Chapter 3 Nine Sons Holding the Lotus, the Method of Inner Strength

Chapter 3 Nine Sons Holding the Lotus, the Method of Inner Strength

Xu Ji Wood Carving Shop is one of the top wood carving shops in the outer city. It often receives orders from the inner city and has a huge demand for all kinds of wood carvings.

They might carve landscape images, or carve statues of Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, or even various statues of gods that Li Che had never heard of before.

For helpers, they charge a fixed piece-rate fee for transporting wood and finished statues. It's not a lot of money, but it's still exhausting work.

But if you can become a formal wood carving master and carve a finished product, you can earn at least ten taels of silver!

Li Che even heard that Master Chen once carved a "Wooden Statue of Avalokitesvara with Thousand Arms and Holding Zi". He spent almost a month and earned a gold leaf, which is equivalent to one hundred taels!

That is a skill that can make ordinary people rich and wealthy!

Li Che's heart was moved. If it had been before, he wouldn't have dared to think so.

Because wood carving skills need to be cultivated from an early age, and it also tests talent and artistry. For example, many apprentices in wood carving shops were sent to learn by their families at the age of five or six.

Li Che was already thirteen years old when he came to help at the woodcarving shop, and he had already missed his age.

Although I once had the idea of ​​self-taught, I gave up after trying it for a few days.

Why would he want to use a few days of self-study to defeat someone else's almost entire childhood study?
Moreover, looking at wood carving is one thing, but getting started is another.

"Look for a chance to try... [Immortal Craftsmanship] Dao Fruit, maybe it really gives me the talent for wood carving?"

Li Che couldn't help but have expectations in his heart.

The cold wind blowing in made Li Che calm down and sober up a little. He just buried the idea of ​​becoming a wood carving master in his heart and started working seriously.

Transporting finished wood carvings is different from transporting lumber. You need to be more careful. After all, any bumps will damage the wood carvings.

Wrap it in cloth and tie it with hemp rope to prevent the statue from being damaged by the hemp rope when it is carried on the back.

Carrying the six-eyed Bodhisattva statue on his back, Li Che walked towards the back room with cautious steps.

When I arrived at Master Chen's workshop, I put down the statue of Bodhisattva and took off the cloth. After seeing that there were no signs of friction, I felt relieved.

"Master Chen, the Bodhisattva statue has been moved in. I'm going to move the 'Huaquliu' for you now. Do you want a bigger one?"

Li Che relaxed his shoulders and smiled.

Master Chen is already sitting on the work chair, polishing his carving knife with a whetstone.

"Yes, be quick. This time we need to carve a 'Nine Sons Holding Lotus'. The process is troublesome, and the inner city is in a hurry to get it."

Master Chen picked up the carving knife, squinted at the sharpness, and said.

Li Che returned to the snowy yard and wanted to move the piece of ash willow wood he had chosen.

But when he touched the ash willow wood, Li Che felt the [Immortal Craftsmanship] Dao Fruit seemed to jump slightly, and an inexplicable feeling arose in his heart.

"This piece of ash willow is used to carve the 'Nine Sons Holding the Lotus Statue'. It seems... inappropriate."

Li Che murmured softly.

Most of the time, wood carving masters will pick the wood themselves, but of course there are exceptions. Some wood carving masters are confident in their skills and are too lazy to go out in the wind and snow to pick wood in the middle of winter.

But let the helper pick the wood. If the wood picked is not suitable...

It's okay if the wood carving master has a good temper, but if he has a bad temper, he may deduct the transportation fee.

When the time comes, not only will the wood need to be moved multiple times, but the money will also be deducted... it's a huge loss.

Li Che gave up on the "Flower Willow" and went to the pile of wood to pick again. He touched it with his palms until he selected a piece of wood that was very good to his intuition under the influence of the [Immortal Craftsmanship] Dao Fruit.

Carrying this somewhat heavy piece of "Huaquliu" came to Master Chen's workshop.

"Huh? Not bad. Xiao Li has a good eye and this piece of wood is just right!" Master Chen was a little surprised, because this piece of wood almost completely matched the "Nine Sons Holding Lotus" generated in his mind!

With just a few cuts, you can outline the general outline, saving you a lot of effort in conceiving.

Li Che smiled, but didn't say anything to take credit.

After Master Chen praised him, he started to prepare for the carving.

"Xiao Li, help me move this piece of wood to the shelf. I heard that your daughter was born... I'll give you extra money for this order." Master Chen stood up and said with a smile.

Li Che's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he hurriedly agreed. Then he put on a hemp rope and began to lift the heavy "Alpinia" and place it on the metal stand.

"The inner city is very busy. Recently, we are always asking for some wood carvings of boys and girls. It must be related to the recently rumored 'Spiritual Infant Dharma Master'. The hobby of the nobles in the inner city... It is really a style that has been established for a while. "

Master Chen shook his head and muttered.

"It will be ready in five days. I'm an old man... I'm afraid I'll have to work too hard."

"But it's a lot. Hey, Xiao Li, guess how much the owner of this order will give?"

