Chapter 84 (This is a title or heading, and the last sentence is a separate, unrelated statement.)
Zhang Dalang's mind was buzzing. All the previous investigations—kiln temperature, clay body, glaze formula ratio, glazing techniques—connected instantly and were completely overturned by this new perspective.
Yes! Yes!
He was fixated on that "correct" recipe, the one that had once produced such a magnificent peacock blue color. He repeatedly checked the proportions, precisely controlled the temperature, and carefully selected the clay... but he overlooked the most fundamental, and most fatal, problem:
The ingredients used in that recipe are from hundreds of years ago!
Can cobalt ore mined hundreds of years ago be the same as cobalt ore extracted from mines today? Can the composition, purity, and trace impurities of quartz, feldspar, and limestone mined and ground hundreds of years ago be completely identical to those extracted and processed industrially today?
And the soil, is there a difference between the soil of the past and the soil of today?
Just like Mr. Zhang said, the origin, mining methods, and processing techniques of glutinous rice flour, lard, and pine nuts have all changed dramatically. How could their "nature" remain unchanged? When used in glass glaze that requires the utmost precision, even the slightest difference in composition, after being tempered by intense fire, results in vastly different effects!
He had previously been fixated on using the existing formula, assuming it was foolproof and could be used immediately. However, problems can arise at any stage; it was never the formula's fault. He forgot to understand and adapt to the entirely new characteristics of the modern ingredients he was using!
No wonder that no matter how the temperature and the clay are adjusted, the blue color produced by firing always appears dull, lifeless, and lifeless. The soul of the raw materials has changed. The ancient recipe cannot be adapted to modern ingredients!
Zhang Dalang suddenly stood up, his movement startling Zhang Erlang who was standing next to him.
"Big brother?" Zhang Erlang looked at him in confusion, only to see Zhang Dalang's face flushed red, but his eyes burst forth with a light that was almost ecstatic, a light that dispelled all the gloom and dejection.
Zhang Dalang didn't speak. He suddenly turned around, his gaze fixed intently on Boss Zhang and Boss Zheng, who were still discussing the difficulty of restoring the ancient formula. He then bowed deeply and gratefully in their direction.
"Thank you both! You've solved a huge problem for me!"
Mr. Zhang and Mr. Zheng looked at each other, wondering who this was.
Before they could react, Zhang Dalang had already grabbed Zhang Erlang and said, "Erlang! Let's go! Back to the kiln!"
Zhang Erlang stumbled as he was pulled, and hurriedly reminded him, "Huh? Now... Brother, it's New Year's Eve!"
Zhang Dalang then realized what was happening and felt somewhat disappointed.
Even though he went to the kiln himself, all the workers were on holiday. But he was still a little excited and paced back and forth.
Zhang Erlang was dazzled by his presence and quickly grabbed him: "Brother, stop pacing around. Tell me what you just discovered? Did you figure out where our problem lies?"
His own voice involuntarily rose considerably.
"Yes!" Zhang Dalang's voice was filled with unprecedented joy, the campfire illuminating his resolute profile. "I think I know where the problem lies! Erlang, it wasn't a problem with how we made it! It's the recipe... no, no, it can't be said that the recipe was the problem..."
He was somewhat incoherent, and took several deep breaths to gradually calm down: "The 'material' has changed! We've been on the wrong track!"
Zhang Dalang explained his recent insights to Zhang Erlang in detail.
Zhang Erlang also pondered: "Perhaps this is right... Brother, do you remember that year when we failed to burn peacock blue?"
He suddenly asked.
Zhang Dalang was taken aback, which also stirred up long-forgotten memories.
They were very young then, and had only recently started working in kilns, working alongside their master, who was also their father.
Once, the palace needed to renovate a small hall and required peacock blue glazed tiles, a task that naturally fell to them. However, unexpectedly, the glaze produced according to the old recipe was not as good as before, the difference was huge, and the supervisor simply smashed them all.
Old Zhang squatted on the ground, smoking his pipe with a worried look on his face. If he still couldn't get it to burn, he'd probably get a beating.
Fortunately, Zhang's father was an experienced bricklayer. After racking his brains for a long time, he realized that the problem might lie in one place.
