Chapter 87: The New Wealthy

The cold wind is biting; Jingxing Fang has ceased work, but the kilns in Qingyun Fang are still operating.

Several special kilns among them have adopted heat-preservation measures, with the kiln bodies thickened with insulation layers.

The improved kilns require highly experienced craftsmen to operate and manage them in order to maintain stable operation.

Even so, the low-temperature environment still increases the firing costs. The challenges encountered in the technical process are even greater; a moment of inattention, and the firing will fail.

Of course, this failure only refers to not meeting the requirements of Wen Gu.

In recent days, the Treasure Bridge in Jingxing Fang has been a hot topic in the city, and the craftsmen went to see it during their free time. After the initial shock and amazement, they knew in their hearts that those so-called rare treasures actually contained many flaws.

The kiln experiments are still continuing.

With the low temperatures of winter and the rising costs of raw and auxiliary materials, experienced craftsmen can estimate the money burned every day.

Some people grew concerned and specifically went to find Wen Gu: "Multiple factors are causing too much money to be burned, and the finished products still do not meet your standards, Ward Chief; should we pause for now?"

To this, Wen Gu stated: "Do not be concerned, keep firing!"

The failed finished products will naturally have their own uses.

Nowadays, the craftsmanship is still limited; the flawed products obtained from experiments in color removal, color toning, impurity removal, bubble removal, and so on, can be placed on the eaves, or hung on walls embedded as pictures, and not many people will specifically run up to look closely.

When the level of craftsmanship improves in the future, they can be replaced one by one during routine building maintenance.

The beauty created by distance can still be maintained.

Wen Gu requested two types of colorless, transparent glass: one is thin and transparent like a culture dish, and the other is thicker, clear glass without bubbles, to be used for polishing.

The craftsmen do not know what Wen Gu wants to polish, only that this Ward Chief has extremely high requirements.

During the process of testing and trial-and-error, those that do not meet the requirements are returned to the kiln if they can be, and those that cannot are all taken to be used as other "building decoration materials."

However, the craftsmen did not develop strong negative emotions; Ward Chief Wen pays the remuneration very readily.

Moreover, Wen Gu marked several time periods; the faster they develop qualified products, the more rewards the craftsmen receive, and they might even be recruited into the Zhao Family's workshop as minor stewards, with their families all being settled together! This is what many craftsmen dream of!

Wen Gu holds the latest fired product and examines it closely against the light.

In fact, with the accumulation of the craftsmen's experience and technical improvements, it is already very close to his requirements.

Calculating the date of the New Year, Wen Gu went to offer a few words of encouragement during the time the craftsmen were eating and resting—

"Exert all your strength, firm up your confidence, press forward with pressure, and be high-spirited and enterprising!"

……

On the road to Xinzhou City.

A team with many carriages and horses moves forward in the cold wind; looking from afar, it is like a giant snake winding forward in the snow.

Although the sky is clear, the temperature is cold, and the thick layer of snow on the ground has not melted.

Fortunately, after entering Xinzhou, the local City Defense Army had cleared the roads in advance, and some sections were even filled with burnt coal slag to prevent slipping.

The team does not need to spend more time clearing snow and obstacles. The road surface is also smoother, which makes the people in the carriages feel much better.

At the very front of the team is the Xinzhou Shoushou Cavalry.

Following closely behind are some mounted guards with distinctly different clothing; they guard the important carriages and goods of their respective masters.

Inside the large carriage near the front of the team sits an old woman and a young man.

Having traveled long distances for survival and racked their brains, both of them have weary expressions.

The many precious fabric decorations inside the carriage are embroidered with Buddhist patterns.

The young man wears a string of Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist.

He raises his hand, lifts the curtain slightly, and looks at the monotonous snowy scenery outside.

They come from the South. Where their hometown is located, it almost never snows in winter, and only when encountering a rare cold winter will snow occasionally fall.

Some nobles also go to the warm and prosperous towns in the South to recuperate in winter.

However, now that the Evil Plague is spreading, the warm climate has instead brought many disadvantages, and towns in the South have been destroyed one after another.

From the beginning of the year to the end, throughout the entire year, they have experienced the threat of evil things every day, and the smell of tragedy and despair floats everywhere.

Last winter, they transferred their families and some supplies to several small islands, but this is not a long-term plan.

They decided to send a group of people north to find more opportunities for survival. They also seek a more long-term future for the family.

Among the information collected, they have considered all of the Six Great Powers of the Beidi.

With a large family and a big business, those in power bear greater pressure; time waits for no one, and they must make a choice as soon as possible.

After nearly a year of waiting and watching, during which the Zhao Family sent people south to contact them, they finally contacted three other major shipping clans and chose to head to Xinzhou.

The moment the fleet approached the coast and a large amount of supplies was exchanged for Xinzhou Money Vouchers, the road ahead of them was basically set.

