Chapter 74: Porcelain

◎Written by an educated scholar, selling like hotcakes in the capital city.◎

Hua Sanduo didn't ask any questions. Instead, he followed Yu Lian back to the Hua residence, fetched the carriage, and they both got in. After ensuring Yu Lian was seated comfortably, he inquired, "What's the plan for today?"

Yu Lian smiled and replied, "Just a leisurely stroll through the town. If there are any pottery workshops, I'd love to visit them."

Hua Sanduo responded, "No problem. There are two reputable workshops in town, both run by experienced masters with great reputations."

Curious about Yu Lian's intentions, he refrained from asking directly, not wanting to appear nosy or unreliable. He secretly pondered the reason behind her interest. A young lady of her status wouldn't casually wander without purpose, especially requesting to see pottery workshops. What could she be planning for the future?

If she simply wanted porcelain items for personal use, she could easily purchase them at the local general store, no need to visit the workshops directly. Recently, her family had tilled ten acres of land. Could this be related? But how would pottery be connected to farming? Brewing alcohol? That still required a recipe.

As he speculated, the carriage moved at a steady pace towards the town. Upon arrival, they alighted from the carriage and continued on foot, as driving it would draw too much attention, and some crowded market alleys were difficult to navigate.

Familiar with the town, Hua Sanduo guided them, mentioning that not far from the marketplace was a street lined entirely with workshops.

"There are cloth workshops, pottery studios, and carpenters taking commissions. Even the street vendors abound. If you stroll around here, you'd better keep your purse well hidden, or it might just disappear without notice."

Yu Lian's beauty was extraordinary, capable of outshining even the noble ladies in the capital, let alone in a rural town. As she stepped down from the carriage and walked along the street, many people found themselves mesmerized, nearly causing collisions as they stared.

Hua Sanduo chuckled bitterly. "Well, you needn't worry about losing your purse. I'll be the one on high alert for my own life."

He then added, "Next time, you should wear a veil when you come out."

Yu Lian hadn't expected such a reaction. On her previous visits to the town to purchase items, nothing of the sort had happened. But she quickly recalled that those times, she had been accompanied by her father-in-law. His stern demeanor intimidated others, keeping them at a distance, so no one dared to ogle her.

Yu Lian purchased a veil from a nearby clothing shop and put it on before they proceeded to the workshop street.

The so-called street wasn't large, considering it was just a small rural town, unlike a county seat. There were only two or three cloth workshops, followed by pottery studios. Two pottery workshops stood opposite each other, one named Wangji Pottery, and the other Wangji Old Craftsmanship Pottery.

Standing at the entrances of both, Yu Lian curiously asked, "Both surnamed Wang? Are they related?"

Hua Sanduo replied with a smile, "That's quite a story. Originally, they were brothers, both from a family of ceramic artisans. After their father passed away, the younger son persuaded their mother to separate from their elder brother, leading to a feud. They forced their brother's family out. This elder brother, however, was not one to back down easily. He borrowed silver from his wife's family and opened a pottery workshop right across from his brother's, naming it Wangji Old Craftsmanship Workshop to distinguish himself. The two brothers now compete head-to-head, and although their rivalry is intense, it's a blessing for the townsfolk. In their efforts to outdo each other, they've improved their techniques and the quality of their ceramics, without raising prices."

Yu Lian inquired, "In your opinion, which brother's craftsmanship is superior?"

Hua Sanduo pondered for a moment before saying, "In terms of experience, Wang Da is the elder brother and has been in this trade longer. But Wang Er is resourceful with many designs. His sales aren't bad either. It ultimately depends on your preference."

Yu Lian thought for a while and decided to visit both workshops. She first went to Wang Da's traditional workshop. Upon entering, she saw a middle-aged man leading a group of workers and apprentices engaged in their craft. When they noticed her arrival, they didn't greet her with smiles but simply asked what she needed.

