Chapter 33: How Luck Turns

Chapter 33

First thing in the morning, following Li Yao's instructions, Wang Jia Gui rode Da Zhuang's ox cart, bringing various tools to the market.

He set up a bamboo bed in an open area, tied some cotton threads on it, spread chunks of kapok on top, and then demonstrated on site.

Bang bang bang--

The people here had never seen anything like this before. Coupled with the extremely rhythmic sound, it immediately attracted quite a few onlookers.

"Old buddy, what are you doing?"

"I'm making cotton mattresses!" Wang Jia Gui said, "If you have lumps of kapok at home, you can bring them to me. I guarantee I'll fluff them up nice and soft! And the cotton mattresses I make won't get lumpy for three years!"

"Haha, aren't you bragging, old pal?"

"Just fluffing them up like this keeps them from getting lumpy?"

...

Facing everyone's skeptical voices, Wang Jia Gui was unperturbed.

While plucking the bowstring, he started singing the tune Li Yao had taught him.

"Fluffing cotton, fluffing cotton, half a pound fluffed to eight ounces..."

Before long, the kapok was fluffed up loose, soft and even. Wang Jia Gui put down the bow, started tying upper layers of cotton threads, and finally pressed it down with wooden blocks. A beautiful cotton mattress was displayed before everyone.

"It looks pretty good."

"I thought the cotton threads would fall off. Didn't expect them to stick so tightly."

Amidst everyone's exclamations of admiration, Wang Jia Gui was extremely satisfied.

"Anyone who has old kapok can bring it over for me to fluff!"

But he waited until noon, people came and went, but not a single person came to have their cotton fluffed.

This really upset him. Could it be an inauspicious start?

"Old pal," just as he was frowning with worry, a somewhat fat steward came up to him, "how much do you charge for making a cotton mattress?"

Wang Jia Gui's eyes lit up. Was this his first business opportunity?

"50 coins."

"That's expensive!" Upon hearing the price, the steward immediately shook his head, "Can you make it cheaper?"

"Young man, I can't make it cheaper," Wang Jia Gui said, "I provide the cotton threads, and can come to your home to do it."

This was the price Li Yao had helped him set.

Although it only took a little over half a hour to fluff a mattress, he wouldn't have kapok to fluff continuously. And those who could afford cotton bedding were definitely not lacking money. It was a luxury item in this era, he couldn't make it cheap.

The steward thought for a moment, and finally said, "Then how about this - you go make one first, we'll discuss more after you finish it."

"Okay, where to?"

"The county office."

Fortunately the results were not bad.

He made 4 mattresses that afternoon. After the county magistrate's wife inspected them, she was very satisfied and promptly paid him 200 coins.

After deducting the cost of cotton threads, he earned 180 coins that afternoon!

The moment he received the money, Wang Jia Gui was so excited he almost fainted.

"Thank you, my lady, and thank you, my lord!"

"Old pal, come over."

Just as he was getting ready to pack up and go home, unexpectedly the county magistrate called him over. Wang Jia Gui tidied himself up and walked over nervously, about to kneel on the ground.

"No need to kneel, we're not in court," Magistrate Song asked, "Let me ask you, this cotton fluffing method, did you come up with it yourself?"

"This..." Wang Jia Gui was startled, and quickly replied, "Replying to you my lord, it wasn't invented by me, but by my eldest daughter-in-law."

"Your daughter-in-law?"

"That's right," Wang Jia Gui said, "I'm from He Wan village. My eldest daughter-in-law is called Li Yao. Last time she also had my grandson go dig wells in other villages."

Magistrate Song was slightly surprised. It was her again?

Braised food, braised goose, digging wells, herbal cream, and now cotton fluffing.

Recently, she seemed to be behind every new development.

One innovation could be a coincidence.

But with so many things happening to one person, it was absolutely not a coincidence.

Just what kind of character was this woman?

Was she really just a shrew like the rumors said?

"Dear," when the county magistrate remained silent in contemplation, his wife gently reminded him, "It's getting late, hurry and let the old peasant return home."

"No rush." Magistrate Song stroked the cotton mattress, seemingly brand new, and asked his wife, "My lady, what do you think of this mattress? Can it be described as exquisite craftsmanship wrested from nature?"

"You jest, my lord," his wife laughed. "But the workmanship is very good."

"Then do you think this method is worth promoting on a wider scale?"

"Of course it can," his wife said. "Tomorrow when I have tea with the other ladies, I think they'll be very interested."

Magistrate Song nodded, giving his wife a profound look.

If anyone could understand his thoughts, there was only one person in this world.

Yet in her heart, the county magistrate's wife sighed softly. Her husband was great in every way, only he thought of the commoners' affairs all day, and was completely indifferent about returning to the capital.

Who knew how many more years they'd have to spend in this impoverished backwater place.

"Old pal," Magistrate Song said to Wang Jia Gui. "Come to the market again tomorrow. I'm sure many people will look for you to make cotton mattresses. You must do a good job for them."

Wang Jia Gui was moved inside, he was so excited he almost couldn't speak, only able to express endless gratitude.

Walking on the way home, he kept thinking - could it be my Wang family's fortunes are finally turning around?