Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Who would have thought that before one wave of troubles subsided, another would arise. ...
Who would have thought that before one crisis is over, another crisis would arise.
"Wait a minute! Mr. Magistrate, you can't be fooled by this criminal slave!" A dark-skinned man in his forties who was following behind Magistrate Li could no longer sit still.
Magistrate Li frowned and scolded, "Old Cheng, what are you doing? I hired you a month ago, and now you've been thinking about it for a month and still haven't figured out how to make the birthday gift. Now that I've found someone who can take on the job, you're making a fuss. Why don't you get out of here?"
"Sir, I am definitely not joking with you, but this luminous cup is obviously not made of linyu. Ancient books record that linyu and bronze repel each other, but the emerald waves inside this wine cup are obviously bronze juice, which is completely integrated with the wine cup. Therefore, the material used to make the wine cup cannot be linyu!" Craftsman Cheng said righteously.
Jiang Wan could see clearly that this man had been robbed of his job and was only confronting her. After all, making a gift for a county lady's wife, if done well, could earn him hundreds of taels of silver in wages alone. No wonder he refused to give up.
Jiang Wan maintained a respectful expression, but inwardly he lamented. "Brother, do you really think I want this job? I'm forced into this. Why should a worker make things difficult for another worker?"
Since Cheng Gongjian could so confidently state that bronze and unicorn jade were incompatible, it must be that ancient texts indeed recorded this. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to lie to Magistrate Li with such a self-evident lie. After all, the head of a county holds supreme authority within the county and can decide the life and death of even a single citizen.
After hearing this, County Magistrate Li began to believe it to some extent and his face darkened.
After a while, a servant came to him holding an ancient book, opened it and said, "Sir, I have found out that Kirin Jade and Bronze do repel each other."
The house, which was originally full of joy, suddenly became quiet and the atmosphere dropped to freezing point.
County Magistrate Li's face looked very ugly.
Mrs. Li put her arm around his, as if she wanted to say something, but he shook her off without hesitation. She looked at Magistrate Li's cold eyes, shuddered, and sat aside in silence.
"Master Cheng is absolutely right," Jiang Wan said in a low voice, but his voice was resounding in the quiet room. "Lin jade isn't directly compatible with bronze shavings, but what if we add some fusion agent?"
County Magistrate Li was stunned for a moment, and the momentary dullness diluted his originally sharp eyes.
"Fusion agent? What kind of fusion agent can have such an effect?" Craftsman Cheng didn't believe it.
Jiang Wan replied, "Soaking bronze shavings in indigo sap not only changes the surface properties of the copper, but also brightens and enhances its color. The emerald ripples on this wine glass are darker than ordinary bronze and have a faint blue hue. This is the result of soaking them in indigo sap."
Craftsman Cheng was shocked. "How...how is this possible? I've been a craftsman for over 20 years and have never heard of such a method. There's no record of it in ancient books either."
Of course you haven't heard of it. This is a method used by Westerners, and we in the Great Zhou haven't discovered it yet.
"Ancient texts mostly record the properties of materials and the construction of handicrafts," Jiang Wan coughed lightly and began to make up his own story. "Detailed techniques were mostly passed down from master to apprentice, and different schools have their own characteristics. It's normal that Master Cheng hasn't heard of them."
County Magistrate Li now believed her more and his expression softened.
Seeing this, Cheng Gongjian steeled his resolve and argued with her. "Impossible! Since there's no record of it, you're just making it up to deceive the magistrate! Kirin jade is extremely rare. How could a mere criminal like you possibly be able to afford it?"
Jiang Wan was speechless for a moment. This craftsman, Cheng, was indeed quite knowledgeable, having been chosen to craft the gift. If he hadn't caused such a scene, they could have parted ways amicably, and with his skills, he could have earned money by taking on other jobs. But it was a shame that he was too greedy. For this money, even though he knew the loser would suffer miserably, he still insisted on fighting her to the death.
In that case, don't blame her for being cruel.
Jiang Wan knelt down calmly, facing the serious gaze of County Magistrate Li, and recounted in detail how he picked up the Linyu jade next to the barracks and how he carefully repaired it.
She originally did not want to tell the whole process. First, she did not want her method to be imitated by others, which would make it more difficult for her to make money from it in the future; second, the spoils confiscated from the Huns belonged to the government, and even if they were picked up or discarded, she always felt that it was not a glorious thing.
But at this point, telling the truth is the safest way.
"Sir, the Kirin jade can change color with the light, which is irreplaceable by other jades. If you don't believe it, just give it a try and you will know." Jiang Wan looked directly into the magistrate's eyes without fear.
County Magistrate Li then waved his hand and ordered his men to take it away for inspection.
The hall was utterly silent, everyone held their breath awaiting the outcome. Magistrate Li sat in the center, his emotions indistinguishable. Madam Li sat by his side, wringing her hands nervously. She hadn't imagined a small wine glass could cause so much trouble. If Jiang Wan lost this time, the master would also vent his anger on her, the one who had introduced him.
Cheng's face paled. He'd been in this business for years, and seeing Jiang Wan's expression, he had a feeling the girl's story might be true. Taking this gamble... maybe he could keep his job, or maybe the magistrate would dislike him, leading to his downfall and starvation on the streets.
