Chapter 27: Springcotton

Chapter 27

Bamboo sticks were spread all over the bamboo bed. With a long pole that had a small ring on top, cotton threads were densely threaded onto the bamboo sticks. Then 8 catties of cotton were evenly laid on top, ready for carding.

With one hand controlling the bow, and the other holding a wooden mallet, she gently tapped the cow tendon bowstring.

The rhythmic sound suddenly rang through the quiet village. The clumps of cotton were soon carded into a fluffy texture.

When Wang Xue Shi and Wang Jia Gui came, Li Yao was carding with gusto, her hair covered in cotton fluff.

Wang Jia Gui was holding a wooden patty that Li Yao had asked him to help make. Seeing Li Yao carding cotton, Wang Jia Gui's eyes widened.

"What are you doing?"

"Carding cotton," Li Yao said, "to fluff it up for making cotton mattresses."

Shouldn't making cotton mattresses require putting cotton between cloth, then sewing it up with needles?

Wang Jia Gui didn't understand what was going on, but the rhythmic tapping made him feel strangely itchy.

"Can I try?"

"What mess are you trying to make?" Wang Xue Shi doubted her husband's dexterity, "Go pick tea seeds quickly!"

"Dad wants to try, just let him try."

Li Yao took down the bow and gave it to Wang Jia Gui.

Sure enough, men were naturally better suited for this task. After getting used to it for a while, Wang Jia Gui was carding skillfully. By the time all the cotton was fluffed up, Li Yao taught him how to even it out.

"Make it thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges, so the mattress will be more usable."

After finishing, Li Yao taught him to sew cotton threads across, then press with the wooden patty. A comfortable cotton mattress was completed.

Looking at the neat and cozy cotton mattress, Wang Jia Gui and his wife sang praises.

"How did you come up with this method?"

"I heard it from the cotton shop owner," Li Yao said.

Wang Jia Gui carded a mattress and felt unsatisfied, so he asked, "Shall we card some more?"

Although Wang Xue Shi didn't say anything, her eyes also showed some anticipation.

The mattresses made this way were very neat and tight, clearly less prone to clumping. They had never seen such nice mattresses before. If they could learn this skill, the old man might be able to earn some money with it.

Of course Li Yao wouldn't go become a cotton carder, so it didn't matter.

If father-in-law could learn this skill and earn money, it would be his capability.

"Then you can card some more."

Wang Jia Gui happily picked up the bow again.

That whole afternoon, he indulged in a rhythmic melody, feeling like this thing was addictive. If Wang Xue Shi hadn't pulled his ear to make him stop when it was getting late, he probably could have carded until dawn.

"Sister-in-law, we've come to sell tea seeds!"

"Why didn't you lead the piglet on a leash?"

Wang San'er scratched his head: "Mom, you said to carry it out and back every day."

Li Yao: ...

Nevermind, let's just go home.

Taking the heavy basket, Li Yao led the two late children back home, and weighed it herself.

"78 catties."

Upon hearing so much, the brothers eagerly asked, "Mom, how much money is that?"

"Calculate it yourself," Li Yao said, "Only if you calculate correctly will you get the money, calculate wrongly and you get nothing. No asking others for help."

Wang San and Wang Xiao Si were stumped.

Such big numbers, they didn't know how!

Finally it was clever Wang Xiao Si who grabbed a handful of seeds and laid them out on the ground.

"Two seeds represent two wen, so we place 78 pairs, then count them!"

Although the method was a bit silly, it was pretty good thinking.

In the end, the brothers successfully got 156 wen.

"Mom, we want to go again tomorrow."

"You can," Li Yao said, "But tomorrow you have to calculate by yourself, and can't use today's method."

The brothers started scratching their heads again.

"Then what if we don't know how?"

"You can learn."

"Oh right!" The brothers ran to find Wang Er, "Second bro, hurry and teach us to calculate!"

...

That night Li Yao personally cooked dinner.

Today at the market she bought two big hens, cleaned them thoroughly, then briefly rinsed in boiling water to shrink the skin, so when cooked the skin would be crispy and tender.

Salt baked chicken didn't need spices, just colored with salt and perilla leaves. Then tightly wrapped in big fig leaves and buried in salt, slow cooked over low heat until the tempting salt baked chicken was done.

The golden skin, tender and juicy chicken meat, the salty and fresh taste made everyone drool. They almost wanted to swallow the bones too.

After dinner, Li Yao washed up and changed into comfortable underwear, then laid out the cotton mattresses and quilts she made today, and cozily lied down.

Thick cotton mattresses were just so comfortable to lie on, sweeping away all the fatigue of the day. Covered with a soft cotton quilt, her whole body felt like melting.

After coming here for so long, this was the first time Li Yao slept so well.