Yu Lian shook her head. "I'll just have a look around first."

She examined the finished ceramic products on display. Although they didn't quite match the quality of those sold in the capital, they were more affordable and made with genuine materials.

After browsing, she left and headed to the shop across the street. This one was different; it employed an enthusiastic and clever apprentice to attend to customers. As soon as she stepped in, a young apprentice approached her, asking what she needed and if he could provide a guided tour.

Yu Lian glanced around and observed that the items on display in this shop were similar to those across the street, with similar prices. The difference was that this shop had more designs, while the other focused on finer details.

The apprentice was skilled in persuasion. Seeing Yu Lian looking around, he pointed to the shelves on either side. "On one side, we have rough earthenware jars, bowls, and pots. On the other, we have porcelain. Porcelain bowls are more delicate and costly. Can I ask which type the customer is interested in?"

Yu Lian asked him for a recommendation based on her needs.

The young apprentice was eager to help. "It depends on your purpose. For common households, large items like water jars or big earthenware pots for pickling vegetables are suitable and affordable. They're sturdy and practical. But for grand occasions, such as weddings or when receiving guests, or for storing cosmetics or displaying flowers, porcelain would be more visually appealing, albeit slightly more expensive."

"What about for storing food that will be sold?"

The shop assistant was taken aback. Although he didn't understand why the food items needed to be served in ceramics, his instincts told him that this was a significant transaction. If they were willing to sell, the quantity must be substantial.

He quickly replied, "Please wait a moment, I'll fetch our shopkeeper. You can discuss it with them."

With that, he rushed inside. This establishment had a different layout than the one across the street. There, the workshop was right at the entrance, with shelves next to the workers. But here, there was a sales area with shelves upfront, while the actual workshop lay further inside.

In a short while, a middle-aged man with a shrewd expression emerged. He paused upon seeing Yu Lian, then turned to Hua Sanduo. "Are you two a couple? Are you in charge here?"

Hua Sanduo dared not claim that. He waved his hands hastily. "Oh no, no, no. I'm just their assistant. I run errands and do tasks. This is our boss." He pointed at Yu Lian, his demeanor extremely courteous and respectful.

A hint of surprise flickered in the shopkeeper's eyes. He hadn't expected such a young and beautiful woman to handle business personally. He bowed slightly and said, "Please forgive my ignorance. What sort of business are you looking to conduct, and are there any specific requirements?"

Yu Lian was used to this. In her previous shopping trips with her father-in-law, most store owners assumed her father was in charge. They would always inquire about her father's needs first, only for him to remain silent with a stern face, pointing to her instead.

"Can your clay jars be sealed tightly?"

"What do you mean by 'sealed'?"

Yu Lian explained, "By 'sealed', I mean the lid fits snugly, allowing no air in or out. The air inside cannot escape, nor can external air enter. It's completely airtight."

The shopkeeper shook his head. "This pottery lid is solid. How can it seal the jar? If you want to do that, you'd have to put the items inside first, then wrap it with mud, and let it dry. That would make it airtight."

Yu Lian asked if there were any other materials that could replace the ceramic lid and still provide a seal.

The shopkeeper shook his head again. "No way. I've been in this business for a long time, and in all my years, I've never heard of a lid that could seal a ceramic jar like that."

This response was not entirely unexpected. Yu Lian then crossed the street again and repeated her question to the taciturn middle-aged man, Wang Da. He, too, without inquiring about her return or the peculiarity of her query, firmly replied in a muted voice that there was no such thing.

"Absolutely not! The nature of the material makes it impossible to have such a lid. You can search high and low, even in the bustling heart of the capital, but you won't find anything like that."

After receiving this response, Yu Lian wandered around with Hua Sanduo once more. Not only did she visit pottery workshops, but also blacksmiths and general stores, hoping to find a substitute material. However, nothing suitable was found. It wasn't as simple as she had hoped.