This road leads straight to Xinzhou; if they want to change paths halfway, it would be a bloody loss.

The team arriving at the seaport this time will come in batches.

Many people are not accustomed to the Beidi weather, and coupled with the fatigue of the journey, they need to rest in place for a longer time.

They are the first batch of the team heading to Xinzhou City, and they were forced to stop twice midway due to the weather.

When the strong winds rise by the seaside in the South, they carry a power that seems to destroy the world, full of moisture, wishing to roll people into it and drown them.

But the biting, stiff winds of the Beidi are like ice blades arranged in an array, each blade wanting to stab into people's bones.

They are indeed unaccustomed, but they also saw that the monsters that forced them into desperate situations several times in the South are, one by one, as if cursed by God and Buddha, or like severely rusted machinery, sluggish and dull.

When resting in a town midway, the army and guards cleared the evil things hiding inside as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

It is as if they were not encountering the same kind of monster.

The limitation of low temperature is so obvious!

"The winter in the Beidi indeed holds a glimmer of life!"

The young man puts down the curtain, not letting more cold wind blow in.

The old woman beside him also withdraws her gaze at this time, her hands turning the prayer beads.

In the current world, the freezing winter and the snow on the ground also have a protective effect.

"It has been a long time since I felt such quiet," the old woman sighed softly.

The winter in Beidi is very cold, but it also has a peace that makes one feel secure.

If not for this, if it were merely an ordinary chaotic era, they could have formed their own power in the South!

Those who engage in maritime trade and can make it big lack neither connections nor family wealth. With the heavens high and the Emperor far away, the luxury of their lives does not lose to those great nobles of the Huangcheng.

Now...

"Sigh!"

The young man sighed silently.

Amidst various considerations and schemes, Xinzhou City was finally reached!

They saw the newly built grand defensive works, and they also saw the military workshops one after another in the Outer City District.

Even with a complex mind, one could not help but breathe a sigh of relief at this moment.

The destination had been reached, and it looked safe and reliable enough.

They would rest for one more night in the Outer City District.

With the status of the few family heads, they could avoid being quarantined for observation here, but they needed to rest, to wash up and adjust.

Once they entered the Inner City District, they would have to begin socializing and networking; they could not go to meet people looking disheveled and exhausted, could they?

They had thought conditions in Xinzhou would be arduous and were mentally prepared for a significant drop in their quality of life, but they had not expected that even their temporary Residence would have novel items!

"Glass windows? Is Xinzhou actually this extravagant?!"

The young man's eyes were filled with surprise.

As those who engage in maritime trade, they have many imported Glass items in their hands, so it is not rare. But it is far from reaching the level of using Glass to make windows!

"It is easier to use than window paper and Bright Tile; it blocks wind and rain while still letting in light." The old woman's gaze passed through the Glass window, looking at the scenery outside.

"Xinzhou has mastered the firing technique!"

They sent people to inquire and learned that the Residences in the Outer City District that receive honored guests are all installed with Glass windows. It is just that production is currently limited, and many wealthy households in the Inner City District are still waiting in line!

"Grandmother, after we enter the city, we shall have them replaced as well," the young man said.

They are able to enjoy some preferential treatment by relying on the Zhao Family.

He could not help but calculate in his heart the benefits the Zhao Family could gain from this.

Aside from the Glass windows, the other furnishings in the room were actually average in their eyes.

As the old woman's sense of novelty regarding the Glass windows passed, her expression faded again.

The young man knew the elder missed her family still remaining on the island in the South, and he missed them too. This trip was just to scout the path; whether to bring the family over would depend on whether this Xinzhou was worth it!

"I heard there is a Treasure Bridge in Jingxing Fang within Xinzhou City, newly built; we can go see it when the time comes!"

It sounded expectant, but his attitude was actually casual.

He also discovered that a newspaper had been placed in the room.

The young man picked it up to read for a while, then read it aloud to the elder.

Outside the room, the guards and attendants were also gathered together discussing.

Among the news they had gathered, the hottest topic in Xinzhou City recently was the Treasure Bridge.

"Jingxing Fang and Qingyun Fang? Jingqing Lane? Where are they in the Neicheng?"

"I asked the City Defense Army, and they said you will know as soon as you enter the Neicheng; a tall Glazed Ware long bridge hangs in the air."

"Made entirely of treasures? Is it that magical? They must be blowing smoke!"

"It must be an exaggeration; the border city is bitter and cold, and rare treasures are rarely seen."

They are people who run maritime trade; they have seen more rare treasures than they can count. Unlike the locals who are ignorant.

"But there are also many noble families and officials here; perhaps they were the ones who put in the effort."

"Regardless of whether it is true, all of you, perk up! The Neicheng is already inhabited by wealthy households and nobles, and how many pairs of eyes are watching? We are entering the city tomorrow; we cannot lose face for our master!"

