Although autumn has begun, the climate is not significantly cooler.

Xu Qilin, with dark circles on his eyes, led his entourage and others, left Chang'an and set off with his brother and friend's farewell.

Because he was on a business trip and had to cross mountains and ridges to survey and monitor, Xu Qilin could only reluctantly leave the two maids and continue to learn how to run a shop, and was taken care of by Wu Suan, Lu Da and other servants.

The carriages and horses are rippling, heading east. Without cars, the speed of the train, and the speed of the horses are not released. Xu Qilin doesn't like this.

If possible, it’s better to be at home! You can lie down whenever you want, sit down whenever you want, serve the maids at the side diligently, and have a good meal at your mouth. How comfortable.

Although he was walking on the post road from Chang'an to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian, and several residences had been built based on the post station, Xu Qilin grinned at the taste of the food the first night and could only bite the bullet and barely eat half full.

It is not easy to go out, especially in ancient times, which caused even more suffering.

Xu Qilin returned to the house to have a tea and rest and prepared to go to bed early. This is not a relaxing and comfortable thing to ride a horse.

"Brother--" The door was pushed open, Pan Daoxin's head came in and shouted with a smile.

Xu Qilin smiled and waved, "Daoxin, come in and talk."

Pan Daoxin jumped in, came to Xu Qilin, handed over the "flower beads" he picked, and said with a smile: "Since my brother likes it, I'll give it to my brother."

I've said I liked it a long time ago, why didn't you give it to me earlier? This brat is really a chess fool. He couldn't help but see one of the articles in "The Thirteen Chapters of the Chess Classic" and took the initiative to give it to him.

Xu Qilin was not in a hurry to reach out to get it and asked, "This is what Master Pan gave you to protect me. I will not be blamed? Be careful of being beaten!"

Pan Daoxin scratched his head and said, "I just said I was missing accidentally. What else can my father do? If I really beat him, I will go to find my mother and I will definitely be able to protect me."

Oh, your father is still afraid of his wife.

Xu Qilin laughed in his heart and pretended to hesitate. It was not until Pan Daoxin begged him to earn it again that he reluctantly took it and put it on the bowl.

Pan Daoxin laughed, rubbed his hands, and felt a little embarrassed to ask Xu Qilin for it.

Xu Qilin gently patted the little Taoist priest on the shoulder, stretched out his finger, and smiled and said, "There are some simple things in that box, a total of thirteen articles."

"Thirteen Chapters of Chess" is a work written by the Song Dynasty that occupied a special position in the history of Go development. Its value lies first in its systematicity.

The classical Go theory in my country started from Yin Wenzi and Taishu Wenzi, and the Zhongjing Ban Gu's "Yi Zhi" and Ma Rong's "Go Fu" and so on. It was not until the Dunhuang manuscript "Justice" and Wang Jixin's "Ten Jieshu" that gradually began to be systematic.

Compared with the previous Go theory, the "Thirteen Chapters of Chess Classic" has a more profound and comprehensive discussion on some important issues. Especially the chapters involving Go strategies and tactics are all ingenious insights that have been passed down through the ages, which is also another important value of this book.

In addition, the "Thirteen Chess Classics" also elaborates on the quality and style of chess players for the first time. The book proposes standards for evaluating the quality and style of chess players such as "win without saying, defeat without saying", "being at peace without being peaceful, living without being arrogant", and these views are still praised by chess players.

In general, "Thirteen Chapters of Chess" summarizes the valuable experience of playing chess in previous dynasties and comprehensively inherits and develops the classical Go theory in my country.

As soon as this book was published, it was valued by Song Dynasty chess players including Liu Zhongfu, and "everyone can recite these thirteen articles."

Fortunately, the ancient Chinese texts are refined. The shortest of the thirteen articles is only fifty or sixty words, and the longest of the thirteen articles is only about three hundred words. Together, it is only about two thousand words.

For Xu Qilin, it is worth it to spend some energy and time in exchange for "flowering beads". If he wants to make a long speech, he will almost retreat in fear.

Pan Daoxin had read the first article and was deeply impressed. When he heard it, his eyes lit up and he jumped over and held the box in his arms. After stroking it a few times, he opened the lid and saw the manuscript inside. He not only grinned happily.

"I'll give this chess book to you." Xu Qilin said seriously: "Even if you cherish it yourself, you must keep it well. After a hundred years, you will pass it on to the future generations or publish it in the world, you will be worthy of your master."

