Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Flower Scented Paper
Kang He thought so. Nowadays, many industries, including the writings of the Luo family, have already met the most basic needs of the general public.
Many people can afford ordinary coarse paper and brushes, and stationery is no longer as precious as it was in the past. Nowadays, not only people in the city, but even farmers in the countryside, who have no one who can read and write, can take out a few sheets of paper and pens and ink to meet emergencies.
Ordinary people are wealthier than before, their most basic needs met, allowing them to pursue higher-end pursuits, such as entertainment. Ordinary people enjoy new innovations, and businesses profit from them.
These competitors in the city are competing with each other and engaging in a price war because there are not many new tricks, so they focus entirely on price.
But if we continue to rely on low prices to win, not only will we not make much profit, but if this continues for a long time, how can we survive?
Over time, if other companies come up with a method that is difficult to copy, then the business will almost come to an end.
Of course, this is just Kang He's idea, and we cannot make a hasty conclusion about the exact situation.
After he had made up his mind, he went to the market to listen, watch and observe for a few days to be on the safe side. It was indeed what he had imagined, so he started to do it.
That day, Kanghe bought some mugwort, mint, osmanthus, roses, osmanthus and other flowers and plants.
He also bought some paper-making tools, and shut himself in the back garden of his home to resume his old business, doing his old handicrafts.
What Kanghe wants to make this time is actually floral scented paper.
He looked around all the literary and bookstores in the city. Occasionally, there were some prototypes of scented paper in the shops, and they also sold paper with a scent, but there were only a few styles, the paper was rough, and the fragrance did not last long.
Many of the incense papers had lost their scent when they were taken out, and the shop owner didn't seem to care much about them.
In his opinion, there is great room for development in this area.
Kang He had made two batches of handmade paper before, and he remembered the steps, but it had been so long that he was a little rusty.
He had reviewed it before starting, and took out a pen and paper to write down the production method bit by bit.
He knew four ways to make scented paper.
First, dyeing with flower juice. As the name suggests, the flower petals are crushed and squeezed to extract the juice, and then the raw paper is soaked in the flower juice to dye it with fragrance and color.
The second method is to use incense. It is the same as fumigating clothes. You light incense powder and fumigate them. After a long time, the clothes will be fragrant.
Third, use petal clips. When making paper, petals are spread on the wet pulp from which the fibers are extracted and pressed together. Then, paper pulp is brushed on this basis and the petals are clamped in the middle to fix them.
Fourth, apply the spices. This is similar to the original method of making medicinal candles. Honey, flower juice, peach gum, and scented powder are used to make scented gum, which is then applied to the paper.
Kang He thought about it a lot back then. These methods each have their own unique advantages and disadvantages.
It is like the incense fumigation method. Although the fragrance can be transferred to the paper, it will not last long without the fumigation cage. The petal clipping method makes the paper have the texture of petals, which is very beautiful, but the smell of the petals that have not been extracted is not obvious, and it is almost difficult to smell the fragrance of the flowers.
In this way, we are not restricted to using any single method, but can make use of the strengths of each method to produce incense paper that will satisfy people.
Kanghe started with mugwort, boiled fresh mugwort in a stove, extracted the fibers, crushed them, put them into water, took out the pulp with a paper net, and after drying it in the sun, it became paper.
But when taking out the paper pulp, he used the petal clamp method, selecting beautifully shaped mugwort leaves and pressing them on the paper pulp. After the paper was dry, he would use the fourth method of applying scented glue and brush the corresponding mugwort scented glue again.
After completing this step, the paper is made and the incense method is used again. In this way, almost all four methods are used. After several tedious productions, the paper is ready.
Fan Jing stood at one end, occasionally helping out according to Kang He's instructions, and hammering mugwort fibers with him in the stone pit.
The two of them were busy running around from morning till sunset. Fan Jing mostly watched Kang He and did not do much work. It was Kang He who was patient and meticulous, as he tinkered with it for a long time.
After working all day, I finally finished the work.
"Smell it, is there any fragrance?"
Kang He held the paper, not caring about the numbness in his body, and even put the paper in front of Fan Jing's nose, teaching him to smell it.