After a night of rest, the next day, the first batch of teams from the four major maritime trade families—Feng, Liang, Xu, and Guo—who had migrated north from the South, led by the Feng Family, stepped into the Inner City District of Xinzhou City.

The leading guard unit was composed of people from the Feng Family.

They had once fought against water bandits and pirates, and in the chaotic era, they had fought for their lives against evil things. Their wild bodies, tempered by the ocean waves for many years, were agile and dangerous; their builds might not be burly, but their ferocity did not lose to the Border Army.

At this moment, in order to support their master's image, whether they were riding on horses or following closely on foot, they were all steady and powerful, full of momentum.

The few guards on horseback had stern expressions, but they were grumbling in their hearts.

As trusted aides, they knew more information.

Their master worships Buddha; among the several major powers in the North, their Feng Family had initially wanted to go to the Ren Clan.

It was only because the Zhao Family contacted them earliest and gave promises and sincerity that they joined the other three families to come to Xinzhou together.

However, they also heard that the Zhao Family does not have a good attitude toward Buddhism and Daoism.

They do not build temples and only allow Buddhist shrines to be built in one's own home.

The guards and attendants also followed their master's preferences; aside from the Sea Goddess related to maritime navigation, they usually worshiped Buddha on land.

Once they entered the Neicheng, they felt even more deeply the local ward system and the strict order under the chaotic era.

With ward walls blocking the view on every side, they could only see the roofs of various buildings that were taller, but not one looked like a temple.

They also did not see any monks on the roads.

The Zhao Family really does not build temples!

Will they only be able to worship Buddha in their own homes from now on?

They had thoughts in their hearts, but they also diverted their attention to remain vigilant of their surroundings.

Something seemed to flash in their peripheral vision.

Bright, colorful, and sparkling—it was not the gleam of a sharp weapon.

They turned their heads to look.

Under the sunlight, a dreamlike, illusory flying bridge burst into view.

"I... ah... wow!"

They wanted to speak, but for a moment did not know what to say; still remembering not to shout and yell and lose face for their employer, they could only stutter out syllables.

Those riding on horseback had a wide field of vision and discovered the strange sight over there one after another.

One by one they twisted their necks, and some could not help but exclaim in surprise, nearly falling off their horses.

The saddles felt like they were studded with nails, making it impossible to sit still. They wanted to calmly look straight at the road ahead, but their gazes could not help but pursue that shimmering, brilliant place.

"Is there some kind of custom here, is it made of melted ice?" someone asked in a low, strained voice.

"How could that be!"

If it were placed on snowy ground, such a suspicion might be possible, but!

Look at that flying bridge erected high over there, look at those eaves and walls piled up like jewels, the glass windows on both sides that look like they cost nothing, and the dazzling flowing light!

"Is that the legendary Treasure Bridge of Xinzhou?!"

Is Xinzhou City this wealthy?!

Inside the carriage they were guarding, the young master Feng Zaining and the old madam stayed within, looking over a document containing the identity information of the powerful and important figures of Xinzhou City.

Their own advantages lay on the water and in maritime navigation; once they arrived in Xinzhou, it was difficult to utilize them. Although they knew the Zhao Family would certainly have other arrangements for them later, in the short term, they were restricted.

Old-school aristocratic clans, as well as the newly rich who had developed into powers, and the rules of order in troubled times which were different from the past—those people might not necessarily welcome their arrival.

The grandmother and grandson discussed how, during the upcoming holiday social engagements, they could exchange gifts, trade what they had for what they lacked, and integrate into the upper circles of Xinzhou City as quickly as possible.

Hearing the commotion outside, the grandmother and grandson's first reaction was—a show of force from the local powerful figures!

Vigilant in his heart, Feng Zaining lifted the curtain to the side, and a guard came over to inform him briefly in a lowered voice.

Not the powerful figures?

Treasure Bridge?

Feng Zaining was somewhat surprised. He stepped out of the carriage compartment, stood on the carriage, and looked toward the direction everyone was watching.

His eyes were made to squint by the glare, then widened in astonishment.

From their angle, although they could not see the full view of the Treasure Bridge, they could see most of it. Even across the distance, they could see that sacred feeling of flowing, radiant light!

If it were a small object, such a rare and brilliantly shining treasure would have to be enshrined in a Buddhist hall!

He even dazedly saw some seven-colored light spots moving upon it.

At this moment, Feng Zaining only felt a wave of dizziness.

Xinzhou City... it seems to be different from what they had imagined!

They do not favor Buddhism or Daoism here; could it be that they worship a different path of immortals?!

On the surface, he was steady, indifferent, and calm, but the Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist trembled slightly, and his heart was frantically beating a wooden fish!

I wonder if one can donate some Merit money there?

(End of chapter)