Oh, oh! Pan Daoxin nodded repeatedly, hugged the box tightly, thought for a while, and said, "How dare I be alone in the immortal Lu Yu's hard work? After copying it, I asked my brother to publish it in the world and make it famous for the immortal."

Xu Qilin was stunned for a moment and asked, "Are you afraid that others will learn it? Are you better than you?"

Pan Daoxin smiled and said, "Even if you have to compete with experts or chess players with equal strength, you can increase your chess skills and win or lose."

Xu Qilin was a little surprised. He didn't expect that Pan Dao was young but had such a mind. Very good. This is how he could leave a name in history and be in the chess world.

Seeing Pan Daoxin leaving with satisfaction, Xu Qilin couldn't help but sigh. Is it really worth it for his own interests and hobbies? Perhaps, to be more precise, that is Pan Daoxin's pursuit and career.

Wearing the "flower bead" on the wrist does not bring immediate effects and feelings to Xu Qilin, but he doesn't care much. It is a Taoist ritual, and he is not a monster, so there is definitely no harm. It is true.

After drinking the tea, Xu Qilin got up and left the house, preparing to wander around casually, and also take a good look at how the residence was built. Lu Da followed behind with great intelligence, which made Wu Sheng much more relaxed.

Although the di shop was rented out, Dayingku enjoys certain privileges and can be used as a guesthouse. At the same time, libraries and other facilities must also be set up and retained, which is determined in the agreement.

"Xu Cheng, please sit down quickly." Boss Qian, who rented the residence to run the business, smiled and was very respectful.

Boss Qian must have relatives and friends working in Dayingku, otherwise he would not have been so well-informed and would have rented this store in front of most people.

It’s not a big problem to take care of it properly. It’s just that it’s less income than open bidding.

Xu Qilin nodded politely and asked, "Boss Qian, I see that there are many customers in this store, and it seems that most of them are rushing to Beijing."

"The autumn examination is about to begin, but I'm going to catch up with these candidates who are taking the exam." Boss Qian diligently brought tea and water, and said with a smile: "I hope they didn't disturb Xu Cheng."

"That's not." Xu Qilin said: "We took up a lot of rooms and made less money based on the usual housing prices."

"Hey, what is Xu Cheng saying?" Boss Qian waved his hand and said, "Even if the room is tight, I don't raise the price. These guys are far away, it's not easy!"

"Honest and trustworthy are the way to manage." Xu Qilin praised, and did not sit down to drink tea. He just walked around and turned around and left.

The guest rooms, warehouses, and mattresses were also seen while Xu Qilin walked and looked. Some were designed by him, while others were added by Boss Qian himself. Only the operators knew what kind of facilities were needed to make customers more convenient and satisfied.

When the canal transportation reform is completed, the trade between the north and the south will be more prosperous, and the business of this diner is probably going to be better. Fortunately, the signing of a two-year agreement is only signed, and if you rent it out, you will have to bid for it publicly and make another purchase.

Xu Qilin walked around, then returned to the store, and ordered Lu Da to go and rest.

The next day, Xu Qilin and others turned to the Wei River and boarded the ship to travel east. This station by land was just a survey. In fact, you can take a boat after leaving Chang'an.

After arriving in Weinan County, Xu Qilin only took a few people off the boat and went to inspect the coal mine. The others went to Luoyang first, and then went from there to the various sections of the routes they were responsible for.

In the Han Dynasty, there was a history of using coal as fuel. At that time, coal mining technology was generally digging along the outcrop, but straight wells were often dug.

Under the guidance of the coal mining officials sent to Xu Qilin rushed to the coal mine, listened to the officials' reports, and checked the coal mining situation.

Without mechanized tools, it is entirely up to human and animal power, so the output of coal can be imagined. However, the price of coal is cheaper, and it is a development trend. By the Song Dynasty, coal was already very common.

However, human coal mining lasted until the Qing Dynasty for thousands of years, and Xu Qilin didn't think so. Isn't it just labor? There is no solution yet?

In addition to mining coal to keep warm, there is also the method of coking in soil, which is very useful for smelting steel.

Most importantly, the promotion and use of coal can protect trees, slow down or even reverse the natural environment deterioration in Guanzhong area.

In Guanzhong in the Tang Dynasty, the natural environment was severely damaged. Over-opening, excessive cultivation, deforestation, and frequent wars led to a large reduction in forest vegetation and serious soil erosion.

