CHAPTER 213: CHAPTER 211: MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER

The weaving room of Chen Family Village is closed, but Zheng and several women who often work there still come to clean regularly, so when Nanny Miao changed her clothes and entered the room, she couldn’t hide her satisfaction.

Nanny Miao said, "The house is pretty good, but the looms are truly too old."

Zheng said, "These years, there has been chaos everywhere in the North; it took quite an effort to find these looms."

Nanny Miao sighed, "Isn’t it so? It’s not easy. How many years has Daqi been established? It was all fighting before."

Zheng is the most skilled among the women in Chen Family Village. When Xie Liangchen was at a loss with the loom, it was Zheng who solved her urgent need.

Zheng said, "We haven’t seen these new looms and spinning wheels before."

Nanny Miao laughed, "Not just you, I just saw them too, and it’s you who spent a lot to buy them." If she hadn’t seen Chen Family Village spend so much silver on spinning wheels and looms, Nanny Miao wouldn’t have come along.

Zheng was a bit surprised, "You..."

Nanny Miao said, "Although I’ve just seen such spinning wheels, they aren’t much different from the ones I used; they just have a few more ingots. Everyone can learn."

Zheng was still thinking, is it really just about having a few more ingots? Seeing the smile on Nanny Miao’s face, she realized Nanny Miao was joking with everyone.

Nanny Miao said, "Don’t panic. Since I’m here, I can teach well, but the old wife doesn’t understand why you spent big money to buy the best spinning wheels and looms? The cheaper ones are ten silver coins less."

Old Mrs. Chen felt a pain in her chest, finally knowing where all the silver coins her granddaughter spent went.

However, she had to pretend to be calm in front of people, so Old Mrs. Chen stepped forward, holding Nanny Miao’s hand and said, "You’re new here, not knowing our girl likes to make a fuss. Before, for making a farm tool, she spent a lot of time creating a wind box."

Upon hearing about the wind box, Nanny Miao was astonished, "You made that wind box? It has spread to Xingzhou now. My nephew, who travels for business, was asked to buy a few wind boxes from Zhaozhou."

Old Mrs. Chen loved hearing this. Look, her granddaughter’s skills have spread so far. Thinking about these good things made her heart ache a little less.

Nanny Miao looked around the crowd for the "girl" mentioned by Old Mrs. Chen, finding her was easy because everyone in Chen Family Village was looking at one person.

Nanny Miao smiled and said, "Buying good things is useful; the spun products are good, and the loom weaves finely."

Xie Liangchen smiled along.

Chen Zigeng understood his sister’s intentions; she bought the best spinning wheels because it’s easier to modify them. Watching her study the spinning wheel diagrams, she seemed eager to dismantle the spinning wheels into smaller pieces.

As Old Mrs. Chen led Nanny Miao around the village, Chen Zigeng squeezed next to Xie Liangchen, "Sister, are you going to modify the spinning wheels?"

Xie Liangchen looked at her brother’s blinking eyes and nodded, "Yes."

If the spinning wheels weren’t modified, her fourth uncle wouldn’t bring back diagrams.

"Such big things are hard to modify, aren’t they?" Chen Zigeng said, "Even though Second Brother and they learned carpentry, I’m afraid they can’t help much."

Xie Liangchen said, "It’s not easy."

Chen Zigeng’s eyes lit up, "I heard from the teacher that the court has the Ministry of Construction, and the military craftsmen there are very skilled. Sister, if you need help, why not... I can find General Song; isn’t there a Ministry of Construction in Zhaozhou? There must be people like them."

At that time, they made the wind box without much fuss because Xie Liangchen was sure she could do it herself, and asking military craftsmen would require more explanation and effort.

Spinning wheels and looms are different. It might be hard to do it with just her and her fourth uncle, but Xie Liangchen also never thought of directly asking Song Xian for help.

"No need," Xie Liangchen said, "My fourth uncle and I will try to do it first."

Chen Zigeng responded, feeling uncertain inside, both wanting his sister and fourth uncle to succeed and not wanting them to succeed.

If they couldn’t succeed, he could openly invite General Song to Chen Family Village.

Nanny Miao and Chen Yongyi went to rest.

Chen Yongsheng invited a few village chiefs from Sun Family Village, Beishan Village, and Da Liu Village. Together, they looked at the new spinning wheels and looms.

Grandpa Sun came along with Sun Lizheng; now the villages are very coordinated, waiting for Grandpa Sun to speak first.

Grandpa Sun said, "The mountains have been planted almost completely; those buying wool have gone out. I estimate these days news can be sent back."

Fan Lizheng also said, "We are familiar with the North; this year, we can surely buy the first batch of wool. After buying wool, we’ll listen to Liangchen on what to do."

Even though last time the wool products weren’t sold at a good price, they still trust Miss Xie, especially in this spring plowing. Everyone works together, helping each other, saving a lot of effort compared to usual.

Zhenzhou has even planted all the mountain lands, yet nearby prefectures have many vacant farmlands, showing a gap.

Xie Liangchen said, "Those people’s wool products come from the Northwest, taking a lot of time to transport. If we can sell our wool products before them, we can smoothly earn silver.

But our weavers are indeed not as skilled as the weavers in Daming Prefecture; even if we start learning now, we won’t be as good."

"Then..." Chen Yongsheng frowned, wondering what to do.

Xie Liangchen said, "So we won’t make wool products or use looms; we’ll spin the wool into yarn and sell it directly."

Sun Lizheng was surprised, "Sell yarn?"

Xie Liangchen said, "After spring plowing, there’s some free time. Instead of buying woven wool products from others, we should buy cheap yarn and weave ourselves, deciding on the pattern and thickness. We’ll save manpower, doing what we’re good at, and be more adept."

A few village chiefs exchanged glances, seeming to understand.

Xie Liangchen continued, "Moreover, selling yarn is just the first step. Our Dingzhou, Zhenzhou, and Zhaozhou also produce mulberry and hemp. This year, everyone in Zhaozhou is raising silkworms. When the cocoons are ready, our spinning wheels can spin silk."

Xie Liangchen spoke clearly, and the village chiefs followed her train of thought.

Xie Liangchen said, "However, this matter can’t be revealed to outsiders yet, to prevent them from taking precautions. We don’t wish harm but must guard against being secretly schemed against."

"Right," Fan Lizheng said, "Liangchen is right; we can’t let them know what we’re up to."

Feng Lizheng from Da Liu Village said, "Then we’ll act independently, buy the wool first, let people learn to use the spinning wheels, and divide tasks. When the wool arrives, start cleaning and airing, aiming to move ahead of those people."

Grandpa Sun laughed, "No need to rush. As long as Liangchen has thought it through, we just need to do well. United, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish."

Xie Liangchen stood up and saw the village chiefs out.

Grandpa Sun looked at Xie Liangchen and said, "These two years will be tiring for you, working hard at the front, yet you haven’t taken much."

Xie Liangchen smiled, "Seeing everyone earn silver, I feel happy too."

Grandpa Sun said nothing more; too much gratitude would be meaningless. Just don’t fail Xie Liangchen’s good intentions.

Xie Liangchen returned to the weaving room, seeing Zheng and the others circling the spinning wheels, thinking of the hidden Princess Jiahui.

Isn’t it time to reveal your true face?