novelraw Chapter 78: Crystal Curtain
Chapter 78: Crystal Curtain
Chapter 78: Crystal Curtain
2025-03-31
After considering it, Pei Jing came to take a look out of curiosity.
On the first day, the materials for the model of the long bridge depicted in the blueprints were not yet collected, but Wen Gu asked him to help with other designs. Wen Gu had cleared out a room in the courtyard where he worked. It had been renovated recently and was now ready for use. Pei Jing had initially come out of curiosity and for potential benefits, to investigate. As he played around, he found himself developing a bit of interest.
Several days later.
Xianghui District, the district where the Shen family relatives resided. Wen Gu led a group of people to transport a long chest into the district. The foreman of the district was a member of a collateral branch of the Shen family, but he knew his place and did not consider himself to be on the same level as Wen Gu. Foremen were not all the same. Within a district, some foremen were pushovers, while others held real power! Seeing that there was a valuable item, the Shen family foreman specifically assigned two more people to help carry the chest.
The Shen Family.
In the same large study.
Compared to last time, there were fewer people present, but those who attended were influential within their own families or financially independent. There were also a few elders from the clan. They had heard that Qingyun District had newly produced a rare item, which Wen Gu wanted to sell to cover the workshop's expenses. If it was indeed a rare item, they were interested. But if it was just exaggerated...
Initially, they had planned to at least support their capable young cousin-in-law, even if they didn't find the item appealing.When Wen Gu arrived, everyone exchanged pleasantries and greetings. It was only when Shen Liu impatiently urged them that the clan relatives quieted down. Wen Gu wasted no more words and had the box opened, carefully taking out the item inside.
To showcase it, Wen Gu specifically borrowed two tall and strong escorts from the Tiger Might Escort Agency. Before coming, he had the two escorts rehearse in Jingxing District. At this moment, the two escorts were still tense, afraid that they might accidentally damage some part of it, which they couldn't afford to compensate even if they were sold!
In the large study, some were drinking tea, while others were chatting in low voices. The moment the chest was opened, the room fell silent. As the two burly escorts slowly lifted the item, gasps of amazement rose one after another in the room.
They saw that transparent beads with a tinge of green were strung together to form a curtain. The beads varied in color depth, but when strung together, their shades were harmonious, making the overall appearance and every detail perfect. When lifted, the curtain swayed, resembling ripples of green on water, or as if shattered water splashes had transformed into a door curtain, creating a dreamlike effect!
Wen Gu observed the expressions of everyone in the room. If the beads were purely colorless, fewer people would like them; most people in this era preferred colored gemstones. Gold, silver, and colored gems. This curtain, made of beads with a failed attempt at colorlessness but possessing color, was just right!
"This item is the 'Crystal Curtain,' crafted through the painstaking efforts of numerous top craftsmen!"
Shen Qing approached, reached out to touch it, and swallowed hard, "It truly is a crystal curtain!" Shen Liu was also excited. He wanted to recite a poem to praise this marvel, but lacking culture, he could only exclaim, "It's so blindingly dazzling!"
Wen Gu smiled, "There's even more dazzling." He signaled the two escorts to change the position of the curtain. He had observed the weather today and timed his arrival. The two strong escorts, with serious expressions, carefully and cautiously shuffled among the crowd of Shen family members, moving towards the windows and doors where sunlight streamed in.
As they moved, the bead curtain swayed gently. The overall effect was a natural, undulating gradient, like rippling green waves, reflecting specks of bright light. The room was filled with another round of heavy gasps. Someone stared, entranced, "This is a true crystal curtain, not a metaphor in scholars' poetry!" In poetry, scholars often likened clear water surfaces, lakes, or water screens to glass mirrors or crystal curtains. However, at this very moment, the virtual metaphors from scholars' poetry had been materialized and embodied! Dazzling! So incredibly dazzling!!
Everyone in the room crowded around, examining it closely. Wen Gu stood aside, giving these magnates time to appreciate it. These beads were made during the testing process, not just decolorization tests but several others, and all the substandard ones were brought out. If they didn't meet Wen Gu's requirements, they could be used to make other items. For this, Pei Jing was specially commissioned to design and draw the original color charts for the crystal curtain, and he was paid for the design, even if Pei Jing didn't care about the money.
Having worked with crystal for so many years, Pei Jing understood better how to showcase the beauty of the crystal. He couldn't carve, but he understood appreciation. Different colored crystals, even with subtle differences, have different artistic expressions. When Pei Jing first saw these beads, he had a feeling of confusion that reshaped his worldview. Later, with Wen Gu's persuasion, Pei Jing forced himself to ignore these man-made crystals and imagine them as natural hydrous obsidian. His inspiration exploded while drawing the design, and he finished it in one go! Artistically sequencing and stringing together those subtle color variations on paper! With the drawings, Wen Gu then enlisted several craftsmen sensitive to color to process according to the drawings. The final product was satisfactory. Seeing the reactions of these magnates made him even more satisfied.
Wen Gu first clarified, "This item is not natural hydrous obsidian, but fired glass."
