Chapter 58 Gentle Porcelain
◎May you, who are walking on this difficult road, be safe and sound.◎
The shiny fingertips slid across the rim of the cup. Strangely enough, such a dazzling pure white actually gave people an illusion of gentleness.
Before this, it was hard to imagine that there was a material more suitable for tableware than gold and silver: gold and silver utensils are hard and strong, like a gorgeous and passionate beauty, making the owner's wealth obvious at a glance.
Porcelain is different. It is like a smiling fairy in the water. It does not need any jewelry pendants, but no one will question its elegance.
Although the Greeks would occasionally mock their neighbors for being vulgar, the nobles always had their own set of aesthetics that subtly influenced everyone.
Even the most discerning critic would be hard-pressed to express dissatisfaction with this gift: this tea set is simple and pure, perfect for any tablecloth and any occasion.
If you must add some decoration, every household has an overly decorated jeweled soup spoon.
"Meliya, the far East? Which country is that? Is it behind Persia?" someone asked in a supportive tone. Everyone tilted their ears to listen, hoping to hear some exclusive news.
What if the brainless... and generous Miss Melia is willing to share the trade route?
"It's indeed farther than Persia. The trade route is difficult and dangerous, and almost no one can make it."
Melia poured dried fruit peels and flower petals into the teacup and filled it with hot water using a unique teapot. A mist with ripples gradually dissipated. The guests closest to her took a deep breath, convinced that they smelled a refreshing fragrance.
The person in the back row asked tentatively, "Oh, there's only one set? What a shame, isn't it?"
Melia knew what she meant and pursed her lips. "At least let me keep my money-making channels?"
"well……"
While sighing, everyone agreed: How could they possibly make all the money with you? At worst, they could just keep a close eye on Melia and try to find her caravan.
"But~ I do have a little secret recipe for making porcelain. Of course, due to the different soil quality, the results aren't quite as good." Melia smiled as she handed the tea to Ilite. "It's probably just a few times more beautiful than an ordinary pottery plate."
Wow! The front row was fine, but the back row was immediately noisy.
Unfortunately, Ilit was too quick and had already started unpacking the second gift, otherwise someone would have to run over with a cup in hand to get to the bottom of it.
After the gifts from the distinguished guests are displayed, the next step will naturally begin.
Each table had less than half of their suckling pig eaten when the slaves came running over with plates and served new dishes: perfectly cooked vegetable stew, divided into small portions in small bowls, each with an extra piece of honey cake.
Only a very small number of guests continued to eat, while most people were reserved, chatting with each other about interesting topics and paying attention to the movements of other tables.
Galius leaned next to Ilitta and excitedly picked up his wine glass. "Meliya, no wonder you asked me to look for clay everywhere. It turns out it was for porcelain!"
Clay? Everyone remembered it. Who would have thought that pure white porcelain and earthenware bowls were made from the same material? Was it just painted white?
"Yeah, but unfortunately, pottery clay and porcelain clay are different. The final product... well," Melia sighed, her heart broken. Never mind, as long as it's prettier than the pottery basin, that's all.
She didn't lie. As Shadow Roma expanded, hot springs and high-quality porcelain clay were developed there, which could be used to make porcelain.
In the real Rome, similar soil layers were also discovered far away around the city. Unfortunately, the quality of the soil after burning was not good, so it could only be used as a substitute.
Making money is always better than not making any money at all. Someone soon figured this out and clapped their hands approvingly: "No wonder you bought so many slaves a while ago. So you want to make porcelain. There's no one in Egypt, Greece, or around the sea who doesn't like it."
Great, the fish is biting.
Melia waved her hand casually. "Of course. By the way, wasn't buying slaves popular a while ago? Have you figured out how to arrange it?"
The lively atmosphere cooled a few degrees, and some people turned their heads away in embarrassment: "How could they have expected so many? Ordinary slaves are so cheap anyway, just buy a few first to join the fun and resell them later."
Ordinary goods are sold at a discount to remote places, and high-end ones are sold at a higher price to brothels or arenas, or simply dismantled into parts. These are all common practices. Who cares how they are arranged?
If you really want to save face but are too embarrassed to bother them, you can just push them out and tell them, "You are free!" Isn't that great too?
Ahem, Gellius's eyes drifted away: "It's really hard to find a way to make money."
Someone in the back row said, "It's not like everyone is like Miss Melia, who has the money to teach slaves to write."
"Hahahaha." Melia laughed crisply. "You don't think this is my personal habit, right? Rumor has it that I'm uneducated and unskilled. I hope the slaves will study hard to earn my respect."
Isn't it? People politely kept silent.
Melia knew what they wanted to hear and shrugged exaggeratedly, "Learning will make slaves smarter. I don't want stupid people working for me. Ever since I sent them to school, sales at each store have increased by about 10%."
"real?!"
"Of course it's true, otherwise I'd be stupid." Melia pushed away the lead sugar wine and looked out the door with a thoughtful expression: "Speaking of which, is there anyone here interested in sugar?"
…
"Woo, woo, I'm so tired."
