Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 17 Everyone is thinking about assists
End of March!
The paper workshop has successfully produced the first batch of pulp, which is more delicate than those on the market.

The main reason is that in ancient times, pulping was entirely done by manpower, and there was no caustic soda to remove impurities. Except for rice paper, memorials, and paper for examination papers, which are complicated and expensive, most of them were not processed enough.

Lai Shangrong is not in a hurry to sell, but only increases production and hoards finished products.

As a bastard who doesn't want to make money, he planned to make a lot of money by selling a batch of goods before announcing the papermaking technology.The reason why I didn't sell it with me was because I was afraid of leaking the information and causing unnecessary trouble.

As for the school, Jia Baoyu lived up to the expectations and won the first place in the second assessment, and also won the paper airplane reward.

What's more worth mentioning is that since Qingwen met Siqi last time, the two had a quarrel.Afterwards, she learned about the relationship between her and Pan Youan from Lai Shangrong, and she was always aggrieved.

At first, I felt very regretful for my reckless behavior. Fortunately, there was no one else except my coachman at the time. Otherwise, if Siqi insisted on spreading the word, wouldn't it ruin the uncle's reputation?

While I was thankful, I couldn't help but feel deeply guilty, and I worked even harder for Lai Shangrong's instructions.After finishing the two cheongsams, I started working on the halter top again.

Lai Shangrong couldn't help but be happy and couldn't wait to experience it...

In fact, if Si Qi told the truth frankly, Qingwen would not expose it. After all, the maid of the Rong Mansion seducing the foreign man has nothing to do with the Lai family. But the mistake was that Si Qi carelessly touched Lai Shangrong, which triggered Qingwen's desire to protect the Lord.

I have been thinking about how to give Siqi a small punishment and a big warning.

On this day, Lai Shangrong returned home from school.

Qingwen ran up to her with the female worker's basket, and while cutting the clothes in the basket, she complained: "This chess player is really hateful. He is so indiscreet that he still grabs the uncle!"

"Forget it! It's not a big deal!"

"How can this be forgotten! All the benefits have been taken by her cousin Pan You'an, and the blame has been placed on the uncle! How can there be such a good thing in the world? It has blinded her heart!"

Lai Shangrong smiled brightly. The truth was indeed good, but he never thought of exposing Siqi. After all, honor in this world can kill people.

"Then what else can I do? Is it possible to make her say a word?"

"She has a beautiful idea!" Qingwen didn't care that these words came from Lai Shangrong, and said angrily: "I have to mess up her good relationship with that Pan You'an, otherwise I won't be able to swallow this breath."

This is consistent with Lai Shangrong's thinking.

"It's not in our house, why are you meddling in those nosy things? Besides, you can't even do it if you want to!"

The first sentence was still trying to persuade Qingwen, but the latter sentence betrayed her true thoughts.

"You can always think of a way!" Qingwen muttered and continued cutting.

At the same time, in the courtyard of Jia Mu in Rong Mansion.

"Second Master! Young Master Xiao Qin is here! He is greeting the old lady in her room!"

Baoyu jumped up from the stool and ran out in a hurry. Halfway there, he turned around and returned to the house, picked up the paper airplane from a box and put it into his sleeve.

He ran all the way to Rongqing Hall.

"Uncle Bao!"

In Jia's mother's arms, a handsome young man of fourteen or fifteen years old with delicate features, pink face and red lips, handsome figure and romantic manners, saw Baoyu intruding and rushed to meet him.

"Qingqing! How soon did you come?" Baoyu stepped forward to take Qin Zhong's arm and said with a silly smile.

"I just went to see my sister and came here!"

"Let's go! Let's go out and talk!"

After saying that, the two confessed their sins to Jia Mu, and walked out of Rongqing Hall, arm in arm and side by side.

"I heard from Sister Feng that you won't come to our school anymore?"

"My sister said that the school only holds classes for half a day, and the commute there is far from convenient."

