Playing intrigue is worse than engaging in infrastructure

A small courtyard in the south was allocated to a family from the Darrow tribe.

The male owner of this family is Mo Tuo, originally according to the situation of their family, they could not be allocated this whole courtyard.

But Mo Tuo's family was in the felt business before, and the place needed to make felt is not small, and the thick and heavy felt needs to be dried frequently, so the leader gave them such a residence with a yard with a big wave of his hand.

Although Mo Tuo's family is a businessman, they only process the wool sent by others into felt to make ends meet.It's really not a wealthy family.

Rolling felt is a real hard-working business. Every day I work hard, and I earn hard money.After moving to the new city, the family discussed whether to change their livelihood first.

Mo Tuo's wife, Zhana, is a straightforward woman. She is also in charge of family affairs on weekdays.

Chana was the first in the family to suggest finding another job to make a living.But her husband, Mo Tuo, hesitated.

"Why are you so stubborn like a donkey?" Zhana poked her husband's shoulder and cursed bitterly.

Mo Tuo didn't answer, but squatted by the doorstep and silently changed his back to his wife.

"Zhana, don't try to persuade him. He is just afraid that the outside business will not last long, and he will lose the felt business again!" Mo Tuo's grandfather heard the movement outside the courtyard, and trembled with a cane Came out tremblingly.

Mo Tuo still looked silent, but judging from his expression, he should also agree with his grandfather's statement.

Zhana quickly moved a chair, and after helping the old man to sit down, she stood and chattered. "Grandpa, you don't know that people are recruiting everywhere in the city right now."

"I heard from Saburo from the Bangtai family who was close to our family before that if he went to work in a caustic soda place, he would have a monthly income of more than 100 renminbi. If he lived at home, he would be given a few dozen more renminbi." .”

"Is what you said true?" The grandfather at home was also a little shocked for a moment.

That's more than half of the monthly drought and flood guarantee income, and you can buy more than a hundred liters of rice.I don't know how much more money they earn from rolling felt for others every month!

"My daughter-in-law can still lie to you!" Seeing that Grandpa was a little shaken, Zhana hurriedly persuaded her: "Not only men can make money, but even women like me can work in wool workshops. Not less than their men. Our family Erlang is also grown up, you and my mother will take care of it on weekdays, the two of us go out to work, don't we earn more than rolling felt for others?"

"If it's really like Zhana said, going out to work would be a good way out." The old man poked his son with a cane.

"And we have hands and feet. Even if we don't make a living in this workshop, we may not starve to death if we go to other places to work. Besides, I heard that people in the royal court live a fine life. Our idea of ​​felt craftsmanship, people You may not be able to see it." Zhana continued to persuade.

Zhana's words just reached Mo Tuo's heart.

After he settled everything at home, he went for a walk in the village near Wangting.

I have to admit that the people of Wang Ting are indeed much richer than their tribe, maybe they really don't like this heavy and rough felt.

Felt is used by their tribe to keep warm in winter.But I heard from people in the village that since the Third Highness Yanyun came to Mobei, he invented a bed called "Fire Kang".As long as there is a little fire on the stove, the couch will be warm after a meal.Sitting on the kang in winter, I can't feel a little chill.

He also knew that what his wife said was reasonable, but after all, rolling felt is a skill that they have passed down for generations.

Mo Tuo had lived half his life, and rolled felts for half his life, and he was suddenly asked to give up and go to a completely unfamiliar line of work to make a living.

In his heart, he was always a little timid and afraid.

But life has to pass, he still has two and a half-year-old children to support, so he can't stay in this small courtyard all the time.

Mo Tuo gritted his teeth, and finally made up his mind and said, "That's fine, I'll go to the city tomorrow to see if there is any place to recruit people."

On the second day, the husband and wife left the house one after the other after handing over the child to their parents.

Don't look at Zhana's firm tone when she persuaded her husband yesterday, but after all, she is new to a completely unfamiliar environment, and she doesn't know much about herself.

There was a long queue in front of the city gate, and the guards at the gate were checking their past one by one.

Mobei had never tried this thing before.After all, they have a vast territory, and sometimes there are several mountains between a tribe and a tribe.Except for the people of their own tribe, the most they can see is the passing caravan, even if there is a document, they can't use it.

But it's different now, ever since Song Qingyuan came to Mobei, there have been more people coming and going in the royal court.Coupled with the completion of the new city, the composition of the city's population is even more complicated.

In order to prevent those who are interested in fishing in troubled waters, Song Qingyuan asked Lian Ti to order a batch of documents to be produced and distributed to every commoner.

When she arrived at Zhana, she quickly took out the toilet from her bag.

As soon as the soldiers guarding the city saw the Darrow tribe written on it, they knew that she had come to the royal court to find work, so they enthusiastically pointed out a few words.