Fan Jing had been smelling the scent of mugwort all day, from fresh mugwort, mugwort pulp, mugwort powder...it seemed as if he had been smoked into the scent of mugwort. However, even so, he could smell a mature fragrance before the mugwort paper reached his nose.
"Yes, I do."
Kang He said, "I've made medicinal candles before, using strong liquor to soak mugwort powder to stimulate the scent. The scent of this mugwort paper will definitely be stronger than the ones made from the outside. With so many steps, the scent is added layer by layer to solidify it. The smell is not too strong or choking, but still elegant."
Fan Jing nodded. He looked at the small square piece of mugwort paper. It was a grayish-yellow color. Unlike ordinary paper, it was plain and simple, with a few pieces of stretched mugwort on it. It was rare and beautiful.
The smell is fragrant, making it easy to tell that it is mugwort paper.
He just rubbed the finished paper with his fingers. The paper made by Kanghe was a bit rough. It was not as good as the medium-quality paper used in writing, but about the same as the inferior paper.
Kang He also knew that the quality of the paper was not very good. He said, "After all, I am not a master papermaker like those in the literary community. I only know these methods of making paper, but I can't compare to their exquisite craftsmanship that they have been making paper for many years. If I teach them how to make it, the paper will be more delicate."
"I don't care about the quality of the paper; what matters is showing its uniqueness."
In the evening, Kang He and Fan Jing took some paper to the Dafushi and taught him to write a few words on the paper to see how it worked.
"Is the paper made of mugwort? It smells so good!"
Dafu held the paper in his hand. He had never used mugwort in his house. When he took out the paper, he smelled a more distinct scent than when Kanghe and Fan Jing had made it in the back garden.
He leaned in to smell it, and then stroked the texture of the mugwort on it. He thought it was beautiful and smelled good, and he liked it very much.
"Where did Daddy and Little Daddy get such exquisite paper? It would be a waste to let me try to write on it like this!"
Kang He saw his eyes sparkling, obviously liking the paper, and said with a smile, "Don't be reluctant to use it. This paper wasn't obtained from outside. Your little dad and I made it in the back garden this afternoon. I'm teaching you to write just to see if it works well."
Upon hearing this, Dafu couldn't help but exclaim, "Daddy, how can you be so skillful with your hands!"
Well, he said again: "Then I have to give it a try."
Then he straightened his body, picked up the pen and wrote a line of poem praising mugwort on the mugwort paper.
After finishing his writing, Dafu put down his brush, looked at the mugwort paper, and commented, "Although the paper is a little rough, the ink hasn't smudged. The refreshing fragrance of the mugwort fills my nose from time to time. It's not only elegant, but also refreshing."
Kang He listened and laughed, "Don't say anything that flatters Daddy and Little Daddy."
Dafu shook his head. "Dad and Little Dad are running a business. They've put so much effort into making this mugwort paper. I don't think they're just doing it to pass the time and relax. They must be doing it for business purposes."
"If I had said something insincere in my praise, I would have ended up hurting things. This is not just empty boasting; it's my genuine experience."
Seeing that Da Zi's words were very logical, Kang He nodded his head and said, "Now Daddy feels more at ease."
Dafu saw how good the mugwort paper was and liked it more and more. When he heard that it was made by Xiaodie and Daddy, he couldn't help but beg, "School is closed tomorrow and there won't be any gatherings at the county school. Can I learn to make this mugwort paper from Daddy and Xiaodie?"
"If you're interested, then come and do it with Daddy. This kind of handicraft won't hurt you if you learn it, and it can even give your brain a break."
Dafu happily agreed.
The next day, the family of four were busy making incense paper in the back garden.
The mugwort incense paper Kanghe made yesterday was considered a success, so today he changed the incense paper next to it and replaced it with mint.
Dafu patiently followed Kanghe through the steps, and by noon, the mint scented paper was ready.
Xiaofu and Fan Jing were beating the paper-making fibers, which was quite interesting. The little boy was talkative. Sometimes he held up the peach gum and asked what it was, and sometimes he asked why it had to be brushed on paper.
