Everyone was very excited, looking forward to Song Jiyun’s leadership in creating a batch of Sacrificial White Porcelain once again to resolve the crisis at the Kiln Factory.
Song Jiyun discussed with everyone, "This time let’s not involve the apprentices. Gather all the craftsmen from the other workshops, so that we can save at least one day in shaping and trimming the clay bodies. Glazing could also be done in at most one day. If the weather is favorable and it doesn’t rain, we might be able to fire three kilns."
There were several other workshops in the Song Family Kiln Factory that produced everyday ceramics, and the ones who were able to take charge there were also master craftsmen with remarkable skills.
Everyone agreed that her arrangement was good. After finalizing the list of craftsmen for shaping clay bodies with Song Jiyun, Luo Zixing started contacting craftsmen to build the kilns, Zhou Zheng began counting the saggers, and Song Li went to prepare the glazes... Everyone started bustling about with great zeal.
Only Xiang Yang was kept behind by Song Jiyun.
The two of them stood under the eaves outside the main hall, talking.
"There’s still no consensus on why the last batch of Sacrificial White Porcelain failed," she whispered. "I’m not afraid if it was divine will, but I fear it was sabotage."
Xiang Yang asked, "What does Miss mean?"
Song Jiyun said unhurriedly, "The clay and glaze used for Sacrificial White Porcelain are different from other ceramics. Once tampered with, they need to be remixed, which is very laborious. It isn’t like making blue-and-white porcelain; if you run out of clay, you could just buy some Kaolin Clay and continue."
Xiang Yang nodded.
This was also what made Sacrificial White Porcelain different from other ceramics.
It required special clay and glaze, unique throughout Jingde Town. If it were indeed sabotaged, replacing them quickly would be impossible.
Song Jiyun continued, "I just went to the clay storehouse to check. The clay for Sacrificial White Porcelain is rather dark and subdued, while Kaolin Clay is more delicate. Not everyone can tell the difference at first glance.
"I want you to quietly bring back some Kaolin Clay and make a batch of clay bodies for Sacrificial White Porcelain, to confuse any potential saboteurs and prevent them from tampering with the clay bodies we use for firing the porcelain."
Xiang Yang felt a chill in his heart.
It was indeed a possibility.
He immediately responded, "Miss, rest assured, I’ve understood. I will handle this so stealthily that no one will be able to tell which are made from the actual clay for Sacrificial White Porcelain and which are made from Kaolin Clay."
Song Jiyun even joked with him, "Still, we’ll need to find a way to mark them, lest we ourselves can’t tell them apart later."
Xiang Yang chuckled and said, "If I can’t even distinguish that, what kind of shaping craftsman am I!"
Song Jiyun burst into laughter and exchanged a few more words with Xiang Yang before they each went their separate ways.
She returned to the hall.
Yuan Yunzhong was quite content, bending over and examining the eighteen Arhat set up in the hall.
Upon seeing Song Jiyun return, he commented, "These Arhats are quite interesting. They share the same style as those on the Arhat Cup. Whose work are they?"
Song Jiyun thought about the recent events in the studio.
She responded with a cold laugh, "They are my father’s works. My father loves painting Arhats. Is there something Young Master Yuan would like to point out?"
Yuan Yunzhong picked up one of the Begging Bowl Arhats and said, "I dare not advise. It’s just that the Guanyin statues have become trendy in the Capital City currently. Seeing so many Arhats in your household just seemed odd to me!"
Song Jiyun was stirred by his words, murmuring, "Guanyin statues have become trendy in the Capital City?"
"Yes!" Yuan Yunzhong sighed. He casually placed the Begging Bowl Arhat on the long table and added, "I’m not sure where it started, but there’s this belief that Guanyin governs childbirth. A bunch of women are crying and pleading for a Guanyin statue. It’s not just the Capital City; it’s gradually becoming popular in Jiangnan too."
