第567章:符牌改制(至元十三年?和林枢密院)
和林枢密院的檀木案上,萧虎的手指抚过新送来的狼首符,符身的钦察铁矿泛着冷光,却在验矿镜下显形出双虎纹暗刻。"冶铁司的新工艺,"他对巴拉珠尔道,"在符芯嵌漠北矿,"铁锥轻点符背,"含硫量二点五厘,"锥尖带出的粉末,"恰合和林符牌标准。"
巴拉珠尔展开《符牌改造图》,狼首纹外壳与虎纹内芯的榫卯结构一目了然:"按赵都点检的设计,"他指着图纸,"外符刻狼首,"外壳的狼眼处,"内芯铸虎纹,"内芯刻着八思巴文密令,"符牌共振时,"他敲击符身,"必显虎纹。"
冶铁司的工匠呈上半成品,符芯的虎纹凹槽内,整齐排列着十二粒漠北矿:"每符十二粒,"工匠首领道,"对应西域十二州,"矿粒的排列,"按郭守敬'十二次星图',"他展示模具,"此乃'以汉制蒙'之法。"
萧虎的令旗划过符牌,旗面双虎纹与符身暗刻形成共振:"二十年前的狼首符,"他望向窗外的虎首金帐,"如今成了咱们的耳朵,"令旗的流苏,"符牌震动,"他冷笑,"和林皆知。"
枢密院的符牌库内,新铸的双虎纹符节整齐排列,狼首纹符被逐一改造。萧虎知道,这不是磁石的玄奥,而是冶铁司的精密锻造,让宗王的符牌,成为大元制度的传声筒。
完颜雪的密报送到,羊皮纸上的火漆印显示来自撒马尔罕:"察合台军新制护心镜,"她展开图纸,"镜面狼首纹,"图纸的阴影处,"镜背铸双虎纹,"她的验丝镜,"赵都点检的工匠,"镜中显示铸痕,"三年前嵌入的铸铁丝。"
赵元的兵器坊记录证实了这一点,模具档案显示:"护心镜模具,"他对萧虎道,"狼首纹模具,"他展示木雕,"狼嘴处,"木雕的缝隙,"暗藏虎纹阴刻,"他的青铜卡尺,"深度一分五厘,"卡尺的刻度,"恰容漠北矿粉。"
完颜雪的密探带回实物,镜背的双虎纹在验矿镜下显形:"每面镜,"她用银锥轻刮,"含漠北矿三钱,"银锥带出的粉末,"可与和林信标,"她指向窗外的信标塔,"产生共振。"萧虎点头,这是三年前埋下的伏笔,让敌军的护心镜,成为大元的信标。
兵器坊的炉火中,新铸的护心镜正在淬火,狼首纹的咽喉处,隐约可见双虎纹的剪影。赵元的工匠们知道,每一面护心镜,都是大元制度的特洛伊木马,让敌军在自以为的防护中,戴上了大元的枷锁。
和林国子监内,质子孛儿只斤?达瓦正在临摹《孝经》,狼毫笔的墨汁里混着漠北矿粉:"张夫子,"他指着"忠"字的最后一捺,"此墨为何泛光?"张夫子微笑:"掺了漠北矿,"他展示砚台,"可防篡改,"砚台的双虎纹,"亦合大元法度。"
达瓦的习字册被送到枢密院,萧虎看着"忠君"二字的铁痕:"此子的字,"他对完颜雪道,"已有中原气象,"册页的边缘,"却未失蒙古笔力,"他的手指,"这是最好的符牌。"
国子监的射艺课上,达瓦的箭簇刻着双虎纹,箭杆缠着漠北牛筋:"此箭,"教头道,"射程百步,"他展示箭羽,"嵌漠北矿,"箭羽的振动,"可校准方向,"他的目光,"直指大元之心。"
达瓦的佩刀换成双虎纹环首刀,刀柄的狼首纹浮雕下,刻着八思巴文"忠"字。他不知道,这把刀的铁矿,正是来自父亲治下的撒马尔罕,大元用他家乡的铁,锻造了让他效忠的武器。
赵元的工匠队在漠北埋设新信标,每个信标刻着西域十二州的狼首纹,内里却是双虎纹铸铁芯:"信标间距,"他对巴拉珠尔道,"按《九章算术》'勾股术',"信标的排列,"可形成共振网络,"他的水准器,"护心镜过界,"水准器的气泡,"必触发警报。"
站赤的急递铺兵测试信标,狼首纹护心镜靠近时,信标发出清响:"此乃物理共振,"赵元解释,"漠北矿与钦察矿,"他敲击信标,"含硫量差异,"信标的振动频率,"即报警密码。"
巴拉珠尔的虎卫营沿着信标线布防,虎蹲炮的炮口对准信标节点:"信标网内,"他对千户道,"任何铁器,"他指向炮身,"皆成靶子,"炮身的双虎纹,"此乃'以铁制铁'。"
萧虎站在观星台,看着信标网络的光点在沙盘上闪烁,形成双虎形状。他知道,这不是磁石的吸引,而是铸铁的共振,是大元用工程力学织就的天罗地网。
撒马尔罕的商盟榷场,图们正在调整价目表,狼皮与铁矿的兑换比悄然变化:"狼皮十张,"他对商主道,"换铁矿一斤,"算盘珠的碰撞,"此乃新制,"算盘的框架,"嵌漠北矿,"他的笑容,"助王爷铸符。"
波斯商人穆罕默德计算着成本,发现每笔交易都在为大元的符牌库输血:"商盟的价目表,"他对阿里道,"是无形的铸模,"他的商牌,"让咱们的铁矿,"商牌的狼首纹,"都成了大元的符芯。"
商盟的达鲁花赤巡视货栈,每箱铁矿都需凿刻双虎纹:"无纹者,"他的铁锥,"充公,"铁锥的印记,"此乃《大元通制》,"他的袖中,"冶铁条第三款。"