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墨書 Inktalez
Li Zhoule was sixteen, having already reached the age of maturity, and had fulfilled her filial duties for three years. At this age, she should have been thinking about marriage, but the conditions of both families had not been favorable, and there had been no desire to pursue such matters.
Li Zhoule blushed slightly and said shyly, "You don't need to worry about my relationship with Brother Wen."
Li Yishu was not pleased. "You're my sister; how can I not be concerned about you?"
Li Zhoule reached out to pat Li Yishu's head, comforting her younger brother. "I know you care about me, but for now, Brother Wen and I have no thoughts of marriage."
"Why?" Li Yishu asked in confusion.
"Li Yishu, although our lives are good now, I always worry that it might all be temporary. If the deities were to take back their gifts, would we have to return to those uncertain days?" Li Zhoule finally revealed her deepest fears.
"Sister, aren't you worrying too much?" Li Yishu thought his sister's concerns were unnecessary. "Even if the Deity took back their gifts, we already have hundreds of taels saved up; we won't end up starving like before."
Li Zhoule still frowned. "Money is finite; the more we spend, the less we have. What will we do if we use up all our savings?"
Li Yishu truly couldn't understand his sister's worries about being overly cautious and casually suggested, "Then let's not ask the Deity for things anymore; instead, let's ask him to teach us a skill to earn money. Once we learn that skill, we won't have to worry about the Deity taking back their gifts."
Li Zhoule's eyes brightened at this idea but then expressed her concern. "But we've been bothering the Deity so much; do you think he would agree to our request?"
Li Yishu replied confidently, "The Deity is so kind; he will definitely teach us."
………………
Hanno received Li Yishu's request and thought for a moment before deciding to share the methods for making soap opera and soap with the siblings. These were very practical skills that were not difficult to learn. A quick search online yielded numerous methods. Hanno chose the simplest and most traditional method, copied it down, and sent it to the siblings. He then packed various ancient crafts that the siblings had sent him into a large backpack he had brought along and set out to find Chang Miao.
The Chang family lived in a villa area on the outskirts of the city, where the scenery was pleasant and the prices were not particularly high. If Hanno had money, she would buy a house there too. Unfortunately, she was just living comfortably and could only afford an apartment.
“Nono, what brings you here? Come in quickly!” The door was opened by Aunt Han. Second Aunt was not managing the store anymore; she and Uncle Han were older now and had lost the drive and meticulousness of their youth. After entrusting the store to a trusted manager, they would visit occasionally to hear reports from the manager about performance and issues, spending the rest of their time traveling with tour groups.
“Second Aunt, is Miao Miao home?” Hanno was pulled inside by Second Aunt and smiled at Uncle Han, who was sitting on the sofa.
“Of course she is. At this hour, that girl is still sleeping in.” Second Aunt was most dissatisfied with her daughter’s laziness; it was simply infuriating. Miao Miao wouldn’t get out of bed until eleven in the morning and wouldn’t sleep before midnight, which was quite decadent.
“I’ll go wake her up.” Hanno headed up the stairs to the third floor. The Chang family's villa had three stories: the first floor contained the living room, dining room, kitchen, and storage room; Second Aunt and Uncle Han occupied the master bedroom on the second floor, while Chang Miao and Chang Lei lived on the third floor. There was also a rooftop terrace that was perfect for barbecuing in winter and enjoying cool breezes in summer.
Second Aunt called from downstairs, “Nono, stay for lunch!”
“Okay!” Hanno replied as she opened Chang Miao's bedroom door and walked in.
This girl really had no worries; she didn’t even lock her door when sleeping. With all that noise outside, she still hadn’t woken up and was snoring away. Hanno walked straight to the floor-to-ceiling window, pulled back the thick curtains, and let sunlight flood onto the bed.
All she saw was Chang Miao turning over and burying her head deeper into the blanket to continue sleeping. Hanno stepped forward, yanked off the blanket, and tossed it under the bed… One minute later, Chang Miao shot up with a start, shouting, “Chang Lei, you jerk! Give me back my blanket!”
At times like these, Chang Miao often overslept and delayed going to school. Back then, because Aunt Han and Uncle Han were busy with work at the store, it fell upon Chang Lei to wake his little sister for school. Unlike their mother’s patience, Chang Lei used simple and forceful methods to wake Chang Miao: in winter he would take away her blanket, while in summer he would turn off her air conditioning and place a steaming lunchbox on her bed…
So naturally, without thinking twice, Chang Miao blamed her brother for taking her blanket without considering that he worked out of town and wouldn’t return until holidays.
