Kesi (silk tapestry) is an excellent silk weaving technique. Because it relies heavily on manual labor, it is expensive and rarely available to ordinary people.
Shen Qing knew about kesi (silk tapestry) because there was a kesi painting among the original owner's wedding gifts.
The painting depicts a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water, entirely woven from real silk, lifelike and extremely intricate.
This density is exactly what Shen Qing wants.
She took the rayon fibers and kesi paintings to visit the most famous kesi master in Jiangzhou.
This is a family that has been making kesi (silk tapestry) for three generations, and the painting of mandarin ducks playing in the water in Shen Qing's hand was made by Mr. Fan, the head of the family.
When Shen Qingxun went there, he had a premonition that he would not see the old man.
Because kesi is a silk weaving technique, since rayon came onto the market, all the silk business owners in Jiangzhou have despised it.
The Gao family initially refused to produce imported cloth and insisted on making real silk because they looked down on synthetic fibers, which ultimately led to heavy debts and almost ruin.
They believe that silk is natural, elegant, and noble, while synthetic fibers are crude and lack substance.
Shen Qing understands the persistence of the silk people, but when it comes to survival, some of their persistence can be put aside for the time being.
"Mr. Shen, Mr. Fan invites you in."
Shen Qing snapped out of her reverie and looked at the servant who had come to announce her arrival: "Is Elder Fan willing to see me?"
"Yes, Mr. Shen."
Shen Qing was pleasantly surprised and followed the servant into the Fan family's kesi workshop.
From afar, one could see rows of silk weaving machines neatly arranged in the room, with several young girls bending down to weave silk.
On the stage further ahead sat an elderly gentleman wearing reading glasses.
Shen Qing stood in the courtyard waiting.
The servant went in to announce the arrival of the old gentleman, who looked up, adjusted his glasses, and quickly put down his work before coming out.
Shen Qing bowed to him and said, "Hello, Elder Fan. I am Shen Qing, the manager of the Gao family silk shop."
She handed the gift box to the servant: "This is Shanghai pear syrup candy, which has the effect of soothing the throat and promoting saliva production."
Just as the servant reached out to take it, the old gentleman coughed lightly, and the servant withdrew his hand.
Shen Qing was well aware of the situation and was on high alert.
"What are you doing here?" The old man asked, his hands behind his back, his tone somewhat fierce, clearly disliking Shen Qing.
Shen Qing was mentally prepared, so he remained calm and composed.
She unfolded the picture of mandarin ducks playing in the water: "Thank you to the old gentleman for creating such a vivid picture, which allows me to witness the wonderful beauty of the kesi (silk tapestry) technique."
The old man snorted and turned his face away, refusing to look at her: "If I had known you would become a traitor to silk, I would never have woven this painting for you, even if it meant my death!"
Shen Qing was not angry upon hearing this.
Just as she had guessed.
It seems that it won't be so easy to ask the old gentleman to weave silk for her today.
But since we're here, we should give it a try.
She bowed to the old man and said sincerely, "I have not betrayed the silk industry. Those silk merchants who switched to selling foreign cloth have long since sold off their silk warehouses to foreigners at rock-bottom prices, exchanging the silk for cheap rayon. But the Gao family did not. The Gao family's warehouse full of silk is still here!"
Upon hearing this, the old gentleman finally agreed to look at her properly.
"Really? The Gao family's silk is still there?"
Shen Qing smiled: "Yes, they are still here! One day, I will restore these silk fabrics to their former glory!"
"Hmph! But hasn't the Gao family already switched to making those fake silks?"
Shen Qing patiently explained to the old man, "The reason the Gao family started making rayon was entirely to reclaim the market that foreign cloth had taken over. Rather than having ordinary people buy foreign cloth and give money to foreigners, it's better for us to make better materials than foreign cloth and earn the money ourselves! Don't you think so?"
The old man thought it made sense and nodded, finally becoming a little more amiable towards Shen Qing.
Shen Qing quickly handed over the kesi painting.
The old man brought the painting closer, examined it carefully, and asked, "Why did you bring this painting to me?"
Shen Qing explained his purpose.
Perhaps because of her sincere attitude, and because she did not sell the silk cheaply, and even promised to restore the glory of silk in the future, the old man used the most secret weaving technique to weave a plain-colored fabric for her.
Shen Qing was overjoyed and immediately returned to the factory to conduct a test to prevent down leakage.
The fluff got stuck in the gaps between the threads, tightly wedged, trying hard to squeeze out, but unable to.
Shen Qing was overjoyed and went to the Fan family's silk weaving workshop to find the old gentleman the next day.
She proposed collaborating with the silk weaving workshop, wanting the same high-density fabric as yesterday, in bulk.
The old gentleman asked, "How much of this material do you want?"
Shen Qing quickly gave a number: "Two hundred and fifty horses a year."
The old man laughed heartily and said, "This weaving technique has been lost; only I know it, and I can only weave three to five bolts a year. As for your two hundred and fifty bolts, I wouldn't finish weaving them even if I went to my coffin!"
These words seemed to be mocking Shen Qing.
Shen Qing understood.
She could only weave three to five bolts of fabric a year, and the cost was too high for her to afford.
Back at the factory, Shen Qing sat blankly in the accounting office.
Looking at the pieces of material laid out on the table, I pondered what kind of material was both cheap and dense.
She recalled that when she went mountain climbing before time travel, she would wear waterproof and oil-proof mountaineering clothes.
Logically speaking, a material that can prevent even liquid molecules from seeping in should also be able to prevent lint from getting in.
The material of mountaineering clothing is nylon.
Therefore, using nylon as the lining of a down vest should have the effect of preventing down leakage.
But nylon is ultimately a plastic product. In this day and age, where do we find plastic?
Shen Qing's newly ignited hope was dashed again, and he had no choice but to reject nylon.
He stood up dejectedly and called to Chunju and Sulan to prepare to go home.
As soon as the man stepped out of the accounting room, Qi Zhenheng walked in from outside.
Thinking something had happened, Shen Qing quickly lifted her skirt and went downstairs: "Lord Qi!"
Qi Zhenheng looked over upon hearing the sound and saw her, dressed in a bright yellow and orange-toned jacket and skirt, fluttering down from the covered bridge like a butterfly.
A butterfly flew to him and said, "Lord Qi, what brings you here?"
He snapped out of his reverie and smiled, "I came to check if the factory is doing well."
Shen Qing smiled and turned around, pointing to the empty factory: "The machines have been sent for repair, and I'm starting to research new materials now! Please bless me to succeed!"
After saying that, he turned around and asked, "Has the case of Gao Yuanqi and Gao Yuanxiang been closed?"
Qi Zhenheng glanced at Chunju and Sulan.
Shen Qing knew he wanted to tell him privately, so she invited him to the accounting office.
The two sat down on the armchair.
"Gao Yuanqi and Gao Yuanxiang are being exiled to the frontier tomorrow. Should you inform the old lady of the Gao family to go and see them off?"
Qi Zhenheng rested his right hand on the armrest of the armchair, habitually using his index finger to turn the thumb ring on his thumb.
"No need, let them go, there's no need to see them off."
As they spoke, Shen Qing's gaze was drawn to his thumb ring.
Chicken fat yellow beeswax.
Amber?
Resin!
She immediately stood up in surprise, staring straight at Qi Zhenheng's thumb ring.
Seeing this, Qi Zhenheng asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
She snapped out of her daze, said "It's nothing," and hurriedly went behind the table, picked up a pen, and wrote down a few place names on a piece of paper.
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