On the third day after taking the one hundred gold coins from Mikoyan, Gauguin was ordered to gather four hundred slaves hired from various estates on the river bank near the mill to build sheds and construct stoves.

Before this, apart from repairing temples and city walls, no one in Seneca City had ever mobilized so many slaves at one time. So this became news in Seneca City and made Woolley famous again.

Under the supervision of ten slave foremen led by Gauguin, the cornfield on the river bank that originally belonged to the temple was changing every day. As the number of ox carts carrying large stones traveled between the quarry and the river bank increased, the stone walls along the river bank continued to grow, get higher and thicker.

Digging ditches, building fences, leveling the ground, constructing houses... Four hundred slaves were busy day and night, but fewer and fewer residents came to watch out of curiosity, because after the wall reached a certain height, they could no longer see anything.

Soon, large amounts of wood and excellent carpenters from the city of Seneca arrived here. They lived in the walls and made doors, windows, grids and some rectangular frames. After they finished making these rectangular frames, some slaves who were specially selected for their dexterity would wrap thin linen ropes soaked in oil for a long time around the bottom of the frame. It looked like they were making a mesh box for sifting sand.

During this period, Wu Lai invited Mikoyan to visit the construction site twice. Every time after returning to the temple, Mikoyan would count out a hundred gold coins from the cash box with a painful and uneasy feeling but full of longing, and then asked Pompey to deliver them to Wu Lai.

A month and a half later, the number of slaves on the construction site was reduced by half, and four sets of stone mills slightly smaller than those used in the mill were delivered to the construction site at night. When they were pushed to their respective destinations and installed, Woolley personally locked the doors of the four connected houses and then threw the keys to Gauguin.

While he was doing this, Neptune was teaching the twelve newly purchased young slaves in the slave room of the White Stone Building. The course included operating the stone mill and crushing, screening the raw materials, and evenly rolling and drying them. These courses were not Neptune's exclusive - Woolley had taught him hand-in-hand for some time before.

Another month passed, and Wu Lai received the fourth hundred gold coins from Mikoyan. When he gave sixty of them to Gauguin to settle the final wages for the craftsmen and the landowners, Gauguin made a serious suggestion: "Master Wu Lai, since we have eight mules, why don't we just raise one more? If so, Master Wu Lai can travel by mule cart instead of walking like now. Please forgive my presumptuousness. The reason I have such an idea is that the carpenters secretly made a cart for you with the best part of the wood before leaving to express their gratitude for your generosity. Before leaving, they entrusted me to tell Master Wu Lai that they hope to see Master Wu Lai riding in the cart they made. It will be their honor."

"Oh? There's this?" Wu Lai frowned. "How much is a mule? No, I'm asking about a horse."

"The price of a war horse is usually more than thirty gold coins, and the price of an ordinary strong horse for pulling carts is four times that of a mule, about six gold coins," Gauguin replied.

"Alas, a horse can actually be worth several slaves." Wu Lai sighed, patted the sawdust on his sleeves, and ordered, "Go to the temple and find the priest of Pompeii. Ask him to tell the high priest Mikoyan that I need his help for a chariot horse."

Gauguin was startled and said quickly, "This is not good, Master Wu Lai. The High Priest is the messenger of the god Amon."

"Just go if I tell you to go. There are plenty of horses in the temple anyway, and the high priest doesn't have to pay for it himself." After Wu Lai said this, he turned around and walked towards the warehouse where the filters were stored.

"The other party is the high priest." Gao muttered softly as he walked towards the gate.

The next day, Neptune led twelve slaves to move into the paper mill mentioned by Woolley, and immediately, an on-site internship began.

Under Woolley's gaze, Neptune crossed his arms with a proud look on his face, running back and forth in the workshop where the twelve slaves were, checking and scolding.

"Idiot! You have to blindfold the mule so it won't walk in circles!"

"Asshole! How many times have I told you that montmorillonite must be ground into the finest form!"

"You're so slow! Your breakfast went into your brain along with your poop, didn't it?"

"Fool! Big fool! Although they are all white, this pile is montmorillonite! That pile is kaolinite!"

"Idiot! Look what you did?! You dare to throw the straw into the pond after it's been crushed like this?! Does your skin itch?"

Gao Geng found it interesting and curious. Seeing that Wu Lai was smiling and in a good mood, he asked tentatively, "Master Wu Lai, can these things be used to make paper?"

"Of course," Woolley replied.

"Then what are the functions of montmorillonite and kaolinite?" Gauguin asked again.

"Gauguin." Wu Lai turned his head to look at Gauguin, the smile on his face had disappeared, "This is a secret, the secret of God Amon. I have promised High Priest Mikoyan that if anyone of mine tells this secret to others, I will throw him under the millstone and grind him into a pile of meat pulp."

Gao Geng shuddered subconsciously and quickly said, "I'm sorry, Master Wu Lai, I won't ask any more questions."

"Such a secret needs to be strictly guarded. In addition to loyalty, I also need at least four guards." Wu Lai turned his gaze to the soaking pool, "Gauguin, accompany me to the temple later."

"Okay, Master Wu Lai." Gauguin nodded.

…

Twenty days later, the paper mill produced the first batch of paper. One hundred sheets of paper were cut neatly and used as paper samples. Gauguin carried them into Baishilou and respectfully presented them to Wu Lai.