Chirping and chirping like a little bird, time seems to pass by easily.
After mastering the method and practicing makes perfect, the family was able to make scented paper with rose, osmanthus, osmanthus fragrans, chrysanthemum and other flowers.
There is a thick pile of them, each with its own fragrance and shape, and the ones at the back are obviously better made.
Dafu held the paper in his hand, and the achievement in his heart was no less than reading and writing an exquisite article.
Like Kang He, he asked for two sheets. In the evening, he returned to the yard and processed them again. He cut the incense paper into small pieces, about the size of an adult's palm, sewed them together carefully, and used a piece of leather to make the cover.
A neat manual was produced.
"It's so beautiful, brother, are you willing to use it?"
When Dafu heard the voice, he turned around suddenly and saw Xiaofu sitting cross-legged on a couch. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there.
He put down the manual and sneered at the little guy, "When did you come here? You didn't even make a sound."
Xiaofu then got off the couch and ran over to Dafu, sitting down next to him. "I came here a while ago. Seeing that you didn't read or write tonight, I even said I wanted to talk to you. You can see that you are working so hard on these incense papers, so I didn't say anything."
Dafu smiled and said, "It's rare that you have the patience to wait this long."
"I fell asleep for a while."
Xiaofu said, "Otherwise I would have called you a long time ago."
He picked up the manual and flipped through it. The scents of several kinds of scented paper merged together, making it even more fragrant, but he couldn't tell which was which. But when he turned to the rose paper, he could smell the clear rose scent when he got closer. When he turned to the osmanthus paper, he could smell the fragrance of osmanthus again.
"Why is there no mint or wormwood, but only floral scented paper?"
Dafu saw that he was very meticulous and even remembered which smelled papers had not been bound in.
"Mint and mugwort are herbs with a refreshing smell, but when put together with floral scented paper, the smell is inevitably a bit overbearing, so I just made it all floral scented."
Xiaofu turned his head to look at his brother and said, "Is this for you and Brother Guang?"
Dafu was slightly stunned: "Why do you say that?"
"Last time I heard you two talking, and Brother Heguang said that he had helped you before, but you didn't thank him properly, and he didn't agree. Didn't Brother say he would prepare a gift to thank him? But Brother Heguang's family is nice, he has everything and he's seen everything, so I don't know what to give him that would make him like it."
Xiaofu said, "I said I wanted to copy a book that Brother Heguang would like for him, but after I finished copying it, I thought the handwriting was not good enough. Now I have spent so much time making a fragrant booklet. Isn't it just right to give it to Brother Heguang?"
Dafu had predicted Xiaofu's plan, and he blushed. He pinched Xiaofu's nose and said, "You're the only one who's clever and smart."
Xiaofu curled his lips and snorted.
"I just don't know if he likes it. It's my first time making it, so my hands and feet are not very flexible, and the paper is a bit rough."
Xiaofu said, "Brother Heguang loves reading and writing just like you. I've seen so many calligraphy and paintings in his room. How could he not like a fragrant book like this?"
"When he saw the roughness of the paper, he knew it was made by you. Isn't it better than the ones you buy outside?"
After hearing what Xiaofu said, Dafu couldn't help but chuckle. He was encouraged by his brother and felt relieved to give the gift.
The other thing is comforting. Although Xiaoyou is young, he knows that the most important thing about a gift is the thought behind it, not the price.
"Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll give the gift to Uncle Wu when I go over to ask for his advice."
The next day, a simple box appeared in Wu Heguang's room.
He opened it with anticipation, and as soon as he opened the lid, he smelled a fragrance. He saw a book inside. He turned two pages and saw Da Fu's handwriting on it.
Wu Heguang moved closer and could smell a floral fragrance on the book. He wondered if this person was so thoughtful that he even put fresh flowers in the box to fumigate the book as well.
He then took the box and looked inside, only to find that there was a cowhide booklet underneath the handwritten book.
Just by taking out the booklet, I could smell a fragrance that was even stronger than the book itself. There was nothing else in the box, so I thought it was this booklet that was emitting the fragrance.
