NABC Chapter 54 World 26
Chapter 54 World 26
Just do it.
The crochet hook that Li Yinyin mentioned was something her family had always had, but no one knew how to use it, so it was left in some corner.
Since there is no cotton in this dynasty, there is naturally no cotton thread. Li Yinyin thought for a moment and first used thin hemp rope to draw a pattern to show her sister-in-law.
“They really are the exact same flowers,” Yu Qiaoyun examined them over and over, and finally couldn’t help but say, “From now on, have your brother put all the money he earns from these into your private savings!”
“No, that won’t do. There’s no reason for me to have it all to myself. But don’t be too happy yet, sister-in-law,” Li Yinyin pulled the Western Regions lace closer to her. “Sister-in-law, feel it carefully. The material of this thing is different from ours.”
"The hemp is still a bit rough, not as fine and soft as this stuff. I'll probably have to find out what kind of thread it's made of before I can sell it."
"First, have someone learn your method and practice with hemp thread, then try twisting silk thread to make it thicker. When your brother goes to the Western Regions again, it will be at least next year, then we'll have a chance to inquire."
Li Yinyin suddenly thought, "Sister-in-law, where are the seeds that my brother promised to bring me? Do you think they might be in there?"
Just then, Li Chengming finished tidying up and entered. After asking them what they were looking for, he called over one of his servants.
After listening, the servant said, "Perhaps what Madam and Miss are looking for is white lace? I've heard that lace from the Western Regions is made with this."
"This plant is well-suited to the climate of the Western Regions and grows easily, but it doesn't thrive elsewhere. However, its flowers are cloud-shaped, soft, and light, making them very beautiful. Therefore, many nobles love to use it for vases."
“This time, the young lady wanted all kinds of seeds, and Master Bai Diezi also brought some back.”
Yu Qiaoyun's eyes lit up, but Li Yinyin looked thoughtful: "It looks like a cloud?"
"Brother and sister-in-law, do you think these cloud-like flowers could be stuffed into a quilt to keep warm, or used to make clothes, like reed catkins?"
“Every winter, Niu Niu is afraid to go out because she is afraid of the cold, and every household in the village is afraid to stop heating their kang (heated brick bed).
"If only these cloud-like flowers could be worn like the celestial maidens in the stories, so that people could be unafraid of the cold."
Li Chengming felt that his sister's seemingly far-fetched imagination actually had room for practical application.
The fact that people in the Western Regions could use it to make cloth shows that it has potential for development in this area. Just like silk, which can be used to make both cloth and bedding filling, right?
As for why the people of the Western Regions didn't use it to make blankets or stuff it into their clothes, it's not hard to guess.
The weather in the Western Regions is hot, and even when it gets cold, it doesn't get very cold. They usually only need blankets, so they don't need quilts.
Li Chengming made a decision: "Have someone collect a few bags of white pine nuts, and make them into quilts and clothes according to Yinyin's suggestion."
"If Yinyin wants to wear clouds, then she will definitely be able to."
Li Yinyin was immediately overjoyed: "Thank you, big brother!"
As long as my older brother is willing to put it into practice, he will definitely know that it is a good thing.
However, Li Yinyin couldn't help but have some doubts. Since white cotton could be used by nobles to hold vases, it proved that the upper class was not completely unaware of it. So, how could its advantages of warmth and breathability against the skin have gone unnoticed?
Li Yinyin remembers hearing a Henan opera when she was still in modern times. The story was about a stepmother tormenting her stepson by deliberately replacing the cotton in his cotton-padded coat with uninsulated cattail fluff, which almost froze her stepson to death.
This shows how much the average person values the difference between the two. It's believed that once people understand the insulating properties of white clover, they will definitely put in the effort to research and cultivate it.
So why is it that even now, not many ordinary people know about or cultivate white berries?
Li Yinyin unconsciously started to have conspiracy theories.
Perhaps these things weren't unknown to anyone, but the upper class had light and warm silk quilts, as well as expensive and warm animal hides for clothing and shoes. White quilts were inferior to these, so naturally no one would look at them.
As for the poor struggling in the cold, who would care about them?
Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste; on the roads, the frozen dead lie. This is not an exaggeration, but a true reflection of reality.
As Li Yinyin's thoughts wandered, she suddenly began to understand some of the chuunibyou (delusional) novel protagonists.
Just like her, she vaguely hoped that her older brother would build up his own power, intending to help herself and her sister-in-law break through the death calamity and live a happier and more carefree life.
Now, however, she feels more clearly that she wants to have greater abilities to do more things.
Just like this little white vases, they shouldn't just be used as embellishments for nobles' vases, but should be promoted to every household so that more people can be spared the suffering of the cold.
Let's take it one step at a time. Li Yinyin thought that, at least for now, her older brother still hoped to earn more money so he could quietly stay in their hometown and enjoy life with his wife and sister.
Changing his mindset is not something that can be done overnight.
But if she wants to, she can always do it.
Li Chengming rested at home for one night, and the next morning he took the initiative to go to the village chief.
In Shangshui Village, all the families with the surname Li are related, so during harvest season, they help each other to hurry up and harvest.
With so many strong laborers working together, the grain in the fields was all cleaned up, dried, and stored in each family's cellar before the rains came.
After the busy farming season, it's August in the blink of an eye.
Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, there was some big news in the village that amazed everyone.
Mu Xianyun passed the imperial examination and became a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations). He is now a Xiucai Gong (a successful candidate in the lowest level of the imperial examinations)!
“I said, our Xianyun is a promising young man. He’s only a teenager, not even of age yet, and he’s already passed the county-level examination. His teacher even said that, based on his writing, if there hadn’t been a provincial-level examination next year, he would definitely have passed the provincial-level examination.”
"But it doesn't matter. It's just one more year. The year after next, when Xianyun finishes the provincial examination, he'll be a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination). At that time, he won't need to kneel before the county magistrate!"
Mother Mu moved a stool and sat in front of the door, proudly showing off to the neighbors.
Li Yinyin had just said goodbye to Niu Niu at the village chief's house and was about to go home when she heard these words. She didn't stop, but when she saw her mother, Mu, she was unwilling to let her go.
"Who do we have here? It's Yinyin! Yinyin, listen to my advice: as a young lady, you shouldn't be too arrogant. You should know when to bow your head. Acting haughty because of your status can easily cost you a good marriage, don't you think?"
Li Yinyin scoffed inwardly. "I was just walking along the street, and you had to come and provoke me. I do need to maintain a certain image in public, and I can't be as sarcastic as I am at home. Does that mean I can't call for backup?"
"Who do we have here? It's the scholar's mother. She's only taken the first step on the long journey, and she's already getting all worked up, meddling in other people's family affairs!"
"Come on, I need to go home and ask my brother properly. His sister was lectured by some shady people on the way home. Did he care about her?"
"And the village chief, his own niece was being verbally abused like that. If he takes the side of outsiders, that's just not right!"