Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

"As he spoke, Lao Li took the rock hammer, found the right angle, and with a low shout, the rock hammer fell heavily, and finally a clear crack appeared on the granite.

“Did you see it? If you find the right method and use the right effort, there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome.” Old Li said as he handed the jackhammer back to Xiao Chen. Xiao Chen took it, his fighting spirit rekindled in his eyes, and he swung the jackhammer again, with each blow being more firm and powerful.

Outside the pit, the sun was blazing, and Zhu Han hurried over, his face slightly solemn due to worry. He stood at the edge of the pit, his eyes swept over every hard-working craftsman, his heart full of respect.

"Old Li, what's the situation?" Zhu Han's voice penetrated the noise and went directly into Old Li's ears.

Old Li looked up, wiped his sweat, and smiled: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, we are moving forward as planned. It's just that this granite is indeed difficult, but no one backed down."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes full of praise: "I know how hard you've worked. I've sent more people to deliver more tools and cooling supplies to ensure the physical strength of every craftsman."

At this time, a craftsman passed by breathlessly carrying a basket of rubble. Zhu Han reached out to take it and personally moved it to the edge of the pit.

Zhu Han stood at the edge of the pit, staring at the craftsmen below, his heart full of concern and expectation. From time to time, he communicated with Lao Li about the progress of the excavation and possible problems.

"Old Li, how is the digging of the pit going?" Zhu Han's voice came clearly into Old Li's ears through the sound of rain.

Old Li looked up at Zhu Han, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and replied, "Your Majesty, the excavation of the pit is progressing steadily, but the soil is complex, and this sudden rainstorm has brought considerable challenges to our work."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes revealing determination: "No matter how big the difficulties are, we must overcome them. Lao Li, do you have any specific plans?"

Old Li pondered for a moment, pointed to the crack on one side of the pit, and said, "Your Highness, look here, the soil is soft. If we continue digging, it is likely to cause the pit to collapse. I plan to add a support structure here to ensure the safety of the excavation work."

Zhu Han looked in the direction where Lao Li pointed, carefully observed the crack, and then nodded in agreement: "You have considered it very carefully, I will do as you say. If you need any materials or manpower, just let me know."

Old Li looked at Zhu Han gratefully, then turned around and shouted to the craftsmen beside him: "Listen carefully, everyone. We are going to add a support structure here to prevent the pit from collapsing. Xiao Zhang, go and prepare the wooden stakes and planks as soon as possible!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhang immediately responded and soon brought several craftsmen to bring the required materials. The craftsmen acted quickly and, following Lao Li's instructions, drove wooden stakes into both sides of the crack and fixed them with wooden boards to form a stable support structure.

However, the heavy rain did not stop, but intensified. The rain poured into the pits, putting the craftsmen's efforts to a severe test.

"What should we do?" a young craftsman asked anxiously.

Old Li frowned, but his eyes revealed an unyielding light: "We can't be defeated by this rain! Everyone, get to work immediately and use sandbags and soil to build a waterproof dam around the pit to slow down the water flow."

The craftsmen responded and quickly started to build the embankment. They worked together and piled up sandbags and soil shovel by shovel in the heavy rain.

Zhu Han stood aside, watching the craftsmen working tirelessly, and was filled with emotion and admiration. He encouraged them loudly: "Everyone, keep working hard! When the rain stops, I will definitely reward you handsomely!"

The rain finally subsided and stopped. The workers were exhausted, but their faces were filled with the joy of victory. They quickly started to drain the water, using water pumps and drainage ditches to quickly drain the water from the pit.

As the accumulated water receded, the dry bottom of the pit was exposed again. Zhu Han walked down the pit and personally checked the excavation results. He nodded with satisfaction and said to Lao Li: "Lao Li, you did a great job! The pit is dug deep and stable, and I am very satisfied."

Old Li smiled naively and waved his hand, saying, "This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. Your Majesty, thank you for the compliment."

With the successful completion of the pit excavation work, the Buddha casting project officially entered the next stage - mold making.

Zhu Han stood beside the huge newly dug pit, full of anticipation and anxiety about the next challenge. He turned to the blacksmith Lao Li beside him and said, "Lao Li, the pit is done, and the next step is to make the mold. The inner and outer molds must be made accurately. Any mistake may lead to failure."

