The Song Dynasty was the era when the epigraphy of epigraphy was flourishing. Literature liked and attached great importance to it, and many great masters of epigraphy were produced. At this time, people collected bronze ware and attached great importance to the inscriptions on it, called the bell and tripod ware. This trend spread to the people. Even rural copper smiths like Sun Ran knew that the value of bronze ware with inscriptions was immeasurable and they dared not transform and recast.

After hearing that Sun Ran had kept his true colors, Du Zhongxiao let out a sigh and asked him: "How many bronze ware have you received with inscriptions for many years? Where did you go?"

Sun Ran hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'm not hiding it from officials. Over the years, I have only visited three items and sold them to others. Over the years, where can I find a buyer? There are so many bronze ware that we have dug out here, and people have always bribed them here."

Du Zhongxiao also knew that since he knew the value of bronze ware with inscriptions, Sun Ran did not keep it in his hand. He was a bronze smith who made bronze ware for profit, not a collector, and everything was mainly exchanged for money.

Seeing that Sun Ran was submissive, Du Zhongxiao's expression calmed down and said to him: "There are not many bronzes in your home. Logically speaking, if you have been in this industry for so many years, how could there be only such little copper in your home? To be honest, it will be good for you. When the local officials arrive and find bronzes from your home, you will be punished with a higher level."

Sun Ran secretly looked at Du Zhongxiao and guessed his identity. How should he answer?

After seeing Sun Ran's expression, Du Zhongxiao said, "I'm just a passing official. I'm just a passerby. I'll just take you if I find myself in my business. I'll just try you here if I have nothing to do. If you answered happily, I'll plead with the officials in this state for you."

Sun Ran knew that the crime he committed was big, but it was actually small. He didn't steal the tomb, and it was not illegal to be a copper smith. If he really dealt with according to the law, he would be a hiding accomplice at most.

Seeing that Du Zhongxiao was not like a mean person, Sun Ran hesitated and gritted his teeth and said, "I'm not hiding it from officials. If you do this business, how can you hide all the bronze ware at home? In the mountains not far from my house, there are several thatched houses in my house, and most of the bronze ware are hidden there. Recently, I took on a big job to cast a large bronze bell for Ciyuan Temple in Linlu County. Therefore, I have been collecting copper in recent days."

After hearing this, Du Zhongxiao became interested and asked, "The bronze bell is expensive. Although Ciyuan Temple is a big temple, it cannot be built."

Sun Ran said: "The young man didn't know where their money came from, but he just asked me to cast a bell worth hundreds of kilograms for them. It was said that only such a heavy weapon could demonstrate the majesty of their treasure shrine."

Du Zhongxiao heard this and cursed with a smile: "These bald donkeys have cheated on money, so extravagant."

Suddenly, Du Zhongxiao remembered something and asked Sun Ran: "You said you could cast a copper bell worth hundreds of kilograms? This is not an easy task. Only skilled craftsmen who have been immersed in this matter for many years have this ability. If you really have this skill, I can plead for you and give you a way out."

After hearing this, Sun Ran hurriedly bowed: "The officials can use small places, just give orders."

Du Zhongxiao said: "There is the most iron produced in Xiangzhou. The imperial court has a place to cast guns and cannons here. When the magistrate comes, I will explain to him that you don't have to be sent to another state, just do things in the gun workshops in this state. You are exempted from guilt and have something to do."

When Sun Ran heard this, he felt a little disappointed. If he was willing to be a craftsman honestly, why should he hide in the countryside to do such things? But now he is being taken by the government and can only be slaughtered by others, and there is no way to imagine. He was silent for a moment.

Du Zhongxiao guessed Sun Ran’s thoughts and said no more. He was captured by his own people, so where could he have any choice? Craftsmen who could cast bronze bells worth hundreds of kilograms were not common, especially outside the capital. The reason why Du Zhongxiao wanted Sun Ran to cast guns and cannons was because in the future, if they wanted to make large cannons, most of them would still have to use bronze, which would be used for such people. In some workshops in the capital that serve the palace, there are certainly craftsmen with such superb skills, but it is not easy to use them. It is better for folk craftsmen to use them.

After asking about the place where Sun Ran hid the bronze ware, Du Zhongxiao ordered someone to take him out, watch carefully, and rest himself.

Early the next morning, Yang Zi, the governor of Xiangzhou, personally brought the officers to the army, Yao Anle, and came to the Tianxi Town Inn.

Du Zhongxiao welcomed into the inn and sat down separately. He explained in detail how he discovered that someone had stolen and sold copper cauldrons yesterday, how he followed the clues and caught Sun Ran, and the interrogation situation.

After hearing this, Yang Zi said angrily: "The local legend is the ancient tomb of the King of Shang. There have always been many bronze ware that have been dug out, and many people have bought it here. These rural thieves are greedy for a few copper coins and become more and more arrogant! This time they are punished heavily and kill one to warn a hundred!"

Du Zhongxiao said: "In the opinion of the magistrate, these people should be carefully distinguished. Those who dig ancient tombs should be punished seriously. As for the craftsmen who buy copper, they are just hiding and selling stolen goods, and they should not be sentenced seriously according to the law."

Yang Zi was stunned: "How do you say this by the doctor?"

Du Zhongxiao said: "When I was in the Volcanic Army, I made muskets and cannons, which were extremely sharp. I repelled the Khitan attacks in Tanglong Town. When I went to the capital to demonstrate, the emperor and the ministers in the court also thought that this was a powerful weapon in the army and were specially ordered to cast them in Xiangzhou. The ten books of Taoist officials were originally people who were with me. Sun Ran's family had the ability to cast weapons, so they could order them to serve under Tao Shiqi."

Yang Zi was a little reluctant: "I am just a rural craftsman. There are such people everywhere, one more, not one less, and one less. In my opinion, I should be sent to remote military states to let other local people in this industry take it as a warning!"

Du Zhongxiao said: "There are few people who can cast hundreds of kilograms of bronze ware, and Sun Ran is also rare. Now it is the time to use people, so he will be lenient and make meritorious contributions to the court."

Yang Zi himself had just taken the position of a library and was a proofreader of the Secret Pavilion. He didn't take the position of a library. He was not the turn of a magistrate of Xiangzhou. He knew that Du Zhongxiao was a bachelor's college for the examination this time. He was young and he couldn't sell his face, so he reluctantly agreed.

The most widely rumored thing about Yang Zi is that when he went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, he fell in love with a fireworks woman. When he was in the capital, he was grateful to this woman for help. He stayed together for about a hundred years. Later, when he was in high school, he returned home with this woman. Somehow he had no face to meet his family and asked to drink medicinal wine to commit suicide. As a result, the woman died of drinking poisonous wine, and Yang Zi broke his promise and became an official.

Such things are passed down by word of mouth, and the more they are spread, the more outrageous it is no longer the true face of things. When Du Zhongxiao heard people talk about it, he would not believe it. The down-and-out Jinshi was poor in the capital, and it was not uncommon for women to eat and drink by fireworks. It was like Liu Sanbian, who ate many families by one. But if one of them was not married to you and the other one was not married, he had never heard of them. Because outsiders were not easy to ask, not many people could explain the true face of Yang Zi, and they just regarded it as a strange story. Unexpectedly, this incident spread widely, and no one refuted it for him. It can be seen that Yang Zi's character has few friends in the officialdom and his political achievements are not outstanding. Du Zhongxiao just wanted to protect Sun Ran's family, and he might have used it in the future, so he had no intention of having a deep conversation with Yang Zi.
Chapter completed!