59: Accept the whole bag

"Second Brother, come here."

In the corner of the backyard, the large pot was still set up, with processed bamboo materials piled beside it. This was where the two brothers began making paper.

"Xiao Ming, what's with all the secrecy?" Su Yang wiped his sweat and asked curiously.

Su Ming didn't answer directly. Instead, he picked up a bundle of pre-pounded bamboo fibers, pointed to the large wooden barrel nearby, and asked, "Second Brother, tell me, why do these bamboo fibers need to soak in plant ash water for three full days?"

"Uh..." Su Yang was stunned. "Didn't you say so? The recipe in the book says so."

"Then why, when boiling the pulp, should the heat start high and then decrease, simmering slowly without impatience?"

"This... didn't you say that too?" Su Yang was even more confused.

Su Ming smiled and took out a piece of paper from his Huai. This paper was written on the best paper he had made himself, densely covered with symbols and characters.

"Second Brother, what I taught you before was just the method of papermaking. But I didn't tell you why it's done that way."

He handed the paper to Su Yang: "This contains the complete papermaking technique I saw in that old book."

Su Yang took the paper, looking bewildered. He couldn't recognize all the characters, let alone the strange diagrams.

"Xiao Ming, you are..."

"Second Brother, I'm going on a long journey, and I don't know when I'll return. This craft is the foundation of our Su Family, and I must pass it down completely."

Su Ming's expression became incredibly serious.

"Soaking is to use the alkaline water from plant ash to corrode away the useless woody parts of the bamboo, leaving only the purest fibers. If the time is too short, it won't soak through, and the paper will be brittle; if the time is too long, the fibers will rot, and the paper will lose its toughness."

"Boiling the pulp is to further separate and soften the fibers. If the heat is too high, it's easy to scorch, and the pulp will be ruined; if the heat is too low, it won't boil open, and the fibers won't form pulp."

"And for paper scooping, I only taught you to use a broken sieve before. In fact, the truly useful tool is called a 'paper screen,' which should be woven with fine bamboo threads and horsehair. Only then can the paper scooped out be uniformly thick and thin..."

Su Ming explained the complete, improved papermaking process that Lin Yu had taught him, from the principles to every detail of the specific operations, without reservation, breaking it down for Su Yang.

He explained meticulously, and Su Yang listened intently.

From raw material selection, alkali water ratio, soaking time, cooking heat, to how to make a qualified paper scooping screen, how to press out water, and how to perform the final 'baking paper'... a complete papermaking process, far exceeding the level of ordinary small Workshops of this era, was clearly presented through the brothers' questions and answers.

The more Su Yang listened, the more alarmed he became, and the more he felt the paper in his hand weighed a thousand catties. Only then did he understand that what they had made before was merely the most superficial aspect of this craft!

"Xiao Ming... you... why didn't you tell me sooner...?" Su Yang's voice was a bit dry.

"Because the time wasn't right." Su Ming looked into his second brother's eyes. "This craft is our family's heirloom, and also our family's death warrant. If we had brought it out before, it would only have brought disaster. Now that I'm leaving, I must hand this skill, which will allow us to establish ourselves, to you. Second Brother, remember, this complete craft must never be known by a fourth person! Even Father, Mother, and Eldest Brother should only know that we've improved upon the old method; there's no need to explain it in such detail."

Su Yang nodded heavily. He wasn't foolish and instantly understood the stakes involved.

"Don't worry!" He carefully folded the paper and tucked it close to his body, as if carrying a colossal secret. "As long as I draw breath, I will never let this formula leak out! I will take care of Father and Mother, guard this home, and wait for you... wait for you to pass the imperial examinations and return!"

Su Ming smiled and patted his second brother's shoulder.

Lin Yu muttered to himself: "Hmm, the settlement fee and technology transfer are all sorted. Giving them a golden rice bowl with continuous output is much more reliable than leaving a pile of dead money. This way, the Su Family's economic foundation is stable, and that old fox Zhao Dequan will have to think twice before trying to manipulate them. My Disciple finally has some strategic vision."

Lin Yu, in the ring, gave Su Ming's performance high praise.

"Master." Su Ming called out in his mind.

"What is it?"

"Why must we take the imperial examination path? With your abilities, wouldn't teaching me a Spell or two be faster than ten years of arduous study?" This had always been Su Ming's doubt.

Lin Yu's voice carried a hint of a leisurely smile: "Silly boy, what do you think cultivation is? Fighting and killing, indulging in grievances and revenge? Those are stories from novels."

"True cultivation is a struggle against heaven, against earth, against others, and even more so against oneself! Every step is like treading on thin ice. Your current meager cultivation, if thrown out there, wouldn't even make a ripple."

"The imperial examination is the best 'shield.'"

"Think about it, a scholar with official status, protected by the Dynasty's Luck, ordinary demons and ghosts, and evil Cultivators, would not dare to easily approach, otherwise they would surely suffer a backlash from Luck. This is the first layer of protection."

"Secondly, once you have an official position, even if it's just an insignificant minor official, you'll have the qualifications to consult local county gazettes, prefectural gazettes, and even internal court archives. Do you think those tales of strange phenomena are groundless? Many relics, Immortal Caves, and strange occurrences of ancient Cultivators are recorded as 'anecdotes' in these old papers. This is our 'map' for finding Opportunities!"

"Thirdly, and most importantly. This path allows you to come into contact with the true upper echelons of this world. Do you think those high officials and dignitaries, princes and generals, truly don't have extraordinary individuals around them? No shadows of Immortal Cultivators? When you stand high enough, you will naturally see sights that ordinary people can never see in their lifetime, and enter the circle we wish to enter."

"This is called 'cultivating in the mortal world.' Using the mundane as a springboard, and the Dynasty as a ladder, proceeding steadily and surely, step by step. Compared to those Loose Cultivators who cultivate bitterly in the mountains and forests, often robbed and hunted, it is hundreds of times safer!"

(Inner thoughts: "Joking aside, I don't have the ability to directly teach you immortal cultivation! I definitely need to first give you an identity that allows you to access the immortal cultivation circle, then plan for what comes next.")

Su Ming's heart surged with excitement as he listened, feeling as if a grand and magnificent panorama was unfolding before his eyes. So, the path of cultivation actually had such intricate and profound planning!

"Disciple, I have been enlightened." He said sincerely.

However, just as Su Ming was planning for the future and the Su Family was wholeheartedly preparing for his departure, an uninvited guest disrupted this tranquility.

That afternoon, Su Ming was helping to chop firewood in the courtyard when a familiar, robust cough came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Cough cough! Brother Su Shan, are you home?"