Chapter 125 A rare tranquility
He turned his head to look at her. The jacket she was wearing today had a circle of rabbit fur at the collar, which made her look very peaceful.
I also saw that the half-worn cloak she was wearing was made of ordinary cotton. I wondered if it would keep her warm.
The last time they parted on bad terms, she returned the one thousand taels she had taken in the capital. I don’t know if she still has the money now.
He was thinking about it but didn't dare to say it directly. After the two met again here, some of their past memories came back to him.
He remembered what she said and the look on her face when she left that time.
She also remembered that she only took her own clothes when she left, and the maid who cleaned the room later said that nothing in the house was moved, even the hairpin her mother gave her when they got married was still there.
So what was she thinking before? If she was a vain person, she would have asked him for money, gold, silver and jewelry long ago. Why wait until they divorced?
He always wanted to have a good talk with her, but he didn't know how to start. Maybe she didn't want to listen anymore.
Finally he said, "It's going to rain, let's go back."
Yu Huatang had no objection, "Okay."
"Are you still taking medicine now?" He asked, looking over his shoulder.
She knew what he was asking. "Well, I don't feel like I have anything to do today. I was planning to take another day off tomorrow. But now it seems that's not necessary."
He said, "If you're too busy, let Anfu help you make the medicine. Don't worry, it won't happen again like last time."
She shook her head, "No, it's really hard to trouble you again."
The two of them also walked under the osmanthus tree. At this time, Yu Huatang said, "There is something I want to tell you, my Lord. The last time I went to Heyuan Street to check out the shops, I met several Persian envoys."
He asked, "Do you think something is wrong?"
She thought for a moment and said, "They visit every house, and if they come across someone making lanterns or some other craft, they'll go and learn. But lately, I've felt they've been coming in and out a bit too often, like they're looking for something. Past envoys would also learn, but not so eagerly. At most, they would do it as a friendly exchange between the two countries, just to keep their composure. But these Persians are not only serious about their studies, they're also asking questions very carefully."
She hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "...I have a feeling they are trying to steal our core skills, or perhaps the water shadow technique from the Tiangong Lantern last time..."
"Maybe I'm overthinking it..." she added.
Zhao Yan stared at her motionlessly. "You didn't think too much about it. They might just be planning to do this. Fortunately, you noticed. Ordinary people might be particularly enthusiastic just because they are Persian envoys. They are using this enthusiasm to extract information from different craftsmen, especially those who competed with me last time."
The core mechanism technology is related to the inheritance of each faction's craftsmanship. Ordinary craftsmen will not teach it easily. Even apprentices have to observe it for more than ten years and will only be taught at the last moment, when the master passes away.
Therefore, these people went from street to street, using their identities, without arousing suspicion.
"Then what are you going to do, sir?" she asked. This concerned the core technology of the Tiangong Lantern. If it was stolen, she, who had devoted herself to researching it, would definitely not be able to accept it.
Zhao Yan said, "If they want to steal, they will definitely come to Changming Pavilion. However, you are the only one who can do it. I want to know how they will do it? Will they let your companions learn from you? Or will they gain the trust of your closest people and steal the schematics?"
"These mechanism blueprints have only been seen by the veterans who competed with me. However, I tampered with the blueprints, so even a normal person wouldn't be able to make them. If a veteran could make them after seeing them, they'd just be happy that they'd learned it, and that's their own thing. So as long as the Persian envoy doesn't get hold of them, it's fine."
Zhao Yan nodded, "I understand. I'll send someone to keep an eye on them tomorrow."
Yu Huatang felt somewhat relieved. She was worried that the Persian envoy was suspected of theft, but she had no complete evidence. Since it involved the cooperation between the two countries, she did not dare to say anything careless.
She only dared to tell him about this matter, but she didn't expect that he didn't think she was worrying too much, nor did he underestimate the core technology of these crafts, which made her really happy.
On the third day, an official arrived at Changming Pavilion. He said, "The Lord has ordered that every shop must send a master who has accepted an apprentice to the government office for questioning."
Master Xu, who was now fifty-seven, sat in the front hall. Although he didn't know what was going on, he naturally didn't want to go to court. Yu Huatang said she would go over later.
The officer said, "Then hurry up, the master is still waiting."
Yu Huatang followed, and after a while, many masters came one after another, including Master Zhao from Judengtang, Zhou Xiang from Dengshitang, masters from Huadengtang, and some masters from small shops, a total of about ten people.
Only then did she realize that Zhao Yan intended to verify it with everyone.
When they arrived at the government office, a group of people were already sitting there. She was the only young woman, and more than a dozen people looked at her in unison.
There are more than a dozen chairs in the tea room of this government office, but only two of them are on high positions.
One of them is definitely for an official, but no one knows who the other one is for.
The position of the chief lantern master in Quanzhou has been vacant for five years since the death of the original master. It’s not that there is no one in the position, but that no one is willing to accept it.
Master Zhao of Judengtang is an old veteran with more than a hundred disciples. Many of his disciples return home to open shops after completing their training. It was his disciples who recommended Master Zhao to take the position in the first year, but everyone disagreed, believing that the number of disciples should not be used as a reference for the position of chief.
Master Jiang from Huadengtang is also an old craftsman and has been selected before, but his subordinates said that he did not create any important mechanical technology and did not make any contribution to Quanzhou lanterns, so everyone was dissatisfied.
Later, several masters came up one after another, including Master He who expanded the sales scope and Master Wang who was doing business outside.
However, Master Zhao and Zhao Yingcai from Judengtang, and Master Jiang and Jiang Zhou from Huadengtang were not willing to submit to each other. They all believed that it was the other party who was causing trouble and that was why they did not get that position.
Sure enough, the two of them greeted each other and then went their separate ways, one sitting at the first seat in each of the two rows, but they didn't dare to go to the two highest chairs.
She thought that her craftsmanship was not inferior to these two people, and Changming Pavilion was one of the best shops nowadays, but she did not spend as much time as them to learn this. Also, because she was a woman, she had to be a hundred times better than them before they would be convinced, so she would not recommend herself.
After a while, the other masters came one after another and sat in their seats. Zhao Yan also came with Wang Zhubu.
Zhao Yan had an injury on his left hand, but he still stood upright like a pine tree and walked very straight, not like an injured person.
Zhou Xiang spoke first. "It's truly admirable that you, sir, are already working at the government office so soon after your injury. We are fortunate to have such a caring official like you."
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