"The book records that the bamboo should be soaked for 100 days, at which point the rough outer shell and bark can be washed away. Finally, it should be beaten with a wooden stick until the bamboo pulp is as smooth as ramie. I have studied the book repeatedly and found that the bamboo paper production process is quite complicated."
Su Yunzhi answered Wu Xingwang's questions earnestly, but her gaze kept glancing at Lin Yinan, who was looking back and forth in the pond.
The pool is filled with tender bamboo shoots, which have a strong ability to sprout and grow new shoots, providing high-quality bamboo fiber needed for papermaking.
Lin Yinan picked up a stick and poked at the depth of the pool, then pondered to himself.
The courtyard was small, with only a dozen or so pools. The amount of bamboo strips that could be soaked was limited. Given the complex manufacturing process of bamboo paper, the amount of bamboo in the pools was far from sufficient.
The bamboo cut down from the mountain is carried back for further processing. Bamboo is difficult to transport, and by manpower, very little can be carried at a time.
So she suggested to Su Yunzhi, "The pond here is too small. Could we find a place on the mountain that is close to the bamboo garden and has a water source, dig a pond, fill it with water, throw the cut bamboo directly into it to soak, and then transport it back to process the remaining steps?"
"Won't this allow someone to learn the secret techniques?"
Su Yunzhi frowned. He had considered this issue before, but had given up on it due to confidentiality concerns.
"No, bamboo paper is made with high-quality materials. There are fifteen steps and seventy-two processes from material selection to paper production. It doesn't matter if people know about this one step."
"Okay, I'll go to Zhushan tomorrow."
"I've heard that Zhushan is not a large area. I wonder if it can meet the demand for papermaking?" Wu Xingwang asked worriedly.
He had never visited Zhushan in person, but had only heard from the villagers that Zhushan was not very big.
Su Yunzhi: "This year is alright, but next year might be a bit difficult, since bamboo takes time to grow."
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Lin Yinan put down the wooden stick in his hand, walked to the clean bucket, scooped up water and washed his hands while continuing, “The secret guards left behind in Chi’an sent word that there is a large bamboo mountain hidden deep in the mountains of Chi’an. I will send a letter to the soldiers there later and ask them to help cut the bamboo.”
"That would be great."
Su Yunzhi knew that Wu Xingwang had already set up stalls in Cangwu County and the southern region, and the supply of goods needed to be replenished as soon as possible.
Wu Xingwang: "I've heard that the Chen family in Yongqing City and the Zhong family in Huaizhou City have planted a lot of bamboo in their areas. If that's not enough, I can talk to them and buy some to transport over."
"I'll buy it if the price is right," Lin Yinan said.
After all, this is a long-term business for them. Even if they start planting bamboo in large quantities now, the bamboo will take time to grow.
Wu Xingwang asked, "We've already accumulated quite a few printed books. When will we start distributing them?"
"The paper we produced sold well, and the books we printed were quickly promoted thanks to this wave of popularity."
“Okay, I’ll arrange for someone to come and move it tomorrow,” Wu Xingwang said confidently.
Doing business with Lord Lin is incredibly convenient; you won't feel restricted or have anyone sabotage you behind your back. It's simply fantastic!
The three walked and talked, and Su Yunzhi could hardly ignore the confidence and decisiveness that Lin Yinan exuded. Her gaze swept over her intentionally or unintentionally, but her heart was filled with sadness.
Lin Yinan had already planned ahead regarding the book promotion.
"Uncle Wu, the prices of our books are not very high, so we probably won't make much money."
“I know that Lord Lin has lofty ambitions, and you, Uncle Wu, are certainly not such a shallow and incompetent person who holds others back.”
Wu Xingwang knew that promoting cultural development could not be measured solely by money.
Lin Yinan looked at Su Yunzhi, whose face was calm, and said, "The printed books will be used by the school in Longtan and the boys' and girls' colleges."
Su Yunzhi looked back at her with gentle, flowing eyes and said softly, "As soon as the book was printed, Senior Brother Zhou sent copies to all the schools."
As the sun sets, the paper mill workers gradually finish their work and go home.
As they walked out of the paper mill, everyone looked up and saw Yun Mo riding a tall horse, waiting outside the gate, with a lovely little girl in his arms.
Yun Shijiu would occasionally peek out from his arms to look outside.
Lin Yinan and Su Yunzhi walked out of the paper mill side by side. Yun Mo, on horseback, squinted and looked into the distance, his deep eyes falling on the tall figure next to Lin Yinan.
After a long while, only when Lin Yinan approached did he withdraw his gaze, and with Yun Shijiu in his arms, he nimbly dismounted.
"What brings you here?" Lin Yinan asked with a smile when she saw her daughter.
Yun Mo said in a deep voice, "Even when it gets dark, you know to come home. Nineteen waited at home for a long time for you to return, and she cried loudly because she was heartbroken. I felt sorry for her, so I brought her to find you."
Su Yunzhi's expression stiffened upon hearing this, then he cupped his hands in a salute to him, "General Yun!"
Yun Mo, with a long face, nodded slightly to the other party but did not intend to speak to him.
Yun Shijiu hadn't seen her mother for a day, and desperately reached out her little paws to Lin Yinan, wanting her to hug her.
Lin Yinan took her, and the little girl buried her head in her neck and rubbed against her. When she looked up, she noticed Su Yunzhi behind her mother, smiled at him, and showed her white, tiny teeth.
Su Yunzhi, as if possessed, reached out and pinched her cheek, then withdrew her hand.
The baby's chubby skin was especially delicate and soft, smooth as silk to the touch. That blissful sensation made him feel a little embarrassed for a moment.
"It's getting late, Young Master Su, you should go back to Yun to rest early." Yun Mo was a little displeased that his precious daughter had been touched, but he still spoke politely.
Lin Yinan nodded to him, picked up Yun Shijiu, turned and left, with Yun Mo leading the horse beside the mother and daughter.
The setting sun cast long, long shadows of the family of three.
Su Yunzhi slumped her shoulders, her face pale, and looked at the people gradually disappearing into the distance, her eyes revealing an indescribable sadness.
"Young Master Su!" A melodious female voice came from behind.
Su Yunzhi composed herself, slowly turned around, and when she saw who it was, Zeng Xiaofeng, her heart sank.
"It's getting late. What brings Miss Zeng here?"
Zeng Xiaofeng stepped forward gracefully, her face showing none of the shyness she had shown before.
"Young Master Su, I'd like to discuss a deal with you?"
"I'm not a businessman, I have nothing to do with you!"
"Young Master Su may not know this, but the hemp paper produced by my Zeng family is sold far and wide throughout the southern region and Cangwu County, and even to Dongyue and other places. My father intends to take you as his son-in-law. As long as you are willing to hand over the papermaking formula, he will entrust all of the Zeng family's papermaking workshops to you for management."
Zeng Xiaofeng looked arrogant, and her tone was filled with arrogance and disdain.
Su Yunzhi frowned and remained silent.
Zeng Xiaofeng thought he was interested, so she persuaded him even more earnestly, "You will have the same dignity in Longtan as you do in Cangwu County. After you marry me, my father will give you two estates and three shops as dowry."
When his family produces new paper, his sisters will no longer look down on her.
"I will not marry you, Miss Zeng, you don't need to waste your time on me!" Su Yunzhi said and turned to leave.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
