Chapter 56 Stuffing Cotton

"Wang Quan! Is the silk cloth I asked you to prepare ready?" Li Chengqian asked after the two agricultural officials left.

Silk cloth, also known as white cotton, is an annual herbaceous African cotton, which is the cotton that everyone is familiar with.

The hybrid rice thing cannot be rushed, but cotton cannot be delayed. This is a big deal for making cotton-padded clothes and trousers.

There are no cotton-padded clothes and trousers in the Tang Dynasty now. The people keep warm in winter by filling the interlayer of clothes with silkworm silk.

Although that thing can also play a role in keeping warm, it is not very warm, and is not as warm as cotton-padded clothes.

Before cotton was introduced to China, China only had kapok to fill pillows.

Kapok comes from the kapok tree. Although kapok can also be used to make cotton clothes, the production cost of kapok is high and the output is low. Most people can't afford it. Kapok trees are mostly used as ornamental plants and can also be used as medicine.

Compared with kapok, cotton, which has a large output and low cost, is more affordable and can be popularized throughout the country.

"My lord ordered it. How dare I neglect it! It's already prepared!" Wang Quan said with a smile.

"Oh! Where is it? Bring it to me for a look!" Li Chengqian was overjoyed!

"I'll get it now!" Wang Quan said, turning around and running out.

A moment later, Wang Quan came back with something in his arms. When Li Chengqian saw it, he was so upset that his mouth twitched.

The potted plant in Wang Quan's arms was the cotton that Li Chengqian wanted. What is it!

"My dear! I have brought you the silk! It is beautiful, but it is far inferior to the plum blossoms in the snow." Wang Quan put the potted plant on the ground and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was exhausted.

Fortunately, he completed the order of the prince! It's okay to be a little tired, but it's nothing!

Li Chengqian sighed and didn't blame Wang Quan. After all, he didn't tell him about the cotton in detail!

Wang Quan thought that he, Li Chengqian, wanted the cotton for viewing.

Cotton was introduced from India and Arabia during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, but was regarded as a flower for viewing by people in the Central Plains. It was not

until the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty that it was introduced into the mainland in large quantities. People began to recognize the role of cotton, but it was not until the early Ming Dynasty that it was promoted and applied nationwide, and Zhu Yuanzhang forced it to be carried out.

"Wang Quan, I want this silk not for viewing, but for the white flowers on it. Go pick the white flowers for me, the more the better!" Li Chengqian said.

Wang Quan was stunned!

Why pick the flowers of a good ornamental object? The flowers cannot be eaten.

He thought so, but he had to do it because the prince ordered him to do so.

"Yes!" Wang Quan replied, picked up the potted plant and turned around to walk out of the hall again.

After a long time, Wang Quan finally picked the cotton he used and sent it to Li Chengqian.

"Is that all?" Li Chengqian asked, looking at the pile of cotton in front of him.

"Yes, these are all I got with great difficulty. In Chang'an City and nearby areas, no one else would grow these ornamental flowers except the homes of the rich and powerful." Wang Quan said.

"Why don't other people grow cotton? Isn't it difficult to grow this thing?" Li Chengqian asked puzzled.

"My dear, you don't know! This piece of silk is for viewing. Ordinary people are busy with their lives all day long, so how can they have the leisure to view this thing?"

"Besides, not all dignitaries like this kind of thing. It is not as beautiful as plum blossoms. It is also a species introduced from the Western Regions, and it is not a valuable item." Wang Quan said.

Li Chengqian was very helpless. The Tang Dynasty had not yet discovered the specific role of cotton, and did not know that its greater role was to keep warm.

Since he was reborn in the Tang Dynasty, how could he let such an important material as cotton go to waste? He should make good use of it.

If all the cotton seeds that had just been picked in front of him were processed into cotton husks, they could make a quilt and two or three sets of cotton clothes.

However, the cotton husk still needs to be processed through the step of cotton fluffing. The fluffed cotton can then be used to make quilts, cotton clothes, etc.

"Wang Quan, have someone process these silk sheets, remove the seeds inside, and leave the outer layer of cotton husk."

"Also find the best craftsman to come here. I have something to tell them to do." Li Chengqian said.

"Yes!" Wang Quan took the order and asked the eunuchs to take the cotton away and do it according to Li Chengqian's instructions. He also sent someone to invite the craftsman back.

To fluff cotton, it is naturally indispensable to have tools in this area. The slingshot, large wooden hammer, shovel head, grinding disc, etc. used for cotton fluffing are all indispensable tools for cotton fluffing.

Although Li Chengqian had never fluffed cotton, he had watched a documentary about cotton fluffing before traveling through time.

Li Chengqian has never eaten pork, and has never seen a pig run, but he has always remembered the process of fluffing cotton.

When the craftsmen come, he will ask them to make the tools according to his instructions. After the tools are made, he will select some palace maids who are clever and skilled in weaving to learn fluffing cotton from him.

"Sir! The craftsman you want is here!" A eunuch led a craftsman in his thirties in and bowed.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!" The craftsman bowed hurriedly.

"I asked you to come here to make a few tools! Are you the best craftsman?" Li Chengqian said.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince! I dare not say that my craftsmanship is the best, but at least I am among the best! To be arrogant, there are not many who can be better than me." When the craftsman talked about his craftsmanship, a proud expression appeared on his face.

"Okay!" Li Chengqian didn't care whether the craftsman was arrogant or not, he only cared whether he could make what he wanted.

"I'll tell you about the tools to be made, you take note." Li Chengqian said.

The craftsman hurriedly took out the paper and pen he carried with him, to write down what Li Chengqian wanted, draw a sketch and then go back to make the real thing.

"Your Highness, please speak!" The craftsman was ready and signaled the prince to start.

"The first one is a big wooden bow, about four feet long, with cow tendon as the string..." Li Chengqian was afraid that the craftsman didn't know what kind of bow he wanted, so he gestured while talking.

"...The last one is this wooden disc, which is smaller than the general millstone, about this size, do you understand all this?" Li Chengqian finished explaining and gesturing.

"I have memorized all of them and have drawn them all as sketches, Your Highness! Please take a look at these sketches and see if there is anything that needs to be modified?" The craftsman said, and then handed the sketches to Li Chengqian for review.

Li Chengqian took the sketches and carefully checked them one by one. They were basically the same as he described, without any flaws.

"Just make them according to these sketches. I'm in a hurry. You should make them for me as soon as possible. How long will it take you to make them?" Li Chengqian said.

"Other things are easy, but this bow will take some time." The craftsman said.

"Okay! Go back and make it as soon as possible!" Li Chengqian said.

"Then I'll take my leave!" The craftsman took the sketches and said goodbye and left.