Old Li nodded solemnly, his eyes flashing with awe for the craftsmanship: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will do my best to ensure that the model is perfect.

However, the production of the inner and outer molds requires great precision and cannot be completed by one person alone. It also requires the concerted efforts of many craftsmen."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, then summoned all the craftsmen to sit around the edge of the pit and made detailed arrangements for the next work plan: "Everyone, now that the pit has been dug, the next step is to make the mold.

The inner mold is the shape of the bell body and needs to be molded with clay, which must be accurate; the outer mold surrounds the inner mold and is used to contain the bronze solution, which also needs to be stable and reliable. Everyone needs to work together and strive for perfection. "

An experienced old craftsman stood up and asked, "Your Majesty, how can we ensure that the gap between the inner and outer molds is uniform to prevent bubbles or cracks from forming during casting?"

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and looked at the representative calligrapher, Lao Zhang, and said, "Mr. Zhang, do you have any suggestions on this point? After all, the scriptures need to be cast on the bell body, and the control of the gap is particularly important."

Old Zhang stroked his beard, his eyes sparkling with wisdom: "Your Majesty, I think that a layer of fine sand and clay mixture can be evenly applied on the surface of the inner mold, which will not only facilitate demoulding, but also effectively control the gap.

At the same time, when making the outer mold, exhaust holes can be reserved to ensure that the bronze solution is filled smoothly and the gas is discharged. "

"Mr. Zhang is absolutely right. This method is both ingenious and practical. Craftsmen must follow this method to ensure that the mold is made correctly."

Old Li then added: "Your Highness, the production of the inner mold needs to be extremely delicate. We must first use clay to gradually shape the inner shape of the clock according to the design drawings. This process requires great patience and skills. Any slight deviation may affect the final product."

Zhu Han felt relieved when he saw this. He turned to Lao Li and said, "Lao Li, you are experienced, so you will be fully responsible for the production of the inner mold. You must ensure that every step is carried out strictly according to the design, and there must be no carelessness."

Old Li bowed and accepted the order, his eyes gleaming with responsibility and honor: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will do my best and live up to your trust." Then, Zhu Han turned his gaze to Old Zhang: "Mr. Zhang, the production of the outer mold is equally important. It must not only be stable and reliable, but also have vent holes to ensure that the bronze solution can be filled smoothly and the gas discharged. This task will be entrusted to you and the calligraphers to jointly ensure that the scriptures are not damaged during the casting process."

Old Zhang also bowed and accepted the order, his eyes flashing with wisdom and determination: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will work together with the craftsmen to ensure that the outer mold is made without any mistakes."

As Zhu Han finished his arrangements, the craftsmen quickly took action. Lao Li led a team of craftsmen who were good at shaping and began to make the inner mold. They first laid a thick layer of clay on the bottom of the pit, and then carefully shaped the internal shape of the clock bit by bit according to the design drawings.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty urgently summons you to the palace. Please go at once." The eunuch who delivered the decree announced solemnly, holding the imperial edict.

Zhu Han's heart trembled, and he felt that something important might happen. He quickly put his clothes in order and hurried to the palace with the eunuch.

After passing through the palace gates, Zhu Han arrived in front of the imperial study. He took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in." Zhu Yuanzhang's steady and powerful voice came from inside the door.

Zhu Han pushed the door open and saw Zhu Yuanzhang sitting on the dragon throne, frowning, as if thinking about something important. Crown Prince Zhu Biao stood beside him, looking equally solemn.

"Your Majesty, I am Zhu Han, and I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Zhu Han saluted.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, signaling Zhu Han to stand up. "Brother Han, no need to be polite. I summoned you here to discuss important matters."

Although Zhu Han had doubts in his heart, he remained calm and waited for Zhu Yuanzhang's next words.

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Brother Han, I have decided to cast this Buddhist bell. However, this bell needs a loud and meaningful name to show its extraordinaryness."