The consequences are frequent disasters. The number of natural disasters, floods, droughts, winds, and locust plagues recorded in history is very common. I have to say that this is a punishment from nature.

If the coal output can reach a certain level, Xu Qilin will report to His Majesty Li Er to take measures such as returning farmland to forests, planting trees and afforestation, and sealing mountains and nurturing forests. Don’t turn the rich Guanzhong into a loess high slope filled with wind and sand.

"There are many coal mines in Weinan, so we need to continue to explore and mine." Xu Qilin further arranged and guided the work, "and then build the furnace and sell the coke refined by the officer to the military weapon supervisor."

"As for labor issues, I have also reported to Your Majesty that I would like to call criminals to come, called labor reform." Xu Qilin's face was filled with a bad smile, "If you do well, they will have a chance to reduce their sentences and can go home as soon as possible."

"Xu Cheng is really kind and kind!" A small official bowed and flattered: "This proposal can be said to kill two birds with one stone. How can those criminals not be grateful?"

Hehe, Xu Qilin laughed dryly, feeling a fever on his face, and was quite embarrassed. Free labor, the bare exploitation was like he had done a great thing.

"In addition to criminals, there will be prisoners of war in the future." Xu Qilin said: "Give them the opportunity to make meritorious service and atone for the construction of our Tang Dynasty."

"Xu Cheng is kind! In ancient times, most prisoners of war were killed. This suggests how many creatures are saved, and there are immeasurable merits."

Well, this is right. Look at the ancient wars, it was not uncommon to behead at every level, and thousands of them were not uncommon. It was simply a waste, it was so wasteful.

"Xu Cheng." The official who had flattered the horse reported to Xu Qilin again: "There is a shortage of cars and horses in transportation. It is time-consuming and labor-intensive to transport it to the Wei River."

Xu Qilin nodded and said, "I have read your report and specially transferred people from the Ministry of Works to solve this problem."

In the era when trains had not yet appeared, a form similar to rail transportation had already emerged, that is, wooden board tracks.

This kind of wooden flat "track" first appeared in mining areas in Europe. At first, the wooden tracks were directly made of logs, and the wheel grooves and rims of the track car were just riding on the logs.

Of course, wooden tracks are incomparable to rails. Because they are not resistant to wear, the tracks must be replaced frequently. Replacing them with iron can solve the problem. According to the smelting level of the Tang Dynasty at that time, it is also a technical task that can be completed.

Moreover, because the railcars are not the tall and heavy locomotives and carriages, the rails do not need to be built so wide and waste materials.

It is not very difficult for rail cars to transform the current vehicle's wheels so that they can guide the vehicle along the track.

"How have you studied the drawings?" Xu Qilin turned to several craftsmen in the Ministry of Works and asked: "You can temporarily use hardwood as the rails, then wrap iron, or replace them all with rails."

"Return to Xu Cheng, the little people have figured it out that it is not difficult to make all wooden." A craftsman replied with his hands: "Iron tracks, axles, and even iron wheels will take some time."

Xu Qilin nodded, pointed to the coal pile not far away, and smiled and said, "I will set up a blacksmith shop here and use coke smelting and forging, which is much better than burning wood. The experiment is successful here, and rail transportation will be promoted everywhere. At that time, you will be experts and others will hire you a lot of money."

Several craftsmen were timid, but they didn't take Xu Qilin's words too seriously.

They are craftsmen from the Ministry of Works, so they have no freedom. They are not assigned by the superiors to do whatever they want. The wages are also paid by the Ministry of Works, and others pay a lot of money, which has nothing to do with them.

Xu Qilin naturally knew that such government craftsmen did not have much enthusiasm for work. To improve efficiency, there must be incentive mechanisms.

Therefore, in addition to the Ministry of Works paying these craftsmen, he also took out the money as a bonus and gave it to craftsmen who worked quickly and well.

After listening to Xu Qilin's reward mechanism, the craftsmen showed anger. This trip was worth it and could earn double wages. Of course, you have to sell more effort.

Xu Qilin not only wanted to transport coal quickly and more places, but also promoted rail transportation is not a vain. His recent application is to bypass the land section of Sanmenxia.

Let’s look at it for a long time and connect Chang'an, Shanzhou and Luoyang with tracks, so that the transportation speed and quantity will be more than doubled.

You should know that ancient roads were all dirt roads. Although they had been compacted, they lacked maintenance and were not waterproof.
Chapter completed!