"There are restaurants and restaurants in the city that also accept women, but if you are more dexterous, you should go to His Highness's wool workshop and try. The treatment there is not comparable to other places."

Zhana thanked her repeatedly, and followed the path pointed by the elder guard to the wool workshop which was rumored to recruit women.

The only room in the half-open room was a table with a roster of names on it.All women who come to sign up must register their name, age, and whether they know how to weave or not.

Zhana felt a little bit reluctant to retreat when she saw the rudimentary furnishings inside.

Could it be that what they said before was a lie?Does this look like a workshop...

Seeing that the people who came in hesitated, the person sitting at the table quickly stood up and explained: "This is just a place for registration. The real wool workshop is half a mile to the west of the military camp outside the city. They are all made of cement. Yes, it's impressive!"

"So that's the case!" Zhana was determined, stepped forward, and told the steward in front of her in a serious manner.

When the steward asked her what other crafts she had, Zhana thought for a while, and told her about making felt with her husband when she was in her tribe.

Hearing that she could roll felt, the steward smiled even more, and asked a few questions quickly.

"Can you dye the felt?" asked the steward.

"If people ask, we will also dye the wool before rolling it. It's just that the dye is expensive, and sometimes it doesn't happen once a year." Zhana replied categorically.

"Very good! Very good!" The steward stroked his goatee and sighed with joy.

"Are you willing to walk with me for a while? If you fall into His Highness's eyes, you may be able to be a steward. At that time, there will be more than this little money." The steward stood up and looked at Zhana.

Zhana didn't expect that the felt-rolling skills she and her husband had learned would come in handy again, so she nodded quickly.

After the steward spoke a few words with the people inside, she followed him to the wool workshop outside the city.

As soon as she saw the workshop in front of her, Zhana was surprised by its momentum.

The outside of the workshop is surrounded by square concrete walls.The walls are painted with lime water and painted, so they look clean and beautiful.

Because the workers in the workshop are basically women, in order to ensure their safety, Song Qingyuan specially sent several nurses to guard the door.

When Zhana had seen such a magnificent workshop, she followed the steward into the gate with a look of surprise.

Who knew that the scene inside left her stunned even more.

The inside of the workshop is also very clean and tidy because there are little ladies taking turns to clean it every day.

In the yard as soon as you enter the door, there are wool drying on one side, and a dozen ladies in the same clothes on the other.They were sitting on stools, surrounded by a large basin of clean wool, combing and twisting the wool while talking and laughing.

The workshop in Zhana's impression is either small and crowded, or there are countless craftsmen working with their heads down under the urging of the stewards. Never have I seen such a bright and lively appearance.

Like stepping on a cloud under her feet, she followed the steward into the inner yard in a fluttering manner.

Inside, Song Qingyuan was discussing with several ladies how to dye wool.

The little ladies in the workshop have never done dyeing work, and only know a few basic methods, such as indigo and tan, and the dyeing methods of these colors.

But no matter how many, they can't give any valuable experience.

Just when the few of them fell into helpless distress, the steward brought Zhana in.

Originally, Zhana was a little nervous about meeting the rumored His Royal Highness Yan Minyun.

After all, the other party not only has a noble status, but also has done so many things to make the people respect him. How can such a vulgar person like himself have contact with the other party?

But Song Qingyuan's kind attitude like a spring breeze successfully calmed Zhana's helpless emotions.

Under the expectant eyes of everyone, she spoke out all the dyeing methods she knew in one go.

During Zhana's explanation, Song Qingyuan figured out his misunderstanding all along.

All fabrics are now dyed with natural dyes.In addition to plant juices, there are mineral dyes.

The colors of these things are limited, so most of the colors are painted by mordant dyeing.

In layman's terms, a mordant is a substance that allows the pigment in the dye to be incompatible with the fabric to be dyed on the fabric.For example, alum, iron, vinegar, lime water, etc., are common mordants.

Not only that, but the difference in mordant will also change the color of the finished product.For example, when hematoxylin is dyed with iron mordant, the color of the cloth is orange red, but copper mordant can get purple and so on.

Inspired by Zhana, Song Qingyuan quickly recalled several common dyes.

Many plants that can only be colored with mordants are recorded in ancient books.

After thinking about it, Song Qingyuan realized that there are really many plants that can be used as dyes.Even the off-white Sophora japonica, which looks as clean as jade, can be dyed in various colors such as bright yellow, grass yellow, gray green, etc. under the action of different mordants.

He wrote down the dye Zhana mentioned and the raw materials he thought of on the paper, and asked the girls next to him to hand it over to the steward in charge of purchasing.

There were only him, the old steward, and Zhana, who looked restless, in the house.

Song Qingyuan thought for a while, then said in a gentle voice, "Did you do cloth dyeing before?"

Zhana shook her head, stumbled and told about her and her husband's previous experiences.

