The Daily Life of Farming and Raising Children in Ancient Mountain Residences

Chapter 245: Choices

If Concubine Fan had been a man, she would have undoubtedly been a capable official. As soon as they were seated, she smiled and got straight to the point.

Sang Luo had come quickly, clearly interested in the shops. She said, “Concubine Fan, you know I don’t have much wealth. Currently, I only have a little over two hundred taels of silver, and with the need to build a new house, I’m not sure how much the shops in Shezhou City are priced at.”

Concubine Fan glanced at her trusted maid, who then brought forward seven or eight scrolls of bamboo slips, saying, “Sang Luo, here are the details of the shops up for sale. The locations, sizes, and prices are all listed. Please take a look.”

Seeing the large tray of bamboo slips, Sang Luo’s expression briefly showed complexity. Some things, once in your mind, seem to pop up everywhere.

She lowered her gaze. She had heard from Shen Lie that the paper-making process was controlled by powerful families. She hadn’t wanted to get involved, but she couldn’t resist. Picking up a bamboo slip, she frowned and asked, “I’ve heard that paper is not available in the market now, and even the government offices are short of paper?”

Concubine Fan, knowing that the Shen family had scholars and trusting them, replied, “Yes, it seems they will have to use bamboo slips for a while. Your family doesn’t have any paper left?”

Sang Luo nodded. “That’s about right. I’ve kept a few sheets for drawing, but for the students at the academy, they rely on bamboo slips we make at home every evening. Many people in our village have taken on orders from the ink and brush shop, making ten bamboo slips for three wen. I’ve heard the government is also hiring bamboo slip makers. I’m curious—did something happen to the paper-making craftsmen in previous years, or did the formula get lost? It’s unlikely that all the paper-makers in the Da Qi have run into problems.”

Concubine Fan looked at Sang Luo. After a moment’s thought, she realized that since the Shen family had scholars, knowing some details would be harmless. She then signaled to her trusted maid. The maid bowed and left, signaling to the other maidservants waiting outside. Soon, everyone else had left, with only the trusted maid remaining outside the flower hall.

Once the room was cleared, Concubine Fan shook her head and said, “It’s not a lack of craftsmen or formulas. It’s about the tug-of-war over interests.”

“Right now, it’s a crucial time for dividing benefits between the new officials and some old aristocratic families. The new officials, having followed His Majesty in his conquests, naturally receive titles and promotions. However, many of these new officials were originally from aristocratic families themselves. As for the old aristocratic families, although they remained spectators while His Majesty fought for the throne, with the realm now settled, high-ranking positions and titles are no longer relevant to them. But not everyone accepts this; some are trying every way to advance themselves.”

“You mean the paper-making formula is in the hands of the aristocratic families who were spectators before? Isn’t there just one family in the Da Qi that has the paper-making formula?”

“That’s not the case. The Lu family of Kuaiji, the Dou family of Meishan, and the Zhang family of Xiangcheng all control paper-making techniques. However, two years ago, the Zhang family of Xiangcheng suffered a plague caused by bandits, and none of their clan survived. Following that, something else happened, and even their ancestral lands were burned clean, so the formula and technique are no longer passed down. The Lu family of Kuaiji and the Dou family of Meishan—well, you know that the relationships between aristocratic families are intricate, especially since these two families, which have controlled paper-making techniques for generations, have had marital ties for several generations. These two families are likely now privately coordinating and advancing or retreating together.”

Sang Luo understood.

The emperor was being squeezed by the aristocratic families.

“Are they not worried about future repercussions?” Sang Luo asked, pointing upward.

Her question was strikingly similar to Concubine Fan’s earlier comment about not fearing consequences. Concubine Fan chuckled lightly before shaking her head. “Not at the moment. The power of the aristocratic families is much greater than you might imagine. His Majesty still relies heavily on these major families. Many things are fought over behind the scenes, and the face-off will not come to light unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, why do you think His Majesty is establishing schools and recruiting scholars? The power of the aristocracy is, in itself, a form of pressure.”