It was sealed in a box together with the books, so that the fragrance permeated the book room.
Wu Heguang slowly flipped through the pages, finding it more and more interesting, and a smile appeared on his face.
"Is the booklet sent by Fan Tongsheng so much to your liking?"
Gu Ge'er, who was serving Wu Heguang, saw the smile on his face and couldn't help but ask with a smile.
Wu Heguang called Gu Ge'er over and said, "Look at this brochure. It's full of secrets. Different flowers appear on different pages, and the fragrance is the same as the flowers, a delicate and refreshing scent."
"It's true. It smells really good, but strangely, I've never seen it anywhere else."
Gu Ge'er added, "The paper is a little rough, like it was made by a novice, not as refined as the ones sold in shops outside."
Wu Heguang could tell that the paper was rough, and guessed that it was made by a novice. When Gu Ge'er also said so, his thoughts were confirmed. He roughly understood the origin of the manual and couldn't help but like it even more.
"As long as he only has his mind on studying and doesn't want to do these handicrafts, that's fine. When I see him again, I will definitely ask him how he came up with such a brilliant idea."
Wu Heguang was delighted with this gift for a whole day and treasured it more than a set of precious pearls and jade.
After just admiring it, he locked it in an exquisite red box and was reluctant to take it out and use it.
On the other hand, the incense paper was made, and Kang He went to find Luo Dalang and showed it to him.
Different people have different thoughts and feelings when looking at the floral-scented paper. For example, children like Dafu and Wu Heguang who read a lot find the floral-scented paper rare and elegant. Luo Dalang is a businessman who has been engaged in literary works for many years. He doesn't need Kang Heduo's salesmanship as he immediately sees the point.
His eyes lit up and he asked Kang He, "Where did you get this good thing?"
Kang He said, "Don't worry about the origin yet. Brother Luo, do you think this floral paper could be worth selling?"
"You and I have both been in the business world, but I'm afraid even if I say it's impossible, you won't believe me."
Luo Dalang said excitedly, "There's no such exquisite floral paper on the market. Even someone like me, who has never devoted much effort to literature, can't put it down. How much more so for those scholars and scholars."
Kang He nodded and told Luo Dalang his previous thoughts: "Ordinary paper is generally affordable for ordinary people. In this case, we must go for exquisite and elegant ones. Maybe we can find a way out.
The sesame oil that was expensive and sold poorly a few years ago is now selling like hot cakes. It shows that the people are looking for good things after having enough food.
"This scented paper is just ordinary paper with a new design, which makes it more pleasing to the eyes and spirit, and adds an extra layer of enjoyment."
Luo Dalang said, "Brother Kang is very insightful. I've had some of these ideas in mind, but I've run out of new ideas. So I decided to play it safe and buy some printing equipment."
"Seeing the wonderful things that the Kang brothers brought here really opened my eyes."
Kang He smiled and said, "Since I brought the paper here, I want to ask Brother Luo for his insight and see if this incense paper is worth selling. Secondly, if it catches Brother Luo's eye, we can discuss doing this business together."
Luo Dalang's heart couldn't help but heaving with emotion. Kang He came with good ideas and wanted to work with him in partnership. How could he not be happy?
If he wasn't a relative, he wouldn't have had this good opportunity, so he cherished it even more.
The two sides discussed it carefully. Kang He provided the recipe and craftsmanship, while Luo Dalang provided the manpower and effort to make the products and was also responsible for sales. After deducting the costs, the net profit was split 50-50 between the two sides.
Although they were a partnership between relatives, they also signed a document, recorded all the agreements clearly on paper, signed and sealed it, and each person kept a copy.
This may seem a bit distant, but it is the best way to protect the rights and interests of both parties.
It is like borrowing money from relatives and friends. When things go well, they say it is all good and say all kinds of nice things, so they don't even need to write a note. But when things go badly and their interests are at stake, they realize the pain of having empty words.
Kang He and Luo Dalang were both calm and rational business people, and they knew that business between relatives should be handled more cautiously and properly, more cautiously than outsiders.
