"We initially thought we were mistaken, or that the Ye Kingdom had stolen someone else's blueprints and made a fake. If you told us that Ye Kingdom craftsmen sawed, mortised, and carved the piece to completion, we really wouldn't believe it."
"Let's call it a day. This carriage is probably all show and no substance. To be honest, at first glance, the cuts are neat, the seams are tight, and the craftsmanship is superb. Even we old hands were almost fooled."
"Oh no, my spring reward money! Oh dear, how could I have been so impulsive as to spend it on the artisans of Ye Kingdom!"
The people around him all changed their expressions. As the saying goes, the weather in June can change in an instant, but they were even more fickle than the weather in June.
Not long ago, they flocked to him as if he were a treasure, but in the blink of an eye, they were met with scorn and insults, as if the "craftsmen of Ye" should be nailed to the pillar of shame and never be looked up to.
Shi Hetong and Mu Gaoyi were aware of how outsiders viewed the craftsmen of Ye.
However, from the initial flattery and the constant feeding of "spring reward silver coins," to the merchants now realizing they had been deceived and turning their backs on them, resorting to the most despicable and contemptuous words, their faces flushed red with shame and embarrassment.
But the situation didn't allow them to remain silent, so the two quickly stepped forward and hurriedly explained, "No, take a closer look. It's not just for show; it can not only carry people, but it also runs incredibly fast!"
“That’s right, once you sit on it and try it, you’ll definitely see a difference. Although we are craftsmen from Ye, being a craftsman from Ye doesn’t necessarily mean you are…”
It means it's bad.
The perpetual sense of inferiority and the ever-present prejudice nearly bent the heads and backs of the artisans of Ye.
"Ha, don't treat us like fools. If this isn't a plagiarism of foreign craftsmen's blueprints, then it's definitely just for show. The fact that it's so luxurious and special means they only put their effort into the appearance."
"Such a heavy cart, divided into two levels, with four wheels, and the front and rear wheels are different sizes. Just look at how thin the rim is, how can it run? I'm afraid it will only run a mile before it collapses."
"Exactly, what's the use of looking good? There are plenty of beautiful wooden artifacts. Isn't that corner bookstore at the next booth even more extravagant? And that mechanical flock of birds returning to their nest, combining stillness and movement, isn't that even more amazing?"
As Shi and Tong listened to their back-and-forth, none of them felt that their dragon-drawn carriage was finished. As the crowd gradually dispersed, their faces turned from red to white, and they felt as if falling from heaven to hell could happen in just a moment.
They finally mustered up the courage to come to Julu Kingdom to participate in the "Jichun Craftsmen's Guild". Although there were only three of them, they felt that they were carrying the expectations of all the craftsmen in Ye Kingdom.
They didn't want to come for nothing, nor did they want to come with lofty ambitions only to return in a disheveled and humiliating state.
"No, no, it's not like that. It really can run. The rim is thin because..."
They were both sweating profusely with anxiety, their words slurred, and they found themselves completely speechless as they tried to explain.
Because the real technical details of this dragon carriage were all in the hands of "Aqing". Although they participated in its manufacture, they were just tools and did not understand anything else.
They immediately thought of "Aqing" and looked at her with pleading eyes—"Save me, save me!" Just like every time they encountered a problem and were at a loss, she could always step in and solve it perfectly.
However, compared to their frantic and helpless attempts to dig a well, Zheng Quchi showed no intention of stopping them from leaving.
She even adopted a nonchalant, detached attitude, like someone catching a turtle in a jar, and smiled, saying, "Oh, since you all look down on our Ye Kingdom's carriages, then please."
What?
What is it? Please go ahead and ask.
Mu Gaoyi and Shi Hetong stared wide-eyed, their faces saying, "Did I hear that right?" Had she gone mad?
The plainclothes Xuanjia soldiers who had been specially left to guard the Panlong carriage not far away were also indignant and shared the same hatred as Mu Gaoyi and his men. They were so angry that they were about to go berserk and wished they could beat up these merchants who were spewing foul language to vent their anger.
But seeing that "Ah Qing" didn't care at all, and even seemed to want them to leave quickly, they were completely taken aback.
Is he... is he so angry that he's lost his mind?
Although their hearts were in turmoil, reason reminded them that if they could not retain these merchants and obtain the "Spring Appreciation Silver" from them, they would not be able to successfully enter the top ten of the "Jichun Craftsmen's Guild".
Then all their previous efforts and this trip have been in vain.
So, the reason they're so angry, being belittled and slandered to their faces, yet still smiling and remaining unmoved, is it all to keep the people here?
What is she doing? Chasing people away?
The merchants, who were about to move on to the next shop, were also taken aback by Zheng Quchi's unconventional approach.
Hey, she's gotten arrogant now?
They all felt that the humble attitude of trying hard to persuade Mu Gaoyi and the others to stay was the right one, but this young man with a scar on his eyebrow looked down on them and was trying to drive away the "guests," which was extremely arrogant and infuriating.
They turned around and couldn't help but retort, "Did we hit the nail on the head? Are you feeling guilty and that's why you told us to leave?"
Zheng Quchi nodded quickly and said with a smile, "Yes, yes, I feel guilty. I don't need to beg you to stay. Please come in."
But the more she laughed, the more infuriating it became to others, and their feet seemed glued to the ground, unable to move.
They wanted to leave because they looked down on the things made by these Ye Kingdom craftsmen, but why did she look down on them and chase them away?
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