The term “imperial power” was left unsaid by Concubine Fan.

“The Lu and Dou families have to compete. If they don’t, they might lose their power now, but in time, they will likely find it difficult to maintain their immense wealth. Especially the Lu family—many of their members held high positions in the previous dynasty, and their reputation, well…”

The reason they dare to compete is fundamentally because the Emperor is poor.

Yes, poor.

Who would have thought that after gaining the throne, the Xiao family would almost deplete their vast family fortune? Now, with 600,000 troops to support and a three-year tax exemption, many of these troops are defectors from the enemy. Every place that hasn’t been pacified could be an unstable factor.

Concubine Fan couldn’t help but sigh.

Sang Luo asked, “Why the sigh?”

Concubine Fan replied, “I sigh for the difficulty His Majesty faces. He’s distributing land and exempting taxes for three years. With 600,000 troops to support, every place needs money and grain. The proceeds from selling these shops, collected by the county offices, will actually go to the national treasury.”

In other words, the Emperor is incredibly poor.

If he weren’t poor, would he have given Sang Luo a reward of two hundred taels of silver? What appears as immense wealth to common folk is, in reality, very little in the eyes of the aristocracy and officials.

It’s not a small favor for the Emperor to commend.

Perhaps the Emperor himself is aware of this, which is why the reward was in land—at present, land is the only thing the court can afford to give away easily.

Of course, this is something that cannot be openly discussed.

Sang Luo understood. She looked at Concubine Fan and said, “May I ask, you and Mr. Zeng also come from aristocratic backgrounds…”

She didn’t finish the question, leaving Concubine Fan to answer or not.

Concubine Fan smiled at Sang Luo and said, “My family and I, well, we share the same vision as His Majesty and as you do, hoping for a prosperous Chang’an, rather than a world of wealthy families dancing in opulence while the common people suffer.”

…

With Concubine Fan’s assistance, Sang Luo inspected several of the shops to be sold and chose a medium-sized shop on the main street, about thirty square paces, priced at one hundred twenty taels. They agreed to bring the money to the office the next morning for the transaction.

Sang Luo, who had been sleeping soundly since her pregnancy, found herself tossing and turning that night, unable to sleep.

During the day, Shen Lie had already learned about what Concubine Fan had said. Seeing her restless, he asked softly, “Are you still thinking about the paper issue?”

Sang Luo replied in the dark, “Perhaps it’s because of the hardships endured during the previous dynasty. Now that there’s an Emperor who is capable and cares for the common people, I keep hoping that the Da Qi will be even better. I heard that the Lu family’s members held high positions in the previous dynasty and were likely exploiters of the common people.”

Such people, controlling the paper-making formula and keeping it from the court, and the Emperor’s reluctance to release it, must mean that he’s seeking more than just lower-ranking official positions.

Sang Luo wondered why she was so unwilling.

She got out of bed and, as expected, Shen Lie handed her a coat with a smile and said, “Put on your clothes first. Don’t catch a cold. I’ll light the lamps.”

That night, neither of them slept. They shut the stove room door and boiled tree bark.

Shen Lie, unwilling for Sang Luo to stay up all night, said, “I’ll keep watch tonight. You sit for a while. If you can calm your mind, then go to sleep. I’ll prepare the pulp tomorrow night and continue working. We’ll discuss the rest later.”

…

The next night, Shen Ning was the first to notice the activity in the house. While the noise of pounding bark couldn’t be heard from afar, it was audible from the neighboring room. She put on her clothes and, carrying an oil lamp, knocked on the stove room door, “Elder Brother? Sister-in-law?”

Shen Lie was busy with the work, and Sang Luo opened the door for Shen Ning, then locked it again once she entered.

Seeing her elder brother preparing paper pulp, Shen Ning’s eyes widened slightly, “Sister-in-law, you’re…”

Sang Luo sighed, “I wasn’t sure before, but these materials are exposed to rain and sun every day. After handling them for so long, I need to see if I can improve the process.”

Shen Ning smiled and joined in to help.

