Start with an antique shop and become rich overnight

Chapter 99 The Best Craftsman in Da Qi
Walking across the arch bridge, I looked at the brightly lit music hall from afar and seemed to hear the sound of stringed instruments.

They had already passed the busiest area, but had no intention of stopping.

"Where are we going now?" Shen You asked.

"Don't you want to see the production process of ancient crafts?" Wen Zhi pointed forward, "This is where the craftsmen in the capital gather. All the famous workshops are here."

There are dyeing workshops, gold and silver workshops, carpentry workshops, and ceramic workshops. It’s a great place!

"Can you still go now?"

Seeing that there didn't seem to be many people around, Shen You spoke with disapproval but acted honestly, his eyes almost wandering inside.

"Yes, the old craftsman who specializes in making gold, silver and jade articles for the palace is here today."

Wen Zhi's smile was full of emotion, and his eyes reflected the swaying light under the eaves, making it impossible to look away.

But in his lazy expression, there was a hint of anticipation for praise.

Shen Youzheng paused for a moment, feeling slightly touched, then smiled and said softly,
"Thank you, I'll treat you to dinner when I get back!"

The two walked into the workshop, which was a large house separated by an archway in the middle. There were jade articles on the left, gold and silver jewelry on the right, and tall palace walls could be seen when they looked up.

If modern old professors came to this place, I wonder how excited they would be.

A man who looked like a manager bowed to Wen Zhi and Shen You and took them to meet the top gold and silver craftsmen in Da Qi.

There are two old masters, and the remaining three are all apprentices.

The semi-finished products in front of me are already extremely exquisite, as well as those ancient tools.

Casting, engraving, filigree and the hammering and forging techniques of the Tang Dynasty are also reproduced here.

Hammering sounds simple, but it is a process of repeatedly hammering gold and silver objects into shape.

But the right technique is also very important.

There were not many tools to use in ancient times, and most of the time, people only relied on the experience of the master craftsmen to do the work perfectly.

It’s a pity that craftsmen in ancient times did not have a high status. If they were born in modern times, they would be respected masters of intangible cultural heritage in the circle.

If possible, Shen You really wants to work here for a while.

These exquisite skills are the capital for people to make a living. If ordinary people want to learn them, others may not be willing to teach them.

It’s easier to get things done if you have acquaintances in Daqi.

Shen You imitated the way of greeting he had seen before and bowed to several old craftsmen.

She wanted to learn the skills, so not only should she bow, she should also pour tea according to the ancient custom of apprenticeship.

"No, no," the old craftsman said hurriedly.

The people who came today are distinguished persons, and they dare not accept this gift.

Moreover, by teaching this girl a skill, they would gain the protection of the Imperial Master, which was a great benefit for people like them who were of little importance.

"Of course I should. Don't worry, I'm learning this just for fun. I will never do this business in Da Qi."

Shen You expressed his attitude: If I don’t learn it, I will challenge the master.

"I understand, old man." The old craftsman said with a smile.

From the girl's clothes and the jewelry on her head, one can tell that she is not from an ordinary family and would not be a craftsman.

"But, I have an unwelcome request. The girl is wearing a crystal butterfly shell hairpin from the Western Regions. Can I take a look at it?"

"no problem."

Shen You reached out to take the hairpin on her head without saying a word, to prevent it from falling off while walking. She had used clips all over her head, so it was a little difficult to take it off.

Just as Shen You tied up his sleeves with a ribbon, sat there with a hammer, and knocked the silver one by one,
The craftsmen from Da Qi were also studying her hairpin. The carving craftsmen from next door had all come. Shells were common, and they could carve any style, but petal-shaped crystals were rare. "It must have taken a lot of effort to carve and polish it so well."

"We put a lot of effort into carving out the crystals sent last month. We wasted a lot of materials and only managed to carve out a few leaves and flowers. Are the craftsmen in the Western Regions really that good?"

Several old masters are beginning to doubt their lives.

They have been doing this business since they were young, and have practiced for decades. They thought they had good skills, but now they have been surpassed by craftsmen from Western Regions.

The same goes for the carpentry shop next door. I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince even got the blueprints of a rocking chair from the Western Regions and spent a lot of money to have it made.

Shen You explained: "It's not that the craftsmen in the Western Regions are good, but there is a kind of glue in the Western Regions that can penetrate into the crystal and is invisible to the naked eye, so the carving will not break."

It was already amazing that people in ancient times could carve crystal cups and dishes using such simple tools.

The modern mass production of small items such as crystal and aquamarine relies on the glue injection process.

The same is true for the Nanhong on the market, which cannot be compared with the ancient Nanhong in value.

"So that's how it is." The craftsman who was good at carving suddenly realized, "Girl, do you know how the glue used in the Western Regions is made?"

Shen You pondered for a moment, "That kind of craft is not passed on to outsiders in the Western Regions. They only sell finished carvings."

She really didn't know, but it certainly couldn't be replicated in ancient times.

If you want to buy it, you can.

But she doesn't know how to inject glue, so it would be more cost-effective to bring the carved finished crystal directly to Da Qi.

The petals of rose quartz with holes only cost 2 yuan each if you are not picky about the quality, and they are not that much more expensive if you are very careful about the quality.

Shen You seemed to suddenly think of something and added, "Crystals injected with glue can be used to make jewelry, but they are not suitable for making bowls and cups."

After listening to Shen You, the old craftsman sighed and said that the knowledge from the Western Regions should not be passed on to outsiders. If they study and improve the tools themselves, they may be able to find a better way to carve crystal.

Wen Zhi saw that Shen You was concentrating on the piece of silver that looked ugly now, so he asked in a low voice,

"Is your time here okay?"

Shen You covered herself with her sleeves and glanced at her phone secretly. There were only a few minutes left until two hours.

But I have just started school here, it would be a pity to leave now.

Here, there are so many lost ancient skills as far as the eye can see!
Shen You replied in a smaller voice,

"My experience card can be renewed. As for safety, aren't you here with me?" There is also a stun gun in the storage compartment.

Wen Zhi raised the corners of his lips and said in a very pleasant voice, "That's right."

He sat down on the simple wooden table and bench next to him and asked his followers to go to the restaurant outside to buy some hot food.

All craftsmen can get steaming brown sugar osmanthus dumplings, chestnut cakes, and shortbread.

In the past, nobles would give money and food as rewards just out of spontaneity, and they had never shown such genuine respect to people like them.

Not to mention eating with them while holding the bowls, the expressions of the old craftsmen were already somewhat touched.

"You really don't want to eat? The dumplings are the signature dish of this restaurant." Wen Zhi asked with a chuckle.

"Can I pack it?" Shen You held the hammer, glanced sideways at the food on the table, and continued to wonder where he went wrong.

The shape is different no matter how you type it.

"Girl, you're using too much force." The old craftsman demonstrated once, "At this level, you have to do it step by step. Don't be impatient."

The girl looked very slender, but she swung the hammer to forge gold and silver objects with the energy of a blacksmith.

　I got home almost ten o'clock today, so I only had time to update one chapter. I will update as usual tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)