hold back the king's smile: "How did the drunken man answer?"

Wang Gongchen said, "What else can he say but laugh?"

Everyone laughed again. Wang thought to his heart that the ancients looked like a literati and scholars, and they were all kinds of jokes sitting in one place. It seems that people have not changed for thousands of years except for the change of clothes, but this Wang Gongchen is also good enough. No wonder Emperor Renzong doesn't like him in his heart. This man really doesn't look at the scene. He, regardless of the object, he smiled and turned to Shen Kuo and asked, "Why does Brother Shen go back to the capital again?"

Shen Kuo replied, "Yes, but there are still a few days left. I happen to accompany the prince to Yangzhou and wait for Li Gefei to go to Yangzhou by the way."

Hearing Shen Kuo say that he was going to leave Yangzhou, Wang Bian had some regret. After all, it would be much easier for Shen Kuo to do in Yangzhou in the future. After the banquet, Shen Kuo sent Wang back to his residence. The two had not seen each other for more than a year. Wang asked Shen Kuo to his residence for a talk. Shen Kuo did not refuse. The two ordered someone to send one under the pavilion of the garden. Pot of tea, talk all the way to the light in the courtyard,

When Shen Kuo saw Wang's side, it was not just a joke about brothers at the beginning. In the officialdom, Shen Kuo did not have as big ups and downs as Wang's, but he was not proud of the spring breeze. However, in terms of academic knowledge, in the mainstream era of Chongwen reading scriptures and writing poems and lyrics in the Northern Song Dynasty, science was regarded as the end of learning, and even ridicated as a strange skill** Coincidentally, the left side door can talk to Shen Kuo, from the compass to oil, from astronomy to geography, the huge Northern Song Dynasty is probably only one person next to the king,

The weather in March is more or less cool. As the saying goes, when it was suddenly warm and cold, Su Xiaomei waited in the room for a long time. She heard from her servant that Wang had returned to the house, but she didn't enter the room for a long time. She also heard that she had been chatting with Shen Kuo under the gazebo. Her heart was funny. When she held the lamp, the little sister took a cloak and sent it to the gazebo. Seeing the cool. The tea of the two people in the pavilion has been replaced with wine and dishes, and they are laughing and talking with interest.

"My sister-in-law is here, how annoying I am. Don't blame the newcomers, haha," Shen Kuo said with a smile,

Wang said while drinking, "Let's sit together for a while. Brother Shen is not an outsider. He and your brother Su Shi are also good friends. By the way, Brother Shen, Brother Su also mentioned the matter of doing "Cloud Pick" together at the beginning. When we have a chance in the future, we will all go back to the capital and then pick the cloud."

Shen Kuo is happy, "Good, at that time, I will write all my discoveries over the years on the cloud. There must be many people who like to watch it."

"Then I have to give you a pseudonym." Wang has the intention to make fun of him,

"Uh-huh," Shen Kuo couldn't help nodding, "What do you think my name is?"

"Let's call it Frankenstein, haha"

Shen Kuo took a sip of wine: "I just know that you are looking for fun with me. What does science mean, but you still say that I am a weirdo."

Wang Zong smiled and said, "If Brother Shen hadn't returned to Beijing to take office, I really wanted Brother Shen to go to Yongzhou with me. With you, I will open a school, not only to teach those articles, but also to set up some arithmetic, medicine, astronomy and so on. It would be great for you to be the principal."

Wang Bian really thought so. The students of the Song Dynasty were really partial to the subject. Although they had abandoned the old eight-line literature, they still attached great importance to the liberal arts in the scientific examination. He said so, which was even more right to Shen Kuo's mind: "Yes, that's right, let's say that we are like-minded. Unfortunately, I can't go, but I think of a person. Come on, I'll call him to come tomorrow and let him follow you.

"Oh, who can I get Brother Shen to recommend?"

Shen Kuo looked at Su Xiaomei: "Didn't my sister-in-law like that Yanji? She is the person of Yanji. I didn't do such a thing in my study, and I also made you two like it. This person's name is Li Jie, whose name is Mingzhong, and he is from Zhengzhou Guancheng. This is my proud disciple. This person is made of geography, history and music. It's quite deep, and there are unique things in architecture. Didn't you go to Yongzhou to do construction? I think this person is the most suitable.

Li Jie, Wang Bing meditated on the name in his heart, and touched the ancient stone hidden in his chest with his left hand. This person is also a person who left a name in later generations, and he was a civil architect in the Song Dynasty and the compiler of the book "Building French". Such a person can be kept by himself. It must be useful when he comes to Yongzhou.