"It's a problem with the mines! Back then, the cobalt, feldspar, and quartz we used were all mined from the old mines. But in the last ten years or so, the old mines have dried up and closed, and we're using materials from new mines now! Even though the names are the same, the quality of the materials may be different..."
Zhang Erlang: "Later, my father led us to try many new ingredients before finally settling on the current recipe."
Zhang Dalang slapped his forehead: "How could we have forgotten about this?!"
The formula they had wasn't like this from the beginning. Because so much time had passed, they hadn't remembered it for a moment.
That's absolutely right! Glaze colors, especially kiln-transformed glazes like peacock blue, are extremely delicate; even the slightest difference can lead to drastically different results! A tiny impurity or a slight fluctuation in temperature can completely alter the color and texture of the finished product!
They only focused on the formula ratio and temperature, but ignored the fact that the most fundamental source of raw materials had changed.
It's the same cobalt material, but before, the cobalt they fired produced a deep, clear, greenish-blue color, like flowing water. But now... the color is blue, but it's lifeless, dull, and dark! This subtle difference is invisible in the formula, but once it's in the kiln and fired, it's all exposed!
If they had continued at their previous pace, trying things out repeatedly would have eventually led them to the problem, but it would have been a huge waste of time. Now, with a few pointers from the two pastry shop owners, they could directly eliminate many of the options.
Zhang Erlang hurriedly asked, "Then, brother, what do we do next? Go find materials from the old mine?"
Zhang Dalang let out a long breath, his eyes regaining their fighting spirit. Although the problem was thorny, he had found a direction: "Finding old mine materials... that's difficult. Hundreds of years have passed; who knows if they still exist? However, it's not like there's no way..."
He narrowed his eyes: "Erlang, we have to try again, starting with the raw materials! We need to find all the cobalt, feldspar, quartz, limestone... all the glaze raw materials from all the sources we can buy now, and then clearly categorize and label them. We're not going to stick to the old formula anymore!"
Zhang Erlang's eyes widened: "Big brother, you want to...?"
“Yes!” Zhang Dalang nodded emphatically: “Just like Father did back then, we’ll create a new formula based on the old one! We’ll use different combinations of ingredients and different proportions to make small test pieces. We’ll test them one by one, and fire them again and again! I refuse to believe that we can’t figure out the temperament of these new ingredients!”
He must have burned it to produce peacock blue!
Zhang Erlang was so excited by what he said that he rubbed his hands together and said, "Okay, okay, okay, let's start working on it after the Lantern Festival."
Zhang Dalang: "Let's not wait until the Lantern Festival. Let's stay for another two or three days and then go back to Meishan Village. The two of us can handle such a small sample."
He couldn't wait for the spring break to end; he had absolutely no desire to rest.
......
Lu Xiaoqi, Su Jun, and the other young people had a great time around the campfire. Later, some musicians joined in, playing the flute and the pipa, and everyone danced around the campfire together.
Su Jun originally didn't want to participate, but Lu Xiaoqi dragged him down, and in the end he also let go of his reserve.
He had never been so unrestrained before.
As midnight approached, sporadic firecrackers could be heard throughout the county, and many households were also setting off fireworks. Although Qinghe Ancient Town sets off fireworks every Saturday and Sunday, this time was different, and everyone exclaimed "Wow!" like unsuspecting country bumpkins.
Until the fireworks of Qinghe Ancient Town filled the entire sky, accompanied by the continuous sound of firecrackers all around, everyone screamed with excitement.
Fei Ke happened to be next to Lu Xiaoqi and turned around to ask her with surprise, "Boss, are we setting off fireworks today too?"
She knew that there would be fireworks and other programs in the ancient town every night until the Lantern Festival, but there were no tourists today, only her own people!
Lu Xiaoqi laughed and said, "Of course, I'm showing it to you."
How can New Year's Eve be complete without fireworks?
Absolutely!
Fei Ke screamed and couldn't help but hug Lu Xiaoqi tightly: "Boss, I love you!!"
Her boss is so nice, she wants to recommend him to everyone.
Su Jun stood to the side, expressionless, his eyebrows twitching violently: ...