Sang Luo’s paper-making method had noticeably improved this time. Every step was refined, and she tried various ideas she had noted down on bamboo slips. The tools used were more comprehensive, and the method of paper-making was significantly different from the first attempt. The pulp was visibly smoother, and additional techniques like smoothing and pressing the paper were employed. By the third morning, the finished product was much smoother and whiter compared to the sample papers from her first attempt.

Although there was still some difference from the high-quality paper sent by the Wang family, it was comparable to the relatively affordable paper previously available on the market.

Sang Luo collected the sample papers and, secluding herself in the room, began writing the formula and drawing the paper-making process diagram. Shen Lie, having a day off, stayed by her side, helping to ensure no intruders came in.

As Sang Luo focused on her work, her mind was finally less chaotic. Yet, after completing the diagrams and looking at the formulas and process diagrams made with her own paper, she was lost in thought.

Gamble?

Seeing her lost in thought again, Shen Lie whispered, “There are two options. First, appear with auspicious signs but make it apparent. However, handling it ourselves might leave traces that others could discover. Second, given what we know from the matter with the plow and the Zeng couple, they seem trustworthy. If your goal is solely to alleviate the court’s worries without seeking personal gain, communicating with the Zeng couple and giving them this benefit should be safe.”

Sang Luo looked at Shen Lie and asked, “Do you support me?”

Shen Lie smiled and said, “Haven’t I already shown my support since I lit the lamps and boiled the tree bark? Some risks are involved, but if it’s something you truly want to do, it’s worth taking a chance after mitigating the risks. You trust the Zeng couple, don’t you? Since the day we returned from the magistrate’s office, you’ve subconsciously made your choice.”

Sang Luo smiled and nodded, “Yes, because someone who spends a large sum to bring poultry, livestock, and seeds from afar for the common people is someone I believe is honest and kind. And, as Concubine Fan said, her and the Zeng couple’s vision aligns with mine—a prosperous Chang’an. I think it’s worth trying, even just for that.”

Shen Lie smiled and said, “Let’s go then. Just right, I’ll look for Master Chu to find out where to buy blue bricks and tiles. We can go to the office together, it’ll be convenient.”

Sang Luo tucked the two pieces of paper into her sleeve, and the couple left Daxing Village.

Shen Lie took Sang Luo to the back office of the Prefecture, then headed to the front office to find Chu Qichang. The people at the Prefecture office only thought Sang Luo had come along with Shen Lie, and since she was known to be from the same hometown as the Prefect’s wife, no one gave it much thought. Even Concubine Fan thought the same and, smiling, mentioned she had a formula for wall plaster that was very smooth, and she would copy it for Sang Luo later.

It wasn’t until Sang Luo signaled for everyone to leave that Concubine Fan realized Sang Luo had come with a serious matter to discuss, and Shen Lie was just accompanying her in name.

Noblewomen from wealthy families are trained from a young age in managing the inner courtyard with great precision. Especially coming to Shezhou, they bring only trusted individuals. With just a glance from Concubine Fan, within moments, she had cleared the room of others, creating a private space for their conversation.

“What’s so serious that it requires such caution?”

Sang Luo took out the two pieces of paper from her sleeve and handed them to Concubine Fan. “Please take a look.”

When Concubine Fan unfolded the paper and glanced over it, her pupils contracted, and she looked at Sang Luo in shock, unable to speak for a moment.

She swallowed hard and stammered, “Where did you get this? Is this… can it really be done?”

Even though she couldn’t even bring a fly close, the term “paper-making technique” was instinctively swallowed in her throat.

Was it really the case that the Lu family of Kuaiji had produced someone capable of extraordinary achievements to make the family rise? No, it was just a small family that grew stronger because of the paper-making technique.

She couldn’t believe it. The Sang Family of Dongjun was a minor clan, so how could they have a paper-making formula?

Sang Luo nodded, without hesitation, and said, “Yes, those two pieces are made from the formula I used a few days ago.”

“Concubine Fan, can I trust you?”