"I see." Seeing that she was nervous, Song Qingyuan got up and asked someone to pour her a cup of tea, motioning for her to sit down and talk.

"Since it's your ancestral handicraft, I'm using it in my workshop now, so I'm afraid there's something wrong with it." Song Qingyuan thought.

"No! There's nothing wrong with it! We, the husband and wife, don't intend to make a living by rolling blankets for others, Your Highness, but it's useful." Zhana still held the teacup in her hand, stood up quickly, and declined.

Although she was nervous, her mind was not confused.Their family's craftsmanship is all learned from the elders' words and groped out by themselves.It's not a great technique at all.

Moreover, with the strength of the husband and wife, it is impossible to open such a large and complete workshop. If they insist on doing business by themselves, they will not be able to compare with the various felts and blankets produced by Song Qingyuan here.

Just looking at the various weaving and twisting utensils in the front yard, they are not something that people like them can own, let alone the various dyes that Song Qingyuan just proposed that she has never heard of.

Think about the simple tools in your own home.With such a big gap, how can they compare with His Highness's workshop.

It's better to use my rich experience than ordinary people to work hard in His Highness's workshop, maybe I can be a steward, and I will not worry about food and clothing in the future.

Thinking of this, Zhana became even more determined to stay in the workshop.

She recommended herself to Song Qingyuan: "I am familiar with dyeing and felt weaving. I wonder if Your Highness can let me stay here to work?"

After Song Qingyuan heard this, he didn't react too much, but was thinking about something.

Just when Zhana thought that she had failed Song Qingyuan's consideration and felt a little disappointed, she heard the other party say: "How about I pay for this and run a joint dyeing workshop with you. At that time, the wool here will also be sent to you Dye there, you and your husband will manage the dyeing workshop together, and you will share dividends with me at the end of the year."

Zhana looked up in shock, wanting to see if His Highness was joking with her, but only saw Song Qingyuan with a serious face.

What Song Qingyuan said just now was not a whim, it was indeed after his consideration.

The main reason is that Zhana shared with him her family's dyeing method.

Although it was only the most basic method, without the reminder of her words, Song Qingyuan would never have thought of the existence of mordant.Maybe even today, he is still troubled by the dyeing.

The second reason is that not everyone can do this dyeing business, and it is not common in the market.

If it is only used to dye the wool that is used to make felt in one's own workshop, it would be a bit overkill.

It's better to open a special workshop, which will make more money.Therefore, Song Qingyuan came up with the proposal just now.

He looked at Chana, waiting for her answer.

But obviously, Zhana was stunned by the pie that fell on her head so suddenly, the steward next to her called her several times before she could react.

Even though she knew what Song Qingyuan meant, she still couldn't believe it.

Zhana said at a loss: "My husband and I are ordinary people, managing an entire workshop... I really have no experience, this..."

She stuttered, and if she listened carefully, she could hear some vibrato.

Song Qingyuan smiled, and comforted him: "Don't worry for now, someone will teach you when you encounter things you don't know how to handle."

He winked at the steward at the side, and the steward quickly stood up and echoed: "Yes, I will be by your side to help you when the time comes. Besides, no one is born to be in charge, isn't it all Take it easy?"

After repeated persuasion by Song Qingyuan and the steward, Zhana finally calmed down, swallowed her saliva, and asked timidly, "Then can I go home and discuss it with my family?"

"Of course." Song Qingyuan smiled, "If you're sure, come over with your husband to look for Manager Sang."

Song Qingyuan pointed to the old man next to him, who nodded repeatedly, "I live near here, just come and find me."

……

Zhana hurried back home with the happy event that fell from the sky.

There were only grandparents and two children at home, and before Mo Tuo came back, Zhana hurriedly talked to the two old people about it.

At first, the two old people were a little skeptical. It wasn't until the daughter-in-law took out the unique waist card in the workshop that the two old people had to believe that such a good thing actually happened to them.

"Your Highness is merciful!" the old man sighed with tears in his eyes.

If it is placed on other people, how can there be any reason to help them plan with all their heart after knowing the craftsmanship handed down by others?

After Mo Tuo came back, the family discussed and decided to deal with the matter.

"Since His Highness treats us like this, you must do well in this matter, and you must not disappoint His Highness's kindness, you know?"

In the yard, the old man warned the couple in earnest.

"My son knows." Mo Tuo and Zhana nodded in unison.

"Zhana, you are smarter than Mo Tuo. If the dyeing workshop is really built, you should worry more on weekdays. Don't worry about me and your mother at home." The old man looked at his daughter-in-law.

Chana quickly complied.

In the past, they could barely make ends meet by relying on the hard work of the family. After so many years of hard work, they finally paid off.Several people sighed for a while.

Mo Tuo wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes, stood up, and said loudly with a smile: "I'm going to buy a few catties of good meat, and let's celebrate!"

The author says:

Chana: Let me order "Good Day" for everyone!