Paper itself was heavy, and boxes made it heavier, so Zhao Ger ordered them packed in clean hemp sacks.
Now, when the book boys saw this, their faces all wore expressions that said, "How can you do this?"
The book boys had just bought paper when the steward of Huai'an Academy arrived. Learning that Zhao Ger was Fang Zichen's fulang, his attitude was very polite.
After hearing his purpose, Zhao Ger was shocked: "You want all of it?"
"Yes!"
"That many?"
"Yes!"
"Then... then I'll take one cart first." When the steward saw the imperial guards carry the goods out, about a dozen sacks, his body swayed as if about to collapse.
There were few scholars, and it was hard for poor families to produce officials. Why? In the end, it was because studying was expensive. But why was studying expensive?
Because paper was hard to make and made in small quantities.
Most paper merchants made paper from ramie, while a few used paper mulberry bark or reeds.
Ramie could make paper, but it had requirements for its growing environment and was not widely distributed. It could also be used to make linen clothes and hemp rope, so more than half of the raw material was diverted away. This craft was not something everyone understood either. It required layer after layer of processing, and there were only so many people who knew how to do it. It was hard to make, made in small amounts, and in high demand, so of course it was expensive. Moreover, the steward had never seen any merchant able to produce so much in one go.
Six carts of goods, about ten sacks per cart......
How long had Lord Fang been in Hezhou?
The steward was sweating nervously, trying to probe Zhao Ger for information. Zhao Ger saw right through him and figured there was nothing he couldn't say: "We didn't bring much this time. Our paper mill still has about ten carts' worth! Hey, Uncle, Uncle, what's wrong?"
The steward was carried back to Huai'an Academy, goods and all.
Academy Head Zhang came over to ask what happened, and then he thought of the chemical fertilizer and couldn't help saying, "That kid probably has some special method. If the Emperor finds out, I'm afraid it'll be another great merit!"
Just as he was sighing in admiration, a student knocked on the door, asking if Lord Fang would come again tomorrow.
They still had some questions. Today there were too many people, so they hadn't gotten a chance to ask.
Academy Head Zhang: "......"
His goal had been achieved. He probably wouldn't come again.
If he did come again, Academy Head Zhang figured he'd have to hire a physician to standby at the academy, otherwise if he fainted from anger, no one would be able to save him.
On the way, Fang Zichen bought candied hawthorn sticks for Guaizai. Guaizai saw he only bought three sticks, and when he heard they were to take back for Zhao Ger, he tugged at him: "Father, not enough."
"Hm?" Fang Zichen tapped his little head: "You're losing your baby teeth. Eating too many sweets isn't good."
"Not for Guaizai to eat!" Guaizai counted on his fingers for him: "There's still Gungun, Dandan, and Liuliu."
"Your little friend and your two younger brothers went out with Uncle Tang today for a good feast. No need to buy anything for them," Fang Zichen said.
Yan Shizheng, the Prefect of Shangyang, and Qin Hengxuan were fellow disciples — both had studied under Master Wen in their youth.
Although Qin Hengxuan was the son of a military general, when he was little his wet nurse took him out to play in the courtyard. At one point he heard a chicken crowing from the direction of the kitchen. When his wet nurse wasn't looking, he sneaked over, and just as he reached the doorway, he saw two kitchen maids inside slaughtering a chicken. He froze for a couple of seconds, then began to feel dizzy — his vision blurred, his heart raced, his face went pale, his limbs turned cold — and he fainted.
Old Madam Qin and the others thought he had some kind of illness and hurriedly called for a physician. But when the physician came, he said there was nothing wrong!
"Then why did he faint?"
"Probably frightened."
Old General Qin and Old Madam Qin didn't think much of it, until Qin Hengxuan was six years old and Old General Qin took him to the army. He saw a soldier accidentally injure his knee during training, blood appearing, and he went stiff and fainted without any warning. This time they thought it was heatstroke, but the physician came and said no! The young master's body was excellent.
Then why did he faint?
This time they couldn't say it was from being frightened again!
The physician couldn't explain it either, but the young master's body really was fine.
After Qin Hengxuan woke up, Old General Qin asked him, and he said blood.
Old General Qin was baffled: "What?"
Qin Hengxuan said: "Dad, blood is scary."
When Old General Qin heard this, it was like being struck by lightning.
The legitimate son of a military family afraid of blood? If this got out, the people of Da Xia wouldn't laugh at him, but the Chao Kingdom would probably laugh their teeth off.
Afraid? Then overcome it.
But no. Qin Hengxuan would faint at the sight of blood. At first he could look for two seconds before falling to the ground. Later it got worse — the moment he saw blood, his eyes would roll back and he'd faint, catching everyone off guard.
Eventually there was no other way. Old General Qin stopped letting him practice martial arts. But if he didn't practice martial arts, what else could the child do? If he stayed home all the time, he'd become a spoiled wastrel. Qin Hengxuan didn't like martial arts — he liked literature. At first he even made a fuss about wanting to study. Old General Qin thought it over and ultimately let him go study!
But Qin Hengxuan was too wild at the academy. The moment the teacher wasn't paying attention, he could leap onto the roof. When he fought people, everyone else was fine — only his nose bled — yet he was the first to go down. When he woke up, he felt humiliated. He went home and found Old General Qin wasn't there, so he immediately coaxed Old Madam Qin, saying he'd been treated terribly at academy, bullied so badly, like a little cabbage yellowing in the field, so pitiful, too tragic to bear.
Old Madam Qin immediately led the Qin family soldiers and charged into the academy. Later she learned that some students had been mocking him behind his back — saying the son of a military general had come to study literature, and he fainted at the sight of blood, how useless, what a disgrace to the Qin family. Old General Qin had such a mighty reputation, invincible in battle, yet unexpectedly had produced such a waste.
Qin Hengxuan couldn't take it and got into a fight with them. But when he saw blood, the other person was still standing while he himself collapsed.
Though the words were harsh, the other party was only nine years old. His hand was still in a white cloth sling around his neck, his nose was still bruised, and his face was still swollen. Old Madam Qin returned awkwardly.
The originally quiet and well-behaved good students at the academy were also instigated by him to skip class and play. The academy, out of respect for Old General Qin, tolerated him again and again. Eventually they really couldn't tolerate it anymore. They tactfully said they didn't have the ability — the young master...... should find someone more capable!
After that, Old General Qin moved Qin Hengxuan through several more academies, and also told the teachers that if the child was naughty again, they didn't need to go easy on him — if the child deserved a beating, beat him.
But saying that — who dared to actually hit him?
The legitimate son of the Qin family — what status was that? Even princes had to show him some courtesy and not dare offend him. How would they dare to actually raise a hand? Moreover, Qin Hengxuan's eyes were unusually sharp. With one faint glance, the teacher wouldn't even dare say another word.
Old General Qin probably understood this too. Seeing that Qin Hengxuan had learned nothing, he could only invite the renowned Master Wen.
At that time, Master Wen had already taken Yan Shizheng as a disciple, so Qin Hengxuan and Yan Shizheng became fellow disciples.
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