"We know, we know!" someone responded absentmindedly. Does it matter? Hydrous obsidian, certain clear gemstones, have all been referred to as glass. Glass is also considered a precious material! As for firing? They didn't care if it was fired. Similarly, porcelain and glazed tiles are fired, but the value of the fired products varies wildly; some become imperial tribute, while others only fill the common markets! The same applies to glass items. Whether it's worth it, they would judge for themselves!
Wen Gu continued to introduce the meticulous craftsmanship of this curtain, including the thread used for stringing the beads: "Top-grade mixed thread, a combination of fiber and metal, more flexible than pure metal thread and stronger than pure fiber thread. Top craftsmen's top techniques; this kind of craftsmanship, in the past, was exclusively for royalty and high officials!" Thanks to Madam Shen's support! Otherwise, Wen Gu wouldn't have been able to obtain this level of mixed thread in such a short time! The more he introduced the various "top-grade" aspects, the more the people present were captivated.
"The glass beads inside were not easy to obtain, with a high scrap rate," Wen Gu said. Many were indeed wasted during the experiments. "After making it, I wanted to sell it for some money and grain to support the workshop's expenses. If any of my esteemed relatives know friends who might like this item..." Before he could finish, someone interrupted, "We can handle it ourselves within the family; why give it to outsiders!" "Exactly, such a good item, don't let it go elsewhere!"
As the year drew to a close, wealthy households and nobles did not have the same worries about winter as commoners; they were more concerned with social obligations during the festive season. Many members of large families were not in Xin Prefecture City but were scattered in towns within the Zhao Clan's sphere of influence, holding official positions and handling affairs. They might only return once a year, perhaps during the Chinese New Year.
Social engagements were a given. Achievements in warfare were one thing, but wealth also determined one's prestige. Visible decorations were the most direct display of power! This winter, quite a few large clans from the south had arrived. Their families, maternal families, or in-law families were looking to maintain face and perhaps even forge collaborations. They might not necessarily buy it for themselves, but perhaps they would buy it for others or as a gift. They weren't genuinely foolish and rich. They had money, but they weren't necessarily foolish.
Someone couldn't wait to ask the price. Nowadays, large transactions were conducted in money and grain. Money was the Xin Prefecture money certificate, which could be exchanged for food and supplies with the Zhao family. "Everyone present is family, so I won't give you a false price." Wen Gu offered a "family price."
There were more gasps of astonishment. It wasn't that the price was too high, but it was much lower than they had anticipated! Someone thought they misheard or that Wen Gu misspoke and asked again. Wen Gu confirmed again. If the times were peaceful, and if he were a merchant, perhaps he could come up with other tricks. But Wen Gu was not going down that path now, and besides, Madam Shen was watching, so he couldn't overcharge too much. He had already factored in sufficient research and development, labor, technology, materials, and artistic premiums for this crystal curtain. Ordinary wealthy households absolutely could not afford it; only large and powerful clans would consider it cheap. However, some people here had invested their savings in Wanfu Garden. Even if they were tempted, they couldn't come up with the money immediately. For example, Shen Qing and Shen Liu.
The curtain a few steps away swayed slightly, its beads shining. They sparkled so brightly that their eyes began to water. "You should have brought it out earlier! If you had, I would have bought it long ago!" Shen Qing said with regret, "Or even later, once the first phase of Wanfu Garden starts making money, I'll definitely buy it!" Wen Gu comforted him, "There's no need for that. Such crystal curtains will be made in the future. However, for now, only this one exists." Shen Qing: Thank you, that didn't comfort me at all! It's precisely its current uniqueness that's appealing!
Compared to the regret of Shen Qing, Shen Liu, and others, many in the room were moved by Wen Gu's family price and eager to act. Seeing their expressions, Wen Gu knew that these people still had quite a bit of money and grain. Wanfu Garden was just a group purchase by some benefactors; most of them weren't hit too hard financially. Someone wanted to buy it but had concerns and asked, "This crystal curtain... didn't you send it to your aunt?" "My aunt said she has enough things, so she's letting the younger generation pick first this time. There's no need to worry," Wen Gu replied. The people in the room immediately felt relieved.
After some vying, an elder from the Shen family finalized the result. Shen Liu said sourly, "Uncle Seven, what do you need this crystal curtain for? I remember you prefer purple and red, not green or blue. Aunt said to let the younger generation pick, and you're not exactly a junior!" Uncle Shen Seven chuckled, "I picked it for your little sister, Xiao Xi." He was referring to his own daughter, who was engaged to the legitimate son of a prominent family from the south and would be married before the year's end. Uncle Shen Seven didn't chat further with them and went to discuss the transaction details with Wen Gu. He also instructed people to pack the crystal curtain properly, warning them not to touch it randomly, lest it get dirty or damaged!
In the evening, Wen Gu returned to Qingyun District. A craftsman approached him, carefully carrying a box containing fragile items. "This is the cover box made according to your requirements, Foreman." The craftsmen didn't quite understand Wen Gu's aesthetic. They had made crystal inkstones and crystal cover boxes for nobles before, but Wen Gu's requirements were different; he wanted circular and simple ones, without any patterns on the lid, as colorless as possible, thin, and transparent.
After the craftsman left, Wen Gu inspected the "cover box" inside the case. This batch of newly made petri dishes was passable and would be stored in the warehouse for future use.
(End of this chapter)