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

Xuji Woodcarving Shop is one of the top-ranked 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 might be carvings of landscapes, Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, or even various gods that Li Che had never heard of.

For the helpers, they are charged a fixed piece-rate for carrying wood and finished statues. It would be fine if the money wasn't much, but it's still tiring work.

But if you can become a formal woodcarver and carve a finished product, you can get at least ten taels of silver!

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

That is a skill that is enough to make ordinary people rich!

Li Che's heart was moved. If it were in the past, he would not have dared to have such a fantasy.

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

Li Che was already thirteen years old when he came to work as a helper in the wood carving shop, and he had long missed the age limit.

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

Why would he think that he could defeat others who had spent almost an entire childhood studying hard with just a few days of self-study? Moreover, wood carving is one thing to see, but it is another to get started.

“Let’s find a chance to try… Maybe the [Immortal Craftsmanship] Dao Fruit can really give me a talent for wood carving?”

Li Che couldn't help but feel excited.

The cold wind blew over, making Li Che calm down a little. He just put aside the idea of ​​becoming a woodcarving master and started to work seriously.

Carrying a finished wood carving is different from carrying lumber. You have to be more careful. After all, any bumps or collisions will damage the wood carving.

The statue is wrapped with cloth and then tied with hemp rope to prevent it from being damaged by friction from the rope when being carried.

Carrying the six-eyed Bodhisattva statue on his back, Li Che walked cautiously into the inner room.

When I arrived at Master Chen's workshop, I put down the Bodhisattva statue, removed the cloth, and took a look to see that there were no signs of friction, and I felt relieved.

"Master Chen, the Bodhisattva statue has been moved in. I'm going to 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 his work chair, sharpening his carving knife with a whetstone.

"Yes, hurry up. This time we need to carve a 'Nine Sons Embracing Lotus' statue. The process is complicated, and the inner city is in a hurry to get it."

Master Chen picked up the carving knife, squinted to check its sharpness, and said.

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

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

"It seems... not appropriate to use this piece of elm to carve the 'Nine Sons Embracing Lotus' statue."

Li Che murmured softly.

Most of the time, woodcarving masters will select the wood themselves, but of course there are exceptions. Some woodcarving masters are confident in their own skills and are too lazy to run out in the wind and snow in winter to select wood.

But if the helpers choose the right wood, and the wood they choose is not suitable...

It’s okay if the woodcarving master has a good temper, but if he has a bad temper, he may deduct the transportation fee.

By then, not only will you have to move the wood more often, but you will also be fined... what a loss.

Li Che gave up on this piece of "Flower Quercus" and started to pick from the wood pile again. He touched with his palm until he picked out a piece of wood that he intuitively thought was very good under the influence of the [Immortal Craftsmanship] Dao Fruit.

Carrying this heavy piece of "Flower Quercus", I came to Master Chen's workshop.

"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 was almost completely consistent with the "Nine Sons Embracing Lotus" that appeared in his mind!

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

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

After Master Chen gave the compliment, he started to prepare for the carving.

"Xiao Li, please 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 a hemp rope and began to carry the heavy "flowered elm" and placed it on the metal frame.

"The inner city is pushing hard. Recently they keep asking for some wooden sculptures of boys and girls. It must be related to the recent rumor of the 'Spirit Infant Master'. The inner city nobles' hobbies... really change with each passing year."

Master Chen shook his head and muttered something.

"It will take five days to complete. My old bones...are going to fall apart from all the hard work."

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

Master Chen rubbed his hands and chatted with Li Che as he walked to the elm tree that was soaked and damp from the heavy snow.

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

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

"Fifty taels? Hey... that's less, a whole gold leaf is missing!"

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

The feeling of burning heat was overwhelming. Standing next to Master Chen was like facing a boiling furnace!

Li Che took a deep breath, surprised that this wood carving was worth one hundred and fifty taels, and also surprised and envious of Master Chen's mysterious skills!

These woodcarving masters not only have craftsmanship, but also the legendary... martial arts! Those who can become woodcarving masters all have internal strength, which can be used to dry wood and save a lot of work hours.

Moreover, when the inner strength is integrated into the wood carvings, the carved wood carvings will have a certain meaning. These meanings are the real skills that enable the wood carving masters to make the noble lords in the inner city willingly 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 method, you can learn some of the common internal energy methods that Xu Ji left in the outer city."

"With a few more decades of hard training and accumulation, you will be able to generate internal energy."

Li Che's heart moved slightly: "Master Chen, I wonder what the price of the internal energy method is?"

"You can't buy the superior internal energy method even if you have money. You can only learn it at Xu Ji in the inner city. Ordinary people can't learn it."

"The ordinary internal energy methods in the outer city can be obtained by spending money. The cheapest one... costs thirty taels. What? Are you really interested in it?" Master Chen glanced at Li Che with a smile while using his internal energy.

"Your baby has just been born, so you should save some money... It's one thing to buy the internal energy method, but learning it is one thing, and mastering it is another."

There is no wrong version in the 1619 book forum!

Master Chen shook his head and gave some advice kindly.

It seems that Li Che is really interested.

Master Chen raised his eyebrows and said, "You are a very careful kid, but it's a pity that you didn't try to learn wood carving when you were young. If you want to buy an internal force method, come find me. I have an internal force method. You can learn it for twenty taels."

Li Che did not agree upon hearing this, but 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 get busy again, helping several other wood carving masters to move wood and finished wood carvings.

I also helped the apprentices in the shop carry small pieces of wood and earned wages.

The shop provides lunch. Although it is simple, it is hot food at least and can make you half full and give you energy to work.

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

Wearing a hat and shielding himself from the wind and snow, he bought some charcoal on the way and headed home.

As soon as he arrived at the crisscrossing alleys, it was already completely dark. The dim yellow oil lamp light from his own mud house made Li Che speed up his pace on the snow.

"Ma'am, I'm back."

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

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

Seeing Li Che, Xixi actually started to giggle.

Li Che's heart almost melted. He picked her up and rocked her gently.

Zhang Ya watched this scene with gentle eyes, and took out the dinner prepared for Li Che from the pot.

The hot noodles exude a fragrant aroma.

For poor families, there is no such thing as confinement after childbirth.

There was no need to work in the fields, just preparing dinner, which was considered as confinement for Zhang Ya.

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

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

Zhang Ya held Xixi in her arms, patting her gently and coaxing her, while looking at Li Che curiously.

"My husband, what are you going to do?"

Li Che crossed his fingers and stretched them out in the dim light of the oil lamp, making a clicking sound. He smiled and said, "I learned a trick at the woodcarving shop recently."

"Wife, look at this!"

Zhang Ya couldn't help laughing when she heard this: "Husband, you've learned a lot over the years, but after a few days you'll say seriously that it's good to let it go..."

Li Che raised the corners of his lips slightly: "My wife, please stop making fun of your husband. Have you ever heard of the legend of 'Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west'?"

"I am a different husband now. I am a father now!"

Zhang Ya pursed her lips, 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 the carving techniques and skills of the six-eyed bodhisattva suddenly came to my mind like squeezing wet cotton, and it was like water overflowing...

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

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

(End of this chapter)