jdhmnovel Chapter 156 The Prefect's Son
Chapter 156 The Prefect's Son
Shi Wanxia stood in front of the general store, looking at the newly arrived batch of bamboo, her eyes filled with determination. She knew that paper made from bamboo fiber was of superior quality. Although the production process was complicated, she was determined to provide the best paper for the literati and scholars of the martial arts world.
These past few days, the small papermaking workshop has been bustling with activity, filled with the fresh scent of bamboo. Shi Wanxia, along with Shuying, Qinxin, Linyu, Qinglan, and others, have been busy working there. They are cutting bamboo into small sections and placing them in huge wooden tubs, soaking them repeatedly. The water gradually becomes murky, and the bamboo fibers slowly unfurl in the water.
Next came the long simmering process. The fire roared, the water in the pot boiled constantly, and they kept a close eye on the heat, not daring to slack off for a moment.
"These bamboo fibers are really hard to work with," Qin Xin muttered, wiping the sweat from her brow. Lin Yu smiled and replied, "But it's worth the hard work to make the best paper." Qing Lan, meanwhile, focused intently on the bamboo in the pot, stirring it occasionally with a wooden stick.
While busy at work, Shi Wanxia directed everyone. "Everyone, put in more effort and make the fiber as fine as possible. When you sieve it later, be careful to make sure there are no impurities."
They poured the boiled bamboo fibers into a sieve and carefully sifted them. This step was crucial; the slightest mistake could affect the quality of the paper.
Meanwhile, in another part of the house, Shuyun was busy in the kitchen. She carefully prepared food for everyone, ensuring they had enough energy for their hard work. Every now and then, she would check on the delivery preparations. After all, once the paper was produced, it needed to be delivered to readers in various places as quickly as possible.
Shi Wanxia and the others knew that the power of words should not be underestimated. They hoped to support themselves through their own efforts. After all, Cangling Kingdom was relatively stable at the moment; however, the friction between these countries had been constant in recent years, and war could break out any day.
As the days passed, the production of ordinary paper continued steadily. Although the paper was inexpensive, its quality was by no means compromised. Shi Wanxia and her colleagues meticulously crafted each sheet, ensuring that every ordinary reader would be satisfied.
However, the process was not without its challenges. On one occasion, while simmering bamboo fiber, Shuying accidentally overcooked the ingredients, nearly ruining the entire pot.
Shi Wanxia didn't blame her, but calmly directed everyone to make amends in time. "It's okay, we'll start over." Her words were full of encouragement.
After countless attempts and efforts, the first batch of bamboo paper was finally successfully produced. The paper was as white as snow, delicate and smooth. Shi Wanxia picked up a piece of paper, gently touched it, and a gratified smile appeared on her face.
"We did it!" Everyone cheered. Shuyun also brought over delicious food to celebrate.
At the dinner table, Lin Yu was exhausted, his back aching, and his limbs weak; he looked quite disheveled. He looked at the bowl in his hands, feeling an immense weight, as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on them, making it impossible to lift. Shi Wanxia glanced at him, her eyes filled with disdain.
"You call yourself a martial artist? How come you're no match for us weak women?" Shi Wanxia's words carried a hint of teasing. Lin Yu's face showed a trace of embarrassment, but he was powerless to refute her. After all, he was indeed so tired that he could barely hold a bowl.
As everyone ate their meal, they listened to Shi Wanxia and Lin Yu's conversation and couldn't help but chuckle. Qin Xin said with a smile, "Lin Yu, you'd better step up your game! You can't let us women outdo you." Qing Lan nodded in agreement, "Yes, Lin Yu, don't you always claim to be a master of martial arts? Why are you so weak today?"
Lin Yu sighed helplessly, inwardly groaning. He had thought that making paper with Shi Wanxia and the others would be an easy task, but he hadn't expected it to be so difficult. He picked up his chopsticks with difficulty, took a bite of food, but found it tasteless.
Shi Wanxia looked at everyone and said seriously, "Alright, after dinner, sisters, go back to your rooms to rest. Lin Yu, you come with me to take Shuyun over so she can rest." Upon hearing this, Lin Yu almost swallowed the meat in his mouth and immediately started coughing violently.
"Cough cough cough cough, no, Miss Shi, why did you take me there? I want to rest too!" Lin Yu retorted immediately after swallowing the piece of meat stuck in his throat with rice. His face was full of fatigue, and his eyes revealed his longing for rest.
Shi Wanxia remained expressionless and said calmly, "What, you don't want it? You don't want your wages anymore!" Lin Yu felt utterly exhausted upon hearing this. He slumped onto the table, muttering to himself, "When I said I'd be a servant to you, I didn't mean a beast of burden!"
However, despite his many grievances, Lin Yu knew he couldn't disobey Shi Wanxia's orders. After all, he genuinely needed the wages. In this world, you can't get by without money. He sighed helplessly and silently accepted the arrangement.
After dinner, the sisters went back to their rooms to rest, while Lin Yu followed Shi Wanxia to deliver goods. During this time, the responsibility of driving the carriage fell to Lin Yu. As they drove, Lin Yu complained about his fate.
"Miss Shi, can't you find someone else? I'm really too tired," Lin Yu said weakly. Shi Wanxia remained unmoved and simply said, "You are the only man here, so it's natural for you to do this kind of physical work."
Lin Yu shook his head helplessly, secretly regretting that he had agreed to work for Shi Wanxia in the first place. Looking at Shi Wanxia's resolute back, he knew he couldn't escape and could only grit his teeth and continue forward.
"Hurry up, don't waste time," Shi Wanxia urged. Lin Yu gritted his teeth and continued to persevere. He secretly vowed that after this mission was completed, he would definitely take a good rest for a while.
Finally, they arrived at their destination. After handing the papers to the recipient, Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Shi Wanxia, hoping to get some rest.
Shi Wanxia seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, "Alright, you can go back and rest now. You did well this time, keep up the good work next time." Lin Yu was overjoyed and quickly turned to leave.
On the way back, Lin Yu was filled with mixed emotions. Although he was exhausted, Miss Shi was right. She had taken him in, and he had promised to repay her kindness. These girls supported themselves with their own hands, so it was only right that he help them.
Lin Yu drove his carriage through the bustling streets. They hadn't gone far when an old man collapsed in front of their carriage. Lin Yu immediately pulled the horse to a stop, about to reprimand him, when the spoiled young master was causing trouble in the street again.
The young master rode a tall horse, followed by a group of servants, rampaging through the street. Pedestrians scrambled to get out of his way, as if afraid they couldn't avoid him.
Lin Yu was furious and about to confront the old man when he was stopped. The old man said in a low voice, "Young master, don't be impulsive. This is the prefect's son, who is usually arrogant and domineering, and no one dares to offend him." Upon hearing this, Lin Yu became even more indignant. As an official of the imperial court, how could he tolerate such a scoundrel committing crimes in broad daylight?
Ignoring the old man's attempts to stop him, Lin Yu jumped off the carriage and walked straight towards the young master. The young master, seeing someone dare to block his way, was immediately enraged.
He brandished his riding whip, pointed at Lin Yu, and cursed, "Who are you, daring to block my way?" Lin Yu replied calmly, "In broad daylight, under the clear sky, you are causing trouble in the street and disturbing the people. What is your crime?"
Upon hearing this, the young master burst into laughter: "Who do you think you are? My father is the prefect, what can you do to me?" Lin Yu said righteously: "Even a prince is subject to the law. If you don't behave yourself today, I will not let you off easily."
Seeing Lin Yu's resolute attitude, the young master felt somewhat intimidated. This man possessed a formidable aura and was not someone to be trifled with.