Hanno couldn’t help but laugh.
Chang Miao finally opened her eyes and saw Hanno. Realizing that she was the culprit, she couldn't help but wail, "Sister, why are you acting like that bastard Chang Lei?"
Hanno laughed, "That bastard is your brother. Just don't let Second Aunt and Uncle Han hear you talk about him like that."
Chang Miao pouted, "I'm right in front of you. I wouldn't dare say that in front of them. Sons are much more important than daughters."
"Oh, are you feeling jealous?"
As Chang Miao slipped on her slippers, she asked, "Not at all. So, why did you come to find me so early?"
"I'm here to bring you some folk crafts. Did you forget?"
"I didn't forget." Chang Miao bounced over excitedly. "Hurry up and show me!"
Hanno swatted her head away. "Go wash up; your breath stinks."
Chang Miao immediately covered her mouth and dashed to the bathroom. A little while later, she returned with a bright smile, showcasing her two rows of shiny white teeth as she blew a puff of air towards Hanno. "How about now? Is my breath fresh?"
"Very fresh," Hanno replied dismissively.
"Then hurry up and take out the stuff!" Chang Miao urged eagerly.
"Aren't you going to have breakfast?"
Chang Miao waved her hand dismissively. "It's too much trouble. It's almost eleven o'clock, and we'll be having lunch soon."
Just then, the door opened, and Second Aunt walked in with a cup of milk. "I knew you wouldn't bother to eat breakfast. Drink this milk to fill your stomach. We'll have lunch early today."
Chang Miao stuck out her tongue but obediently drank the milk, then continued to gaze intently at Hanno. Hanno smiled slightly, unzipped his backpack, and emptied its contents onto Chang Miao's bed.
"Oh wow, these things are really beautiful." Aunt Han, who had not left, saw the pile of crafts and her eyes lit up. She picked up a wooden hairpin and couldn't help but admire it. "This hairpin may not be particularly exquisite, but it's very rustic."
Chang Miao smiled and said, "If you like it, Mom, you can take it."
Her gaze fell on the wooden hairpin in Aunt Han's hand, and her casual tone suddenly changed. "Wow, Mom, you really have an eye for this! This hairpin is made from Black Acid Wood."
"Black Acid Wood?" Aunt Han was unfamiliar with the type of wood.
Hanno also didn't understand. "Black Acid Wood? Isn't it Blackwood?"
"No, no, no," Chang Miao shook her finger. "Black Acid Wood is not Blackwood; it actually has another name called Dalbergia Retusa. Although it's cheaper than rosewood, it's still a very precious type of sandalwood."
Chang Miao's gaze shifted to the pile on the bed. "Wow, they are all hairpins and ornaments carved from Dalbergia Retusa wood. Nono, the craftsman you found must be someone who doesn't lack money."
Hanno chuckled; modern rare woods were probably quite common in ancient times.
"How much do you think these items could sell for?" Hanno asked.
Chang Miao picked up a wooden hairpin. "Just like my mom's, this hairpin may not be finely crafted, but its design is rustic, and the material is quite good. Selling one for under a hundred yuan is no problem. However, this Silver Hairpin isn't worth much."
Hanno nodded in understanding. Modern crafts can produce hairpins that are more exquisite and beautiful than each other. If it weren't for the Wooden Hairpin's superior material and design, it probably wouldn't fetch a good price.
Chang Miao took out her latest Apple Device and began photographing each item. She opened her notebook, uploaded the photos to her shop, and marked the prices.
"Done!" Chang Miao clapped her hands.
Hanno picked up three Silver Hairpins from the pile. "Since these aren't worth much, I won't sell them. I'll take them home for myself."
Chang Miao quickly snatched one back. "Leave one for me; I want to use it too."
Hanno let her take it, putting the remaining two into her backpack.
"Nono, where are we going to play after lunch?" Chang Miao asked Hanno excitedly.
Hanno rolled her eyes at her. "I can't be as carefree as you. I need to check on things at the store."
Chang Miao scoffed. "Carefree? Aren't you just the same? You're basically a hands-off Keeper! Aren't you going to the store because you're craving hot pot? How sly of you! Fine, I'm going for hot pot too."
