Chapter 35 What a coincidence, both are taking dangerous paths!

She went up to the second floor.

The tea on the table was warming, and a wisp of sandalwood fragrance wafted from the celadon stove.

A ray of sunlight shines into the corner of a table, and tiny dust particles dance in the air.

The man by the window was wearing a gray robe with satin fabric that cascaded to the ground, and his long hair fell like a waterfall down his back. He was looking out the window.

His profile was sculpted, with a smooth jawline and a sickly, haggard look. There was a slight red tinge at the corner of his eyes, making him appear weak and sickly. He was holding a paintbrush in his hand, and there were a few bright paint stains on his sleeve, all of which indicated that he was painting a drum.

The sheets of Xuan paper on the table were all damp and soft from the smoke, and when a breeze blew by, the wisps of smoke swayed gently.

"Master, why did you pry the window open a crack again? You can't be exposed to the wind right now." Jingfeng quickly went around to the side and closed the window.

The man's eyes were like fallen stars, imbued with a hint of coldness. The moment he saw Su Jingge, he politely lowered his brows slightly and said, "Greetings, Assistant Manager Su. Please forgive me for being unable to perform the kneeling ceremony."

The man's voice was tinged with a hint of weakness.

"No need for formalities, it's just a title. Please just call me Manager Su, Master of the Corridor."

Linlang looked at Jingfeng: "Pour the tea."

After Su Jingge sat down, she looked at the line drawings on the table, which depicted various mythical beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

There was a beast that resembled a leopard, but was several times larger than ordinary beasts. Its entire body was covered with crimson scales, each scale so lifelike that it looked like it was burning with a small flame. The edges were outlined with golden-red dye, giving it a golden-red glow.

When she saw the beast with two dark blue flames in its eyes and pupils as narrow as a cat's, she picked up the painting.

The mountain spirits and monsters are depicted so vividly, their fierce and alert expressions seeming as if the artist had truly witnessed them firsthand.

Whether it's the paint or something else, the patterns painted on the drums are different from other drum paintings...

His was brighter and more delicate.

She gently brushed her fingertips across the pattern, leaving no ripples, as if it were one with the drum.

Her nose twitched; there was a faint fishy smell.

What's added to this paint?

"The master painter's skill is truly remarkable, living up to his reputation," Su Jingge exclaimed, putting down the painting.

The man's voice was cold and detached: "Assistant Su, you flatter me." As he spoke, he pulled open the corner cabinet behind him, took out a scroll from inside, and handed it to Su Jingge.

Su Jingge opened it and saw that it was a woman's headdress, a phoenix crown worn by married women.

"this?"

She was somewhat puzzled.

Linlang was also a little puzzled: "Manager Su doesn't remember?"

She shook her head.

"This is a phoenix crown that you entrusted to me to design for your wedding to the young master of the Xiao family..."

Su Jingge slapped her forehead in disbelief. She was so naive back then; she didn't even remember it.

She hesitated for a moment, then gave an awkward smile: "Thank you, Master, but I have already broken off my engagement with Xiao Ziyu, so I probably won't need this phoenix crown anymore. However, your painting is very beautiful."

As she spoke, she took out her wallet from her pocket: "I can't let the gallery owner paint for free, I'll buy it."

Linlang smiled gently as before: "Since the engagement has been dissolved, this phoenix crown is no longer needed. I'll just consider it practice. Miss Su doesn't need to pay."

"Alright then, I heard from Jingfeng that the Hall Master wants to cooperate with me, but does that require drum skin?"

The man shook his head: "I have drum skin, but I need drum rope, which is woven from silk and has a very fine texture."

Upon hearing this, Su Jingge realized that the drum ropes he had previously used were all leather ropes.

It is made by twisting animal hides, such as cowhide or sheepskin.

It has high strength and good elasticity, and is often used in drums, war drums, and large sacrificial drums.

