A piece of Japanese incense

Chapter 194 Dyeing Workshop

"Hey! Girl, the pipa style described by this mother-in-law looks so much like the one we gave to Princess Qi before? I remember that you and your wife bought it together. Oh my God! It can't be such a coincidence!"

Yutuan followed Zhiyihe's footsteps, chattering all the way. Zhiyihe was in a daze and didn't know when he returned to his room.

"But when I look at that pipa, apart from its exquisite craftsmanship, there is nothing special about it! Is this enough to be praised as a treasure of Xiqi? People all say that Xiqi is rich, but when I look at it, it seems to be just so-so..."

Yu Tuan was still talking to herself. Seeing that Zhi Yihe was indifferent, she shook her arm: "Girl?! Girl, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about... what to eat in the evening? Or..."

Zhi Yihe came back to his senses and rolled his eyes: "I was thinking, you said that pipa, so many people were looking for it, but it was quietly placed in our family's treasure cabinet for so long."

Yu Tuan shook his head and said with a smile: "Could this be God's will? It's true that after searching everywhere for something, it's easy to find it~"

Without waiting for Zhi Yihe to speak, Yu Tuan said excitedly: "Girl! What do you think? Could that pipa be hiding a treasure map? Or... a big secret that could destroy the entire Xiqi!"

Seeing Yu Tuan's exaggerated expression, Zhi Yihe smiled sweetly and said coquettishly: "Then the pipa is useless, right? After all, there is no Xiqi now~"

"That's right! That's where the treasure map is hidden! According to the map, we can find a mountain of gold and silver treasures! Oh my God! What are you waiting for! Let's go back to the capital and find Lord Qi to take Pipa back!"

Zhi Yihe was shaken by Yutuan and had a headache. He fell into the quilt and said, "It's not that simple!"

"Girl, we have to go find her no matter how hard it is! The lady is waiting for us! Maybe if we find the gold mountain, we can recruit troops and rescue the lady!"

Zhi Yihe poked his head out from under the quilt, and said with a look of deep agreement: "That makes sense."

Yu Tuan was shaking her head proudly, and when she was about to say something else, she heard Tu Hua's voice outside the door: "Young Master, it's time to set off."

"Okay!" Zhi Yihe replied softly, adjusted her hair in front of the mirror, and then went to the dyeing workshop with Tu Hua.

Yu Tuan complained along the way: "Miss, you are really busy now. Today I check the music hall, tomorrow I check the restaurant, and every day is busy. This prince consort is really troublesome for you. He has created so many businesses, but I am afraid he can't tire you out! When we were in the imperial city, we didn't have so many things to do!"

Zhi Yihe put down the account book, pursed her lips, and said slowly: "Yutuan, I have been busy these past few days, and I just realized that the life of ordinary people is not as easy as I thought. Have you ever heard of 'loquat powder'?"

Yutuan shook his head, and Zhiyi said in a conciliatory tone, "The bark of the loquat tree is dried in the sun, then ground into powder using a stone mill, and then brewed with boiling water to make a paste. It's incredible, right? However, Xiger told me that this is just a common practice among the people, and it's commonplace."

Every day I visit those shops and look at the towers, waterside pavilions, flowing water, and lush flowers and trees in Sanchuan City. I think of how every brick and tile was built by the people who paid the heavy taxes.

For every 100 dan of grain, 20 dan had to be paid as tax. In good years, it was ok, but if there was a natural disaster or man-made disaster, there was no reduction or exemption. There were also various "head taxes", "salt taxes", "iron taxes", and even "leftover women taxes"!

They have no clothes to cover their bodies, no food to eat, and no need to learn to read and write. They are blocked from information, ignorant and superstitious. It is difficult for a poor family to produce a noble son, and wealth is passed down from generation to generation. There is no doctor for diseases, and there is a shortage of doctors and medicines. Minor illnesses will eventually become major diseases.

I now understand my father a little. I have witnessed with my own eyes how countless people were displaced by war and famine in my hometown, how many families were broken up, and how many relatives were scattered all over the place. The elderly sent their children to their deaths, and their flesh and blood were separated. It is a great feat that my father can help so many people now.