Because they are relatives, they are closer than outsiders, but also because they are relatives, if something happens, it will not be as easy to deal with as with outsiders.
It took about five or six days to finally understand the rules and regulations, and another ten days to teach the master how to make incense paper, and he made some finished products.
Kang He and Luo Dalang ran around to select good raw materials and negotiate the price, which took them another month.
When Fan Jing saw Kang He, he went out as soon as it was daybreak. When he returned home, it was already late. He went out early and came back late every day, and fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed at night.
This is not the first time I have seen such a busy situation. Whenever I start a new business, the process is almost the same.
But in the past, they were the only ones who ran the family business. This time, they were doing business with the Luo family. Luo Dalang was experienced in the literary business, so the two of them were enough. Fan Jing didn't follow them much and just took care of the family business.
At night, Kang He lay on his bed and said to Fan Jing, "We're lucky to have Luo Dalang with us in this incense and paper business. It saves us a lot of trouble. If we write about this business, it would be like making a bowl of dumplings for a pile of vinegar."
"Looking for reliable papermakers and craftsmen, sourcing bamboo and wood, renting a shop to start a business...it's really a ton of work. It won't take a year or two to get the business off the ground."
As summer passes and autumn arrives, the weather has become cooler without us noticing. It is finally not as hot and humid as in the summer months.
After listening to Kang He talk about his business trip with Luo Dalang today, Fan Jing took out a palm-leaf fan from the end of the bed and fanned him gently.
After hearing this summary, he said, "After all, half of the profits are being shared, so we should save some time and effort. Otherwise, we would just do it ourselves."
Kang He smiled and replied, "That's right. Fortunately, I've been doing business with the He family for a long time. Over the years, I've gained some experience. So, doing business with Luo Dalang today isn't so unfamiliar to me."
Speaking of the He family, Fan Jing also said to him, "Today, Zhang Shili and Xiaoqiu brought their two children to the shop to play for a while. When Xiaofu came over, the three children were very happy."
"Those two little guys are so adorable. When I saw them last time, they were learning to walk. They've seen the big geese we raise at home so many times, and they're actually trying to imitate their tuck-in walk. It's really funny."
Upon hearing this, Fan Jing also chuckled.
Seeing this, Kang He couldn't help but lean over and kiss the corner of his mouth.
"Why do you look so good when you smile?"
Seeing Kang He staring at him intently, Fan Jing covered his face with the palm-leaf fan and said, "You are so old and still say these things."
Kang He took off the palm-leaf fan and threw it at the end of the bed: "I'm telling the truth. Who taught you to smile so little and not let me see enough at once?"
As he spoke, his hand touched the leg of Fan Jing's knee-length shorts.
Fan Jing grabbed Kang He's hand and said, "Don't you mean you have to travel to two distant places tomorrow to discuss orders? You have to get up before dawn, and you're complaining that you're tired today."
Kang He found it funny, and thought to himself that if he didn't say that, how could he get people to rub his back and fan him?
He turned over and pressed Fan Jing down, saying, "No matter how tired a man is, he wouldn't be tired of this. If you really care about me because I have to run around tomorrow morning, why not take the initiative? If you stop me, I'll have a sleepless night."
Fan Jing didn't know where he could come up with such twisted ideas, so he pushed him aside and said, "That thing is gone."
Kang He's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Didn't I wash it after using it? Why didn't I take it after it dried?"
Fan Jing kicked him and said, "Why are you keeping it if it's broken?"
Kang He suddenly remembered that it was indeed ruined, and his face blushed. He had always wanted to make up for it, but Yue Shang was so busy with the incense and paper business that he missed important things.
Thinking about it, he felt that it was wrong. He touched Fan Jing's waist apologetically and said, "Blame me. I really treated you badly during this period."
Fan Jing glanced at him and said, "Stop using foul language."
Kang He approached and kept asking Fan Jing where the dirty words were.
The two laughed and played in bed for a while, and fell asleep quite late.
On September 12, Luo Jiawen acted as the man beating drums and gongs, announcing that his shop had a new kind of incense paper and inviting readers to come and have a look.
Early in the morning, the shop was bustling with activity.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