No one was watching the Spring Festival Gala on the big screen anymore; everyone was looking up at the dazzling fireworks in the night sky, one after another, a feast for the eyes. The sound of firecrackers all around was so loud that you had to shout and hold your ear close to your ear to hear anything.
However, Lu Xiaoqi heard the system notification in her mind very clearly:
"Congratulations, player! The wish of SSR character Huang Daopo, 'to earn lots and lots of money and live out her remaining years in peace,' has been fulfilled. Her life form will be solidified, and she will also gain the ability 'clothe the world' granted by the system."
Clothing will cover the world; within a designated area, any actions or movements related to textiles will be accelerated and skills will be refined...
"Congratulations, player! You have obtained your second SSR character who grants you the ability to fulfill your wish. You have acquired 1/2 fragment of 'Controllable Constant Temperature Weather System'."
A row of question marks appeared above Lu Xiaoqi's head: ???
She immediately turned around and looked towards where Huang Daopo was, only to see her looking up at the sky in the distance.
Lu Xiaoqi was completely bewildered. How did it suddenly get completed?
Previously, following Su Jun's method, she had Chen Yingying draft a lifetime contract for Huang Daopo, hiring her as a special consultant for the textile workshop with a generous salary—enough to buy a house in Anping County in a year. Moreover, she also promised in the contract to give Huang Daopo a house after the residential complex was completed.
Logically speaking, with a salary and a house, one should be able to eat and dress warmly and not worry about making a living, right? According to Huang Daopo's literal description of her wish, that should be enough!
But after doing all that, nothing happened.
Lu Xiaoqi felt that this idea was correct, but perhaps it hadn't been realized yet, which was why things were like this. She planned to wait until the community was completed, and then wait until the day she could pay Huang Daopo's salary.
During this process, she also thought about whether it was too risky to hire someone under the name of Qinghe Ancient Town. She wondered if she could donate some money to the community after the New Year and then have the community come up with some other name to hire her, which would be a kind of secure job.
Who knew that watching just one Spring Festival Gala would fulfill my wish?
Lu Xiaoqi was confused. What had happened in between?
Su Jun noticed her unusual expression and asked, "What's wrong?"
Lu Xiaoqi told him about it in a daze.
Su Jun was also puzzled, so he simply suggested, "...Grandma Huang is over there, let's just go and ask her."
"Too."
When they arrived in front of Huang Daopo, she clearly already knew their purpose and smiled as she led them to a quiet corner.
"I have received the notification, and my wish has been fulfilled."
Lu Xiaoqi: "Grandma Huang, how did you finish it all at once?"
The fireworks in the sky hadn't yet faded, or perhaps they wouldn't fade anytime soon; as soon as one ended, another would light up in the distance. Huang Daopo looked up at the smoke lingering in the blue-toned night sky, lost in thought.
"Perhaps it's because I've discovered that I've truly arrived at an extraordinary place."
Looking at the two young faces before her, faces filled with concern and doubt, a truly relieved and contented smile spread across her wrinkled face.
“Young friend Lu,” Huang Daopo’s voice was gentle and clear, carrying a calm after the dust had settled, “My wish is indeed as the words say, nothing more than ‘to earn lots and lots of money, to be able to eat and dress warmly, and to live out the rest of my life in peace.’ What you have done for me before—the generous salary and the future place to live—is very good, extremely good. I am grateful to the point of tears, and words cannot express my gratitude.”
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the people around her who were immersed in joy, over the brightly dressed, smiling young women, and over the laughing elderly and children, before finally settling on Lu Xiaoqi and Su Jun.
Lu Xiaoqi asked in confusion, "But it didn't work back then..."
Huang Daopo coughed lightly: "It is not that I am presumptuous, but I was quite well-known in Songjiang in the past and owned a little land."
At that time, she was no longer actually in the Taoist temple; the Taoist robes were merely a facade for her worldly life. She had long since entered the secular world, frequently visiting wealthy households to instruct them on spinning machine problems and impart the latest textile techniques, reaping considerable benefits in the process.
Lu Xiaoqi swallowed hard: "A little bit of land, what do you mean?"
Su Jun had already realized what was happening, and he clenched his fist to hide the smile on his lips. He had really been careless.