"What's the matter? Why don't you just move here and we can eat and live together? Wouldn't it be convenient?"

Qin Zhong was a little moved after hearing this, and then asked timidly: "I heard that the school changed its master and kicked out Xiang Lian and Yu Ai. Is the new master too strict?"

Baoyu smiled and said: "It's not strict! Brother Lai never makes any mistakes. Besides, Jin Rong, who was against us, is no longer here."

As he spoke, he took out the paper airplane from his sleeve and said, "Look! Brother Lai made this, I just got it!"

Seeing that Qin Zhong was confused, he hurriedly sighed at the nose of the plane and threw it away.

Qin Zhong had never seen this before. He stared at the trajectory of the plane.

Baoyu picked up the plane and handed it to Qin Zhong. "Come on! You should try it too!"

Qin Zhong took over and followed suit, and the two of them had a great time playing.

After playing for half an hour, Baoyu brought up the old story again.

"How about it? Why don't you come to school too! Brother Lai said there are also ones that can fly around people, but it will take two months to get one!"

Qin Zhong hesitated and said, "What if you want to play with me? Last time, because we caused Xiang Lian and Yu Ai to suffer, it's hard to avoid seeing things and missing people when we go there!"

Baoyu leaned close to Qin Zhong's ear and whispered: "I forgot to tell you that there is a wonderful person in our school. Although he is a servant in the family, he is not much different from you, Jing Qing, and he is also literate. Hyphenation, the name is Pan Youan, it would be a pity if you don’t go and meet him."

This was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"real?!"

"Whether I can lie to you or not, you'll know it as soon as you see it!"

"But running back and forth is too tiring, Baoyu, please accompany me to beg my sister!"

"That's natural!"

The two of them ran towards Ning Mansion as they spoke.

…………

In the imperial palace, in the imperial study room!
Emperor Zhenglong was immersed in reviewing the memorial.

"Your Majesty! King Zhongshun and Commander Qi Ning of the Jinyi Guards are asking for an audience!"

"Xuan!"

"My dear brother, my dear! I'm going to see your majesty!"

"Be flat!"

"Your Majesty! The steam engine you ordered to put in the Ministry of Internal Affairs shop has been sold!" A middle-aged man with a big belly in a five-clawed python robe bowed and said.

"Oh? Who bought it?"

A strong man wearing a unicorn suit and a gloomy face came out and said, "I have sent someone to find out. It is a young man named Lai Shangrong."

"Juzi? Can you find out whether he can use it?"

"Go back to the emperor! This man really knows how to use it. He bought a lot of charcoal a while ago. I sent someone to look at it secretly and draw a picture!"

Then he took out a picture scroll from his sleeve robe and handed it to Xia Shouzhong, the eunuch of the Sixth Palace.

Coal was mainly used for metallurgy in ancient times. It was not used for heating because of the smoke. It was cheap and was also produced near the capital. Lai Shangrong purchased a batch before.

Emperor Zhenglong unfolded the scroll.

A little while!

Paidan smiled and said: "Wonderful! Why...this actually confirms my thoughts."

He raised his head and pointed at the scroll and said, "What's the fuss here?"

Qi Ning bowed and said: "According to the spies' reports, it is wood, bark, reeds, etc. The result is like pulp. I didn't dare to alert the snake, so I didn't confirm it."

"Oh? Paper pulp..." Emperor Zhenglong murmured to himself, and then said with great joy: "We must find out this matter!"

"I obey the order!" Qi Ning accepted the order and said again: "I still have a favor to report back!"

"Say!"

"This son is a slave of the Rong Mansion."

"Huh? What nonsense! What does the Ministry of Rites do for food? How can a domestic slave take part in the scientific examination?"

"Go back to the emperor! This Lai Shangrong was deprived of his nationality as soon as he was born."

"I know! Don't alert the enemy yet!"

(End of this chapter)