Xuancheng in October is just like Xianjin's memory, existing only on TV, with fog and rain, and the horse-head walls higher than the walls of the two gable roofs, forming a unique Huizhou scenery of undulating highs and lows that stretches endlessly.
Standing under the water tank shed he visited in Jixi, Xianjin closed his eyes gently.
Old Madam Qu stood at the top with a cane, looking at the people who were surrounding her in three layers below. The few who had followed He Xianjin from Jing County were all standing in the front, and even Lu Badan, who had always been timid, was sticking his head in; on the periphery were the newcomers who had been recruited by He Xianjin for "training" this year. Two of them had been eliminated, and there were eighteen people left, all as tall and strong as Zhou Ergou, standing there like eighteen mountains.
Old Madam Qu blinked. In the past two years, the entire Chen family had been replaced by He Xianjin's people - either her confidants who had always followed her, or new people she recruited. The old people in the Chen family either retired, were killed, or were disabled. Until now, there was only an honest Qu Danao who was hiding in the corner watching the fun.
What a good method, good intention and good scheming.
Madam Qu's eyes shifted to the water tank where the paper pulp was floating up and down.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to be happy or sad - if she thought optimistically, at least He Xianjin kept her nephew for her?
Madam Qu coughed lightly, and everyone fell silent. The scene became quiet instantly.
"...Since the Chen family produced the first piece of Xuan paper, it has been more than 57 years. We have always prioritized the most capable people over the rest, regardless of seniority, kinship, or distance. Although Manager He is the stepdaughter of my third son, she started out as the accountant in the workshop in Jing County of our old home, and worked her way back to Xuancheng step by step."
Madam Qu pointed her cane at Xianjin and said in a steady voice, "When you see her, you should know what kind of person she is. As long as she has the ability, she can make a name for herself in the Chen family."
Xianjin still had his eyes closed.
But Suo'er behind her pursed her lips tightly: Who? What who? He made it sound like their shopkeeper was some despicable person! Some lowly and despicable person!
Madam Qu put her cane back and retracted her gaze. "Today, Shopkeeper He took the initiative to propose that we must fish out at least fifteen qualified four-foot-long paper from thirty curtains in half a watch. I want to show you that the woman who is the head shopkeeper of our Chen family is also very good at fishing for paper!"
The new guy exclaimed “Wow”!
Thirty curtains, to make fifteen pieces of good paper, there is only half room for error!
The new guys all looked at the frightened shopkeeper He, who was as thin as a pretty bean sprout.
Just her?
Standing next to the terrified Manager He is Team Leader Zhong, who leaves no grass growing wherever he goes.
Team leader Zhong glanced at them, and the new guy lowered his head in tacit understanding.
Zhao Dezheng, who worked in the mulberry paper workshop, stood with his hands behind his back, looking thoughtful.
Madam Qu raised her chin and said, "Second Brother, Old Zhao."
Zhao Dezheng and Chen Erye Chen Cai came out one after another.
"Demonstrate it first. One curtain of water enters the body, and two curtains of water break the heart. What does a qualified four-foot-long rice paper look like?" Old Madam Qu said indifferently.
Suo'er rolled his eyes silently: Who can't see the old lady's little trick? Isn't this just stepping on the head of their shopkeeper He and making face for the second master Chen Cai? - How many years has this second master Chen practiced? How long has their shopkeeper He practiced? Once the second master Chen showed his skills, shopkeeper He couldn't catch up. Isn't this a clear difference between the two!
Zhao Dezheng and Chen Cai responded, standing on the left and right in front of the water trough, shouting in unison. Chen Cai first put the paper medicine into the water trough, picked up a stick and rake to stir the trough evenly, then leaned over to clean the edge of the trough, and then beat the algae. The whole preparation process was done smoothly, which made the newcomers exclaim "Wow" repeatedly, which made Chen Cai blush.
When it came to scooping out paper, Chen Cai was naturally the one in charge of the curtain. He picked up the edge of the paper press and the two of them groaned. With extremely fast movements, they inserted the bamboo curtain into the trough, with the inside higher and the outside lower. After shaking it for a while, they inserted the curtain back into the water in the trough, with the outside higher and the inside lower. They scooped it out instantly. The four hands of the two people moved in an orderly and clean manner as if on two parallel planes. Chen Cai lifted the curtain from the curtain bed and overturned it on the paper press board next to it in a falling sail style. It was visibly flat at the four corners, without pulp overlapping or dripping, and the paper was neatly pasted.
Among the newcomers there was one from Hengji who took the lead in clapping, followed by thunderous applause.
Chen Cai retreated behind Madam Qu with a red face, clasped his hands together and said in shame, "It's just a trifle, just a trifle."
Madam Qu nodded with satisfaction, lowered her eyes to look at the invitation made by Chen Cai, and then said, "Of course, our shopkeeper He is a latecomer, so he can't do it to this level. We won't make it difficult for Shopkeeper He. Shopkeeper He's wet paper invitation only needs to be flat, even and neat!"
Suo'er deeply hated himself for being so smart! He had a talent for studying!
——How nice it would be if I didn’t understand the metaphors in every sentence of the old lady! Praising one and demoting another, the old lady is having a great time! It was clearly a challenge for their shopkeeper He, but in the end it became a personal talent show for Chen Cai, the second master!
At Madam Qu's command, the clock turned over!
Xianjin suddenly opened his eyes, took a horse stance, and sank his qi into his dantian. Although his movements of preparing materials and adding paper medicine were not as smooth as Chencai's, he completed them step by step. When it came to the difficult part of scooping out the paper, Xianjin and Jiangelzi jointly inserted another paper curtain placed behind the sink into the water in the sink, scooped up some of the pulp, and then lifted the paper curtain and swayed it gently and rhythmically, making the paper curtain in a posture with the inside higher and the outside higher so that the excess pulp flowed out from the end of the curtain - this is called "first curtain water" and the process is completed.
Based on a curtain of water, the direction was changed, and the missing parts were filled in with a low inside and high outside posture. At this point, a piece of wet paper has been completed.
The first curtain of water is to give the paper a basic shape, and the second curtain of water is to add pulp to make the rice paper completely formed!
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