Thinking of the king, he raised his glass and said, "Then I will thank Brother Shen first. In the future, Brother Shen should recommend more such talents."

"Of course, of course, I think this person will definitely make a difference in the future. My teacher is useless. Maybe I can still do something with you." Shen Kuo ate a mouthful of wine and a mouthful of vegetables,

Wang side nodded with a smile and looked at Su Xiaomei. She was a little bored sitting here. She had already taken the wine pot in Wang's hand and poured wine to Wang and Shen Kuo. So she whispered in Su Xiaomei's ear, "Don't look at Li Jie, now you are a Yan or something. In the future, many buildings in the palace will be presided over by him. "."

The little sister said with a low smile, "You are a prophet. At that time, will you also lend him the project money like the silver of Gaoyou County magistrate? How can he take over such a big project as the royal family?"

Although the voice they said was very soft, Shen Kuo still heard it: "Gaoyou County Magistrate, what silver do you want to borrow?"

Wang side told Shen Kuo about Xu Liang's borrowing money to do the royal garden project after passing through Gaoyou. Shen Kuo frowned and shook his head again after a while. Wang side saw that he looked strange and couldn't help asking, "Brother Shen, why do you think this is not appropriate?"

Shen Kuo shook and said, "It's not appropriate, but there's nothing I can do. You remember that before I left the capital that year, I said that I had to participate in the royal sacrifice. That time, I found many questions, especially the construction of these royal sacrificial gardens you mentioned. For this reason, I also wrote the "Southern Suburbs Style" when I was about to return to Beijing. What about the court?

Wang Bian and Su Xiaomei heard Shen Kuo say this, so they looked at Shen Kuo suspiciously. Shen Kuo said, "The etiquette of sacrificing heaven and earth in the southern suburbs is arranged by the court according to the records of the classics, and then collect copies. The clerks often take the opportunity of the ceremony for personal gain. Before the sacrifice, they set up a tent under the altar, built a garden a few miles outside the palace, planted trees, decorated them colorfully, carved birds and beasts, and continued to be placed between the trees. On the evening of the day when they were about to perform the sacrifice, the emperor came to watch it in person. Garden scenery, climb to the south main entrance of Duanmen, display the guard of honor, inspect the troops of martial law guards, visit and enjoy, but..."

With that, he took another sip of wine. "These are not the scenes that should be when fasting sacrifices. If you follow the formal rituals of sacrifices, these can be saved. I roughly calculated that tens of thousands of money saved each time..."

Tens of thousands of people, Wang Fang listened to this number and couldn't help scolding, "This bunch of worms, the silver of the imperial court is so empty."

Shen Kuo nodded and said, "That's right, don't you think it's inappropriate to lend them money."

The king nodded: "Brother Shen is right, but don't be in a hurry to play it when you go back to the capital. It's useless to play it now. The emperor's dragon body is not safe. I guess it's inevitable to pray for blessings at this time."

"Why, you just scolded those worms, and you are going to eat their interest to make worms together." Shen Kuo speaks without turning,

"Brother Shen said where he went. I mean, you may not be accepted by the list now. It's better to wait until the prince ascends the throne and is completely determined to innovate, it must hit the nail on the head."

Shen Kuo thought for a while: "It's not unreasonable to hear what you said, but what to do about the Gaoyou county magistrate's borrowing money to take over the project? Not to mention the project with such a large financial resources of the imperial court, let's talk about Yongzhou. If you go there, you will take you as the god of wealth. Even if you want to expand the royal palace and build a field, there are people who take the opportunity to do some fancy work to make money. I said it's not appropriate to lend them money, but it's difficult to put an end to this phenomenon.

Wang side smiled. How can his ideas be understood by the ancients? What's more, modern things don't need to be copied, just a little bit, which is more than enough to operate in the Song Dynasty: "It's not difficult. I have thought about the construction of Yongzhou. As long as I need the project or the royal government to purchase, I will publicly recruit. Mark."

"What does bidding mean?" Shen Kuo stopped the wine glass that was about to be sent to his mouth and stared at Wang. Even Su Xiaomei, who had been silently listening silently, also looked at Wang now. She became more and more strange how her husband was full of fresh words,

"This is simple, that is, I will publish all the projects and requirements to be done. Whether it is officials, businessmen or ordinary people, I can calculate the project cost according to my requirements. Finally, I choose people with the right quality, reputation and price, and let them do it. The participants will be asked to bid and get it. The project is called winning the bid.

"Good, good, this method is good, compete with the group, and people can get it." Shen Kuo put the wine glass and praised it loudly,

Wang thought that of course this is good. As long as the process is open and transparent, it is definitely a good way to promote competition and save costs.