"It's only a few hundred acres..." Huang Daopo said casually.
Lu Xiaoqi: ...Okay, she understands.
Su Jun said to her in a low voice, "It was my oversight. In the past, a few hundred acres of land really wasn't much."
In the countryside, a few hundred acres of land is the standard for landlords; only a few thousand or tens of thousands of acres are worth mentioning.
He wasn't married at the time, so he didn't pay much attention to the family's real estate, and forgot about it when giving Lu Xiaoqi advice. Now that I think about it, for Huang Daopo, who had once owned a large mansion and hundreds of acres of land, a lifetime contract and a house really weren't much.
Lu Xiaoqi thought of Wang Wei's Wangchuan again, and felt a little sad. For a moment, she didn't really want to talk to these wealthy people.
“However, the world is in chaos, and it is easy to acquire meager assets, but difficult to preserve them.” Huang Daopo’s tone became deep.
She was born at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, a time of widespread war. She escaped from the family where she had been raised as a child bride, and then traveled thousands of miles to Hainan Island, partly to avoid that family and partly to escape the war in the Central Plains.
After living in Hainan for many years, the Battle of Yamen broke out. The last emperor of the Southern Song Dynasty was carried by Lu Xiufu and jumped into the sea below Yamen. Following them were 100,000 Song citizens who had fled to the southernmost part of the mainland.
She heard from those who had fled from there that the sea was stained red with blood and the dense corpses attracted countless fish.
They lived in constant fear and trembling, confined to the island, leading a life of constant anxiety.
"Back then, human life was cheap. Exorbitant taxes weighed people down, and natural disasters and man-made calamities meant widespread famine and death. Bandits roamed freely, and robbers plundered..."
Su Jun had already been hurt by this history countless times, but he was still hit hard at this moment, and his face turned pale.
Lu Xiaoqi squeezed his hand to comfort him.
Huang Daopo sighed: "Hope the government can take charge? The Han people are already at the very bottom of society, and they have to avoid the constables. Ordinary people, especially widows and widows like us, are lucky to survive, let alone live a peaceful life. Even if we have a little money, it's like a child carrying gold in a bustling market, never knowing what tomorrow will bring. We may be rich today, but tomorrow we might be robbed of everything, or even lose our lives."
Lu Xiaoqi admired Huang Daopo even more: "Grandma Huang, you survived in such a world and accomplished such a great feat, you are truly amazing!"
Huang Daopo chuckled: "That's because I found a good place to take refuge from the beginning. Later, I stayed in Yazhou for more than ten years. After the new dynasty was established and the situation stabilized, I slowly returned to Songjiang and lived a peaceful life for a while."
"Even so, I am still uneasy and filled with great fear, worried that natural disasters and man-made calamities may strike at any time."
Lu Xiaoqi and Su Jun listened quietly.
The fireworks display had ended, and people were gradually leaving. Security personnel were maintaining order, and several uniformed officers stood guard nearby, ready to handle any emergencies. Qinghe Ancient Town had reached an agreement with the local police station at the entrance, stipulating that the station would send officers to assist in maintaining order during holidays and when special events were reported, and that they would quickly take over the situation in critical moments.
Huang Daopo's gaze shifted to them, a smile appearing on her face. She then abruptly changed the subject:
"I saw them helping a young woman who had lost her phone look for it at the entrance, and they finally found it."
Lu Xiaoqi didn't quite understand, but nodded: "They really are working very hard."
Huang Daopo said, “Look, they are all government officials, but instead of oppressing the good, they help people find lost people, recover lost items, and maintain order. Young friend Lu, do you know that this was simply a fantasy to me before?”
Lu Xiaoqi then realized what she was trying to say. A flash of inspiration struck her, and she vaguely understood why her wish had suddenly come true.
Sure enough, she saw Huang Daopo pointing to the tourists who were happily leaving:
"Look at these people... They are not kings or generals, but ordinary people. Yet their faces are not pale, their clothes are not patched, and their eyes are not fearful. They can travel thousands of miles to see a spectacle, and they can spend a lot of money on a good meal or a new piece of clothing without feeling any pain. What does this show? It shows that the world is at peace! It shows that in this world, as long as ordinary people are willing to work, they can eat their fill, stay warm, and even have extra money to enjoy themselves!"
