Chapter 46: Paper is in great demand in Luoyang

It was a very strange and unfamiliar feeling, but he knew he didn't reject it.

Shen Yueyao didn't think about Su Xueyi at all.

Her mind was full of business matters.

"Shouldn't we set up our stall in just one place tomorrow? We should get a shoulder pole and try going to a few more places, like cloth shops, grain shops, and other places that have lots of employees."

"It's only February now, so there aren't many people at the docks. The ice in the river is gradually melting. When the weather gets warmer, the river will be open and there will be more people at the docks. That's when the chili meat sauce will sell better."

Moreover, Shen Yueyao felt that those who sailed on ships sometimes had to stay on the ship for several months, so there must be no delicious food.

And even if you bring some delicious food, it is difficult to store it.

But chili meat sauce is different. Chili meat sauce can be stored for a long time.

Bring a can of chili meat sauce. As long as you bring enough food, heat it up and eat it with the chili meat sauce. It is also very delicious and goes well with rice.

If the weather is cold, eating some chili peppers will make your body feel hot.

Moreover, when sailing in the river, the environment is humid, and eating chili peppers will be better for the body.

Shen Yueyao muttered to herself in a low voice for a while.

Su Xueyi heard this nearby and felt a little heavy-hearted.

It would be too hard for a woman to carry a shoulder pole to sell chili meat sauce.

If his legs were fine, he could help, but right now...

Su Xueyi wanted to say something, but he also knew clearly that he was not able to help her solve the actual problem at the moment.

It's useless to say it.

Su Xueyi's slender, jade-like fingers held the brush, and she did not move for a long time.

Until a drop of ink fell on the paper and stained it.

This way a piece of paper is wasted.

Su Xueyi put down her pen and picked up another piece of paper.

Paper is expensive, and Su Xueyi feels bad when a piece of paper is wasted.

Shen Yueyao listened to the rustling sound of paper and looked at Su Xueyi who had wasted a piece of paper, feeling very distressed.

Shen Yueyao suddenly thought that papermaking technology was not well developed in ancient times, so a piece of paper was very expensive.

"How much does a piece of paper like this cost?"

"According to the price of a knife, this is the most common paper, one knife costs one hundred coins."

Shen Yueyao knew that one knife was worth one hundred pieces, and one hundred pieces were worth one hundred coins, which meant one piece was worth one penny.

This is the most ordinary paper, two eggs on one sheet.

It is indeed expensive for ordinary people.

No wonder everyone yearns to study and scholars have a high status, but few ordinary families can afford to send their family members to school.

In fact, some families can still afford the tuition fee if they save some money.

The key is that pens, ink, paper and inkstone are the big items.

Moreover, the monthly food and living expenses are expensive when studying in a private school and living there.

Just thinking about it, it’s very hard for ordinary people.

At this time, Shen Yueyao suddenly thought that Dabao and Erbao were three years old.

She will definitely let her eldest and second child go to school in the future.

So she has to make more money. She has to support her eldest and second child's education, and make sure they have good food and clothing.

Thinking about this, Shen Yueyao felt motivated to do things again.

Shen Yueyao looked at the paper on the table in a daze.

Su Xueyi didn't understand what was going on, so she just asked softly, "Do you want some paper?"

He knew she must have been educated and could write.

Shen Yueyao said: "I just think paper is quite expensive. If papermaking technology is better and paper can be cheaper, perhaps more people can afford to read."

Su Xueyi was shocked when she heard these words.

It's shocking that she would say such words.

He has seen too many people with academic talent who were unable to study because their families did not have the conditions.

If more people could study and take imperial examinations, the Great Yan Dynasty would definitely be a different place.

"Unfortunately, the papermaking method is controlled by a few large families, and the price is also set by the upper class."

Su Xueyi also wanted to change these situations.

But he can't do anything now.

Shen Yueyao was wondering what the improved papermaking technique in ancient times was like.

It seems that cheap raw materials must be used to make cheap paper.

Shen Yueyao suddenly thought of a method, which was to make paper from bamboo.

The process is more complicated and troublesome.

But it can make good paper. The labor is complicated and the cost is low. A lot of paper can be made at once, so the price can be much cheaper.

Thinking of this, Shen Yueyao became a little excited.

Papermaking must be done in the presence of sufficient water.

You can dig a pond.

It is good to have a river here, as it makes water convenient to use. However, the water level near the river in the village is low, and it hasn’t rained much recently.

And then there is no bamboo.

It is much more convenient to have bamboo.

You can also use the flowers as spices, and the paper will have a light fragrance, making it even better to use.

However, this project is complicated, and if it really needs to be done, she alone cannot do it.

Tools are needed, as well as a large wooden mortar for pounding things, etc.

So this thing can only be postponed and we need to think about it carefully.

And lime was needed, but she didn't see any around.

Although the materials were insufficient, Shen Yueyao was still very excited, her eyes shining.

“There’s bound to be a time when paper is cheaper.”

She knew that the reason paper was expensive at that time was probably because it was made of cloth or silk.

I remember that in the previous world, there was a saying that paper was in great demand in Luoyang.

I heard that at that time, one sheet of paper cost one thousand coins, which means ten coins per sheet could buy a pound of good flour.

A pound of good noodles is enough to feed a family for a long time.

Su Xueyi listened to Shen Yueyao's confident words and looked at her expression. For some reason, she actually believed such words.

I believe that one day paper will become cheaper.

His picturesque eyebrows and eyes were filled with a soft luster.

It's strange, she has a unique charm that always makes people believe what she says involuntarily.

Even if Erya spends a long time with her, she will be influenced by her involuntarily, become more confident, and learn a lot.

He was very grateful to her for this.

…

After Su Erya returned home, she lay in bed at night, tossing and turning but couldn't fall asleep.

She was so excited.

Tomorrow I can go to the town to set up a stall with Aunt San.

In fact, she hasn't been to town for a long time.

During the Chinese New Year last year, she didn't go to town, but went to Beimai Village with her grandmother to buy some things.

After being excited for a long time, it was very late before Su Erya fell asleep.

The next day, Su Erya got up early before dawn and washed herself clean.

He put on a piece of clothing that he usually didn't want to wear, and then hurried to find Shen Yueyao.

It was still dark at this time and few people in the village were awake.

Walking on the road in the village, you can hear dogs barking.

The air is fresh in the morning.

Shen Yueyao saw Su Erya coming, looked at her hair, thought for a moment, and said, "Erya, how about I tie your hair?"

Su Erya's eyes lit up with excitement, "Okay, but Third Aunt, I don't have a hairband."

Shen Yueyao said: "I have a needle and thread, and red thread here, I can help you tie your hair."

Shen Yueyao took it out and gave Su Erya a beautiful hairstyle.

The little girl looks so pretty like this.

Anyway, with the silver needle and the sleeve dagger in her hand, she can protect Arya.

Little girls all love beauty.

She could see that Erya was very happy and excited, and even wore the clothes she thought were the best.

But this dress is still very simple and rough.

Shen Yueyao thought that if the chili meat sauce sold well, she would take Erya to buy cloth to make clothes.

"it's beautiful!"

Erya's face turned red.

No one ever told her she was pretty.

Shen Yueyao discovered that after a few days of recuperation, Erya's face had grown some flesh and she was no longer skin and bones.

And your complexion will be better, and it will look good with a good hairstyle.

However, there was no lipstick, so people of this era used lip balm and lip gloss.

Most ordinary people use red paper to wipe it.

Shen Yueyao was thinking at this moment, can she make lipstick and sell it?

Rouge and powder are expensive in this era. If you can make lipstick, you can make more money than making food.