I was chased by my sickly junior brother who had two lives

On this day, the sun shone through the window lattice and sprinkled on the study room of the Chen Mansion, which was filled with various metal materials, design sketches and ancient books. Chen Jia and Chen Jue sat opposite each other, with copper ingots, iron blocks and some rubbings of ancient bronzes on the table. Chen Jia gently opened an ancient book that recorded the ancient bronze craftsmanship and spoke first: "Husband, we have made a lot of achievements in gold, silver, jade and silver products, but I have been reading ancient books recently and found that the craftsmanship of copper and iron also contains great potential. Copper has a long history, and its unique color and texture can create very charming decorations. Iron is tough and durable. Combined with copper, it may create objects of different styles. Reproductions of tomb bronze tripods can not only satisfy collectors' love for antiques, but also inherit the ancient bronze culture. There are also swords, arrows, guns, etc. made of copper-iron alloys. If used as home decorations, they will definitely show unique taste."

Chen Jue nodded slightly, his eyes fell on those metal materials, and he said thoughtfully: "Madam, your idea is really novel and far-sighted. Copper ornaments can show a simple and elegant style, and copper-iron alloy products have both the gorgeousness of copper and the hardness of iron, which will definitely attract many customers. However, the reproduction of the tomb bronze tripod requires a very high level of craftsmanship, and its shape, decoration and craftsmanship characteristics must be accurately restored. The production of copper-iron alloy is not easy either, and the ratio of the two must be accurately mastered to achieve ideal performance."

Chen Jia put down the ancient book and said seriously: "My husband, I know the difficulty. For the reproduction of the bronze tripod in the tomb, we can call on experts who study ancient bronzes, refer to a large amount of archaeological data and real objects, and strive to achieve a high degree of restoration in terms of shape, decoration, material, etc. In terms of production technology, we use traditional lost wax method and mold casting method to ensure that the replica bronze tripod has a simple texture. For copper-iron alloy products, we first study the characteristics of alloys in different proportions theoretically, and then through many experiments, find the most suitable formula for making swords, arrows, guns and other decorations. At the same time, we pay attention to design so that these decorations can retain the charm of traditional weapons and meet the needs of modern home decoration."

Chen Jue thought for a moment and added, "Madam, copper ornaments can be designed according to different styles. For example, we can draw on the solemnity and mystery of bronze ware from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to create works with a sense of historical weight; or combine modern aesthetics to design simple yet elegant copper ornaments. In addition to accurately restoring the bronze tripod in the tomb, we can also make appropriate innovations in the details to make it more ornamental. For copper-iron alloy swords, arrows, guns and other ornaments, while ensuring safety, we can use some precious materials or exquisite craftsmanship on the hilt, arrow feathers, gun tassels and other parts to enhance their value."

Chen Jia's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "My husband's ideas are great! In this way, our products will not only be practical, but also have artistic value and cultural connotations. Then we will quickly call together relevant craftsmen and experts to discuss and listen to their professional opinions."

Chen Jue nodded in agreement: "Okay, gather experts who are good at copperware making, metal smelting, and research on ancient bronzes, let everyone discuss together and give full play to their respective expertise."

Soon, a group of experienced craftsmen and experts gathered in the study. After Chen Jia and Chen Jue explained their ideas in detail, an expert on ancient bronzes frowned and said, "Duke, Madam, the reproduction of the tomb bronze tripod is indeed a difficult task. From the accuracy of the shape to the delicacy of the decoration, it requires extremely high skills. Moreover, the material formula and production process of ancient bronzes have been lost in the process of transmission, so we need to restore them through a lot of research and experiments."

Chen Jue thought for a moment and said, "Expert, we can cooperate with archaeological institutions in various places to obtain more research data on ancient bronzes. At the same time, we can organize craftsmen to conduct special learning and training to improve their understanding and mastery of ancient bronze craftsmanship. During the production process, we should conduct more simulation tests and continuously adjust and improve."

At this time, a craftsman who is good at making copperware said: "Duke, Madam, we can use a variety of techniques to make copper ornaments, such as gilding, inlaying gold and silver, inlaying, etc., to enrich the appearance of copper ornaments. But in the production process, we must pay attention to the coordination between different techniques to avoid being too complicated."

Chen Jia said: "Master, you are right. In the design process, we should pay attention to the overall beauty and use the technology reasonably according to the different product positioning. Moreover, we should ensure the quality of the technology so that the copper decorations are both beautiful and durable."

Then, a metal smelting master said, "Duke, Madam, the key to making copper-iron alloy is to control the ratio of copper to iron and the smelting temperature. Different ratios will lead to great differences in the hardness, toughness and other properties of the alloy. We need to conduct multiple tests and draw detailed performance charts in order to accurately grasp them."

Chen Jue said: "Master, please take the trouble to record the proportion, temperature and final performance results of each test in detail during the test. At the same time, explore how to optimize the production process and improve production efficiency while ensuring the performance of the alloy."

A craftsman who is good at making weapons said: "Duke, Madam, when using copper-iron alloy to make swords, arrows, guns and other decorations, the design should retain the characteristics of traditional weapons while considering the safety of home decoration. For example, the blade, arrowhead, gun tip and other parts can be designed with blunt instruments to avoid causing harm."

Chen Jia nodded and said, "Master, you have considered everything very carefully. In the design process, safety should be put first. At the same time, attention should be paid to details, such as the grip of the hilt, the decorativeness of the arrow feathers, the material of the spear tassel, etc., which should all be carefully designed to improve the overall quality of the decoration."

