Chapter 38
In just two days, everyone's rations were gone.
Su Mu was busy training and didn't go hunting, though it's unclear whether he didn't catch anything or what.
After examining Jing Tao's injuries, Ren Dong found that they were healing much faster than usual, so she instructed the two to prepare to set off.
Over the course of four days, the group quickened their pace, stopping whenever they were hungry to find some wild fruit or catch some rabbits to eat.
Jing Tao never missed a meal, while the other three only ate about half full each day.
Hearing the rumbling of everyone's stomachs, Jing Tao offered them food, but they shook their heads and refused.
Finally, when the three of them were starving, they arrived in Wuzhen.
This is a small place. There are no fancy restaurants in the town, but for them, it is already difficult enough to fill their stomachs.
The three of them are eating worse than Jing Tao.
The shop owner standing nearby had never seen anything like this before; all he knew was that this meal would bring in more profit.
After Ren Dong finished packing, Su Mu and Dongfang Jin were nowhere to be seen, so she took Jing Tao out for a stroll.
We arrived at a stall where no one was around.
"Boss, how much is this?" Honeysuckle held up a beautifully crafted utensil and examined it carefully.
"This is a celadon ware, eighty coins."
Honeysuckle looked at the utensil; it was light and elegant, thinner than the pot she used, and should be very easy to use.
"Could you give me a discount?" Honeysuckle asked gently.
"Alright then, seventy-nine coins."
Honeysuckle remained silent, put down the implement, and prepared to leave.
"Wait, young lady, if you think it's too expensive, how about I teach you this skill and sell you this pot for fifty coins?"
Looking at the old man in front of her, Ren Dong couldn't help but suspect something was amiss. "Is there really such a good thing?"
"Alas, our family has passed down the craft of making celadon ware through generations of single-lineage crafts. It's a pity that I, the old man, have no descendants. I only wish to pass on this craft."
Ren Dong glanced at Jing Tao beside her; even if it was a trap, she wasn't afraid. "Okay."
Seeing that the young girl had agreed, the old man immediately packed up his stall and took Honeysuckle home.
The old man picked up a stone and explained, "This is crucible clay. It contains sand and is quite sticky. After grinding, it's filtered to make it fine and soft. This takes a day to prepare, but I've already done it in advance. You can start treading on the clay now."
"I didn't expect this to be such physically demanding work."
Honeysuckle took off her shoes, washed them, and began making them.
After spinning around and stepping on the ground countless times, Honeysuckle, exhausted, sat down to rest.
The old man poured two cups of tea and served them to them.
He drank the honeysuckle in one gulp.
The old man placed the tamped mud onto the wheel and then called Honeysuckle over.
"I'll start turning the wheel now, and you'll be on top of it, pulling out the clay paper blanks."
Honeysuckle looked at the other utensils in the room and began to imitate them.
Although it certainly can't compare to the old man's work, it's still passable.
Seeing that the honeysuckle utensil was beginning to take shape, the old man put pure white clay in a water vat, added water and stirred it. After the clay lumps dissolved, he transferred the solution to another vat to settle, leaving some water and pouring out the excess water. When glazing, he stirred it evenly and quickly dipped the clay blank into the solution to coat its surface with a thin and even layer of glaze.
The old man instructed Ren Dong to break the coal into small pieces and burn them simultaneously in three fixed, connected coal pits. One person buried the coal pits while the other baked the clay. The two took turns lifting the lids of the fireboxes. The flames were as high as three or four feet. The clay was placed in the coal pits, the lids were put on, and when the lids turned red, the lids were lifted off. The clay pot was quickly lifted out and placed under the lid of an iron pot to warm for two or three minutes. When Ren Dong took it out, the pot was blue and shiny.
"Wow, I can't believe I actually made it!"
The old man took out some tools and handed them to the honeysuckle, saying, "Polish it well."
Honeysuckle picked up her tools and carefully polished the stone. In no time, a complete piece of celadon ware was produced.
Honeysuckle handed her finished product to Jingtao, and then took out her money bag from her bosom, counted the change, and gave it to the old man.
"No need, I'm content just to have someone accompany an old man like me through all this."
Looking at the old man living alone in front of her, Ren Dong couldn't help but shed tears. She thought of her parents who were still waiting for them to return home. She took out a tael of silver from her purse and put it into the old man's pocket.
"Although it's not much, I understand your desire not to lose this craft. This is what I should give you. Thank you for teaching me these things," Ren Dong said, bowing deeply to the old man.
The old man accepted the money and personally escorted them out, saying, "You are all good children. Go home now; your families are waiting for you."
Honeysuckle waved to the old man and led Jingtao back to the inn.
"I didn't expect it to be so dark. Making Qingsha ware is really not easy." Ren Dong carefully put it into her package.
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