Song Jiyun, expressionless, stared at him intently, not speaking for a long while.
Her demeanor was as if she had encountered something crucial to life or death.
Yuan Yunzhong’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Song Jiyun suddenly smiled at him.
Her smile was incredibly bright and radiant, like summer embraced.
Since he had known her, she had never smiled so openly before.
Yuan Yunzhong was taken aback.
His heart "thumped" rapidly.
For the first time in his life, he thought that Song Jiyun was quite beautiful.
Especially when she laughed, brightening everyone around her, dazzlingly brilliant.
His footsteps paused briefly.
Song Jiyun had already turned to leave and called out to him, "Let’s go!"
Yuan Yunzhong’s eyes lowered as he stood for a moment before slowly walking out of the main hall.
Liu Zi had already brought the mule cart over.
Song Jiyun got directly into the mule cart and also lifted the curtain to urge him: "Hurry up!"
Yuan Yunzhong boarded the mule cart calmly.
The sky grew darker, and the mule cart rolled out of the kiln factory.
In the shaking carriage, Song Jiyun closed her eyes to rest.
The branches beside the road occasionally struck the roof of the cart, making a "pap pap" sound.
Yuan Yunzhong lay lazily on a large cushion and said indolently, "I remember that cup you burned for me last time, why does it look just like those clay bodies in your family’s shaping workshop? You didn’t just trick me with a clay body, did you?"
Song Jiyun seemed in a good mood, her tone quite gentle, "How could that be? Do you think anyone else could shape that cup you molded?"
Yuan Yunzhong confidently said, "Indeed, it cannot be mimicked."
Song Jiyun wanted to laugh, saying, "That day indeed was a bit rushed. Do you have a favorite color? I can help you burn it again."
Yuan Yunzhong looked somewhat skeptical, "Any color can be burned?"
"Any color can be burned!"
Yuan Yunzhong showed interest, "Then, can you burn something else?"
"Of course!" Song Jiyun replied easily, "What do you want to burn?"
Yuan Yunzhong sat up, his gaze becoming slightly intense as he looked at her.
In the dim carriage, his eyes seemed to be the only light.
Song Jiyun’s heart seemed to skip a beat, and after a few breaths, she asked softly, "What’s wrong?"
Yuan Yunzhong suddenly pounced toward her.
Song Jiyun was stunned and instinctively about to scream.
But Yuan Yunzhong quickly covered her mouth, his expression distinctly stern, yet the whisper to her ear was filled with warmth, "Don’t make a sound!"
In her previous life, Song Jiyun was kidnapped.
She suddenly felt cold all over, her teeth chattering, her whole body weakened.
Her eyes widened, and she saw Yuan Yunzhong pat Liu Zi, who was driving the cart, made several hand signals she couldn’t understand, then carried her and jumped down from the back of the cart, hiding in the woods by the road.
Beneath the night sky, all around were the dim silhouettes of various trees, tall and short, large and small, growing wildly and chaotically.
"What happened?" she asked breathlessly, half-supported by him.
Yuan Yunzhong looked at her strangely, his gaze sharp like an unsheathed blade, glittering coldly.
"I don’t know!" he whispered, "But something is amiss. Let Liu Zi go ahead, we’ll take a different path or maybe turn back to the kiln factory."
Song Jiyun gave a hum and waited for Yuan Yunzhong to make arrangements.
In the darkness, Yuan Yunzhong also looked at Song Jiyun, his dark eyes like stars in the night sky.
Song Jiyun, puzzled, continued to look at Yuan Yunzhong.
Their gazes met in the air.
Yet Yuan Yunzhong still did not move.
A strange atmosphere spread between them.
Song Jiyun’s heart jumped, and she couldn’t help saying, "You wouldn’t happen to be unfamiliar with the road, would you?"
Yuan Yunzhong blinked, slightly irritated, "How could I not know the road? I just don’t know the roads around here! You’re a local, so of course, you should lead the way!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