In modern times, canned fruits typically use glass jars with aluminum or treated iron lids that create an airtight seal, preserving the food inside.

Here, there was clearly no aluminum available, and iron lids would require surface treatment to prevent rusting – a technique that didn't exist here. Moreover, each iron sheet would need to be manually pounded to create a screwable pattern, a task that would be far less precise and much more time-consuming than with machine production.

After a whole day of searching, Yu Lian returned empty-handed. However, she did visit the town's solitary bookshop and purchased a few introductory books for the children. The shopkeeper informed her that there was a promotion, offering discounts for bulk purchases and a set of calligraphy tools as a gift.

Yu Lian took the opportunity to buy the few copies of the Four Books and Five Classics that the bookstore had, which were handwritten by scholars and thus significantly cheaper than the original texts.

The bookseller, delighted to see such a large purchase, carefully packed the books for her and included the set of stationery as a gift.

"Take your time leaving, and do come again! In a few days, our bookshop will receive a new shipment. Among them is the most popular novel in the capital, something about a Sixth Miss and a faithless lover. I can't recall the exact title, but I've heard it's quite the sensation."

Yu Lian paused, nodded, and said she would. Though she didn't give it much thought at the moment, she figured she might read it later to pass the time. For now, her priority was earning money, leaving no room for leisure.

After Yu Lian finished speaking, she waited at the bookshop entrance. Hua Sanduo spared her the trouble of walking further, "You must be tired after a day of shopping. I'll fetch the carriage for you."

Yu Lian nodded and stood by the door.

Just then, a carriage arrived at the bookshop, and two servants-like men alighted, eagerly carrying a stack of books. One of them, in his haste, accidentally bumped into Yu Lian, causing the books to scatter on the ground.

Yu Lian knelt down to help the servant gather the books. As she picked them up, her eyes inadvertently caught the titles on the covers.

Her hand froze, and her gaze locked onto the book in her hand, unblinking for what felt like an eternity. The servant, having collected all the books, asked, "Are you ready to give them back to me?"

Yu Lian inquired, "How many more copies of this book are there? Who is the author?"

"The same scholar wrote all of them. He's written several, and they're selling like hotcakes in the capital. We managed to secure a few to sell here. Just a moment while I look for more information."

Yu Lian followed the shop assistant inside, and the proprietor smiled, saying, "Better late than never. I thought these storybooks wouldn't arrive for a few more days, but surprisingly, they're here today. Miss, if you're interested, we haven't officially started selling them yet, so I'll give you a 10% discount."

Yu Lian picked out all the books by the same author, a total of four. According to the assistant, the writer had authored more than just these, but due to their popularity, the bookstore's suppliers from other regions could only secure a few copies, resulting in only four being available.

She purchased all four books at a price of three hundred and fifty silver coins each. The proprietor offered a 10% discount, making it not exactly cheap, but Yu Lian was no frivolous spender. Flipping through the pages, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Exiting the store, Hua Sanduo assumed Yu Lian had bought scholarly books and, without asking, helped her load them into the carriage. Yu Lian climbed in after him.

On their way back, they encountered a vendor selling sugar-coated haws. Yu Lian asked Hua Sanduo to buy six skewers.

She kept five for herself and left one for Hua Sanduo, which surprised him. "What's this for? I'm too old for such treats..."

Yu Lian replied, "It's for your child."

Hua Sanduo quietly stowed away the sugar-coated haws, touched by her thoughtfulness. Although she wasn't his employer yet, he found comfort in her actions and reliability. Even though he didn't know what her intentions were, he believed that working with her was the right choice. He didn't want to spend his life farming, nor did he wish for his future children to do the same; what kind of prospects would that offer?

Yu Lian wrapped the sugar-coated haws in oil paper, five skewers for her family's children, and one reserved for herself. Who said a sister-in-law couldn't enjoy such treats?

After Hua Sanduo delivered Yu Lian home, he returned with the sweets, not asking any questions or mentioning whether he should be paid for the day's work.

