The Little Officials of the Song Dynasty Chapter 3: Zheng Ping’s foundation
Although she wanted to improve the food, she was overwhelmed and lacked in strength. As a young child, Yun Yan could only look at Zheng Ping, the only person in her family who could make money, and she was full of worries.
But in fact, Yun Yanhui thought too much. Indeed, in ancient times, women in many industries were restricted by their gender and could not work. Most of them only managed housework, but it did not mean that without a man in the family, they could not afford to raise three children.
Yun Yan's worried look turned into ecstasy instantly after Zheng Ping moved the machine out.
Great ancient working women!
Jiji, Zheng Ping actually knows Kesi!
Yun Yanhui interviewed local inheritors of intangible cultural heritage in modern times, found a lot of information, and learned about it on the spot during the interview. Watching the work of Kesi craftsmen has a deep memory.
Kesi is a kind of silk fabric with a unique weave, which is time-consuming and expensive. The finest Kesi works can be called one inch of Kesi and one inch of gold. For a long time, this was the exclusive fabric of the royal family, and there were not many folks who knew this skill.
The heyday of Kesi in history is now, the Song Dynasty. Because of the aesthetics of the emperor of the Song Dynasty, Kesi works changed from practical and decorative to more artistic, and a large number of calligraphy and painting works were used as they were.
The craftsman that Yun Yan interviewed took a few months to complete a Kesi work, and it took years to complete, and he also had and must have a deep understanding of calligraphy and painting.
As for Zheng Ping... When Zheng Ping was drawing, Yun Yan looked back. She seemed to only want to tie a ribbon. The technique was monotonous and the pattern was monotonous. novelty.
Not just kesi, even if the general embroidery is sold for a high price, artistic creativity is also a very important part.
In this way, with the time-consuming Kesi, and the size and value of this ribbon... It seems impossible to rely on Zheng Ping's Kesi to live a good life.
Yun Yanhui was a little disappointed, because he was too happy before, and he forgot to think, what would Zheng Ping do to work at the Salesian Village if she had the ability. Besides, it takes too long to produce a relatively large work, and the return to the original is slow, which is not suitable for their family at all.
Although I can't get rich, I don't have to worry about starving to death. With Zheng Ping's craftsmanship and the wealth of the Northern Song Dynasty, it is enough to support everyone.
Besides Kesi, Zheng Ping can also embroider. After she brought Yun Yanhui, Shuang Yi, and Xiaobao back, she never went out except to buy things, and sat at home every day for embroidery.
Yun Yanhui is very good now, and Shuangyi can help take care of Xiaobao, so Zheng Ping can work wholeheartedly.
The neighbor Hu Sanniang often comes to Zheng Ping's house to do embroidery work together, during the day and at night, but she often brings her own lights, which is considered to be sharing light money with Zheng Ping.
Hu Sanniang usually brings her seven-year-old daughter, and initially her younger son. However, her son is about the same age as Yun Yanhui. Xiaobao cried as soon as she was disturbed, which made Zheng Ping difficult to work.
Especially at this time, Yun Yanhui was standing next to her and there was a sharp contrast. You could see that when her son was still peeing his pants, Brother Yan would take care of himself.
So after two or three times like this, Hu Sanniang was embarrassed to bring her son, and asked her mother-in-law to bring it.
Hu Sanniang's daughter is much quieter. She is learning embroidery next to Hu Sanniang, and she also practices some rags. Zheng Ping asked Shuang Yi to play with her and practice for a while, while she chatted with Hu Sanniang while working.
It was from Hu Sanniang and Zheng Ping's casual chat that Yun Yanhui learned some information.
For example, Zheng Ping was introduced by Hu Sanniang when she went to work at the Salesian Village. At that time, after Zheng Ping gave birth to her child, there was no man at home. She could not sleep enough with the child by herself, and had no time to do embroidery work, so she had no income. So I went to the Salesian Village, where a few women could take care of them, and they also provided food and lodging.
Now Zheng Ping's work is also introduced by Hu Sanniang. Bianliang is prosperous, and there are many places where embroidery is needed. Bianliang Xiu Niang's works can be seen everywhere, from the hope of the shop to the new clothes on pedestrians, their works decorate the entire Bianliang.
There are even streets and alleys in Bianliang that specialize in embroidery business, and there are many embroidery mothers living there. The embroidery items made by Hu Sanniang and the others were also sent there, and Zheng Ping's kesi works had to be sold there.
Also, the current era is about the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty - the transformation and prosperity of Kesi was in the late Northern Song Dynasty. Although Kesi works are still mainly practical or decorative, there is a trend of developing to a higher level, but it has not been popularized yet.
It's a pity that Zheng Ping doesn't seem to have any artistic skills... Yun Yan has a daydream back, if Zheng Ping suddenly has a sudden inspiration, embroiders a piece of art, and then sells it for a sky-high price, leading the whole family from now on. Poverty alleviation...
This is a beautiful hope for Yun Yanhui. With his stature yet to be tall, he can only daydream in addition to eating and drinking.
Sucking her dream saliva, Yunyan pushed back Shuangyi, who was dozing off, and encouraged her with her eyes to take a good look at Zheng Pingxi, little sister, learn the craft, not to mention the survival skills, maybe It's your turn to get rich overnight...
