Chapter 3 Nine Sons Embracing Lotus, the Method of Internal Strength

Xu Ji Woodcarving Shop is one of the top woodcarving shops in the outer city. It often receives orders from the inner city and has a huge demand for all kinds of woodcarvings.

They can carve landscape images, Bodhisattva statues, Buddha statues, and even various statues of gods that Li Che has never heard of.

For helpers, they are charged a fixed piece rate for carrying wood and finished statues. It is not much money, but it is exhausting.

But if you can become a formal woodcarving master, you can get at least ten taels of silver for carving a finished product!

Li Che even heard that Master Chen once carved a "Thousand-handed Guanyin Holding a Wooden Statue", which took almost a month and earned a gold leaf, equivalent to one hundred taels!

That is a craft that can make ordinary people rich!

Li Che was moved. If it was before, he would not dare to dream.

Because woodcarving skills need to be cultivated from an early age, and it also tests talent and artistry. For example, many apprentices in the woodcarving shop 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 the woodcarving shop to help, and he had already missed the age.

Although he had thought about self-study, he gave up after trying for a few days.

Why did he think that he could defeat others who had studied hard for almost an entire childhood with a few days of self-study?

Moreover, woodcarving is one thing to see, but it is another to get started.

"Find an opportunity to try... [Xiangong] Daoguo, maybe it really gave me the talent for woodcarving?"

Li Che couldn't help but feel hopeful.

The cold wind blew over, making Li Che calm and sober a little, but he buried the idea of ​​becoming a woodcarving master in his heart and started to work seriously.

Carrying finished woodcarvings is different from carrying wood. You have to be more careful. After all, bumps and bumps will damage the woodcarvings.

Wrap it with cloth and tie it with hemp rope to prevent the statue from being damaged by the friction of the hemp rope when carrying it.

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

Arriving at Master Chen's workshop, he put down the Bodhisattva statue, removed the cloth, and looked at it to see that there were no traces of friction, and he felt relieved.

"Master Chen, the Bodhisattva statue has been moved in. I will move the 'Flower Quliu' for you now. You want a bigger one, right?"

Li Che relaxed his shoulders and smiled.

Master Chen was already sitting on the work chair, sharpening his carving knife with a grindstone.

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

Master Chen picked up the carving knife, squinted his eyes to see the sharpness, and said.

Li Che returned to the yard with heavy snow, and wanted to move the piece of Flower Quliu wood he had chosen.

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

"This piece of Flower Quliu is used to carve the 'Nine Sons Holding Lotus' statue, it seems... not suitable."

Li Che murmured softly.

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

But if the helper picks the wood, if the wood is not suitable...

It's okay for a woodcarver with a good temper, but if he has a bad temper, he may deduct the moving fee.

At that time, not only will he need to move the wood more times, but he will also be deducted money... It's a loss.

Li Che gave up this piece of "Flower Quli" and went to the wood pile to pick again. He touched it with his palm until he picked a piece of wood that he intuitively thought was very good under the influence of the [Xiangong] Dao Fruit.

He came to Master Chen's workshop carrying this heavy "Flower Quli".

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

It only takes a few cuts to outline the general outline, saving a lot of thinking and thinking.

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

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

"Xiao Li, help me move this piece of wood to the platform. 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 quickly agreed. Then he put on the hemp rope and began to carry the heavy "flower elm" and placed it on the metal platform.

"The inner city is pushing hard. Recently, they always need some wood carvings of boys and girls. It must be related to the recent rumor of the "Spirit Infant Master". The hobbies of the inner city nobles... It's really a new style for a period of time."

Master Chen shook his head and muttered.

"It will take five days to complete the goods. I am so old that I am afraid I will be exhausted."

"But the price is also high. Hehe, Xiao Li, guess how much the owner of this order will give?"

Master Chen rubbed his hands, chatting with Li Che while walking to the flower elm soaked by the heavy snow and stained with moisture.

Li Che wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled: "If the goods are delivered in five days... at least fifty taels, right?"

The difficulty of the Nine-Character Lotus Statue is not as high as that of the Thousand-Handed Guanyin, so Li Che made a conservative estimate.

"Fifty taels? Hey... less, less than a gold leaf!"

Master Chen laughed loudly, and then slapped the wood with his palm. The surface of his arm skin seemed to be stained with a layer of red, and hot air rose from his palm and poured into the wood, expelling the moisture in the wood!

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 wood carving 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 strength is integrated into the wood carvings, and the carved wood carvings will have a kind of meaning.

These connotations are the true skills of the wood carving master that can make the noble men in the inner city willing to pay for it.

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 should save some money... I bought the Neijing method. Learning it is one thing, and completing it is another thing."

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 still hot food, so I could eat half full and have enough energy to work.

In the evening, after Li Che received today's thirty-five Dajing copper coins, he left 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.

When he first arrived in the criss-crossed alleys, it was already completely dark. The dim light of the butter lamp emanating 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 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.

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