Chapter 136                  The No. 1 Master in the World

Zhou Mengchen still took some time to worship Wang Shu to express his grief.

However, Zhou Mengchen was going to go through a formality, but he didn't expect that Wang Shizhen gave him a big surprise.

After Zhou Mengchen worshipped, he said, "Everything is busy. Please forgive me."

Wang Shizhen said, "Brother Zhou is a person who does big things. Can you come here? It's rare." He paused slightly and said, "I heard that Brother Zhou is looking for a master?"

Zhou Mengchen said, "This incident also reached Brother Wang's ears? But I feel ashamed."

Wang Shizhen said: "Brother Zhou used his own strength to work for relief, and countless people were living. It was really a Buddha in thousands of families. If it were not for the destruction, I would definitely help Brother Zhou with his strength. Judging from Brother Zhou's expression, the master he wanted to find was not very effective."

Zhou Mengchen did not know his reputation, and after this incident spread, he made another leap. So many people forgot Zhou Mengchen's age and regarded him as a member of the important officials of the court.

Zhou Mengchen opened a yawn and said, "It's okay. The main reason is that I'm not at ease."

Wang Shizhen said: "If you are not at ease, no one will make you feel at ease. There is someone who can make you feel at ease."

Zhou Mengchen was a little curious and said, "Does Brother Wang also recommend someone for me?"

Wang Shizhen said: "That's right, and if it weren't for Brother Zhou, I'm afraid ordinary people won't be able to hire him."

Zhou Mengchen said, "I don't know who it is?"

Wang Shizhen said: "Xu Wei and Xu Wenchang."

Zhou Mengchen was overjoyed and said, "It's actually Mr. Qingteng. Will Mr. Qingteng be willing to live in a house?"

Zhou Mengchen naturally knew Xu Wei. He knew Xu Wei's talent and Xu Wei's strange temper. Zhou Mengchen didn't think he could catch Xu Wei's eyes.

Wang Shizhen said loudly: "The sword of Ryukyu shines on water, and has not been polished for three years. I have exchanged money to hang it in the market. I am precious and have no one in the market. I am the only one who is very cheap. I am not worried about it. The guest asked how much this sword is worth. The five Ge Fei in Guangzhou is light rain. Now I don't compete with the market, but I will stop losing three Ge coins. A thousand people ignore it and stand and fold their toes to the sword. If you don't eat for one day, you will be hungry, and if you don't eat for two days, you will go to another county to report to the chief. In the past, I will stop and be a confidant. I have always had a heart for Mengchang. Today I think of the corporals."

After hearing this, Zhou Mengchen said, "But, Mr. Wen Chang's new work?"

This is not because Zhou Mengchen had heard this poem, nor because Zhou Mengchen had studied Xu Wei's literary style, but because Zhou Mengchen made pure logical reasoning. Wang Shizhen would not recite poems inexplicably. There must be a reason.

Wang Shizhen said, "That's right, this was written by Xu Wei when he heard that the Tartars invaded the capital. You can understand now. At this time, I only want a letter from you, and I will be a lobbyist for you. After returning home, I will lobby for you."

Fortunately, Zhou Mengchen read several books in the Ming Dynasty, otherwise he would not have been able to understand the logic of Wang Shizhen's words.

Xu Wei was a noble and loner in the past. He was a talented person and a talented writer. But he had a bad temper. He was a person like him, and he refused to visit his cottage three times. How could he be called by a letter? The answer lies in Xu Wei's poem.

In the poem, I use a knife to describe myself, and I regret that talent cannot be used, but why don’t I compete today?

What happened today?

Of course, the Tartars offended the capital, which brought great stimulation to Xu Wei. Xu Wei wanted to serve the country and resolve the dangers of the world. This heart was vividly revealed on paper. He really understood it very much.

Because Zhou Mengchen fought under the city of Beijing and became famous, even Xu Wei, who was in Jiangnan, had heard of it. Because of this, Wang Shizhen said that he could invite Xu Wei over with a letter from Zhou Mengchen.

This is what fame works.

Today, we can see that many so-called long-term reverence in ancient times are not necessarily fake.

Zhou Mengchen said: "Please prepare a pen, ink, paper and inkstone."

Then Zhou Mengchen twisted his pen and pondered for a moment. He started writing in the letter.

Different methods should be used for different people. Zhou Mengchen thinks that it is best to replace people like Xu Wei with sincerity. The smarter the person is, the more he hates those who are smart.