These tens of thousands of people, rather than being a protective umbrella that Daddy has held up for me, it would be more accurate to say that he has entrusted them to me, hoping that I can consolidate this place of refuge.”

Yu Tuan was speechless for a moment, Zhi Yihe sneered and hugged her: "Okay, if you feel bored, you don't have to accompany me, you can go around and find some delicious and fun things for me."

Yu Tuan smiled slightly, well-behaved and clear, and spoke softly: "Well! Then after I send the girl to the dyeing workshop, I will go out to play by myself! Bring her some delicious food!"

"Okay! Bring it and perform!"

"No! No! Let him stay with the girl. I am quite comfortable on my own! As long as the girl doesn't abandon me and disappear again, that's all that's fine."

Zhi Yihe smiled and snorted softly.

Zhi Yihe lifted her skirt slightly and stepped into the dyeing workshop. The air was filled with the unique fragrance of various plant dyes.

The dyers, either squatting or standing, wearing aprons and wooden gloves, dip the cloth into the dyeing pool, while the apprentices learn and occasionally help. The sound of the cloth tumbling in the dyeing pool is intertwined with the dyers' whispers.

Shigeki and the master sat down in a shady place and talked about the daily operation and technological innovation of the dyeing workshop. The master introduced a newly discovered plant dye, which has brighter colors and longer durability.

Looking at the drying area nearby, the cloths were hanging like waterfalls, swaying gently in the sun like flowing colorful clouds. Zhi Yihe fell into memories unconsciously.

Whenever the sun was shining, my grandmother would set up a clothes drying rack in the courtyard, spread out the quilts one by one, and spread them all over the courtyard. The quilts that had been exposed to the sun exuded a sweet and warm smell of the sun.

At this time, she would shuttle between the quilts that were hung out to dry, imagining herself running in a secret garden full of sunshine. The dry and fluffy touch was like grabbing a handful of summer afternoon breeze, with the flow of air and the softness of cotton.

If her grandfather was at home, he would smile and crawl into the quilt to play and chase with her. Because of her short stature, she could always see the road clearly and run faster, leaving her grandfather far behind.

Zhi Yihe walked to the middle of the drying cloths in a trance, stroking the cloths with her fingertips. At this moment, she could no longer see the road under her feet as clearly as she did when she was a child. Her eyes were covered by rows of colorful cloths. She forgot the way she came and lost the direction she was going.

Like a phantom suddenly appearing in the wind, the corner of her clothes brought up a gust of wind, and just when she turned her head inadvertently, the breeze appeared in her sight without any warning.

The sunlight sprinkled on his body like fragments, and his figure was gently surrounded by the colors of the cloth, just like a carefully choreographed scene in a movie, and the air around him froze.

Zhi Yihe's heartbeat accelerated at this moment, surprise and tenderness flashed in Hefeng's eyes, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly. Time seemed to stop at this moment, and silence was more powerful than words between them.

Hefeng walked calmly and slowly towards her step by step, and stopped in front of her, so close.

"Ahe."

As soon as Hefeng opened his mouth, Zhi Yihe turned around and tried to escape, but he stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.

"Why are you running?" Hefeng asked with a provocative smile.

"You scoundrel! You followed me!" Zhi Yihe kicked him on the calf.

"Ouch - hey! Why are you turning your back on me? I've served you all night! And you run away at the slightest provocation! Are you trying to show off your long legs?" Hefeng pretended to be in pain.

"Who wants you to care!" Zhi Yihe struggled hard, but couldn't get rid of him, so he bit his wrist hard.

Hefeng did not let go, but Zhi Yihe saw that there was still a circle of black marks on his wrist: "Didn't you do as I said? Why hasn't this mark disappeared yet?"

"I'm afraid of pain, so you have to heal me." He Feng said in a coquettish tone and stretched out his hand in front of Zhi Yihe.

Zhi Yihe said "Pah" with disdain: "You are the crown prince, why are you staying here? What is your intention?"

"Ah He, do you want to come back with me? I promise not to let my father find you, and I will help you find your family."

If Hefeng had said that in the past, she would not have believed a single word and would have left without even looking back. However, she now needed to go to the palace to find Aqi and find a good way to save Siqi...