Jiang Wan, on the other hand, knelt beside him leisurely and comfortably. If Magistrate Li hadn't told her to get up, she would have even wanted to sit down and pound her legs. God knows she had been kneeling for so long that her knees were numb.
After a while, the servant came up with the cup: "Sir, it has been tested."
Four pairs of eyes were fixed on the boy's face.
"It's indeed as this girl said. The wine glass can change color with the light. It must be true."
Mrs. Li breathed a sigh of relief.
Magistrate Li smiled amiably again: "Miss Jiang, please get up quickly—you, I asked you to get the girl's indenture, why are you so slow?"
Madam Li also laughed and asked the maid to bring a chair for Jiang Wan to sit on.
A new system prompt sounded in her mind:
"Free time brings wonderful inspiration. Congratulations to the host for being free from slavery and having more opportunities to contribute to the development of the handicraft industry. Complete the mission [Free Flight] and receive ten points."
Jiang Wan closed his eyes, and the remaining points on the system interface changed from 12 to 22.
"Come here," Magistrate Li pointed at Cheng the craftsman, a look of annoyance on his face. "Drag this ungrateful fellow out and give him fifty lashes of the cane. Tell him not to make false accusations against others again!"
"Sir! Sir, spare my life!" Craftsman Cheng kowtowed loudly, still shouting for mercy as he was dragged out by the servants. A moment later, Jiang Wan heard the sound of a board whipping flesh.
Jiang Wan's heart sank, and she began to speculate. She lowered her head and took a sip of tea.
Magistrate Li rewarded her with many gifts and handed her the indenture contract. "Miss Jiang, from today on, you are free and no longer a slave. These jewels are given to you. You can use them to dress up in your daily life, or you can exchange them for money to help your family. You can make birthday gifts for me. If you need any manpower or materials, just let me know."
He picked up the Linyu wine glass and Mrs. Li poured him some daughter's red wine.
County Magistrate Li took a sip and exclaimed, "Good wine! What a nice cup!" He looked at Jiang Wan meaningfully.
"You still have a mother and a brother. I heard that you have a very good relationship. I also want to help them escape from slavery, but losing three criminal slaves will easily attract attention. If the birthday gift is well made, they can be as free as you in time. Otherwise——"
Magistrate Li tilted his head, closed his eyes, and listened attentively to the sound of the wooden boards beating flesh outside. He asked, "Has the fifty strokes of the board not yet been completed?"
The servant bowed and said, "Sir, he has fainted from the pain."
"Splash water on him to wake him up, then continue beating him!" Magistrate Li ordered the servant, his eyes fixed on Jiang Wan. "Those who disobey deserve to be beaten."
Jiang Wan's heart skipped a beat. She had just been wondering why the magistrate would beat someone with a stick at his own doorstep on New Year's Eve. It turned out it was specifically for her.
Hatred surged in her heart, but her face remained calm, her voice as cold as ice: "I will do my best and not let you down, sir."
The night of New Year’s Eve is as quiet as water, with lights on in every house.
A gorgeous carriage passed through the dark alley and stopped in front of the Jiang family's thatched cottage.
Jiang Wan got off the carriage carrying a large bag of rewards and said to the coachman, "I'm going back first. Please thank Madam for me."
The coachman nodded, and the carriage gradually drove away. Jiang Wan stood there for a while, until the sound of horse hooves disappeared, then he smiled and walked briskly towards the thatched hut.
"Mom! Brother! I'm free!" Jiang Wan pushed open the door and threw himself into Jiang's mother's arms.
"Okay, okay..." Hearing these words, the Jiang family mother and son finally let go of their worries. Jiang An smiled sincerely, and Jiang's mother recalled her daughter's hardships and growth along the way, the dangers and perseverance in Xiaofangpan City, and finally a good result. She couldn't help but tear up.
"Mom, why are you crying? Wanwan is fine," Jiang Wan hugged her mother and acted coquettishly. "Besides, the magistrate rewarded me with a lot of jewelry. I'm rich now. After the New Year, when the shop opens, I'm going to buy you lots of delicious food!"
"It's better to spend it sparingly, otherwise it will be gone soon." Jiang's mother objected, but she was very pleased in her heart that her daughter was becoming more sensible and thinking about herself.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm good at business and will make more and more money. You can eat and drink without worry." Jiang Wan said with a smile, "Come on, smile. It's New Year's Day, smile more!"
Jiang's mother couldn't help but smile at her daughter's coquettish look, her heart softening: "Okay, okay—you must be hungry. Mom will go cook for you."
"You've just gotten a little better, so you should rest. My brother and I will take care of it." Jiang Wan pushed his mother back to bed and started a fire with Jiang An and his sister to roast the meat. As Jiang Wan watched the fire, he recounted the evening's events to his brother, deliberately omitting the part where Magistrate Li threatened Jiang's mother and Jiang An.
At midnight, the sound of firecrackers could be heard throughout the city. Colorful fireworks rose up, bursting into brilliant colors in the darkness, illuminating the faces of the three Jiang family members.
It's a new year again.
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