In the Salt and Iron Department, Xu Ping was in charge of military cases, Zhou case and commercial tax case, military case and commercial tax case are all chores, just doing things according to the rules. Xu Ping had to slowly become familiar with the rules, and there was no place to play for the time being. Only Xu Ping found an opportunity to show his talents because he was in charge of repairing rivers and canals.

Because of its clear water quality, Jinshui River has always been the water source used by the imperial palaces and the wealthy families in the capital. Many people also rely on this river water. The drinking water source cannot be connected to the Caohe River, otherwise the water quality will become deteriorated. Therefore, where the Jinshui River enters the city and crosses the Bian River, a sink is placed on the Bian River to divert water. The sink cannot be too high, otherwise it will be difficult to raise water, which blocks the shipping of the Bian River. The Jinshui River must be cut off regularly every day to move the sink to allow ships to pass. It is laborious and very troublesome.

When Xu Ping had not passed the Jinshi exam, he felt uncomfortable when he saw the water drainage tank. Now he was in charge of it himself, and immediately wrote a letter to change the water drainage tank into an underground culvert. The matter was not big, because it was related to the transportation of the Bian River and the water source of the capital. He said that it was small and it was not small, so he issued an edict to the Third Department and Kaifeng Prefecture to discuss.

There are naturally culverts in this era, but they are not clear about their principles. The three commanders Cheng Lin and Wang Bowen, the Zhikaifeng Prefecture, were both unsure of this kind of project. Fortunately, they were both used because of officials, and they were not only good at talking. After Xu Ping demonstrated the principle of culverts, although he was still skeptical, he finally supported him to start the construction.

Taking advantage of the lack of rain in autumn and the weather is not too cold. After more than ten days of intense construction, the culvert project was finally completed on time, and the water diversion tank outside the water gate on the Bian River was finally removed.

On the day of water circulation, the emperor specially brought his close ministers to the city gate to watch. He saw that the Jinshui River was indeed unobstructed. He praised Xu Ping very much.

Since returning to Beijing, Xu Ping has been promoted a few days later. This time he has made no contributions, but he is a little uncomfortable. Although Xu Ping is not a person who is keen on promotion and wealth, he feels a little empty and returns home in depression.

Lin Suniang took Panpan to visit Li Zhang's house. Her parents returned to the countryside, but Xu Ping had no one to speak, so she went to the study as soon as she got home.

Xiuxiu sent a letter two days ago, telling her situation after she returned home. Everything was fine and she didn't let Xu Ping worry about it. She also sealed up the dowry sent by Lin Su Niang to her house, and when will she have the chance to return it to the Xu family? Another thing is that Xiuxiu's contract for sale is invalid. She is no longer a slave, and she is old. It is difficult to call Xiuxiu the name again, so that Xu Ping can give her an official name.

Xu Ping has been thinking about Xiuxiu's name these two days, so he must have a loud and nice sound. He can't be careless. As for whether Lin Su Niang knows the correspondence between the two, what would she think in her heart. Since she sent Xiuxiu away with her back, Xu Ping didn't care anymore.

Over the years, Xiuxiu has been by her side, and it is hard to say what Xu Ping has thought about her, but she regards her as her relative and must make her live a happy life.

Just as Xu Ping was alone in the study, the servant came in to report that the eunuch Shi Quanbin was outside the door and asked Xu Ping to go out to receive the order.

Xu Ping was stunned. Could it be that the emperor returned to the palace and remembered that he wanted to reward himself for promotion?

When I left the yard, I saw Shi Quanbin, and welcomed him to the yard, put on an incense table and accepted the imperial edict. It turned out that it was a praise, and I was verbally praising it by the Jinshui River. This time I wrote it on paper to praise it, and nothing was useful.

Now Xu Ping's official position has been promoted very high, so it is not easy to promote him casually. He can only wait to get some experience and promotion.

After issuing an imperial edict, Shi Quanbin said to Xu Ping: "Yunxing, we have not seen each other for many days. It is rare to have free time today. It is better to sit together and chat together."

Xu Ping hurriedly gave Shi Quanbin to his yard and said, "But it's good. Today I am the only one left at home. I'm very bored and I just happened to be here."

When he arrived in the living room, the servant got tea. Shi Quanbin held the tea without saying anything, but just lowered his head.

Seeing this attitude, Xu Ping didn't understand. He pulled the servant out and said to Shi Quanbin: "Does the chief of the Pavilion have something to say to me? There is no one else at home, but it's okay to say it."

Shi Quanbin raised his head and his face became solemn: "Yun Xing, I will not hide it from you. I specially asked you for this imperial edict to send it. I cannot leave the palace, so I can only meet you like this. I am here today, I have something to ask you for advice."

It’s not that Shi Quanbin cannot leave the palace, but that he cannot come to see Xu Ping casually. It has always been a taboo in the court. If others find out, the censors will definitely attack with all their strength.

Seeing that Shi Quanbin was speaking solemnly, Xu Ping did not dare to neglect it. Although he was a little nervous, he was afraid that Shi Quanbin would have something to do to find him, so he still said to him: "People have something to say."

Shi Quanbin took out a black piece of things from his sleeve, put them on the table, and asked Xu Ping: "Yunxing, have you seen such things?"

Xu Ping held it in his hand, it was cold and heavy. It could be seen that it was metal, but he didn't know what it was.

Seeing Xu Ping looking at him with confusion, Shi Quanbin said, "In the past two days, a man from Jiangnan came to the capital with such things. I don't know if anyone introduced him, but he actually came to the palace. He said that this was using secret medicine to turn iron into copper, and he hoped that someone would use his method to get some rewards."

"Use iron to transform copper?" Xu Ping took the thing and slashed it at the table, and it turned out to be red.

"Use iron to transform copper?" Xu Ping couldn't help laughing, "What is this secret method? I can soak iron in water to transform copper. There are many records in the books of previous generations. What's so magical!"

Chilly is copper sulfate. Iron replaces copper from copper sulfate solution, which is just a simple replacement reaction. There was no such knowledge in this era, but in practice, predecessors have discovered this phenomenon and wrote books, but it is not noticeable.

"Can the alum fruit really leach copper? It turns out that it's not false."

Shi Quanbin took the black thing and touched it with his hands, his face full of surprise.

"The head of the Pavilion is asking about this? Then I can tell you with certainty that it is true that it is true to transform copper into alum!" Xu Ping suddenly remembered that it seemed that the history books introduced the water method of the Song Dynasty to smelify copper, which was to replace copper with iron. Could it be for this? This is also a considerable contribution, but copper was lacking in this era.

Shi Quanbin sighed: "I would not come to you like this just for this matter. Because the court lacks copper coins, many ministers now offer suggestions, and the court has given generous rewards."

"I know this. Now the three departments are also discussing the minting of the ten coins, and they are still undecided." The minting of the ten coins was proposed by Ren Bu, the deputy envoy of salt and iron, but it was still discussed on a small scale. There was no discussion in the three departments, and Xu Ping did not participate.

Shi Quanbin said: "It was because Ren Bu proposed to cast ten coins and most ministers thought it was not feasible that someone proposed other ideas. The person who presented iron and copper was looking for Yan Wenying, the current deputy minister. Yan Wenying contacted Xu Shen and asked him to mix copper and iron with coin. If this method is done, Yan Wenying in the palace will be in power."
Chapter completed!