Chapter 325: The Inventor Who Gathers Information

Upon hearing Chen Wuji was going to the Xiao family, Qin Zhanhong decided to go along.

On the way, she puzzledly asked, "Why do these big families in Yunan City all like to open an inconspicuous little shop in the city? Apart from the one that runs a money shop, the others earn only a little silver, which seems not enough for the effort they put in."

"I've also been curious about this for a long time," Chen Wuji said, "and later I got an answer: following the trend." He continued, "This answer seems plausible, but I always feel something is missing. Besides this answer, I really haven't found any other more reasonable explanation."

"Following the trend?!" Qin Zhanhong frowned.

"This…… can it be said to make sense?"

"It really can." Chen Wuji smiled.

"This small city of Yunan hides many secrets; seventy or eighty percent of the people living here either have secrets of their own or their ancestors do."

"Sometimes the reason for something seems absurd, but perhaps placed in the context of that earlier time, it becomes very reasonable."

"For example, a wealthy family was exiled to Nan Jun and then assigned to Yunan. They went to the city to pay respects to the magistrate; the magistrate said he wouldn't seize the little property they brought, but the city was too desolate, so they had to take out something and do some work, and thus the first shop opened."

"Later, the wealthy exiles who came to the city first inquired how to survive here; upon learning the magistrate was exhausting himself for Yunan City's prosperity, they hurriedly opened a shop first, then went to discuss with the magistrate where to settle their whole family."

"Look, this trend has caught on? Like our Chen family's ancestors, they are just stubborn. Clearly, following some trends and sending a little gift could settle things easily, but they insist on choosing all kinds of remote corners for the scattered clans, and then being targeted by local officials, making their lives miserable."

Qin Zhanhong nodded thoughtfully, "After you put it that way, it actually seems to make sense."

"I'm just guessing, but following the trend should be a fact; the person who told me this wouldn't lie to me about such a matter, and a small shop can't hide any big secret." Chen Wuji said.

Qin Zhanhong glanced at Chen Wuji and said in a low voice, "I heard before that your Chen clan was almost exterminated back then. It was because the Taizu Emperor saw the court diary that he changed his mind, worrying that the histories would portray him as a cruel and heartless emperor."

"When Da Yu established his dynasty, the historians were all officials of the former dynasty; the Taizu Emperor apparently even issued an edict asking them to alter the court diary, but unexpectedly those two historians went home and hanged themselves, then had their students take the former dynasty's histories and the early histories of Da Yu's founding abroad."

Chen Wuji remained silent for a long moment.

"Don't look like that; it's all in the past. As long as I'm living well now, that's enough." He laughed.

However, the Chen clan truly owes its gratitude to those two historians for sparing their lives.

Their virtue saved the lives of countless members of a completely destitute family.

Qin Zhanhong broke into a faint smile, "These are indeed all things of the past..."

As they spoke, they arrived at North Fifth Lane where the Xiao family resided.

Chen Wuji asked passersby and then confirmed the exact location of the Xiao family.

As a wealthy family that kept private troops in the city and owned who-knows-how-many properties, the Xiao family could be said to be very low-key; entering North Fifth Lane, the seventh house on the right is the Xiao family.

Its architectural layout was the same as that of the surrounding neighbors, the same door frame, even the little lion statues at the doorway were identical.

The only difference was a plaque on the Xiao family's main gate bearing two characters that seemed utterly out of place here: "at ease".

Seeing there was no place to leave a visiting card on either side, Chen Wuji stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Soon after, a crack opened in the door, and a middle-aged man with a messy beard appeared at the gap, asking, "Sir, whom are you seeking?"

"Chen Wuji calls on Lord Xiao; please announce me!"

"Looking for me? Come in!" The middle-aged man glanced at the people beside Chen Wuji and flung the door open.

Chen Wuji was somewhat surprised; the person who opened the door turned out to be Xiao Zong, one of the local tyrants of Yunan.

After all, he was visiting a local tyrant; he worried about a repeat of what had just happened to Xu Zengyi, so he didn't dare let Chen Wushuang and Chen Wuyi wait outside, and the whole party went in together.

The Xiao family's residence was not large: two side courtyards to the left and right, plus a rear one, and that was all of it.

As they passed the front courtyard, Chen Wuji saw a deep pool in which some unidentifiable things were soaking, and beside it were many small wooden frames, resembling papermaking equipment.

This made Chen Wuji suddenly doubt whether paper existed in this era.

"Lord Xiao, what are you doing with this?" he asked directly.

Xiao Zong glanced at it and said, "Making paper—too bad it didn't succeed."

"Please excuse my ignorance," Chen Wuji said, "Lord Xiao."

Indeed it was for making paper, but with this equipment, succeeding would be nothing short of miraculous.

Qin Zhanhong said on the side, "A few years ago someone presented paper as tribute to the court; it's very convenient, far superior to bamboo slips for carrying and storing, but paper has many drawbacks: it tears easily, and the ink tends to blur over a large area, making it hard to tell what was written if one is not careful."

"However, after being dampened it works excellently for rubbing prints; some people like it, but the thing is expensive, close to silk, and writing on it is far inferior to silk, so few people know about it."

Chen Wuji let out a sigh of relief; so that was it—he had almost thought his big business of getting rich from this wouldn't work out, but it was only at the initial stage, thank goodness, thank goodness.

"Paper should be a good thing, but like some people it needs to be properly fixed up so it can change for the better," Xiao Zong suddenly said.

"Since I learned about paper, I've been pondering how to make it a bit better, but I lack the skill to repair it. Speaking of which, Deputy Commander Chen would probably laugh at me—I can't even produce its current sorry state." Chen Wuji said.

Xiao Zong knew Chen Wuji's identity, which was no surprise.

For an information dealer, not knowing even this would be rather derelict of duty.

After passing the front courtyard, Chen Wuji saw in the rear courtyard's open space piles of stones like a mountain, as well as various unfinished inkstone platforms.

Seeing these things, Xiao Zong felt the confidence he had lost over paper return, and he introduced them proudly: "Although I haven't succeeded with paper, my inkstone platforms sell extremely well, not at all inferior to the iron pots made by Deputy Commander Chen. Among scholars worldwide, I might already have captured one-thousandth of the market on inkstone platforms."

Chen Wuji clicked his tongue inwardly; what a fine fellow, turns out he's also an inventor.

This person's interests are just too broad.