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About half a month later, Zheng Ping and Hu Sanniang went to Embroidery Alley to deliver embroidery products. When they came back, they carried a lot of things in big bags and small bags, including food and silk threads. It has been affirmed that not only has the money settled, but also a new job.
Yun Yan is also very happy to return. This can be regarded as the only source of income for the family. There is a stable trend.
Zheng Ping opened a small oil-paper package, and when it was unpacked, a sweet fragrance spread out. It contained five or six yellow desserts decorated with sesame seeds. "Come on, my mother bought some sesame dumplings."
Zheng Ping put the dessert on the edge of the bed, Yun Yanhui and Shuang Yi came over, and Xiao Bao waved his fat arm when he smelled the sweet fragrance, but unfortunately he can't eat it yet.
Shuang Yi swallowed, "I don't want to eat it, brother Yan, let's eat it."
In the past, "Brother Yan" would have been devoured when he caught it. Now, Zheng Ping was surprised to see her son slowly pushing the Zhima dumpling towards Shuangyi.
Really sensible, Zheng Ping said warmly, "Shuangyi eat it."
Shuang Yi blushed and took a piece and slowly ate it.
Yun Yanhui said to Zheng Ping: "Mother eats too."
Zheng Ping was stunned for a moment before eating a piece with emotion.
At this time, Yun Yanhui took a piece, observed it first, and then took a bite. I figured it out, it should be made of grains. In addition to the sesame seeds on the outside, there is also the aroma of lard and crushed peanuts. It is not as sweet as Yunyan recalls, but overall it is delicious.
Children's appetite is small, Yun Yanhui knows restraint again, and eats a piece and stops eating, "Mother and Shuangyi, let's eat it."
Zheng Ping thought that Yun Yanhui didn't like eating glutinous rice dumplings, and she had never brought this snack before.
Shuang Yi ate the glutinous rice dumplings and glanced at Yun Yanhui again, feeling very satisfied.
Zheng Ping opened the new paper she bought, and Yun Yanhui thought she was going to write to her husband again. But in fact, Zheng Ping was going to give Yun Yan back to Kaimeng.
Zheng Ping wrote one to ten, ten capitalized numbers on the paper, and called Yun Yan back, "Brother Yan, do you remember this?"
Yunyan said casually: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, ten."
Zheng Ping was still a little surprised and wrote in reverse order, "So what?"
Yunyan replied: "...573□□121."
Zheng Ping taught her son to count a month ago, before the current Yunyan came back. This month, because she fell and lost her job, she was busy with embroidery when she came back, so she didn't supervise her. She never thought that Brother Yan still remembered!
Zheng Ping was naturally overjoyed when she was surprised, "Brother Yan is awesome, how about mother teaching you how to read now?"
Yunyan nodded back. He had practiced calligraphy before, and he was often asked by friends to help him write fan faces, Spring Festival couplets, etc. It might be good in modern times, but in ancient times, I'm afraid it was nothing.
Although I have a headache for classical Chinese, knowing characters and good handwriting are very beneficial in both modern and ancient times. Therefore, he would definitely cooperate with Zheng Ping's request for enlightenment.
Not only that, Yun Yanhui also pretended to play to grab a pen and learn to write numbers.
Zheng Ping was very pleasantly surprised. She took her son's first calligraphy book and kept talking about sending it to her husband. But all of a sudden, it occurred to her that although she insisted that her husband was fine, this unique first copy could not be seen after sending it.
So, Zheng Ping creatively used Yun Yanhui's "calligraphy treasure" as the original and embroidered it.
Yunyan is very happy to return!
Of course not because his intentionally badly written characters will be preserved forever, but because Zheng Ping's embroidery is very good. The silk thread shows the changes in ink color and the tender handwriting of children.
This is the unifying feature of Kesi, embroidery and other activities. Nothing is just a color.
Like a modern sketch, any part has shades of change, and when this change is expressed, the object will be three-dimensional and lifelike.
Such superb skills make Yun Yanhui feel that his deliberately badly written words have become works of art!
From this, it can be concluded that Zheng Ping's Kesi skills are definitely not low. At least the ribbons that Yun Yanhui saw she made are definitely not her real level.
Zheng Ping's usual embroidery and Kesi have not changed much, causing Yunyan to think that she not only has no artistic creativity, but also has ordinary skills. Now it seems that it's just because the things she embroiders don't need to change much, so she doesn't care, otherwise it will take a long time and the cost performance will not be high.
...But, if that's the case, then why doesn't Zheng Ping embroider some delicate works?
Yun Yanhui gradually became suspicious. If it was said that Zheng Ping did not have the money to support her long-term creation, but if she really had such skills, she could talk to the shops in Xiuxiang, or even work directly.
And even small works that take relatively less time, such as the ribbon, have room for work, and the price is definitely doubled compared to before.
Also, Zheng Ping mentioned before that she had to go to the Salesian Village to work because she had a child after giving birth. It was a bit far-fetched to think about it. There was obviously a better job that would make her life easier.
Yunyan found out for a while, that his current mother seems to be very difficult.