Her gaze shifted to the large screen. The Spring Festival Gala was still going strong, wrapping up in a lively atmosphere, and becoming even more festive after the hour, with the hosts exchanging greetings and wishing the people of the whole country a happy Spring Festival.
"And then there's the Spring Festival Gala... In all my years, I've only ever heard of prosperous times when officials and people celebrated together, holding lantern festivals. But the subtle nuances are entirely different."
Lu Xiaoqi and Su Jun exchanged a glance, and they completely understood.
"So, you understand why my wish was suddenly fulfilled, right?" Huang Daopo said with a smile.
She took a deep breath; the night air smelled of gunpowder, but it also gave her a sense of peace.
“Young friend Lu, the salary and house you provide are things to settle down in. But what I saw during my time in Qinghe Ancient Town, especially on New Year’s Eve, is what truly puts my mind at ease!”
“An old woman, especially an old woman like me who has experienced hardship and seen the coldness of the world, what she seeks for the rest of her life is not just a few houses and a few coins.” Huang Daopo’s eyes were slightly moist, but her smile was incredibly bright. “What I seek is a place where everyone can live without fear, without worrying about whether disaster will befall them tomorrow, a place where they can truly earn a living with their own skills and grow old in peace.”
Tonight, her heart finally felt at ease.
This was the ideal land she had been searching for, completely soothing the unease deep within her soul stemming from the chaos of the world.
Huang Daopo turned to Lu Xiaoqi and bowed solemnly: "Therefore, young friend Lu, I must thank you for summoning me from hundreds of years ago, allowing me to witness this extraordinary and prosperous era!"
Lu Xiaoqi was momentarily stunned, and respectfully returned the greeting.
When she got back home, she was still filled with emotion.
She spoke to the system: "I feel like I've been given a political education lesson by Huang Daopo..."
System: "This fits my stereotypes about humans."
Lu Xiaoqi: "What stereotypes?"
System: "Human consciousness is subject to a general cognitive bias, and it is easy to become desensitized to the existential gifts that we have received over a long period of time."
Lu Xiaoqi thought for a moment, then couldn't help but roll her eyes: "To put it simply, humans don't really cherish the things they have in their lives for a long time and take for granted."
These are things that others dream of.
She suddenly realized: "So you're being sarcastic towards me."
"You're mistaken!" the system categorically denied. "...I've studied your history. War is the norm, while peace is the exception. According to my database statistics, in major civilization regions, periods of peace lasting more than 50 years account for less than 15% of the total historical duration."
Lu Xiaoqi was somewhat surprised: "Is it that short?"
"Don't doubt my database," the system said proudly.
Lu Xiaoqi remained silent for a while.
Humans really know how to cause trouble.
These modern people, perhaps because they are living in this unusual period of peace, have become somewhat arrogant—unaware of their own good fortune.
The mundane daily chores they complain about might be exactly what others crave—everything. Even the bad side.
"Player, the SSR character Huang Daopo has left you with three memories of him. Do you want to import them into the holographic virtual experience hall?" the system prompted in your mind.
Lu Xiaoqi jumped up and immediately shouted, "Yes! Of course I want it!"
The more memories you have in the VR experience center, the better.
......
The first day of the Lunar New Year.
Scenic spots across the country are on high alert, and Qinghe Ancient Town is no exception. It has cancelled the 10,000-person reservation cap from the trial operation phase, and the daily visitor flow is now estimated to be around 13,000 to 17,000 to 18,000.
but!
From the first to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the number of reservations has exceeded 25,000!
Lu Xiaoqi decisively set the reservation limit at 30,000. Their team wasn't yet fully developed and couldn't handle such a large influx of people all at once. Moreover, a larger number of people would immediately diminish the overall experience.
Therefore, she would rather earn less than ruin the good reputation of Qinghe Ancient Town after only a little over a month of operation.
By eight o'clock, the entrance to the ancient town was already packed with people.
Standing on the city wall, Li Guinian suddenly remembered what Lu Xiaoqi had said to them yesterday: "Let me show you the power of China's biggest festival!"
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