Zhu Han was moved when he heard this. After a brief thought, he replied respectfully, "Your Majesty is right. The name of this bell should contain the majesty of the Great Ming Dynasty and the well-being of the people. I think it can be called the 'Great Ming Hongfu Bell'."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with approval. He nodded slightly, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "'Da Ming Hongfu Bell', what a good name! It not only embodies the majesty and well-being of the Ming Dynasty, but is also easy to spread, which is exactly what I want. Brother Han, you are really quick-witted and have lived up to my expectations."

Zhu Biao stood aside, his eyes full of admiration. He echoed softly, "Uncle Huang is right. The name 'Da Ming Hong Fu Zhong' is not only loud but also has a profound meaning. It is indeed the best choice."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly and looked at Zhu Han again: "Brother Han, the casting of this 'Da Ming Hongfu Bell' will be entirely in your hands."

Zhu Han bowed and accepted the order, his expression solemn and determined: "I will do my best to live up to your majesty's trust and cast this Ming Hongfu Bell with profound meaning."

Zhu Han returned to the construction site from the palace. As soon as he stepped into the construction site, he saw the craftsmen working busily and orderly. The sounds of hammering, sawing and talking of the craftsmen intertwined into a symphony of labor. He walked straight to the blacksmith, Lao Li, with concern and expectation in his eyes.

"Old Li, I'm back." Zhu Han's voice was steady and powerful, breaking the noise of the construction site.

He walked slowly towards Lao Li, his eyes revealing some concern: "Lao Li, how is the production of Neifan going?"

Lao Li stopped what he was doing, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and replied, "Your Highness, the production of the inner mold is in full swing. We are shaping the interior of the bell step by step with clay according to the design drawings, striving to make every detail accurate and correct."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes swept over the carefully carved clay models, and he said with satisfaction: "Very good, the inner mold is the basis of casting, and it must be foolproof. I have seen the hard work of the craftsmen, and when the Buddha bell is cast, I will definitely reward them handsomely."

Hearing this, Old Li smiled naively and said, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. We will do our best to live up to your trust."

At this time, a young craftsman hurried over, looking a little anxious: "Master Li, it seems that the materials for the outer mold are not enough. We need more clay and wood to build the outer mold."

Old Li frowned slightly and turned to look at Zhu Han: "My Lord, what should we do?"

Zhu Han thought for a moment and said in a deep voice, "You quickly go to the city to gather materials. At the same time, I will write a letter to the Ministry of Works to ask them to assist in the preparations. We must ensure that the supply of materials is sufficient and that the construction period cannot be delayed due to shortages."

Old Li took the order and left, while Zhu Han continued to stay at the construction site to supervise and guide the work of the craftsmen.

Just as he was lost in thought, a guard came running over with a letter in his hand, and said breathlessly, "Your Highness, the Ministry of Works has replied."

Zhu Han's eyes lit up when he heard this. He quickly took the letter and opened it to read. In the letter, the Ministry of Works expressed its willingness to fully support the casting of the Buddha bell and promised to allocate enough clay and wood to solve the urgent problem. Zhu Han was relieved after reading it and ordered the guard beside him: "Send someone to the Ministry of Works immediately to coordinate transportation matters and ensure that the materials are delivered as soon as possible."

The guard took the order and left. Zhu Han turned to Lao Li beside him and said, "Lao Li, the Ministry of Industry has agreed to help us solve the material problem. You should immediately arrange for personnel to receive and store the new materials."

Upon hearing this, Old Li showed a relieved smile on his face and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will arrange it right away." After that, he hurried away and began to prepare for receiving the new materials.

However, just when Zhu Han thought the problem was about to be solved, a craftsman suddenly ran over and reported anxiously: "Your Majesty, it's bad! Groundwater has been found at the bottom of the newly dug pit, and the amount of water is greater than before. Drainage has become extremely difficult."

Zhu Han frowned again when he heard this. He hesitated for a moment and said to the guard beside him, "Call all the craftsmen and responsible persons to gather at the pit immediately. We need to reassess the situation and develop a new solution."

Soon, the craftsmen and the person in charge rushed to the pit and gathered around Zhu Han. Zhu Han stood on a high place, looked around at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "Everyone, we have encountered a new problem - a large amount of groundwater has been found at the bottom of the pit again. We must find a solution as soon as possible, otherwise the entire casting project will not be able to continue." (End of this chapter)