After checking the paper samples one by one, Wu Lai nodded with satisfaction. In this era, it was not bad that a group of slaves could make paper to this level under the guidance of a half-baked professor like him. At least, although the papers were a little yellowed, their fineness, flexibility and smoothness had met Wu Lai's expectations.

"Hitch the carriage and take these paper patterns." Wu Lai straightened his sleeves, "Take me to the temple."

It was time to collect the final payment. A smile appeared on Wu Lai's face.

When he saw the large stack of papers, Mikoyan's face showed an uncontrollable ecstasy.

"This, it's made already?" Mikoyan stroked and examined it carefully, somewhat unable to believe his eyes.

"Yes, in order to finish it earlier, I haven't had a good rest for more than two months." Wu Lai's face showed deep fatigue, and he reminded weakly, "There are still a lot of balances that have not been settled."

"I know, I know." Although Mikoyan said this, his eyes were still fascinated by the stack of papers. "How is the production? And, have you decided on the price?"

"An average of fifty sheets can be produced every day. After being cut, each sheet is six cubits long and four cubits wide, which is equivalent to three parchment books. But compared with parchment, it is more easily damaged. So, I suggest that the price of each sheet be set at two silver coins. What do you think?" Wu Lai asked tentatively. Although he had the idea of ​​getting something for nothing early on, Wu Lai still didn't dare to raise the price. Although these papers looked good, their quality could not be compared with that of the world and era he lived in. At best, they were bleached and polished straw paper. In terms of cost alone, the cost of making these one hundred sheets of paper was only two silver coins.

"Two?" Mikoyan frowned and thought for a while, "That means their cost is about one silver coin, right?"

Wu Lai was stunned, wondering where did you get the function formula from, but he had already given the answer: "Your Excellency the High Priest is indeed very wise. They do cost about one silver coin. To be precise, the cost of ten pieces of paper is nine silver coins."

"Then according to our previous agreement, I can get a profit of one silver coin for every two sold, right?" Mikoyan's hand left the paper.

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"That's right. But before I start mass production, I have to settle the money I owe to the suppliers. Besides, a lot of expensive raw materials have been used up in this trial production." Wu Lai answered seriously.

"No problem. I'll give you the remaining gold coins in a while, but I have to deduct the money you entrusted me to buy four guards on your behalf." Mikoyan said with a smile, and put his right hand on the paper again. His tone became more intimate. "Wulai, you must be the lucky man of Amon. I'm glad to meet you. In addition, as you said, this kind of paper was made because of the revelation of Amon, so I firmly believe that since it comes from God, it can only be placed in the temple and open to the public."

"Open? Your Excellency the High Priest, I don't quite understand what you mean." Wu Lai asked with a confused look on his face.

Mikoyan cleared his throat, laughed, and said, "You also said that the cost of ten sheets of paper is nine silver coins, and I am your partner and investor, and I enjoy half of the profits. So how about this - all the paper produced by your paper mill is handed over to the temple, and for every hundred sheets, the temple will pay you 140 silver coins, how about that?"

So you want to play Monopoly too? Wu Lai thought about it and a look of joy appeared on his face: "Great, this is exactly what I expected. Its appearance is a miracle. It comes from God and belongs to God. It couldn't be more appropriate."

"Wu Lai, you have to make sure all the papers are delivered." Mikoyan was delighted and struck while the iron was hot.

"No, except for my own personal use, but I promise, it's only for my own use." Wu Lai said, "But I also have a condition. In order to ensure smooth manufacturing, the temple must guarantee that it will pay for the goods upon receipt. There can be no delay."

"That's absolutely no problem." Mikoyan laughed and agreed readily.

"Okay, these one hundred pieces of paper today will be considered as souvenirs for His Excellency the High Priest, the investor." Wu Lai said with a smile.

"Wulai, you are so polite." Mikoyan felt even happier.

"We are friends, right?" Wu Lai said with a grin.

"Yes, yes, yes, please wait a moment, I will go get those gold coins for you. To be honest, I feel very good to see that my efforts have paid off." Mikoyan said with a smile.

"Same here." Wu Lai nodded and thought to himself that I'm happier than you.

After a while, Wu Lai walked out of the temple carrying a leather bag containing exactly three hundred gold coins, a total of three hundred shekels, which was not a light amount.

Alas, science is indeed the primary productive force, and it is too easy to make money, Wu Lai thought to himself as he walked towards Gauguin who was waiting beside the carriage.

"Master Wu Lai, let me help you." Gauguin came forward.

Wu Lai nodded and suddenly asked, "Gao Geng, how much does it cost to buy Greendo Manor?"

Gauguin was startled, and after a serious look at Wu Lai's expression, he saw that he didn't seem to be joking, so he shook his head hesitantly: "Master Wu Lai, I really don't know, but when Master Simon was alive, he once said that the entire Glyndwr Manor was worth at least several thousand gold coins."

"He's just bragging." Wu Lai curled his lips and handed the leather bag to Gauguin. In his eyes, the houses and lands in Greendo Manor were not worth so much.

That night, the slaves in the White Stone Building and the Paper Mill were rewarded with a pound of dried meat, and Gauguin was rewarded with a gold coin. While the White Stone Building and the Paper Mill were rejoicing, in the hall of the Seneca Temple, Mikoyan showed the stack of paper to the priests who had gathered, and then said, "The grace of God Amon has once again showered Seneca. The paper you see is called 'Gift of Mercy', because its appearance can save more lambs from being killed, can spread the divine canon further and more thoroughly, and can also make all those who need paper no longer complain about the price...