Zhou Mengchen wrote down his predicament and hinted that he would soon be on duty and would benefit the people as an official. He sincerely invited Xu Wei to Beijing.

After seeing it, Wang Shizhen sighed and said, "I actually think about the literature too. Your life is not satisfactory now." Then, Wang Shizhen told Xu Wei's current situation.

Xu Wei was 30 years old this year. Xu Wei's father passed away on a hundred days ago. He lived with his mother. Soon his mother died of illness and relied on her elder brother, but she was not harmonious with her elder brother. Although she became famous at a young age, she was very unsociable. When she was a scholar at the age of 20, she married into the Pan family at the age of 21. At the age of 25, her parents-in-law died and her wife was no longer there. The property of the Pan family was not occupied. Xu Wei had to open a private school for his career. Because his biological mother was not living well in the Xu family, he broke up with the Xu family and took back his mother. As a result, his life burden increased a lot.

But Xu Wei was arrogant and never accepted gifts from his friends.

Therefore, Wang Shizhen also wanted Xu Wei to come out and do things. With Xu Wei's talent, he was only willing. What's the point of being a thousand gold? It's a pity that many people invited Xu Wei, but Xu Wei didn't look at him with a look.

In Wang Shizhen's opinion, before the Battle of Beijing, Zhou Mengchen was also someone that Xu Wei refused to look at him, but after the Battle of Beijing, he was the kind of person that Xu Wei could look at him. Of course, Wang Shizhen would not say these words to Zhou Mengchen.

After hearing this, Zhou Mengchen immediately asked the people around him to go home, took a thousand taels of silver, and handed them to Wang Shizhen with the letter and said, "Even if this money is a betrothal gift from Mr. Xu, if Mr. Xu thinks that it doesn't matter if I am a small temple, please use this to ask Mr. Xu for a pair of words. Any words are fine."

After hearing this, Wang Shizhen said, "I have to be more sure about this."

Xu Wei cannot be impressed with money. But this represents sincerity. Only with sincerity can one have a conversation.

Zhou Mengchen hurriedly bid farewell to Wang Shizhen.

After all, Zhou Mengchen still has a lot to do.

Zhou Mengchen hurried to Zhongguan Village. Before he could arrive at Zhongguan Village, he saw thick smoke rolling. Naturally, the cement stove began to operate.

And not one, but many.

Zhou Mengchen didn't know how much cement was needed to build the city wall. Even Zhou Mengchen didn't have a complete construction plan. Zhou Mengchen was also questioned in his heart when using cement. Should he use cement to directly pour it into a wall, or to use cement to condense it into bricks, and build the wall piece by piece.

Of course, bricks are not the size of blue bricks.

It's the size of a stone.

These are all problems.

But the biggest problem is the cement problem.

Before Zhou Mengchen could not even have a cement workshop, he coughed suddenly and couldn't help but cover his handkerchief. Because there was a thin layer of dust in the air, which seemed to make the sky gray. There was also a thin layer of dust on the ground, just like frost and snow all over the ground.

Zhou Mengchen knew that cement was a heavy pollution.

But he hadn't noticed before. Today he saw what heavy pollution was. The workers he had met on the road had black blocks on one of his noses, and even the exposed nose hair was stained with cement.

"Cough cough cough." Zhou Mengchen thought while coughing: "I made a mistake. This cement workshop cannot be here all the time. This is the upper hand in Beijing."

The northwest wind is strong, so the dust and smoke here blows into the city of Beijing. How can the people in Beijing bear it? A group of high-ranking officials and nobles always have to do it.

However, Zhou Mengchen did not think about moving now.

Because relocation is not a trivial matter. After the entire outer city is built, it is estimated that the entire cement workshop will be moved outside Beijing. This outside Beijing is not outside the inner city, but outside Beijing’s outer city. Now it will be a temporary measure.

Zhou Mengchen took a few steps closer and developed many carriages from all directions, all of which were filled with various soil. Zhou Mengchen looked carefully at the traces underground, which were just clay, limestone, gypsum, and coal.

Soon Zhou Mengchen saw a large courtyard, nothing else, the yard of the hospital, but now it is Xu Gao’s office location. The hospital has not been moved out of the city.

Zhou Mengchen didn't plan to move out anymore. He threw it here for Xu Gao for temporary use.
Chapter completed!