Everyone took orders and threw themselves into the intense preparation and production.

A few days later, Chen Jia and Chen Jue came to the workshop where copper ornaments were made. A copperware craftsman excitedly presented several copper ornaments that had just been completed, saying, "Duke, Madam, we used gilding and inlaid gold and silver techniques to make these copper ornaments. This copper plate was made with the gilding technique, and exquisite auspicious animal patterns were painted on the plate, making it look magnificent. This copper tripod-shaped ornament was made with the inlaid gold and silver technique, and gold and silver threads were inlaid on the body of the tripod, outlining the simple patterns and adding a bit of magnificence."

Chen Jia gently took the ornament, examined it carefully, and exclaimed: "Master, this craftsmanship is really exquisite! The auspicious beast pattern is lifelike, and the gilding and inlaying of gold and silver are handled very well. It's just that if the edge of this copper plate can be polished a little more rounded, it will be more delicate. And for this copper tripod ornament, the lines of the inlay of gold and silver can be smoother to make the decoration more vivid."

Chen Jue also nodded and said, "Master, the surface treatment of the jewelry must be even, ensuring consistent color and improving the overall texture."

The copperware craftsman quickly said, "Don't worry, Duke and Madam, we will continue to improve it according to your requirements."

At the site where the bronze tripod from the tomb was being reproduced, experts and craftsmen who study ancient bronze artifacts were working intensively. Chen Jue looked at the replica bronze tripod that had taken shape and said to the expert: "Expert, the shape of this bronze tripod is very close to the original, but the details of the decoration need to be further refined. For example, the lines of the Taotie pattern can be deepened to highlight its three-dimensional sense."

The expert nodded and said, "What the Duke said is absolutely right. We will organize craftsmen to do the detailed carving. At the same time, we are also constantly adjusting the proportion of materials, striving to achieve a texture similar to that of ancient bronze tripods."

In the workshop that makes copper-iron alloy products, the metal smelting master is testing the performance of a new batch of copper-iron alloy. Chen Jia asked, "Master, how is the performance of this alloy? Does it meet the requirements for making swords, arrows, guns and other decorations?"

The metal smelting master said, "Madam, the hardness and toughness of the alloy this time are both ideal, but the ductility needs to be adjusted. We plan to increase the proportion of copper appropriately and see what the effect is."

After the hard work of craftsmen and experts day and night, the first batch of copper ornaments, replicas of tomb bronze tripods, and household decorations such as swords, arrows, guns made of copper-iron alloy were finally completed.

Copper ornaments have various shapes and exquisite craftsmanship. The gilded copper plates are dazzling, the copper tripod ornaments inlaid with gold and silver are simple and gorgeous, and some simple copper ornaments attract attention with their unique shapes and delicate textures. The replica of the tomb copper tripod highly restores the style of the ancient copper tripod. Whether it is the shape, decoration or material, it seems to make people travel back to ancient times. Swords, arrows, guns and other decorations made of copper-iron alloys retain the charm of traditional weapons and incorporate modern design elements. The hilt is wrapped with precious wood and inlaid with gems, which increases the grip and improves the beauty; the arrow feathers are carefully made of colorful feathers and are decorative; the gun tassels are made of fine silk, fluttering in the wind, showing elegance.

Chen Jia and Chen Jue were delighted to see these works that were the result of everyone's hard work. Chen Jia said, "My husband, these works are so outstanding! Each one shows our inheritance and innovation of traditional craftsmanship. I believe that they will be favored by customers after they are launched on the market."

Chen Jue smiled and said, "My dear, this is all thanks to everyone's joint efforts. We can first set up a special display area in the store to display these new products and invite dignitaries, wealthy businessmen, collectors and ordinary people in the city to come and taste them. At the same time, we can increase publicity by holding cultural lectures, craft exhibitions and other activities to let more people understand the cultural connotations behind these products."

Soon, Chen Jia and Chen Jue held a new product tasting event in the store. People from all walks of life in the city were invited and praised these unique products.

A collector picked up a copper ornament and exclaimed: "Duke Chen, Madam Chen, the craftsmanship of this copper ornament is simply amazing! The use of gilding and inlaid gold and silver is just right, which not only shows the simplicity of copper, but also adds a sense of luxury. It is really a good collectible."

Chen Jia smiled and responded: "Thank you for your praise. We are committed to inheriting and promoting traditional craftsmanship. We hope these works will add luster to your collection."

A scholar looked at the replica of the tomb bronze tripod and said: "This replica bronze tripod, whether in shape or decoration, has highly restored the ancient style, making people seem to feel the charm of ancient bronze culture. Duke Chen and Madam Chen, you have made great contributions to the inheritance of culture."

Chen Jue said: "Sir, you are too kind. We hope that through these replicas, more people will understand and know the ancient bronze culture."

One nobleman looked at the sword made of copper and iron alloy and said, "This sword is really suitable as a home decoration. It has the majesty of a traditional sword and the sophistication of modern times. Duke Chen and Madam Chen, your creativity always brings surprises to people."

Chen Jia said: "Thank you for your recognition. We hope to provide everyone with unique home decorations to make life full of art and culture."

With the praise of the public, Chen Jia and Chen Jue once again achieved great success in the business field with their innovative ideas and persistent pursuit of craftsmanship. Their copper and copper-iron alloy products not only enriched the market choices, but also injected new vitality into the inheritance and development of traditional crafts, becoming another good story in the commercial development history of Qing State.