Qin Official

The name of the Anlu County engineer is "Shi", Shi, suitable for Sui, Sui for cutting feet to fit shoes.

His family was originally a cobbler from Shangqiu in the Song Dynasty. According to the elders in the family, he followed the Mo family into Chu more than a hundred years ago, but that is not important anymore. After entering Chu, their family has been making leather for Ejun of Chu for generations. There are clouds in the trees and rhinos and elk in them, so it is perfect for making armor leather.

After the Qin State captured Jianghan and established Nanjun, their family became the hometown of Baigong and lived in the government. Because the Qin State also established a reward and punishment system in the handicraft industry, the armor leather they made was so good that it was rated "the best" for three consecutive years, so they were awarded the title of Duke. From then on, they had a higher status than other craftsmen. .

By Shi's generation, the title had been handed down for three generations, and he had performed meritorious services many times. He was promoted from Gongshi to Bu Geng, and Shi became the county engineer. Although he was only an official with two hundred stones, it was the limit of what a craftsman could hope for. .

When he reaches his status, he no longer needs to cut fur and make leather by himself, but the daily work of the engineer Shi Shi has not eased at all. The county engineer is equivalent to the county industrial and commercial bureau and the mineral resources bureau in later generations. There are too many things to take care of...

The first thing he needs to take care of is the government-run workshops in Anlu County.

Anlu County is a large county, with tens of thousands of households having great needs for food, clothing, housing and transportation, so there are many workshops.

His family's specialty is leather cutting. Every day they process the hides of wild beasts shipped from around Yunmengze, or the hides of livestock collected from various villages and towns. It should be noted that even if the cow in the stable in the village dies, the residents are not allowed to take the meat, skin, sinews, and horns from the cow. Instead, they should hand it over to the government. The government will sell the meat to the public and the leather to the government. In the workshop, it will be scraped and rubbed. Most of these leathers are cut into pieces of armor and then woven into armor. They are continuously sent to the arsenal for storage, and will be equipped on county soldiers during wartime...

In addition, there are also wood attack houses for making carts and boats; gold attack houses for smelting farm tools and weapons; and Bohui work for making pottery and measuring utensils of various sizes...

The people who work in these government-run workshops, in addition to ordinary craftsmen, also have many workers' subordinates and concubines. Most of them committed crimes and were punished as slaves, and were assigned to the workshops to do mining and skin scraping. The hard work and dirty work.

Just after the first day of the twelfth lunar month, Anlu County was still shrouded in thick white fog. The engineer had already gotten up and inspected the workshop to see if the craftsmen and officials had started work on time.

There was no room for him to be dissatisfied, because a few days ago, the county commander issued a new order from Xianyang, requiring counties in Nanjun to increase the production of armor, shields, and weapons this year. The output has doubled compared with previous years!

People in the Engineering Division have speculated that with so many armored soldiers being produced in the border counties, the king may be planning to use troops against Chu, either this year or next year!

When it comes to armaments, the engineer is worried. He can guarantee the output, but the key lies in the quality of the armor and the size of the weapons. It is really difficult to meet the standards.

When Nanjun sent someone to inspect it last year, he was fined two armors because the weapons made in the workshop did not meet the standard size, and he lost more than 8,000 yuan. This year the county's requirements were even more stringent, and the engineers had to urge the workshops to work overtime.

Therefore, when the engineer was inspecting, he said earnestly to the craftsmen: "There is a law that states that if the utensils are the same as the object, their size, length, length, and breadth must be the same! When you are handling utensils, especially weapons and containers, you must be careful. The size is the same. Every item has the name of the craftsman on it. If you are careless and let the county find out that the size is different, the craftsman will definitely investigate it to the end and punish it severely!"

What made the craftsmen most angry was this regulation. Craftsmen of the Qin State must cast utensils according to the fixed standards set by Xianyang.

For example, the local Tao Sheng used to measure rice must be made according to the "Shang Yang Square Sheng" model in Xianyang that has been passed down for more than a hundred years. The volume of sixteen and one-fifth cubic inches is determined as one liter. When the officials from Nanjun inspected Anlu's Fang Sheng, the error should not exceed 5%, otherwise it would be a violation.

This is especially true for weapons. When making crossbows, the different hanging knives made by different craftsmen in Anlu County and Jingling County must be of the same size, so that they can be installed on the crossbow made in Jiangling County...

Engineer Shi didn't know that some people in later generations would call this extremely demanding process "standardized production." He only knew that if unqualified armored soldiers appeared for three consecutive years, he, the engineer, would be done. Maybe the title will be reduced, and we can continue to work in the family's old business and scratch our skin...

Therefore, when the engineer returned to the courtyard where the government office was located, and before he took off his heavy winter clothes, he heard someone coming outside to offer a "grain-crushing artifact", and he was very impatient.

"Are there any craftsmen from the countryside coming to offer treasures?"

The Qin State has strict rewards and punishments, so the small craftsmen in the countryside often hope to be rewarded for the things they offer, such as being exempted from one shift, or being rewarded with hundreds of dollars. However, people in remote areas often treat a little thing as a treasure. In fact, it is nothing special. I have seen many engineers and Shishi. How is it possible that everyone sends "He's Bi"?