"I'm not going for hot pot. But if you want to eat, I can join you."
"Oh come on, you stubborn girl who talks back while being contrary!"
Lunch was abundant, with several dishes that Aunt Han knew Hanno loved, leaving him thoroughly satisfied. Aunt Han's cooking skills had not been great in the past, but after spending more time at home, she gradually improved. Of course, she still couldn't compare to Mom Han. Uncle Han was a man of few words, but he treated his peers very well, and Hanno quite liked him. The four of them chatted and ate together, creating a lively atmosphere. After the meal, Hanno thought about washing the dishes, but Uncle Han shooed him out of the kitchen, insisting that washing dishes was his job and that he wouldn't let Hanno take it from him. Hanno found it amusing; was it the case in every household that the mother cooked while the father washed the dishes?
………………
As the cold winter passed, the enemy's army began to stir again. Elder Brother Li reminded the Marshal to keep an eye on the movements of the Northern Liang Kingdom. Although the Marshal had made preparations in advance, he had underestimated the situation. After a battle, they emerged victorious but at a heavy cost; their side suffered significant losses as well.
Elder Brother Li bandaged one of the wounded soldiers. There were too many injured for the Military Doctor to handle alone. With only a bit of bandaging skills and first aid knowledge, Elder Brother Li was drafted into service. Yue Yunfei and several young men from Aoyama Village were also conscripted; they had all been taught first aid and bandaging techniques by Elder Brother Li and could now serve as half-hearted Military Doctors. Thanks to them, many injured soldiers did not die due to delayed treatment.
"Wei Feng, many of the wounded are running high fevers, but we’re out of medicinal herbs. Do you have any ideas on how to bring their temperatures down?" Military Doctor Geng Shi'an hurried over to Elder Brother Li for advice. Geng Shi'an was about the same age as Elder Brother Li and was one of the mid-level Military Doctors in the army. He got along well with Elder Brother Li, and they became friends. Elder Brother Li had shared modern first aid knowledge with Geng Shi'an, who then promoted it among other Military Doctors, earning much praise and reducing the mortality rate among soldiers by at least thirty percent. Even methods like stitching wounds with needles, which others found unbelievable, were accepted without question by Geng Shi'an.
"Why not use strong liquor for physical cooling?" Elder Brother Li suggested.
Geng Shi'an sighed, "There isn't much liquor left in the army; once it's used up this time, we won't know what to do next."
Elder Brother Li replied, "Have the Marshal send someone to buy strong liquor."
Geng Shi'an sighed again: "The Marshal doesn't have spare money for liquor."
Elder Brother Li rummaged through his memories and recalled a method for brewing alcohol using local techniques. "I know a way to brew strong liquor; however, this kind of alcohol can't be consumed—it's only for external use."
"The Marshal won't allow us to brew alcohol; it's too wasteful of food. The army is already short on supplies," Geng Shi'an said.
"Don't worry; my method doesn't waste food at all. It only requires some rotten fruit and wheat bran to brew strong liquor," Elder Brother Li assured him.
Geng Shi'an felt a surge of joy upon hearing this. "That's great! Make sure to brew plenty; we need all the strong liquor we can get for disinfection."
Elder Brother Li responded, "I'll write down the method and give it to you shortly."
Geng Shi'an nodded. "Alright."
He then recalled the purpose of his visit to Elder Brother Li. "Wei Feng, aside from using strong liquor to wipe down the patients, is there any other way to help lower their temperatures?"
Elder Brother Li pondered for a moment before replying, "Have the kitchen boil some water and mix it with water that's slightly warmer than body temperature. Use a cloth soaked in this water to wipe down the feverish patients. You can also wrap ice in cloth and place it on their heads, underarms, and groin area for cold compresses."
Geng Shi'an smiled wryly. "Warm water is good, but where are we going to find ice? Even though we're in the north, it's already spring, and the ice and snow have melted long ago."
Elder Brother Li said, "Nitre can be used to make ice. Have someone find some nitre and put it in water; that water will turn into ice."
"Really?" Geng Shi'an asked in surprise.
"Of course," Elder Brother Li replied. "Hurry and arrange for someone to make the ice. But remind everyone that nitre is toxic; the ice made from it can only be used externally, not ingested."
Geng Shi'an turned around excitedly and ran off. "Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone knows!"
Elder Brother Li watched his energetic figure disappear, unable to suppress a smile.
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