Settled in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 217 Cotton Articles

The cotton is popped out, the cotton thread is spun, and it is easy to make the quilt.In order to make the cotton thread more durable, Xue Lang asked Winter Solstice to blend some silk thread with the cotton thread, first played a mattress and a quilt, and went directly to see Princess Pingyang with it.

After making a set of bedclothes, Xue Lang asked Changjian and Wanfu to carry them to offer treasures to Her Royal Highness the Princess.The weight is not heavy, but the volume is slightly larger, and I have received many curious eyes along the way.

After entering the courtyard of Her Highness the Princess, Mu Xue, who was guarding the gate, couldn't help laughing when she saw her: "Dare to ask Xue Zhiyi, what is this thing? But it's for the lady?"

Xue Lang nodded and said: "This is a bedding made of cotton. The heavier one is a mattress, and the lighter one is a quilt. Please, Ms. Mu Xue, take it away. It's a new product trial."

Xue Lang didn't ask people to make mattresses and covers for quilts, but reserved them for the maid of Her Royal Highness the Princess.It would be too presumptuous for Xue Lang to let someone do it.

"Youyang is here? Come in."

The voice of His Highness the Princess came, and Xue Lang went in as he said: "I have met Your Highness. I used the cotton harvested in the warehouse to make a set of bedding first. Please try it, Your Highness, to see if there is a cashmere quilt to warm you."

Her Royal Highness immediately became interested and asked, "Have you made the quilt yet? Mu Xue, show it to me."

"Here."

Mu Xue and the others directly carried the bedroll in.Her Royal Highness asked someone to spread it out, and touched it with her hands: "It's so thick and soft!"

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to pull up a bed and tried the weight: "Heavier than a cashmere quilt. How much cotton are used for these?"

Xue Lang said: "This bed is a quilt, which uses about six catties of cotton, which is relatively thick. It is soft and warm when placed on the bed. This bed is a quilt, which only uses more than three catties of cotton, which is enough to cover it in winter."

Princess Pingyang glanced at him, stretched out her hand to press the mattress, obviously understood Xue Lang's desire for comfort, smiled slightly, but didn't say anything.He ordered: "Mu Xue carry it in."

"Here."

Mu Xue led people to carry the bedroll to the backyard.Her Royal Highness calculated silently in her heart, and said, "How many catties of cotton do you need to make the padded jacket you mentioned?"

Xue Lang said: "To make a padded jacket, usually about one to two catties of cotton is enough."

Only then did Her Royal Highness show a look of shock: "In this way, the cotton produced by one mu of land, even a family with many members, can't run out?"

Xue Lang nodded: "Exactly! This subordinate took a roll of lint from the warehouse, and now it's just used up as a fraction. In addition, cotton is more durable than cashmere, wool and the like. As long as the quilt is put in every year Take it out in the sun before winter, pat it, and it will be fluffy and soft again without affecting the warmth retention, so it is not difficult to use it for ten years."

"Is this true?"

"There is absolutely no lie!"

Princess Pingyang's eyes drooped slightly, and her hands were put into her sleeves, like a beautiful statue, motionless.With this kind of energy-raising skills, Xue Lang bowed down and once again lamented that he was inferior.

"Good! Very good!"

After a while, Princess Pingyang said in a soft voice, clenched her beautiful hands in her sleeves into fists, and said, "How many days will it take for the padded jacket to be made?"

"People who are skilled in needlework catch up, and one piece can come out in two days at most."

Xue Lang said it with confidence, remembering the purpose of coming here, he took advantage of the opportunity to ask for advice: "I have a question to ask Your Highness."

Princess Pingyang was smart and wise, and said in an almost affirmative tone: "The three provinces are responsible for the food and clothing of the saint. However, as a daughter, I can give Aye a piece of clothing to show my filial piety."

Xue Lang's heart immediately fell into his stomach, and he immediately cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness knows everything by seeing it, and knows ten things by hearing it, and this subordinate admires it."

Princess Pingyang looked at him with a half-smile, and said, "I'll send the needleworkers over to learn how to sew padded jackets."

"Here. Then this subordinate will go back and make arrangements."

Xue Lang immediately wanted to make arrangements.Her Royal Highness waved her hand and said: "No busy, you Yang sit down, I still have some questions about cotton. Chuxue, bring some white folded cloth."

"Here."

Chuxue immediately went back to the backyard and brought a roll of white cloth.Xue Lang took it and looked at it. It was pure cotton, soft and close-fitting, with good air permeability.The disadvantages are also obvious. Not to mention easy to shrink and wrinkle, it is indeed not as crisp and beautiful as silk and satin.The advantages and disadvantages are clear at a glance.

Princess Pingyang said: "White folded cloth is not popular in my Tang Dynasty, and the rich and powerful don't like it. These are Hu merchants from Gaochang, and the quantity is not much. Therefore, no one has explored the weaving method of white folded cloth. Bai Diezi is only for ornamental purposes, so it turned out that it was in the wrong direction, so there is no way to do it."

The textile technology of the Tang Dynasty was actually good, but this good refers to silkworm products.Ordinary people mostly wear clothes made of linen and Gebu.At this time, weaving and sewing clothes were almost essential skills for women, which were essential skills for housekeeping.

Speaking of cotton cloth, Xue Lang said: "With the production and consumption of cotton, it is easier to popularize among the people than silkworms. The weaving method of cotton cloth is not to use pure cotton for weaving, but to add silk and hemp blending appropriately. It can solve and reduce the shortcomings of cotton cloth to a great extent."

Princess Pingyang became interested and asked, "Can it be blended with silk and linen?"

Xue Lang said affirmatively: "Of course! If Your Highness can find some skilled craftsmen who are good at weaving and study it, it should be possible."

Princess Pingyang made a decisive decision: "Yes! Rugui is still in the middle of Beijing. I will ask him to visit in the middle of Beijing. After the winter, I will invite people here to study the weaving method of this blended cotton cloth."

Xue Lang looked at Princess Pingyang, and said: "I was in Chang'an that day, and the sage once asked me, in my opinion, if His Highness intends to return to Beijing. The sage said that the life in Weizeguan is poor, and he is afraid that His Highness will suffer and hurt himself. The sage Tell my subordinates, let me tell your highness that if your highness wants to stay in Weizeguan, you can keep it; if you want to go back to Chang'an, you will take care of your highness. A loving father, even a bystander like me can see it. move."

Princess Pingyang was startled, as if she didn't expect Xue Lang to say this suddenly, she sighed and said, "I naturally understand Aye's thoughts. But, it's not time to return to Chang'an yet."

Since Her Royal Highness didn't say anything, Xue Lang didn't ask, just nodded, and talked about his plans for the next few days——

"Since Your Highness thinks this way, then this subordinate can arrange the next regulations. Your Highness treats me with a kindness that is as great as a mountain, and ten thousand deaths are not enough to repay me. However, when I come back from Chang'an, I will see what the saint means. Transferring me to Chang'an is a foregone conclusion. The subordinates are stupid and tried their best. At most, they can only delay until next year, and it is imperative to return to Chang'an by then."

Princess Pingyang remained calm: "So, what do you want to say?"

Xue Lang said: "Your Highness, eat the king's salary and take care of the king's worries. The subordinates have nothing to repay His Highness, and only some knowledge they have learned may help His Highness one or two. Therefore, this blended cotton weave Fa, I implore Your Highness not to report it, and leave it in His Highness's hands!"

(End of this chapter)