The story of He's Bi is widely circulated in Nanjun. It happened in the Chu State hundreds of years ago. Bian He, a native of Chu State, offered bis twice, but they were both considered fake and were cut into pieces. All gone. It was not until the third time that he was accepted, and from then on he had the most precious treasure in the world and his clan jade...

But Qin is not the king of Chu. As long as the person who comes to offer the utensils does not do anything beyond his duties, he must accept it, no matter whether it is good or bad. Then he told them in a pleasant manner that this thing is useless and will not get any reward. You can just stay here and wait for a while...

Therefore, even though Gong Shishi didn't want to see them, he still had the two treasure presenters from Yunmengxiang brought up. It was just a waste of half a moment.

Not long after, two people carried an object into the yard of the Engineer's Office, attracting the attention of all the officials in the yard.

Walking in front was a seven-and-a-half-foot young man with a brown headband and wearing soap-colored linen clothes. He was obviously a gentleman. The man behind is eight feet tall. Judging from his appearance, he is probably a soldier or craftsman.

When he arrived, he put down the things in his hands and bowed skillfully to the engineer: "During the sunset in Yunmeng Township, the gentleman Heifu and the craftsman Citron have seen the engineer!"

Citron on the side also followed suit and bowed clumsily.

"Black husband?"

The name seemed familiar to the engineer, and the clerk next to him told him that this was the warrior who became famous for capturing three thieves in October.

"What a strong man!"

At that time, warriors were valued, so the engineers had to praise them, and their attitude towards them became a little better, so they were allowed to enter the house. After checking their biographies and biographies, they began to be patient and listened to Mr. Hei. Introducing the artifact they brought to the county seat...

"I dare to tell the engineer that this thing is called a treadle. It was made by chance by my sister-in-law..."

After listening to the introduction, the engineer couldn't help but be suspicious. From ancient times to the present, rice has been pounded with one hand, but the two people in front of him said that it can be pounded with wooden poles by foot, which is faster and more labor-saving?

“Can this thing really help pound rice with twice the result with half the effort?”

"Engineer, please look at this. This is the record I made for my sister-in-law."

Heifu took out a piece of wood and handed it over. When the engineer took a look, he saw that it was densely written with the records of pounding rice every day for more than half a month. Each time, Heifu looked at the sun and pounded for about half an hour. The amount of millet he pounded ranged from 5 to 7 bushels. Once, he even got 8 bushels!

The more the county engineer looked at it, the more surprised he became. First, he was surprised that Heifu recorded it so carefully, as if everything was within his plan. Secondly, I am doubting, can this treadmill really grind so much grain in half an hour?

The officials of the State of Qin paid great attention to practical results, and the county engineer did not waste much time asking questions. After giving an order, two petty officials came up with several workers and ministers.

"Carry it to the county warehouse! You will know if it is true or false after you try it!"

His engineer's office was not as impressive as the official offices reserved for county magistrates and county lieutenants. It only had a small courtyard, a few rooms for offices, and the county warehouse behind the courtyard.

There are not only ready-made stone mortars and mountains of millet and rice in the county warehouse, but also nearly a hundred concubine slaves who are serving the punishment of "pounding" and are responsible for pounding the grain.

Heifu stood up again and made a suggestion: "Engineer, it is best to let two concubines of about the same height and strength use the treadmill, pestle and mortar to pound the grain at the same time, so that the difference is more obvious."

"That makes sense."

The engineer Shi Shi nodded, accepted his opinion, and said: "You two will also go to the county warehouse together to teach the concubines how to use it. Everything will be figured out by yourself."

Hei Fu looked embarrassed: "I haven't told the engineer yet. Hei Fu is just accompanying my sister-in-law this time. I have something urgent to do and I have to go first..."

"Presumptuous!" Gong Shishi was a little unhappy: "Since you came here to present the utensils, you should wait until the results come out. Why are you so anxious? Could it be that you are in a hurry to become an official?" The reason why he said this was because today It is the first day of December, the day when officials at all levels begin to be selected.

Coincidentally, Heifu was really in a hurry to interview as an official.

Heifu nodded helplessly, pointed to the wall and said, "Engineer, I won't go far, it's at the government office next door."

Engineer Shi was stunned: "The yard next door is where the county officials manage their affairs. Do you really want to..."

Heifu smiled and said: "Of course, I was recruited by the county and ordered to be evaluated by the chief officials to see if I am qualified for the position of Huyang Pavilion Chief. The evaluation is today. I hope the engineer will understand. The time is coming, I We really need to take the first step!"

…

PS:

"Counties, capital officials, and twelve counties are exempted from officials, assistants, and officials. They will be exempted on the first day of the twelfth lunar month and end in the third month." - "Eighteen Types of Qin Code. Regulations for Setting Officials"

"If utensils are the same as objects, their size, length, length and breadth must also be the same." - "Eighteen Types of Qin Laws. Gonglu", well, this is the textual basis for the "standardized production" of the Qin Dynasty on the Internet. As for the final calculation Not really, readers can make their own judgment.

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