Master Chen rubbed his hands and laughed with Li Che while walking to the ash willow soaked in heavy snow and stained with moisture.

Li Che wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled: "If the delivery takes five days... I'll have to have fifty taels after all, right?"

The Nine-Character Embrace Lotus Statue was not as difficult as the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara, so Li Che made a conservative estimate.

"Fifty taels? Hey... it's missing. It's missing a golden leaf!"

Master Chen laughed loudly, and then slapped his palm on the wood. The surface of his arm skin seemed to be stained with a layer of red color, and heat came out of his palm and poured into the wood, causing the wood to The moisture is driven out! The burning heat was rolling over my face, standing next to Master Chen, it was like facing a boiling furnace!
Li Che took a deep breath, not only surprised that the wood carving this time was actually worth one hundred and fifty taels, but also surprised and envious of Master Chen's mysterious methods!

These woodcarving masters not only have craftsmanship, but also legendary... martial arts!
Those who can become woodcarving masters are those who have mastered the inner energy, which can be used to dry the wood and save a lot of working hours.

Moreover, the inner energy is integrated into the wood carvings, and the carved wood carvings will have a kind of connotation.
These connotations are the real ability of the wood carving master to make the nobles in the inner city willing to pay for them.

Master Chen glanced at the shocked and envious Li Che, and said with a joking smile: "Want to learn?"

"If you want to learn, you have to spend money. Although you can't learn the superior internal energy methods, you can learn some of the ordinary internal energy methods that Xu Ji left in the outer city."

"After decades of hard work and accumulation, you can almost develop inner strength."

Li Che's heart moved slightly: "Master Chen, I wonder what the price of the Inner Strength Method is?"

"You can't buy the superior inner strength method even if you have money. You can only go to Xu Ji in the inner city to learn it. Most people can't learn it."

"The ordinary inner strength method in the outer city can be done with money. The cheapest one... costs thirty taels. What? Are you really thinking about it?" Master Chen glanced at Li while using the inner strength wood. Che, like a smile but not a smile.

"Your baby has just been born, so you'd better save some money... I bought the Neijing method. It's one thing to learn it, and it's another thing to complete it."

Master Chen shook his head and offered some kind advice.

It seemed that Li Che was really interested.

Master Chen raised his eyebrows: "You are a very careful boy. It's a pity that you didn't try to learn wood carving when you were a child. If you want to buy the inner strength method, come to me. I have an inner strength method at my place. You can learn it for twenty taels."

Li Che didn't agree when he heard this, he just smiled and said he would think about it for a while.

Then he left Master Chen's workshop.

In the following time, Li Che started to work again, helping several other wood carving masters to carry wood and finished wood carvings.

He also helped the apprentices in the shop move small pieces of wood to earn wages.

The shop packed lunch. Although it was simple, it was hot food and I could eat half full, so I had the strength to work.

In the evening, after Li Che received today's thirty-five Dajing copper coins, he went to work despite being exhausted.

Wearing a bamboo hat to hold off the wind and snow, and buying some charcoal along the way, we headed home.

It was already completely dark when he arrived in the crisscrossed alleys. The dim butter lamp light emitted from his earthen house made Li Che step on the snow a little faster.

"Madam, I'm back."

Open the door quickly and close the door quickly to prevent the cold wind carrying snow from pouring into the house and taking away the warmth.

After adding some charcoal to the heater, Li Che tiptoed to the bed, where Xixi was lying on the bed with her eyes open.

Seeing Li Che, Xixi actually chuckled.

Li Che's heart almost melted, he picked her up and shook her gently.

Zhang Ya looked at this scene with soft eyes and took out the dinner prepared for Li Che from the pot.

The hot noodles exude a tangy aroma.

For poor people, there is no such thing as confinement.

There is no need to work in the fields, just preparing dinner, for Zhang Ya, it is already confinement.

After the couple had dinner, Li Che asked Zhang Ya to rest while he washed the dishes.

Afterwards, he took a small piece of wood and a carving knife and returned to the house.

Zhang Ya hugged Xixi and patted her gently while looking at Li Che curiously.

"Ms. sir, what are you doing?"

Li Che looked at the dim light of the oil lamp, crossed his fingers, stretched them, clicked, and said with a smile: "I recently learned a skill at a wood carving shop."

"Daughter-in-law, look at it!"

Hearing this, Zhang Ya couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Mr. sir, you have learned many tricks over the years, but within a few days you will seriously say that it is good to let go..."

Li Che raised the corners of his lips slightly: "Madam, don't make fun of me. Have you ever heard the legend of 'thirty years to the east of the river, thirty years to the west of the river'!"

"Being a husband is different now. He is a father!"

Zhang Ya pursed her lips, with a gentle smile in her eyes.

Is there any necessary connection between being a father and learning wood carving?

Li Che smiled and said nothing more.

I closed my eyes slightly, and my mind about the carving techniques and techniques of the six-eyed Bodhisattva statue suddenly overflowed like water like squeezing wet cotton...

When he opened his eyes again, there seemed to be a flash of light in his eyes.

Calm and calm, he held the carving knife with strong fingers and began to make the first cut on the wood...

(End of chapter)