Melia fell onto the bed with a plop, and the people around her hurriedly helped her undress. Fortunately, they had all taken a bath before getting on the bed, so they were very clean.
There was another person washing their face in the room, and Sonny rubbed the towel vigorously to wash all the dye off his hair.
"Hehe~ Sister, you Roman nobles really don't know how to look people in the eye."
She had been sitting at the back of the class for such a long time, but after changing her hair color, putting on some heavy makeup, and wearing fancy clothes, no one recognized her!
After wiping her face, she winked at Melia, who lay sprawled on the bed like a dead pig. "Sister, I want to ask you again, do you really regret letting me pretend to be a foreign businessman and run around? Oh, and if I make enough money and run away, won't you be dumbfounded?"
"You're the one who's been clamoring to do business, aren't you? You're pretty good at trading with nomads like the Huns. Wouldn't it be great if you could lead a caravan for me? Just run away, and you'll make your money back soon."
Melia waved her hand: "You should also go to bed early, and sleep well, I won't see you off..."
"Huh~ Sister, you're really generous. Among all the Roman nobles, I only like you~ Hehe, I have to count the Persians too."
Sonny walked to the door and looked back deeply.
After she left the room, Mili put away the towel and washbasin: "Master, would you like something to eat?"
"No, I want to sleep..." Melia muttered and rolled into the quilt, her consciousness blurred.
Annie had expected this. She shook her head at Mili, and the two of them tiptoed out of the room, blowing out the candle before closing the door.
Melia wandered in the darkness, hearing all kinds of compliments and temptations.
She threw out so much bait that the pond water sloshed. Porcelain, textiles, new trade routes… each one pointed to a different path, each requiring a great deal of manpower.
These interests bound the nobles like ropes, making Sulla's next move difficult. However, she had to plunge into the conflict, constantly muddying the waters to prevent Sulla from seeing clearly...
I'm so tired, really so tired.
And—was she really doing the right thing? Trying to speed up the times to combat a backward political system, to alleviate the problem of excess labor in slavery...was that really a good idea? Wouldn't it instead bring about disaster?
Pasha, a hand gently held her palm.
who!
Melia shuddered, and her shoulders were held in comfort. "It's me, Elena."
"Wow—why is it you?! Taffy, don't be nervous... She won't hurt me." Melia covered her face, and the dejection she had just felt disappeared in a flash. She held down Taffy's knife-holding hand and yawned repeatedly.
"Tired?" Elena's soft laughter came from the darkness: "I felt the same at first. I thought they were boring."
"Hmm..." Melia tilted her head and gently leaned on her shoulder. The two of them snuggled in the dark. Strangely enough, even without saying a word, they could calm down by listening to their heartbeats.
It was unknown how long it took, so long that Melia closed her eyes and heard a whispered sigh in her ears: "Melia, you are my first..."
"…friend"
She is familiar with this plot, and there will be a second one when Ronnie comes out.
Friends? No, maybe... close friends? That doesn't seem right either.
Elena pursed her lips in silence for a long time before speaking: "Thank you, you didn't need to do this."
These ways of making money are new and good. You can keep them in your mind and release them slowly, accumulate your network bit by bit, and lay the foundation for your future business empire.
However, in order to disrupt Sulla's decision, Melia rescued a group of slaves who were not related to her and dispersed early.
Elena asked herself, if it were her, she would definitely not do this.
If she had no special feelings for the Sea Kingdom, if she was not a princess but a wealthy person, she would definitely hold on to her chips and wait for the most appropriate time to place her bet.
If this were a war, Melia would fight tooth and nail to protect her people, striving not to lose a single city or town. She would weigh the costs and benefits, striving to strike at the most opportune moment.
I don’t know where this gentle strength comes from, just like the porcelain on display today - smooth and beautiful.
As her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, Elena reached out and gently stroked the girl's cheek:
She used to hate Melia and never thought her face was cute. She always felt annoyed when she saw it.
Yes, disgusting... It seemed that before Muala died, she had never even looked at Melia, not even when she was in the most miserable state and was pressed into the pig food by her.
When exactly is it?
The person I hate the most has turned out to be the person I like the most.
Breathe in… Breathe in.
The breathing beside his fingers was light and shallow, with a faint sweetness.
Elena's throat moved, and she reached out and slowly put her arms around Melia's shoulders. She was stronger than she had imagined, no wonder she was able to hold on to her last time.
Her lips brushed against her cheek quietly, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly.
"Elena..."
"Um."
"You haven't left yet?" A soft paw touched his face. He looked completely sleepy.
"...It's so late, where am I going?" Elena gritted her teeth, grabbing her hand and putting it under the quilt. Damn it, after finally climbing over the wall in the heat of the moment, this?
"Ah."
The other party hummed once and fell completely silent, even his breathing was so shallow that it was almost inaudible.
Never mind, I'm used to it. Elena closed her eyes and laid down on the same pillow with her head against hers. Fortunately, her pillows were soft and big enough to even fit another person.
"Good night, Melia."
“…”
May you, who are walking on this difficult road, be safe and sound.
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