What he wants now is the kind of drum rope that is clearly used for small drums. Silk is more expensive and is mostly used for court instruments or exquisite ceremonies. For example, the drums played by dancers in restaurants are mostly made of this kind.

Does this mean he's stopped making drums?

"I noticed that the large drums are no longer on the shelves. Does this mean the shop owner is no longer selling large drums?"

Linlang remained silent, her face showing some sadness.

“Miss Su is intelligent, understanding, and perceptive. I really can’t make drums anymore; my current health prevents me from taking custom orders.”

"In the future, I will be doing business with small drums, but I was not feeling well when I came back this time and could not find a suitable drum rope, so I had to return it after only reaching Bohai."

"Miss Su's family is in business, so she probably has more experience than I do. I'll have to trouble Miss Su with this matter..."

So that's how it is.

Su Jingge raised an eyebrow: "No problem, just contact my uncle when the time comes..."

She watched the man pick up his teacup and take a sip, then she said, "I think the paint here is more vibrant and beautiful than elsewhere, but is something added to it?"

Linlang smiled gently: "Miss Su has a discerning eye. Indeed, my pigments are made with a secret recipe, a family secret that is not passed down to outsiders."

"Oh, the secret recipe? It really shouldn't be shared..."

The man seemed to sense her hesitation and changed the subject: "Miss Su is not an outsider, she is my close friend Linlang. Are you interested in these paints? I can give you some."

Su Jingge shook her head: "No, no, I don't want this dye. It's just that when I picked up the painting just now, I smelled a fishy smell mixed with the dye, so I was curious whether oyster powder was added to it?"

Linlang nodded admiringly once again: "As the saying goes, there is a sequence to learning, and everyone has their own expertise. Miss Su is indeed a businesswoman, professional and skilled. I did add oyster powder here."

Su Jingge raised her eyebrows; she had guessed correctly.

He said, "Because oyster shells, when ground into powder, have a certain degree of absorbency, when used for dyeing, they will stick firmly to the surface and cannot be peeled off. They can also prevent moisture, thus extending their lifespan. This makes them very suitable for painting on drums."

Linlang raised her eyebrows slightly as she poured tea for someone: "It seems my secret recipe won't be lost."

The two looked at each other, and outside the window, bamboo leaves swirled in the air a few times before gently falling down.

Although the man was sickly, he had a handsome appearance.

She raised her eyebrows slightly: "But you have to control the amount. Too much won't do, and too little will make it too runny, which isn't my forte."

She took a sip of tea and asked, "I just don't know where you got these oyster shells, Master. To be honest, my next step is to repair the ground in the county. One of the ingredients in this recipe is mirage ash, which is powder made from oyster shells. I'm currently wondering where I can get oyster shells."

Linlang said, "Your uncle should have some, right?"

Su Jingge smiled and said, "Oh dear, my uncle is getting old and still being pampered. If it's about transporting oyster shells, which are fishy and smelly, other goods definitely can't travel the same way. Transporting a batch of discarded shells alone is a business that my uncle would never do."

Linlang nodded, agreeing with her words: "Uncle's concerns are valid. After all, this stuff is indeed very smelly. If the goods are contaminated with the odor, they will definitely be returned. Besides, this old shell is not worth the long journey."

"So, I'd like to ask you, Master, do you have any connections for oyster shells?"

Linlang tapped her fingers lightly: "This thing... came from the Western Sea."

I knew it; there was no way he could have transported this thing all the way from here.

He made it clear that he trusted her quite a bit.

Wait, the Western Sea??

That's not the bandits' territory.

Does he have connections with bandits?

Unfortunately, she also had to cooperate with the bandits.

It seems they are all taking dangerous paths.

"Ah, that's quite close..." Su Jingge asked tentatively, "How many corridor masters are there?"

“I have some oyster shells in my backyard. I brought them back but haven’t ground them yet. Would you like me to take you to see them?” Linlang said.