Yu Lian didn't mention her plan to hire Hua Sanduo as her assistant. Running errands was part of the job, and there was no need for formality between them.

Upon entering the courtyard, the three children had just finished their lessons and were playing. They eagerly gathered around, with Little Guo'er being the quickest. She proudly exclaimed to Yu Lian, "Today, our little teacher praised Guo'er for being clever!"

Yu Lian asked why.

The child answered with pride, "I learned how to write!"

The twins scoffed, "You only learned one word. What's so impressive about that?"

Little Guo'er replied, "Teacher said I've never studied before, so having no foundation and still learning one word shows great potential. He told me to keep trying. Sister, let me show you the character I wrote."

Yu Lian stood there, smiling as she watched Little Guo'er use a branch to carefully draw the character on the ground. She praised her efforts, and Little Guo'er became even more delighted.

Yu Lian took out an oil paper wrapper and retrieved a sugarcane stick from it, offering it to Little Guo'er. "It's your first day of learning, and you did well. Sister rewards you with this sugarcane stick."

Little Guo'er's eyes sparkled as she received the treat and gently licked it, sweetly thanking her sister!

With food involved, how could they resist?

The twins immediately rushed over, stretching out their hands and pleading, "Sister-in-law, we want some too..."

Yu Lian deliberately didn't take out the remaining ones and asked, "Did Little Scholar praise you two? How did you do?"

Little Guo'er's courage had grown, and she exposed her two elder brothers in front of them, saying to her sister-in-law, "No, he asked what they had learned before, but they didn't know anything. They claimed they would learn it in one go, but they couldn't remember a single character, which made Little Scholar so angry that he spanked their palms!"

The twins' faces flushed red, and they glared at their sister awkwardly. "No way, we'll study hard. We just forgot a little bit right now. After a few more days of studying, we'll remember it! Sister-in-law, you have to believe us!"

Yu Lian nodded and said, "Okay, I believe you!" She waved the two sugar-coated haws in front of the twins, making their mouths water.

She then took out two primers, one with the Hundred Surnames and the other with the Thousand Characters. "This sugar-coated haw is on credit. In a week, I want to hear at least two pages memorized. If you can't do it, you'll owe me double the number of sugar-coated haws, which will be deducted from your allowance in the future."

Hearing this, the twins were stunned. "Double? Sister-in-law, we can't do it!"

Yu Lian replied, "If you don't want them, I'll give them to Little Scholar and the other children in the village. You won't have to work hard memorizing the books then."

The twins quickly raised their hands, gritted their teeth, and teary-eyed, agreed. "Deal! Sister-in-law, we promise you, we'll recite two pages in a week." The brothers exchanged a glance, their eyes watering like noodles, and glanced enviously at Little Guo'er. It wasn't their imagination, their sister-in-law indeed favored girls.

Little Guo'er was truly enviable!

After speaking with her three children, Yu Lian instructed them to carry the books into the study. She then entered the house to converse with her grandmother and mother-in-law.

The elder lady and Mrs. Chen were seated in the main room. Mrs. Chen sat outside, engrossed in her sewing, seemingly embroidering a handkerchief, while the elder lady sipped on her rough tea, engaging her in conversation.

Upon seeing Yu Lian enter, the elder lady's eyes lit up. "Lian'er, come here quickly. Your grandmother has been idle all afternoon since you left."

Unable to find common ground with Mrs. Chen, Yu Lian could only sit beside her, accompanying her in her sewing. Eventually, she grew drowsy, yawns escaping her one after another.

The elder lady then inquired about her trip to the town, aware that her granddaughter-in-law had gone for some investigation.

Yu Lian replied, "Starting anything is always challenging, but once the path is found, everything falls into place smoothly. I'm not in a hurry, so Grandma, please don't worry."

I've been a bit stuck on the babies' storyline these past few days, hh.